So writing has been the furthest thing from my mind over the last week because I have a little unspoken (ok maybe spoken, a little through email) contest of who gets their steps in each day with our neighbor Sue from Michigan.  Yes, I have been bitten by the fitbit bug.  I know some of you have had these things for years but this is new territory for me and honestly where has it been all my life.  I feel like it is just what I needed to get my lazy you know what off the chair.  Steps, genius, although it is now one more thing on my list of “to get done” in a day.  I feel accomplished when that bracelet vibrates and I reach my goal!  Is it a little weird that I wanted to announce to everyone when I am beating all of my friends?  I wanted to throw out a, I WON! even if I am only ahead for about 12 hours.

I am generally not competitive.  Could care less about games and sports but something about a personal challenge.  There is no holding back.  I am all about showing anyone I can keep up and pass up!  So tonight after wrapping the steps on the treadmill I sat down to organize my pictures from the weekend.  I always love when some time has gone by before I pull the pictures off my camera.  I seem to appreciate the moments more as time goes by.  In fact 2 nights ago I went back and read past posts here.  I started about a year ago and found myself mesmerized by how things looked.  The kids a whole year younger.  It felt good to have little reminders of important events and some not so important.  I guess I was looking for some warm and fuzzies.  I found them.

Sometimes I have to remind myself of what really feels good in the every day.  It really has nothing to do with how many steps I get in and a whole lot to do with running this house smoothly.  So lately there have been more home cooked meals and a stronger commitment to the kids education.  I am lucky to have a husband who invests in them just as much as I do.  I hope they know how proud we are of them.  The stressful assignments and lessons.  The questions of why don’t you understand what I am saying.  We are for sure not perfect parents but I believe we give them the opportunity to do the best they can do.  That is all I expect.  Time in and satisfaction out.  You can’t buy that, only encourage it and I believe it is one of the most important factors to personal success.  If you love what you are doing and you love doing it there really can’t be anything left but personal success right?

So with that being said happiness for me lies in completing these steps and embarking on a little spring project.  There is a wall in my living room that will be painted black tomorrow and I am excited about it!  More to come on that little project but until then our weekend.

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This girl loves to clean.  Give her a broom or a rag and she is good to go for hours.  Passionately sweeping and scrubbing  floors.  Heavenly.

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Sometimes a little hand holding is necessary.

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Our beautiful beach….frozen.

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Ms Independent.

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We never carry Grace anymore.  She is 5 years old and we try and treat her as a 5 year old and require her to walk but sometimes when you are cold your Dad gives you a lift.  This is her face saying, “HA check this out Mom.  He is totally carrying me home.”

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Impromptu dance party turned into a sore elbow but I could not resist this love all around him.  We always thought Grace would need her brothers but I really think they will need her more.

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Happy Hump day friends! OX  Katie