Yet again I am behind!

So let me attempt to get caught up once more! This time of year is usually not particularly interesting. We're just back in the groove of daily life after the holidays.

• Baseball has kicked off! It's Jamie's first year as a head coach, so he's really busy making sure everything goes smoothly, attempting to make some improvements to the field, etc. He had a fundraiser scheduled for this weekend which unfortunately had to be cancelled due to weather. Hopefully he can reschedule for next Saturday. I'm ready to see the team play soon!
• We visited Wes and Darlene last weekend, because they bought Elise some new earrings. They are so good to us! Not only did they have earrings for her, but also a new jewelry box, a fun hat, and a few scarves. My pictures turned out poorly but here are a few anyway:
  
  






• Elise had her Valentine's Day party at school yesterday. I'm so glad to have been able to attend all her class parties this year, but equally glad this was the last one! 23 Kindergartners pumped full of sugar and all crammed into a small classroom with their parents is not always the adults' idea of fun. But the kids had a great time.

Back to normal

Every year around this time, I look around my house after all the Christmas decorations have been stowed away in the attic, and I let out a huge sigh of relief. The holiday season (which, in my opinion, begins with Halloween and carries through all the way until the New Year) is fun and busy - but it's always nice to just be back to normal!

This year I'm even more satisfied, because Jamie and I did a massive decluttering project over the first weekend of 2010. We hauled something like 30 large trash bags of donations out of our house. We did a full cleaning/reorganization of our storage closets, bedroom closet, playroom, Elise's room, spare bedroom, and master bathroom! It did not make for a fun weekend, but it feels great to have it done. I feel like we are starting 2010 on the right track!

In other exciting news, Elise got her ears pierced last weekend! She started begging a while ago, but I had serious doubts as to whether or not she would actually go through with it. I explained the process to her and warned her it might hurt for a few minutes, and she still persisted that she wanted earrings. I agreed to let her give it a try, but I suspected strongly that we would leave without pierced ears. I thought as soon as they sat her in the chair, she would start crying and change her mind. She proved me wrong - very wrong! Not only did she march right up to the chair and sit right down, but she did not shed a single tear! I was really proud of her. She is thrilled with her new look, and now instead of bugging me to get her ears pierced, she is bugging me to get her some new earrings. I told her she cannot change them until Valentine's Day, so I'm planning to surprise her with some heart studs as her Valentine's Day gift from Jamie and I.





Christmas was really nice, and I took tons of pictures, of course. I just haven't managed to get them posted. With so many to choose from, it just feels like a task that is too daunting at the moment.

Grandmother is leaving to go back home next weekend. We will all miss her - I wish she would stay longer. But I know she is anxious to get back home, see her dogs, and be in her own space again. We just got so used to her being here...it is going to be strange when she's gone. Elise is going to really miss seeing her everyday after school. :( Now that she will be back home, I suspect I'll be blogging a bit more regularly so she can keep up with us from afar.