PEEPS Fest

The title sounds a little risque but I assure you this is a family friendly post.

We had lots of options for New Year's Eve-see a giant Peeps chicken drop or a crayon.  Not many people could say that.

When I lived in Pottsville (yes, the birthplace of Yuengling beer) they had a ball drop at the square.  Actually, I don't remember if it was a ball or if it was something else.  According to Wikipedia, they drop a bottle of Yuengling beer.  I guess that's better than a 100-pound stick of Lebanon bologna like in Lebanon, PA.  My first apartment was right below the square so I hosted a New Year's party for my family one year. That was the only time I ever braved the cold to see any type of countdown. Like most people, I do have embarrassing photos from New Year's parties I've attended.  As you've probably guessed that was BK (before kids) and yes, there was usually alcohol involved.

I usually find New Year's anticlimactic anyway, at least that is how I've felt the last few years.  Maybe it is a sign that I am starting to accept what is and am not worrying so much about everything.  

Since my sister-in-law was in town we decided to check out Peeps Fest with the kids.  What kid wouldn't want to see a big yellow fiberglass chicken drop from the sky? The Peep drop was also at 6:15 pm so it wasn't past any of our bedtimes.  Why were they dropping a Peep?  Just Born, the maker of Peeps is based in Bethlehem.

There was something oddly beautiful about being amid the old rusting former Bethlehem Steel plant where SteelStacks (the arts & cultural campus) is located. 

We were to late to see any of the free events inside.  We didn't want to arrive to early since we had 5 kids to corral and if they had gotten to restless we would have had to leave. We did get to walk around inside the ArtsQuest building though.  This was no easy feat with a sit-n-stand stroller that isn't the most maneuverable thing to begin with amidst all of the people milling around. 

People were looking at me a little odd when I climbed up on the small ladder to take a picture of the chalk drawing (the center pic).  I assumed that was why it was there since the picture looked three-dimensional from the top.  The PEEPS tree looked good enough to eat (even though I am not a fan of the confection that tree almost convinced me to try one again).

According to Emmy, the best part of the PEEPS drop was getting a pack of marshmallow trees after the PEEPs chicken dropped.

 
Oh, and we did attempt to stay up anyway.  We managed, barely.  The kids didn't make it of course.  We did have a dance party in the basement until bedtime though. 

As far as embarrassing New Year's photos, there is one of me dancing with Emmy wiggling our butts doing one of the songs from Just Dance For Kids on the Wii. Some things never change...

How did you ring in the New Year?

New Year's Resolutions and Motherhood

When you are pregnant, people will tell you how you will worry about everything regarding your children but they omit the part about how much you will worry about yourself to.

I can't think of anything worse than my children not having the one thing they need.  Me.  I know what it is like to lose a parent.  My father died when I was 13.

I was a worrier as a child.  I would worry that the tickle in my throat was something more sinister when in fact it was just that-a tickle.  When my father was diagnosed with cancer when I was 12, I worried that I would be stricken with the disease.

Eventually, I seemed to outgrow my hypochondria.  I went to college, and for the first time became totally independent. After college,  between substituting two days a week, working in a clothing store full-time, searching for a full-time teaching job, and attempting to have what resembled a social life, I didn't have time to worry about my health.  I wasn't dependent on anyone and no one was dependent on me.  Maybe that was why I stopped worrying so much.

Then, I met my husband.  He was always worried about his health and I would even tease him about it.  Then we had children.

All those worries came back in full force for me to.  We do try to eat healthy, exercise (well I at least try to) but there are no guarantees in this world.  Is everything we do enough?

Have you ever heard the song "If I Die Young"?
 


The first time I heard the lyrics I thought what if?

We would all like our words and whatever wisdom we have to live on.  This blog has become my journal of sorts since I stink at actually keeping a journal.  Remember my last New Year's resolution?  I wanted to write 34 words a day in my journal.  How did I do?  I made it to the middle of January and the rest of the journal is blank.  Defeated by 34 words.

I know I am a good mom.  I screw up a lot (like the one night when I took Emmy to dance class on the wrong night) but I love my children fiercely.  I want them to know that through their memories but also through my own words. We can't always control what fate has in store for us.

How often do we reflect on our lives and how we live them?  Having children makes us do that every day. I want them to know that they have changed me for the better.

There are no guarantees.

My New Year's resolution this year?  Not to make a resolution. Every day is a chance to start over.

I know a little bit of worry is good and I may even make another attempt at writing in my journal.  I'm going to continue blogging of course. 

Tomorrow Bob goes back to work after being on vacation for almost two weeks and back to the gym I go.  Out of the pantry will go all of the goodies that we stocked over the holidays for entertaining except for the cookies I just made.  Hey, a little indulgence is good, remember.

Did you make a New Year's resolution? If so, I'd love to know what your resolution is!

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