The first in our sort of "new" house.
I went to my Mindfulness practice group from 7-8:30.
Jocelyn worked/cleaned up the basement.
Kids were with babysitter.
8:45 we all regrouped and gathered in the kitchen.
Last year NYE we had an awesome time with some great buddies and we had a cupcake decorating contest.... alas as much as I tried I did not get my act together to do that this year with my little crew... instead we had a chocolate cake decorating project...
Jocelyn decided we should all toast the New Year with "Ting" - this yummy Jamaican grapefruit soda that we gave out at our wedding as part of the welcome bags. I love it it. Joc loves it. The kids hadn't really ever had it (or any soda really) so it was going to be a treat.
The kids LOVED decorated the cake... it was sort of a..."do you want some cake with your sprinkles?" moment... but totally silly and fun. Then they just started eating said cake by sticking their hands into the cake... how awesome must it be to be them... they wanted the cake so they just stuck their hands into it! At my Mindfulness group that night we spoke about joy, and trying to "be" in the moment and appreciate it... clearly my kids get this... they were totally in the moment... at peace and full joy eating the store bought sugary sprinkled chocolate cake... and watching them (and taking their picture) filled us with joy too!
The cake got washed down with copious amounts of Ting soda... can we say JOY with bubbles! That is what was going on then. It was also infused with a sugar high - but it was all good... very very good.
My plan was to give them little presents and watch a Curious George and put them to bed - but alas even on NYE (or especially on NYE) all plans will be thwarted.
Jocelyn pulled out a DVD movie from the grocery store bag that I had bought when I bought the cake. I bought it because it was on sale and I figured I needed some more DVDs for our vacation for the kids (think airplane)... she was all like look we also have a movie to watch!!! The kids started jumping up and down - yeah yeah movies!
Who am I to put a damper on such joy! You know me - living in the moment. So we all ran up stairs and settled in to watch this weird Ice Age - Continental Drift movie (totally silly wacked out movie... I don't think I got it...) We made it through some of it but we were losing the kids fast. They were crashing from aforementioned sugar high. I had little presents to give them for the New Year - so I bribed them with those. I will give your presents but then you must brush your teeth and go to bed... that sort of worked.
Kids in bed 10:30.
Jocelyn and I were in bed at 11pm. We thought about getting up at midnight but then figured that that was stupid. We had our NYE party and it was good. Being in that moment, we went to bed.
I feel like NYE was good, simple, sugary, bubbly and over early.
The better thing was waking up on New Year's Day.
The kids slept all night in their beds - first good omen.
It felt good to wake up with a whole new year to figure it all out - or not.
A clean slate to mess up
A new canvas to paint on.
A whole new world of opportunities (or second chances to mess up again!?!)
One door closing and another one opening.
In Mindfulness we talked about having "intentions" for the new year - not resolutions. I liked that.
I intend to try to bring more joy into our lives.
I intend to begin to run again.
I intend to go to the gym.
I intend to be more patient and more consistent with myself, Jocelyn and the kids.
I intend to try to just "be" more of the time...
I am grateful for this chance,
Tomorrow we (me, Joc, Jonah & Vera)leave on our first vacation as the four of us and the first vacation in two years for three of us (me, Joc, and Jonah).
We really need this vacation. We really do.
I figure it is a great way to begin the New Year and try out all my new intentions.
I hope you all had a great New Year's Eve and more importantly I hope you all have a wonderful 2013.
I will have plenty more to say about this past week of celebrating and adventuring as well as reporting on our vacation when we get back! See you in about 10 days!
Happy New Year!
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