cookies, kleenex and bags of trash

New year's off with a bang :) We actually haven't been doing anything too exciting. Yesterday the littles wanted to make cookies so we spent some time baking...and eating.

Last night S and I went out for her birthday. She didn't want a party this year, instead she wanted to go on a date with her mom (lucky lucky me!!). We went to Olive Garden then to see "PS I love You" which was sad and good and a total chick flick. I think there were two men in the theater and when the movie was over they walked out behind their girlfriends sadly shaking their heads while the girlfriends wiped their eyes and with a loud sniff said "sorry I made you come...I should have made it a girls night"
We had a very fun time visiting and laughing and walking to the car arm in arm shivering from the cold and comparing the merits of the various hunky leading men.

We also spent a lot of time yesterday de-cluttering (can anyone shout out resolution?) and moving stuff around. The venturing crew is having a garage sale/fund raiser and the timing is perfect...we clean out, sort, throw away and take the good stuff straight to Tori's garage!

We have many, many rooms to go but I think this is our year!

Today DH had to go back to work. We had a nice long break with him and the kids still have a couple days off, which is fun, but his vacation is over. Brother had a lucky day, he was invited to go play with his friend C and then to his friend Mason's. So he had two play dates in one day. When the phone rang this morning he was so thrilled and said he'd been waiting for someone to invite him to play...and then the almost never happens but oh so lucky luck, two friends in one day call. AND he has a friend to play with tomorrow and Friday~ that might be better than Christmas :)

H had activity days today. They are making masks and the girls had so much fun. I went to pick them up but they weren't ready so I got to watch for awhile and I was glad to see them so gooey and messy and happy. Gretchen is the most awesome Activity Day leader EVER! Tomorrow she gets to play at Emmaline's and Friday she has an un-sleepover so it'll be pretty good week for her too.

Lu wants to have friends and to go play too. She didn't used to but now she's getting bigger. I need to find her a preschool or something. Once a week play group isn't enough any more. She always, always asks to "go to baby school".

I've been reading this book, it's not my usual type but I am enjoying it. It's the story of one woman's journey to "self discovery". So far I am through the Italy part which was where she ate a lot of delicious Italian food and described it in such a way that I had to make Spaghetti Carbonera tonight. (not as good as I had hoped but not bad) and made me long to spend a month in Rome. I am so glad that I know who I am and where I am going and the meaning of life, still it's interesting to read and she writes well.