A better year

I had planned to finish all my 2009 blogging last year and to start this year afresh - oh well! So there are still lots and lots of 2009 photos to post. Most of the photos will aim to make my mum's recovery a little happier (no better medicine than smiles and laughter, right!). All the best mum - LOVE YOU!!

Anyway, I'll try not to be too melodramatic, but 2009 wasn't really our/my year for lots of reasons. And it wasn't a good year for some friends and colleagues, which bummed me out as well. Sometimes life throws curve balls and tests, and you just have to figure what's really important and then just move on. So 2010 is going to be a great year, I know!

How do I know this already?

First, Sophie starts at Kara's school next Monday. Yes, just one drop off and pick up, HOORAY! It will also be such a more positive environment for Sophie (and my lord, she won't be bitten EVERY SINGLE DAY ever again ... seriously, she was bitten five times one day, including on her neck and back. I was mortified!). Santa Claus was thoughtful enough to buy Sophie and Kara matching back-packs for their first day at school together (pink of course). They are counting down the days to school!

Second, I can almost say that Sophie is somewhere near being maybe kind-of sort-of potty trained at long, long last. We didn't really put our heart and soul into it this time and it has showed. Plus she's just a stubborn-butt! But there is hope that she won't be kicked out of pre-school her first week.

Third, my kitchen is almost complete (technically it's Lance's kitchen since I guess he did build it all). Lance took out the horrid linoleum and re-finished the hard wood floors which had been hiding for decades. They look ridiculously fabulous! Just a bit of trim here and there and it's done. My cooking took a nose-dive after we left DC and this is one of the things that I'll be focusing on again this year. Good old healthy home cooking for us all.

Fourth, the girls really are getting so much easier to look after. I remember way back when I used to count down the hours, even the minutes some days ... now most days simply fly. Of course, Sophie fully potty-trained will make it even sweeter.

Fifth, I really have the 2 most fabulously cute, sweet girls and 1 very fine, handsome and loving husband! I love the fact that my girls are full of bounce, spirit and personality (it's tiring, yes ... but they have parents that don't stop, so why should they!). And I love that Lance tries everything and enjoys life. And he loves me unbelievably so. So very cool! Oooh, and quite the handy man too - the kitchen was the first major project - now he plans to put in french doors, knock out 2 walls, create another door to the outside, knock down a bathroom to extend the kitchen a little ... and then maybe install a bathroom upstairs and redo the girl's bedrooms, although he may need help with the upstairs part. Often these projects don't go entirely to plan or schedule, but they always turn out looking great. I wouldn't even know how to do any of this, just no concept at all.

Sixth, the girls have always been great sleepers but somehow they are getting even better. (Having said that, I'm just a tiny, little bit worried that Sophie is over-sleeping - I know, crazy right?). Sophie still goes to bed at 6:30pm after having started rubbing her eyes at about 6pm. She then sleeps until Kara wakes her up (or she lies quietly in her crib until that time). We have somehow convinced Kara that staying in bed until 6:30-7am is a good thing ... and Lance looked after the girls over the holiday week and they slept in until 8 or 8:30am everyday. Plus, when she is at home, Sophie typically naps for 3+ hours everyday - we actually have to go in at about 4pm to wake her up. So Sophie often sleeps about 15 hours a day, more if we let her. Not kicking this gift-horse just yet.

Seventh .... no nits!! (Forgot to post about our round 2 with the little buggers ... they say it's often the little things that push you over the edge, and seriously, this was it for me. Funny how these little white nasties ended up being the wake up call for me to get my sh1t together!).

There's a bunch more reasons why 2010 is going to rock, including some "I just know" feelings. I've never been into resolutions as such, but I will try to blog more, cook more, laugh more and enjoy more!

To one and all, all the best for 2010.