Around Here: Week 52

This is it, folks.  

Another year of "Around Here" posts complete... 

52 weeks in my life, captured here on the blog. 

I know that someday I will be so grateful for the effort I put into recording our regular, everyday family life on this blog.  

 

Embracing... a new tradition of opening books on Christmas Eve and spending the evening reading them.  I was thrilled when the kids were as happy as I was with the new tradition.

Making... cinnamon rolls on Christmas Eve, which is a longstanding tradition from my childhood.  We call them cinnamon rolls, but they're really caramel rolls.  The recipe is my grandma's, and I remember making them with my mom when I was a girl.

Celebrating... the most perfect Christmas day ever with my kids & husband.  The children stayed in bed until 6:30am, then we all walked out to the living room to open presents together.  They loved their gifts from Santa (a Nerf gun for Logan; a remote control car for Jack; Magic Tracks for Wyatt; and a dollhouse for Carly) and their gifts from us.  It was the first year where no one was asking, "Are their more presents?" and that made me so happy.  I love that they had grateful hearts, not greedy ones. 

Saying... goodbye to Dashy, our Christmas elf.  I have to say that even I miss him!  The boys love spending the month of December waking up to his shenanigans, and as much work as it is, I have loved watching them enjoy his magic this year.  I think maybe I treasured this year so much because I have a feeling it may be Logan & Jack's last year believing.  So far, they have no doubts, but they are approaching that age. So it felt extra special. 

Continuing... to nurse Carly just once a day at nap time.  I am thinking that once we cross into the new year, it won't be long before we're done.  Just in time for her second birthday. 
What a blessing it has been to be able to nurse her for this long.

Enjoying... lots of laid back days, playing Legos and Nerf guns while everyone is out of school.  The twins have made the most of the bit of snow we got last Friday and have been sledding everyday.  Then Josh surprised me and took the twins out of town with him Wednesday through Friday, and it was so lovely.  Two kids (by comparison) is a cake walk. Ha!  I took a bath, read a book and did plenty of blogging!

Watching... our yard bunny out the window constantly.  I think I get as excited as the kids!

Organizing... our bedrooms and cleaning house in preparation for my parents' visit.  It feels so good to have the house clean & organized.  Sometime next week we will undecorate the house, which sometimes makes me sad, but mostly makes me excited for the new year.  I just love a clean, fresh space.

Still... listening to Scream Free Parenting and watching The Crown when I have a spare moment.

Finishing... Winter Street and starting Winter Stroll. I also bought Sophie's Choice and This Is How It Always Is for the new year.  One of my favorite things to do when a new year is coming is to make a list of all the books I want to read.  It makes me so excited.  This week I have also been counting my "books read" for 2018.  I am currently at 67, and that's probably where I'll end the year.  My goal was 50, which, at the time, felt lofty. So to close out the year at 67 after not reading a drop in October or November, feels amazing!!!

Loving... how the boys will read to Carly (over and over and over again) with no complaints.  At 23 months she is loving books so much and I couldn't be happier!

Contemplating... what goals I have for 2018, as well as how many books I want to read, and what I want my "Word of the Year" to be. In 2014 it was "content"; in 2015 it was "linger"; in 2016 it was "gentle"; and this year was "embrace."
What goals do you have for the new year? Do you set reading goals? And what are you "word of the year" ideas? I'd love to hear what you all think!

-Tyler Knott Gregson

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