making that again monday

Happy New Year friends!  It has been a relaxing holiday week at Princess of Quite A Lot.  The boys got a Wii this year for Christmas and have been playing it NONSTOP for the past 8 Days.  On Friday Holden asked what day it was because he had so much fun this week he had lost track, I consider that a successful holiday break!  Asher is trying to kick Strep Throat and honestly I think his tonsils are losing.  He is on his third round of antibiotics and we will be headed to the ENT this week to talk tonsillectomy.  Sloan has officially declared his dislike{he says hate. My least favorite word in the world.  have you ever heard a two year old say hate-it's really ugly and I think I have his brothers to thank}for all video games, as his brothers have virtually stopped playing with him.  I told him the Wii obsession his brothers were experiencing would be short lived, and I was right, today everyone is back to playing Batman and Robin, wrapping each other up with blue painters tape, and mandatory outside play{today I sent people outside, locked the doors and didn't let them in until they ran10 times around the house...they cried child abuse, I giggled and patted myself on the back}.

I have been painting that pesky entry way and sealing grout.  Don't be too envious :) I am thinking about organizing every drawer in the house, but instead have decided to cook.  Cooking has made me think a lot about one of the New Years resolutions I made this year.  I want to step away from "reluctant entertainer" and step into "spontaneous entertainer" this year.  Part of Todd's and my goals last year was to certainly entertain friends in our house, but before I knew it the year started to get away from us.  We did host a Halloween party for our neighborhood and it was a start, but we need and want to do more.  My goal is to not only entertain, but to stop over thinking it too.  When the mood strikes, I want to have people over.  Let go of the clean house and perfect meal thoughts that get in my way, stop planning in advance which gives me too much time to make it a bigger deal than it needs to be. We just want to be with people, which is truly when I feel the best...connecting face to face.

I have nothing against having friends over and serving take and bake pizza and a salad.  I know in my head that people are just happy to be invited and what mother doesn't appreciate a meal she doesn't have to make herself. Lots of times I stress over what to make, when really a few go to recipes is all you need. 

Over Christmas I  made a very simple meal that I thought would be nice to share with you, and with whom ever we have over next...

This Baked Shrimp Scampi can easily be doubled for a larger crowd and the best part is it can be made in advance and stuck in the oven when your guests arrive.  All you have to do when they come over is boil some pasta and roast some veggies.  The kids like this recipe well enough, as the non shrimp eaters just pick them out.  Crusty bread and lots of wine is sure to make this a crowd pleaser!

So, I'll let you know how successful we are this year.  I'm usually against any and all resolutions because I think it's just a way to completely fail and hate yourself, but I know this one will be good for us.   I have roped Todd into it as well and he never lets a goal go unattained.

I have made just one more little goal  that I might as well share while I'm at it.  I want to take a ballet class.  There.  I put it out there for all the world to know.  I want to get in different, better shape and a ballet class seems like a great way to get there.  I have found the class, I just need to pick up the phone and make the call...

The following pictures have nothing to do with anything.  Just the boys on Christmas Eve before we went to church.  Is it just me, or is it nearly impossible to dress boys for any special occasion?  They don't want to wear collars, they don't want to wear sweaters, they don't want to tuck shirts in. Ugh! 

As "perfectly" dressed as I can ever get them.  Oh what it must be like to stick a dress on a girl and go.

 

I tried to get a shot of just Sloan, but he decided to be two years old and not cooperate. 

Have a great week and I'll be back soon with more{ramblings}.