2nd Happiest Place on Earth!

Let me just start by shouting out ... "I LOVE IKEA!" I would like to say that it is due to all of the time I spent in Denmark .. ikea is really reflects Scandinavian style ... but back on point, I loved it even before I went to Danmark. Probably the clean lines in the design or the minimalist approach or even just the simplicity of everything ... I LOVE IT!!

Well, the boys love it too ... there is a play area and good lunch/dinner food ... and of course, $1 ice cream.

So, I packed up all of the boys yesterday afternoon and we hopped on the freeway to the 2nd Happiest Place on Earth!

The trip was as expected ... I found a couple GREAT solutions to current issues at my house ...

This is going to solve my "boys messy room" issue. I bought one for both of my older guys with the idea that they can put all of "their" stuff in it that doesn't fit tidily in their dresser top organizer ... wish me luck & we'll see how it goes!!! The beauty of this lies in the peace from knowing now they have one place that neatly zips to dump all of their junk instead of pushing it under the bed!!!

Next, for me ... I keep lots of information in little folders ... I have a School folder, a Scout folder, a Church address list folder, a weight loss folder, a Christmas folder and a good idea folder ... yep, lots of folders. I like to label them with cute labels, but this is a topic for another time. I have run out of space and found these cute, minimalist magazine files. They should work perfectly and they have a spot for another label!!! YAHOO! Plus, I love the green color!

So, I found my great finds and treated the boys to lunch + dessert. It was a good trip ... I also learned a couple things ...

1) Everything is better after eating Swedish meatballs with syltetoj! YUM!

2) There actually can be a place for everything ...

3) My soon to be 17month old is He-Man! He wouldn't stop carrying around this stool ... I was so impressed!

life anew ...

this post is strictly mine ... i love to share pictures about the boys and our lives together, but i am going to take this one just for me.
it seems everything has been whirling by as if i have been in a tornado of thoughts, action and time itself.
life is precious.
and not nearly long enough.
this is the year i will turn 35. for some reason, i really feel like it is the middle of my life, like i am some how passing that imaginary threshold into the second half of my life ... maybe 70 just seems like such a nice round number ... not really sure why. it is not fear, that spurs my invigorated resolve, but a concern for the time remaining.

it seems the approach of the end the beginning of a new year always incites introspection.
am i the person i want to be?
have i reached the apex of my personal possibilities?
have i attained the characteristics i hold in highest esteem?
am i selfless?

i am blessed ... but i am not yet where i need to be ... once again, i have fallen well short of my personal goals and expectations. this is sad, but i am not low. there is only improvement to be made.

hope is the beauty of life.
will is its strength.

with this new year - i will become more like my Savior.
i will track my success and report, not the details, but the joy in my heart.

so, anew i write today with fervor and hope ... here is to a new year and a better self!