Doings & Going ons

We are ramping up to some busy months....ballroom competition season, Miriam's play runs for 2 weeks in February, we have a little family trip planned, and then the play the boys and I are involved in finishes up in March. And hopefully if we slaughter a lamb and paint our front door with the blood we will somehow escape the flu that is running rampant (Bible joke). 

Okay...deep breath...no use worrying about things that haven't happened. 

In the meantime....

Byron finally settled on the drone he wanted to buy with his hard earned money.  Lots of deliberation, pro and con lists, and so far so good! He can fly it on his own, the weather has been fantastic, and there haven't been any fatal crashes. 

Byron also played in his school's Chess Tournament. We talked about going into this tournament with  growth mindset...ie you don't lose, you either win or you learn (and I guess you can learn when you win, but I would argue not as much).  He was so brave and I love the way he handled the pressure! 

Miriam has been busy with her ballroom and play practice, so the boys and I entertained ourselves at the Children's Museum for a day.

We had a blast and by we I mean the boys..but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to take them there these days.  They just do their own thing while I stay in the same vicinity talking on the phone, or checking instagram.  I did try my hand at some activities. 

The lady at the geo board station said Soren won for most intricate designs of the day....so I had to take a picture.  He does amaze me with his outside of the box thinking.  His artwork is always unique.

We came home to this on our porch.  Byron has a kindred spirit as a Primary teacher.

It's pretty lucky to have a kindred spirit, but when your kindred spirit friend makes trips to China for fireworks and White Rabbit candy....well that is extreme luck. 

But then again Byron is a good friend and he is easy to love so it's no so much luck after all.

New Years

Saturday Darin and I attended a funeral of one of our friends from high school.  So sad for someone to leave this world so soon, but it was one of the sweetest and hilarious funerals I have ever attended. I hadn't seen Susan since college but her funeral was exactly the spunky lively Susan I remember....which was at her request, and she had made the arrangements for it to be so. She had suffered from an inoperable brain tumor since she was a child and was physically affected by it her whole life.  I was left inspired by Susan's determination to find and spread joy admits her challenges. 

It was the perfect message for me as 2017 comes to a close. I was happy to see this year die. New Years Eve morning I spent lying in the sun crying as I reflected on how this year has unfolded.  It's been a tough one.  Some of my lofty goals set last January died as I needed to divert attention elsewhere, and I feel further away from who I wanted to be than ever. 2017 left me feeling stuck...unable to move forward and in fact I feel like I took 3 steps backwards. I abandoned those goals for a good reason, and I would do it all over again in a heart beat, but there is that fear that nags at the back of my heart...what if it wasn't enough? Am I depleting my well for nothing?  Ah...the lament of mothers...we just do our best.

and yet....I have learned. so. much.  I have been so humbled.  I have such a new desire to simplify and so much of life's petty worries have melted away.  It's like I achieved some character goals this year that I didn't ask for, but am none-the-less grateful for. Lots of growth in areas I didn't know I needed some growth in. So I guess "Thank you life...for your crappy-ness as well as your good-ness".

Also...Darin was blessed with a great job in 2017.  Having a husband who is inspired by his job is amazing, we have lived both ways and enjoying your work is a much easier way to live.  I think thats why 2017 struck such a hard blow, I though we had it all in the bag last February. 

Another blessing was the insurance that came along with Darin's new job. And along with that all the people who stepped in right when we needed them. People are good.

Anyway......after a good long cry in Darin's arms, I put on my proverbial "big girl panties" and we loaded up for Price to celebrate New Years.

No cabin this year because there wasn't any snow...boo, but my parents are very "show must go on" people and also "always room at our table" people so we relocated to their house.

This meant we got to ride 4-wheelers for a bit, before the sun started to go down.

Julia taught Soren how to seal wontons.

Grandma taught Miriam the ins & outs of fondue.

While I cut fruit, Julia got some games going.  I didn't get a chance to try these puppies out but I have a feeling I would be good at it.

We played more games, Skyped with Mark Madison and text with Marcus who weren't with us this year and then the Mighty New Years Fondue and Wonton feast began! 

Then Games, karaoke, and chaos until midnight. The karaoke footage better not end up on facebook or heads are gonna roll! You don't think about all those camera phones when you are rockin out to Dolly Parton songs!

Hazel specially loves Moana...."Your Welcome" brought out the most delight and the best dance moves. 

I didn't know if I would make it, we ran out of game and singing tolerance by 11:30, I had to take a few swigs of a stolen Pepsi by 11:45. We decided to start the fireworks and sparklers at 11:50 so we could toast in the New Years right at the strike of midnight with Martinellis (and also be done by 12:05).

Boy howdy things cleared out fast after that.  I think everyone was gone by 12:20 and my kids were put to bed soon afterwards.

My dad and Miriam made abeskivers for breakfast the next morning. 

Then we came home because school and work started THE NEXT DAY!! 

I think our school district underestimates our ability to party.