January Sledding - Live Footage

That is Kristen yelling "Weeeeee" while Paul & Brooke are pulling the sled up and down the driveway.

Winter Time Fun

We've had record snowfall for the month of January in CT and we are expecting more later this week - oh joy !! On more than one morning, we've been awakened by the joyful squeals of Brooke announcing "it snowed last night - let's go sledding"

Bundled Up

 Ready to Ride

 The girls share a sled ride

At first, the girls were impressed by the whole snowman, sledding, snow angel thing but even the novelty has worn off for them.  It takes me longer to get them dressed in their snow gear than we last outside.  I have cheap winter boots - they leak, they lack insulation and the flipping zippers are always getting jammed.  We don't normally get a lot of snow, so they have served their purpose and not warranted a more sizeable investment.  This Winter The Snow Gods are doubled over laughing at me.  So today, after shoveling for a mere 15 minutes,  I came in with frozen toes.  The Snow Gods win - - - I ordered new, expensive boots.  I am sure I have seen the last sizeable, boots needed snow for the season. 

All you people who are sick and tired of the snowy weather can thank me - I took one for the team!!!!

365 Project

When I grow up, I want to take pictures .... really good pictures.  For now I am happy with my point and shoot camera (thanks for the recommendation Mark Burbidge) and the pictures I snap of our everyday life. Since I need to save for the more sophisticated camera and have the time to devote to learning how to use it I decided that I was going to attempt a "365 Project" this year as sort of a warm up.  What's a 365 Project you ask?

A 365 Project is a photography project where you take 1 photo each day for a year on a subject of your choosing and share it with the world.

I'm a little worried that I'm going to forget one day ... so if you see me in person or virtually, ask me what I've photographed that day.

You can follow my project here http://365project.org/hromanski/365

Here's two that didn't make the cut .....

Yup, I've got lots of room for improvement .......

Christmas 2010 Memories

Now that all the chaos of Christmas has passed I'm finally finding time to post some photos from the Holidays.  Brooke was so excited to see Santa at the mall.  As we got closer to the spot she was filled with anticipation but visibly distressed when we rounded a corner and she didn't see him.  "Mom, I don't see a man in a red suit anywhere ..."  Thankfully we spotted him after taking a few more steps.  She was so proud to tell Santa she only hoped to get a new sketch pad on Christmas Morning.  Santa came through.

Santa Claus also made an appearance at Miss Carol's Daycare.  The kids returned from playing down the hall to discover him waiting in the living room.  Love the looks on their little faces.

Brooke was so happy to be on Santa's lap again and this time getting an early present.

Kristen, well let's just say this wasn't her year for Santa Claus

Dancing with the Stars ????

Paul has a favorite Backyardigans episode, the one where they Polka ..... we have affectionately named it "The Redneck Polka", since underneath it all, we really are just a bunch of Rednecks in this house.

For your viewing pleasure, I present live footage from a July evening when Daddy and Brooke danced along with the TV and Kristen watched.

*** Disclaimer: 1) Yes, he knows I posted this and sort gave his expressed permission.  2) This was previously only available on my Facebook page and was loaded here on Romanskiville by request (seriously - people wanted to see it here)

For every thing there is a season

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance ........ a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace" Ecclesiastes 3:1-8


I purposely didn't post here on Jan 1 ....  I've been thinking seriously about New Years Resolutions for 2011 the last few weeks and every time I thought about them, I got a little discouraged.  You see it takes me all of about 2.8 seconds (OK, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration) but within a few weeks of the "New Year" I've faltered or stopped all together, you know the eating healthy, the exercising, the doing this or not doing that.  The list is too long to be practical and it leaves me feeling discouraged and disappointed. I'm not doing it again ...

Don't get me wrong, I was excited about a New Year, 2010 was exhausting for us, physically and mentally.  I was ready to be able to draw that proverbial "line in the sand" and start fresh but I needed to approach it differently then in the past.

January 1, 2011 was a good day.

We spent time with close friends and with each other.  We did chores and we played.  It was not over planned, over scheduled, or over stressed ...... it was calm, peaceful and balanced.  It was SO GOOD.

Brooke & Daddy & Frosty the Snowman

This year, 2011, is going to be all about a "new normal." Where clean dishes out the dishwasher and clean laundry out of the basket is OK, a year where I'm going to embrace "One day at a time" and "Just keep swimming", where balance is going to be paramount ...... and rather than resolutions its going to be about recognizing when it is time - - time to plant, heal, build, laugh, cry, give up, be silent, speak, love, fight, and be at peace. 
 
We'll see how it goes .......