a few Notes...

So, I bought a used iPod Classic (5th generation) with some of my birthday money. I was using Spotify on my iPhone, but I'm not a huge fan. And I hate the fact that I end up using my whole battery of my phone playing music at work, and having no room for apps because I have so much music. So... in my brain it made more sense to have an all-music device. Which after loading music, and realizing what I was missing in terms of songs, it got me to thinking about my favorite songs. I'm musical in the sense that I love music. I have little to no education in music, other than being in band for a number of years, and lets be honest, I didn't learn much about music education - I can't read music, or notes, but I am/was a Percussionist, so I do know rhythm to a certain degree. I appreciate how music makes me feel, the memories these songs invoke. And so I've put together my Ultimate Top 20 list, along with a group of honorable mentions - and how/why I chose each one.

Here We Go:
*As I've started to write this, I've come to realize that this is going to be Long... so I'm splitting it into 3 posts.*

1. Every Breath You Take, The Police, 1983 album Synchronicity - I have long claimed this song as my #1 of all time. And while I am not sure that is technically the case, I do love this song. I love how my heart races just a little when the intro chords start up. This song played all the time on the radio as I was growing up - so much so that I new the words to the song before I understood the meaning (!). This song also cemented my love of Sting, the Police, and the New Wave sound of the 1980s.
2. Broken Wings, Mister Mister, 1985 album Welcome to the Real World - This song inspired the first CD that I ever purchased with my own money. It was a Billboard Radio Hits 1985-1989, and this was the song that caught my attention. I love this song... I love how it seems to make me happy for no good reason. I love that it introduced me to all the other songs on th CD... some that I had never heard of.
3. Alone, Heart, 1987 album Bad Animals - I absolutely love this song... as in I sing it at the top of my lungs whenever i get the chance. And I judge every American Idol contestant as "not-quite-good-enough" to sing it, though they always do. Because it's a classic song showcasing great vocals. Though All I Want to do is Make Love to You was the first song that I learned all the words to, this is the one that sealed the deal and opened me up to all of it, I bought their 1997 album These Dreams: Heart's Greatest Hits and have never looked back - except to download Crazy on You and Barracuda since they were somehow missing. ;)
4. Lovesong, The Cure, 1989 album Disintegration - I'm not sure what to say about this song... except that I am in love with this song. Just hearing it seems to make me have this little sparkle inside. It's dramatic and moody and has this wonderful background melody that's almost happy - all the while with this intense British guy laying out his heart for the girl he loves - and I have a feeling that she doesn't share his feelings. Pity.
5. Don't Dream It's Over (Hey Now), Crowded House, 1986 album Crowded House - one of the most recognizable opening melodies for me, with such as easy melting set of lyrics laid on top. My first memories of this song are it quietly playing out of speakers mounted high on poles at the boardwalk outside of Pensacola, FL. We used to drive to this stretch of beach that felt like forever away and we'd pass sand dunes covered in Cat Tails... and I'd always hear this song. It always transported me back to a warm breezy, salty day of childhood.
   Years later, it has become Scott and my "song" of sorts. Though we danced to another classic (When I Fall in Love by Josh Grobin and Celine Dion), this one seems to fit us much better. When Scott and I were first living together in Sioux City, sharing a small twin bed in his apartment, we'd constantly be bumping into each other, etc. And Scott would always say, "Hey Now"... and no matter how awake (or not) that I was, I'd always finish with "Hey Now, Don't Dream it's Over." And we'd giggle or something. It became a running commentary for us - I even had it requested to play on the radio for Scott's birthday a couple of times.
6. Linger, The Cranberries, 1993  album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? - While everyone (including me) loves the song Dreams most notably from the You've Got Mail soundtrack, this is the Cranberries song that really did it for me. The beauty of Dolores O'Riordan's lead vocals just made me want more. This song still feels like I have Angela's plaid shirt wrapped tight all around me, trying to hold all my angsty feelings into their right spot. (On the inside of course.) I just love the lyrics and tone and rhythm to this song. It lead me to the whole CD and so much more.
7. Ordinary World, Duran Duran, 1993 album Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) - This song is so fantastic, and I can't even pinpoint why. This whole album had some really special moments, but Ordinary World just shines! The first few notes play, and they bring to mind some of the best lines ever, "I won't cry for yesterday. There's an Ordinary World somehow I have to find." "Passion or Coincidence, there's something to dismay." The harmony is wonderful, but the lyrics are just outstanding.
8.  Uninvited, Alanis Morissette, 1998 from the City of Angels Soundtrack - This was the first single released by Alanis Morissette since Jagged Little Pill in 1993- and Jagged Little Pill was the first CD I ever owned - a birthday gift from a friend. I fell in Love with Alanis with that CD. I listened to it so much, that I wore it out. Not kidding. Anyway... I remember when I first heard Uninvited - it had this beautiful orchestra and it was so BIG and it filled up so many little places in my body - it still feels that way, even after 15 years. This song resonates musically with me much the same way that Guns-N-Roses' November Rain did - and it's all about the Orchestra - the music was magical behind the lyrics.
9. Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper, 1984 album She's So Unusual - I've loved Cyndi Lauper since I was old enough to watch MTV when my mom wasn't looking. She was so... 80s! And after her faster music - the softness of this song just broke through into me. Almost 30 years later, I still love this song. The funny thing, I don't think my friends ever appreciated this song... not until the movie Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion. After Romy and Michelle learn to appreciate themselves for exactly how they are, and not what their former classmates expect them to be, they return to their Tuscon reunion in their original personally designed outfits and perform a "dance" with the uber-geek who loves Michelle. That scene was a hit with all of my friends. In fact, we reenacted it at my wedding and at my friend Jess' wedding. It was AWESOME.
10. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, Bryan Adams, 1991 from the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves soundtrack -This song still gives my heart palpitations. It has such a power ballad feel to it, yet again with a beautiful full-orchestra sound. Dustin Burggraaf used to play it on the piano for me, starting in the 7th grade and going through high school. I'm not going to lie, that alone may have influenced my love of this song. There's something about a good looking guy playing the piano so passionately that just makes my knees go weak. Every time I hear the melody for this song, I still think back to a boy on the Piano. It was breathtaking.

Stay Tuned for the second half of this list!

design

I am LOVING my new banner and background, but mainly I love the Banner. Background and banner found at
The Cutest Blog on the Block.
I found this new font - Sketch Book - on dafont.com. DaFont is my very favorite site for free fonts. Some don't always translate over very well to different programs, but I get lucky about 85% of the time. So... my current them is a Chalkboard, and I'm blaming Pinterest for that one too. :)   Nothing is my fault, right? So... I think that this might be the background for a while, since I can't seem to stop looking at it. And the 80's colors are just great too!

Another font I used is called Heartz... all Capital letters and numbers are sketchy heart designs:

R K S
LETTERS ABOVE

*

NUMBERS BELOW

1 2  7 6

Legacy...

My local BFF April is having a baby - hopefully today.

April and I met for the first time when we were inducted into Chi Omega together. She had been away at Army boot camp during my first semester, so we did not know each other well - actually, we didn't like each other at all. :)  Initiation was performed in pairs, alphabetically, and April and I were paired up together. After our 15-30 minute initiation ceremony, we were sequestered into a member's room to wait and ponder our existence in silence... for 3 hours! (Such a long time because we were the beginning of the alphabet.) Three hours with someone will definitely open up a line of communication - even when restricted - not much, but some. ;)

Drake Relays All Greek Reunion 4/28/12

We became closer in the beginning of 2000 when we were chosen to be Rho Chi(s) - aka Rush Councilors for the Fall 2000 Greek Rush. It was our job to act as representatives of the entire Greek System and aid the potential initiates through the individual sorority houses as they found the house that was a perfect fit for each of them. We would essentially be cut off from our house for about 3 weeks, acting not as Chi Omegas, but as Greeks with 2 women from each house on campus. It was incredibly exciting for us. April and I weren't the typical sorority girl - we weren't stick thin, we weren't rich, and our house wasn't a part of the mold. We were so excited to be able to show the incoming Freshmen that you could be an individual while still being Greek.

But it wasn't meant to be. Our Chi Omega house, the Rho Beta chapter, closed it's doors the summer of 2000. The National board decided that we were not financially fit to stay open. It was heart breaking for all of us. My closest friends especially - we were the officers and Rho Chi(s)... I was also the Secretary (technically #2 in the hierarchy), my close friends were the President, VP, Education chair, and April was the other Rho Chi. We had plans, and it devastated us to close. We all moved away from each other, mostly in pairs (which is kind of funny) but we stayed together. In the Fall of 2000 as the other houses were getting ready for Rush, we were all in a state of depression. But my roommate Katie and I found a wonderful surprise in our horrible Religion class - April was in it with us!! And it was during this time that April and I really became good friends.

April has been one of my best friends since that stupid Religion class, thirteen years now. She was with me when I thought I was in love with someone in my early 20s. She was with me when I fell in love with Scott long distance. And she was my only Des Moines friend to visit me in Sioux City when I moved to Scott. She was one of the first people I called when we were moving back to Des Moines. Once back here, we've had monthly (or more) dinners for 8 years! I was with April through her various relationships - but when she met Glen, it was like something magical clicked. He didn't seem like her type, but his love for her, and her love for him, knew no bounds. And they both love my child. April is one of Weston's favorite people. Their wedding was beautiful and so much fun! (And so hot in June!)

Last spring, April and Glen found out that they probably wouldn't be able to conceive naturally due to some medical issues. And having been there, it was tough. But they thought that it was ok... they had some ducks to get in a row before they'd worry too much about it, and besides, they've only been married for two years. But I guess waiting wasn't in the cards. April announced her surprise pregnancy in June, and I bawled like a big baby, for about 10 minutes straight! In a restaurant full of strangers. With people looking at me. With mom's cancer return, and our TTC and just everything else... I was so happy for them and for this baby that I couldn't hold back my emotions. This baby defied the odds in its conception, and he or she is a miracle. (And if Baby Brown is a girl, then she is a Chi Omega Legacy!)

XO bib available at Chi O Creations

So, fast forward through what seemed like the fastest pregnancy and the longest last month of waiting to yesterday. At 7:30pm, April was admitted for an induction. And since she has progressed nicely thus far, we are expecting Baby Brown to arrive today! And I am so excited!!!! I can't wait to see one of my best friends hold her miracle baby in her arms! I can't wait to hold that baby myself. Hell, I can't wait to hear the name! They've been tight-lipped about everything - gender and name, so it will be a huge surprise!

I'll update as soon as I know and have pictures!

* It's a Girl!!!

Jocelyn Addison Brown

8lbs 7oz ~ 21.25” long

January 22, 2013 ~ 2:46am

 I will be visiting this afternoon! It was a difficult 33 hours for the the parents, but everyone is working towards getting healthy!!!

13 in '13

Inspired by Courtney Kendrick at cjanekendrick.com, I've decided to make a list of the Thirteen things that I want to do in 2013. So, CJane is doing 36 things in her 36th year - I am not that ambitious. Either that or I am a realist. And my sister was unimpressed with my list. She said that too many of these things were out of my control. And maybe she is right... but that doesn't mean that I can't focus some positive thoughts in their direction and see if we can make them happen! So, let's get to the list.

13 Things I want to do in 2013:

1. Have a Baby - It's no surprise to anyone who reads this blog that we are trying to expand our family. We've been trying for a year now. But 2013 is going to be our year, either by normal methods or my medically assisted methods. And even though we may not succeed, hopefully we create life.
2. Wills - It's past time that Scott and I wrote our Wills. We need to put in writing our plans for Weston's future if anything should happen to us. We know who he should live with (Shannon), but we need to be able to guarantee that she has everything she needs to take care of him.
3. Walk Weston into his first day of Kindergarten, in Altoona - I sent in the Transfer request to have Weston moved from the Des Moines school district to the SE Polk (Altoona) district. We won't find out until April if we've been approved or denied. And they don't ask for any reason... but I included our reasons (daycare, hoping to move to Altoona, etc.) I just hope that it works. It makes me so nervous. I need him to be able to ride the bus to and from daycare.
4. Move - we need to move. We need more space, a bigger house, something with a yard. Something we can grow in. We pay almost $900 a month for rent. I think we need to be getting more for our money. And Weston wants some grass.
5. My 15-yr High School Reunion - Yes, in May, it will have been 15 years since I graduated high school. Either I am going to be helping to plan (again) or I think we should just do something with the important with my close friends. Something to mark the time. I have been friends with Beth and Anousha for 21 years now... and Sue for 18 years. It's crazy and insane to think of how long that is. But I think something needs to be done to celebrate that. Even if we all just end up in Delaware at Beth's house. Or back in Cedar Rapids at Mom's or Beth's Parents. Anything to get together.
        A. Scott's 25th High School Reunion - We will be going to this. We have to.
6. Texas Trip - My parents want us all to go to Texas this year. My grandparents have never met Weston or my nieces. And they can't travel this long of a distance. Our goal was to go while on maternity leave... but that isn't working out according to plan, but we'll try and make it work. I miss Texas, it's my second favorite state.
7. Weekend Trips - I want to take more weekend trips! We want to take Weston to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City. I want to go to the IKEA store and the Mall of America in Minneapolis, and we both want to go to Cubs game and the Lincoln Park Zoo (and the Aquarium, and Field Museum, and, and, and...) in Chicago.
8. Complete my 2013 Reading Challenge on Goodreads. - I did this Challenge last year, reading 37 books, beating my goal of 35. I love reading. It relaxes and entertains me in ways that nothing else can. I also think it helps my child to see his parents reading, and enjoying it. This year, I've challenged myself to 40 books, and I've already finished 5.
9. Zoo Membership - We're not getting Adventureland passes this year, it's $110 each... too much money when we go out of town a lot. Instead, I want to spend $100 and get a Zoo membership for our family. It's good for the whole calendar year, so we can do all sorts of stuff, and bring friends, all year round. I want to buy it in March or April with hopefully some good tax returns.
10. Write at least 1 Blog Post per month - I was an epic failure at blogging the last 2 years. And most of friends don't seem to do it at all anymore. I want to keep doing it. I think it's therapeutic. So I'm going to try.
11. Photo Projects - I got a new Canon DSLR camera last fall, part family investment, part Christmas and birthday gift for me. I love it. the pictures are beautiful. But I need to learn how to use the manual settings. The whole point of the camera. I checked, and the local community college doesn't have a Saturday photography class. I was thinking about joining a photography club, but they meet on Tuesday nights. I can't do that. So... I am going to assign myself projects! I want to take a minimum of 15 new photos a month. that's my goal.
12. Valentines by Weston - I want to help Weston write out all of his Valentines, all by himself. He's doing really well, but I think we need to work on writing on the line, etc.
13. Most Important of all: Weston Sleep Trained! - In his own bed on a good schedule, at least 9pm. I'm trying and failing, but it's a goal.

So... that's what I want to do this year, among other things. :) Let's see how this goes!

Tardiness...

So... in my last post, I explained my masochistic need to take a pregnancy test a day early. Well... I'm not sure I explained it well, but I did say that it was Negative.

I had told my sister that I was done taking pregnancy tests until I was actually late. That it wasn't worth an additional day or 2 of depression. And I was serious.
But then I had gotten sick over the weekend. At least one person from every singular family had caught something while at my Mother-in-law's Christmas over the weekend. Joint pain, fever, wet cough and just plain sick - Weston had it too. Friday, I started to come down with something - I got more and more achy as the day went on, and my chest started to tighten - like I was just overcoming bronchitis, though I couldn't cough. And I was "just-this-side-of-nauseous" (I'm coining that term, by the way) and slightly dizzy. This went on from Friday-Sunday. The nausea and dizziness lasted until Monday night. So... everyone was like, "You're Pregnant!" A few others thought I had pneumonia. (thanks, WebMD!)
So, Tuesday morning I woke up and thought... hmm, maybe every one's right... Maybe our collective dream has come true... Maybe I am pregnant and I can run in and wake up Scott and we can all be happy together... And then we can have the doctor confirm it before we go north for the weekend. Yes, my brain ran on like that until I had to potty so badly that I almost skipped the test. But I took the test. And as I glanced at it every so often, only 1 line appeared. After the 5 minute timer went off, I studied the test. Yes, only 1 line was visible... but was a second line showing at all? Because if there is a hint of a 2nd line, I can test in a few days and it should be positive. Right? 
Well, there wasn't any sign of a second line. Nothing at all. A Big Fat NEGATIVE without so much as a line or a word or a hint of color. Empty space on a small stick.
I told Scott that I'd taken a test and it was Negative. He just went about his morning like it wasn't a big deal. I went about my day heart broken as you can see from my previous post.

Fast forward to Wednesday. D-Day, the arrival day of Aunt Flo (AF). I make all necessary preparations and wait. Usually, I wake up to AF. My AF is always on time... usually by 3:42pm actually. So, when 5pm rolls around, and I'm blissfully cramp-free with AF no where in sight, I start to get a little speck of Hope. A friend had said to wait, nothing was certain until AF made an appearance. By 7pm, Scott had asked about AF. I told him that she was a "no-show." Scott said, "So, you're late." And his face completely lit up. I said I wasn't officially late until Thursday. Scott knew I usually receive a visit in the morning, and he asked when the last time I was late was? I told him, "5 years ago last December." He kept saying, "Maybe the test was wrong. Maybe you took it too early. Maybe it was just wrong." He was so excited that I let his happiness suck me in. I started counting, thinking how amazing that our child would be a Christmas miracle, and be due in the early Fall, and maybe I'd be on maternity leave over the holidays. I went to bed with such a feeling of hope that I'm surprised I wasn't glowing.

I ended up with a devastating let down this morning. AF had arrived. I haven’t been late in 5 years, until today. Scott was pretty vocal in his dismay this morning. He showed more emotion and energy in the last 2 days (regarding a baby) than he has in the last year. That sort of makes it all worse. His disappointment weighing on my shoulders. It's almost like an anxiety attack when I think about it. So I am giving this to the blogosphere in the hopes that giving this away will release me a little. We'll see how that works out.

I can't find the words...

Lego Night! Weston's first time with his new tray and Legos!
January 7, 2013

Every night for the last week or so, my 4 yr old little boy has wanted to play something he calls "Family." We kind of let it go for a bit, and he focused on something else. But then he wanted to play Family in the living room. So, I asked him what Family was?

   "You're the Mommy. Daddy's the Daddy. I'm the Big Brother. And this [Mr. Moose the Christmas Moose] is our Baby Elizabeth. And this [his bear named Teddy] is our Baby Brother. His name is Alex. We're in the car now, Mommy. Do you have your seat belt on?"

And that's how he plays "Family." Every night, he brings his Babies onto the chair in the living room. He makes sure that we hug and kiss our babies. He makes sure that we are all buckled in. And then we are off on an adventure! Sometimes, we drive to Target or Walmart where Weston will get a new toy. Or like last night, we'll be on a boat and I will have to take care of the babies while he and Daddy go fishing. And then he'll try to show his Baby Brother Alex how to catch a fish. Or after we're done fishing, Weston and the babies will watch a movie or a PBS show on his phone.

Every night I am reminded how desperate my child is for a sibling. How desperate he and I have both become. It's all that either one of us can think about. And there really aren't resources out there on how to deal with this... infertility impacting children.

Weston constantly asks me "when will we get our baby?"
"Why does everyone else get a baby and we don't?"
"How come Jackson has a baby (his friend) and Manny (Ice Age 3) has a baby, but I don't have a baby?"
"It's not fair. We need a baby!"

Last week he became briefly obsessed with baby names:
Weston: "I have an Idea! We should name our baby, Baby Ethan!"
Me/Mommy: "We can't. We have a friend named Ethan. We want everyone to have their own names."
W: "You don't like my plan."
M: "Yes, I do. But you wouldn't want [our friend] to name her new baby 'Weston' would you?"
W: "No... but what happens is someone takes our baby's name? Then he won't have a name!"
M: "We don't have a baby yet."
W: (very loudly) "But we will!!! And if someone takes his name, he won't have one!!!"
*We've hit panic mode by this time. We're in the car, and he's practically in tears over his non-existent sibling not having a name, because someone is going to steal it. I have only once choice... the baby name game.
M: "What about we pick a different name. What name do you like?"
W: "I don't know..."
M: "What about Sebastian?"
W: "I like that."
M: "What about Griffin?"
W: "I love Griffin! It's cool!"
M: "What if it's a girl? Do you like Emerson?"
W: "No. It's bad." (I love that name.)
M: "What about Eden?"
W: "I like that. Eden? What about Alexis?"
M: "Well, Alexis is your friend... hey look, we're here!"
*Saved by the front door to where we needed to be.

I took a test this morning. Because I am a Masochist. I knew what the answer would be. But because I've been sick(ish) since Friday, and just this side of nauseous every night since then, the thought had crept into my mind - maybe this time you are pregnant. Maybe you'll be sick the entire time, all pregnancies are different and it's been 4+ years. It great how your own mind can manipulate you into happiness. But it was wrong. a big fat "NEGATIVE" this morning. So much for the holiday spirit working a miracle.
When we were TTC the first time (Weston) it was just me that I had to answer to. Scott to some extent. And the family to others... but everything ultimately game back to me. Now... I feel guilty that I can't give my child the one thing he wants most in the world. Something we all want, but this is so important to him. Weston is getting older. He'll be 4-1/2 at the end of the month. That means even if we are lucky enough to conceive at the next cycle, there will be at least a 5 year age difference between our children. For that reason alone, I hope we are able to have a daughter. It's what Weston wants, and I think the gender differences will make the age difference not as noticeable to them.

Ok... I've said all I can. Now I just have to hold the sadness in until its manageable. That, and I am thinking of having Scott checked out this time. I mean... he is 43 years old. Maybe something needs updated on his end. I mean, after everything I have been through, maybe it's his turn?

Thoughts on Infertility and Siblings?

What it takes to get to a New Year

 We had a very long, but very good Christmas with both sides of our families. I forgot to take the camera to Cherokee for the Jones Christmas, but suffice it to say that we all came home spoiled.  Here are some of my favorite pictures from our holidays, all taken with my new DSLR Canon Rebel T3 camera, which is a learning experience:

Jolly Holiday Lights at the Des Moines Waterworks Park, 12/14/12

The view across the water - beautiful!
Jolly Holiday Lights at the Des Moines Waterworks Park, 12/14/12

all proceeds benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a cause I have volunteered for many times before.
Jolly Holiday Lights at the Des Moines Waterworks Park, 12/14/12

Weston and his Shanny
Jolly Holiday Lights at the Des Moines Waterworks Park, 12/14/12

 Daycare Nativity Program, 12/18/12

Weston as Joseph tickling Baby Jesus' feet, mid program!
 Daycare Nativity Program, 12/18/12

Ornaments on Aunt Linda's beautiful Christmas Tree!
Christmas Eve 2012

Weston's beautiful face - he waited as long as he could for his cousins to arrive!
 Christmas Eve 2012 

DICE GAME!!!
Christmas Eve 2012

Beautiful Ladies!
Christmas Eve 2012

Mom posing for the camera
Christmas Eve 2012

My niece Paisley looking adorable.
Christmas Eve 2012

See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil
 Christmas Eve 2012

"Attack-Thank you-Hug for Aunt Linny from Paisley
 Christmas Eve 2012

the beautiful children
Christmas Morning 2012

As you can see, we had a wonderful holiday. Scott worked ridiculously hard over the holiday week - it's high Liquor season in Iowa, so he was working as many as 15 hours a day. We traveled to Cedar Rapids on Saturday, Dec. 22nd. On Sunday, we all traveled to DeWitt, Iowa for the Dalton Family Christmas. It was a lot of fun seeing the extended family, but Scott had to leave at 4:30 and make the 3 hour drive back to Des Moines all alone, while Shannon, Weston and I went back to CR with the family. We celebrated Christmas Eve at Aunt Linda's, with Weston anxiously waiting for his cousins to arrive. Scott worked all day Christmas Eve and drove back to CR, arriving after midnight - making for a very long day. Christmas Day was spent at our parents' house. It was chaotic and somewhat tense, and just crazy. As all family holidays end up being. Mom wiped the floor with all of us at our family Dice games - and that just drove us all crazy.  ;)

I turned 33 years old on the 26th. Ugh - mid-thirties... I wish you would love me more. But we all celebrated with Burgers and such at north end Field House pub, a great Iowa Hawkeyes hangout in Cedar Rapids. It was fun. We ended up back at Mom's for homemade birthday cakes for both Nathan and I (his 30th birthday is Jan. 4th.) Gifts were exchanged, and wonderful! Nathan and his family headed East, while my little group headed West - back to work we went.

This past weekend, we enjoyed our family Christmas with Scott's family. We couldn't travel until Saturday due to additional snow and ice on Friday. But it was a lot of fun. I think the Lumberjack Beanie cap with the attached crocheted beard that I got Scott's great-nephew Dalton, was the most talked-about gift! It was hilarious!

New Years was another low-key event. Scott once again had to work all day, and into the evening on New Years Eve. Shannon and I took Weston to see Rise of the Guardians - which was awesome! He and I then went to an early dinner with our friends, and enjoyed a mini game night at their house. We made it home by 9:00 to ring in the New Year with Scott - twice. Once at 11pm, thinking Weston was going to crash, and again at midnight as I was crawling into bed with a suddenly wide-awake little boy. Today, 1/1/2013 has been more low-key. In fact, if it weren't for the Rose Bowl Parade, the Shrimp Cocktail, and the Welches Sparkling Grape Juice, I'd have thought it was a Sunday. Though I'm so glad that today is Tuesday, and we have have a short work week, with a boring weekend at home. It's nice to have no plans.

I hope that 2013 brings health and happiness to everyone reading this. I hope that it brings you new possibilities.

For my family, I hope that 2013 brings a new baby into our family. I hope that my sister finds someone worthy of her love and partnership. I hope that my brother and his family find peace and a place to settle into a new healthy, happy life. I hope that my mom continues to be cancer-free, and that she and my Dad enjoy their life. I hope that my Uncle David finds good health and healing from 2012, and that he and my Aunt Linda continue to enjoy the life that they have made. I hope that Scott's nephew Jeremy and his wife Charlie welcome a healthy baby in the coming weeks. This pregnancy has been hard on Charlie and I hope that everything from here on out gets easier for them. I wish for health and happiness for both extended sides of our families, those in NW Iowa, and those in Texas, Georgia, and New Jersey.

For my friends, I wish health and happiness. For our friends April and Glen, I wish a successful and wonderful birth of their first baby in the next few weeks. (Can't wait to meet that baby!) For our other friends, I wish babies in their future just as much as I wish for a baby in our family. For all others, I wish health and happiness.

Ok... enough of the novel. I hope 2013 is a great year for us all!