2010 recap

I found this from a blog I read and thought I would try it this year.  Feel free to use it yourself if you'd like to.


1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

actually owned 2 vehicles at the same time 

Zumba

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any resolutions this year.  super easy to achieve!  I will make a few this year.

3.  Did someone close to you give birth?

I did!  And quite a few friends.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

no, thank goodness!

5. What countries did you visit?
stayed in the good ol' USA, in fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't leave the state of Utah

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

A better relationship with my siblings.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 24, the day we moved into this house

August 23, the day I had Eli

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?


Giving birth to my 4th child completely drug free

9. What was your biggest failure?

I try to forget all my shortcomings.  Why dwell on the bad stuff?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing besides the pregnancy.  I had Gestional Diabetes, but it went away when I gave birth

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our new house!  The minivan.

12. Where did most of your money go?

Fixing up the house and Medical stuff

13. What did you get really excited about?

Adding to the family and moving into a newer, bigger house!

14. What song will always remind you of 2010?
don't have one

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

happier or sadder? I was super happy at this time last year because I had just found out we were expecting a baby!  But I'm definitely not sadder this year!

thinner or fatter?thinner by about 5 lbs

richer or poorer? poorer (medical bills,  house fixer upper bills, etc)

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?


reading with the kids, scrapbooking

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?


wasting time online

18. How did you spend Christmas?

with my cute family all nice and cozy in our house.  Later we had dinner with Chris's family

19. What was your favorite TV program?
I discovered the wonder of Glee.  I'm a Gleek!

20. What were your favorite books of the year?
I really liked Shutter Island, but I can't recommend it (language!)

21. What was your favorite music from this year?


My favorite Pandora station plays James Blunt, Jon Mayer, Coldplay, and 5 for Fighting.  I like that stuff a lot!

22. What were your favorite films of the year?
Nothing stands out in my mind.  I have yet to see the new Harry Potter movie.  I like Avatar, but I think that is the only one I saw in Theaters!

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 36.  We got pizza the night before and my parents came for dinner the night of.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If Tristan had a friend or two.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.


There are a lot of people who love me and my family.  We asked for and received tons of help with fixing up the house and moving.  We had a huge outpouring of generosity when Eli was born with friends and family giving gifts, providing meals and taking care of the kids.  Now I need to pay it forward and I am so excited!  I guess the lesson I learned is that most people are good and I need to love them!

storm

I love that it snowed and I had nowhere to go today.  Chris ran some errands, but I stayed nice and warm and snug in our house.  We ran the fire almost all day long.  It was a lovely lazy day today.  I'm going to be sad when school starts and the kids have to be there everyday, and Chris has to work so I'll have to be the chauffeur instead of him!  I have really enjoyed the last couple of days and I'm glad we all had a break to celebrate Christmas!

ah man!

I just realized that I didn't ever write in here yesterday!  I can't believe I broke my streak!  But I did go 27 days which is awesome!

Nothing exciting happened at all yesterday.  Maybe that's why I didn't write.  Hopefully today I can think of something interesting to make up for it.

4 month stats

Today Eli had his 4 month well baby check-up.

He is looking so good!  Here are his newest stats:
weight: 13 pounds 4 ounces
height : 25 and 3/4 inches
(they measured his head, but I don't keep track of that)
He's a beanpole for sure!  But just perfect to me.

His head is a little flat on one side, but nothing to be concerned about.  We'll just try to get him to sleep on the other side more often.  He got 2 shots and cried, but not nearly as hard as he did last time. We're just glad those yucky nasty shots will help keep our baby healthy. He has a small case of cradle cap, but we were advised to scrub it with a soft toothbrush and some Dawn dishwashing detergent.  I'm sure that will fix it right up.

Man oh man do we love this little guy!

if Joseph and Mary were on Facebook

Christmas came to our house!

Christmas eve

After the gifts were open

Best gift ever!

Eli with some of his gifts (he's sitting in his new high chair)

Christmas did indeed find our house!  Unfortunately I was too caught up in the fun and excitement that I forgot to take any pictures until it was all over.  The kids all got everything they asked for on their letters to Santa!  Lucky kids!  Even Eli decided he liked ripping the paper off the gifts, but it wasn't to see what was inside, it was to eat the paper!

We got up this morning about 7am.  Connor was up and waiting but we had to wake up all the other kids. It's been a great day.  We've all had fun playing with our new toys and just relaxing and enjoying each other.  Can you believe that next year we will have a toddler celebrating with us? I can't wait!  We had Christmas dinner with Chris's parents and brothers and sister.  It was a very yummy dinner and great company.  I just love being surrounded by people who love me.  Tomorrow my parents are coming to see us so we'll get some lovin' from them too.

Merry Christmas!

Tonight, he is Mine.

"singing reeves to sleep tonight, i thought again of Mary. i am as grateful as she must have been for that achingly brief period of infancy in my son's life-- for the time when i alone am able to meet his every need and protect against his every fear. i cannot prevent forever the inevitable sorrow and pain of life from finding him-- i know that one day he must face his own future-- but tonight, at least, he is mine"




This is a post from a facebook friend.  I know she was probably referring to the song "Mary's Lullaby"  I found the words.  Here they are


All mine in your loveliness baby, all mine.
All mine in your holiness baby divine.
Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;
Sing on and adore, for tonight you are mine.

The wise men are coming to worship their King,
The shepherds are kneeling their homage to bring.
Out yonder the star over Judah will keep.
No harm will befall thee, then sleep baby sleep.

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,
While legions are singing in joyous delight.
A new star has risen to hail thee divine,
For you are a king, but tonight you are mine.

Away spectered future of sorrow and plight,
Away to the years that must follow tonight.
The pangs of Gethsemane, let them be dim,
The red drops on Calvary, not Lord, for Him!

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,
While legions are singing in joyous delight.
A new star has risen to hail thee divine,
For you are a king, but tonight you are mine.

Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;
Sing on and adore, for tonight you are mine. 


To my friend Lorna, and to the Mother of Jesus, I too am grateful for the sweet time I have to hold my little baby.  He may not ever be as great a man as our Savior, but I am so glad  he will grow up and do great things.  I am so very grateful that tonight, he is mine. How I wish I could say that he will forever be mine, but I know he needs to grow up and be tested, just like the rest of us.  I'm so thankful for my Savior for all he has done for me and I'm so thankful that we get to celebrate his birth during this season. I hope I can teach my sweet baby boy and his siblings all about their older brother and that we can all live in a way that will lead us back to him and our Father.

Merry CHRISTmas!  I hope we can keep Christ in our hearts tomorrow and everyday!