Goodbye 2006, Hello 2007

2006 has been such an eventful year for us. I am hoping that 2007 is a little more quiet and that we can spend more time as a family and more time at home.

Our good friends Tony and Kelly live in a town about an hour away with a population of less than 1000. We love going to their house because it is truly like stepping back in time. Everything in the town is within walking distance from their home and they have the cutest grocery store, gas station, hotel, etc. We love it there but usually they come to us. When we were together right before Christmas Kelly suggested that we spend New Year's together. We decided it would be way more fun to spend the night so we loaded up all our stuff and headed to their house right after church. Our kids were so excited to see their "cousins" that they had their bags packed on Saturday morning. Tony and Kelly are truly some of the most fun people we know and they didn't disappoint us for New Year's. When we arrived Kelly had an awesome Thai dinner waiting for us. We quickly ate and then moved on to a fun dessert. They had baked a cake and in the center of the cake they had wrapped fortunes for 2007 in foil with a ribbon attached. It was a two layer cake and the foil pieces were stuck in the middle of the layers with the ribbons sticking out. When you pulled on a ribbon the fortune came out. There was a fortune for everyone. Tony made some really funny ones and we were all laughing. We vacation at least twice a year with Tony and Kelly and one of our traditions is to do a Family Home Evening together. Kelly gave the lesson and it was on the twelve virgins. I was so proud of my kids when they told Kelly that they knew all about it because this was the topic of our Sacrament meeting talks. I was so shocked that they are actually getting something out of Sacrament Meeting. I think our move to the front of the chapel is paying off big time.

We were able to get all the little kids in bed early and stayed up playing games with the big kids. They introduced us to a version of scrabble called "take two" that Eli and Jonah loved. We ate and ate and talked and talked and finally went to bed by 1:30 am. I think it is the latest Eli and Jonah have every stayed up. It was great to be together and discuss our goals for 2007.

This morning we lazed around until about noon and then all drove back to Spokane to see a movie downtown. The big kids saw Eragon and Kelly and I took the little kids to see Happy Feet. I thought it was a cute movie with a political message that kind of bugged. We came home and had all the kids make their goals for 2007. It was fun to listen to what they said. I typed them all up for everyone so that we can review them in family council (one of my goals for 2007, he he he!) We were all so tired that the little kids were asleep by 6:00 and the big kids by 7:30. I hope to go to bed early as well.

I am so excited for 2007. Yesterday in church we had the best combined RS/Priesthood lesson and the bishop talked about having a personal ministry. I was so touched by what he said because this is the direction I have been leaning for the past several weeks as I've thought about 2007. With our adoptions I have spent the past few years very focused on myself. I haven't been able to do much for others. One of my goals for 2007 is to serve others more and to be more connected to people in my ward.

My goals honestly aren't very lofty and I hestitate to publish them in my blog but I think I will hold myself more accountable if I write them here:

1. Consistent family scripture study
2. Do one project for Christmas a month
3. Be friends with people who are outside my comfort zone.
4. Consistent Exercise
5. Cook more from scratch/eat healthier
6. Spend more time with the older kids
7. Blog at least 5 times a week.