New Year's Weekend

We started our weekend off with a house warming party.  Just for couples, as a date night. We knew many friends would probably be out of town, but we really wanted to host a party through the holidays while the house was looking festive and more decorated than it had in the past.  And, at least for us, leading up to Christmas, life get's crazy hectic.  But then once Christmas is over, we get kind of bored being used to so much hustle and bustle.  So Friday, for New Year's Eve EVE, we hosted our party.  36 people came and we had a great time mingling and snacking on refreshments.  It was so nice to have something that MADE us do things we'd been putting off like hanging up a few more pictures, cleaning my messy laundry room, and organizing the office.  And it was awesome to fit so many friends comfortably in our home.  I only wish more were able to come that night!  But it was a blast.  I felt too cheesy to break out the camera, so no pictures :(

We took down our tree over New Year's Weekend.  It was our first real tree, and we were too nervous to leave it up any longer with all the scary tales of combustible trees.  But really, I have no idea if it was bad enough to take down yet or not!   Kind of made me sad- the tree is always the best part of holiday decorations!  And wouldn't you know, of all the days this year for our vacuum to break down, the day we took down a messy pine tree and left massive trails of needles all the way out the door!  

On New Year's Eve morning, Todd and I did a workout with Billy (his brother) and a friend. I love working out with Todd.  He's a good "opponent" for me to go head to head and push harder through a CrossFit workout.

Todd's mom invited us to her house for the evening of New Years Eve with the rest of Todd's family, as she usually does.  As the years go on, however, I'm starting to crave something to switch it up.  I don't know what.  More excitement for that holiday.  There just aren't any traditions for it yet besides games and I'd like to break the norm some how.  The older folk play cards there and the little ones run around amuck on their post-Christmas sugar highs while those of us in between take half the night deciding what to do.  We play cards on Christmas Eve there so by this point we've sort of exhausted the games.  I can't think of any great New Year's ideas, but if any reader has one, please feel free to leave it in a comment!  It's just a long night not to be away from home.  At home I'm up that long anyway, but working on the little projects I usually do that keep me up late all the time, like this.  Todd's dad and step mom run a mile at midnight which I think is an awesome idea.  Except that I'm a big baby with the cold!  And lacking in energy by that hour.

This past New Year's Eve night, since we would be switching from 1:00 church to 9:00 church the next morning, Todd and I opted to leave early and I actually, lamely, fell asleep on the couch at home around 10:30 while Todd continued to read his book.  I just think, as big of night owls as we usually are, we need to live a little more that night!

About that book Todd was reading that night... kinda funny.  So.  At Todd's brothers' birthday party (celebrating 3 brothers' b-days and a niece and nephew) two weeks ago, THREE of Todd's brothers confessed they not only had read the Hunger Games series, but LOVED it.  And of course the wives were concurring that it was an exciting series.  On the favorites list of most people I know.  I read it and liked it, but after humoring Todd with a, "So you think you'd ever read it?" question, I moved on and never dreamed that he actually would.  After all the hype that night, he suddenly started to delve into good LDS book from Deseret Book.  I didn't really pay attention to which one.  It just had that "look" to it,

Then, on Christmas night, he came into the room and tossed the LDS church book sleeve into my lap and said, "Merry Christmas!"  In his hand was my copy of book one of the Hunger Games series.  Maybe you had to be there, but I could NOT stop laughing.  He had covered it up with some other book cover and was seriously, SERIOUSLY into that book.  He asked where book two was and began to look panicked when I said I had just lent it out to his brother after that night we all talked about it because he had also only read through book one.  But lucky for Todd, he got an iPad for Christmas.  So he downloaded the Kindle app, downloaded the book, and began reading away.  He's halfway through book 3 a week later and actually really likes it!

This is huge.  Not because it's a popular book like the Hunger Games and I will now have NO trouble whatsoever dragging him to the movie with me, but because it's not educational.  Todd doesn't read anything that isn't either non-fiction, or completely educational like self-help, business books, LDS literature, biographies, etc.  And he likes it too!  Why am I so pleased?  I... don't know.  Maybe it makes me feel less guilty for spending most of my reading hours in the dept. of entertainment instead of self improvement or education.  I read those too, just not near as much.  Whatever the reason, I'm happy about it :)

Church at 9:00 on Sunday was ironically the first day we were all on time for church in what seems like forever.  Well, besides when I'd sing in church or have a meeting before hand that forced me to be early.  It stunk waking up so early but was nice to come home and take a nap and have so much time left in the day to ourselves.  Next week they advance the primary classes and the kids will get new teachers.

On Monday, Todd had the day off of work and we played and relaxed around the house with the kids, worked out (Todd maxed at 300 pounds on his back squat!!!  And made it look easy!  Woo hoo!)  That night we went on a date night to Boise.

The New Year also brings with it a few other changes- Brielle starts basketball tomorrow.  The kids start a new semester of Tavaci (choir).  Birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays galore until April.  We are going to Disneyworld with Todd's mom and brothers and their families in February which is coming up and every one's getting excited.  My family is coming here in May for Brielle's baptism and I can't wait to host them all in our new home!

I made a goal for New Years, even though I've said in the past that I think those are silly.  My attitude about them may take a good deal of responsibility for why it's not working out so well...  My goal was to go to bed earlier.  By 11:30 to be exact.  The first night I went to bed at 2:00AM.  The second, at 12:30.  And right now as I'm typing about it, I just noticed that it is after 12:00.  (Sigh)  It's just that it's the only time I can get things like this done!  I'm going to go get ready for bed while my pictures download!  But here's to a half-tushed effort to someday grow up and go to bed on time.  I guess I just don't want it bad enough yet.  How bad do the bags under my eyes have to get until I change my mind on it???

 Lainey watching a movie from our bed post.  

She dressed herself that night- her idea of p.j.'s  :-/

 Ashton getting ready for New Year's Eve at Grandma's.

Grandma's House on New Year's Eve

I painted all the little girls' nails.

Ashton pausing to see the movie on TV.

Foam roller fun.
They were fighting over who got to sit on it, so Lainey tried to compromise by having Q sit on her lap while she sat on it.  (Side note: he was covered in root beer soda at the time!)

 Watching a cartoon in Grandma's bed.

Affectionately kissing Quentin's nose...

My favorite picture of the night- Grandma with Drew.

Amber and Quentin, being silly.

 Lainey, wanting in on the fun!

And that was our New Year's Eve! 

Todd and I both agree that 2011 was the best year yet for us.  Not just for luxuries like a new home and fun travel, but we feel better than we ever have.  Our relationship is funner and closer every year and therefor 2011 was our best year yet as a couple.  But there's also the absence of things that we had grown so accustomed to like the stress of finding land, finalizing a floor plan, getting a building loan, building etc.  4 years of that and suddenly not having it on our shoulders, we felt like a new man/woman!  There were other absences like the absence of aches and pains, not getting sick even once (for me)!  No nursing, not that I hate it, it's just a bit of a ball and chain and I felt a lot of freedom this past year.  Wish I could say no poopy diapers, but my one day of potty training Lainey didn't go so hot.  I put it on hold for a few more weeks.

And then there's the overall scope of our family.  Our children are all young enough to be sweet and playful and unconditionally forgiving and loving.  But they are also old enough to play together and do a lot of things for themselves.  They help around the house- it's the cleanest it has ever been since Brielle learned how to crawl.  We enjoy each other as a family.  We're growing into our own culture and evolving as each child sprouts out more and more of their own unique personality.  We just love where our family is at and I know better than to take it for granted.  They'll grow up some day and everything will change. Anyway, I hope 2012 brings happy days as well for everyone.  But I can't help but be glad when it's over- I loved Mayan Archaeology a  little more than your average kid growing up.  :)

Happy New Year!