Things I will totally (maybe) do this year....

Every year, I have the same idea that if I share my goals publicly, I will be held accountable. That hasn't seemed to work yet, but maybe this year.....Really, it's kind of y'alls fault....right? For not holding me accountable? Yes, let's go with that.

And now, my goals for 2014!

1. This is our year of saving money. Sometime in the very near future, we will either need a new car totally or need to put a lot of money into my current ghetto ride. So, if I have any chance of getting a new one, I need to save, save, save!!! Our goal is to save the equivalent of  an estimated car payment each month. We will have it auto drafted into our savings account, so we can't forget or ignore it. This is where y'all come in....what are your best tricks for saving money? I am accepting any and all awesome suggestions. 

2. I need to be more intentional in my friendships. Call my friends more, email more, actually invite people over....Actually accept invitations. I have a few sweet friends who used to invite me to do stuff all the time and even though I TOTALLY wanted to, it just never worked out. I was always having to say no. Now, they don't even try. I guess I wouldn't either. But I need to figure that crap out. Figure out a way to make it all work. I like friends. My goal will be to call/email 2 friends each week simply to say hello and check in. 

3. Lose 10 pounds....blah, blah, blah....(but for real...) The goal will be to lose it by going to the gym/being active at least 4 times a week. Once it is off, I have to keep it off. If it comes back, it doesn't count!

4. I really need to be more restrictive with the TV time around here. It's just SO much easier to let them watch Cars (for the millionth time) while I am trying to make dinner or do chores. Hopefully it will be a nice spring and I can kick them out to the back yard more often! The goal will be a certain amount of TV time each day (haven't decided on a number) and then it gets turned off.

5. I will actually start reading my Bible. I should be doing this already. I should have done this a long time ago. Yeah, yeah....I get it. It's just not something I do. And, to be completely honest, it's going to be a challenge. I know this makes me sound awful, but....it's just...blerg. I will do it. Goal-read scripture or a Bible study book for at least 10 minutes a day.

6. Learn to pray. I say some really awesome prayers at bedtime....but on my own? Throughout the day? Giving thanks in all circumstances? Laying my concerns at His feet? Um....not so much. I have recently been reading a book series called, The Yada Yada Prayer Group (super lame title, I know...) and it has honestly challenged me to learn to pray. To pray scripture. To praise Him first. To go to Him immediately with everything. Not sure how to measure this....I just need to work on it.

So......there you have it! My goals for 2014! Honestly, I am excited for this year. We have nothing major on the books, no huge transitions or anything. It's just going to be a year of contentment and counting my blessings. Or, so I hope :) HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

So, this is Christmas....And what have you done?

Anybody get the Celine Dion reference? Oh man, I love me some Celine Dion Christmas....

I decided early on in December to just ignore this space for a little while. To be honest, I just didn't want to deal with posting anything....But I want to make sure that our awesome holiday season is documented, so away we go....

Our Elf made his first visit to our home this year and he was a big hit! Not surprisingly, the mornings when he made a mess or got into trouble were the biggest winners. Also, the morning that Elfie waged war on the dinosaurs (stupid Elfie...who goes up against dinosaurs?) There were a few mornings when Elfie didn't show up because Jonathan jacked with him the day before (for those not well versed in Elf rules...you are not allowed to touch him or he loses his ability to fly.) or he was gone on one of a few trips to the Elf emergency room because Jonathan "tried to help him" and in the process, knocked him around a little.

We were lucky enough to get invited to lots of fun Christmas parties, Christmas play groups, dinners with friends etc... (I know, you are probably jealous cause we are so popular. But, before you lose your head, let me be honest and admit that most of those parties were with the same people, work engagements or family....) Either way, it was fun to celebrate so much!

We made lots of cookies and gingerbread men, so Jonathan is now ready for a job in the Sam's bakery department (he says they have the best cookies). Let me just say, his icing skills are stellar. Especially with bright blue icing...

For Christmas, Aunt Katie and my parents came to celebrate with us and Zacks parents. We spent Christmas eve playing, eating, working in the yard and playing outside. We merged our family traditions and had tamales (me!) and fajitas (Zack!) for dinner that night....It was delicious, but I will NEVER understand people that don't like good tamales....y'all are weirdos. Before the boys went to bed, we put out cookies, opened new Christmas jammies, sprinkled carrots in the yard for the reindeer and watched the sky for the Big Guy. Jonathan was really getting into it :) Once they fell asleep, Santa came ;)

Christmas morning was all kinds of awesome and full of tradition overload. Stockings, gifts, breakfast casserole, hot chocolate, more gifts etc...It was absolutely perfect and made this girl's cheesy little heart VERY happy. I LOVE the picture of Matthew playing with Buzz Lightyear....check out all the cars in his hand...he has walked around with those cars since that morning. EVERY WHERE HE GOES. And Aunt Katie freaking won Christmas this year with her gift....a Power Wheels Jeep. The boys went nuts. They have asked to go drive it about a million times a day since then. Way to go Kates, you win.

Finally, this past weekend, we headed to Austin to celebrate with my entire extended family. For the first time in YEARS, we were all together and it was so great. Jonathan and Matthew were able to play with cousins they rarely see....some of which had never even met Matthew! We even broke out the old family videos.....*sigh*....I had some seriously rough looking years around 8th grade. Like, for serious. ROUGH. But, being the big person I am (no pun intended in regards to said videos....) I ignored my craziness and totally enjoyed watching my Grandma Honey, Papa Max and my sister...all of which have passed. There is something magical about hearing their voices again after so many years.

 (Sorry for the oddly placed pictures. I will forever be frustrated with stupid blogger...) 

So, all in all....an awesome holiday season. I am excited about 2014 and all the fun stuff we have coming up. Next on the calendar...Matthew turns 2!!!! (I will have a whole post dedicated to that freak out in a few more days...2 years old? WHAT?!) And, to give you an example of just how exhausted everybody is after this crazy season.....

Things Lately....

It's been a while, so let's just bullet point this sucker. (And please excuse the random bullets....what the heck with that?! Why can't I figure out where those come from!? Blerg.)

• We started a new family tradition on Tuesday...we watched Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, drank hot chocolate and let the boys decorate the tree (at least the bottom half!) Jonathan LOVED the hot chocolate and has asked for it multiple time since....obviously. Who doesn't love lukewarm hot chocolate in a sippy cup? (And doesn't Matthew look like Linus, carrying his blanket around with him?)

• Thanksgiving was awesome. We went to Austin and spent lots of good time with my family. One big change was that the boys both slept in twin beds in the same room. I was totally paranoid that they would scream and wake each other up all night long...but they did amazing! We all ate lots of food, played around, read books....it was just...so freaking great.

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• On Friday, Zack and I left the boys at my parents and we headed home for a relaxing weekend. It was really nice, but man, I missed my boys. Like, a lot. And not in an "oh, I better say I miss them so I don't sound like a jerky mom" kind of way. But in a legit way. Kind of surprised me actually. While they were gone, I got LOTS of projects done around the house! I finished the Christmas tree, decorated my mantle and re-designed the wall in my living room! Turns out you can actually accomplish a whole heap of stuff without two little boys under your feet. I think I ran like 1,000 errands on Saturday AND saw a movie!

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• Tomorrow I will head to La Grange to meet my parents and pick up the boys! I can't wait to see them and for them to see all the fun Christmas decorations we have put up....Oh! And our Elf will be waiting for them too!  We have LOTS of fun Christmas stuff planned for the next 3 weeks...Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo, the Children's Show at Second Baptist, Christmas parties, school parties, school Christmas pageants.....I am seriously trying to cram as much Christmas spirit into the next 3 1/2 weeks as possible! These kids WILL LOVE CHRISTMAS! ;)