Happy 2013!!

2013 seems....impossible!!


Ella looks so much older in this picture!


We've been very busy around the house the last few weeks...more cleaning and organizing. I am very excited about the progress that we've made decluttering. Feels good!!

I've picked up with my running again too. I took a couple months off because of hip and hamstring pain but I'm finding it actually feels better if I keep it moving. I've signed up for two 15k (9 mile) runs in March and April. I've got some training to do!
I love running in the winter!





We took Silas' birthday snack in after school started back up. That way it didn't get lost with all the class holiday celebrations. We made snowman cookies that I had seen on Pinterest. I love that site!


This coming weekend we will have the birthday party...better late than never, right?!?

Last weekend I ran and it was 64, in Ohio...in January!! By Monday it was back to 28 and by this weekend I think it's going down to the teens and single digits. Ouch.

Tonight we had a spectacular colored sky...I felt like I should be drinking a Mai tai with it.


I started 2013 of by sitting down and making a list of goals and things that I want to change and focus on. I had about 13 things. Some big, some small. I felt last year was too rushed and harried. This year I plan to slow it down and focus more. Concentrate on the things that mean the most in life.
#1 on my list was to have my parents over for dinner at least monthly. They live just a few miles away and yet I/we felt like we only saw them on holidays. Our first dinner was tacos. Nothing fancy but it was fun and we all enjoyed it!

There are many things on my list for this year that will take time and require that I actually focus a little bit...that might be tough. It's another YOSP for me/us!!
It's a big year in that Mason will graduate in May and start college somewhere (he's leaning towards staying close to home). We will have a big Younger family reunion here in July and then we will be looking at Fall and Christmas again!

We miss Zoe girl. All of us miss her. Silas told me it was too quiet without the nails clicking around on the wood floors. I agree, I notice that too. I also miss her when I come downstairs in the morning. I still look for her in her spot by the front window.

I feel like 2013 is going to be a great year. A couple friends have started the year with some very tough health news and I pray for them that this year turns out happy and healthy for them too.


- Posted using BlogPress (so hopefully all the pictures post okay...)

Snow, Snow and More Snow!

What a wintery winter we've had this winter! We got another snowfall - a good one this time!  It started on Friday, late morning and snowed pretty continuously until Saturday afternoon.  About 8-15" in the area - the snow in our yard is about a foot deep.  

By Friday afternoon there was already enough snow to make a snowman. Justin, Ella and Si went out and made a snowman with cranberries for eyes and mouth, a pointy carrot nose and broccoli for hair.  There was also a lot of shoveling going on Friday and Saturday (yeah, Justin was real happy about that).

On Saturday, Ella and Si played outside for HOURS.  Ella started digging a tunnel and worked on it diligently until it was big enough for them to squeeze into.  She kept "firing" Silas from helping because he wasn't working very hard on it. But he decided he'd rather work on snow angels.  Notice the pink gloves he's wearing.  He DOES have his own blue gloves but they got too wet and we had to swap out for some dry ones - so it was pink or nothing...

It was a snowy, cozy weekend.  A fire to warm up frozen toes and fingers, homemade soup, hot cocoa, and very worn out children at bedtime. (And very worn out mom and dad too just from taking all the snow clothes on and off of them a million times). I hate to see the weekend end so soon!

O Tannenbaum...O tannenbaum

We put our Christmas tree up the weekend before last - always a fun time in our house. I'd love to say that we take a fun-filled family drive to a tree farm, carefully select and cut down our tree (all while frolicking in the snow) and then sing Christmas carols all the way home.

The REAL story is: we pack the kids into the van, make the 10 minute drive to Lowes, spend 4.67 minutes picking out the perfect tree (Mason and Justin usually agree on several that I veto before we all agree) and then we pay our $15.97 for it, net it and stick it on the roof of the van. Usually (always), Ella and I cannot stand to even be outside for the total of 5 minutes that it takes, so while Dad is paying for the tree, we're back in the van warming up.

When Mason was little, Justin and I took our first tree-buying trip to Lowe's - and yes, we were the people that tied the doors shut on the car (with Mason inside - luckily he was about 3 or 4 at the time). And yes, we had him roll down the windows so we could climb in and not have to untie the tree. Truly not something that I should admit to!
But 10 years later, we are pros - we have a minivan with a roof rack now and that makes it pretty foolproof.

Another confession: I am about totally worthless when it comes to the tree-trimming event. I am in charge of music and eggnog when we decorate. I do put the household decorations up, but mostly I try to make myself look busy. I am more of the re-arranger once the tree trimmings are placed.

The best part for me is seeing all the old ornaments that we had when I was growing up and the ones that the kids have made over the years.

Silas hanging an icicle on the tree (actually, on the cord to the lights)

Ella has become the official "angel-put-er-on-er"

Silas loves the nutcracker - it tries to bite him

Justin and I laughed our butts off at this - Mason made it in the 2nd grade (it's a snowman). He has my artistic (in)ability.

It reminds me of the snowman from The Nightmare Before Christmas movie.