The first Friday of the new year! It's totally appropriate to reflect on the last few days (even the last year, but that's for another post ...)
1. On New Year's Eve, Jim's family gathered together to celebrate. It was a bittersweet time because just one year ago, we had celebrated New Year's Eve with Jim's mom. Now she is in heaven, and we decided to make a new tradition of eating together each December 31 in her memory. We tried a new restaurant that featured a buffet - our family loves buffets - and we all gave it a thumbs up.
Here is Jim and his brothers and sister posing with Santa Claus (and one random stranger passing by!) Jim is on the far left.
2. One of our traditions is to take photos of the girls around the Christmas tree. The tree was scheduled to come down on Monday, so Sunday we made sure to get these photos:
Liss
Malia
3. Monday was our day off from the office to celebrate New Year's. We took down our Christmas decorations and spruced up things around the house. Here is my January dining table centerpiece:
The runner was made by my sister-in-law, Cora. The birdhouse was a gift from a Secret Sister. The candlesticks are my favorite yard sale treasure.
4.Quote of the week:
"Stay home more. You’ll save money, your vehicles will last longer…and joy of joys…you may not be so worn out all the time! I find that when I’m running from here to there and back again…I am completely exhausted AND behind on all the work I need to do at home. We don’t need THAT much outside “stuff”. When you’re home more…you’ll find you’ll be more rested and more relaxed…naturally."
… Laura from Heavenly Homemakers
"Stay home more. You’ll save money, your vehicles will last longer…and joy of joys…you may not be so worn out all the time! I find that when I’m running from here to there and back again…I am completely exhausted AND behind on all the work I need to do at home. We don’t need THAT much outside “stuff”. When you’re home more…you’ll find you’ll be more rested and more relaxed…naturally."
… Laura from Heavenly Homemakers
5. Challenge: Although I am in love with new beginnings, this year I did not make a single new year's resolution or goal. I'm tired of making them and then falling short of my goals. Instead, I just want to challenge myself to spend more time with Him this year. I'm not going to set any certain number of minutes that I resolve to spend in bible study and prayer. I'm not going to get out a chart and try to mark off "x" number of chapters in the bible that I am supposed to read every day. I'm just going to tell myself everyday that I want to "show Him how much He matters to me." (I got that from Lisa Notes, by the way.) If He is my top priority, everything else will fall into line.
So, this was my thoughts and actions this past week. What did you do? Link up over at Susanne's Living to Tell the Story and share with us!
So, this was my thoughts and actions this past week. What did you do? Link up over at Susanne's Living to Tell the Story and share with us!
I love #4. It makes so much sense and it works! It is something my mother used to tell me, that she was better off when we only had one car in the family. Times were different then, but it makes a lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the link to Laura's blog.
Have a good weekend, Jerralea!
What a great idea to eat together as a family each Dec 31 to honor your mother!
ReplyDeletethe photos of your daughters are lovely - and what a fun tradition!
I can see why those candlesticks are a favorite! I like 'em!
GREAT quote! and VERY true. I've proved it in my own life.
great tradition regarding the memory dinner AND the photos! pretty daughters! I LOVE your centerpiece...so pretty....I have a few birdhouses as well..they are so charming aren't they? happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love your new New Year’s Eve tradition. We thought about starting a new tradition this year at Christmas since it was the first one without my parents, but we ended up doing basically the same thing, just at a different house. It was good anyway.
ReplyDeleteYour girls are so beautiful. I’ve put up my Christmas decorations, but haven’t put my normal stuff back out yet. Kind of bare, but I’m actually enjoying it.
Love your # 5. Sometimes we need to NOT have written-in-stone goals (I need to give myself that freedom too sometimes!). Have a great weekend.
And thanks for your encouragement to me so often—that really matters to me!
I like #4 and #5. That is a fun tradition to take the photo with the tree. Your girls are lovely. It's good to set that yearly get together with your husbands siblings. A very good idea! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteI love that tradition -- I wish I lived close enough to my sisters to do something similar. And I love that challenge in #5.
ReplyDeleteI love your (and Lisa Notes) goal. That's great. What a great New Year's Eve tradition.
ReplyDeleteThat quote spoke to me!
Have a great week.
I love your #4 because I love to be at home! A true homebody, through and through...
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Your girls are beautiful!
Love the challenge you are giving yourself for this year! You can't ever go wrong with drawing nearer to God.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures of your girls.