Dear Blogary and A List

When I was younger I tried for many years to keep a journal. I would list my daily activities in my journal consistently for about a week and then get distracted. Which doesn't take much for me.

But we aren't here to discuss my attention span.

Oh! I just painted my finger nails last night and they look so pretty.

Anyways, when I would get back into journaling, say a month or six later, I always felt the need to apologize to my diary for my lack of communication. "Dear Diary, I'm sorry I haven't written much lately. I've been so busy..."

I always went back later and got rid of the evidence of my insanity. Just like I would do when I had worked up the nerve to confess to my diary who my current crush was but then would get struck with the reality that my sisters were sure to find my diary and would most definitely use its contents against me. Most of my diaries are missing many pages.

Please humor me and tell me I'm not the only crazy person who actually talked to their diary like it was  a human whose feeling were hurt from a lack of communication!

No? Well, I guess I'll just chalk it up as another one for the books. For whoever is keeping record.

So, all of that babble is to say that I've been feeling like I needed to get on here and apologize to my blog for my absence. It's odd really that one of the things I count on for helping me sort the crazy in my head is one of the things I have the least time for. Which may explain a lot about my recent mental state (let' just say Hot Hubby is a true prince!).

In order to catch you up on the last few months I thought I'd write a quick list. My last post was on November 16th (yikes!) and since then:

1. We had a fantastic Thanksgiving at my in-laws. This year it was just Hot Hubby, Me, and our kids, my SIL, and Hot Hubby's sweet maternal Grandpa. It was a quiet event and my favorite part was watching Great Grandpa get down on the floor with Hazel and Amelia to play with them and chat with them. SO adorable!

2. This was my first year of Black Friday shopping. After many years of insisting that I would hate it I decided to go along with my MIL and SIL "just for the ride." They've asked me every year since Hot Hubby and I have been married. This year I decided it was worth getting up at 4:30 to hang out with my MIL (and get a few hours off from children) and go browse the shops. I'm officially addicted! We are already saving up for this year. Although there will have to be a better budget set up. FOR SURE!

3. Every weekend in December was BOOKED! Hot Hubby, Abiah and my FIL took one weekend to head up to the Cabela's near Seattle while Jackson, the girls, and I stayed behind with my MIL and did some shopping of our own. I think that my MIL and I shopped three weekends in a row. We may or may not be good for each other in that way.

4. My oldest niece, the one who made me an Auntie, turned 12! She celebrated with a shopping day at the mall and dinner afterwards. I was so excited and honored to be invited to celebrate with her. She has grown into such a delightful little lady. I enjoy her so much and that day was so much FUN!

5. The weekend before Christmas we celebrated the holiday with a weekend bash at my parents. All four of us girls, three of the four spouses, and all FIFTEEN grandchildren. It was crazy and fantastic all wrapped up in one. Great memories were made. And Hot Hubby had a birthday! I'm so glad he was born!

6. Christmas weekend we spent one night with Hot Hubby's family and were home in time for the kids to unwrap their Christmas jammies and set out some cookies and Coke for Santa. It was probably my favorite Christmas since we've been married. Because our extended family celebrations were a week apart we didn't have to rush and we got to have two days just being home with our kiddos. Of course I kept forgetting to take pictures, but here's one of the kids in their new jammies:















7. The New Year brought us back to reality of school and busy life. The major thing on our calendar was Amelia's eye surgery. She needed a strabismus recession (moving the inner eye muscle back) because her eyes were crossing. Though I never would want my almost three year old to have to go through any kind of surgery, I am glad that she had this done. She has been a trooper through the whole experience. Glasses, patching, and surgery all since September. Since she is only three she didn't fully grasp what surgery meant but she let me know she was going to let Dr. Bock "fix her eyes." Thankfully, due to some medications, she was a bit loopy by the time she was taken in for the procedure. When she came out about an hour later she was fussy but easily consoled by sitting with me and rocking. She was tired and slept a lot the first day, but recovered quickly and is back to her normal state of sassy, busy Amelia. We are encouraged by the progress we see in her eyes. And I am so proud of her for being brave and strong through all of this.

Amelia with glasses before surgery.

Amelia without glasses before surgery.

Heading down for surgery.

Watching cartoons!

With glasses post-op. Sorry for the glare. She was being a turd.

Without glasses post-op. Still being a turd.

I do hope to spend a little more time in this corner of my world. I've missed it.