2016 A New Beginning

   Here we are starting another new year. Another clean slate of 365 days to do something to make this year amazing! I have never been good at new year's resolutions so I am not going to make one again this year. This year I am going to try to yell less, be happy more, do less planning and more "let's see what happens today!" I am going to try to write more about me this year. I started this blog 6 years ago as a place to put up pictures and videos of Rachel so that mom and Wanda could see more of Rachel growing since we were so far away. The blog has really transformed into so much more and after losing Grandma Tielke this past year, and going through her things she left some very valuable things for me! What were they? They were notes that she kept from each one of us, letter she still had from Grandpa, and notes that she left for her kids, just because. This year I am going to write about my life, and leave messages here for the kids at times so that someday maybe they or some of their grand-kids will someday have the same drive for life as I found that day. Life is too short to be sad, mad, or unhappy. Live each day and love each day. The only strangers in your life should be the people you have yet to meet!
    So here we go how did we close out the end of the year? Monday we stayed home and got caught up from the weekend and the hectic week. I did laundry and the kids played with their new things. Alec decided again that he wanted to try potty training. Tuesday we went to Jazzercise, Alec was not feeling well while he was there and ended up crying part of the time. After class we ran some errands then came home and played.
   Wednesday we stayed home and I ran on the treadmill. Rachel's friend Jensyn was here for the day while her mom worked. Alanna came in the afternoon to watch the kids while I ran some errands. I bought a new hall tree/bench for our entry way, and was able to get a few things at the mall and a new Christmas tree at hobby lobby before coming home. Thursday, New Year's Eve we took down all the Christmas stuff and rearranged the living room to make room for the new bench. Babs came out to watch the kids while Mike and I enjoyed ringing in the new year with friends at Stacy's house.

  New Years day we just played in the morning then took Babs home, had lunch with Mike as he was on call and in town all morning. We then went to the movie with Nana Dee, Kaylee, Jaycee, Zaiden, Breken, and Tenzley. We went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks, Road Chip. The kids all enjoyed the show and thank you Nana Dee for buy us all tickets for Christmas. After the movie we just came home and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Saturday Mike again had to go into work early and stay most of the day. We did get to have lunch at Grandma Priest's with Mike and Auntie J before Mike had to go back to work. We spent a couple hours at Grandma's then came home and organized the girl's room.

   Sunday we went to church. The kids were all so good that we got to stay for donuts and play with Hanna and Dutch after church. Mike was again working this morning so after church we picked up lunch took it to his office to eat. We came home this afternoon and I organized Alec's room while the kids played play doh and legos. 

These were my most likes photo's on Instagram this year!

 As we begin 2016 I will just give a quick update on all the kids:

  Rachel is getting ready to start her second semester of 1st grade. She loves math and is really good at it, while reading is a little harder for her. She is getting better every day but we really have to work on reading and writing neatly. We have parent teacher conference the end of the month and I am really looking forward to hearing how much she had grown and changed and what things we need to work on more. Favorite shows and movies: Ever After High, Monsters High, and YouTube Kids on the Ipad.

  Becca is still enjoying Preschool. She is still a big time momma's girl. She misses me a lot and would let me carry her and hold her all day if I was able to. She is really getting into writing letters and loves to help take care of Alec and Roger. She has a huge heart and cries easy. Favorite shows: Team Umizoomi, Masha and the Bear (Netflix), and YouTube Kids on the IPad.

   Alec is all boy. He loves his "Cowboy" hat, ropes, horses, and his daddy. He would follow that man anywhere and loves to ride in daddy's pickup. He gets along best with Rachel but loves to have Becca rock him when he is in the mood for it. He loves his mommy best first thing in the morning and when it is time for bed at night. He loves books and mussgic (music) and telling everyone what to do. Favorite shows right now are: Blaze and the Monster Machines, PJ Masks, and Mickey Mouse. 

    When we went through Grandma's things a certain book caught my eye that I picked up and decided to complete or attempt to complete this year: To the Best of My Recollection (A Childhood Memory Journal for Adults) is the title and each day is a new question. I have decided to write all my answers here so that if this book ever got lost the answers would also be in my blog books. I am also doing a daily journal and Mike and I are doing a journal together. So far (Day 3) it has been enjoyable, we will see how far we get with each of them. So here we go the first 3 days:

    January 1: What was your day and date of birth? Saturday June 20, 1981

    January 2: Where were you born? Atkinson West Holt Memorial Hospital

    January 3: Do you know any other circumstances of your birth? I was delivered by Dr. Ramsey. The same Dr. that delivered both my parents and all my sisters. Dad was there and I was born after mom had attended one of my aunt Debbie's softball games.