Starting Fresh

I love New Year's.  It gives any person the best excuse to work towards something.  Every year I make a nice long list of resolutions and although I don't always attain them I surely try.  And it gives me enormous joy when I get to scratch something off on that list.  Every person wants something or wants to work on something in their life.  Goals are our friends.

I remember all my years growing up my parents always had New Year's Eve parties.  We'd blare the music while drinking Egg Nog.  I always remember it raining.  And despite the rain my cousin and myself would ride on our dirt bike all over the yard screaming "Hip Hip Hooray!  It's New Year's Day!" We'd scream over and over again until our throats hurt.  Let's not talk about the time we wrecked and hit the trees.  Seems so simple and silly, but good memories are awesome and are great at fueling your soul to make great memories for your own little ones.

We celebrated New Year's Eve at my sister's house this year.  She had a really bad year and wanted to kick 2010 in the ass and say goodbye to it.  I surely hope that 2011 holds great things for everyone - especially her.  She has had a long, hard road and she needs a break.  Margaritas were a great way to send it out - the jell-o shooters helped a little, too.

My brother in law and his buddies from work hand built this bar that they have in their house.

There's a joke behind these glasses.  I bought them from World Market  for my brother in law for Christmas.  You can write names on each glass with chalk.   But each time I go to get them there's only like 2 that aren't missing chalk or aren't cracked.  And if it's not perfect I'm not spending my money on it.  So, over the past two years he's only gotten 4 glasses from us.  I joke and say that in a few years he'll have a whole set. 

Stocked bar

Me and my sis.

My sister with her hubby, Jason, and Tyler their son (my nephew.)

Dalton, my nephew.

Jell-O Shooters

Me and my hubby.

Wii Just Dance

And Wii Bowling - I suck at Wii Bowling, but it's still fun!

Cody (my nephew) sucking the helium out of a balloon.  And luckily there's no pic of me doing the same thing. ;o)

My Mitchster - Madison and Conner were with my parents.

I hope everyone has a fantastic 2011.  I've got plans to clean the house and take down the Christmas tree today.  And I need to go take some Tylenol.  For some reason I have a major headache. ;o)

Christmas Weekend

My kitchen is full of bags filled with wrapping paper and boxes.  They're waiting patiently for their trip to the recycling center.  We had an awesome weekend starting with supper and opening presents at my in law's on Friday night.  We ate dinner with my parents and family on Christmas day and back again to my in law's house Christmas night.  I was spoiled beyond imagination this year, again.  The kind of spoiled where your eyes tear up and you think - wow, do I really deserve all this?  I, undoubtedly, have the very best family and friends.  This crazy girl is some kind of lucky to have the people in her life that she does. 

Heads up...tons of pics coming your way.

Kaleigh (my niece) and Conner

Whitney and Kaleigh (my nieces) with Conner

Adorable Whitney

Whitney and Mike (my brother in law)

Whitney and Madison hanging out on the couch.

T-Ma and Kaleigh

Mitch opening presents

Alison (my sister in law) with Madison and Whitney

My little cutie Conner with his new truck

Conner with T-Ma

Madison with her new Dora Window Surprises Dollhouse.

Santa came to our house! Madison's bike and Conner's Inchworm were in the barn still.

Conner opening a present Christmas morning.  For the most part he couldn't care less about opening presents.

Madison hard at work opening presents.

Mitch with his Ipod Touch.

 Conner and Daddy outside playing - Conner didn't care about his Inchworm bike.

 Madison trying to ride her Dora bike.

 Mitch loves Star Wars Legos.

 Totally adorable

 Sleepy heads

 Madison with her "Strawberry Cupcake Toy" as she calls it.

Wendell (my brother) playing with the kiddos.

 Madison with Gina (my sister in law)

 Daddy with Conner

 My little baby boy.

Conner Rockin' Out.

 Madison has slept in her new Princess Tent since Christmas morning - even naps.

We ended our Christmas weekend with snow and enough of it to stick.  This is the second time this year that it's happened and it's the second time since the 1980's that it's happened in this area.  Having it happen twice in one year here is almost like Hell freezing over.  Let me say before I show pics that I am a total dork when it comes to snow.  We don't get alot of it around here so when we do I'm like a little kid cracked out on candy.  I think that snow is romantic.  When it starts coming down I head out to the firewood pile and lug some logs into the house.  It's fire time.  Time to snuggle with my baby.  I couldn't live without a fireplace.  And the funny thing is I hate wintertime.  I am very much a summer and beach girl.  What can I say?  I'm a complicated sort...