grandma mac mondays.

oh how I love my children.  


especially when someone else is babysitting them. 





i would hate it if they were raised in a day care. 

but an occasional monday away does a mom good. 

I just get to sit at home and love this:

while this:

 and this:

reek havoc in Heber.

My kids LOVE their grandparents.  We were playing family fued over Christmas break on the new Wii.  (Haven't played the Wii since, but still appreciate Santa trying to get us in the gaming world).  One of the questions was a survey about kids favorite places to go.  SB and I were shocked to not find grandma's house on the list.  And to be perfectly honest I don't know that it would have been on my top ten back in the day.  But as far as little Lou is concerned, Papa Oxy and Grandma Mac (both Grandmas are Grandma Mac to her, much to my mom's chagrin) might as well be Orlando Florida and the Magic Kingdom.  And as for the Bugman, the aquarium holds up stiff competition to his grandmas' houses, but that's about it.  In fact this morning I was kissing him goodbye as he was asleep on the couch (where he regularly sleeps) and half waking up, but with his eyes still closed he said "snuggle me mommy" to which I replied "Well Daddy is going to take you in just a minute to Grandma Mac's house."   His eyes POPPED open wide as did his mouth, followed by a huge grin.  Pretty priceless.  I wish I could get that kind of reaction out of him.  But I'll let someone else have it.  If they'll have him, too--  but just on an occasional Monday.

Back to the books, what I'm really supposed to be doing when they are away. 

But I wanted to check something off my list since my Organic Chemistry homework won't be coming off the to-do's today.  Blog post #2 in 2012.  Check.

resolute.

That's what I try to be sometimes.  Admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.


But it doesn't always work out that way.  I made some great resolutions.  One was to blog at least once a week this year.  Judging by the fact that this is my first post in 2012 and we are already in the third week, I am obviously a little off track.


But I'd be in a really sad place if I let every broken resolution get me down.  January 18th doesn't sound quite as even and fresh as January 1st, but I'm trying to learn to just go with it.  Besides, everybody starts something at the beginning of the year.  But 17 days later makes me way more unique, I am sure of that.


As for the rest of this year's goals?  Here they are, but don't judge me for any of them.


-No chocolate till June.  (chocolate flavor is okay though, have to get my fix somehow so I'll be stocking up on the hot cocoa).


-Play at least one game a week. (we have about a hundred and would like to play them at least once every other year).


-Run as many times a week as the numerical month that is, until June.  (once in January, twice a week in Feb., three times a week in March, etc.)


-3.5 hours a week of gospel study.


-7 hours a week of MCAT study. (till June, then maybe I'll step up the gospel study, so sorry to those that feel I've got my priorities wrong).


-Floss every day.  This is why I inserted the "don't judge" comment.  But I'll be honest, it's still not really a habit 32 years later. Brushing, yes.  But flossing, only occasionally.  Until 2012 rolled around.


-Take a vitamin everyday and give them to my kids


-Apply to Medical School by early August, hopefully Aug. 1st.


-Set a routine for my kids and stick to it.


-Read 3 novels by the end of the summer.  (won't get to start this until late June since my reading is focused near solely on physical sciences, biological sciences, and verbal reasoning).


-Organizational goals that are too lengthy to write about, and so numerous they become the least achievable of any of these goals.


-take more pictures of my cute kids.


-post the pictures. because that's the whole reason I have a blogging goal-- to have some kind of history of our family.


-eat healthier as a family.  (SO cliche.  and so immeasurable.  but not hard to do, just about anything would be healthier I think).


oh the goals go on and on.  but there's a start.  Our goal as a family this whole year is:"Organize Yourselves..." (ref. D&C 88:119).   (we actually decided it might take us a lifetime to get where we really want to be, but we're starting this year)  


And we know it's going to be a good year because 32 is my favorite number and 12 is my lucky number and I am 32 in '12 so we imagine good things await. 


I haven't actually started taking pictures much this year so far, but here are some kid pics we got 2 days after Harry Berry was born.  So sweet.