From Talbots to Target

Changes

2012-01-15T06:48:00.000-05:00

I am not cut out to stay home, at all. I just can't handle all the minutia. But recently I switched jobs to one where I work 100% from home. Being able to better manage things like, meals, homework and my own exercise regime makes for a better balance for the entire family. We still have our babysitter, as I am working from home. But it is a slow ramp up period so I am taking full advantage of the time. The house is better organized and Jer built me a wonderful new desk.

We are collecting things to sell at our yard sale and I have listed some items on Craig's List. But before all of this wonderful change we had some pretty wonderful holidays!

Kicking off the season was a trip to the Nutcracker with a favorite Auntie!

Followed by the Christmas Pageant staring 4 of our kids! Three kings and Eliot as Baby Jesus, who I don't have any pictures of as he slept the whole time.

It was precious and we were honored! We further got into the spirit with the last of consecutive Kindergarten Holiday Concerts for a while. Ollie was fantastic!

It was wonderful and he was so proud! We followed up the concert with a Hanukkah party! Lots of gelt, potato latkes and good friends.

And then it was Christmas Eve!

We went off to church in all of our finery, then home to have chinese food. We set out treats for Santa and his reindeer and were all snuggled in our beds. We listened to the big kids chatter with excitment via the baby monitor. It was precious listening to them. I, selfishly, look forward to the day when they no longer blieve in Santa. But listening to them carry on about how long they could stay awake hear Santa arrive. And even more exciting was the thought that perhaps they would see Rudolph! "His nose will be so bright and RED!" Darling, just darling.
I, like most mother's, worry that what I have purchased will not be enough or loved by the recipients. But every Christmas morning, my heart swells with Christmas Spirit as they squeal with delight! They loved everything and were pleased with the gifts they gave to each other.

We ended our holiday season with our family in Maine for a belated Hanukkah party celebrated on New Year's Eve.

So far 2012 is teeing up to be a fantastic year!

Religion or Heritage

2011-11-27T20:39:00.000-05:00

Religion, noun, is defined as, by Merriam-Webster(2nd definition):

a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.

Heritage, also a noun, is defined as, by Merriam-Webster(2nd definition):

a) something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor: Legacy, Inheritance
b) Tradition

My faith is more important to me that it is to my husband as a result we decided that we would raise them Christian. I have found many websites for interfaith families and they all seem to be predominatly Jewish with Christianity in the back ground. Our family is the opposite.

I want my children to understand that they are Jewish and they are Christian.

Because they are learning about God/Jesus at church and what I am teaching them they have certain attitudes, beliefs, and practices in allignment with my beliefs.

Because they are being taught certain traditions by either myself or their other familiy members.

Should their come a day when one of my children wants to embrace Judiasm as a religion, I will have hopefully provided them with, perhaps a small foundation.

It is an age old problem amongst interfaith families - Typically the dilution of one, both religions, however, by identifying hertiage and religion provides me with a frame work with which to raise these children, without negating their Jewish heritage.

For that is part of who they are.

Mr. Eliot

2011-10-29T20:35:00.000-04:00

On October 9, 2011 we had a birthday!

I do believe it was the fastest year that I have yet to experience! And now...

He is a very busy boy. Happy First Birthday!!

Ten

2011-10-07T05:08:00.000-04:00

Ten years have flown by! Literally flown by.

We have grown in every sense of the word. Our hearts, our mutual respect, and most notably our family. We have allowed and encouraged eachother to examine ourselves, to learn more about ourselves and follow our dreams. I am a better person because of him and he because of me. We are lucky enough to be best friends.

Hearts have overflowed with love, faces have hurt from the laughter and cheeks have been tear streaked. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

First Day

2011-09-08T20:45:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday the red head, who had been our baby for 4 years, went off to kindergarten. A very exuberant and effervescent boy boarded the bus, truly his life long dream, that has been picking kids up at our house for the past 3 years.

And he had the greatest day!

He comes home everyday saying that the day was better than the last. And he loves when he sees his brother and sister at lunch.

A right happy boy.

A rarity, indeed

2011-08-31T11:28:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day of school for Merri, 3rd grade and Will, 1st grade. I took yesterday off to celebrate the final day of summer with the kids and the morning off to send them on the bus.

But it is not the first day for Oliver. No, it is not. His first day of kindergarten starts on Tuesday.

So today, in this moment, I have two boys home with me. Just the three of us. We don't generally refer to the kids by the two oldest or the two youngest, but by the bigs and the baby.

I stayed home after Oliver was born, for about 17months. I used to know the number of days as it is then that I discovered I was not cut out to stay at home (and so very thankful that I have the choices that so many women in generations past did not have!). But in short time frames I cherish staying home. And now seeing the two youngest together, reminds me of these rare moments and I emblazen the image in my mind, almost stopping time.

He Grows!

2011-07-17T19:42:00.001-04:00

It is hard to believe that he is as old as the duration of my pregnancy!

And even at 1:38 a.m. he is pretty stinking cute.

And his first munchkin, was a hit.

He sure does love the water!

And I'd say his family loves him, too.

Life and...

2011-06-11T19:38:00.000-04:00

I became aware the other day that my life is going past me at break neck speed. Which is so easy to see when you have a baby. Eliot is 8 months old! It just seems that I forget more and am barely keeping it together most days. Having 4 kids and working full time is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Ever. Some days it is easier than others. But I try hard not to judge myself too harshly, my barometer is the children's health and happiness. And, I can say without hesitation, they are happy and healthy. Funny even.
I often vascilate between wanting to stay home and wanting to work. How could I not, with so many responsibilities at home. I also know that I need to work. My mental health, such that it is, needs the adult interaction and higher level problem solving and the satisfaction of knowing I helped a client with whatever issue/problem they were experiencing.

The summer is my most favorite time of year. The yard looks more beautiful, the gardens, my gardens are in full bloom. The pool looks blue, cool and inviting. We all eat lighter with the warmer weather and our tiny house becomes that much bigger as we can be outside.

The kids do not get out of school until later in the month and their one request was for an "extreme family night." What is that you ask? We have pizza delivered, eat in the pool gate and have a fire in the fire pit. But after dinner and when the sun has gone down, we swim and some of us even skinny dip.

I may be disorganized and late for most of my appointments and occasionally for work, or forget that Ollie has share at school, but family matters most. And that request? Proves that despite my harried life, my mission for our family has been sewn into their little souls.

The Tooth Fairy Visits

2011-05-19T08:11:00.000-04:00

WILL!

He lost his very first tooth on Tuesday, May 17th! So exciting!

Doesn't Will look like Harry Potter in this picture? I think so too!

Eliot has two new teeth!

and Merri lost another tooth last week. It is ALL about the teeth in our home!

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T22:29:00.000-04:00

Today is a day that we all honor our mother's. The mother's who birthed us or the mother's who have come into our lives or the father's who became our mother's out of necessity. It is a day we honor those in our lives who have mothered us for all of our lives or for a brief moment in time.

Becoming a mother and motherhood is by far the most defining moment in a woman's life. It is without question the hardest job of all. And further, the most important job in the entire world. It is through our mother's that we learn how to love, to make a wonderful baked chicken, to sew a button, to show kindess to our nieghbors, to love our husband's and to learn how to mother our children.

Motherhood is tough and dirty. But the rewards are grand!

Selfish

2011-05-01T20:15:00.000-04:00

2010 was dubbed the "Year of Me," until February 14th when I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant. However, in my obsession with my pregnancy, I neglected to write about my children on this blog. This is the place where I record my life and my children. But I realized, recently, that I did not make note of Wilton's SIXTH birthday, on September 16, 2010. I cannot believe he is SIX.

I remember so vividly our ride to the hospital. I remember the words, "It is a boy." And my eyes filling with tears. I couldn't believe a boy had been given to me. Since I was on bed rest, for his birthday, we have decided that we will have his friend birthday party this month. I am thinking it will have to be a good party. We will be creative and celebrate all that is Will.

It sure was a happy day!

Easter

2011-04-24T23:13:00.002-04:00

Two random, wet and happy dogs showed up. After our Easter egg hunt.

Soon...

2011-04-22T19:46:00.000-04:00

Soon the tooth fairy will be visiting our house. But this time for a different child. Yes, that is right, Will has a loose tooth! Not only a loose tooth but his new tooth is coming right in while his loose tooth gets more and more wiggly.

And boy we are excited for him to loose his first tooth!

Red

2011-04-05T19:42:00.000-04:00

In the wee hours of the morning on April 5, 2006 we welcomed the red headed boy.

Happy Birthday, Ollie!

Spring, time loss and sleep

2011-03-20T20:02:00.001-04:00

The kids spent most of the day outside today.

We went to church this morning. Another new church. I think this one is a keeper. We know people there.

I did a fair amount of nursing this weekend, which puts off my proclomation that I would be quitting soon. It really is so much easier.

I started my zinias in doors today. I can't wait to put them outside in a few weeks. They make me so happy. I have 6 more packets to plant, too. I am going to try Hollyhocks, again.

Ollie is sacked out on the couch, see the first comment.

I am on week 1 day 2 of couch to 5k. Jer is on day 1 of week 2. We are running in a 5k in nine weeks. Yikes.

I finally bought sneakers.

Can't wait to really clean up the yard and get everything ready to burst and flower.

The kids (and Jer) met me on my way back from my run, today.

I grocery shopped today and I have sort of made a meal plan for the week.

I didn't buy lunch out ONCE last week. I don't know if that has ever happened, but it sure is in line with our financial goals.

I am making an appt with a mason to fix our retaining wall, finally.

The time change really REALLY screwed up the kids.

I was up every 2 hours last night. Not by choice. I am pretty exhausted today, but rather than go back to sleep, which is what I wanted to do, I pushed through it and did what I needed to do.

I really hope we can put an addition on our house. I was quite disheartened this weekend on that front. But, there is always hope and always a way.

I love my friends. And I miss them a lot. Mothering and working don't leave much time for outside social engagements.

My husband and I are going to have a date this week.

The boys are testing for their orange strip belts in Karate this week.

I hope I sleep well tonight.

I look forward to Spring. To Passover. To Easter.

Tiger Mother would not stand for this

2011-03-07T16:52:00.001-05:00

Jeremy works, his second job, at least one day on the weekend. A week after I was put on bed rest I suggested to him that perhaps we need for him to be home, if I plan to actually rest. So he stopped working as much and then completely a few weeks before Eliot was born. He did not work consistently when I was on maternity leave, only two days, I believe. It was a wonderful time for all of us. We got to know our new family of 6. But when I went back to work in January, his work also picked up. So sometimes I have 4 children all to myself. Since I have been back to work, we have been working on Project Independence.

Now please note that I had three children in three years. When I brought Oliver home from the hospital, I had three in diapers. It is much more manageable when you have to get everyone juice, clothes, change diapers, etc. But when three out of your four children are completely able bodied and unwilling to be independent, it sucks. I, of course, am to blame for their dependency. It was so much easier for me to do everything for them so I could get out the door to the baby sitter's. But now? Now, I have children who can actually get themselves dressed, but yet, scream that they can't find their clothes, etc.. Fill in the blank here.

And now? I have a screaming infant who is dependent.

I have to get their clothes out because they are hanging in cubies very high up. I have to get them juice because I have a fridge that is on the top and the freezer on the bottom. I do not now get them actually into their clothes, so there is progress.

So yesterday, I was a single mother. We started our day at 5:30 a.m. So when my sister arrived at 11:30, my voice was hoarse. From yelling. Seriously? They are helpless and have hearing problems? I believe that Jeremy and I try hard to raise our children to have respect, to be responsible and dare I say, independence.

Sometimes I don't think I am doing enough. Sometimes I wish I was a Tiger Mother.

Perhaps not a true Tiger Mother, but a little softer. Just not as soft as I am. But perhaps my expectations are just too low. Regardless, we need a little Western parenting philosophy infused, here in our home. At least in my opinion.

But how?

Screaming doesn't work. At all.

I don't want encourage them with money. I suppose I need to set high expectations. For example, on school days, no t.v. until XYand Z are done. On the days that I am home alone, I will set expections for whatever it is that I need.

Who knows, it is the ride of our lives, isn't it?

Eight is Great

2011-03-04T00:01:00.008-05:00

How is it that someone in my house is turning....EIGHT?

At 11:10 a.m. on March 4, 2003

I became a mom.

Happy Birthday Merri!

What I learned from a boy, a hammer and a guitar

2011-02-28T16:35:00.003-05:00

Two weeks ago on a Friday, I called home to check in on the family. It was reported to me that Will had destroyed his guitar, a real guitar, given to him by his grandmother, with a hammer. I was enraged. Jeremy was also enraged. Which is rare for him, typically he is much calmer than I. A good match, I suppose.

We were hampered in our swift discipline as he had a friend over after school. It is always a delicate balance, not to embarrass the friend and to discipline the offender. Jeremy spoke to him as did our babysitter. When asked why he did it, he said, "I didn't want it anymore." And more, "I don't care."

I was physically sick. Literally sick to my stomach.

I arrived home and gave him the eye. I was spinning. I literally wanted to dance on his head with a diatribe of how wrong this action was. Over and over and over.

We took away his ability to take the test at karate for his yellow belt. That got his attention, albeit momentairly. When his friend left, he was instructed to get into his jams, brush teeth and get up to bed. He would not be included in reading before bed. This hurt him. He refused to get upstairs, so he sat on the bottom step, crying. When the other ones were done, I opened the door and told Will it was time to go up. We went upstairs. It was clear that the other kids were not done as of yet, so he started to cry and complain that he could not sleep without his penguin pillow pet. "Oh, you will not be sleeping with pengi tonight," I said. I was red with fury, "You can sleep with these," I pointed to the broken pieces of the guitar.

"What does he not get on this. Does he literally not understand the magnitude of what he has done?"  I am raising a sociopath! I told him that he and I would be spending a lot of time together discussing what had happened and why. The other kids came up stairs and he finally fell asleep.

I slept downstairs, with the baby, per usual. When Will came downstairs he said, "Mom, are we going to spend a lot of time together today?" "Um, yeah, we have a lot to talk about."

I would stay home with him while the other kids went to test for their yellow belts. He didn't seem bothered. He wished them good luck. After a little while, I turned off the t.v. and inquired as to why he took a hammer to a guitar. Again he reiterated, "I don't want it anymore." To which I responded, "When we don't want things any longer we can give them to someone who would like it. We can sell them at a yard sale. There are a lot of things we can do with something that you don't want. But destroying something is never ever an option. Ever."    He just looked at me like I had ten heads.

I honestly didn't know what to do. Beating did cross my mind. I figured the physcial pain would make the connection for him. I kept thinking how can I make this kid get it. I felt like I needed to ensure that he didn't have fun or smile. And then, it dawned on me, as I just didn't want to let up on my berating. I didn't know how else to make him GET it.

We were supposed to take the kids out for a celebration lunch after the test. My vote was to leave him home with me and everyone else go out. Jer felt that because the family is going out, and he is part of the family, that we will all go out together. So we did.

What dawned on me was this:  Being a faithful sort, I recalled that when I ask for forgiveness it is forgiven, unconditionally. It was very freeing. I let it go.

But not before I told him he wasn't going to go to karate for the week. Without discussing this with Jer, of course. It didn't go over well. Decisions should be made together, he pointed out. Agreed.

So on Monday night, Jer and I called Will into the kitchen to discuss further. We needed for him to understand. So we started talking to him. He nodded his head. Over and over. Looked between us, back and forth. He did not use his own words, he would agree with ours. We told him that we could not allow him to go to karate until he understood and apologized. Then I started talking.   I looked at Will and asked him if he thought I didn't pay enough attention to him. If I was paying too much attention to the baby. His countenance melted. Literally, his face softened.

It was then that tears stung my eyes. I asked if he wanted a hug. He came over and climbed up into my lap. He clung to me as if we had never hugged before. I asked if he wanted a hug from dad and he wrapped himself around me even harder.

We all went to sleep. The next morning, Will was awake, before Jer left to work he spoke to Will. Reminding him about our discussion the night before. They talked about how perhaps he should practice his aplogy and when I came down he could apologize.

When I came downstairs, I said good morning. I looked right at him and said, is there something you want to say? He said, "I am sorry for breaking the guitar and I know it was wrong."

He and I will now be spending more time together, just one on one.

And that is what a hammer and a guitar taught me.

My Girl

2011-02-16T23:17:00.001-05:00

My girl has only suffered slight bullying. But even slight bullying is unacceptable. I have had a hard time counseling her on how to perfect her ability to ignore being made fun of or of being dismissed. Being told that "today you are not my friend," or "today I am only "Jane's" friend, not yours." It sucks.

Kids are mean to eachother.

In theory, these situations should provide me a place to utilize my wisdom.

Instead I end up having a visceral reaction.

I want to tell her that they are mean bitches and to tell them to screw. But in reality, that serves NO purpose.

We work hard to ensure that our children's self esteem provides a wonderful foundation. However, inspite of our tending to them, it may not work. Bullying can take kids down. It can make you retreat into yourself. It can turn you into a bully yourself. We try to guide our children by the way we live and to ensure that we are emotionally available.

We have not given popularity any importance. We have emphasized kindness. As a result she doesn't use popularity to measure her self worth. She has worth because she is.
There are no actions that she must perform in order for us, her parents, to provide love to her.

I believe that while studying why it is that we don't share feelings, I may have stumbled upon the sociology of bullying.

We are hardwired, from an evolutionary perspective, to protect our most vulnerable body part. In order to do so we curl over, wear protective gear, etc.

From a primal perspective, we must lash out before we are attacked.

But this week, my girl, rose above. When one of her friend's tripped and fell while getting in line to go from here to there, there was laughter. Merri did not laugh, she ran to her friend's aid. She helped her up and asked about her welfare.

Merri shared this story with me on Tuesday morning. My heart swelled and tears stung my eyes, out of pride.

She is handling herself with grace and dignity of a wonderfully kind, empathetic and generous ~~little girl~~ young lady.

Popularity be damned.
Kindness will prevail.

Surprise

2011-02-14T20:22:00.009-05:00

This is the third and final installation in a series recalling the days leading up to when I discovered I was pregnant.

I stumbled down the stairs in a cold sweat, not rested in the least.

I had shared with Jer the conversation I had had with the MD, on Friday, so he knew that the doctor had told me to take a test should my period be late. My period was, in fact, not late.

Jer did not, however, witness my mind splitting in half with shear anxiety, as he had fallen asleep on the couch. All those commercials relating to pregnancy, infertility, ovulation on the t.v throughout the night fueled my anxiety. My mind, over and over again, wondered what this MD knew that I did not know.

I said, "go to the store and buy a test." He moved more quickly than I ever recall, at least that is how it is plays out in my mind, one year later. I set about getting the kids ready for church. Jer returned home and picked up where I had left off preparing the kids for church. I, in turn, took a pregnancy test.

I climbed the stairs with tears in my eyes.

"Jer!"

"Yes?" he said.

I showed him the test and slid down the wall, not believing.

Thoughts raced through my head. RACED. "How could this be? We are SO close to being done with day care. Ollie is one year away from school, ONE YEAR away. The finish line is there, I see it. We would only need someone in the afternoon a couple of days a week. Freeing up a whole bunch of cash. This is the year of ME. I am really beginning to focus on my career. Our finances. Our house is so small! Our family is COMPLETE." These represent only the ones that I remember...I fought the tears back so the children would not ask why I was crying.

We hugged and hugged hard. "Our family is not complete," Jer said. He went onto to say, "God has bigger plans for us, than we have." And with that sentiment coming from a man who generally does not believe in a Higher Power, I knew it to be true. God had bigger plans for us.

We piled the kids in to the car and I took them to church. I could not contain my tears and they spilled over. I couldn't imagine being in a better phyiscal place than church, in my confusion and, yes, sadness. It was a horrifying feeling. We went up for communion and then were annointed with oil. All of us. I was overwhelmed with anxiety. I was 41. The physcial implications of pregnancy over 40 were not lost on me. And they haunted me.

When we arrived home, Jer was in the shower. On the table was this note:

2/14/2010

Today, because I am with you...

I am filled with hope...

...no regret.

I am filled with faith...

...not doubt.

I am filled with readiness and strength...

...no fear.

We will walk together, closer today, than before.

You, I, we are among the blessed for what we have gone through,

for all that we have, and for everything that we will build.

Because I am with you.

I love you.

I am pretty sure that beats any and all Valentine's, don't you think?

And who could have imagined on that dark day...That this little man...

...who was planned for our family long before we could have even imagined...

that this little man ... completed our family.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Psuedo Discovery

2011-02-13T16:05:00.003-05:00

This is the second installation in a series recalling the days leading up to when I discovered I was pregnant.

When I awoke and got the children off to school. I called my doctor's office. They got me in for a 1:00 p.m. appointment.

The doctor entered the room and we started talking. I told him what I thought it was. He asked me where I was in my cycle. He said, "Yes, yes, you are probably right." He did his exam said that it was good that I was feeling pain all over rather in one spot. It was consistent with my self diagnosis of a ruptured ovarian cyst.

As the exam was concluding, he mentioned that perhaps, if I didn't get my period within the next week or so, or if I should feel nauseous, I should take a test. "Um, oooooookkkk," I thought. "A little weird," I thought. But being so relieved that I didn't have ovarian cancer, I drove home and promptly fell asleep.

The next day, one year ago, today, I went about my business and took care of the kids. Jer was working.

I woke in the middle of the night, couldn't sleep and when I did sleep it was fitful and restless. It seemed that every single commercial on the t.v. that night had to do with fertility, infertility, pregnancy tests, ovulation predition kits. It was crazy. Truly one of the most unrestful nights I ever recall.

And when I woke up...

The unknown

2011-02-12T18:48:00.002-05:00

This is the first installation in a series recalling the days leading up to when I discovered I was pregnant.

Exactly, and I do mean exactly, one year ago at this moment I was in the most excruciating pain. Indescribable pain. The kind of pain that makes you sweat and shiver at the same time. The pain was familiar. All too familiar. The pain started at approximately 6:05 p.m., I was at an appointment. I could not leave. Instead I stood up and paced. I breathed through the pain, similar to breathing through contractions.

After my appointment concluded, I got in my car and I called home. I told my husband that I was having severe pain, that I thought I knew what it was, and that I was going to take myself over to the ER.

I drove to the ER and got myself registered. And waited. While I waited I did some work, as I had my lap top. Then I began to look around. This place was dirty, the floor, the seats, the people. Then I began to think about the origin of my pain and what if the doctors were dirty. The pain had subsided to a manageable degree. I called home and told Jer that I was going to come home and call my own doctor in the morning.

And with that I headed home to get working on the Valentine's project.

Bread, the yummy kind

2011-01-29T07:36:00.000-05:00

If you are anything like me, then you appreciate a nice artisan bread. And, if you are anything like me, you don't like to pay the outrageous cost for a nice artisan bread. So I was thrilled when my friend introduced me to this book:

And seeing as though I am not a fancy woman, this is what I requested for my birthday. And so it has been that I, mother of 4 with a full time job have been making things like this:

I can't recommend this book enough. In fact one of my friend's bought a copy and my mother in law bought 3 copies to give to her friends. If you have no time, no money and love artisan bread? This book is for you! All you need is the following:

and this:

and voila! You have the most delicious homemade bread you have ever tasted!

Recap of Change

2011-01-28T21:28:00.002-05:00

We set out last year for a whole lot of change. And we sure did get a whole lot of change, just not the change we had planned for. Through our lack of planning we received this gift:

A pretty awesome gift, wouldn't you say? Those cheeks!

But as for planning we really were working on a lot of other things. And for a long time we have been wanting to put an addition on the house. Last year, my brother drew some plans and even built a scale model:

since our addition came in the form of an infant:

The dream of expanding our 1,100 square foot house was put on hold, indefinitely.

Until today.

Today I made a phone call.

A call to a resource that was provided to me last year during our personal finance course.

As of today the dream has life.

His parting words: "When would you like to break ground?"

Tonight there will be no sleep, but not because of him:

Because our heads are filled with thoughts and ideas and excitement. And above all... gratitude.

Time is up

2011-01-01T14:29:00.000-05:00

I will return to work on Monday the 3rd. I have been off from work for 12 weeks and have not been in my office since September 2nd. It will be an adjustment for all of us. Specifically, me and Eliot. I will have to figure out my pumping schedule at the office and my nursing schedule at home. I am determined to be more organized when it comes to my clothes, the children's clothes and preparing my lunches for work. I will hopefully plan dinners for the week and begin to execute much of what we learned last year in our finance class, Financial Peace University.

Because of that class we were able to make it through maternity leave without much 'lack.' We look forward to a much more prosperous year in 2011. I will work on weight loss and spending less money by utilizing coupons and shopping sales. We will work on reducing our debt as much as possible and exercising our new skills.

It is a new year and we have a new baby. 2011 is going to be wonderful!