My only food-related New Year’s resolution is “Eat less food from a drive-thru”. I’ve made drastic diet resolutions in the past and – not shocking – I’ve always failed. Always. If I’m not just throwing the whole thing out the window I’m busy trying to get around it somehow. (Well this ice cream is totally local and organic, which means it’s ok. It’s not like I’m eating horrible procesed candy from a bag…)

So “fewer drive-thrus” is a good goal. If I have to at least get out of the car and walk in to get my take-out at least it’s more likely to have a vegetable in it. I’m also menu planning again – maybe I’ll even get a What’s For Dinner post up! – and keeping the fruit bowl full. But when it’s lunch time and I’m standing in my kitchen and I realize I haven’t eaten anything that day and am suddenly STARVING, even a no-drive-thru rule doesn’t stop me from eating a pint of ice cream instead of real food. There has to be something easy and delicious right there.

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We did a lot of nothing this week. I got rid of some of my wraps on the online wrap buy/sell/trade group, so my phone is full of wrap photos. And I definitely did not buy three more. Nope. I did not buy three. Only two.

Sunday:

This is the pile of wraps I measured so I could sell them. I did not sell them all.

I high recommend this rice cooker

This is a pile of wraps I am probably never going to sell

Monday:

I sold this one, but I’m a little sad. Look how cute Caroline looks.

Helping Daddy do computer stuff

Baby in a book

Tuesday:

LOLOLOLOLOL

She really likes wraps.

Who gave me a pen?! THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA!

Wednesday:

New Year’s Sparklers

New Year’s Toast

New Year’s Hand and Foot

Thursday:

I think I’m going to start collecting White House ornaments. I like them.

Anyone want some baby books?

Helping me de-Christmas the house

Friday:

Doing important spy business

She BEGGED me to do this and was mad when I wouldn’t let her keep him all day

When you stay up until midnight you are tired for days

Saturday:

That’s MY spot, baby

Snow! That I did not go out in!

Snuggles are why I love wraps.

I got both kids out the door fully dressed in time for school today. I was pretty proud. I’m secretly hoping for a snow day later this week because I’m not sure I can do that all week. Especially not if this baby keeps nursing allllll night. Stupid growth spurt and rolling over and separation anxiety. I feel like I’m paying the price for all the easy months up until now. I don’t like it.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! We had a great week!

Sunday:

Couch naps is what vacation is all about.

NO STOP IT STOP IT NOW

I think E was wishing he was back at sea instead of playing the rainbow game

Monday:

Apparently he was very comfortable in that one

The post office was a poor choice

That looks like something I can put in my mouth! Give it to me!!!

Tuesday:

My husband and father murdered my bushes (I asked them to).

Why are we at the grocery store AGAIN?

I had a Lego emergency

Wednesday:

It’s a good thing I don’t like peanut butter blossoms, because I made a LOT of them

Doing her best statue of liberty impression

Pretty excited about our Christmas

Thursday:

Happy with her stash

His Christmas mostly involved doing this

Plasma car success!

Friday:

FAT BABY

SLEEPY BABY

HAPPY BABY

Saturday:

Disapproving grouper judges you

Santa?!

What does the fox say? Zzzzzzzzzz….

Linc has like, a million new teeth coming in right now, so he’s pretty miserable. We were supposed to go to Virginia this week but I can’t handle the car trip plus sleeping at someone else’s house with such a grumpy baby. Not when the alternative is staying home in my pajamas. I did manage to get ALL THE LAUNDRY done today (or at least as much as is physically possible when you have children) so I feel pretty good. Tomorrow my goal is to vacuum every floor/rug in the house. Or maybe I’ll just try to catch up on laundry again.

I’m not going to lie, I am not a huge fan of Thanksgiving. I feel very meh about all the traditional food (except for pie #teampie) and if we aren’t going anywhere I end up doing A LOT of work for people who also feel very meh about the food. It ends up being much more about the tradition of making the food – being in the kitchen, letting the kids help, timing everything perfectly – than the actual food.

This was the first year I enjoyed having the kids participate in the cooking. I really WANT them to have good holiday memories of togetherness in the kitchen but sometimes I just want to pour a cup of flour without anyone dumping half of it on the floor. I am TRYING. I am allowing the floor to be flour-covered and the pie to be over-cinnamoned and my patience to be stretched thin in the hopes that they will one day face the same thing with their children and realize “Wow, my mother really loved me.”

In the spirit of accepting that the holidays don’t have to be perfect to be special, here are some photos from our Thanksgiving weekend. We went full Christmas on Black Friday – tree shopping trumps gift shopping – although I’m not happy with my current decorations. Caroline’s mermaid birthday is clashing with my previous princess/woodland fairy themes. I need a LOT more silver and pink. But in the meantime, enjoy pictures of dirty dishes instead.

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Welcome to a WHOLE NEW WORLD. This world is called “My husband is home after 4 months of being totally gone and 3+ years of being mostly absent”. We’re a full week in and definitely still adjusting, especially since not only is E back from sea he has a MONTH OFF. I’m trying to make up for the last 3 holiday seasons he mostly missed in the next 3 weeks, so the gingers might be missing a little school. Who really learns anything between Thanksgiving and Christmas anyways? They’ll have plenty of time for school during the horrible months of January, February and March.

Sunday:

Warm enough for a casual walk to church

What big eyes you have

I pulled over to take a picture of a heron, but it flew away so just IMAGINE a beautiful white heron in this picture

Monday:

SWEATER PANTS

The first time I got him on my back for any length of time and he REALLY liked it

Sitting in the dark editing newborn photos because that’s when it is quiet

Tuesday:

WHY IS THIS BABY IN MY SWING????

I took approximately 65 pictures to get ONE where she was holding still enough to be in focus

Wednesday:

Super excited to be “helping” Caroline

Gross, gross, gross weather

Helping with the apple pie

Thursday:

We ate a bunch…

…visited some baby friends…

…and then relaxed in our pie comas.

Friday:

Instead of Black Friday shopping, I got my roots done. Wise choice.

Gorgeous (COLD) day to chop down a tree

Light Up City Hall

Saturday:

E taught the kids SkipBo. They’re terrible.

SANTAAAAAA!!! I KNOW HIM!

Linc is SO DONE with his stuffy nose. Poor baby.

I think I might have actual blog posts to write this week. Although don’t get your hopes up TOO much, I also have two sessions to edit and Christmas cards/birthday invites to order. Plus finishing up a bunch of loose work ends. So…just kidding about the blogging thing. I should be able to actually sit down and write about things on my mind some time after the new year.