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We’re back from our four-day getaway to Breckenridge, Colorado. The simplest way to describe it is wonderful, awesome, romantic and of course, snowy! It snowed so much while we were there. Our first day of skiing was sunny and 55. But the next day it started to snow those fat pretty flakes. And it didn’t stop! No worries, we still skied our hearts out!

We booked our condo through VRBO and being that it wasn’t a hotel it made me a bit nervous. But the vacation rental could not have been better. It was so adorable. The perfect mountain getaway!

When I was growing up we never talked about money.

It just wasn’t a topic of discussion. Even now it is thought to be a taboo subject.

Have you ever talked about money with your friends? Nope, you just don’t go there.

For most people it’s a private thing. And I get it. Nobody wants to admit they’re bad with money.

My parents did everything they could to provide us with the best life possible. They had four daughters. My dad was a school teacher. My mom was also a school teacher but decided to stay home after I was born.

The last time Naaman and I took a real vacation alone was in 2007. I swore before we had kids that I would never let us go that long without an adults-only vacation. But the the kids came (in rapid succession). Jobs were gained and lost. The kids were super young and needed us all the time. The opportunity never felt exactly right.

Last year we were in the throes of paying off our credit cards and it just wasn’t financially feasible. But this year? This year I knew we had hit our breaking point. It is no longer a want. We NEED a vacation. A vacation just for us. It has been 5 1/2 years since we got away together. That is way too long in my opinion.

I’d like to welcome Erin to my blog today for a New Year Blog Swap! That’s right – we’re swapping blogs today so you can find me over at her place! I’m talking about one important goal I have this year. I hope you enjoy Erin’s post below.

I was so excited to see that Steph from http://agrandelife.net decided to host a New Years Blog Swap. What a great idea to write a post for someone else’s blog and have someone write for mine. I know some of my readers get tired of hearing my stories, so this is a wonderful way to hear someone else’s point of view.  I was glad to be partnered up with Molly from A Day in Mollywood. I had not discovered her blog yet and since we have been partnered up, I have found a new mommy blogger that I adore! I hope you, all of her readers, enjoy my post!

We missed apple picking season last year. So this year I made a vow that we would go early in the season before the trees were picked over. Lucky for us the super hot summer had the apples ripening already. When I saw that Alldredge Orchards was opening up two weeks early we hopped at the chance to go apple picking in August! We were there the first weekend right as the barn doors opened for business! A smiling farm woman greeted us as chickens clucked in the background.

My best friend did this on her blog and so I thought I would join in. Feel free to participate on your blog too! Here are some lovely little randoms about yours truly.

1. I am deathly afraid of spiders. Sometimes I shake my clothes out in the morning to make sure there isn’t one in there.

2. I am addicted to coffee. For serious. One morning the Keurig wouldn’t work and I was on the verge of an all out breakdown.

1. The boys are both in that weird clothing stage where nothing fits perfectly. For Landon, 3T is now too small while 4T is still too big. For Brigham, 18 monthw is definitely much too small (he’s 30 lbs now!) while 2T is a bit too big. It’s so annoying. I feel like they both look a bit homely with their too small/too big clothing because I do not want to buy new winter clothes. I am trying to wait it out long enough for new spring and summer clothes. Sorry, boys.

Brigham is 21-months-old. It is very hard for me to grasp that Landon was this same age when Brigham was born.

You see, Brigham can communicate. He can say a lot of words at this point. But we can’t have conversations with him. We can’t make him understand how things work. He has to figure that all out on his own in the coming years.

So when I look at Brigham and think that Landon was this age when he became a big brother? Well, it just astounds me that Landon handled it as well as he did. He was so young. Looking at Brigham at 21-months solidifies that fact. He just seems so little to me.

Our nighttime routine always includes me singing to Landon. I used to sing to Brigham but he is currently refusing all live performances. I’m not too upset because Landon still has plenty of requests. Once I have finished reading a couple of books it is then time for the musical portion of the night.

As you know, last week was difficult. I found myself feeling very blue. I started singing a sweet song and my voice cracked. I was about to cry. I realized I needed a peppy song STAT. Something to lift my spirits. That’s when I broke out singing “The Sun Will Come Out” from the musical Annie.

On Tuesday, we had to do the thing that no pet owner ever wants to do. We had to say goodbye to our sweet pug Reubin.

For years, he had been unable to use his hind legs very well at all. But over the weekend they gave out completely and his kidneys were also failing him. We wish we hadn’t had to make this decision. No matter what anyone says, your pets become little family members. Then suddenly they’re gone and there is a big hole in your heart.

If you don’t already know this, I’ve been busting my butt to beat a severe depressive episode that began in June of 2011. I think it’s safe to say that I’m finally in the “safe” zone as I like to call it. It took me six long months and a lot (A LOT!) of medication and dosage changes to get me to a good, stable place.

For the past 18 years, I have used a combination of medication and therapy to pull me through these hard times. But I realized something last fall. After struggling with manic/depressive episodes for most of my life, maybe it’s going to take more than just those two things to stay well.

Last week, when I posted my first vlog, I received this anonymous comment:

When I first saw it, I was shocked. I quickly logged into my account and sent it to the trash. I’d like to say that I brushed it off and it didn’t affect me. But I promptly left work, drove to chick-fil-a and inhaled their waffle fries to make me feel better. So I may have been a little upset even though I didn’t know who this person was. That’s the world wide web for you. Sometimes the internet itself can be ugly.