The Best Goals

Only an hour left in the month!  I don't know about anybody else, but this feels feels like a more appropriate New Year to me.  On December 31st I'm far too shell-shocked from Christmas to think about goals and resolutions. By the end of January I've recovered enough to start looking forward.

If you are ready for a February challenge, there's always Christy's brilliant Run Swim Bike Cook.  Initially I was thinking I would pass because I rarely find time to exercise now that I'm a working mum.  Then I decided I ought to try for precisely the same reason: I desperately need to make time for fitness.  While I doubt I'll accomplish the whole distance, perhaps I can manage half in solidarity with Ben who is preparing for St. George's Ironman 70.3 this May.  As far as the Cook portion goes, well, my kids and I have become slightly obsessed with the Great British Baking Show.  I'm thinking that our family will tackle one of the Technical Challenges each week and see how we fare, just for kicks. (Certainly not up to Paul Hollywood's standards, I'm sure.)

As always, you are more than welcome to join the fun.  Stretch yourself for the full challenge or invent whatever variation works for you and your lifestyle. 

• Challenge 1: Run 26.2 miles 
• Challenge 2: Swim 2.4 miles
• Challenge 3: Bike 112 miles
• Challenge 4: Cook 3 of the 4 "iron-chef" challenges

And now, for the fun part--silly photos.  While I haven't written down goals for the year, had I done so, this blog would have made the list.  At times it seems tedious, but the memories are too precious to give up.  

Annika Mae.  Despite the fact that she had a birthday two days ago, this little tike is not allowed to grow up any more.  Where else will all our laughs come from?  Like the fact that she fell in love with this giant snake at D.I. and begged for Santa's elves to give it to her for Christmas.  (Santa obliged, although it was not much of a surprise since she knew which gift bag contained the snake and would peek in on it every day.)

Cutest swimsuit sheriff around.  Note how she's sitting directly over the heat vent because she's cold.  I don't suppose that wearing clothes would help...

I told her that she couldn't put her Littlest Pet Shops in the bathtub because they would get wet so she found them all boats.

One can never have too many stuffed animals.

Constructing a maze for Spark, the [real] guinea pig.

Ever versatile, the Magnatiles came in handy when Jason wanted to corner a mouse that was hiding under the oven.  (Yeahhh, that didn't work so well.)

A picture of poor Eli after he collided with Talia's braces.  Guess that's what happens when you play tag in the dark.

And a photo of the four greatest kids ever...

...not that I'm biased or anything.

New Year's Resolution #1: Spend more time enjoying the twinkle of these shining stars.