Two goals...

Reader Warning: Read this post at your own risk. This blog serves as my journal as well as a way to share our lives with family and friends. What follows is my newest set of resolutions. Not the most exciting post, but very therapeutic for me to journal about. :)

We've been doing pretty well, checking some big things off our list, keeping up on housework and yardwork, and still managing to have some fun too.

I'm ready to move on to some other projects, things that I'm ashamed to admit have been on my list for too long.

So, in order to hold myself accountable and keep things reasonable/do-able, I'm focusing on two things...

1. The big pile of things in basement that I'm supposed to put on E-bay, or garage sale, or something to get them cleared out. Head's up to all my loyal blog readers :)...you can have first shot at them...some of the items I am selling came from my former business...you can have anything you want for at least half off. As soon as American Idol is done tomorrow night, I'll be spending my evenings in the basement working to check this off my list.

2. I am exercising. TODAY. As in THIS AFTERNOON, when Evan is napping. Its been so easy to slide back into a lot of bad habits, and I am going to break out of it. I started exercising a couple of months ago, but stopped when my back started bothering me, and didn't get back to it when I was feeling better. This time I'm starting slowly, building up, and maintaining. I woke up this morning feeling like I was ready for this, like I was tired of the way things are, like I needed a change, so here goes.Next week at this time, I'll report on my progress. It will feel so good to accomplish in these two areas.

Thank God he's ok!

We had a scare today. We went for a bike ride together as a family. (Dave was on his rollerblades.) We were having such a fun time following the path around our subdivision. We came to a point on the path where Dave warned us that the path was steeper. He wasn't sure that we should go on it. Although we knew it was steep, because we warned the boys to pump their brakes the whole way down, we thought they'd be ok. In retrospect, we should have gone with Dave's gut instinct.

It didn't seem too steep at first. I was going very slowly with Evan on the back of my bike, and I could see the boys up ahead of me. It did get steeper at the bottom, and Seth lost control of his bike. It was scary to watch, but fortunately all he got were a few scrapes and bruises. Dave was trying to make him feel better by saying that he would have an exciting story to tell his friends. Seth would have none of that. He said that he didn't want to tell them, because if he did, they might want to go on the big hill too. :)

Of course, I've been replaying the scene in my head quite a few times today. As his mom, I guess that its hard not to do that. I've been saying a lot of thank-you prayers that his guardian angels kept him safe.

Caroline has been practicing and practicing to ride her bike without her training wheels. Dave has been getting some good workouts running alongside her! Today she rode about 15 yards all by herself, and is so excited to practice again tomorrow.

A Webelo and a Wolf

Today at the Cub Scout graduation picnic, Henry officially was promoted to Webelo Scout and Seth was promoted to Wolf Scout. We are very proud of our sons and are so glad that they like scouting!

Raisin Rapture

This little boy loves raisins. Not so much bran flakes, but raisins, yes.

And entertaining his brothers and sister.

And goofing off for the camera.

Can you tell?!

Can't rain on our picnic!

These little girls' picnic plans were not to be deterred by non-stop rain all day. No siree. They spread a picnic blanket on the living room floor, donned their pajamas (I can't explain that part other than Caroline is a bit obsessed with her nightgown), and enjoyed lunch.

Our refrigerator...

...AKA The Nosek Art Gallery
I love the ever changing displays of the kids' art work, school work they are proud of...
Since Sunday, our theme has been...MOM!
Here's Seth's contributions. You can click on the pictures to see them bigger so that they are easier to read.I love that he says my favorite store is Menards! But, 12 dollars?! What a tight budget! And, wow, according to him I'm 6 feet tall and a hundred pounds. Apparently I am wasting away.

After School Fun

We had some friends over this afternoon, and boy, these kids sure can pack a lot into a couple of hours. They had until 5:30, but they fit in some group play with their Nintendo DSs (apparently somehow they can all play the same game together if they are close enough), some oatmeal cookie baking and eating, some Wii and Playstation, some bike riding, and some elaborate tag game with neighborhood friends. When it was bedtime, our kids were TIRED!

Good thing it was a good TV night...

...because the piles of laundry I had to conquer, you could not even imagine. :)

How will I ever get my laundry done when American Idol and Dancing with the Stars is over for the season?!

I was also working on Henry's invitations for his "friends" birthday party. Last year we had a few of his good friends over for pizza, movie, and a sleepover. Well, that party idea is back by popular demand. I'm thinking that we need to start stocking up on sleep NOW.