20 questions....

I saw this on Facebook and thought it would be fun for my end of year post.....

20 questions for a New Year’s Eve reflection

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
We started building our house in November

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
Started to build our house.  We were supposed to start in August and it just kept getting pushed back and then we had issues with our septic drain location.  It was pretty much a nightmare to get it going.

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
Our camping adventure.  It was a perfect time of reflection and relaxation in a time that we desperately needed it.

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
Taking Grant to preschool.  I never realized how hard it would be on both of us to let him go.

And, the passing of Jason's grandma.  She was such an amazing person that exemplified Christ like living and she is missed everyday.

5. Pick three words to describe this past year.
excitement, challenges, grief 


6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your year—don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you. (If you’re not married, have fun guessing the answers from other friends and family, or just skip this question.)
hmmmmm.... I really don't know!  He always says I am too emotional and attached and I need to let go and stop trying so hard so maybe let go would be appropriate:)

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their year—again, without asking.
excitement, challenges, hard work (his beach project, house projects he is helping with)


8. What were the best books you read this year?
Charles Martin books were my favorite this year.  Of course I can't remember the name of the one I liked the best!

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
I have formed a wonderful friendship with my neighbor Jodi.  I kinda think she was an answer to prayer actually.  I have been lonely for quite a while.  I have friends, but most of them grew up here, have church friends, or family and pretty much already have strong friendships formed.  Jodi is a person that would do anything for you without expecting anything in return.  She would never judge me by what school I send my kids to or laugh at me for wearing my jammies all day.  When she found out about our girls, she brought us flowers in their memory and is not afraid to bring them up in everyday conversation unlike a lot of people who actually lived through the experience.


10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
My biggest challenge is always to stop comparing myself with others and wanting what they have.  I feel I have come a long way at realizing that my life is pretty great and material things don't matter as much as the 3 cute boys I have in my life.

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
I let go of all the what ifs this year.  Yes, I did catch those daddy daughter dance pictures, but for the most part I was able to stop wondering what life would be like if my girls were here.  That was a huge accomplishment for me.  It felt very freeing emotionally.


12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
Not sure I really grew spiritually this year.  I am on a hunt for a good devotional book to get me back on track.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
The only way I grew physically was the ginormous zit that appeared on my chin the day before Christmas......I thought that stuff wasn't supposed to happen when you were 36? 


14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
I tried to be authentic in all relationships I had.

15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
 I love being able to stay home with my boys and be a part of their daily life. And then get out for two days to grow my patience and have some adult conversation!  I feel very blessed that I am able to make that work.


16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
 Relationships with co workers that didn't have good intentions in their heart.

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
Facebook.  About half way through the year I started checking it only once a day and that was very freeing for me. It also helped in my coveting of others since I wasn't seeing all their perfect family pictures complete with fifteen pinterest projects in the background!


18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
playing on the floor with my boys

19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
To cherish every moment.


20. Create a phrase or statement that describes this past year for you.
I have no idea so instead I am going to pick the theme for 2014- the year of the house.  We have dreamed about this house ever since we bought this property 6 1/2 years ago.  To finally see this dream become a reality is overwehelming.

weekly 10

1.  Ashton seems to be coming out of his no sleep phase.  He has slept through the night 5 out of the last 7 days.  I will take it!

2.  I take that back.... the last two nights he refuses to go to sleep.  And then last night he woke up an hour after he finally fell asleep.  When I asked him this morning why he won't sleep, he told me it was his super creature powers.  Maybe we need to lay off the Wild Kratts a bit:)

3.  Jason and I were lucky enough to get away for our annual Christmas trip to Chicago with some friends last weekend.  This is something that my family has done every year since I was in high school so to me it isn't Christmas until I see all the twinkling lights on Michigan Ave.

4.  To Jason, it isn't Christmas until we hike out to the big tree by Macy's.    

5. Our extended family Christmas party was moved to Sunday this year so tit was the first time since Jason and I have met that we actually had no where to be on Christmas.  We spent the day in our jammies laying around and watching the boys go crazy with all of their toys.  In the evening we took a trip out to our lot to see if they had delivered the lumber yet and then we stopped at Chinese to grab some take out.  I could definitely see making this laid back Christmas a tradition!

6. Ashton never ceases to amaze me.  I was working with Grant on his counting this morning and suddenly Ashton burst out with 1- 20 all by himself.  It was a little rough around 12 but for a 2 year old that doesn't even know his ABCs I was really impressed!

7. Christmas morning Grant woke up at about 8 and started to head downstairs.  There were a few presents that my mom still needed to put under the tree so he had to sit at the top of the stairs with daddy to wait.  While they waited, Grant reminded daddy that Christmas isn't about the presents it is about God and all that He gave us.  What a sweet thing to hear. 

8.  I am in serious Christmas let down mode.  It is hard to go from Christmas 24/7 to nothing.  I am glad Sirius gives you an extra week of Christmas tunes so I can bring myself down gradually.

9.  My favorite Christmas tune is Silent Night sung by our church congregation by candle light at our Christmas Eve service.  I never make it past 'Sleep in Heavenly Peace' without balling my eyes out, but it is so beautiful that I long for that moment every Christmas.
 

10.  Blessing of the week:  seeing the look on the boys faces as they opened their presents.  They were so excited and quite spoiled I might add!  I just love to sit back and soak it all in and thank God for these simple yet amazing moments.

weekly 10

1.  This one is quickly being put on the naughty list......

 

2.  Ashton has not slept through the night for about a month now.  I feel like I have a newborn again.  He also thinks he doesn't need to take naps.  Needless to say, I am tired.  Very, very tired.  How can HE not ever get tired?  He.never.stops.moving.

3.  So, does anyone have any good ideas on how to get an extremely strong willed toddler to stay in bed when it is time to sleep?

4.  My dad has been here for a week.  We always try to do fun things while he is here, but this time mother nature is not cooperating.  It has snowed just about every day and has been bitterly cold. Needless to say, we have spent a lot of quality time inside.  Good thing  my dad doesn't mind watching back to back Hallmark Christmas movies!

5.  Jason and I got out for our association Christmas party Saturday night.  I couldn't resist this fun dress that I found shopping that morning.  Our usual date nights consist of a quick dinner out and a stop at Target for toilet paper and socks, so it was a lovely change to actually get dressed up for a fancy dinner for a change!

  

6. Grant has loved waking up every morning to find Sherman doing silly things.  So far he has colored our milk green, taken a swing ride in the doorway, used their crayons to write his name, drank the syrup, built a house with blocks, told the kids to bake cookies for the neighbors, given them instructions to buy groceries for the mission......sorry this is boring for you, but I need to remember what I did so I don't do it again next year:)

7. I took this pic a few weeks ago and posted it on FB but forgot to do it here.  We stopped to put up the girls Christmas tree and Grant told me wanted to get out and show Brooke and Alexcyn that he can write his name.  He is so good at knowing how to melt my heart.

8. I have a love/hate relationship with ama.zon.com.  I love that you can press a button and have presents delivered in two days but I hate the games they play with pricing of their items. 

9.  Ashton's favorite phrase as of late,"I am naked!" as he runs through the house with no clothes on.  Too bad he actually is naked or else it would make a hilarious youtube video!

10.  Blessing of the week:  Reading my favorite book from my childhood,"The Mouses Terrible Christmas" with my boys.  I fondly remember reading that book with my parents as a child and I love to see the look on their faces as they listen to the story that brought me so much happiness.

weekly ten

1.  Sherman the Elf arrived on Wednesday.  I have decided to do a combo elf.  He does naughty things occasionally (but nothing that takes me more than 5 minutes and makes a mess out of my already messy house!), he does fun things like making a Christmas chain countdown,  and most importantly he suggests random acts of kindness that we can do for others.  Yesterday he instructed us to go to the store to buy cleaning supplies for our favorite play place- Deanna's Playhouse.

2.  Today, the boys woke up to a special message from Sherman.  He had tickets for the local Santa train.  The boys were beyond excited to go on their first train ride.  It was a bit cold seeing as the train was quite ancient and lacked a good heating system but Grant and Ashton didn't even notice.  They loved their hour long ride and getting to see Santa.

3.  Ashton is way into babies lately.  He carries around my old Cabbage Patch doll and puts it in funny places.  His latest favorite is to put it in the dump truck wrapped in blankets.

 And yes, that is a kitchen pan flying through the air.  I finally had proof as Grant said,"I didn't do it!"


4.  He also has taken a liking to baby Jesus from the Nativity.

5. We cut our tree down last weekend on our way home from Thanksgiving festivities.  Last year it was raining when we were at the tree farm so we were surprised this year to see Santa, reindeer and a horse carriage to take us on rides around the farm.  Grant and Ashton loved it.  Ashton was not a fan of the animals though- still trying to get over his goat biting incident.  Are two year olds really supposed to remember things that happened when they were 1?

6.  Decorating the tree was an adventure this year.  Ashton apparently thought the ornaments went around the train track....

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7.  Grant is my Christmas lover.  He pretty much had all the ornaments on the tree before I could even get one out of the box.

8.  Ashton's new favorite word- amazing.  Exampes: "this is amazing mommy."  "look at that amazing tractor"  "mommy, you are amazing".  Ok, maybe I made that last one up.  Nontheless, it is pretty cute to hear this tiny 2 year old belt out all these amazings.

9.  Recent conversation overheard between Grant and all the Santas we have encountered...

Santa:  What do you want for Christmas this year little boy?
Grant:  A chainsaw.
Santa:  Oh my- as he looks up at us with a strange look on his face.

Yes, it is true that Grant wants a chainsaw for Christmas.  I just wish he would say a TOY chainsaw in order to avoid all the questioning looks from Santa and his elves.

10.  Blessing of the week:  all the precious memories made this week with Grant and Ashton as we cut down our tree and went on our first train ride.  And, a huge blessing that I made it through all the daddy daughter dance pictures that flooded my facebook without shedding a tear. Not to say it didn't hurt my heart, but I didn't cry and that is a huge step for me.  If I could just get someone to warn me next year so I can just not check my facebook for a few days, that would be great!

weekly 10

1.  Having fun with Pampers boxes.  These are cars for their babies. And yes, Ashton is using my Christmas decorations as bracelets and yes that is my cabbage doll from when I was little!

2.  I can't believe I actually watched a tv show called Vanilla Ice Goes Amish.  The sad thing is, I watched it for more than 5 minutes.  I am ashamed of myself!

3.  The other night I was cuddling the boys before bed.
Me:  I am so lucky to have two handsome boys sitting on my lap.
Grant:  You are so lucky to have two handsome boys that toot on your lap.
Grant:  toots
Oh, life with boys is always fun!

4.  We had Grant's first conference last week.  He got a good report.  They did wonder why he had such a hard time at drop off.  I told them I wondered that as well!  They said he has an amazing heart and is such a kind boy and will be a gift to all his teachers in the future.  I am so glad that despite his drop off issues, they get to see my baby and what a great kid he is.

5. We decided to go for bed transition over potty training because the other night we found Ashton in our living room at 3 am.  I heard someone get up but assumed it was Grant.  When I didn't hear the potty flush I went to double check. I found Ashton sitting on the couch asking to watch his show.  Apparently he was ready to start his day.

6.  Ashton versus the laundry drying rack.  Unfortunately, Ashton won.  I am thankful I have a fun new Amish drying rack waiting for me under the Christmas tree.  However, it is HUGE so I was hoping to not bring it out until we actually had a laundry room that wasn't in the middle of our kitchen.  Thanks Ashton.

7.   So, we have had an Elf on the Shelf for the last two years but haven't really used it.  I have been pinning tons of ideas about what to do with your Elf, but I still don't understand why the Elf has to be naughty.  Can someone please explain to me why he has to create so much extra work for me every night????

8.  Between the wall and the glider = where I found Ashton taking his nap the other day.  When he woke up I asked him why he slept there and he said,"I was hiding."  Guess he thought I was coming back to find him.  oops.

9.  I can't get enough of this  picture. Grant was so excited to see Santa that he didn't even think for a second that this was Jason's Uncle Bernie.  I love his innocence about Santa and I am considering quarantining ourselves  in our house for the next 5 weeks in order to keep him away from anyone that might ruin that innocence by telling him Santa isn't real.

10.  Blessing of the week: so much to be thankful for this week of Thanksgiving. This week I am thankful for walls.  Not only the ones that keep us warm this time of year, but also the ones that were poured for our new house this week.  I took the boys out to see the excitement of the "ment mixers" the other day and just stood there in awe.  I was so overwhelmed with emotions of gratefulness that after such a long time (and a lot of hard work) we are finally getting our dream  house.  I feel so lucky. 

catch up

1.  Life really has slowed down a bit with the colder weather, but I seem to be spending my computer time shopping for Christmas presents instead of blogging! 

2.  Two weekends ago, I asked kindly forced my parents into watching the boys for the weekend.  I was about to loose my mind with constant whining and fighting and screaming and crying and I needed a little time to reset my patience button.

3.  We didn't go anywhere, but instead enjoyed a little staycation.  I was worried that being home I would feel compelled to clean the toilets and fold the laundry, but I surprised myself by totally ignoring the mess around me and just allowing my body and mind to rest.  We slept in, Jason did boy stuff at our property, I wondered the aisles at Target for hours, I laid on the couch and watched every Hallmark Christmas movie I could, we went out for dinner and drank martinis and enjoyed quality time alone. 

4.  When we picked the boys up on Sunday, I felt refreshed and renewed and ready to face the holiday season.  Grant is a little home body and actually missed him momma (yes!) and Ashton seemed a little pissed he had to leave the arms of his pop pop.  He is definitely addicted to his pop pop!  It was a great weekend for all. 

5. Once Monday hit, the boys were back to their old antics of whining, fighting, screaming, etc... but I felt like I had more patience to handle it than I had in a long time.

6.  I am surprised it took him this long.......

7.  I put Ashton's toddler bed in his room the other day but he wanted to stay in the crib. He is fine in there at night, not so good at nap time.  Ashton is also wanting to go on the potty so I feel torn between bed switch or potty training.  I really don't want to do both at the same time! 

8.  Grant's question of the week to my friend who just got done breastfeeding her baby (under a cover btw).  "How do you feed your baby with your body?"   I just about peed in my pants I was laughing so hard!

9.  Goodbye fall and hello Christmas.... guess what I am doing today:)

10.  Blessing of the week:  Christmas music on the alarm radio in the morning, in the car, on my computer at work, CDs at home.  I just can't get enough of Christmas music.  I may have a crazy obsession with Christmas music, but it really just reminds me to stop and take it all in.... enjoy family, eat lots of cookies and watch the faces of my boys as they go through the holiday season with wonder in their eyes.

4

I finally had time to sit down and do my birthday posts from last month.  Better late than never!  Here are the things I want to remember about our little Grantster who isn't so little any more....

- he is full of excitement.  I always say that he is going to be the next Brad Pitt because he puts so much excitement and drama into everything he does.

-he is still a huge daddy's boy. 

-his favorite show is Caillou, Curious George and Wild Kraats.  The other day he told me all about lungs and why we need them.  I was impressed he learned about that in school and then he told me he learned it on Curious George.  Hey, at least he learns something!

-he is a hard worker and wants to help out wherever he can.

-he loves his brother even though they fight over things A LOT.   When we are around other kids, Grant gets very protective of Ashton.

-he loves to eat little chicken "samwhiches" from Costco, pancakes, fruit loops (every morning!), grapes, strawberries, blackberries (he actually eats a whole container in one sitting), raspberries, fish, and rice. 

-he dislikes tomatoes and makes me take them out of everything!  Other intense dislikes for potatoes unless they are fried of course, cheese sticks (has to be "flat cheese", yogurt, and peppers.

-he has finally started showing interest in dressing himself and usually picks the same shirt to wear everyday..

-he loves to ride his bike, play with dinosaurs and run around outside.

-he loves to go to the "pawk" aka park and swing for hours.  And yes, he still talks with a southern accent that is most noticeable with momma, pawk and mewk.

-he weighs 32 lbs and is 39 inches tall.   He wears 3T pants and 4 T shirts.

-he has a huge heart.  I always wanted my boys to have compassion and empathy for others.  I think I have definitely succeeded with Grant.  He has such a kind heart and a compassion for everything - even ladybugs!

-he has a temper and it usually flares as we are headed out the door to school.  He is not a morning person so getting him up, fed and dressed is always a struggle.

-he is very particular about things like socks with writing on the bottom and his pant legs being around his boots, certain fabrics and especially hates it when tags are in his shirt rubbing against his back.

Grant is an amazing boy that has taught me how to be a mother and how to look at life with excitement and a smile again. I feel so thankful that God blessed us with him.