The cap'n...

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And Tinker Bell Rudolph. 

Peter pan was around also, but I can never get him to sit long enough for a picture lately.

The Pink Polka dot...

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The kids were playing super heroes this morning. 

The Sugar Plum was dubbed "The Pink Polka Dot"

Budding photographer...

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The boy pulled out the tripod and wanted to take some pictures. It's kind of nice to get in on the pictures, even if i just woke up, and even if the boy, when looking at this picture told me, "This looks like a poo poo head family."
and thus was my day.

Today I decided I would not succumb to the chocolate in my house. I can do this. The day started out lovely with family prayers and happy kids and quickly turned into less than. Today has been awful. Tantrums and meltdowns and then while I was making dinner The boy took a costco sized olive oil and dumped 1/4th of it on my carpet. Why? who knows. So then we had some conversations about behaviors and privileges and there was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. No kids ate my delicious dinner and then they complained all night about being hungry. We talked about consequences and choices, and I really really really wanted to eat all the chocolate and the ice cream, but I didn't. I did have a sugar free Italian cream soda though and it was heavenly. 

Love...

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Sometimes, I wonder why it's so hard to love ourselves. Is it because we never get a break? I can be a big meanie. If I talked to my friends and family the way I talk to myself I would be one lonely sad girl. 

I suppose my goal this year is to love myself more. That kind of looks bad when I see it written there, maybe even selfish but, the truth is I could use a little more forgiveness and love from myself. 

I've been thinking about what love for myself would look like. It looks like eating less sugar. It looks like getting more sleep and exercise. It appears that I could spend a little more time reading my scriptures and saying prayers and meditating than finding out what color my aura is on facebook. It's choosing to be happy even when all heck is breaking loose. 

The interesting thing, at least to me, is that I thought eating sugar was love. I wanted it and so I had some. I thought avoiding exercise was love I hate to sweat, your welcome self. No need to worry about it. 

The thing is, true happiness comes from doing the hard things. It's seeing what needs to be done to get to that happiness and peace on the other side and then gritting your teeth and doing your best to get there. It's finding the peace and happiness along the way. It's falling down and failing and getting back up again. It's failing a lot. I have to remind myself of that because I also do not like to fail. Guess what self? We will fail, and it's OK. That's what new beginnings are all about. Trying again, and again, and again, and some more. There is a new year, a new month, a new week, and a new day. Isn't that a wonderful gift? 

So, here I go delving into my inner psyche. Growth and hurt and working through the hard stuff and hopefully at the end of it all, I can say I tried, and that I love all of who I am. Even the lumpy squeaky bits. 

Snow day!

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 No longer settling for a laundry angel or a sand angel. His dream came true.

 And then he threw some snow. Then he went back in the house. 

Getting ready to ride down the driveway.

These two would've stayed out in the snow all day if they could have.

Cleaning up Christmas...

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My Grandma gave me this set, it was made by her step mother. 

It's kind of sad when you have to put Christmas away. 

It's been a rough day. 

Tomorrow starts a new day. Thankful for this baby and new beginnings indeed.

New Year!

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The Super Mario brothers and the snow want to wish you a very happy New Year!