In keeping with my new "just do it" motto, I am going to give you the last two months in fast forward. Starting with Christmas. It was great. The kids are actually very happy in this photo. We were just happy to have a picture with no one crying and everyone looking in the same direction.

We drove around to look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve. It was a rainy night and we couldn't see a lot, but we had fun driving around singing Christmas songs anyway. Logan was asleep by the time we got home and he went straight to bed after, so he missed the leaving cookies for Santa and listening to the Night Before Christmas. These are pics of Drew, Peyton, and Carter looking up into the chimney (which is capped for the gas logs!) for any signs of Santa.

We took the day slow and spread the gifts out. It was nice to do things at our own pace. The kids really enjoyed everything and had a great day (except for Peyton's fever.) By the way, thank you all for your gifts. Thank you notes are still on my to do list (along with blogging.) I may just cross them off my list and try harder next time!

The birds!!

O.K., something has to be done about the birds!!! There are like 5 of them in the walls of our house. They peck, peCK, PECK all afternoon. I especially notice it while the kids are napping. There is one right behind my wedding portrait and I swear it is going to just come flying through the middle of my face at any moment! I don't know how to get rid of them. If we close up the holes, they will just make new ones. We certainly can't afford to reside the house (an option in the future, I'm sure.) I have thought of bird houses and bird baths, but I am afraid that will draw more. I am going to start having Alfred Hitchcock like nightmares. Please help me get rid of the birds!

How I am going to blog more.

It has been brought to my attention (by many) that I have once again neglected my blog. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what my problem is. I think it is a combo of things starting with the obvious time issue. Next, the “what do I write” issue. And finally, the “I am debilitated by my own perfectionism” issue. Now as I write this, as I realize that I have a fourth issue. Privacy. For some reason, I have a fear of putting things in writing for people to see. I guess you can call me blog shy. I have plenty to say and wear my heart on my sleeve in person but seeing my personal thoughts written out makes them very permanent. That, and I lead a crazy life. Do I want to share the craziness? Well, I decide yes.
Back to the time issue. I only really have time at night and a lot of times I am just mentally zapped. Others, it is the only time I get to spend with my very busy hubby and he comes first. I will try to make more time though. I don’t think that is the biggest issue.
What do I write? I tend to always have plenty to say but the second I sit in front of my blog screen, my hands clam up. So, my solution. I will jot down notes throughout the day in my word processor, clean it up at night and then paste it to the blog. We will see if that helps. I originally wanted it to be my journal of sorts. I guess this goes back to the blog shy thing. I type something and then think to myself, “no one wants to know that!” or “that’s WAY too much information!” Hopefully typing it throughout the day will allow me to filter better and then I can keep my “personal” info on the original and not put it all out for the world to see.
Lastly, my perfectionism. This one has been coming back to bite me lately. I am a perfectionist to a fault. A big fault. In fact, I am such a perfectionist that I procrastinate because if I can’t do it “right” I would rather not do it at all. I have always been like this, but had more control over the “right” so it wasn’t as much of an issue for me. Now that I have little control over things (insert 4 kids in a little over 4 years) I notice how this part of me can be a huge problem (the perfectionism not the kids.)
All of this is leading up to my new motto. “Just do it!” Not in an 80’s everyone get high and do stupid stuff way, but in a “let go of your hang ups and get something done” way. So here it goes.