Birthdays

I love birthdays - not just mine, but anyone's! It is that one day of the year that is your day. I've tried in the last few years to really remember to acknowledge birthdays for family and friends (if have have been forgotten, I apologize! Send me your birth date so I can be on track this year!).

We started the year out with a month of birthdays! First is my brother-in-law, Herb (Jan.7th), then my sister-in-law, Becky (Jan. 13th). My birthday was Jan. 20th - very low-key but nice; my brother was in town and we had a nice day with family and friends. To finish out the month, my nephew is turning one on the 29th!

I made an observation several years ago about my husbands family - all of them - Duffy, his parents, and siblings - all have birthdays within a 4-week period of time (Late May-Mid June) and all of the new kids (myself, Herb and Becky) all have our birthdays in January, in a 2-week period of time. I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean, but I thought it was interesting.

Life

We've had some interesting things happen in our family these past weeks and it has made me realize that there are so many "unexpected's" in our life. Kid's get sick, people make poor decisions, grandparents age and family members are dying, new jobs open up - Life happens. No matter what you do to plan and prepare, things will happen that you just were not ready for. Makes me rethink how I handle situations and the unexpected...

House

So, my sister-in-law (Kari, Duffy's older, wiser sister) and brother-in-law, Herb - got the girls the coolest Christmas gift: a cardboard house!

They love it and it is so much fun to listen to them playing house and interacting, until the screaming starts, at least.

Thank you Auntie Kari and Uncle Herb!

Routine

Wow - it has been awhile since my last post. We have survived Christmas - 4 versions of it - and are getting back into our routine. We thrive on routine. Zoe askes everyday what we are doing, where she is going, etc. I find it very interesting - she is definately my child!

My mother-in-law sent me the greatest calendar where there is a space for each person and what they are doing on a daily basis. Duffy has finally learned to use it - to actually look at it and see what we have going on instead of asking me all the time or saying he didn't know. I'm sure some people find it annoying that I'm always planning ahead, but when you have large extended families, friends, kids, work, and just plain old life, how can you not? And I know, as my kids get older, it will get busier and busier!

So, thank you to all who put up with my need to have things on my calendar - you are making my life more organized and helping my routine!