Twelve in '12

So, obviously it's been a couple months since I've blogged. But I'm back (at least for today!) with my resolutions for 2012.

Here are twelve things I want to accomplish in 2012.

1. Run 500 miles. This is my friend Melissa's challenge. I strongly dislike running and I'm hoping this makes me at least hate it less.

2. Run a 5K. I ran the 3.5 mile leg of the Akron Marathon Relay back in September, but I'd like to do an actual 5K.

3. Write down the 52 books I'll read in 2012. I'm fairly certain I read at least 52 books last year. Our library has a 52 Books challenge, but I could never remember to enter them online.

4. Learn to use my camera. Right now I pretty much keep it on P, but I'd like to learn more. No, I need to learn more. I need to get the most out of my camera, and take the best pictures I can take.

5. 52 Projects with my girls. I'm planning on doing one project a week with my girls, and creating a mini-album documenting them. These might be cooking, baking, crafting, an outdoor adventure, or something else I haven't thought of yet. So much of my time is spent with Ryan that this will be a fun way to spend more time with them.

6. Project Life. SO excited to start this!

7. Take my videos from over the years and turn them in to movies. Must learn video editing.

8. Control the clutter. I'm a pack rat. Enough said.

9. Monthly family photos. I want to take one the 12th of each month.

10. Read the New Testament/spend time each day reading and studying my Bible. I have quite a few books I want to read, a couple which are Bible studies, that have been sitting on my nightstands as well. Must finish Crazy Love.

11. Six dates with my husband. We don't do this enough. Like never.

12. A Month of Thank Yous. My Bible study is doing a month of thank yous in January where we write a note each day thanking someone for something they've done or the impact they've made in our lives. This was inspired by the book 365 Thank yous and I'm really looking forward to this. There are so many people who impact our lives and I want to acknowledge and thank them. So far I've written notes to my husband, my mom and my high school keyboarding teacher, Mrs. Arndt, who taught me how to type.

Happy 2012!

Emma's first day of Kindergarten

Emma started Kindergarten last month, her first day was August 18th. They split the Kindergarten classes in to thirds (there are 12 classes) with each 1/3 going on one of three days - the 17th, 18th or 19th. I took Emma to school that day at 9, and she rode the bus home that afternoon. She was so excited to go. she woke up before 7 asking if it was time for school yet.

She'd seen this pink dress in the Gap the day before when we went to get her back-to-school haircut. She told me if she could, she would wear her on her first day. So of course I ran out that afternoon and picked it up as a surprise. She was so surprised and thanked me over and over.

I took a lot of pictures. I had to. I probably would've taken more than I did if she'd have let me!

Before leaving for school









With my mom, Grandma McIntyre


With her friend (our neighbor) Caroline. They get to ride the bus together which is fantastic.


First Day of Kindergarten



Walking in to school. I love how they're holding hands.



Her locker


Her table



Please mom, haven't you taken enough?


One more, just one more, Emma! I had to beg to get this one.


The moms after drop off. Surprisingly dry-eyed.


Emma was laughing and really, really excited when the bus pulled up.


Mackenzie was so happy to see Emma!



Ta-da! First day is done!


Daddy was there to see her get off the bus.


Family self-portrait.


Emma loved her first day. Liked her teacher, liked her locker, liked eating lunch, she liked it all. I still can't believe I have a Kindergartener though.

11 months. (10 and 9, too)

Totally slacking on the monthly Ryan updates. I do have pictures now though.

11 months old. We were at Grove City College Saturday and I took these on a bench outside one of the buildings.

He kept yelling. Happy yelling. But yelling and not smiling. Also, he wouldn't sit still for very long.


Instead he made his way over to the side.



@ 11 months, Ryan is adorable. Of course. Crawls fast. Very, very fast. Pretty much wants to just go up and down the stairs all day long. He stands and can bend down and pick something up without falling but so far doesn't try to walk on his own. He will walk with the push-walker though. He discovered he can throw and therefore does so repeatedly. He loves food. Really. You wouldn't believe how much this kid eats. Still taking a bottle, but I'm reducing the amount in the anticipation of being formula-free in less than a month. We call him Grabby-Grabby. He takes everything.

10 months. 7/19/11 @ what used to be Jellystone Campground. Michael and the girls were in the lake and Ryan and I hung out in the shade. No sand for us, as he would've most certainly eaten it.






@ 10 months. First stitches. That's about all I remember at the moment. Must go back through photos and rack brain for more milestones/stories of note.

9 months. Well, technically still 8 as I took this the night before. But no photo from the day he turned 9 months or the days after have him sitting still like this. Too busy exploring.




@9 months. Cute. Skinny. (although I didn't necessarily notice it at the time, he's very skinny compared to the food-chowing baby he is now.)

It's all about the diving board now.

So last week at the pool, Emma decided she was going off the diving board. Something we'd been encouraging her to do all summer since we knew she could swim the distance required to do it. But she wouldn't. Then Monday, there were a lot of friends there, friends who were telling her she could do it and that she was a great swimmer, and apparently she just needed to hear this from them instead of us, because she did it.

Well, if Emma was doing it, Mackenzie wanted to do it too. She needed some practice though. So Michael worked with her, having her jump in off the side and then swim to the end to make sure she could swim far enough to get to the ladder. Once she could, it was her turn to go. This is one determined 3 1/2 year old we have!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

And in the fall she'll be a Kindergartener.

Emma graduated preschool last month, May 23rd to be exact. We had additional excitement in the form of the tornado sirens going off forcing us all in to the hallway to wait it out shortly before Emma's name was to be called. The kids didn't mind though, it gave them time to burn off some energy since they'd been sitting in the church for so long. The program was cute. They marched in wearing their felt graduation caps, sang some songs (or just looked around at everyone and everything) and then received their diplomas.

Our graduate.







I'd meant to get a family picture at the church/school, but forgot. Maybe it was all that tornado siren excitement. Or being on crutches. Or the fact that Emma was pretty much over pictures as soon as I started. She relented at home. That, or I told her she had smile for pictures if she wanted a snack.



Wednesday of her last week was Wacky Wednesday. Really, it wasn't that much different than many of the outfits she puts together. This originally had a grey ruffle vest to complete the look. She's quite the trendsetter.

And for the last day on Friday they had a pajama pizza party. We went to the park with everyone from her class afterward.


First Day (orientation, 9/12/10) and Last Day (5/20/11)

This isn't really school related, but I can't believe how different her hair is now. Last September is was so long and curly and still blonde. It's now to her shoulders, the curls are gone and it's gotten so dark it can't even be considered blonde anymore. The red's really showing, too. And she just looks so much older.

First day of school (9/12/10) and now, 9 months later (6/15/11)