enjoy.

last year when i read that ali chooses a word each year to focus on, i decided to do the same and chose enjoy.

i enjoyed, but not slowly enough, so I am keeping this work for 2008 and adding slowly. it was fun to go back and review my posts from 2007. i had forgotten about some of those things happening in our lives. since i am not scrapbooking as much as i used to, i at least have this documented somewhere. (poor charlie's baby book is a random assortment of post it notes and cut out pieces of scrap paper... hey, i'll get around to writing in it sometime.

enjoy, slowly.

i am so enjoying these days off where there are no commitments other than tending to children, laundry, dinners, etc. but when you take working full time out of the equation it sure does make things (time) a lot easier. (see above comment about reviewing posts for 2007) i'm not saying being at home with a 3 and a 1 year old is easier than working at school (i would have to say the job I get paid for is easier than the job I do not get paid for) but it is more fun at times, and more calm, if you can believe that, on our daily lives...

since the last quarter of 2007 just flew by insanely fast, i am vowing to let go of some of things i am not loving to do (where it's possible) and doing things i enjoy, and i want to do. i still have some commitments to fulfill- national boards (though in hindsight i see that listening to mike telling me that this might not be the year to do this would have been smarter), work/job requirements, etc. but as far as other outside things, i will learn to say no.

that all being said, mike i and sat down tonight and wrote out some goals for 2008. wanna hear them? if not, just stop reading :)

o paint and rearrange/reorganize my office/crafty area (doing it this week!)
o replace our powder room sink/toilet ourselves (if we can)
o paint laundry room
o refinish garage floor
o teach summer school (mike)
o eat more at home, more healthly and in the dining room
o visit Maine this summer and/or Christmas next year (attempt family road trip?)
o use our Childrens' Museum family pass more
o plan meals out so that we aren't deciding dinner at 4:30pm every night (which inevitably leads to a Wendy's run, or some kind of take out)
o use our new video camera to capture more of the boys in action (obviously still photography doesn't catch their ever moving bodies...)

and...

o enjoy life... slowly. the boys are so little for such a short time and even though it's crazy, chaotic and most days i just want to hide, we need to take the time to enjoy them. some day i know they'll be doing their own things and won't want such a piece of me ALL the time. and i'll miss these days (i'll be looking back on this post a few years to remind myself i said this...)

happy 2008 everyone!