Sunday, January 3, 2016

Life: It Goes On - January 3


New Year's selfie - selfies should not
be taken after too many drinks!
Happy New Year! Hope you've all had a good start to 2016! We kicked off the year with a very relaxing, very long weekend and enjoyed ringing in the new year with friends we've been celebrating with for the past few years. Very low key but yummy noms, good drinks, and the kids were able to stop in to spend some time with us as well.

This Week I'm:


Listening To: As my word of the year is going to be "happier" and as my reading for the New Year's Resolution challenge will revolve around reading things that will help make that word a reality, some of my listening will also focus on that word. Hence, I'm kicking off the year getting caught up on Gretchen Rubin's podcast, "Happier."

Watching: We rented the latest Mission Impossible movie and "Trainwreck" this weekend and hope to get to "The Martian" this afternoon. We finally got back to watching a couple of episodes of "Longmire" and caught the latest "Sherlock" episode (holy twistiness!) on t.v. Mostly, as the college football season comes to an end, we've watched a lot of college football.

Reading: My last book of 2015 was Tana French's Faithful Place (review this week) and started 2016 with How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran. I have been reading parts to my husband. He is not as amused as I am by Moran, especially the bits I've read him about pubic hair. Yeah, it's that kind of book.

Making: Shredded seasoned chicken breast which we've used on buns with barbecue sauce and on stop of rice with rogan josh sauce, ham and baked potato soup - mostly, though, we've noshed on a lot of leftovers from all of that Christmas cooking.

Planning: On heading off the the YMCA shortly - third day in a row. Because part of being happier in the coming year is being smaller and more fit.

Grateful for: This four-day weekend I've been enjoying. My department will be working at half staff this coming week and it's going to be ridiculously crazy. Good thing I'm going in well rested and relaxed!

Mini-me's girl and The Big Guy
Enjoying: A couple of hour with Mini-me's girl before she headed off to Texas for a four-month stint finishing up her final practical for her degree. She was only home for a couple of days between a Christmas trip and heading down to Texas but she's one of our kids now so we couldn't let her go off without seeing her!

Feeling: Like I should have taken down the Christmas decorations this weekend. But it's so much work! I can leave them up through the twelve days, right?

Looking forward to: Continuing organizing this week. Because it's the first of the year and with all of the upheaval of the holidays, it needs to be done. Kitchen is just about done - even the doors are closed and no one can see in the cupboards or pantry, I swear I feel a weight off my shoulders!

What are you looking forward to this week? Do you anticipate a letdown after all the busyness of the holidays?

13 comments:

  1. I love your new word, Lisa. 'Happier' sounds like a good plan. Enjoy your YMCA time. I want to watch the new Sherlock and thought I had it recorded the other night, but somehow it disappeared. Anyway, they are showing it again next Sunday, so hope it works this time. Have a good week. Hope it's not as crazy as you fear. I'm looking forward to getting back to normal, whatever that is. LOL

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    1. Yeah, I never have figured out what "normal" is - it seems to be something other than whatever is going on in your life at that time!

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  2. You inspire me! I can't believe how much you do...

    I keep forgetting that I want to watch TrainWreck. And the podcast sounds great. Happy New Year, Lisa!

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    1. Psh - I really don't do that much! I'm always appalled by how dirty things are in my house whenever I start to deep clean, disappointed that I can't find more time for writing and crafts, cranky that I can't get off my butt and get the deep organizing done that needs to be done. One Sunday, I'll include the number of hours I sat in front of the t.v. and did nothing. Then you'll know!

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  3. Good morning. I anticipate lots of grumbling having to wake up in the colder hours of the morn for school, but I also anticipate some good running time to shed the holiday sweets and oink fests besides some peace and quiet with not having to referee two sisters snipin' at one another.

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    1. As much as I used to look forward to school breaks and not having to get kids out the door every morning and monitor homework every night, I was always ready for them to get back out from under my feet!

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  4. I like the Happier podcast but definitely need to get caught up! I'm seriously impressed that you got your kitchen reorganized. I know mine needs it but I'm scared! Pretty much ditto with the Christmas decorations. We got the tree down and the outside lights but everything else... It's a big job and not nearly as much fun as putting them up. Have a great week!

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    1. I could not stand my pantry one more day! I was determined that the kitchen be put back in order before I went back to work. If that room functions, then the rest seems not so bad. Next up - getting the decorations done. Every time I take them down, I try to sort out what worked and what I'm ready to get rid of or set aside for the kids to take. Assuming they ever move out again!

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  5. I managed to get my fake tree down yesterday afternoon and it was so satisfying... a pain in the butt, but good to have done. I did a lot of organizing too, mostly in my office because it was a total disaster and I needed to get my desk back. It's nice to start the year with a long weekend and a clean space to think!

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    1. I swear the fake trees aren't that much easier to deal with than the real ones. Other than that you don't have to worry that the tree will burst into flames or the dead needles will make you bleed as you take down ornaments. Yep, definitely better to have a fake tree!

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  6. It sounds like you had a wonderful New Year's celebration, Lisa. "Happier" is a good word to go with for the year. I've never chosen a word. I considered it briefly this weekend, but couldn't come up with just one word. I have an idea of what I want to strive for--just no word for it. I am sad I missed Sherlock. We didn't even record it on the DVR. :-( I'm sure we will watch it eventually. We haven't taken down our decorations yet either. I'm kind of hoping my husband will do it while I'm at work this week, but that's probably wishful thinking. Haha

    I haven't felt the usual after-holiday-let-down this year. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I still have houseguests?

    I hope you have a great week, Lisa! It's back to work for me tomorrow.

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    1. Having houseguests is a good way to ease back off of the high that is the holidays! I haven't had as much of a let down either, but did have this four-day weekend to look forward to. Now...months without a break and cold and snow to look forward to. Need to find something to make January fun!

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  7. Oh, I LOVED this latest episode of Sherlock. It was so creative! I did catch the BIG twist early on though, which disappoints me a bit but it was a blast watching my husband and my daughter's faces when they finally caught on to what was happening. It makes me long for season four even more now!!

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