2012 from a Blog Slacker's View

I've been a blog slacker. Life is crazed, and quite honestly 2012 was NOT my year in regards to time management. Last January, my New Year's Resolution was to take a step back and peel back my time commitments and focus on what was important: My family, my faith, and my friends.

In April Christian went bilateral, and I had to throw that resolution out the window. Intensive rehabilitation was back on our family calendar. The transition to a new school, meant more meetings and more stress. I thought that I would have MORE time starting in September with Christian being closer to home for school and Lily in school one more day a week. Instead my days went by faster, and my nights became longer as I attempted to squeeze everything in.  I tried so hard to juggle it all, and quite honestly, I really think I did a horrible job.

Yet when I look back at this year, and I see all that it brought to our family and to me as a wife, mother, and friend, maybe my resolution DID work. I took the few minutes I had in between work, carpool and volunteer commitments to be silly with my daughter. I made sure that for every minute I spent working with Christian on his new CI that we spent 2 being playing Legos together. I may not have had the most creative and Pinterest inspired dinners on the table when my sweet husband would come home, but I made sure to give him some much deserved time and attention when he came home from work. I committed time to my faith and ministered to the women in my parish community and felt myself getting closer to the Lord every week. And I really feel that I gave my beautiful friends who truly are such gifts, the love and attention that they so truly deserve. While I didn't gain the extra time I thought I was going to get, I became more conscious of the time that I DID have. I treasured it. I cherished it.

I guess I'm no longer a rookie, and really should just expect that every year as the kids get older, things get trickier, time disappears, and things will just get HARDER. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball (like going bilateral) and you have to adjust. If 2012 taught me anything, it's to be ready for the unknown. Luckily, I have my faith, family and friends to rely on.

2012 Highlights

Bilateral Boy

Cherishing this time...

2012 was the year of ballet for Beanie

And Tae Kwon Do for Buster

We visited Aunt Ali and Uncle Bu many weekends.

And spent them with Uncle Dave and Aunt Alison too!

Josie and Lily were our comic relief on those hot DC summer days.

And we cooled off Up North with Nana and Papa.

Lucky.

Aunt Sarah and Uncle Nick time is the best!

Cocktailing it in NC.

Spending time with our cousins!

Visiting with Uncle Art and Aunt Mary!

Wishing we lived closer...

Lazy and fun days at the pool...ok, who am I kidding. Tiring and sometimes annoying days at our pool. But the kids had fun together.

A lucky little boy to have a friend like Justy!

Silly friends!

Again, Josie provided Comic Relief.

And Willis and Jack did too!

Laughing with Papa!

First day of school!

Lacrosse fun!

Halloween--first year they didn't have "joint" costumes. My boxer and Marina from The Fresh Beat Band!

Labor Day fun in our little town!

I still need my Dad!

How cute are they?!

Best Friends!

So lucky to have these girls.

This is what we do on Tuesdays.

Daddy's birthday

And a shot of what I look like 10 hours a day. In the car.

Football fun!

Love my Belle!

My loves.

Crazy family times!

It's fun to have a friend almost as crazy as you are. And who loves wine more than you.

They're getting old.

Daddy cuddles.

So lucky to be able to spend time at home and watch my lovey and her friends grow!

Nutcracker with my baby angel. Not going to lie, I cried.

Spending the morning with our besties was SO fun!

Thursdays.

THE BEST.

Makes me so happy!

My Shepard!

When some of your best friends happen to live on your street...you're a lucky girl!