Happy New Year!

2008 already... It's so hard to believe. I don't think I ever got used to writing "2007"! But the start of 2008 will always be memorable for our family. We started out our New Year's Eve celebration by going across town to my brother's house to let the kids do fireworks together. At first, I wasn't sure Amy and I were going because she'd been a little sick with cold and slight fever. But she was much better all day yesterday and acted like her usual self. So we decided Amy and I would go, too. We had actually been invited to spend the night, but our dog Shelby would need to be let out and we were also worried about her being extra scared from all of the fireworks (Shelby is a very timid dog who is unsettled by even the slightest outside noise). And though the kids were disappointed they would not be sleeping over at their cousins' house, they had a fantastic time eating pizza, doing fireworks, drinking hot cocoa, and indulging in ice cream before finally heading home.

Bill and I had planned on putting the kids straight to bed (an easy task since they'd all fallen asleep on the way home) and then ringing in the New Year with a glass of champagne while watching the New York City ball drop on television. We still did that, but not with the same happy disposition we'd expected. When we arrived home earlier, we noticed water pooled on the garage floor, apparently coming from the door into the house. Upon further inspection, we discovered that a pipe under a sink in the upstairs master bathroom had sprung a leak while we were gone and flooded the bathroom carpet, as well as leaked through the ceiling of the downstairs bathroom. Bill had to cut away part of the ceiling in the downstairs bath to let the pooled water out, as well as cut out much of the carpet in the master bath. This, of course, was not how we were expecting to ring in the new year! I'm trying to look at the bright side - if there is one! Maybe I can get that tile in the master bath that I've always wanted???

On a different note, I guess I should make a few New Year's Resolutions, something I normally do at midnight on New Year's Eve, but our minds were only on our new remodeling project last night. So, here's what I can come up with off the top of my head:

1. Cut way back on the sweets, as I have gotten quite accustomed to grabbing a cookie or piece of candy as a snack lately.

2. Begin a new exercise program. I used to be very good about putting regular exercise into my schedule, but over the last couple of years, my only exercise is housekeeping and chasing after the kids. And although that is some pretty good exercise, it's not quite enough.

3. Plan ahead better on our homeschool lessons. I'm tired of trying to prepare lessons at the last minute. I want at least 3 weeks worth always planned out.

4. Finish some of the home improvement tasks I've began, such as the wallpaper I started pulling off the kids' bathroom walls. I thought it looked bad before I began peeling it away! Let's just say that I've only pulled off small sections, all over the place. It looks dreadful. I really should finish that little project.

5. Spend more time just playing with the kids. I spend time with them when we are schooling and at other times each day, but not so much where we are just playing together. I really want to have more of that kind of quality time with them.

6. I want to make more time for just Bill and I. We used to carve out Friday nights after the kids would go to bed to just sit together and watch a movie or play a board game. Over the past couple of years, however, it seems we always have too many individual projects to keep us busy every night. We need to go back to planning one night a week to spend with each other.

I know there are other things, but this is the best I can do right now.

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed New Year's Day!