A new year, some random thoughts.

2013. 

Perhaps the sweetest year on record.

We kissed it goodbye surrounded by dear friends, it felt like an appropriate ending to a year that has brought much happiness, growth, and joy. 

There was pizza, fruit dipped in chocolate, our own little rigged up balloon drop, sweet champagne, four boys snuggled together on an air mattress falling asleep to movies, and once they were all tucked in we ended the year with a rousing game of Quelf. 

We laughed until our sides hurt and happy tears sprung from our eyes, we made it well beyond midnight. I can't think of a better way to greet a brand new year. 

We each have a spirited boy and a laid back boy. They pair off perfectly. We sent all four upstairs to play with the train table and checked in a few minutes later to find two quietly playing with trains and two way up high climbing on the outside of the banister. C'est la vie. 

Milk rimmed with sprinkles. The only one of use who was able to get a Pinterest worthy glass was Darren.

Getting ready for the balloon drop. 

3...2...1...New year for the little guys somewhere around 8:30. 

One little snapshot of our game. We have a long history of board games with these two and this was absolutely one of the best. 

Sending 2013 off with love. 

----------

Here is our year end video...

This little video reminds me of why I love pictures so much. 

Each one is a moment captured, but more than that it's a string that pulls me back to those memories.

 I see that picture of Max in his overalls drinking milk and I remember how he had been so sick that week, burning a stubborn fever of 105, but he finally perked up that day. He smiled and drank milk, and I let the shutter snap, forever capturing that moment and the gratitude I felt in it. 

Each picture has it's story. 

 Julian and I both turned 30 this year.

 Eli took first steps, turned one, and grew into toddler hood. 

Max turned 3, played on his first soccer team, and started preschool. 

We went camping for the first time and took a road trip.

My brother got married and we gained a sister. 

Thank you 2013. 

-------

And what about a resolution?
As a recovering perfectionist, resolutions can be a dangerous thing...I find myself paralyzed to even start for fear of not being able to give 100%.
Julian and I have both done a great deal of reading and talking over the break.
There are a lot of things we want to work on...more financial discipline, striving to eat an even cleaner diet, fitting in more exercise, parenting in a way that better fosters non-cognitive skills (grit, self-reliance, conscientiousness), making it to church more often, and turning to prayer instead of worry.
I am not going to call any one of these things a resolution though.
I hope we keep reading and keep applying.

I've seen the idea of  "my one word" floating around...picking one word to encompass what you would like to welcome and achieve in the new year. I like this idea and have spent the past couple days choosing a word for 2014. Of course, words like focus, discipline, and intentional were appealing to me, but they feel like goals that could ultimately feed into the perfectionism mindset. I steered myself away from the words that felt comfortable to the ones that felt scary...vulnerability, surrender, abide...before finally settling on trust.

I hold on so tight to that illusion that I have control.
I hope to let go of those imaginary reins in 2014 and trust more.

Is any one else picking a word for 2014?
I would love to connect and encourage each other.

-----------

There are also some changes coming to this little space in the coming year.
The first is an idea I came up with around my 30th birthday.
In honor of my 30th year, I would like to dedicate an entry every week or two to events that happened in the last decade, to tell the story of the things that shaped me over the last 10 years.
I ran the idea by our #1 reader and she approved (hi Amber!).
I hope these will be posts you all enjoy.

The second is an idea I came across on a blog about half way through the year.
A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014.
I wanted to jump in and start but the (recovering) perfectionist in me wouldn't have it.

This is the first installment and I hope to update every Friday for the rest of the year.

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."
Clean and fresh out of the first bath of the new year.
Max: "I'm not cute, I'm cool." He has the most magical perspective of the world and life right now, I love to see things through his eyes.
Eli: Surprises us each day with his words and phrases, he is starting to really talk, and we love to hear his voice.

Friends with blogs, want to join me?

----------

Wishing everyone much happiness in 2014!