Happy New Year!
I cannot believe that another Christmas has come and gone...another year has come and gone.
Welcome 2012!
Our December flew by. Always filled with family, friends and functions. A season that I love...and always goes too fast. Learning to slow down and take it all in is something I would love to learn how to do better. Somehow amazing times fly by...and then the Holidays come to an end.
Santa was amazing to us all. The kids were SPOILT by all. It was such a fun year as Kai and Si being a little older were so much more aware of "the season." I am pretty sure they were wound up for a solid 24 days...as visions of Santa Clause danced in their heads!
Their sleep suffered, attitudes were (and still are) BRUTAL...and sugar was endless. New Years Resolution for the kids...cutting back on sweets!
Christmas itself is always, busy for us, to say the least. For the past few years we have been our own family...and this year now a family of five! But aside from our own family, we have three others to spend time with. And the hard part is balancing them all...and honestly not because anywhere do we feel we HAVE to...but because we want to. Yes this may sound like a "smooth" response to avoid any lash from those that read...but its the truth. All are filled with many memories with they people we love. But in our reality, we have to put our family first as nothing and no one will be happy if we don't have our sanity...and health.
This year really caught up to us. Running around...with 3 kids 3 and under, crept up suddenly, and now has us re-thinking our Christmas. When do you begin to put yourself first...and what you have always done and known after? It really is a hard thing to do. Just because you want to do it all, doesn't mean you can. We are learning. At least Christmas is another year away~
After an amazing Christmas, although much of it looked different than originally planned, we are re-settling...de-treeing and welcoming 2012 with much love, hope, happiness and health.
To briefly look back upon 2011, it came with some highs and lows.
Most obviously, my high was the birth of our second baby girl, T. She is an amazing and welcome addition to our family. Sometimes surprises are the best part of life...the proof is in T.
2011 was filled with many more great memories. Many firsts, for all! Family and friends were a big part of our year. Fun times, great relationships...lasting moments. Thank you.
Each year seems to also come with some struggles. We have had some moments of health in our family to deal with, and in some cases still are. But with perseverance, the will and all the love and support that we all give and get...2012 is looking brighter all ready.
"Become addicted to constant and never ending self improvement."
~Anthony J. D'Angelo
2011 brought some "ah-ha" moments for me. And in some situations, allowed me to feel empowerment in myself. It is an amazing feeling...surprising yourself. Learning to speak or to do as you feel. Yes people judge. It is an unfortunate part of the human being. But what I am learning is, the people that love me don't. They support. They are there to help. To give guidance. Or, to just be. Thank you to all of my family and friends for being there. For helping me discover. For helping me thru the rough times. For showing me how to be a better wife, mom, daughter, sister...friend. Always a journey of learning...but with no regrets.
"Simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret."
~don Miguel Angel Ruiz
Our New Years plans this year changed last minute. Maybe one day I will go into some more detail, but for now I will just say, life has a way of throwing things our way when we thought the things were over... and so, we braced New Years Eve in a different light. With our kids, at home, making an incredible dinner...and in bed barely keeping eyes open to watch the countdown. Yes, we may have celebrated the New Year as some may figure the elderly do...but to us it was relaxing, low key...perfect. Not to mention the wine selection was far from lacking... an '06 Far Neinte Cab was a perfect pair to the night :)
I hope that 2012 brings all that we could hope for and more: some positive changes...and happy surprises.
"Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to."
~Bill Vaughn
