Happy New Year!

I love New Years...always have. My birthday is coming up in just a few days and I have always seen January as a fresh start...the beginning of hope, dreams and possibilities. Its like Heavenly Father gives me a fresh slate every year and says...this year, dear daughter, you can be different. Even if the previous year was fabulous...which there have been many, I still love the fresh start. New calendar, new plans, new resolutions. And yes, I loved the beginning of the School year for the same reason.

My motto for the last few months came from a lovely lady from a show I watched who lost her entire family -even her newborn baby....
She said in a public speaking arena ...when everything seems to be going wrong, just know you can "choose differently"live life to the fullest! I was getting down on myself and my circumstances and all I could think was ..if SHE can pull herself up by her bootstraps, why in the heck can't you. So I wrote down the phrase and started resolutions early. Began this blog. Realized I needed to write to beget writing.
This is my exercise for my brain, but also because I have so much I want to say!
I promise to ramble, I promise to jump off topic, I promise to write. I have a story to tell, and to tell it well, I need to WRITE.
So I love January.
Resolutions
I resolve to walk or hopefully run a 5k this year. I know its crazy. Um, yeah, 1 mile is my limit right now. Sadly I hurt my knee this week, and have to wait to start walking/running again. But I will do this !
I resolve to write and enter 1 writing competition.
I resolve to get my scrapbooking in order and organise my photos-
I want to build my garden more and work on my house more, but these are more goals and dreams, not something I need to "resolve to do" I did it last year. I will do it this year....just hopefully better!
Today we celebrated E's 2nd birthday....sigh.......
She is not a baby anymore. She talks in full sentences, wants to be left alone sometimes and definitely has her own thoughts . She is so amazing and such a gift. I still look at her in wonder and awe. How is it possible I get to raise her. I know that she is a gift.
I looked at her newborn pics today. Oh, I remember those days. I miss the mewling of the newborn Eva... would I rewind? NEVER! I would not want to give up what I have now. She and I are becoming more attached in different ways. Its so exciting to take her places and see her wonder and the light just shine out of her. She can tell others what just happened and isn't that fun! Being a mother has been my forever gift.
We had family day at our house and celebrated my bday as well. I am so impressed with my mother in law's stamina! Even just doing speghetti and salad and appetizers for 15 people is..well exhausting.
When I cook, I always feel like I didn't get to visit enough. Now don't get me wrong, cooking for me is an extention of my love to others. I cook and love to cook. I love having others eat my food! The nurturer in me wants to and needs to feed others. I have always said that. Even when I was single I would cook for others. Many a single neighbor boy came to eat my food! Haha...I knew my friends from the moochers- friends stayed and helped clean up! Then played games for hours.
However, with our families' busy lives, there were no games played, as there were many other previous commitments.So I missed a little of the chit chat whilst I played hostess....Now I know why my mom in law looks so sad when we leave her house on fam day!
PS~ my food WAS delectable and scrumptious...my hot artichoke dip wins every time.
Well... that will be all for tonight...I feel repetition coming on! Til the next time! Go forth and "choose differently"!