Here's to 2015...

This year...

I will read more, and not waste so much time on social media or trying to conquer the geography section on Trivia Crack.

I will wash my face before bed and apply moisturizer because I'm 42 and sleeping in makeup isn't helping anything.

I will try to meal plan so that swinging by the Mexican place (those guys are fast!) on the way home isn't so tempting.

I will go on a mom/son date with each boy every month because time is going so fast it feels like I can't breathe when I think about it too much.

I will purge the clutter so that I don't get angry about something on the counter only to realize that I'm not sure where it goes either.

I will get rid of kitchen items I haven't used in 12 years, because seriously???

I will do a load of laundry every day. Mom, stop laughing.

I will get more active doing fun things I enjoy doing, and not chain myself to an unrealistic workout plan that I despise before it even starts.

I will realize that getting more healthy does not have to be unrealistic or brutal.

I will drink more water because I'm pretty sure I have been mostly dehydrated for four decades.

I will try not to use my car as a trash can.

I will not only write when inspired, but also during a set time every day, even if I only write one paragraph.

I will try to learn more about my computer so that I don't almost cry every time I use it.

I will take time to be still and breathe every day so that the person with 5,000 coupons in the checkout line doesn't make me so nervous.

We will plan our outfits the night before church, because while headed to church and while trying to take a Christmas card photo celebrating Jesus' birth shouldn't be the two times you always feel like you head is about to spin around.

I will realize that taking a big group of boys to a field to throw a football around for a while, can be more fun than expensive outings. #simplicity

I will realize that kids may remember game night more than the trampoline park or movie or arcade.

I will surround myself with the people I love and who love me, and we will experience wonderful adventures in the new year.

I will reach out to new people I feel certain I have a connection with and see if new friendships bloom.

I will realize that standing up for what is right is more important than making everyone happy.

I will learn better to "let it go."

I will play more music in the house.

I will realize that kindness, even a simple smile, can go a really long way.

I will realize that putting on makeup and dressing well in the morning really does make you feel better the whole day. (Thanks for the tip, Dixie Carter.)

I will try to realize that though I feel like I truly am nocturnal, I really need to do better on the whole sleep thing.

I will keep my house presentable so that I could easily yell to a family taking an evening walk, "Come on in," and not want to die of embarrassment.

I will host even more (and I host a good bit I think) gatherings, because I've learned that no one minds if it's potluck.

I will try to focus on every magical moment with my family, lay distractions aside, and try to soak up the essence of even the simplest of moments.

I will try to give up over analyzing.

I will learn that's it's okay to say, "Thank you! I really appreciate your asking, but I don't really think it's something I would be interested in."

I will realize that even if I eat better in 2015, I'm not going to give up cheese dips. That is simply never happening.

And last but not least, I will realize that if I master even five things on this list, I'm doing A-okay!!!

Happy New Year!!!

See you Later

"We didn't realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun." ~ Unknown

I know I'll never forget.

It's a big part of who I am today.

All of the wonderful moments I spent with my neighborhood gang are burned in my brain forever.

I can still feel the wind on my face as I feverishly peddled my banana bike over to Carrie's house. Every day was an adventure of some sort.

I remember Susan coming down the road to my house where we would explore my older basement, pretending we were Nancy Drew or gathering rocks in the yard dreaming of being life-changing scientists.

I remember how Carrie and I were determined to build a tree house, only managing to nail one piece of wood to another the entire day. (Neither one of us are now builders).

I vividly remember sitting in the well-hidden tree perch in my front yard where Carrie and I would yell at some guy named Rick who used to drive by in an orange-red Camaro. I'm not sure who Rick was, or why we were yelling at him, but I'm sure he stayed thoroughly confused as to where on earth the voices were coming from that yelled at him on a regular basis.

I have been thinking about this lately because, sadly, our neighbors and dear friends are moving in less than a week. For the past four years our lives have been entwined in wonderful and unexpected ways.

First of all, it's extremely rare to meet a family in which ALL members of the family become good friends. I'm talking the wives, the husbands, and ALL of the kids. Finding that is harder than finding a needle in a haystack. And then to have them live two doors down? We have been BEYOND fortunate. 

As families, we have enjoyed dinner dates, road trips, shopping trips, movie nights, game nights, grill outs, holiday celebrations, sporting events, lake weekends, trick-or-treating, pool weekends, fireworks, sledding, birthdays, and more things than I can even begin to mention.

Between the two families, we have five boys. Our second graders are dear friends, and our fifth grader and their fifth-grade boy and sixth-grade son have been inseparable for four years. 

The magic of fort building, exploring, flashlight tag, Nerf wars, sleepovers, backyard sports, swimming, video gaming, and pure laughter and chatter, loaded with lots of imagination has burned brightly between our houses for many seasons. 

Though I am really upset myself,  I am  infinitely more sad that my boys are having to say goodbye to their "brothers from another mother." They have laughed like siblings, fought like siblings, and had each others backs as brothers do. 

I know we will stay in touch. I am already trying to plan some sort of trip to look forward to before they are yet gone. And this isn't goodbye, but more see you later. I'm still determined that at least two of them will be college roommates.

I think what will be the hardest will be the silence. No knocking on doors when the homework is done. No loud laughter from the backyard.

It's going to be awfully quiet.

But as sad as we will be to see them drive away to their next chapter, I realize how fortunate we have all been.

And I know that the gift of friendship we have all shared truly has been exactly that- a gift.

The magic of having "brothers" just two doors down is a precious time that I know my children will never forget.

Because I know I never will.

Frazzled Schmazzled

I always, always say I am going to simplify for Christmas, but I NEVER seem to pull it off. I am NOT organized, and seem to live spontaneously and chaotically. This usually does not make for a relaxed Christmas season for sure.

But this year, I am determined, will be different. And shockingly, so far so good. (Yes. I know it's only December 3. Just shhhhhh.)

1. First and foremost, our Christmas elf isn't here. And guess what? No one has really mentioned him much.  I did, at one point, ask my youngest if he wanted the elf to come. He said, "Kinda." So that, to me, translates into, "He can wait a week or two before Christmas to eventually come." So many people are sick of this tedious elf tradition, but remember, YOU are the boss of your elves!!! They can come if and when you want them to! Or, like an episode of Lost, you can even kill them off...KIDDING!

2. I have a group of dear friends that I love so, so much. And truly, I would LOVE to pick each one of them out a gift that she loves. But, as the woman on YouTube says, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" Therefore, this season I am hosting a very small gathering where we will each bring ONE gift which we will swap during a spirited game of Dirty Santa. And if everyone just wants to just sit and talk and eat chocolate and take home their own gift, I'm good with that too. So...be sure you bring something you like for your own self ladies!!!!

3. This year, I am not room mom for both of my boys. In fact, I am only room mom for one and not even the only room mom. Last year I tried to do it for both children. It was all fine and dandy throughout the school year until Christmas, and then I was so overwhelmed I wanted to curl up and suck my thumb in my closet. This year when the school signup lists were out, for once, I listened to myself.

4. I'm trying to stay off Pinterest. One year I became all crafty during the holidays, which would have been fine if I hadn't been routinely getting my craft on at 1 and 2 am. This year I am limiting my Christmas browsing. In fact, I may only look for yummy recipes. But they will be SIMPLE. If it even involves separating an egg, I'm moving along...

5. Just like the past two years, we will have our "Christmas Dinner" on Christmas Eve. Christmas day is for staying in pajamas, playing with new toys, soaking in the magic of the day, snacking and napping, and family... NOT sweating it out in the kitchen. The only stress I want to endure on Christmas day is possibly screaming at a new tablet and trying to figure out why I am so inherently stupid with all things technological.

6. All pre-Christmas gatherings will be potluck. Because...why not?

What I am ATTEMPTING to do this Christmas season is to slow it down, relax, and spend more quality time with the family. Every night in December I am going to try to have the whole family spend special time together. It's not going to be special time making impressive crafts off Pinterest. I'm not printing out special Polar Express tickets which summon my children to the car in their jammies for hot chocolate and a special ride around the town looking at Christmas lights. We may look at lights, but I'm not making special tickets, and hot chocolate in my car would be a tongue-burning disaster. We may not construct a jaw-dropping Christmas card with pressed shirts (people iron?), twinkling eyes, and impeccable smiles, but we might all pile up in messy pillows in front of the fire and read.

So far, our special time has been coming together at the kitchen table and playing a heated game of Farkle. No cute crafts were made, there were no magic cooking moments together worthy of a tear-jerking Publix commercial. Just a heated, risk- taking dice game complete with one child finding delight in anything sounding like it alludes to passing gas as he repeatedly reminded us "It's not polite to Farkle at the table."

And that is just fine. Because Christmas doesn't have to be about excessive baking and shopping and busyness.

It's about baby Jesus, and giving, and family. Plain and simple.

It doesn't have to involve complicated meals, carefully planned Norman Rockwell moments, or staged perfection.

This Christmas I hope we have a messy, fun, real Christmas.

And it might just be our best one ever.