Oh, hello! It's 2013.

As you all know by now, there were no Christmas cards this year.  It's not because things are bad or things are busy or things are even exceptionally exciting.  I just didn't feel like it, and as much as possible, I'm learning to avoid things I don't want to do.  Laundry is an exception to that because if I don't do laundry... well, it just isn't pretty or sanitary.

2012 was a somewhat strange year but certainly not bad.  I'm thinking all kinds of good thoughts for 2013 and so far, so good.  The kids are happy and healthy, the house is still standing a bit cleaner and more organized than this time last year.  Mr. K and I are a bit bedraggled but probably more in love than we've been in a long time.  There's nothing like parenting and you know... life to both tear away and build the bonds of marriage.  We both wish we had a robot maid and/or all the answers but failing both of those, we're just glad we've remembered how to laugh at the regular absurdities of scheduling, widely swinging emotions, and whatever else it is causing us to laugh a little too much lately that is currently slipping my mind.

Newsflash:  5:15 a.m. swim practice sucks ass.  Getting up at 4:30 3 times a week and then swimming after school the other two days does pretty much everything wrong to C and my biorhythms.  Fortunately, there are only 4 more weeks of the season, and the kid has some wicked guns (well... itty bitty water pistols) to show for her hard work.  I still can't quite fathom how I used to get up and go to the gym that early just a few years ago! That said, I was in good shape, and I find it hard to fit in now, so maybe I was on to something!

The excitement continues around here... although it probably doesn't sound exciting to the outside world.  It must be exciting because from the far-too-early wake-ups to the far-too-late goodnights, there's always somewhere to go and something to be done and I think I like it that way.

I hope you are all well.  I'm going to try to check in at least monthly until the end of the school year.  Thank you for all the great cards - I love seeing your families and smiling faces!