one day left ...

ok, so I realized there's only one more day of 2010 ... whoa. I feel like 2010 has been a bit of a blur. I feel like I've yo-yo'ed a lot this year. I'm gonna be totally honest, when I say "yo-yo" I mean it. as in with every aspect of myself: weight. mommy-hood. wife. friend. daughter. and, worst of all, faith. you know what I realized a few days ago? I can tell you the exact dates of my last three times to church: Christmas Eve 2009, Easter 2010, and Christmas Eve 2010 ... those of you that regularly attend church have a word for folks like me.

I could give a lot of excuses for all of it, but why bother. there is some truth in the fact that we still don't take Zoey out a whole lot. and especially this time of year, with all the "sickies" out there - we've been keeping her home most often. but she does go out and she could go to church (so long as everyone didn't want to smother her with their germy kisses). today we passed a church we attended for a while after moving here and I pointed it out to Annicka. she asked why we don't go to church anymore. I didn't have a good answer. then she said she wants to go. bad mama. bad.

so, I guess my main new years resolution should be to get us back into church this year - even if it is after the "flu season" passes. we'll see how that goes. my year has been a bit of a swim. I feel like I've had many highs and many lows ... I've gone from feeling like I'm nearly walking on the water, to feeling like I'm just barely keeping my head above it. it's been a challenging year, for sure.

I'm really hoping that 2011 will be full of happiness. I want to change, not even physically so much - but just the way I am. the things I say. the things I do (or don't do, as it may be). I want to focus more on my kids and truly give them my all, not just the leftovers. I want to stop sitting at the computer so much, or they may grow up remembering me as a figure attached to a chair "over there". it seems every spare minute I have, I want to be on here reading - not so good.

so, those are my goals I guess. be more involved. pay more attention. don't parent from a chair, a couch, another room (even if I am in the middle of cooking dinner). and for goodness sake, stop letting things slide. the kids have definitely learned how to take advantage of me.

I also plan to continue keeping up with the blogging (it can be done at nap time and after they're asleep, etc.) as I'm pretty happy with getting back to it more often. and, of course, the photo taking will never stop. I'm definitely obsessed with capturing these memories of childhood for my babies ... it goes so fast. I guess I'm capturing it as much for me, really, as I am for them.

I want to pray more often. I want to read my Bible (of course, I need to find it first - I know, for shame). I love reading Bible stories to the boys each night and working on AWANA verses - I want to continue that! and praying with them, oh how sweet that is.

ok - done with "the heavy" ... now you can enjoy some pics from November/December that never managed to make it to the blog! they had to get on there or be forever forgotten ... it's almost a new year, after all - no old pics in the new year!

he had moved by the time I ran downstairs for the camera
(in fact, I think I actually got back upstairs only to realize
I hadn't put the memory card back in it, having to run back down
and back up again) ... but he was sleeping with his legs straight
out and his blanket wrapped around his head. this kid
seriously freaks me out ... he loves to sleep with his head covered!!!

watch her jump!

Jericho's school totem project - we had fun with this!

Annicka's rendition of granddaddy grilling steaks!!!
I LOVE it!

mom gave me her old serger and I played around with making
some beanies and headbands - lol

tv time ... oh the sweetness of that boy's face!

you've gotta love this, ha ha

movie time with Nana and Granddaddy

I'm not proud that we had a fly in the house ... but this
pic just cracks me up

first bites of teething biscuits ... she did good with it

little Ohna ... 2010 brought two new littles to our house!
(one human, one pet)

look at that laughing smile

she's very proud that she can hold her hamster now ...
poor thing, doesn't look so comfy, does it!

Christmas party at Puggles
(I forgot my camera, so these are "borrowed" from a friend)

blurry - but I love it!

gettin bigger in that carseat!

he had a real case of "I'm a baby" this month!!!

tried some "mum mum" too ... this one is a little more
dangerous for Zoey ... let's just say, we must watch that she doesn't
"bite off more than she can 'chew'"

more of that "I'm a baby" phase!

oh boys!!!