120

That's how many blog entries I posted last year. One hundred and twenty. The least amount in the three years I've been boring you all with my rambling. Why is that? I mean, I had no laptop for a few weeks there at the end of the year but that doesn't explain why I only had 6 entries in September and 5 in October. 

Is it because I'm home alone most of the time now that Iz is at school all day? Is it because things aren't as crazy around here now that Iz can do so many things on her own? 

In the spirit of trying to keep things fun around the ol' blog and keep people coming back for more I'm starting something new....again :) I stole this from someone's FB - it's "100 Things You Didn't Need to Know."

Now don't worry - I'm not going to focus solely on this for 100 days straight - I'll still be posting pictures of Iz when I've got good ones to share and if anything funny or exciting happens, you'll be the first to know....I'm just trying to find something to fill in the gaps.

Speaking of pictures...here's a couple for ya!

The Birthday Girl....looking so grown up!

The AWESOME cupcakes I made for Iz's class!!!

6 Years

Dear IzzyB,

6 years old.

Unbelievable.

The past year has just flown by but it was sure a fun one :) Between preschool and dance we kept busy through the winter and spring and then we started the summer off by making a fun list which kept us busy until school started.

School. You're doing so well. Mrs. C couldn't come up with anything negative to say about you at the parent-teacher conference in November. You love school. You get upset when there's a snow day or you have to leave early/arrive late because of an appointment. Once we thought there would be a snow day and when you found out there WAS going to be school you yelled out "HURRAY!" I want your love of learning to never fade.

I've noticed that since you started school there's been a lot less blog entries and pictures. Part of the reason is because we just don't spend as much time together as we used to. You spend more time at school than you do with me :( That's been a bigger adjustment for me than I ever imagined. It's nice to be able to run errands and do all the boring stuff without you but on days when I stay home while you're at school I find myself missing you and wishing you were still home with me all the time. That surprised me but it's true. My whole world has been YOU for the past 6 years.

I love when you get home from school and tell me about your day. What you had for lunch, who you played with at recess and what books you read. Your reading is so far advance that you go to the other K class to read with their super reader! Keeping you challenged is a struggle for Mrs C but she has a plan and you're doing AWESOME!

You are an amazing little girl, Iz. Funny and sarcastic and silly and emotional and challenging and the most wonderful that that has ever happened to us. We love you so much and can't wait to see what the next year brings!!!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

to my two favorite people in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!

Love you!!!

*Bigger, BETTER post coming soon!

Annnnd...we're off....

....like a herd of turtles :/

So I started de-cluttering today. I put Iz on the bus, made a quick trip to the library then switched on some brainless tv and grabbed the bins off the shelf in the living room so I could go through them. These bins are full of toys that Iz drags out from her room but never brings back, drawings she's done, magazines, and junk. Plain old junk. I filled a clothes basket of things to go back to her room (books mostly) and I filled the trash with broken toys, scraps of paper and other miscellaneous things. I also threw a HUGE stack of paper into the recycling. As much as I'd like to keep every doodle and drawing and story Iz makes I just can't. I'm going to keep the best and toss the rest :)

Then....it all came to a screeching halt. I emptied the trash and discovered we have NO MORE TRASH BAGS! Argh! I knew we were low but sheesh! Anyhoo - Hubby's bringing home more and things will continue tomorrow. He's all worried that I'm throwing away his stuff but I'm not....yet :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I have a new obsession to start the new year with.....

Ready for it?

SIMPLIFYING

That's it. I want to simplify things around here. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care how much I get done in a given day. I don't care if it takes me all year.

I'm simplifying our life. I want less stuff around us so we have more time to enjoy life.

When we got up Christmas morning and Iz opened everything, I looked around at all the stuff that came into our house that I need to find room for and I couldn't think of anywhere to put it. Here we are a week later and EVERYTHING we got for Christmas is still in the living room. To top it off, Iz's birthday is NEXT WEEK and there will be even more stuff coming into the house. Ugh! I just can't even wrap my mind around it.

SO, this is my year to simplify. Ahhh....I breath a sigh of relief just thinking about it.

My Simpler Life is going to be helping through the year - I was able to subscribe to weekly tips and download a calendar with a daily task for organizing and de-cluttering. 

It all starts tomorrow :)

What are your plans for 2012???