Technology has sucked me in.

I used to criticize people who were "in love" with their cell phones.  Now I have an iPhone.

I get it.  I'm sorry I was critical. 

I love that I can check my email and Facebook so easily, wherever I'm at.  I need easy, because between email, Facebook, digital pictures, and blog reading, I can barely keep up with my technological life.  Whew.

Recently I kept hearing everyone talk about the Words With Friends game.  I thought I would try it.  I do love word games.  And I do love winning at things.

Y'all.  I am addicted.  I might never be productive again.

Although, I did make an awesome pot roast the other night.  Hayes was a huge fan.

 He signed "more" four times.  The carrots were his favorite. 

I am doing so well at trying new recipes, like I wanted to do here.  The pot roast was great because I did it in the Crock Pot.  So simple.  It really freed up my evening time, because dinner was done.

And yes, that gives me more time to play Words With Friends.

It's raining Kens...

...and Barbies too.

Let it begin.  My daughter has a new love for a classic-Barbies. 

My parents, who are pretty dang smart sometimes, saved my Barbies.  They have spent years in a big trunk in their attic.  They recently brought it to our house.  It went straight to our attic.

Now that Bella is really interested it seemed like the perfect time to get them down and check out what 20 year old Barbies look like.  It also helped that Andy was in the attic putting away Christmas stuff.  I don't do attics.  At all.  Things live up there-I'm sure of it.

So, the trunk came down.  And despite the mildew smell from years of ridiculous Corpus Christi humidity, my Barbies (and Kens, Skippers, and Kellys too) were GLORIOUS!

Look at those bangs.  The 80's, baby.

I was in heaven.  They looked exactly the same in the cute little coordinating outfits I had last left them in.

Ok, this one wasn't so glorious.  She lost her head.  It had been hot-glued on due to an accident, which probably involved on of my brothers, and let's face it ...hot glue can't hold up in an attic.  (Although Barbie can't face it, her face is gone.  Ha!  I am totally the funniest person I know.)

And just for fun...

I have no words.

I also found this in with the Barbies...

What is it, you ask?  It is/was my Barbie family organizational book.  I had every doll named (Um, they can't all be the name Mattel gave them.  Way too confusing.) and organized into families.  They were listed together, complete with ages, jobs, hobbies, etc.  This is proof that my OCD started at an early age.

And no, I won't show you a picture of the inside.  Let's have Barbie with the 80's bangs be embarrassed enough for the both of us.

 After Bella went to bed, I went through everything and here are the results...

I told you it was glorious.  There are ice skates.  And roller blades.  And a life jacket. And outfits for an entire wedding party. There are many more dolls too, but Bella had already taken some up to her room.

Today, Bella and I dressed the Barbies for a wedding.  Everyone was so fashionable.  There was dancing and cake, too.

 The Guests

The Bride and Groom

This Barbie can no longer sing, "It's raining Kens."  She has to just stick to this one now. 

I guess I will do it too.

 It’s the new year.  Or is it New Year?  Should that be capitalized?  I don't know.

Anyway, I didn't really think I was going to make a resolution.  Too cliche.  Too easy to break.

Then, I just started thinking about things I would like to do, things I would like to change.  Isn't it funny how a new year can do that to you?  It's just another day really, but it feels like a fresh start.

I like fresh starts.

Here is my list that I came up with.  It is in no particular order. Not all of them are amazing or unique, but I thought I would share regardless. 

10 Things for a Better 2011

1.  Use my china at least 4 times this year.

2. Try two new recipes a month.

3.  Read through the Bible in a year. 

4.   Realize that it’s ok to do nothing once in awhile.  I don’t have to fold clothes while watching a movie on TV.  I can just sit and watch TV every now and then.

5.   Do pilates again.  I have come to realize that my stomach is not going to fix itself.

6.   Send notes to people for no reason-a simple “I’m thinking of you.” makes a big difference.  I will also do this for my husband.   I used to do that all of the time.  Funny how life gets in the way.   

7.   Spend more time outside with my kids.  I am just not an outdoorsy person, but I will try, because fresh air is good.

8.  Drink more water.

9.   Not spend my gift cards on my children all of the time.

10.  Worry less.  

PS-I have no idea why it's doing this funny paragraph indenting thing or why the font is weird.  I am just leaving it.  I don't have the energy or know-how to fix it.  I will not let it drive me crazy.  Remember, I am worrying less.

In the middle of the night...

My son woke up in the middle of the night last night.

Instead of waiting to see if he would go back to sleep, I anxiously went upstairs.  I wanted to be with him.

Long after he fell back asleep, I sat and held him.  I didn’t even rock.  I just sat still and held him close and felt him lean against me, secure and peaceful.

I thought about how he is safe right now from so many things, in his current state of babyness.  

He doesn’t yet know that people can be mean.  Or that sunburns really hurt.  Or that the mail is mostly filled with bills.  He doesn’t know the sorrow a heart can feel after experiencing death.

Part of me wants to keep it like this forever.

But then I also thought…he doesn’t know what it’s like to have a friend stick up for you.  Or how delicious ice cream tastes on a hot summer day.  Or how Jesus paid our debt and this brings victory over death.

I prayed for him to grow.  I prayed for him to experience. I prayed for him to know Him. 

And I can’t wait to be his Mommy through it all.

He is my best gift from 2010.

The holidays were good to me.

Oh, they were good.

How do I know?  Two never-fail signs: 

1.  My trash can was overflowing with boxes, paper, and 5,685 plastic ties used to hold toys in boxes.  Why those toys are tied down like that I will never know.  It's a cruel trick to drive parents crazy.

2.  All the pants I own are a bit too tight.  Someone needs to get these leftover cookies out of my kitchen.  I also don't know how that entire bag of cherry cordial M&M's is almost gone.  Clearly someone in this house has self-control issues.

I thought I would share a few pictures (ok...a lot of pictures) of our holiday decor and of our smiling faces before the new year and all.  I work well under pressure.  Nothing like a huge lit-up ball dropping to make you feel like you have to accomplish some things. 

 Bella got us all in the Christmas spirit by performing a Christmas tap dance at her dance school.  Here she is doing a reindeer jump.  Notice the height on that jump.  She is a girl of many talents.

Bella and I made sugar cookies one evening.  From SCRATCH.  We used my Aunt Robin's delicious recipe.  They were delicious.  I was exhausted when we were done.

 I was so pleased with our holiday decor.  This is our second Christmas in this house and I really know how I like things to look now.

 

 My Christmas card collection.  I love it.

 We had MANY Christmas celebrations with family.  This was #1 on December 22 at Andy's Dad's house.  Dinner was almost too pretty to eat.

 Bella and Papi check out her puppet from Europe.

 Bella and Jason look at our picture calendar that is a Christmas tradition.

 Words cannot express how proud I feel...

 Christmas #2 was on December 23.  Grandpa, Mimi, Bella, and Hayes were ready for gifts

 Mimi and her sons and grandchildren.

 A Belle doll that sings...doesn't get much better than that. 

 Christmas #3 was on December 24.  Uncle Garry and Aunt Bitsey gave Hayes this car and he LOVES it. 

Grandaddy gets something good.

We play Skip-Bo at every holiday.  And as usual, "Team Grandaddy and Shene' " dominated.  We won all of the partners games.  EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. 

 Bella glued the final cotton ball onto Santa's beard.  It was time for him to come!

We left cookies, milk, and a carrot for Rudolph. Bella also colored a picture for Santa. 

 Santa brought this girl a robe just like she asked for!

 Hayes loved his Santa gifts too!  Is he not adorable in those pajamas?!?

 Christmas #4-We opened gifts on Christmas morning with my parents and one of my brothers.

 Beatrice loved being in the middle of it all.  Santa brought her a bone, which she took it out in about 10 minutes.  She lives life to the fullest. 

On Christmas night, we had Christmas #5 with my other brother and sister-in-law.  We like to celebrate around here. 

My fingers are tired from opening gifts on five different occasions, so I will simply close by wishing you a Happy New Year. 

May your 2011 be filled with joy.

Merry Christmas!

Half-full

I am not done with my Christmas shopping.  Not even close.

People keep bragging  posting on Facebook about how they are done with their shopping.  And that all of their gifts are wrapped.  Oh.my.word.

I feel pressured.  I feel behind.

I just don't have it together.  I don't have a lot of things.  Let's make a list...

Things I Don't Have a Lot Of

1. Time to myself

2.  Money

3.  Expensive clothes

4.  Things on my DVR that aren't on Nick Jr.

5.  Toned muscles

6.  Date nights

7. Hours of sleep

8.  Christmas presents purchased

But I am not going to be discouraged.  Because I have this face to wake up to every morning...

 And that same face looked like this 8 months ago.  I cannot stand how fast he is growing.

And I had dinner with a princess just the other night.

 

So, the floor beneath my Christmas tree may be empty, but my glass is half-full.