Happy New Year 2017

I hope everyone had a relatively exciting yet safe New Year!  I feel like we are still coming out of the post Christmas fog and we haven't really done much in the last couple of weeks.  We've been getting tons of snow here in New England and with that comes the feeling that we should just sit around in our pajamas all day, drink coffee, and watch the snow fall (me, not the kids!) Despite the Massachusetts winter setting in, Josh and I were able to head out to a friends home on New Year's Eve to celebrate sans kids and that in and of itself was exciting.  We didn't stay out much past midnight but we had a great time.  It's nice to interact with only adults every once in awhile!

I wrote out some of my resolutions this year because I find that putting something on paper, even it is as simple as my weekly to-do lists gives at least a 95% better chance of it actually getting accomplished.  Some of my 2017 New Year's "Goals" are:

-Spending Less, Saving More
-A more regularly exercise routine
-Grow my Etsy shop
-Get more involved at our church
-Post to my blog regularly!
-Actively pursue my design/home decor passion
-More meal planning/try new recipes

How did you spend your New Years?  Did you make any resolutions/goals?  Do you write them down?  Here's to 2017! May it be one of the very best years yet!

New Year's Eve

It's taken me a week and a half after the fact to get to this post.  Call it the post-Christmas blues or the  "I already haven't followed through with my resolutions" guilt, but I haven't been overly motivated to do much the last few days.  Likely, it's due to a combination of Josh being on nights, Rory not sleeping well, Ryan having an ear infection (again), and me being tired (okay that's nothing new).  2016 is already starting out on such a high note!

Despite all of that, we did have a very enjoyable New Year's Eve.  It had snowed during the week and since Josh was on vacation, he and Ryan took full advantage of the fresh snow and made use of Ryan's new sled.  Rory and I even made it outside for a bit of winter fun and of course, numerous selfies.

Despite the fact that the snow poses all sorts of inconveniences for us adults, it's quite possible that my children will dearly miss the winter wonderland weather someday if we don't live in a place where it regularly snows.  Well, at least Ryan will.  Rory's face in most of these pictures shows that the jury is still out for her.

Josh and I also made it out on New Year's Eve to our friends Amy and Geordie's home for a party.  We even stayed out until 1AM, which is at least 4 hours past this Mama's bedtime.  We are getting old and as if that wasn't already obvious enough to us, as we were leaving the house and giving instructions to the babysitter, Josh put the TV on "Titanic" and said to her "Here this is probably up your alley" to which she replied "I've actually never seen it, it was made the year I was born."  Seriously, wasn't it JUST Y2K?!?!?!  Apparently not.

I'm pretty sure I drank an entire bottle of champagne on my own, we'll thank Amy's "Bubbly Bar" for that one, but it was so worth it for a fun adult evening.  Unfortunately, the ONLY picture I got of Josh and I was this one.  But I'm convinced that means that a good time was had by all. :) 

This past year was a good one, 2015 will always be remembered with fondness as it was the year that  Josh Matched into a permanent residency position as well as the year that brought us Rory Lou and made us a family of four.  It will hard to top, but I'm sure there is lots of fun in store for the Scurlock family in 2016.  Happy New Year!

A New Year

January 1, 2013.

It's hard to believe that it's already the start of another year.  I feel like every year just goes by even more quickly than the last and 2012 was no exception.

Planning for the future has become a "norm" in our household.  As a medical school family, it's hard not to look to the future.  We think in terms of school years and terms.  When we finish basic sciences, after the Step is over, once we get through 3rd year are phrases I hear and say all to often. 

Just last night, Josh and I spent a couple of hours planning his electives for 4th year including elective choices and dates because they had to be in at midnight to be at the top of the stack for next year. It's crazy to think that his last year of medical school is right around the corner, that in seven months we will be finishing up residency applications and by this time next year, we will only be a handful of months away from the end of medical school.  If all works according to plan, Josh will finish his rotations late March/early April of 2014 and graduate in May 2014.

It's all very exciting and yet I have to say that as much as I look forward to what God has in store for us in the years to come, I am quite enjoying living in the here and now.  I have made a serious effort to stop living in the past over the last fews months, but I don't want to live for the future either. I'm living in the present and I gotta tell you, there's lots of exciting things happening RIGHT NOW.

Like this for instance:

Baby Scurlock arriving July 2013!

So here is to 2013, may we enjoy every single moment, in the moment.

A Christmas at Home

I know I should be posting about my New Year's resolutions today.  IF I were, it would include something about eating better, working out more, making more time in my day to connect with friends back home, oh and blogging a little more regularly!  BUT....I haven't posted about Christmas yet, so those New Year's resolutions are going to have to be put on the blogging backburner for a few more days.

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year.  I look forward to it now just as much I did when I was a little girl, perhaps even a little bit more.  I have enjoyed carrying many of the traditions from my childhood into our family.  Josh hasn't been quite as thrilled about my Christmas traditions.  I'm pretty sure he could do without sending Christmas cards, cutting down a Christmas tree, getting a new ornament for the tree every year, and perhaps his least favorite, new matching pajamas for Christmas Eve.  But these things are important to me and Christmas just doesn't feel complete without them.  Luckily, he's been pretty obliging these past two years about traditions, even if he does them a bit unenthusiastically.  We're working on it.  :)

On Christmas Eve, we gathered at my parent's home for their annual open-house party.  There was lots of good food and as always, a birthday cake for Jesus.

We especially enjoyed being with my Gramma and all of her grandchildren.

We then headed over to Grandma Scurlock's house for Christmas Eve chili, gifts, Christmas carols, and a whole bunch of fun.

Sissys-in-law

Then it was time to head home and open up our new PJ's!  Josh just loved them.  He has already put in a special request for a full onesy for next year.  :)

On Christmas morning, we spent some time at my parent's house opening gifts with my family.

Brother, Sister, Me

And then it was off to Josh's sister Brooke's home for a homemade breakfast of biscuits and gravy and some great time with our nephews.

The Whole Gang!

Josh and Caleb

Our Christmas morning was busy, but we weren't done yet.  We went to my Gramma's for Christmas dinner.

 And we took my Mom's annual Christmas card picture while we were there. This year's theme was "Ugly Sweater Christmas."

Our last stop for the night was at Josh's Dad's home.  I don't have any pictures from there, but we enjoyed the company of the Scurlock family and ended the evening watching Warrior, which was a surprisingly good film.

I hope everyone's Christmas was wonderful and that as we ring in 2012 tonight, we can all look forward to a happy and healthy new year. 

As for the Scurlock's, we are flying back to Grenada in the morning and we are excited to spend a few days together on our island before Josh's last term of basic sciences begins.  God has truly blessed us and we will always look back on 2011 with the fondest of memories. 

Happy New Year Everyone!