Happy New Year! AKA: Let's make resolutions we may or may not keep!

This year I decided to do it different.  I wanted to be realistic.  I'm not all gung ho about NY resolutions.  That's just not me.  But I like thinking of things I'd like to do/change/try.  That's fair. 

So here's what I came up with for 2013...in no particular order:

1.  Build our savings back up. John being out of work for so long completely cleaned ours out.  It's to be expected, that's why you have a savings account.  To help you out in the bad times.  But now it's time to rebuild.  So that's exactly what I plan on doing.  I've begun working on this and it's going pretty well already.  I'm going to keep it up and get us back on track!

2.  Do the "52 Week Money Challenge."  Gotta love Pinterest.  For every week of the year you deposit that amount into savings.  At the end of 52 weeks you'll have $1,378.  Um, what?!  How easy is that?  I'm opening an account here at work so it's not money I'll have ready access to.  I won't be tempted and it can be a rainy day fund or emergency fund.  The money I deposit isn't a huge amount of money but it will add up to be a decent amount.

3.  Get back into date nights once a month. We started this last year and it totally fizzled out.  It's so easy to fall into the same old routine of not getting a sitter or letting this slip because it's easier to just hang out on the couch.  We become compliant and don't put the effort into ourselves anymore.  Well, no more.  We've already got one coming up in a few weeks and I can't wait. 

4.  No more drama, no more bullshit.  Seriously.  I'm too old for this shit.  At this point in my life I am trying to learn that we are all who we are.  People are going to love me or leave me.  We aren't all going to get along and THAT IS OKAY.  We aren't all meant to.  Different strokes as they say.  That being said, I don't have to put up with the crap that comes along with it either.  So, I'm not going to.  It doesn't have to be a big to do and, in fact, it shouldn't be.  I just can't do drama anymore because it takes away from who *I* am and I will no longer allow this to happen.

5. Keep losing weight!!  Amen, please and thank you.  2012 was finally a turning point for me in my never ending weight loss journey.  30+ lbs and counting!  This year I plan to continue that journey.  I do need to add on toning as well. It isn't just about the number, it's about getting into shape.  I bought my first pair of SKINNY jeans this year and dare I say I don't look half bad in them?  My BIG goal here is to NOT buy the "skirted" Mommy swimsuit for summer.  I'd love to not have to hide behind that this year. 

6.  More camping this summer.  Our family camping weekends mean so much and we have so much fun - I just want to get more of them on the calendar this year.  I love making these memories with our kids.  Doesn't have to be exclusively trips at Normandy Farms, this just happens to be our favorite campground.  I'm happy to try new places this year, I just want to go more often!

7.  More beach trips.  Last year was the first year we actually made an effort to get to the beach on a monthly basis and the kids LOVED it.  I am going to make sure we do it again this year.  At least once a month I plan to spend the day at the beach and hopefully with friends like we did last year.  It's a great day trip and so inexpensive.  We all have fun walking the beach, collecting shells, building sand castles.  FUN!

8.  Diva Dash in September.  This one is huge for me.  I've never done anything like it but I committed to my friend that I'd do it and once I say I'll do something, I do it.  I'm excited and nervous at the same time.   I think it will be hysterical and I can't wait to say I completed one!  I know for some experienced people the Diva Dash might not be a big deal but to me it's a BIG deal and I can't wait!  Bring on a new challenge!!!

That is a fairly decent list, in my opinion.  Varied and totally realistic for me.  Happy 2013!

Behind you say? Me? No!!!!

You should really be used to it by now! Honestly people, do you not know me at all??  If you do you can totally hear my tone here.........

I can't count how many times I've woken up and said I really need to update my blog today, holy crap I am so far behind!  Good intentions and all of that......so my question now.......do I lay it all out here in one ridiculously huge post or break it all up?  Or do I just try to keep it short and sweet?   Let's go for the short and sweet, shall we?

Let's see.  Erynn turned 5 and Aidan turned 8.   We had a joint birthday party for all of our friends and then we had family parties for them on their actual birthday as this has become our new tradition.   MUCH easier than having the joint family/friend party because it just gets out of control with the amount of people.  The friend party was pretty damn cool if I do say myself.  The theme was Winter Wonderland.  I did a candy bar, a hot chocolate bar, it was all blue and white - the kids loved it!  

Family night was easy and low key.  Aside from Mike and Brandon it is, of course, John's family because who else do I have from my side? 

Christmas Eve was wonderful.  We continued with another tradition......can you tell I love me some traditions?  Since I don't really have much family....aside from my brother, of course, we are very close but even things there are shifting because now he has in laws and such that he has to consider......traditions are huge with me.  I want to build them with my kids in the hopes that they will continue them.  I want them to look back on their childhood like I look back on mine and remember good / fun times.  Anyway, every Christmas Eve we go out with Stephanie, Butch and their kids for Chinese food and then we usually go to see Christmas lights in some neighborhood somewhere.  Love love love this!!  This year it was all new.  Newly opened Chinese food restaurant (not good, do not reco to anyone) and new neighborhood for lights.  This place was AMAZING.  This one house completely goes all out - I've never seen anything like it.  Of course this year was the last year for this house but it was amazing and I'm so glad we got to see it.  Too bad they are all done.

Christmas was a good time.  VERY laid back.  It was just us all day and then Dad came over for dinner.  Mike and Brandon came over for dessert.  Christmas morning was completely overboard.  We say EVERY year it's not going to be.  Then when we put the presents out it's like what in the hell happened?!?!   This year I had everything wrapped a full WEEK ahead of time - I had bragging rights man!  I was very impressed with myself because you KNOW John doesn't help with the wrapping.  I even posted on Facebook.  Then I get a little response back from Dad saying what about the stuff at my house little girl?!   Um, what the what?!?!   Whatchoo talkin' bout Willis??   Yeah.  Dad had apparently done a wee bit of shopping on his own.  Mother of pearl it looked like every toy store on the Northeast coast had thrown up in our family room by the time we were done putting out the presents.  So much for scaling back this year.  But, of course the kids loved it and what can I do about what he buys.   After Chrismas I did make them go through their existing toys and they were SO good.  They donated almost everything they already had to kids without toys to make room for the new ones.  Love my babies.  It took me 2 days to set the house right again and get everything back the way it should be but I had the time because I was on vacation so it all worked out.

NYE was good.  We had our traditional NYE party - this is our 8th year!  I was floored when John told me that, I had no idea we'd thrown this party for so many years.  I have to say I love the tradition of it (again with tradition lol).  I love the friends, old and new, that come.  I love that the kids stay up and run around together.  It's a great time.  It's not about my birthday but it's still a fantastic night.  I did make it potluck this year after MUCH hounding from my brother and Susan.  They finally convinced me that I shouldn't be prepping food and things all day long because it IS my birthday and they are right.  So this year I made that change.  I think I'll continue that because it worked out well and nobody seemed to mind.  We did have a bunch of people end up not making it.  The flu / sickies hit HARD this year.  People are still getting sick.  Susan got my birthday cake like she does every year.  LOVE that girl.   John dropped the ball on the rest........like he does every year.  I sat down and had yet another talk with him about the way it makes me feel.  Not sure if it did any good, I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens next year.  Maybe this should be a separate post?  I might do that because I need to get the vent out somewhere. 

One of my favorite pictures from NYE is a group shot of me, two friends and all of our kids.  Me, Lisa and Stephanie all grew up together.  We've known each other since the summer between 6th and 7th grade....so I was 11 years old.  I consider them family.  Lisa's Mom posted a picture of the three of us on Facebook a week or two before so we wanted to get a picture of us now.  Quite the difference but I love that we're still friends and that our kids are growing up together as friends.  Best feeling ever.

Before...........circa late 80's or early 90's.  (laugh away people, laugh away)

Aaaaaaaaaaand now.   Quite the difference, huh??