Christmas Past

The decorations are gone. It's over and the end of the Christmas seasons and end of the Christmas season, ready for a new beginning and an appropriate time for reflection. I really did a lot of changing about the entire Christmas Holiday. We bought less, made more, did new projects, had fun with the kids, decorated differently. First time things for us were doing our Elf on the Shelf Activity, our Advent Calendar,

baking and decorating cookies, making treats for the neighbors, attending our town's Christmas walk, creating a Daily December book and hosting a gingerbread decorating party. We did more activities such as outings, baking, crafting, than I have ever did but I had less stress. How does that work? I refused to let myself get all worked up about it. I truly enjoyed it for the first time in years.

I didn't dread it at all. I can't even think of one thing that I hated which has not been true for me in the past. I don't feel we skimped on gifts even though we definitely bought less, the kids had plenty and aren't so overwhelmed by new toys,

I don't feel our recipients felt jilted because they received homemade items.

Actually the only thing that I wish I could change was to have given more homemade gifts but there's only so much time for Mindy "Last Minute" Murray to create! Last year at this time I was so overwhelmed by the holiday even though it was already over. We received WAY TOO MANY gifts that I didn't know what to do with, spent WAY TOO MUCH money on gifts, had a lot of stress about last minute shopping and preparing as well as dread that I knew this holiday would be here again before we knew it.

I feel 360 degrees differently this time around so the biggest change could be my attitude about Christmas and I have a feeling that my love of Christmas Past will carry on for Christmas Future.

I hope your holiday season was just as lovely as mine filled with fun, family, and love.

The Story Matters . . . I Believe

I haven't scrapbooked for myself forever except the very little bit I have done on my Daily December Book (some of which I did in the van the other day -- Aaron says you know I'm a hard core scrapper when I'm scrappin' in the van). Anyway I was pretty faithful about Penny's Challenge Blog, The Story Matters, until last time and then I missed it so I thought I'd get back on the horse again. I started way too late last night and at 1:30am I made myself stop because scrapping hangovers are hell. I finally finished it right before lunch so it's almost 12 hours late and I'm sure it doesn't count but I still did it so I might as well show it off.

The challenge was "I Believe".

Of course this was easy for me since I have several miracles (four to be exact) living in my house! I wanted to put Reesey on this page too but I screwed up when I ordered my photos yesterday and missed the one of Reese and me . . . oh well.

The journaling reads: After 3 years of infertility, tons of tests and procedures, invitro was our last hope of becoming pregnant. We hit the Baby jackpot becoming pregnant with triplets. I think I held my breath during all 33 weeks of my pregnancy. Addison, Ethan, and Caden entered the world so tiny fighting for every breath. It seemed as if the world was praying for these babies. They fought hard for their survival. The babies I thought I'd never have are now my proof that miracles are born everyday sometimes three at a time!

My scrapbook stuff is in transition -- most of it is upstairs in new containers because I gave the kids my downstairs cabinet for their art stuff. I plan on moving all my stuff upstairs and making a new creative space to work when I get Reese moved into the other bedroom. It's a long process because we have too much stuff and furniture has to be removed to fit all 4 kids in one room. Sounds cozy doesn't it? Believe me they love it, she'll fit right into the frat party they always have going on in there. I want my bedroom back so I have more than 2 hours a day that I can go in there without fear of waking her up. Today I spent about 2 hours up there going through toys. I have a big box to get rid of and I'm sure I'll find more.

Back to Real Life

I love my kids to death but today was one of those days where you feel mentally exhausted. I think they must be overtired and out of sync from Christmas. Addison has cried almost non-stop from the moment she woke up until she went to bed. She ate well today so I don't think she's sick and I know she can't be hungry. The baby has been into everything. We were gifted a set of bunkbeds from our school superintendent's family. We put them up last night so far so good for Addison and Caden but we gave Ethan the choice of staying in his tented crib or moving to Caden big boy toddler bed. Ethan wanted to sleep in the toddler bed and, I use the word, sleep, loosely. He wanted to lay in the bed not actually sleep after about 2 hours of him messing around, playing in the bathroom, coming downstairs, keeping Caden and Addison awake I made him move back into the crib. Today Ethan has wanted to play upstairs a lot which means trying to climb the bunk bed, playing in the bathroom and generally wrecking havoc in their room. We also went grocery shopping which was crazy and the kids were not so cooperative. Aaron's truck is broken down again. He's at the neighbor's house trying to fix it. That left me here alone again I had enough of crying, screaming, fighting, mess making, so I put them to bed early, 30 minutes ago, no sleep yet. Our house is a total wreck! I don't even know where to start maybe with a cup of cocoa and some Irish creme?

Merry Christmas!

We're having a nice quiet Christmas at home with family. I hope your holiday is just as happy as ours!

S L O W L Y . . .

I am slowly getting everything done. I'm so last minute -- last minute should be my middle name!. But I have one more project to do and that's it plus wrap a couple things for the kids tonight but other than that we're done. This is the further ahead we've ever been. Usually on Christmas Eve I'm still shopping . . . I haven't shopped since last Thursday well I probably would have been out there again IF the weather had kept us housebound since Saturday. I usually haven't sent out my cards by this time either but I have a couple still to go but that's just because I can't get to the post office half a block away while they are open to buy stamps. I've even made 4 of my dishes for Christmas dinner today too. Now I'm still in my PJs at 3pm and the kids keep asking me if I'm sick or if I'm staying home when we go to Grammy and Papa's tonight. Funny.

We went out and put out the reindeer food for Santa so they'd be sure to stop for a while.

The kids discovered some presents with their names under the tree and were crawling around down there today. Reesey will not stop unwrapping presents. She didn't want much to do with at her birthday but now that I don't want her to she's ripping paper right and left!

I'd better get that last project done and into the shower Aaron should be home from work in about an hour. Hopefully the kiddos stay asleep until then. Thank you, God, that they are all asleep this afternoon!

P.S. I forgot to mention that my house looks like a bomb went off in it (set by the three 4 year old terrorists I have living here) but that can be dealt with later tonight before Santa comes so he doesn't trip and fall!

Welcome to Candy Land

We hosted a gingerbread decorating party today. Last year my friend, Candi, posted about her gingerbread party and I thought it looked like a lot of fun.

Again I have never decorated a gingerbread house so I know nothing about it. I asked Candi for some hints and tips. It wasn't hard we used graham crackers hot glued together which made it easy to do ahead and ready to go for today. Each kid was to bring one treat/candy to share.

Candi gave me a great frosting recipe that holds the candy and treats on nicely. We invited some of our All Aboard preschool friends. Unfortunately Mother Nature decided to throw another snow storm at us and Alison and her boys decided not to come. Sara and her three kids, Seth, Katie, and Brodie made it. The kids did it a lot longer than I thought they would and Addison and Caden even added more to their houses this afternoon.

Sara and I each made a house after the kids were done since we had two extra from the guests that couldn't come.

This is definitely something I want to make a holiday tradition.

I just read on another blog that most kids aren't going to remember specific presents from year to year but they will remember these fun family traditions that you do each year. I believe it's those fun memories and traditions that help build a strong family. I hope you're having a SWEET holiday!

Christmas Disappointment

Today was Christmas for my side of the family. We were going an hour away to Monica's house. I started questioning the weather on Friday. I went to my scrapbook club/class yesterday afternoon and the drive back home was pretty scary for me. Aaron said I was being a baby until he and our neighbor went somewhere later on and confirmed that it wasn't such great driving weather. I still wasn't finished with my homemade gifts and we hadn't wrapped one single thing. I stayed up until 2:30 am and finished the 3 big things then Reesey got up at 6 am. Aaron wrapped everything this morning and I finished a few other smaller items. I called my dad and both sisters this morning and no one seemed too worried about the weather. I started to think I was blowing it out of proportion. But my dad did say his thermometer read -6 degrees and with the wind chill it's about -30. Our van started so we loaded and loaded. We went and got about 1 mile down the blacktop road and decided we couldn't see at times and there was quite a bit of drifting so phone calls we made and we turned around with 3 crying kids. They haven't been out of the house since school on Thursday and they really want to see their cousins and get presents. So we ate a cheese ball, crackers, and artichoke dip with bread for lunch -- healthy! At least I have all the gifts completed and wrapped for that celebration whenever it happens . . . now I can't say the same for Aaron's side of the family . . . I have several projects to do and we need to wrap all that stuff too. Living on the edge!

Not stressing

Seriously . . . I'm not stressing about Christmas even though I should be. Tomorrow we are supposed to celebrate with my side of the family, weather cooperating. Aaron and I have not wrapped one single gift. I have about 5 things still to make -- some require paper cutting and gluing and some require the sewing machine. I dying tell what they are just so everyone can go what? and you haven't started yet? but I'm really not worried about it. I haven't been able to get anything accomplished the last 2 days except laundry, baking, and cooking for all these people who are going stir crazy. We should consider moving into an old school with a gym where they can run and run and run. Here's a glimpse into the playroom:

Look they are standing on the furniture and usually jumping from one thing to another and running and screaming and biting (Ethan) and playing football (I got hit with a football in the back the other day -- Aaron says it's okay to play football in the house, I disagree) and fighting and crying. None of them have on all their clothes. I don't even know why I dress them, seriously. The colder it gets the less they wear. Aaron and I are freezing and piling on the clothes and their stripping. In summer they probably be wearing turtlenecks and knee socks and stocking caps. I'm going to put them to bed and get to work and hopefully I get to go to bed tonight too!

Iced In

So the Big Ice Storm came and now we're all stuck at home again. Fine by me . . . it seems I have been going, going, going again and I'm sick of the crowds and the traffic and the weather. So we made cookies today.

It was kind of fun. I have to admit I've never really done the whole decorating Christmas cookies thing before and Aaron said he hadn't either.

We had a good time doing it. At first I thought it was just going to be me and Addison doing all the decorating

since this is what the guys looked like:

Once the candy made an appearance then everybody decided to help for a while. Addison helped on the snowmen cookies and Ethan worked on the cookie he was eating for a long time. It had lots of sprinkles and the sprinkle container had lots of frosting and he ate more than his share of chocolate chips.

Aaron decided to jump in too and I was suprised by his decorating skills. He was offended when I offered decorating ideas. He said "I know how to do art!"

Aaron got very detailed in his creations -- most of these are his. Quite impressive.

and Addison and I mostly made these snowmen which were easy and turned out cute.

I want to make gingerbread cookies too but I think I'll save it for another day. We ate lunch late and Caden kept complaining that he didn't want to eat because his stomach hurt. Secretly we thought he didn't want to stop watching a Jim Carey movie, this boy loves Jim Carey. We also are battling constipation problems here with the boys so it's normal for their tummy to hurt. Well he wasn't kidding when he said his stomach hurt because during lunch he threw up. I think he had too much candy decorations and he didn't eat much for breakfast . . . we've been sick on Christmas at least 2 times if not more . . . this better not be the sign of things to come! Aaron's out deicing and he already fell down first thing this morning so hopefully he's stays upright

. . . I'm off to make some more Christmas gifts.

Relaxing by the Tree {not}

Last night the activity in our advent calendar was to sit by the tree with the lights off, drinking hot cocoa and listening to Christmas music. Sounds relaxing doesn't it . . . well, maybe it would be minus the 4 children, 3 who thought they were at a restaurant placing orders for more cocoa, juice, and lids. Making complaints to their waitress [me] about the dislike for the animal on their cup and then there were tears about the spilled cocoa 5 seconds after I said 12 times hold on to your cup. It was at least 2 Christmas songs before I got to sit down. By that time the kids were done sitting but I sat while Reesey ran around me and Aaron and fell down every fourth step. So maybe I'll do this again by myself with a giant cup of hot cocoa (half filled with Irish creme) and truly relax!

A Homemade Christmas

I love creating things . . . I really do even if they don't turn out perfectly . . . that's part of the charm of homemade stuff. Even if I had lots of money I wouldn't prefer to go out and buy everything pre-done, pre-made . . . there's just something about process that is almost therapeutic, of course, it's hard to make stuff when you're short on time and surrounded by kids who either want to help or don't want to help, I don't know which is worse.

So today I got the teacher gifts almost done. I put candy in these jars and decorated the top with scrapbook paper and tied some ribbon on. Looks cute and the paper can be removed and the jar can be reused or regifted. I'm making ornaments to tie on the jars too . . . haven't started those yet . . . I only have 5 to make before tomorrow morning . . . no sweat, it's 7:30pm, I got time.

Kids and I started working on some neighbor gifts too. I thought it would be nice to give our neighbors some treats since they are all so nice to us. We began with hot cocoa stirrers made of marshmallows, melted chocolate, and candy canes. The kids only wanted to eat marshmallows and they liked smashing the candy canes but it took forever to unwrap candy canes -- do they make them unwrapped? They should. The kids lost interest fast and I had to keep stopping every 3 minutes because someone learned how to climb the stairs

. . . thanks to Daddy. He said "well, we taught the other kids at 1 year to crawl up the stairs" And yes, we did but that was because I didn't want to keep making 3 trips up the stairs to go to bed 3 times a day. The gate wasn't a big deal then. Now I put the gate up and I have 3 kids needing to go up and get this or that and moving that gate more times than I can count. Anyway, this is time consuming getting her off the stairs or putting up the gate.

Tomorrow we're supposed to get a HUGE ice storm . . . so once again I should probably venture out and get some groceries so we're not ALL stranded at home without food . . . since that's all these kids want to do lately but at least maybe we can finish some more of the neighbor gifts . . . I think cookies would be a nice accompaniment to go with their cocoa.

I better get going on those 5 ornaments not to mention all the other gifts I haven't started on yet but can't mention . . . too many eyes reading this blog who might be receiving one of my gifts.

. . . Breathe . . . Breathe . . . Breathe

This Christmas season I read this suggestion in two different places as a stress reliever. I've been thinking about this word lately when the stress starts to build. It helps some even if just for a little bit. This week the stress is building . . . bad weather, kids being home from school, lots of stuff to make, lots of gifts to wrap, activities to be done and time running out. It goes with the time of year, it goes with having little kids, it just goes with me!

Everyone was home yesterday . . . it was like 4 degrees outside and we had freezing rain the night before. I thought for sure the kids wouldn't have school but they did. We couldn't get any of our van/truck doors open. Aaron decided to not even try to mess with going to work and I wasn't walking 3 kids 2 blocks in the freezing snow and cold to school and neither was he. Needless to say I didn't get to do what I had planned: working on my homemade gifts. I did get most of the Christmas cards addressed (by the way the post office didn't think my wrapping paper envelopes would make it, I mailed one and it did but that was only 3 hours away so I ended up using manila envelopes instead, wrapping paper ones were much cuter though). Aaron and I cleaned out the playroom closet too. I should have taken before and after photos. We found lots of forgotten and lost things. I sure hope it stays clean. My dad came over for supper -- he brought take out which was nice. Once again at 9pm I was cold and I just called it a day . . . that really cuts into valuable accomplishing time when I do that but it's so hard to stay up when I'm freezing and tired.

Today I wanted to go to the Quad Cities and shop but Aaron said the roads weren't so good so I ventured to Galesburg instead. I almost have all the shopping done but then it started to snow and it was time to pick up Ethan. I just picked them all up because they were getting out early anyway. Of course, they wouldn't nap (except Ethan) and I was trying to do Christmas stuff but it just doesn't work. I need to get the house picked up in case the cleaning lady makes it tomorrow but that bed is calling my name again and I sure do feel a chill in the air . . . breathe . . . breathe . . . breathe

Happy Birthday, Keely!

Today is my older sister, Keely's, birthday. I just tease -- I am the oldest and have her beat by 6 years but I like to tell everyone that she is older than me just for fun!

She is one talented girl! She just started scrapbooking about 4 years ago when she was pregnant with Jackson and she is really good and gives really nice scrapbooking gifts. She made this little album for Reesey for her 1st birthday.

I don't even have time to scrapbook any of my stuff lately not to mention give gifts to people.

She's really organized but got the procrastination bug like me. She throws her heart and soul into everything she does. Aaron teases me because if I want something or start to do something new he always asks "is that what Keely is into now?" She's gets jazzed about something then I do too most of the time (I laugh every time I use the word, jazzed). She's a great mom to Jackson and Jeffrey and she totally gets me. We look a lot alike and we think a lot of like too. Jackson my trio are only 5 months apart and Jeffrey and Reese are only 7 months apart so we are "in the same places" on child raising and great support for each other.

Keely is one of the most generous people I've ever met. She's done a lot for me and I owe her big time. She came here and stayed for 7 days when I had Reese. She watched 5 kids 3 years and under for 4 straight days. She should just get an award for that. She's shown up at my door one morning at 8am (even though she lives 3 hours away) because I was in the middle of a breakdown not too long after Reese was born. She's taken my kids to her house to spend the night for more than one night in a row and she's done it more than once: this is unprecedented after they spend the night once at some one's house they have not been invited back by anyone but her.

Keely and Jeremy let my family of 6 come to their neat little family of 4 and stay for a few days all the time and never complain even though going from 4 to 10 people in one house is more than a little overwhelming. She's bought us essential stuff when Aaron was laid off like food and toiletries and some fun stuff just to pick up my mood. She works at a scrapbook store and always is getting me cool stuff too.

She's a great person and you can check her out here.

I consider both my sisters, Keely and Monica, my best friends. I don't know a lot of people that can say that especially ones that live one and three hours away.

Happy Birthday Keely, one great sister and even better best friend!

I love you!

Just so you know . . .

today I finished my Christmas cards. Well, I made the cards. I don't have envelopes because I found a tutorial that tells you how to make envelopes any size you want. My cards are 6x6 and I couldn't find envelopes that size anywhere so I thought no problem when I found this tutorial. I thought I'd use regular copy paper to make them but realized it's not big enough, no problem I thought, I'll use some 12x12 scrapbook paper, we all know I have enough of that but that's not big enough either. Next idea is to use wrapping paper which is cheap and festive but I have to wait for Reesey to wake up in order to get to my wrapping paper. We'll see how that goes. I like how my cards turned out even if the photo is a little wacky. They were so easy and just for kicks I figured out how much I spent on making them this year: $12 for 41 cards which I think is good.

I've also been busy with the never ending laundry and I've made this beef stew in the crockpot and am defrosting frozen bread dough. Then I stumbled over this lemon bar recipe that I am going to make for dessert. Can you tell I'm still on my eating binge? Kids will be home from preschool soon and we're doing a project with snowmen.

Enter Hibernation

I am not a fan of winter mainly because I despise big coats and car seat buckles, zippers, gloves, hats, wet boots kicking my legs while I'm trying to buckle those car seats, scrapping ice off windows to drive 2 blocks, need I go on? I must be ready to hibernate . . . I swear I cannot eat enough the last few days, then following a large dinner I am ready to go to bed at 9 pm (tonight I started feeling sleepy at 7:30) this is about 3 hours earlier than my regular bedtime. I need to wear about 4 layers of clothes to sleep but wake up in the middle of the night so hot certainly not as bad as it was when I was pregnant and sweating with a fan blowing on me but still. So doesn't that sound good just sleep the winter away . . . except for the 4 kids I have -- they don't appreciate sleep as much as I do so I guess that's out. But I'm off to bed . . . good night!

Homemade Gifts Take 2

Okay so the kids did go to school today. I'm off to work on some of those homemade gifts since it didn't happen yesterday with all the kiddos at home (yay.) and Reesey decided she didn't need a morning nap (double yay.). I swear we are all on some eating binge including me. I couldn't eat enough yesterday must be because it's so cold. The kids could eat and eat and eat snacks. Then they thought they were at a restaurant yesterday for lunch with everybody wanting something different. Aaron came home early and we went to the Y and then home to a late supper but they were all starving and ate well.

I need to get to the grocery store but it's raining and I hate shopping with the baby in the rain and then it's supposed to snow so it can wait. I need to buy more supplies for gift making too but I need to get going on the stuff that I have already have here at home.

I did get Christmas photos yesterday but as always they didn't turn out so great. We tried twice and I felt disappointed that they weren't as I expected but I looked through them on the computer anyway and decided I could make it work. They aren't the best but I need to let go of those unrealistic expectations and I'm making them do. So if you get a Christmas card from me know that I know the coloring is off and the lighting is weird and there's some blurriness but guess what I have 4 kids and getting a photo is hard with one even with bribery of Christmas Tree peeps . . . so I'm just going to enjoy what I have and the memory of how difficult they are to get a good photo.

I'm doing well on my December Daily Book that Keely made me. It's fun and eclectic. It's going to be filled with how great this holiday season has been!

A change of Perspective

As a teacher I lived for snow days . . . an unexpected "free" day of time to sleep in, catch up on stuff, or just do nothing. Now as a parent, snow days are not such the epiphany of joy that I used to experience. Thinking I am going to send 3 out of 4 kids out the house for several hours of the day, lets me plan things that I normally wouldn't attempt to accomplish with 4 kids home. I watched the weather last night and I knew there may be some freezing rain. So I watched the news this morning before my shower, no big news, no school closings. Follow our normal routine of get dressed, eat breakfast, do hair, coats, shoes, start the van. We drive the whole 2 blocks to school and there's one car in the school parking lot . . . weird. I drive the van towards the elementary building and there were about 10 there, not the usual amount but I was sure there was school. I listen to the radio, the news is on they say there was an accident near us but didn't mention any school closings. Another preschool parent pulled up to preschool and walked in so we did too. Empty . . . nothing going on at all. So the other parent and I decide there must not be school today. We go home. I turn on the TV, nothing is scrolling at the bottom of either news station. I wonder did I miss a note and it was planned there was no school today . . . totally possible keeping in mind that I get no less than 15 notes a week from preschool and I can't remember anything. I call my friend Chrissi who is a teacher and she confirms it small ice storm through our county and they called school off late. (Of course as a teacher she's probably estatic that there's no school). Pretty much after 7:15 am and all the kids are up I can't watch or even hear the news with all the commotion going on so I missed it. I guess my neighbor saw us getting in the van and he tried to stop us too but I'm oblivious to my surroundings most of the time.

So now I have 4 kids home. I doubt I get all the laundry done or start some of my homemade Christmas gifts but we may get our Christmas card photo taken . . . maybe . . . that's a hard thing to do . . . a really hard thing to do . . . usually involving threats, bribes, and swearing (by mom). That's what you get here the story behind the story . . . wish me luck!

Weekend Report

I feel like we've put a big dent in the Christmas preparations this weekend. On Saturday we got up early, headed to Walmart to: see Santa, donate some items to a food drive, shop for a boy and a girl from the angel tree, and get our oil changed which was almost 2000 miles overdue. We had some issues with the shopping though. We discussed it beforehand about some boys and girls not getting presents for Christmas. We picked out 2 children who were 4 and 5 years old and had similar likes to us: Spiderman, Cars, and Pet Shop. Oh, were there tears about the toys and the shirts and the jammies we selected. And then more tears when the kids kept asking where the gifts were when we left Walmart and I said we left them there so they could be wrapped and given to those kids. They just didn't get it. We had to do a little shopping for their classroom gift exchange. $3 limit so I thought the Target dollar spot would be a good place to find some fun stuff. I just picked out the stuff this time though because we couldn't take any more crying. I think every one including Daddy had low blood sugar or something because after we ate Pizza Hut Buffet they were all much better.

Our friends, Alison and her 2 sons, Ethan and Noah, came to visit for a little while on Saturday afternoon. Alison was the kids preschool teacher for the last 2 years and I really like her. We had fun and made plans to get together in a couple weeks again before Christmas.

Today Ethan got up at 3:30 am! I know, what is that about? I stayed awake until about 5 with him and then Caden got up and Aaron took over. I got up at 8 and fixed pancakes and bacon. Aaron had fallen asleep with Ethan for a little while and I think Addison and Caden had a sugar feast of cookie crisp cereal, candy cane kisses, and Reese's peanut butter cups along with whatever else they could find. So needless to say they were a little wild, or maybe should I say out of control. Aaron and I haven't seen anything like it. They were just crazy! I suggest that maybe we call his mom and see what she was up to and maybe they could go for a visit. Good luck was on our side and she said she'd take them for a little while and we got to go Christmas shopping and out to lunch kidless, oh the quiet and the calm and the ability to complete tasks easily and quickly! It was so nice. I'm already thinking toward the new year and Aaron and I getting away from the kids once or twice a month to do things is definitely going to be a priority.

This afternoon our advent calendar said to write a letter to Santa and drink some hot cocoa. We did it and Elfie will take our letters to him. Maybe Santa will even write us back!

Tonight I hope to work on my December Daily Book. Another Ali Edwards idea. She did one last year which is basically making a little scrapbook to document each day in the month of December. Of course I didn't get my book made ahead of time but Keely made me one, I think she made about 4 or 5 of theses total for herself and to give away. So I have the first page done and photos printed up until Friday. Here's a project I may actually finish!

I'm going to say that this holiday season so far has been so less stressful. I have my list of things to buy and things to make. The buying part is slowly going down but I really haven't started on making anything yet but this is the week and I'm really excited at this point, of course the fun of new projects for me is the starting and not so much the following through. Gonna try to push through to the end though!