Happy New Year! How did you spend New Year’s Eve? After taking the kids out for a very early dinner and putting them to bed at the regular time my husband, in what can only be described as an overwhelming display of love and affection, watched When Harry Met Sally with me, while I, in an overwhelming display of self-restraint, did not repeat the dialogue word for word. Then I went to bed at the wild hour of 10:30.
Today has been a very pleasant day, started with a nice Bailey’s and coffee, and filled with doing small but satisfying jobs of organization. Yesterday I left my chaotic and slightly cabin-fevered household to go to the mall and I was faced with the amazing phenomenon that is Boxing Week. Christmas cards 75% off! Lingerie and sleepwear 70% off! Jacob – 50% off the entire store! I’ve mentioned before that I’m neither a Handbag nor a Shoe Person, but I am a Sweater Person and so I spent some time clearing my dresser of various ill-fitting and worn out items to make room for my new purchases, despite my husband’s assertion that I probably did not need any more black sweaters. There is no such thing as Too Many Black Sweaters, I say.
I also performed a job that I was not relishing but needed to be done: clearing the artwork off the refrigerator. I kid you not; I took 112 pieces of artwork off the fridge. One hundred and twelve. Then I became instantly emotional at the sight of my actual fridge and put 32 back on. I feel for those people who are hoarders. Mark may have drawn 25 pictures of Muk Muk and his (fictional) little brother Muk Mike, but every single one of them is adorable to me. And Jake’s drawing of a Thanksgiving turkey alongside his depictions of alien invasions? Priceless. I know that eventually some of them will need to live out their lives in our recycling bin, but I’m not ready for that job.
I know I already stated my New Year’s resolution – to enjoy my friendships, socialize, and drink more wine (with friends), but then I heard of a friend of my husband’s, whose resolution was to make one person happy every day and then by the time ten years passed, she will have made the population of a small town happy! Beautiful, right? I immediately resolved to do that as well but then started overanalyzing: would it count if you made the same people happy over and over? Do you have to make a different person happy every day? What if you don’t make it out of the house one day and you see no one? Do you need to make two people happy the next day? My mind started spinning out of control, making this lovely notion into a complex obligation. However, I still think it’s a beautiful idea, and I’m going to try to spread much happiness in 2011. Also perhaps I will attempt to not buy any more black sweaters. Scratch that last one – never going to happen.
Oh, you made me laugh with this post. Y’all really DO love each other, don’t you? I wonder if this means I don’t love my hubby, since I can’t seem to control myself and constantly repeat line after line from that movie. *grin*
Happy New Year to you and yours! May 2011 be filled with blessings for your family.
When our kids were little we spent New Year’s Eve in much the same way (A Room With a View is my When Harry Met Sally. One year we watched The People vs. Larry Flynt and Slingblade. Good, but not really the same, y’know?) Last night we left Angus home to surf his ipod touch and fall asleep after hockey and Eve and Matt and I went next door and got shitfaced with the neighbours. Cause why would I want to usher in the new year sober if I don’t have to? And making a person happy every day? Yuh….can’t see it happening for me. Unless it’s by laughing at my personal humiliations.
Oh, and we didn’t actually let Eve get shitfaced. That would be irresponsible. We just let her stay up until 2 a.m. and eat whatever she wanted.
Well, wait. Did she provide a list of suggestions for making people happy? That is a big thing to do each day. And then do they have to STAY happy? For how long?
What a great post Nicole!
We spent New Years just the way it should be..yet it was a frist. We stayed home…meaning we didn’t go to an adult only party.
We went to a big park near our house and did some fun kid activities that were organized…then we came home put our daughter to bed and watched a horror movie together (that’s a hobby of ours). Geeks I know…but it was perfect!
I have to admit that I am really looking forward to tomorrow…when our routines return normal!
Happy New Year!
50% off at Jacob?! Ack! Must go there cause I love that store!
I too want to work on my relationship with one of my BFF’s…that’s a post for another day ::sigh::
Happy New Years my friend. I am truly thankful to have found you. You crack me up.
I hear you about the artwork. Our playroom is plastered with the kids artwork. I can’t bring myself to change any, so I just keep adding papers to the walls.
Who could resist such low prices? Buying more sweaters (when they were on sale) was the responsible thing to do!
I just found your blog tonight…and I love it!! I am also a Girl in a Boy House…I have Riley who is 9, Carter who is 7 and (yes at 35 I had a midlife crisis and did it again…) Fraser is soon to be 8 months old. My three sons….ahhhhhh and a husband….it is my ultimate dream one day to have a “BOY FREE, PEE ON THE SEAT FREE” bathroom and that INCLUDES my husband!!! One day….
Loved reading about your life with your boys!! Can’t wait to continue on and get to know you better!
Hope 🙂
Mom of 3 boys…1 cat and a hell of alot of remote control toys!!!!