Happy New Year!!! It's hard to believe that 2006 is here! Where has the time gone? As a kid, time seemed to go by so slowly. Now that I am grown up, it's going way to fast!

I spent my New Year's Eve in my bed watching a movie. I just don't get into the whole New Year's Eve scene. I was very content watching "Murphy's Romance" until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I did make it until midnight though.

I have decided that 2006 is all about me! I am taking "me" back. For so long, I have done everything for everyone else that I have neglected "me". I look at my kids (except Mark because he is only 5) and I realize how lazy they have become. Greg does okay when I ask him to do stuff, but my girls throw fits if I ask them to unload the dishwasher, get their dirty clothes off the floor and into the laundry room. Then I am so busy driving them all over that the laundry piles up into mountains and you literally break your neck coming in from the garage. So, I am going to "break" these kids into shape. Starting today, Elizabeth will do the dishwasher for an entire week. Then next Sunday, Greg and then Emily. I am also going to assign them days to do their laundry! Elizabeth is 15 giong on 16 and is always giving me some kind of excuse as to why she can't help. Unfortunately, this will be a battle I have to go alone. Steve is never home to help enforce these rules. He is always at work. So, what's that saying "If Momma ain't happy then no one is happy". Well, if this Momma is happy, life will be so much simpler on everyone. The kid whine because they don't get an allowance. Well, we have had this discussion before. They don't do anything to earn one! So, maybe this is what I will hold over them. Usually, if they want to go out and do something, I will give them the $. Well, NO MORE. They have to earn it! Also, there is no more separate dinners if they don't like what I cook. No more Top Ramen! Also, the TV will be off more. I love listening to the music on the satellite (especially the 80's station)! But, as soon as I leave the room, it gets turned off. They aren't allowed to have TV's in their rooms so that isn't even an option. I feel like a mean mom but my kids weren't raised this way and I have let them walk all over me the last couple of years. Steve is just as bad. I will have the music on and he will walk in from work and turn the music off too. So, I am taking it back! Wish me luck and I will keep you posted. Okay, enough rambling.

I get to spend my day doing laundry and start putting the Xmas stuff away. BUT, I am not going to fold "their" laundry, just put it in their baskets and let them fold it and put it away! As for dinner, I don't know what we are having. We have some ribs in the freezer I might make. There's this great restaurant in Cincinnati and they have the best ribs. Every year for Christmas, Steve's mom and dad send us some. Yum.
Montgomery Inn - Home of the World's Greatest Ribs

Guess I better get my day started. I am waiting for Steve to get out of bed so I can use my bed to sort the laundry. Must be nice to sleep in. I have yet to have a day to sleep in and he get up to make the coffee. I even mentioned it to him how nice it would be but I guess it went in one ear and out the other. Oh well.

Well, here's to another year. Hopefully 2006 will be a better year for me personally. Until next time......................