Ringing in the New Year

We spent the last day of December 2015 and the first day of January 2016 with our family.  My Mom and Scott drove in from Maryland and arrived late on the 30th.  We had yet another Christmas on the 31st, spent the day around the house together, and then watched the ball drop to commemorate 2016.  Twenty Sixteen.  It seems so unreal that it is really 2016.

Kate went to bed at a semi-normal time, and so did Maya.  But Maya woke up around 11:45 pm and decided she didn't want to go back to sleep until the new year, so at 11:57 pm she and I came downstairs to join the ball dropping party.  And by "party" I mean all of us sitting on the couch.  We did celebrate with a bit of champagne when it was officially time and having our littlest one awake to ring in the new year with was really wonderful!  If Kate would've slept in I would've been happy to have her up as well, but Mama's been down this road before and no matter what time we go to bed, it seems we still get up at the same time...so Kate stayed in bed!

Pop Pop and Gramma with Maya.  Kate did not care for photos...
...only presents.

So Mama jumped in instead.

Aunt Amy scored with best present again!

Gramma helps Maya open one of hers!

A hippo popper!?  SO EXCITING!

Our little night owl!

Cheers to a new year!

Captivated by all the lights and sounds of the
dropping ball!

It was like nothing she's ever seen before!

One last glimpse at the Christmas tree.

Jackie Bones slept through the whole thing.
It was past his bedtime too.

The next day, the first day of 2016, we hung out with Mary and Tom for a little bit during the Ohio State game.  While we were there, we had a little mishap which required needing new pants for Kate.  I haven't had a spare set of clothes for Kate with us in over six months, so I didn't have one then either.  Kate and I got creative and I slipped my cami off and lent it to her to use as a skirt.  I tied it in the back with a hair tie!  I swear she looked like she was headed to work in a pencil skirt!

Cami Pencil Skirt!

Girlfriend can pull off anything!

My Mom and Scott headed back to Maryland on Saturday, so today we got busy putting some Christmas stuff away and exploring some of our new toys!  We decided it wouldn't be quite an official new year without a party in the tub, so we busted out one of Maya's new toys and thoroughly enjoyed our bath party!

They both loved this bath light!

PSA: I picked up this little extra from Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $2.50.  It was on clearance, and then an additional 50% off, AND I had a coupon.  It's the coolest little bath light and for $2.50, I'm not complaining!

After bath, Kate adorned herself with her Frozen nightgown and NEW Frozen slippers.  Once again, Aunt Amy takes it home for the win of best gift!!

Just like a princess.

Celebrating the new year with our families was just where we wanted to be.  Low key and at home, that is right up my alley these days. 

With the new year in mind, I've been doing a lot of thinking.  I don't love New Year's resolutions, but I do love New Year's.  There's something about a new beginning, a fresh start, that just makes me happy and optimistic.  With that being said, I've decided that my main focus for 2016 is going to be letting things go.  I'm going to choose to do less and invest more in the things that I do choose.  I'm tired of "to do" lists, especially those that span years.  YEARS.  I don't necessarily mind "healthy/realistic to do" lists, but not ones that continue for years.  (For example, I still have making Kate's 2nd birthday video on the ole "to do" list.  That was from 2014...)

Unfortunately, I just don't have the time or the energy to keep dragging these "things I want to do" behind me.  I'm going to have to set realistic goals by reminding myself that I am a stay at home Mommy of two now.  And uninterrupted free time just doesn't come that often.

I want to be HERE, in the moment, in the now.  I want to snuggle and cuddle and capture all those little moments from my little loves that are happening right before my eyes.  Kate and Maya are both growing insanely fast and Heaven knows these little ones don't keep.

For 2016, I choose to just Let It Go (Thank you, Elsa!) and be Here.  I am determined to make 2016 about a happy, healthy balance, whatever that may look like.  Hopefully, by January 1, 2017, I'll have a clearer idea on what that is.

2016!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Twenty Twelve

Ladies and Gents, we have officially entered the year 2012!  We rang in the New Year with a pretty uneventful, but wonderful, night at the home front.  Jack watched the ball drop with us, as well as played a few rounds of ball, and we shared a nice bottle of champagne to start the new year off right!

Speaking of the new year, there are quite a few things that just amaze me about 2012.  First of all, I cannot believe it's 2012!  It seems just yesterday that is was 2000, yet when you see the date of 2001 or so it seems so long ago!  And don't even get me started about dates in the 90's!  Gosh, now that is old school! 

2012 means that Brian graduated from high school seventeen years ago!  And I graduated from high school twelve years ago!  That seems so weird!  Also, 2012 means that I will be celebrating my 30th birthday which again I cannot believe!  Thirty years!  It just doesn't seem real...

...But it's as real as you and me, and whether we like it or not, 2012 is here!  Another year full of tons of adventure awaits!  Let it ring!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hogmanay

In Scotland, Hogmanay (pronounced hog-ma-knee) is the celebration of the last day of the current year and the beginning of the new year. It is known to last through the night of the thirty first of December and into the wee hours of the morning of the first of January. Sometimes it even lasts through to the second day of January! Though we weren't in Scotland, and didn't celebrate for two days straight, we had a group of lovely friends to ring in the New Year with and were full of Scottish love for all our fellow Scotsman!

We celebrated New Year's Eve this year with a lovely dinner and night out at Bernard's! Once the clock struck midnight, we attempted to bring in the new year with a bit of dancing, but found that everywhere we went was packed to the rim. So, we made our way home and decided to start the new year off with a good night's sleep!

Happy New Year, Everyone! And Welcome, 2011! It's going to be a fantastic year!

Collards, Black-Eyed Peas & Hog Jowl

New Years Day is fast approaching, and according to folklore, collards, black-eyed peas and hog jowl, when served together, promise a year of good luck and wealth. Sounds like a great way to start the new year. Speaking of, that means in less than 14 hours we will be arriving in 2010, and in just over 8 months we will be attending our wedding! 2010, here we come! (We are still so excited!)

Our Christmas holiday was lovely. We saw family and friends, had lots of good food, and had lots of good fun enjoying each others company, playing games, and lounging by the fire. We also had a white Christmas which we haven't had in a long time. We tried to build a snowman but the snow was so powdery that we really couldn't form anything or pack it down so we left him to lie on the ground. All in all, it really was a beautiful holiday weekend. We really couldn't have asked for more.