Winter blues...

Robby and I have always been the nutty couple that LOVE winter. We often chat excitedly about the weather forecasts with snowflakes dancing in our eyes. The lower the temperature drops the more giddy we get. Maybe this illusion has gathered steam through the years because the last two years the winter's our weather here in Oklahoma has been disappointing at best. While my family in Kansas would get snow almost regularly, even our forecast of a dusting would fizzle out. This winter though has been promising since early fall. We have snow a handful of times, and even had a white Christmas. Along with this wonderful winter weather came an unwelcome friend though. Illness. I have been sick more times this year than I have in the past five years! I remember being so miserable with a tummy bug over halloween that we have to leave the party early. I started a dreadful cold the weds before christmas and I am JUST now getting over it (24 days later).Usually while I am still on prenatals I am almost invincible...this year nothing can win against these nasty flu bugs. And don't even get me started on the kids. Jade has 6 colds...she's only 7 months old! I feel like we can't hardly get over one cold before Bobby takes turn and I have one child sick at all times.

What this has all added up to...winter blues. The exhaustion of taking care of sick children while my energy is low myself from being under the weather, all of us being tucked in the house nonstop to avoid getting out in the cold, the lull of after-Christmas letdown...its a recipe for disaster. Add in Jaden's teething and we are near a crisis. Thankfully though, the weather gave us a break this weekend. We were able get outside and play a bit, my sister came for a visit and helped me work on my new china cabinet, I am finally getting over my cold, as are the children. The treadmill in my garage even thawed out and you wouldn't believe the pick-me-up I got just by getting in a short jogging session. I felt like ME again.

So what I have decided throughout all of this is...maybe I will stick with the mild winters from now on and just visit Colorado more often during the winter instead. HA!

2013 Send off....

1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
I have never barfed my brains out as much as I did in the last year...my pregnancy with Jaden was a killer!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My 2013 resolutions were: I failed to fill out my survey last year, but my goals were leave my STRESSFUL job in the dust and make my family my priority during these little children years...SUCCESS. Don't regret my decision one bit. So much happier in accounting, what I do best. 2)Lose the baby weight. SUCCESS, took almost seven months and a ton of working out but I met that goal the Wednesday before Christmas! WHEW! I thought it was going to haunt me forever!
2014 resolutions: 1)Put my phone DOWN more when my children are around...I don't want to waste these years. 2)Take more pictures

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? I DID!!! Jaden Lynne blessed us with her presence May 30, 2013. There were tornados outside, we literally were watching the weather channel between pushing!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank you lord.

5. What countries did you visit?
Zero...not sure I even traveled anywhere except Kansas this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
SLEEP


7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 30, 2013 Jaden

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Jaden obviously, but losing the baby weight was a huge goal of mine.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not spending enough time with friends.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just throwing up several times a day for a few months while pregnant with Jaden. No big deal...YES YES it was. It was AWFUL.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
New china cabinet.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
MY MIL who keeps my children day in and day out. Hubby who works nonstop for no apparent reason except being obsessed with making our future bright. Sister who listens to my crap morning, noon and night, and spoils me rotten.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I try and just absorb the good, ignore the bad.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Savings, rent houses, gifts

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
New baby, maternity leave!

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
We Can't Stop, RadioActive, Pontoon, Cat's in the Cradle


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier(honestly think I am happier than I have ever been), Thinner (oh lord am I thinner, 65+lbs), Richer...


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Took more pictures

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Looking at my damn phone.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Usual time with family. It was wonderful.

21. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Hello no need to explain...Jaden!


22. What was your favorite TV program?
I watched a hell of a lot of House Hunters, and Income properties etc while on maternity leave. I don't watch much TV otherwise.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope

24. What was the best book you read?
No reading..

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Still love me some Zac Brown band.

26. What did you want and get?
China cabinet

27. What did you want and not get?
Can't think of anything.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I don't really watch movies...except for Bobby's.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30...can't remember a thing about. I was enormously pregnant so I am sure we ATE.


30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
nothing...happy as a lark

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
EVERY imaginable size in my closet was utilized this year.

32. What kept you sane?
Sister, working out, my new job

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Justin Timberlake

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Don't care a bit about politics

35. Who did you miss?
Sister

36. Who was the best new person you met?
I didn't branch out much this year...

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
My kids are growing up FAST, I have blinked and Bobby is already outgrown his baby stage. Its scary. I am going to stop feeling guilty about not putting myself first and enjoy focusing on my children while they are little. I can worry about my career and my social life when they get older (of course, I am not going to let those things GO or anything, but I am not going to feel guilty for being stingy with my weekends to be with them every second!)

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
This doesn't sum up my year...but its the lyric that I remind myself to live by daily...
"When you coming home, son I don't know when, but we'll get together then...we're going to have a good time then".
YEP and that is when I quit my stressful job and changed my priorities...