New Year’s . . .

We had a really low key New Year’s Eve…we played card games, had a PJ dance party and ate brownies. But the kids liked it and it was over at 8pm! haha. I stayed up for the Eastern time New Year’s but then I went to bed…kinda pathetic, I know. But I liked it.   We also interviewed the kids and videotaped it…we will do it every year. I will just post some of the answers below:

Bailey
1. What does your mom do during the day? “Cleaning?”
2. What does your Dad do during the day? “Goes to bed—or go to work."
3. What is your favorite color? “Purple. Pink. Green. . .the colors of the rainbow.”
4. What is your favorite place to go? “The mall and movie theatres.” (We NEVER go to the mall)
5. What do you like about your mommy? “She is wonderful!”
6. What do you want to be when you grow up? “A Vet. They are like doctor's but they take care of animals.”
7. What does your brother like to do? “Play cars. And guys.”
8. What do you like about your Daddy? “I dunno.”
9. Who are your friends? “Abbie, Avery…Adela and Halle.”
10. What is your favorite thing to eat? “Mac and Cheese.”
11. What do you like about Jack? “I just love him!”
12. What is your favorite song? “Jingle Bells.”

Jack
1. How old are you? “4! 2!”
2. What is your mommy’s name? “Mommy! Emily!”
3. What does your mommy do during the day? “Do dishes and cooking.”
4. What does your Dad do during the day? “Bring home dinner.”
5. What is your favorite color? “Green!”
6. What do you like to eat? “Noodles.”
7. Who are your friends? “Boys.”
8. What is your favorite song? “ABC song!”
9. Where is your favorite place to go? “Grandma’s house!”
10. What do you like about your mommy? “I love you mom!”
11. What do you like about your sister. “She plays with me.”
12. What do you want to do when you grow up? “Build Santa’s sleigh! It is broken.”
“Now Bay-yee’s turn!”
As you can tell this interview was following Christmas! All the Christmas themed answers! It was really cute to do that interview! I look forward to doing it every year and see how they change.

Lessons learned: 2011

Instead of my usual "what I am thankful for this past year," or my new year's resolutions post I decided to think about what I have learned through certain experiences in 2011--and I will do a countdown to the biggest lesson learned.

10. I love going snorkeling.
9. I don't need to live on the beach as long as I can always afford to travel to the beach. (This one was a hard one for me to learn...but I have accepted the fact that I will not be moving to FL anytime soon).
8. Marriage never gets easy and it takes constant work.
7. You can't always get diapers for free or very cheap with coupons...bummer.
6. Utah is a nice place to live 4 months out of the year.
5.It is hard to lose weight! (This sounds like a dumb one...but my body is not what it used to be and losing weight has been a struggle the past couple years)!
4. Buying a new home doesn't always mean the best quality construction.
3. (This one is a biggie): I can do a lot of the jobs around the house that most women have their husbands do...for instance, caulking, changing faucets, hanging pictures, painting doors, fixing nail holes in walls, changing light bulbs, fixing dings in stair railings, etc. Plus, I like doing it!
2. Things can change quickly in your family! For instance, this year; one minute you could be trying to figure out how you will ever move in this economy and the next you could be landlords, in a different home, budgeting and planning for your next home.
1. Time flies...and not always just when you are having fun. I have seen my grandparents really age, a couple of my grandparents have passed away this year, and it is hard to see how unfair life can seem when you see them struggling and unhappy or to see them suffer with ailments. I have new perspective on what it means to endure to the end. Also, in my own small world, my kids are getting so old so fast! Bailey starts kindergarten next year and it makes me just sick! Plus, I turn the big 3-0 this year and I seriously am shocked every time I admit that to myself! Am I not still 22? What happened?! How did I get so old?

Note to self for 2012: stay present more....live life in the moment and be grateful bc you never know how quickly time flies, or how quickly things change. Also, don't dwell on your age! Being 22 yrs old has nothing on being 30 yrs old and feeling like you are only 22 yrs old! In addition, in order to feel 22 again, you might need to work harder on being healthy and working out. Who cares about weight anymore! Just feel good and get strong.
Goal for end of 2012: Feel 22 yrs old! :) And be strong and healthy!