Happy New Year.

I know this is a time when you're supposed to make resolutions to change but I don't even really want to do that. I wouldn't have wanted to change anything from this year. In a quiet moment I flipped through  my photos and saw how much we were able to fit into these last twelve months. It's surprising how much things have changed. 

Last year, we were a family of three. I know that this makes perfect sense because Colin is less than a year old but it still seems weird to think about. I don't remember us being three. Four seems like the way it's always been, but in this case "always" is only 8 months long.

Having two children is different than I expected it to be. I expected to feel pulled between their drastically different needs but I don't. I thought I would feel guilty about the time Oliver and Colin don't get from me as the result of sharing me with a sibling, but I don't.  I expected so much turbulence and hardship with the addition of another family member but it never came. It's all quiet here on the western front. We've survived the first eight months of this new life with smooth sailing. We've enjoyed it even.

Aside from the exponentially longer amount of time it takes for us to get fed, dressed, and out of the door, not much has changed.  Though extreme, all changes that we made were so gradual that falling into our new routine was almost imperceptible. Like a lobster put to boil in a cold pot of water, we didn't realize we were cooking until somebody stuck a fork into us and proclaimed us "done."

We have two kids? Two? Since when did this happen? How come nobody told us?

We did a good job this year. We've taken care of each other. We've kept busy learning new things. We went on adventures. We all had food and clothes and a safe place to stay.

The house wasn't organized. Our kids walked through grocery stores with crumbs on their faces, stains on their shirts, and hair sticking out like crazy. We showed up late for dates and appointments. At times the laundry and dishes stacked up as tall as mountains.

While some people might see that as something I should resolve to change, I'm not even going to try. We did a good job of being a family this year and that's what's most important to me. I'd rather have these awesome times together instead of a tidy home and punctual arrivals and perfect attendances. Hands down. Every time.

Hands down.

Hands down.

Hands down.

Hands down.

Hands down.

Every. Single. Time.

So I guess this year my resolution will be to keep this momentum going and enjoy the ride. 

Happy New Year, everybody.

Chasing that tennis ball.

I feel like all I ever do here is expound upon how busy we are, but it's true. We're busy. We're busy in a great way. Our life is so full that we're exhausted but it's wonderful.

We celebrated Halloween with our annual pumpkin patch trip and some trick or treating. We attended the opening for the black bear exhibit at the zoo. I spent the first part of November in Florida helping to organize my mother-in-law's home before it gets put on the market. Over Thanksgiving, the whole family flew to Napa to celebrate my brother's beautiful wedding. While we were out there we made a little family vacation stop in San Francisco. Now that we're back home, I'm stringing up Christmas lights and planning for our holiday guests. Our calendar is packed with dates and shows and more house guests and. And. And. And!

Sometimes I feel like maybe we should take a break. Maybe?

Finding the perfect pumpkin.

Jared is out standing in this field.

Bouncy castle.

Our fine pumpkin choices.

Jared's pumpkin - it's larger than he is.

Our trick-or-treaters

Daddy & Doggy.

Dressing for the wedding.

Baby in a tie.

Spiffy!

Aquarium at California Academy of Science.

Touching some seaweed.

Hanging out in the baby backpack.

Checking out a giant toad.

Smiling one moment before crawling away.

Observation floor.

Chilling on a park bench in Golden Gate Park.

Oliver wearing my headband.

Typical view from the top of any of San Francisco's ridiculously steep roads.

Golden Gate Fog.

San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay(by).

Handrails you can stick your head through!

Dock at Sausalito.

Two of many large trees.

Muir Woods redwood walk.

I feel like a family of labrador retrievers. Somebody throws a tennis ball for us, and you had better believe we're running for it.  We're on that plane. We're there to see you. We're trying out something new and making it up as we go along. Adventure after adventure after adventure, we just can't stop. Our feet hurt and we're tired of running but we'll be damned if we won't get up and run some more for that next tennis ball, because who knows when you'll get another opportunity like that? We just can't pass up that joyous feeling of the wind running through our hair and the thrill of the catch.

There will be plenty of time to be tired later. Right now we've got another ball to chase.