Cheers To A New Year With No New Year's Resolutions!

Awesome sauce! That is my new favorite term for the moment! I don't like to make New Year's resolutions because they seem to add too much pressure and who needs added pressure?!? A friend told me today that she was going to set small goals for herself for 2014 and I think that is an awesome plan! I say AWESOME SAUCE!

In reflecting on the past year I have learned a whole lot about myself and who I am and who I want to be. :> ) First off I am a terrible procrastinator and setting small goals is seriously the way to go these days. Also saying I am going to do something doesn't get the job done!

No New Year's resolutions but a whole lot of little projects is what I'll be working on! I haven't been focusing as much on the blog towards the end of this year because a lot of other things took priority and a lot of other things I made priority! I've been able to do a lot of different things this year and found new hobbies, and things I didn't spend much time doing before, I've learned I like in 2013. Just a lot of slowing the pace in 2013 to enjoy the little things in life.

 

No resolutions for 2014 but CHEERS to a brand new year! I vow to try and work up my blog again so the images are restored to move forward with it. Before the week is over I will have a "To Do" list of things I will be working on with the blog! Have a wonderful New Year's Day! Happy New Year's!

Do you make New Year's Resolutions???

 

 

Hanging a Crucifix

Happy New Year's Eve! Today is kind of a day of reflection on the past year. For me it has been a year of change. I've experienced a lot of change this year which has caused my family to grow closer. While good things and bad things have occurred I've tried to see the good in all. Job loss, family deaths, becoming a stay at home mom, distance of friends, best friend moving, all have been blessings. Another blessing was getting to see my parents the day before Christmas.

The pictures below are of one of the gifts my mom and dad gave me. I have never owned a crucifix nor had I ever thought of hanging one in our home. I'm not sure why, I've just never thought much about it. At first my husband was concerned it was too grandma-ish. Really the meaning is so much more than having it as a decoration so we agreed it wasn't at all. It's a gift from the heart, and I think one of the most powerful gifts I've ever received. It didn't take me long to find a place to hang it, but I wanted to make sure I didn't hide it! I had also thought about setting up a place in our home just for prayer and placing it there, but decided on hanging it. I've gotten stronger in my faith and felt that a good place to hang it would be by the front door. When the front door opens, it's the first thing you see on the wall. Raising a Catholic family, I thought it was appropriate to remind us all what is important each day! 

Do you have a crucifix in your home? I'd love to hear.

  

Our House At Christmas

How are you? Things here are good. I've been dancing a lot today to "Just Dance" that the kids got for Christmas! Hilarious. It's so much fun and I think I have burned off lunch!

 

Do you do a lot to the outside of your house for Christmas? I like to put up lights and do it up classy! I have shown many pictures of our home but never a full frontal! Here it is front and center. We are most happy with the green grass this year!

 

 

This year I had a little addition to the front yard and that was a Santa on a bicycle. Its wheels spin like crazy when the wind blows and I love it! It came from a kite store at our favorite beach.

 

 

As for the house, I put wreaths on all most all of the front windows. I have a wreath I made on the front door, porch trees that are lit up and clear lights in all the bushes. This year I added clear lights up the tree in the front yard too. Love decorating for the holidays! How are your holidays going?

 

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and celebrates the real reason for Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Decorating Has Begun!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We spent the week on the coast in a water front house with our whole family and it was our first vacation this year and I must say it was NICE. It has taken me a couple of days to readjust to being home again. It's funny. I haven't had the motivation to start putting Christmas decorations up until tonight. It took a lot for me to muster up the energy but it has begun! Here is a little preview!

I have recently inherited a couple of my Nana's house flags and so I'm putting them to good use. They are much more special because she picked them out. I think it's going to be a process this year to get the house all dressed up for Christmas. Have you been decorating yet? If you're all done, congrats!