Twenty-Twelve!

I thought I'd begin the year with a moment of silence on the blog. ;-) Truthfully, I was partying it up!

We had a great time welcoming 2012 with an all family (meaning the 5 of us, though we will be with extended family) overnight. We didn't have to travel too far, but with three kids who were without a doubt exhausted before 2012, we decided that if we were going to go anywhere, we'd spend the night.

We put them to bed at 9:00--they were cooperative and seemingly tired--they fell asleep closer to 11:00! So though they weren't sleeping, we still got to have some quality game playing time! I love games (Nertz!)!


We enjoyed some delicious food throughout the evening. Nathaniel made guacamole. Other highlights were the sour patch kids (sorry...sweet tooth), the single serve nacho chips, the hummus with veggies (I love hummus!) and a unique Danish treat called ebelskivers (think globe-like pancake).

Last year, my goals list was a less-specific version of the year before. Let's review:

1. Be in the Word 
2. Be a good example by speaking and living the word 
3. Prioritize to make nutritious meals available to my family
4. Use my time wisely  
5. Random others: work on the house/yard, practice hospitality, get a puppy, practice Spanish, have a baby, play my flute, organize things, print my blog, drink more water, stop eating cereal again, take a lot of pictures, memorize hymns, pray further out, breathe deeply, go to bed on time, enjoy being at home, experiment with new recipes, knit, take walks/run, dream in contentment, kill mice when applicable, swim at every opportunity, invest in my current relationships, cherish my family, and practice thankfulness--to name a few.

I am pleased with how my first 4 played out. I'm renewing them for this year as they are valuable for life in general and things I don't know that I'll ever arrive at (maybe number 3 will come more easily when I don't have an under 2 year old in the house...dinner prep is difficult when there are under 2's under foot). 

I crossed off my random others that happened. I'd be into renewing most of those not crossed off for this year as well. I like how I had a goal to "organize things." I crossed that one off, but that one is also on the 2012 list. :-) As well as most of the others (not getting a dog...we need to wait on that one for a few years...).

I was trying to think of things to add and only thought of 2.

1.) Promote peace within my home: This no doubt came to mind as a result of the many sibling fights I break up each day, but it's more than that. Saying no to activities (super bad at this!) when we are low on energy, being less reactionary, communicating well, etc. It's a complex and needed element for well-lived family life.

2.) Learn to braid my hair: This comes from a deep-seated love of braids! :-) I've just never been one to enjoy holding my hands above my head for long periods of time attempting to learn how...until now! The difference--you tube. Now I feel I have a resource that will work better than pictures in a book. And when I say braids, people, I'm talking french braids, crown braids, waterfall braids, double, single, fish tail braids, maybe more. I'll try to post pictures and links to videos if I find success.

I'm thankful for God's hand in my life. Twenty-eleven was great and I'm certain that whatever happens throughout twenty-twelve will be great as well...because I'm not alone. God is guiding and growing me every step of the way. Merry new year!