The Very Last Post of 2024

 So...just before the ball drops and we greet the new year 2025, I wanted to just share a couple of photos I took of our Christmas decorations.

The Christmas tree was minimally decorated this year.

The Professor set up one of his trains on a table next to the tree.  Note the gold airplane on top of one of the cars.  That is Warrior Boy's Christmas ornament for this year.  He chose to place his plane on the train and not the tree.

My favorite decor for this year was the mitten wreath.  If you have read earlier posts you will have seen pictures of some of the mittens.  I may be a bit obsessed with knitting these mittens.

Okay

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

On to 2025!

I shall close out the year with this Irish blessing.

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine war upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

First Fave Fives of 2024

Good day to you all.  Here we are in the new year, 2024.  It doesn't seem real somehow.  But it is.  I have my Friday Fave Fives for you to read (the link takes you to Susanne's blog where you can read more and find other blogs writing FFFs).

1.  We spent most of New Year's Eve with family, watching the celebration of the New Year in London and hearing Big Ben ring in 2024.  Then we toasted in 2024 with some sparking cider (and water for the one who doesn't like cider) and watched a movie.  Yes, we were all home and in bed before midnight here.

2.  On New Year's Day, we gathered the family of two girls and three grands and three dogs and took a walk/hike at Black Hand Gorge along the Licking River.  The weather wasn't great but the exercise and conversation was. 

3.  Tuesday, January 2nd was our Little Warrior's fourteenth birthday.  How did he want to celebrate?  By a visit to Dayton's Air Force Museum.  Five of us piled into our car and made the drive down there and spent the day wandering around several of the museum's many hangars which are filled floor to ceiling (literally) with planes, helicopters, a few tanks and so many displays of various wars and eras.

This quilt naming all the US Air Force bases was hanging in one of the hallways.

4.  A finished vest.  This vest was knitted in a simple garter stitch pattern.  The yarn came as a gift from a friend who is moving and getting rid of all the yarn she doesn't want.  Green Mountain Spinnery's Mountain Mohair. 70% wool, 30% mohair.  Charcoal gray color titled Raven.  It's a very warm vest, which is what I need in January and February.

5.  I was able to do some deep cleaning this week.  Laundry room and kitchen.  My goal is to deep clean every room this winter.  This week was a good start to my goal.

There it is.  Five good things from this cold cold cold first week of January 2024.

A New Year!

2020.  It's a new year.   It's new goals.  Every year I choose a word to focus my thoughts and goals.  Some years the word chooses me.  So it was for 2020.  A friend gave me a drink container with a lid and straw.  I like to use those for drinking my water every day.  This one is special because it says TRUST several times in a ring around the top of it.  I looked at it and it hit me.  That's my word for 2020.  TRUST.  Trust God with my future and where our new moving adventure will take us.

My 2020 goals include:
1.  Making the move to live near our daughters.  This involves selling our house and TRUSTING God for the timing.
2.  Like last year, I want to improve my gardening and herb growing skills.  I'll be learning about a whole new climate for growing.
3.  I noticed that this past year I was posting less often on my blog.  I am hoping to increase my posts this coming year--at least two posts a week.
4.  The Professor is planning a couple of trips for 2020.  More on that later.
5.  Again, this year I want to continue reading through the Chronological Bible.  I didn't finish in 2019, but maybe I can get it done in 2020.
6.  The never ending attempts to knit and weave my yarn stash down continues.
7.  Another continuing goal is my health--eating healthfully and exercising regularly are two great ways to maintain health.
8.  This final goal is most likely to be my hardest one to maintain.  I want to learn more about sketching and watercolor painting.  A friend has challenged me to 'just do it'.  Draw something every day!

Do you make goals (I won't call them resolutions!) or choose a word for your year?  Please share!

Happy New Year!

SAVE

New Year's Day is usually recognized as a time for new beginnings.  How many New Years resolutions have you made on January 1st and broken by January 7th?  After the indulgences of November and December, we want to straighten up our lives, homes and schedules and jump back on track.  For the past several years I have resisted making New Years resolutions because it was just too disheartening to realize I had failed at some abitrary rule I had made for myself.  I changed to making lists of hopes and goals and at the end of the Old Year and beginning of the New Year checking on my progress in reaching them.

For 2013 I decided to choose a word that describes those hopes and goals I want to accomplish this year.  After reading about this at my friend Meg's blog, I wondered what one word I could possibly use to sum up my plans and ideas for 2013.  Almost immediately, one word popped into my mind. 

Save. 

This is not a word that I would have considered for my year's goals.  No one who knows me would consider me a 'saver' in the material possessions department.  But it fits perfectly.  Let me explain. 

1. Save money.  We are Dave Ramsey fans.  Well before Dave Ramsey began his Financial Peace University program, we were believers in living below our means and investing wisely.  This year we will continue to save our money wisely.

2.  Save Time.  Focus on wise time management.  Don't waste hours cruising facebook or reading blogs that don't really matter to me.

3.  Save Energy.  This is self explanatory.  We have energy efficient appliances.  We group our errands.  We bike.

4.  Save the Earth.  Although I wouldn't classify myself as a 'tree hugger', I care deeply about conserving our beautiful planet.  My efforts are focused on (but not limited to) maintaining safe and responsible food production, using renewable resources, and not wasting nonrenewable ones.

5.  Save the Best and Get Rid of the Rest.  For someone who is not a collector, stating that I want to save stuff is antithetical.  I'm not one to dump everthing and live out of a backpack, but I don't hoard stuff.  When I think of saving things, I want to save and use the things which are useful, bring me joy, save time and energy.  This year I will continue to get rid of the rest of the stuff that's not the best.

6.  Save the Memories.  That would be the yearly effort to deal with the photographs.  Will this be the year I finally finish?

I have two or three other goals for which I am still considering the details but this is a start for Hopes and Goals for 2013.  I'll save those for later.  These Six Saves will do to begin The New Year.

What hopes and goals are you choosing for the year?  Do you have a word that sums up your intentions for 2013?