Resolutions

I know that people are all over the map about New Year's Resolutions. I have some friends that never make them, and other people that are revved up every year at the fresh new start they get on January 1. I like making resolutions, however, please don't check out my track record on how well I keep them. I guess I am the eternal optimist, thinking that this year will be different. I like being able to work toward a goal, even if that goal gets a little tweaked throughout the year. My resolutions for 2012 (and how they're going at 3 weeks in), are the following:
1. Read through the Bible in a year. I have attempted this before without success but this year am making this a priority, I will finish! I am using Tabletalk devotional as a guide and so far am keeping up.
2. Read a daily bible story to my kids. I am using Stepping Stones for this which is a little over Sadie's head and definitely over Eli's, but it's a great book that we will enjoy as they get older, especially.
3. Learn 26 verses as a family. I am using a template from icanteachmychild.com that I printed into notecards with a verse for each letter of the alphabet. I am trying to put them all to song (thanks, Mandy for that idea!) which helps tremendously! Even for me. :)
4. Lose 5 pounds. I weigh about 10 pounds more right now than I did when we got married. It's easy to think it's not a big deal but if I gain 10 pounds every 7 years it will not be pretty when I'm 60.

I think that's enough for one year. I have 3 kids, I can't set the bar too high or there's no way I'll make it. That's my advice to Moms when they have baby #2 or 3...lower your expectations of yourself. Sometimes Steven asks me "what do you have to do today?" I hate that question. This morning, for example, I had changed 4 poopy diapers by 8:30.
Speaking of poop (I'm sorry it gets mentioned so much in my blogging, surely that will come to an end soon). Eli pooped in his diaper tonight and Steven was talking to him about going in the potty, and he said "Eli, why did you poop in your diaper?" Eli looked at him for a minute and said "Because I said so." I assume he hears my answer when the kids are asking me "why?" and thought that was the standard reply. It's hard to convey just how cute he is when he walks in our room in the morning and says "Wake up Mommy, it's mor-ingtime!" Carolyn was laying down with him yesterday afternoon and finally gave up on getting him to sleep. She said they could go back downstairs and he said "Grandma, that was a dood (good) nap!"
Sadie has been questioning a lot lately about spiritual things, leading to a lot of interesting and sweet conversations. Apparently she's been listening. She wanted to stay in the nursery at my parent's church the other night and had not been listening very well to me during dinner. I asked her "Sadie, why should I believe you will listen any better to the nursery workers than you've been listening to me?" She quickly replied "I've been saving my good energy for them." A few nights later I was again, encouraging her behavior to improve, and she tried to reassure me by saying "I was just getting my sin out." She's a mess.
David is now officially on the go. He is crawling and pulling up on anything he can reach. He's also chanting "Dadada" which is really cute. Not as cute as "Mamama" would be, but I'll take it.

I remembered my last resolution.... it is to ENJOY my children. I was thinking about this at work yesterday, that we just love our children so much. I love all kids, always have, but there is just something different about your own. Every parent knows this to be true. I was thinking that the Lord has obviously created us to be this way, this indescribable adoration we have of our offspring, however they became ours.... then the thought struck me that we are HIS children, so how much does He love us? What a humbling thought! I know my kids are nothing special in the grand scheme of things, but they are to me, just as we are to our Heavenly Father. Pretty cool, to love mine and be loved by Him. Hopefully I'll do a good job of it this year.

Much belated Christmas post!

The holidays have taken their toll on me, as it has been a month and a half since I last blogged! This will be a quick post, to catch up on our month. It is actually harder to blog after it's been so long so I thought I would just use my favorite pictures from Christmas to help tell it. The picture above is our family on Christmas Eve at my parent's house. We had spent the day having our Harrell Christmas as Leslie's house. Eli was so sad to leave his cousins that he didn't even want Santa to come, he fell asleep shortly thereafter, in his "Eli the Incredible" cape made by Aunt Leslie. Unfortunately he couldn't take "Brave Bennett" or "Mighty Morris."

After the evening nap we managed to get the kids in their pjs, read the Christmas story, then leave cookies and milk for Santa.

The kids woke up the next morning ready to see what Santa brought, although Eli was actually expecting to SEE Santa and was quite disappointed when he couldn't find him anywhere downstairs. After Sadie opened her first couple of presents she deemed Santa a "good bringer!". Eli got so caught up in whatever present he received that he had to be reminded to open the next one....tip for next child - get a 2 year old 2 presents! We went to church with my parents then spent the afternoon getting ready for our trip to Cashiers. We drove up after what seemed like hours of windy roads to this beautiful place, and once we stepped inside it was all worth it! (I deleted this picture after what seems like hours tonight of trying to get it in the right place....sorry).

The next couple days we enjoyed a few games of Cornhole....





Esther had her first experience with roasting marshmellows.....

little buddies watched the snow fall.....

How we love our cousins!

Visiting a waterfall....

Hopefully we've started a family tradition with this trip, which we did in lieu of gifts this year. Making memories with the family is worth much more than present! After we left Cashier's we went to Franklin to visit some good friends from the Bible Conference. They have 5 children and one on the way and handled 6 overnight guests amazingly. We put the kids down and played games as long as we could keep our eyes open, it was great.

As for January news; D is crawling, Sadie is very interested in learning her letters, and Eli has made some small progress in potty training. More later....uploading pictures always leaves me frazzled so I hope they were enjoyed! Merry Christmas several weeks late.....