Goodbye, 2011.

This year's finale is a quiet one. *Perfect*

If I had to sum 2011 up in one word, it would have to be: over. Kidding. I'd have to say it was weird. Yeah, that is the best I can do. It sort of made me feel like, oh my goodness! I'm a grown up now. I deal with big people stuff. I make decisions based off what is best for me and these other people that share my home and heart. And I'm responsible for creating their good memories, protecting them and opening their eyes to the world around them. Which sometimes (unfortunately) goes hand in hand. When did all this happen? Obviously, I've always kind of known this all along, but I was really tested a lot this year. And my Mama Bear instinct is intact.

We've dealt with some big stuff, but came out with all of our fingers and toes. And for that, I am thankful. Along with it, we have had some really great highlights: Logan coming out of surgery without a spica cast (BEST EVER MOMENT OF 2011), Washington DC & Delaware (kids first time to see the ocean), our St. John's trip where we stayed in a cabin on Lake Superior (HEAVENLY), completing my 50 mile bike ride, and the list goes on. We've grown stronger friendships, met more people, grown more comfortable in our new area, experienced a lot of good things to even out the struggles. And quite honestly, 2011 was vastly easier than 2010. If we keep this pattern up, 2012 show pass by with hardly any hiccups. Ha!

I know a lot of people aren't fans of New Year's resolutions. I AM. Why not try to change for the better? My biggest struggle is remembering what mine were. So I'll write mine down for the sake of remembering. I'm not sure if I'd consider my last year's resolutions a success or not.

This year, I am going to:

1. Give running a good shot. I have some personal goals that for now will stay that way- personal. But it's specific and I will know if I met it or not. (certain mileage and speed)

2. Enjoy my kids more. This means more time out of my day to spend with them in some way: on the floor playing, Uno, playground, beach, outside, etc. I really need to do this. We were just checking out some old videos and my kids have *sob* grown too much, too fast. I feel like I haven't soaked it all in. It's hard to remember when you are going from day to day. The days are long, but the years are fast.

3. Be more Urho-like. BWAHAHAHAHAHA. If you get it, you get it.

4. I actually have more, but I don't (gasp!) share everything with you.

I hope that your year was fabulous, but this next one is even better. And if it's not, I hope that God will bless you with the knowledge, resources and people you need to get through it as unscathed as possible.

SO HERE'S TO TWENTY-TWELVE!!

Close to perfect

This one tells me, "I wish I had a fashion bwain wike Hawey". I don't know, my love, I think you have a fashion brain. Judging by this outfit, you will never be a wallflower. (You can't tell by the picture, but her leggings sparkle and her shoes light up. And yes, she wore that outfit to church on Christmas morning. Maybe I'm crazy, but I want my kids to feel free to express themselves. I learned that from my sister Tara. She's good like that.)

Christmas was really good. Last year was a little lonely and I kicked myself for not going to MN since we are living so much closer. (It's all relative.) So I swore we would this year. Alas, it was not so. Soon we will be heading that way for an earlier-than-planned plate removal surgery (Logan), so... We spent our 6th Christmas away from family. I'll admit, I was really bummed at first. But, with so many people in our life dealing with tough circumstances, including my Aunt Christine who reads my blog and has many times sent me kind words when I was dealing with stuff, I guess I realized how lucky I really am. I've got a lot to be thankful for.

Needless to say, once all prep was done, I just kicked back and enjoyed it. Christmas Eve was quiet and was ours alone. Just how I like it. Then Christmas Day hit. Stockings, church, lunch with Zane's co-worker and his family (they have absolutely no family here), and then off to my Aunt Ginny & Uncle Roger's house. Later in the evening, Uncle Mark came from the hospital with his youngest kids. And so we got to visit with a lot of cousins that I wouldn't normally see. It wasn't what we had originally planned, but somehow it turned out perfect.

I hope yours was perfect, too.

BUSTED!!

We set up the trail camera to capture the action.

And what to it's wandering eyes did appear...

And then he saw the plate of cookies. I'm not judging. They were good cookies.

This trail camera that I bought for Zane has really been worth the money.

Just a note: if you ever decide to moon somebody's trail camera, make sure it is

on before you go through the effort of trudging into the mosquitoey woods.

I would never do something like that, but I wouldn't put it past you.

And I just thought that you might need that piece of advice.

Anyways. I hope that jolly man (pictured above) brought you everything you wanted. And more.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!!

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Christmas program

As you can see, Logan was thrilled to have his hair styled.

Apparently, we should have stuck with just-rolled-outta-bed look.

He ended up wearing the same sweater as last year.

He told me, as he was supposed to be getting ready for the program, that he hated the shirt I bought him. I was fine with it. I'd rather return it than have him wear it once.

The girls, however, were raring to go.

And more than happy to have their hair fixed.

Izzy sung her little heart out.

I swear I could hear her above everyone else.

The world is her stage, so she was in her element.

They all did well. It was a beautiful program.

When I see my kids in this environment, I realize how lucky we are to be here.

The laundry/entry:

We finally got it done: ZZtop put up more hooks and I painted.

Oh, plus he earned bonus points by making that shelf for me.

I need to find some baskets to put in them.

Actually, I already found them.

I just have to buy them- and a rug.

That door is going to be gray to match the room.

The white looks horrid against the cream walls.

This curtain brings out the redneck in me.

I may have hung it up with duct tape.

Whatev. Note: It appears really wrinkly in this picture.

Not sure why. I actually ironed it.

Strange, but true: I used the iron.

So, is that a good compromise?

Soft color pallette like beachy...

this, that, and the other thing.

Life's been kind of bullet-pointy these days.

*my tomato cages are down. early this year. ;)

*the plant skeletons are not. frozen ground. whowuddathunkit?

*only four Christmas cards left to get out the door.

*i didn't order enough this year.

*to order more or not to order more? that is the question. i like to have them for my kids for their memories.

*i think i just talked myself into ordering more.

*then i'll have 4+ left to go out the door. hmph.

*i made scones (thanks to my sisters for inspiration) for the first time yesterday.

*they are so good, that if you make them, you might eat six. maybe.

*i wouldn't, but you might.

*i'm ready for christmas.

*bring it on!! no, not really. i love this time of year.

*i saw valentine's day stuff out at joann fabrics today. not even a lie. i might boycott them.

*or "chew on fat bricks" if you have a strong finnglish accent. (per my old bf, julie's sister and cheryl's daughter. good memories.)

*i woke up (refreshed) one hour before my alarm today and caught my migraine before it hit. yay!

*my hair was fixed today and the kids had a good breakfast waiting for them and they still were rushing out the door. whatev. my hair looked better than normal.

*i made it to my training and managed to eek out six returns (the store kind) before picking up the two little toots. plus, a hug in a cup. courtesy of one of my besties. *muah*

*i *sigh* temporarily gave up coffee and assorted other acid-y foods to be kind to my "snummy" (per izz) while it heals from all of the things i take to kick those migraines to the curb. i realize i took exedrin today, but that's where i draw the line. i'll compensate in other places. thanks.

*my hug in a cup was a non-coffee type. in case you were wondering.

*we have a five year plan. and we're doing a good job of sticking to our guns thus far. it's not so much a "plan" as a wish list. we all know who is really in charge. and it's not z or i.

*the plan is solely based on what we think is best for the kiddos. if it was up to z and i, we'd be in alaska.

*i'm eager to check the mail every day. gosh, but y'all have some cute families.

*i knew today would be busy, so i doubled my soup yesterday. guess what we are eating again today? haha, suckahs! if i don't like it, i can splurge on something when i go out for "coffee" (h20 for me, thanks) with my gal pals. heehee. don't tell the suckahs.

*i passed my finals and my tax prep cert- yay! and started software training today. i have two quick tests to take still. it kind of seems like i'm drifting towards working... part time, of course.

*neeeeeeervooooooooooooousssssss!

*my brain is overjoyed to be finally working again.

*we'll be here for Christmas again this. year six on our own.

*it's good because we can really enjoy our kids, sad because you always want to be with your family- or most of it ;) - during Christmas.

*but we'll be seeing family soon enough, as Logan has his pins and plates removed in iceville this winter.

*i need to remember to pick up tights for Maddie and Haley for the Sunday school Christmas program. (that was strictly for my benefit, seeing as i haven't remembered thus far)

*i'm working on a good new years resolution/goal for the new year. miles or hours or what? i almost made it to boston!! woot, woot. i want something different and challenging.

*boston kept me motivated.

*and there's nothing wrong with a little motivation. Much like the ones that will be walking in the door soon with hungry snummies. Time to reheat.

TTFN!

HO HO HO!!

A certain little stinker did not dare sit on Santa's lap. Let's face it: the only reason she might actually get anything in her stocking is because she can get away with people thinking she doesn't know any better. It's a good thing that there is a Santa, because her mom is quite tired of finding her artwork all over the house and isn't convinced she needs anything for Christmas. Especially when she decorated the dryer with permanent marker. BTW: dry erase marker works wonders on that.

*I'd stay and chat, but a certain someone is suspiciously quiet. That, unfortunately, is never a good thing.*

Rice Krispy Bars on crack

I mean, seriously? Who, in their right mind, wouldn't eat two whole rows of these babies?

Answer: I actually have a friend that wouldn't, but I love her anyway. :)

It's September, right?

I don't know how it happened, but old man winter had snuck up on us for a couple of days there. It's been beautifully mild, leaving my propane tank fuller than it was at this time last year. YAY! Yes, my happiness with winter is directly proportionate to how much money my tank sucks out of me. So far, so good. It wasn't until the snow fell that I realized that we haven't even pulled the tomato cages out of the garden, much less trimmed the plants that need trimming, etc. Or even put away the bikes and stroller for the year. I didn't notice the stroller was out until the snow blanketed it, making it look like an oddly shaped bush in our yard. Oops. Well. HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE DECEMBER?! Next time, I'd appreciate it if someone gave me the memo. Thanks.

The sands of time.

Life is like a sand dune. Ever changing. The majority of the time, imperceptibly. A grain of sand at a time. Over time, those tiny grains of sand create a shift in the landscape. It isn't always discernible, unless you take a step back and really consider it. And compare it to how it once was. Other times, the wind comes in great gusts and the sands pelts our bodies like sharp little daggers as the whole scene changes before our eyes. And we endure it. If we don't, we'd be lost in the landscape forever. And if you look at the changed scenery, you will find that even though it may be unfamiliar, doesn't mean it isn't beautiful. Even though it doesn't look how you had planned, doesn't mean it isn't perfect for you.

I heard that quote- that last sentence I wrote- this past week and I'm really trying to wrap my head and my heart around it. My brain believes it to be true, but telling my heart that is a whole 'nother story. Lately, we've been reminiscing about the places we have been. And talking about the places we may go. You know that saying "You can never go back"? I never understood it until now. You can go back physically, sure. But you can never go back to that time. No matter what it was. The landscape has changed to much for it to ever be the same. You can go back and create a new life for yourself, but you will never recapture what you once had. Whether you want to or not. The changes may be gradual, but they still happened.

Consider this. We lived in NM up until a year and a half ago. Yet, it is still different. I have friends that have moved. A friend that lost a husband and since remarried. (not that it would change our friendship) Friends that have made other life changes. And a friend still figuring out where her life is taking her. ( I hope you find it.) And so I couldn't go back. But part of what made that time so special is because we knew it was temporary and we lived it to the fullest. If only we would do that everywhere we went.

So I need to do that. Live this life with that zest. See what there is to see, do what there is to do. And enjoy where my life has taken me.

There's a reason my Dad is grinning.

After just a few years of working, my Dad is officially retired!!

I remember living in the UP and my dad was commuting to MN to work. He'd leave for who knows how long. When you are little, it felt like forever. In reality, it was probably a week or two. I'd wait and wait for him to come home. He would give me whatever he got from work- a little day planner, a pen, or some other little treasure. Chances are, it only happened a couple times. But when you look back, those couple things are remembered as "always".

One time, I was lucky enough to hitch a ride to MN with him. I wasn't it school yet and I'm sure my mom was glad to have a little break from me. Even though I was a perfect child. ;) Anyway. I spent the week with my cousin Hannah while my dad worked. On the trip there, we were lucky enough to stop and eat at McDonalds. A very rare treat. I can picture this clearly to this day. My dad and I were sitting at a two-seater table against the wall. I was eating my cheeseburger meal. (orange pop, of course. I loved and still love anything that smells or tastes like orange) And I looked over to my right and there was a big guy eating his meal. He had his back to me. He was wearing a green jacket. And much to my dismay, his big, hairy plumbers crack was on display. And I quickly looked back at my food. But instead of seeing my cheeseburger, I saw his crack. And I could not stomach another bite of it. My sweet Mickey D's burger. Half eaten. And I remember my dad wrinkling his forehead and asking me if I was going to eat that. I didn't dare tell him why I couldn't eat it. He tried to coax me, but it was useless. That burger was forever a plumbers crack in my mind. There you go, Dad. That's why I didn't finish my burger.

You are welcome for that story.

So, obviously, commuting to MN wasn't going to last forever and we moved to MN. And we got to see my Dad come home every day. I remember just waiting for him to get home. And when the front door opened, we'd go running to see Dad. And we'd take his gray lunchbox from him and bring it into the kitchen. I always hoped I'd find some kind of uneaten treat, like a candy bar, just waiting for me. My dream never did come true.

And today. He no longer needs to wake up at the crack of dawn, make himself a pot of puuroa and head off to work. He can sleep in, go for coffee at Daniels and then spend the rest of the day restoring his truck or fishing. Or whatever he wants. He worked hard. He provided a good life for us. He deserves to be retired.

Enjoy it, Dad! You deserve it. The kids can't believe their luck that you will be around during the day when we come to visit. They are already scheming the things they will do with you. Just to warn you.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Thank you to those who participated.

The winner is JAN!!!! Yay!!!