take down those Christmas lights!

Holidays are over. It's 2008. Everybody pack away the decorations and sweep up the pine needles. Go back to work, go back to school, go back to that exercise routine you abandoned last February. Start this new year right by taking the lights off your house and boxing up the inflatable snowman and santa clause. (Don't be surprised if I make this plea again in February. One of my pet peeves.)

I'm generally not one for resolutions, and this year I really one have one big goal: find a sense of normalcy and hold on tight. I feel like we are slowly getting there, but we still have more progress to make. I've read that it can take about 6 months to a year for kids to really settle in, and we are now about 1.5 months in.

It helps that we are getting some basic projects done around the house. For example, the office bedroom no longer looks like an abandoned room of an international holiday traveler. Oh, it was an aggravating mess, but no longer! It has taken over a month, but I think we have finally gotten everything put away.

Kids are pretty much on a routine now. (Let's not count last night's multiple wakings. Let's also hope it doesn't continue!) J is finally back to school today. He is still dealing with the upheaval in his life -- seems to think he is the only one in the world to ever become a big brother like this and nobody understands what it is like to have 2 little sibs. Sometimes, though, he forgets all the woe in his life and actually has fun with S and E. Like yesterday when we had Pajama Day here at home and had fun rolling around in the big bed with the cozy fleece sheets.

Well, we are having a crazy warm weather day today, and it is supposed to be warmer tomorrow. Perhaps a walk in the neighborhood with the double stroller is in order?? It will simply make me yearn for spring.

Oh, one more thing before I go:

O - H - I - O !!

(yes, all 3 of my children are wearing either scarlet and gray or an OSU shirt. It provided a great spelling lesson for S -- "Look sweetie, your shirt says, 'O-H-I-O' and mama's shirt, says 'O-H-I-O' and E's shirt says, 'O-H-I-O'." -- Just another learning opportunity to take advantage of!)

Go Buckeyes!
(don't crash and burn like you did last year!)

:)