New Year's Eve

Satisfying Saturday - Silly I know

But that is how I feel! It's amazing what the phone will do for you!!

By 10:30 am, I had already called two friends and my Aunt Sissy to wish her a HAPPY 81ST BIRTHDAY!!

One of my friends, twinsmom and I haven't had a girls night in a while, so tonight we are doing comedy movie at her house! I am soooo looking forward to it!

By 2:30, I had talked to a few other friends who I had lost touch with over the years, and I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be able to just hear their voice and to have absolutely no awkward moments in the conversation.

I had also talked to my little brother Phil, catching him up on his nephew's recent Mario antics. We have found a Godfather Mario today online with the music and Mario dressed in Mafia attire shooting the bad guys. The other day we found a Lego video on YouTube (both with Mama Swan's right next to him), of Lego's in concert doing AC/DC TNT and Back In Black!! hysterical!!

It's amazing though after a few phone calls, and numerous emails on that other website I hang out on, what that does for the soul.

It makes me a happier me, a more complete me, which makes for a more complete mom and wife!

It's all just wonderful.

Glad to see I'm sticking to my resolutions!

It's early I know....but things are different!

Fantasy Friday - 15 Realistic Goals for 2009

I'm hoping these fantasies will become realities:-) I was going to do one for every week, but only got to 15 before Matthew came and now I have to get off.

Life Goals and/or Family goals (not really in order):

1. Get a job part time 30 hours, where I can still work from home, make alot of money and be there for Matthew's care and maybe even enough hours for insurance.
2. Quit Smoking as soon as I get a job.
3. Make sure that nothing, stands in the way of Matthew enjoying life as the "sponge" he is, while making sure we have enough money to provide him with opportunities/ lessons/teams etc.
4. Continue to hit the library for free or discounted passes for Zoo's, museums, and all other cultural advantages for Matthew.
5. At least one weekend a month or two at the most, visit cousins in Boston, and his grandparents, so Matthew can continue to have a loving a warm relationship with them.
6. Plan his birthday party economically. (already working on this one)
7. We are having Easter at our house this year! Invite both sides of the family and plan that dinner!
8. At least during vacation time, visit cousins, Uncles and Grandpa in PA and if we have time, our hearts and arms are open to all other visits while there.
9. Start Cooking more home made dinners. I got out of the habit when Eric would work late nights and was only cooking for Matthew and me, now hard to get back into it. Need to have my elbow room back.
10. Eat Veggies (raw) instead of french fries and snacks. Stop buying them altogether and readjust Matthew's palate to raw healthy food, instead of french fried everything.
11. Instead of sending emails...limit my time on computer other than a job and morning blogging, pick up the phone and call friends and family.
12. Go to church every week!!!
13. In between my new (hopefully) job, blogging, calling people and eating healthy, have friends and family over for games, for dinners, for coffee or tea, for whatever so Matthew can have his friends as well over and experience life on his turf:-)
14. Cut down on my cleaning. The above number #13 can't happen if I'm constantly doing laundry, worrying about the counters, the clutter etc..... It's more important that the house be dirty and he have more "fun" than My being overwhelmed with cleaning bathrooms and laundry and making beds...then being so tired...to have anyone over and take a shower, come last and sometimes I'm too tired.
15. Make sure that we are eating veggies and healthy so I have more energy.

Might add to this another day....

Traditional Irish Blessing

I received this absolutely beautiful Irish Blessing today from my irish father-in-law. I wanted to post it on my site, to stay here but don't know how to work flash with blogger yet.

SO, until I do please click on Traditional Irish Blessing and then click start!

What a great way to start the year with the beautiful pictures and music on this card...brought back some memories for Papa Swan and Mama Swan:-)

Thankful Thursday - First day of 2009

A couple of days ago, I was thinking of having some old friends over with their kids for New Year's eve. Thought it was time and Matthew could play with the kids and stay up late, for his first time.

Due to the snow storm, we got 7 inches yesterday and we're pretty much housebound.

The night before, I was awake all night thinking of things in my head and not being able to fall asleep. One was - about 7 or 8 years ago, we were going to have a New Year's eve party and for some reason, it didn't pan out. I had bought decorations, blowers, hats, those hand things that rattle, balloons etc....

Yesterday afternoon I asked Eric, if he had seen that old bag that we never used. He thought I had thrown it out. We were all down in our basement, with the fire going while Matthew was creating beautiful artwork from his Blendy Pens Santa got him. I looked across the room, and jumping right out at me - was the bag.

We had the best time decorating the basement and having our own little party to decorate and Matthew hung his pictures all over the place, helped me put up streamers.

Eric braved the blizzard to get us Chinese for dinner, and Matthew said "I want to do this every New Years Eve."

Around 8:30, it was time for him to go to bed and I don't know what made me think of it, but am so glad I did.

I said to Papa Swan, "Let's pretend it's midnight with him right now and countdown and wear the stuff and blow those thingamagigs and yell Happy New Year!!" We did..and then we ended Matthew's night with a nice family hug and warm wishes for us and love, hugs and kisses.