Happy New Year!

A new year has arrived, and so has a new color scheme for our living room! We have spent the last few days painting - we decided our living room felt to big and "not-cozy". So Brian obtained some "expert advice" from a decorating book and how to fix it. We have painted two walls dark red (one wall darker than the other) and the other two walls a dark brown. We are still waiting on the curtains we ordered, but so far it definitely feels warmer and more like home. Once it is all done I will post some pictures.

We had a nice and uneventful Christmas, for the first time Lily had no injuries, allergic reactions, or anything of the sort :) On Christmas Eve we went to Christmas Eve service at church then had dinner at our house with Brian's parents before they went to their service. Then it was off to bed to wait for those tiny Reindeer...and Santa! He brought Lily all sorts of surprises- a very large "My Little Pony" that talks and sings, two dora dolls, a Fairy Magic Box, a Fairy Bath set, a bucket of Plastic Bugs, several assorted fairy and princess trinkets, and a Starbucks bear that she has become very attached too, aptly named "Stars". Brian got her a set of pink legos, I got her a princess alarm clock and wall hanging. From grandparents and other relatives she got a new digital camera (it's pink!), a ballerina jewelry box, Polly Pocket cars, Puppy in my pocket set, and many other various fairy and princess toys. I'm sure I'm forgetting some too.

Brian and I decided that in lieu of presents, we would take a ski trip to Winter Park in January. Plus all this re-decorating has turned into quite a present as well. I am still saving for the fancy digital camera that I want.

Just before Christmas we had our traditional Winter Solstice ceremony. Nothing fancy, but we lit candles and talked about what we were most grateful for this year, and what our biggest hopes were for the the next year. Then we went outside and looked at the stars in the cold but clear dark air, and wished the Sun luck on its "longest journey" of the year. We also read a very nice story about some animals that help a lost baby in the middle of winter. It was a very uplifting evening all around :)

Tomorrow, Brian and Lily are going back to work and school after a long break. I still have a few more days but they will packed with much to do. Last night we all stayed up until midnight to watch the ball drop in NYC, and to see the fireworks launched off of Pike's Peak. Lily was so excited to see the New Year - it was way past her bedtime but she made it like a champ. Mama and Dada almost didn't though :)

I started trying to catch up on my digital scrapbooking hobby. The last pictures I had done were from August. Tonight I started the first pictures from September - got one page done. Hey, I said I "started"! It's something, right??? One of these days things will settle down and I will have all this free-time...OH wait...I always say that and that "day" never comes! Well, one of my New Year's resolutions is going to be the quote "Live for the journey, not the destination". Even in the midst of chaos (and a messy house) there can be joyous moments, and I hope to catch more of them this year. Even if my scrapbooks are way behind, my lesson plans aren't done and papers not graded. Even if the laundry has piled up, and the guinea pigs cage is in a desperate need of cleaning. Even if there is a sink full of dirty dishes and the counter has a pile of mail to go through. Even if there are 5 phone calls that need to be returned and 6 emails that need to be sent. I will try not to be so distracted that I miss the things that matter. And I will go to the gym more, eat better, not forget to take my medicine, spend more time reading...okay maybe I'm getting carried away. But if I can stick to the first one, that will make up for it!

Signing off for now, lots of love!
jaime