Fun with Friends

Girl with dragon

When I decided to look for a new job I had a bunch of goals. Some I thought might be a little lofty and others were must haves.

Must Haves

1. I need to have the ability to spend more time with my family. Working 50-60+ hours a week was taking me away from the people who needed me most, and who I needed most. This realization set in when I packed work clothes and no pajamas as I (crazily) thought my house was going to fall down post tornado. 
2. I want to be able to be in the moment with my family. Even when I was with my family, I'd sometimes be thinking about work I had to get done.
3. I didn't want a job with a bunch of travel that kept me away from the people I love the most. See #s one and two. 

Like to Haves

1. I wanted a job that I felt like I was making a difference. Helping the business.  Helping the customers. Just feeling like what I did mattered.
2. I was hoping for a job that enabled me to use the skills and knowledge I had, while still gaining and building new skills. 

What I realized was the "must haves" were about my family and the "like to haves" were about the job itself. Fortunately, I believe I found a balance between the two.  

The last two months I've done more with my family than I did in probably a 6 month period before. I actually cook dinner most nights. Yes, it's typically with the slow cooker, but it's cooked. It's at home. We're all together at our dining room table - a table that Katherine sets each night. (proud mom)

Then I decided we should "do" some things. Katherine loves an art project and there are always reasons to break out the craft stuff and create something together. At Christmas time we all made ginger bread people, reindeer ornaments... we made shrinky-dinks. Good stuff.  

As I started to think about things to do I realized that if I didn't put them on the family calendar and plan for them, they likely wouldn't happen and then some of my "must haves" would be missed.  

Tonight was one of those pre-planned events. A few weeks ago I was looking at the calendar and saw it was the Lunar New Year. Hello party! Who doesn't love celebrating the new year?! =) We were gonna party like it was 4709!! 

I found a book online on the Lunar New Year and learned that it was the Year of the Dragon. Begin: Search for dragon craft project.  Success.  Begin: search for fun dessert. Success (with the help of our neighbor). Begin: plans for chinese food dinner (thanks be to Take-out!). 

Katherine and I were going to be solo for the event, and while that would be fun, I was thinking it would be even more fun with two of our best ladies. Our neighbor and her daughter. We started off by having some take-out chinese food, followed by making some Lunar New Year treats (also known as haystacks!) and then made some pretty snazzy dragons.  Oh, and lest I forget one of the traditions of my youth: banging on pots and pans on the porch to celebrate the new year.  

Making music on the steps! =) 

I know Katherine had a blast and I think our neighbors had some fun too. The planning paid off. Now to start thinking about our next activity... I think it'll have something to do with Valentine's Day. =) 

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