Happy 2013! Week 1

Well, it's a new year, and I have a new plan....I'm going to attempt to write a brief blog entry once a week, even if it's just a brief anecdote from the week.  I know I haven't been the most faithful blogger in the past (and still have several half started entries to finish!), but I'm going to make a really conscious effort to do this.  So here goes....

This week was somewhat low key as all of us have been fighting a nasty upper respiratory bug that's been rampantly going around.  (Megan missed her last day of school with it...then passed it to Daniel, me, Rachel (in a more minor form), and finally Bill.)  This was the second week of the girls' break from school, and Bill was on vacation from work, but we kept a low profile and mostly hung out at home.  We cancelled what was supposed to be a surprise trip to the Great Wolf Lodge Wednesday and Thursday because Daniel, Bill, and I were battling the illness at that point.  I'm glad we didn't ever tell the kids about it, so they didn't have to be disappointed.  The kids enjoyed their new toys (the girls especially are having fun with their Legos and their Barbie house; Daniel loves his Thomas the Train set from Bob, Keri, and the kids).  Bill and I worked at making a tiny dent in the massive mess that's accumulated in the basement.  We also helped the girls clean out their rooms...always an exhausting task.  Our at-home, kid centric New Year's Eve Party was marred by illness for the second year in a row (this time Daniel and I were the ones not feeling well), but we made the most of it, having a balloon drop at some random pre-8:00 time, enjoying cupcakes for dinner, having a mini dance party, and even letting off "popper" fireworks outside.  We ventured out of the house on Wednesday to see "Monsters Inc." in 3-D.  Even Daniel sat still and was engaged for most of it!  Now he's playing with one of Bill's old Mike Wazowski toys, running around trying to say "Mike Wazowski."  Friday I took Megan's Brownie troop bowling, and that was a lot of fun.  Today, the kids and I went to Grammy and Gaga's house to visit.  Bill stayed home because he's the one sick now.

I think the girls are ready to go back to school.  I, of course, am not ready to jump back into the crazy routine.  I've really enjoyed having them home, and I feel like we didn't get to do many of the fun things I would have liked to do since we have all taken turns being sick these past two weeks.  Oh well, ready or not, here it comes!