Happy New Year, Everyone!!!

I hope that everyone had a blessed holiday season and, for that matter, I really hope that everyone had a blessed 2013.  And now,  welcome to 2014 and all of its beautiful, wonderful possibilities!

This time of transition is a natural time to reflect on what has been and think of what could be.

I started the year by celebrating my youngest son's birthday and learning how to needle felt.

I recognized Christian's birthday even while he was away on a month-long adventure to Korea.  I recognized my sweet girls birthday and enjoyed visiting with her when she came home for a visit and then we made a trek to New Mexico to celebrate my dear grandmother's 90th birthday.  I sent a son to boy scout camp and another one to church camp and to theatre camp.  I helped one son prepare for auditions while another son got his grill on!  We went to the fair and took an invigorating trip to St. Louis.  I celebrated yet another child's birthday and enjoyed a visit from my father.  I took my own adventurous journey to Korea and yet another trip to New Mexico to visit with my ailing 94-year-old grandfather.  I buried five of my lovely ladies.  I got to watch Maceo perform in Little Mermaid Jr. and get cast in Music Man Jr.  And I ended the year by spending precious time with all my children as my dear Keegan was able to make it home for Christmas.  I enjoyed another year of football with my family.  I won our fantasy football regular season (but couldn't win in the post season) and our family pick'ems and my Bengals are going to the NFL playoffs.  I did a 5K, I began to find my voice regarding educational philosophy, and began a series entitled Lifestyle of Learning.  It was an eventful and blessed year, particularly in regards to family.  This would be the first year of many in which I was able to visit with all my grandparents, parents and siblings.

Now, I look forward to what I hope to experience in this new year. 

I don't make resolutions, so to speak.  I make to-do lists.

Thus far my 2014 to-do list looks a little like this:

-Get blog completely updated.

-Print blog in to book form.

-Play my mandolin.

-Carve a spoon.

-Do succession planting.

-Build fencing to protect the ladies.

-Wet felt something.

-Get a freezer.

-Ferment something.

-Make at least 5 homemade gifts.

-Raise a chick.

-Take a trip.

This list will continue to grow and hopefully I will come close to checking everything off.

Over the next month,  I know that the list will expand to include some health and educational goals, home improvement projects and some financial goals. 

And speaking of financial goals, my niece, Sarah, and her husband, Kevin, have set themselves a challenging goal for the month of January.  They are determined to have a spending freeze this month.  I find that to be exciting and inspiring.  If you do as well and find yourself curious about how that is going for them then feel free to check out their blog.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

May you be richly blessed!