My Beautiful Days

I won't lie, I really really REALLY wanted my first post of 2012 to be something amazing and significant and huge; but in trying to figure out specifically WHAT that amazingly significantly huge thing is going to be, I have let too many days pass.  At this point, it's time just to get back on here and play the ever-so-common game of catch up!  So, without further adieu, this is what we've been up to: My boys held a fashion show with the most interesting fashions around ... Ethan played peek-a-boo with me and gave me his most gorgeous smile! We opened Christmas presents ...  ... and modeled Christmas presents, too! Monte and I got all dressed up and went to a Christmas party. We celebrated Claire's birthday!  We celebrated Colin's birthday, too ... ... with a cake that had trick candles! On top of all of that busyness, Ellis is currently in basketball and Claire is in speech, keeping us busy beyond the norm, but maybe I need to realize this is our new no...

Do you ever feel like you have something you really want to talk about, and you want to do so on your blog, but yet you just can't because you're uncertain of the feedback that you're going to receive?  For me, this incident comes up quite a bit regarding an acquaintance of mine and their family (if you're reading this and you think it's you, there's a 99.9% chance that it's not ... I'm almost completely certain they don't read my blog).  My issue with this problem is the fact that I have put myself on the line in voicing my opinion on certain situations, and that opinion was one that was in agreement with them.  The problem comes with the fact that my opinion regarding these situations has changed dramatically.  It's almost like there's a whole 'nother aspect of this person that had never been shown to me that has now opened up.  I'm frustrated that I am out there, that people associate me as someone who agrees with this person, when...

Can I be honest?  I used to never RSVP to anything.  If I got a wedding invite, I'd toss the RSVP aside and tack the invite up on my refrigerator (okay, well I wouldn't really tack  it, but you get the picture).  If I received an invite to a birthday party, a family reunion or really any gathering of any kind, I threw the RSVP away and attended if I could and didn't attend if I was unable to. In my mind, it was no big deal.  I wasn't hurting anybody by not responding, they'd be thrilled if I showed up (yep, I do have a pretty big ego!  I tease, I tease) and disappointed if I didn't, but they wouldn't stop living because of me being there or not.  I thought it didn't really matter whether or not I let them know I would be there. Then I started planning our wedding, and RSVPs took on a whole new meaning to me.  We were elated  when people would send back the RSVP (especially since we already put the postage on it - all they had to do was wr...