belated resolutions

I've never been one to make resolutions or goals much less keep resolutions or goals, but this year I'm determined to change some things about myself and in turn hopefully my life. In doing so, I hope to instill some better habits, traits, and/or characteristics in my family around me.  Some of the ways I currently do things don't really please me so I'm determined from here on out. I've been thinking of a few of these since the new year but just haven't really defined them entirely or written them down. In revealing them here, I hope to hold myself a little more accountable and actually accomplish something. So here goes...

1. Be a better me.
This is more of an ongoing resolution/challenge. Who doesn't aspire to be a better person? Give more. Try harder. Be kind. Do the extra little things that make a difference.

2. Organize and schedule. Everything.
You would imagine with 6 children the routine or schedule in this house would be almost perfected by now. And you would be mistaken. Example: Almost every Sunday as we're loaded up and driving the 5 blocks to church we say... we're always late! We have to be one of the closest families to church! This is very aggravating to say the least. My goal/resolution entails being more organized and scheduled so we don't rush everywhere. So when we get home the house isn't a complete disaster from the tornado that hit it when we left. So I remember school activities before they happen. So our finances are in order. So I can relax at the end of the day instead of worrying about a million things I need to or should do. So I can remember. Period. In setting this goal/resolution, I hope it carries over and helps me to be a better me and remember and actually dot he little things I always want to do but always, ALWAYS forget. My intentions are always good but I fail to accomplish 98% of the things I want to do on a daily basis.

3. Read.
And by read I don't mean the weekly church bulletin or the newspaper. I want to read 2 books a month. This is a very lofty goal considering I'm not sure the last time I read a book cover to cover. I have a hard time even finding time to read a magazine from start to finish. If I sit down and read when I make the kids read, there really is no excuse. We have an entire shelf of books waiting for me!

4. Exercise.
After the recent birth of our SIXTH child, I've sorta kinda wanted to shed some extra pounds ;) I know, I know... most of your are gagging right now because the thought of losing weight isn't appealing. And hearing about someone making exercise and dieting a New Year's resolution is even less appealing. Here's the thing... I don't diet. I don't exercise. I just don't do it. This resolution is more for Dave. He wants to exercise more and I promised we could do some Wii Fit workouts together or maybe some bowling on the Wii. Our local high school also has a family night in the pool so this might get worked in to the resolution but no promises because getting me in a swim suit is not going to be an easy task. This might be the extent of my exercise resolution... more to come on that. ;)

So... those are my resolutions, goals, ambitions... and now I have to be accountable... yikes! I hope all of you have thought about doing something to better yourself this year, whatever it may be. Best of luck in your 2011 endeavors!

deceivingly adorable

This child may have the most squeezable, kissable cheeks everrrr but he is truly The Beast. I am not even exaggerating! He might be the one and only reason I couldn't get anything done as a stay-at-home mom. I think he believes God's purpose for him is to destroy. Everything. Just the other day we spent the entire morning tidying up but I'm not sure any visitors could tell I actually did anything besides light a candle before they walked through the front door and kick shoes around to make a path in.

First, I caught him in the garbage. And when I say "in," I mean IN! The bag was on the kitchen floor waiting for more garbage and apparently Nash didn't agree with me about throwing out the Risk pieces lacking a board... He was in the bag retrieving them. And retrieving them from his death grip is nothing unlike wrestling a stinky, buttered piglet. Even the squealing is the same!

Usually lunch and supper are the times I enjoy because I can strap him in and know nothing will be destroyed because of his containment. This particular day he filled his shirt with bits of hot dog. I'm surprised he didn't feed them to the dog.

Most of the madness that he gets into happens when I'm sitting down to nurse Drew. Granted, I've nursed many a baby in my day so I have NO problem launching myself, baby in tow, off the recliner or couch to retrieve him from death or the frig but on this particular day all I could do was watch from the recliner as The Beast launched marker after marker AFTER MARKER over the upstairs banister. He thought he was HILARIOUS! Beast.

Use your better judgement and think twice before trying to indulge in a kiss of these cheeks...

the last of the celebrations

And THIS is the last of our Christmas celebrations! Dave's side of the family comes over every Christmas as well to celebrate and partake in some White Elephant exchanging. As you can see below, lots of food and lotsss of laughs. We look forward to seeing Dave's cousins and their significant others most and hopefully with Casey and Jake's wedding later this year, we'll be able to visit with them twice or maybe even thrice ;)

repeat in 355 days

Every year growing up this was by far one of me and my sisters favorite mornings...

Christmas Day!

I just hope our kids enjoy it as much as we did when we were younger.

This is the after math of the morning. Dave probably took 10 toys out of the box that morning before church.

After Christmas morning mass, we came home and opened gifts with my parents and sisters. Then my mom's family came over for a late lunch and visiting. As tradition has it, this day ended in a Nerf war... as you can see in the last photo. :)