Happy New Year!

This year we hosted our annual New Year's Eve party. It seems to grow as the years pass. Tons of good food, lots of friends and family, and plenty of laughs. Abel and I worked hard to put it all together (and I was catching a cold) but it sounds like everyone had a good time. For the first time ever I actually allowed the kids to stay up until midnight. It was hard to do, because I am such a control freak, but my husband said, "honey...just let it go....they are fine!" I could not believe they made it but they did. The ball cropped and it was off to bed.

 

 The next day was clean up day. The house was pretty much a wreck. We had a bunch of kids over and so there was a lot of work to be done.

 After cleaning up, we headed up to my mom's for a beautiful New Year's Day dinner. We had pork tenderloin, potatoes, and a spinach salad! We watched the Cardinals game and went for a swim in the pool.  Now that the party was over and I was able to slow down and relax I think my body said....."ok, give it to her now! Kick the cold into high gear!" It hit me like a ton of bricks. I have been sick for the past few days and I feel pretty gross but at least I have the next few days to recover before I have to go back to work.

In the mean time, the usual me would be using my break to clean, do laundry, stock the freezer, and go through closets. Nope, not this time. It could be because I am sick, but maybe it is the new year. Maybe this will be me for 2012. You know, at dinner my mom asked me, "do you have any resolutions or goals?" I think my resolution is to try and slow down and not always feel like I have to be perfect or be ahead of the game. I think my resolution will be to enjoy life a little more instead of making it like a never ending to do list. Now, I probably will not get very far when it comes to this and I am sure it will disappear in times of stress, but it sounds lovely!

Yesterday, the kids and I played games at the kitchen table, we did work books, and then we played outside. By the afternoon they were at each other's throats but the point is, I did not clean or do a single household task!

Today we went to As You Wish and the kids painted pottery and then we met Papa for lunch. After that I rested and read a book for a while. See.....it is a new me! Aren't you proud of me?