1. Are you ready for new? Is 2016 likely to be very different than 2015? Do you want it to be?
I am ready for new everyday. I think we can start out fresh whenever we want. It can be February, June or September. If you need to start fresh- do it- regardless of the date on the calendar! I liked 2015 but hope that 2016 is just as great or better. We experienced lost loved ones and gained some new loved ones through birth, marriage or new friends every year. I think it is how we handle the losses and gains that makes us. We remember those who are gone but rejoice in the births and those who have joined our family. I pray that we have another wonderful year in 2016.
2. January 6th is National Technology Day. Currently, what is your single biggest struggle or frustration when it comes to technology?
I think that our biggest struggle with technology is our dependence on it. Many people today have no idea how to function without the help of technology. It seems to me that instead of using our own brains to come up with solutions to problems, decorations for our dinner table or the lyrics to a childhood song we all jump on the internet (Pinterest) to copy someone else. I don't think we exercise our brains enough to search for solutions. Now, having said that I am guilty of looking things up online myself after I try to figure it out on my own. Technology definitely is a benefit and I won't deny that but I still think that we don't try to figure stuff out on our own first. Ok, enough said, right?
3. It's that time again...time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words (or phrases) they'd like to see banished (for over-use, mis-use, and general uselessness) in 2016. You can read more about the decision making process here, but this year's top vote getters are-
So (at the start of every single sentence), conversation (as in hotly debated topics where we're invited to 'join the conversation'), problematic, stakeholder, price point, secret sauce, break the Internet, walk it back, presser, manspreading (common in larger cities where some men take up the entire bus or train seat by sitting wide), vape, giving me life (refers to anything that may excite a person or make them laugh), and physicality
Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you'd like to add?
Nothing on this list bothers me... I haven't even heard of several of these phrases/words so that probably helps.
4. Share one of your current health related goals.
I think that my current goals are the same ones I have been trying to achieve for a long time. I try to avoid processed food as much as possible. It just doesn't seem to agree with me. It's usually not healthy so it should be avoided anyhow. There are also many ingredients listed that are not easy to pronounce so I figure if I struggle to say it or spell it...I shouldn't eat it! It's not a real food.
5. Let's talk fifty shades of gray. As in the color. Gray is currently a popular color in home decor, paint, wardrobes, hair, wedding party attire, and more. Are you a fan? Do you have the color in some variation in your home or wardrobe? Gray hair, the old gray mare, gray matter, gray area...which gray idiom can you most relate to right now?
Well the first sentence is just nasty. I don't care to ever hear that phrase again or have that subject brought back up... but.... to answer the question: I do not have any gray in my wardrobe. I am not opposed to the color though. It just isn't going to be an attractive color on me. Our bathroom is currently gray but since Jeremiah did some remodeling over the Christmas holiday; it is going to need to be repainted another color. I guess the idiom that is closest to me right now would be gray hair but I refuse to say that, ever! I have silver strands in my hair- never gray!-ever! LOL
6. Certain foods are considered 'lucky' if eaten on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. Cooked greens to bring economic fortune, black-eyed peas or lentils also symbolize money, pork which symbolizes progress, fish for good luck, and if you're in Spain 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. Did you eat any lucky foods on the first day of the year? Is that a tradition in your home? Of the foods listed, which most appeals to you?
I didn't eat any of these foods on January 1. My extended family usually eats pork and sauerkraut with mashed potatoes on New Year's Day. We didn't but my mother-in-law did bring hotdogs and sauerkraut to our house on New Year's Eve and I had a krautdog!
7. What's the single biggest time waster in your life and what, if anything, will you do about it this year?
My email- I probably won't do anything about it either. It has just become a part of life. I check it and filter through what I want to read and what is trash. I am not worried about the time I spend checking it because it really isn't that long!
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Today we will be taking down our Christmas decorations. It's not a fun job but it is easier to take down than put up. It also helps to make the house not feel so cluttered which is something that I am currently working on. I am challenging myself to throw away, give away or put away a lot of stuff (about 35 items per day) for the next 2 weeks. We are a blessed family but I need to get a handle on the "stuff"! It will be a big challenge for us! I hope to succeed!
Everyone has a couple blogs that they just can't wait to read the next post right? I have several of those blogs that I check everyday- EVERYDAY! Honestly. One of those is A Joyful Chaos. Mary Ann is a sweet lady with a good dose of humor mixed into her blog while keeping things balanced with her family, her books, educating us about the Amish and some posts that will tug at your heartstrings to boot.
Mary Ann is an author of several books. I have read her books and they are delightful. I would encourage anyone to purchase her books. They are well worth it and you will be entertained no matter your age. If you are a fan of your local library, may I suggest that you ask them to get these delightful books on their shelves. I read them to both of the kids several years back. The books are for both boys and girls.
Mary Ann is hosting a giveaway until January 8. She is giving away a children's book called Lydia's Bonnet by Lillian Stoltzfus. If you like to try to win head over to Mary Ann's post and leave a comment before Jan. 8th. She is asking us what our least favorite household chore is. Mine is going to be a toss up between folding and putting away laundry or cleaning the bathtub! Head over and enter the giveaway!
It is time to say goodbye to 2015 and invite 2016 in. I am not a fan of resolutions. They are promises that you make to yourself that you will break in a couple days to a couple weeks time. ;-) I think that a goal is a better way to do it. By using a goal mindset, you can break down your plans into an easier way to achieve your goal. Example- Resolution: Lose weight; Goal: Lose one pound a week. See? You can have a better outcome in my opinion. Now if I would actually do this, right?
Now enough about that... Here are some things that I do every year. I have been doing these for many years. I am not going to say that it helps with anything but, hey I do this stuff anyhow!
::I like to completely clean my house and have all the laundry done before the new year arrives. It's weird- I know. I have been doing this since 1999/2000 when the whole Y2K thing was going on and I didn't want a messy house if things went bad. Haha! We would need clean clothes and dishes. Is it just me or when the electric goes off I want to clean?? We do a lot of running with Christmas and New Years and our house can get a bit on the messy side. I found that I really liked bringing in the new year with a nice, clean and tidy house. I have been doing it ever since.
::I buy a new calendar in December and right after Christmas, I transfer all the important info from the old one onto the new one. I list the birthdays and anniversaries and add the new births and wedding anniversaries. I also add how old the person will be on their birthday if I know it. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of the younger kids!
::I will write 2016 on several checks so I don't mess the date up!
::I start to take down our Christmas decorations on the first Monday into the new year; one section at a time with the Christmas tree coming down last. Ryder and Jeremiah don't like it when they come down. They love Christmas and hate to see the season come to an end. I usually start with taking down the Christmas cards. It seems to be the easiest transition.
This is just a bit of what we do and a glimpse into our little home. We will be starting back up with school on Monday also. We had a nice break but now it's time to get back into our routine.
I hope that you all have a blessed New Year!
I like doing bits and pieces of random thoughts from our life. This is one of the easiest ways for me to blog!
::We host Christmas Eve at our home for 20+ family and friends. My dad's side of the family always gathered on Christmas Eve here on the farm. After the work load got to be too much for my grandma my Aunt and Uncle hosted. One year they both had to work on Christmas Eve and asked me if I could host it. We had already moved back here to the farm so it was easy to do. We have been hosting it ever since. It is so much fun!
::Our Christmas shopping is done for the most part. Jeremiah and I have a couple small items that we would still like to get for the kids but overall everything is done. We made all of our exchange gifts this year. This has been a tradition for several years. I think that it is harder for some of the extended family members who aren't necessarily crafty to come up with ideas. I think it may change to make your gifts or purchase local, handmade gifts.
::Speaking of those gifts, they are also all wrapped. Jeremiah and I have a custom of waiting to wrap all the gifts on Christmas Eve after everyone has gone home and the kids have gone to bed. We usually start around midnight after we have the kitchen cleaned up. We will have a couple items to wrap but not many. We can't break the tradition!
::Today and tomorrow we will be doing most of our holiday cleaning. I would like keep Wednesday open to finish any last minute cleaning and to do food prep. If I can get work done prior to Christmas Eve it makes the day less hectic and more enjoyable.
::Ryder has been fighting off a sore throat and Madilynne has a runny nose/sinus crud thing going on. It isn't bad/severe but enough to keep them sidelined a little. Hopefully after another good night of sleep they will be much better.
::The school books have been put away for Christmas break. We will get back to school in January 2016!
::We will be going to our local nursing home to help the residents celebrate Christmas. The kids, along with another family, will be singing songs and playing instrumentals for the folks there. We go visit them every month and the kids sing, do crafts or play games with them. I think they bless us more than we bless them!
December is such a busy month. I think it ranks as number one for activities that happen. I love the busyness of December. Sometimes it can feel too rushed but overall, I am totally loving December. We are happily making gifts and writing cards. The best part is we are not doing much shopping unless it is for food or online!
Friday we had our homeschool variety show. The kids played guitar, sang and performed with our black light squad. It was so much fun. We are already coming up with ideas for our next production. The kids will be doing their show again for the church senior meal this week.
I looked at the calendar for this month and we only have five days that we don't have something scheduled.* We have helped family, visited with friends who came to our home, celebrated/will be celebrating friends and family birthdays, etc. Jeremiah's sister and her husband will be moving back to our area this weekend so we will be available to help them with that process too, if needed.
I even have my Christmas Eve menu planned. Now, those who know me, know that I don't usually plan the meal until right before I need to go shopping for the food! Normally my menu does not contain traditional foods like turkey or ham. As a kid we had ham pot pie frequently for Christmas Eve. I tend to choose chicken, meatloaf or lasagna. We have many meals to eat over Christmas so I tend to change up my menu for some variety.
This year we will be having a chicken casserole, lasagna, salad, applesauce, red beets, rolls and my uncle decided that he is in the mood for ham so he is going to bring a small one. It will be the first year for ham. Family will bring deserts and drinks. I have some ideas for appetizers to hold us over until the meal but not certain which ones I want to make. We will host about 25-ish friends and family this year. Our smaller home will fill up fast and it will be great! Mildly chaotic but still wonderful!
I will be ready for the peace and calm of January when it arrives but until then we will be busy and celebrating each day God gives us. My hope is that Madilynne and Ryder learn to help and serve others instead of focusing on material things or themselves. (not that I think they are selfish kids) Gifts are certainly nice and I am not discrediting those but how we spend our time is also important.
*Also just putting it out here... I do say no to things/activities that we don't want to do or would make life too hectic. Our calendar isn't packed so full that we are getting burned out. We are doing what makes us happy. I hope that you can find your own peace and joy in this season.
Jesus is the reason we celebrate!
1. Many families have a story they love to tell every year around a holiday. Does your family have one? Are you the star of that story, or does another family member take center stage? Share your story if you want.
I have a story about my grandpa that is told frequently. We were having Christmas Eve dinner at my grandparents house and we were sitting in the enclosed patio. My grandparents had the sliding glass door, to the kitchen, closed to keep their little poodle from coming out while we were opening our gifts. My grandpa didn't remember that the door was shut and he was coming out of the kitchen to the patio and ran right into the door. It must have knocked him a bit silly because he straightened his glasses, backed up and walked into it again! Oh, how we laughed. He had such a good sense of humor and was laughing before the rest of us!
There was also an ice storm one year when I was about 10. It was pretty bad. My grandparents and uncle always pretended to have Santa come. Well, this particular year the weather was nasty and my grandma forgot to get the gifts from Santa "planted" for us. She went to the basement and grabbed some frozen candy bars and took them to the front porch and rang the doorbell. While she was headed back to the basement the ice was so heavy that it broke a branch on a pine tree in the front yard. We heard the branch fall almost immediately after the doorbell rang. Everyone was scurrying to the front door; especially the adults since they knew that grandma was taking our candy bars out. They had quite the story to hear once the evening was over because the branch that fell barely missed her! My brothers and I were amazed that Santa would bring us frozen candy bars. My uncle told us that it was hard to keep the candy bars room temp with the severe weather he had to fly in!
2. Are you afraid to speak your own opinion?
Not usually but I think you need to be kind when voicing your opinion. Some people aren't very nice when they give theirs.
3. Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2016, and for the first time have chosen two shades-rose quartz and serenity. Hmmm...did you know serenity was a color? You can read the thought behind their selection here, but essentially it's blending the warmth of rose quartz with the tranquility of a very soft shade of blue. So what do you think? Are these colors I'd find in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in these shades to either place in the new year?
I like the colors but I dislike shopping so I will venture a guess that they will not make it to my wardrobe or my home.
4. If you could be in a Christmas carol, which one would you choose? Why?
Probably the "Peanuts" Christmas song. I like it simple.
5. December 9th is National Pastry Day. Will you celebrate? When did you last purchase something from a bakery? What's your favorite treat that falls under the heading of pastry? Do you make it yourself or buy from the professionals?
I am not planning on celebrating this day. I can't tell you the last time I purchased something from a bakery. I honestly don't know if I ever did. Do donuts from Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme count as a bakery? LOL I usually bake anything like that.
6. When it comes to holiday decorating_____________________________.
...don't call me! I am not a good decorator at all and I don't like it. Ask my kids.
7. When did you last laugh so much it hurt? Explain.
Last week. I got together to celebrate a friend's birthday with another friend and all our kids. We laughed the whole time!
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Madilynne and I have been making some new recipes lately. Several of them have been on the bad side. That is the trouble with new recipes. We have been able to tweak some and make them better. I always feel bad to make something that is bad and have to pitch it out. Such a waste of ingredients. We try to make them into something edible but sometimes, it just isn't gonna happen. An example recently was some couscous Madilynne made....it went straight to the chickens!
Here I am again with more random thoughts:
::I has my nails professionally manicured two weeks ago. It was a gift for my birthday many moons ago. I am impressed and can totally see why ladies go and have them done regularly!
::The kids and I have been helping my mother-in-law clean out her mom's house. Grandma L. passed away this summer and the time has come to clean out her things. This job has been a lot of work. She kept so-much-stuff!! We have to go through everything. I made a decision that I wasn't going to keep so much stuff. I have been trying to pitch or donate stuff since this summer but I am even more convinced to remove unnecessary items from our house now.
::Madilynne and I have been testing out some new recipes for Christmas jar gifts. I love, love, love Mason jars and would like to make them for our handmade Christmas gifts. So far the recipes we have made are so-so. I haven't found anything that is jumping out at me saying this is awesome; give me away! LOL Any suggestions? :-)
::Jeremiah and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary recently. I am very blessed. We started dating when we were 16 years old! Amazing really!
::I really enjoy Christmas lights and Christmas music! I forgot how much joy these bring to me. We recently put up our lights outside. It was time consuming but worth it. Jeremiah found a radio station that was playing only Christmas music. We had the music blasting from the garage while we decorated!
::Our homeschool group classes have ended for the year. We will meet again until February. The break is nice but we are always eager to start classes again. Some of our best friends have come from meeting them through our homeschool support group.
