Happy New Year

Happy 2009!We welcomed in the New Year with a quiet dinner at home with friends. I think I was asleep by 10:30 p.m. and wished Josh a happy new year when I woke up at 2 am to grab an additional blanket. I tried a new recipe for dinner, pasta bolognese, a recipe I got off a new favorite cooking show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.

Josh took New Year's Eve off work, he had a floating holiday he needed to use by the end of the year. We decided to take a family trip to Clyde, CA (right next to the Concord Naval Weapons Station). Josh and I had seen a piece on Clyde on "Eye on the Bay" and planned to visit Clyde on Columbus day but were unable to due to Claire's arrival. So, with Claire in tow this time we ventured off to Clyde all bundled up and well supplied only to figure out that Eye on the Bay had to have been talking about another Clyde because the Clyde by us consisted of a few "Welcome to Clyde" signs, houses and a little bus stop depot. What was supposed to be a morning adventure turned out to be a five minute road trip - we got a good chuckle from that.

Last year was the first year Josh and I set some New Year resolutions as a couple. We found it really helpful in making our year a more purposeful year. We decided to do the same thing this year. After some thought and prayer here are a few of the resolutions we have set out for this year:
1. Give Jen some alone/journaling time weekly.
2. Take a family hike 1x each month.
3. Have dinner with friends every other month.
4. Take devotion time daily.
5. Establish a "travel/vacation" fund.
6. Give back through service.

We are very fortunate to be in fellowship with some other couples that are in the same stage of life. We spent New Year's morning together with our kids. Here are some pictures of the darling kiddos.
On New Year's day we took a family hike through Briones Regional Park. Lola especially loved the hike except for the cow sitings. Each time she saw a cow, it set her off barking.
May this year bring blessing and peace to all of you.