Happy (belated) Birthday, January Peeps!

These birthday wishes go to all January birthday celebrants. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Bubbie (aka Dar)
• Ken (aka Daddy/Hubby/Hey You)
• Charles
• Andy
• Debbie (aka Grandma)
• Wendy (not Aunt Wendy, the 'other' Wendy)
• Alan

We called most everyone, but not everyone and I'm certain that I haven't sent at least 2 gifts out. Remember that thing about chickens and heads - yeah.

Anyway *knock wood*, Mia seems to be on the tail end of The Cold That Would Not Die, which means she's back to sleeping through the night. First few weeks of this year have been rough because of that stinking cold.

Kieran's attitude is back in a big way. I need to pick up the "Raising the Spirited Child" that has been recommended to me a few times as I'm certain that my response to him is not the best. He sasses me and I sass back. It escallates - never good for anyone. It's been better, but his listening at school has been pretty bad.

That said, his report card, overall, was very good. Only a few spots to work on (follows directions and works well in groups - both of which we knew). Ken and I decreed that while Kieran is doing well in his triathalon work, he needs a more formal - group - activity and told him he has to go back to fencing. Kieran's actually excited about it and looking forward to his first lesson back tonight. I am hoping that will help him with both working in groups and listening.

It's also about time for us to find some after-school activities for Amelia as well. I'm going to look at dance and gymnastics for her, perhaps some singing as well (she loves to sing). Probably get her signed up this spring for something new.

Finally, I hope to get my phone connected this weekend (I know, so overdue) so I can begin sharing the photos I've taken. One in particular I want to share is Amelia on the guitar. She was signing the ABCs and was really into it. Ken saw the photo and called it her Joan Baez face.

Love to all, blog again soon.

Welcome to 2015

In 2014 Ken started a business, Kieran turned 7, Mia turned 3 and we generally ran around like chickens with our heads cut off.

So, the blogging definitely suffered and I hope to fix that (among other things) in 2015. I hear that if you make resolutions and share them with friends you'll do better keeping them. Before I get into kid updates, I thought I'd share my 2015 resolutions.

1. Get healthier by working out.
I hate working out. I mean Hate, abhor, loathe, want-to-scoop-cat-litter-instead kind of dislike. But, I need to be healthier. I need to get up off my tush not just for my health but so the kids see it and do it too.

2. Less screen time - for everyone.
This is going to be rough but coming to work today, Amelia said to me that "Daddy likes to watch movies all the time." which is not entirely untrue. More unplugging, playing with the gazillion toys in the house. Less tush time.

3. Stop hiding behind my computer and GET OUT.
I started doing this in 2014. Just a few things - book club, crochet/knitting meetings. But I need to do it at work too. More discussions and less IMing/emailing.

4. Take at least one family camping trip.
This is more for Ken & Kieran than for me. If there is one spider in the tent, I am sleeping in the car.

Now onto what the hell happened in December.

Great holidays with family. Grandma came to town and stayed for almost 2 weeks. Kids loved it. Lots of snacks in the house (still).

Mia got a lot of LEGOs from Santa (as requested) and Kirean got a MiP that somehow keeps eating batteries, making it not nearly as fun to play with. He also got a lot of triathalon stuff from us.

Kieran and Amelia are doing great with their swim lessons (I no longer need to go into the pool - Yay!) with Kieran focusing on getting ready for his first ever triathalon this year.

Ken still owes me a trip to Aggio, but I'll settle for a group outing to Family Meal (though I think he'll have to win a big case before we can afford that). We did at least get to see the last Hobbit movie in the theater, so that was a treat.

Mia continues to do well at daycare, though lately she's slipped into "Don't go mommy" mode each morning. Not crying, just clingy. The teachers do a great job of distracting her and I slip away (mostly) unnoticed.

Kieran's birthday is 3 days away (gulp). As we plan nothing (good thing that's not on my resolutions list to fix...) we have his party slated for February 8 at a nearby indoor water park. We'll all go as a family this weekend, though. I realized that Kieran will actually be closer to getting his learners permit than to his birth on Saturday. Damn.