Life: It Goes On - December 31

Well, this has been quite a year, filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I'm tired of getting angry every time I turn on the television or open the internet. I'm tired of reading slumps and I miss blogging but I can't make myself focus on it. In 2018, I want to take my life back. I want to make time for things that are important, I want to find a way to fight that doesn't overwhelm everything else in my life, I want to have time to count my blessings. Christmas time is always a good time to remind myself about all of the blessings in my life. I have enjoyed having a lot of time off work lately to recharge and relax. Now I'm ready to say goodbye to 2017 and look forward to a new year!

This Week I'm:

Listening To: I've been listening to a lot of NPR lately. Even though it means hearing the news, it also means I'm learning a lot and hearing a lot of interesting stories. I think, though, it's time to start a new audiobook. Not sure which one yet, though.

Watching: Football, "Elf," "You've Got Mail," "Kate and Leopold." Why, yes, The Big Guy humored me and watched not one but two "girlie" movies with me this week!

Reading: Guys! I am loving the writing in Far From The Madding Crowd! I'm not going to get it finished by the end of the year but I'm so glad the Classics Club gave me the push I needed to get back  to the classics.

Making: We have seriously been eating a lot of leftovers this week. We made a ham for Christmas and had several meals off of that, including cooking the bone into ham and bean soup.

Planning: Forty Bags In Forty Days starts again February 14 and I am already formulating a plan of attack for this year. BG has agreed that he is really going to work on getting rid of things this year so I may be able to tackle some areas that I haven't been able to do much about in the past.

Thinking About: What I'm going to do in the coming year politically. I need to become more active in a more productive way.

Enjoying: Another long weekend.

Feeling: Like I need to schedule a few days off in the next few months to help me make it through the winter.

Looking forward to: The Fourth of July. Yes, you read that right. I've got another great-niece or great-nephew due that day and I already can hardly wait to meet this new little person!

Question of the week: Are you choosing a word of the year for 2018? Have you given any thought to what your first book of the year will be?

Merry Christmas!

Life: It Goes On - December 24

In an effort to try to get back on track, I'm writing again, even though it's only been a few days since I've done one of these posts.  I've absolutely loved having these past few days off work. I've had time to help the kids finish up their shopping, make some yummy meals, put my house in order and catch up laundry, and find lots of "me" time. I even got lucky and missed the first wintery weather commute!

This Week I'm:

Listening To: I'm still adding new Christmas music to my playlist. And taking some off as well, because I tried some newer versions of old favorites that I really did not love.

Watching: The Nightmare Before Christmas as I type this. I've mostly had the television off while I've been off work but when it's on, I've been trying to watch things that put me in the mood for the holidays. Pretty cranky that I haven't been able to find The Family Stone yet.

Reading: I'm finishing Pachinko today and am glad I won't have any time to start something new for a day or so so that I can just roll it around in my brain for a bit.

Making: Lasagna, pizzas, taco soup; we've dipped pretzels and then I used the rest of those ingredients to make pretzel/peppermint almond bark and peppermint almond bark.

Planning: A New Year's Eve potluck dinner and game night.

Grandma Shep and Miss H

Thinking About: The Big Guy's mom, the originally Mama Shep. I always miss her even more this time of year.

Enjoying: Being relaxed, for a change, at Christmas.

Feeling: Ready for 2018. We've had the highest of highs this year but also some pretty deep lows and I'm ready to put those behind us and look to the future.

Looking forward to: Going to Christmas Eve services tonight and hearing "Silent Night" sung in German during the candlelight portion of the service.

Question of the week: What is your favorite thing about Christmas (if you celebrate)?

A Month of Faves: Reppin' The Holidays

I've come to dread bringing out the Christmas decorations. It's so much work and no matter how much I think I'm cutting back, it can still seem overwhelming. And it never looks like one of the lovely homes in magazines or even on Pinterest.

Still, bringing out the Christmas decorations is also bringing out memories. Here are a few of the ornaments on our tree that make me happy.

From left to right, top to bottom:
One of the first decorations my parents had on their Christmas trees which was given to me as part of a shower present when we got married; the bride and groom were given to us by dear family friends the first Christmas after we were married; the Empire State building commemorates our honeymoon that included a stop in New York City; Mr. Jeremy Fisher who is one of the hundreds of frogs I've collected in my life; a Danish paper ornament represents my Danish heritage; one of the Santa collection my boys have been given over the years; one of the angel ornaments Miss H has been given at Christmas's past; and, finally, each of the kids has a wooden candy cane which are always some of the first ornaments on the tree.

Life: It Goes On - December 21

Apparently life is going on to such an extent that I can't even find time to blog right now. Or read much, for that matter. I have a few days off this week to finish up shopping, get last-minute shipping done, wrap and get food ready. When I scheduled these days off, way back in January, I did it to make sure I had time for just those kinds of things. It was also with the hope that I would have enough time to get things caught up around the house and to have some "me" time. Surprisingly, I have found that I have time for both of those things. I will finally finish a book this week!

This Week I'm:

Listening To: Christmas music, of course! I've spent some time the past couple of weeks making a playlist that includes classics, new versions of classic songs, and new music. With over 3 hours of music on it, I'm still surprised by how often certain songs appear when it's on shuffle play. Even thought it's on my playlist, I still can't listen to Andy Williams' "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" without thinking of the SNL skit with Will Farrell on the turntable!

Watching: Last weekend was all about volleyball and the Nebraska women's team surprising everyone, except themselves, by winning the national championship. We went out to watch the championship match so we could celebrate with like-minded people. Also, this week watched the finale of this season's The Voice. Can't argue with the winner but I thought, in the finals, Brooke was the winner.

Reading: Ti, of Book Chatter, posted about what she'll be reading for her final book of 2017. We bloggers like to focus on what we'll read to start a new year; but Ti suggests that how we end the year is just as important. I still need to read Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd for the Classics Club by the end of the year and it actually seems like the perfect choice as my last book of the year, as it will point me in the direction of reading more classics again in the coming year.

Making: The Big Guy, Mini-him, Miss H and I Facetime'd with Mini-me and Mrs. S. on Sunday to frost Christmas cookies "together." It's not the same as having everyone around the table together but it's not a bad alternative. Today I'll be making taco soup to take to my parents' for Christmas Eve supper; we have our big meal at noon and then do soups at supper so it's easier to work supper around church services. I also spent a lot of hours the past week putting together Christmas presents but I can't talk about that just yet because, ya know, they're presents.

Planning: Working on plans for New Year's Eve; but, other than that, I'm trying not to plan too much just now so that I can live in the moment through the holidays.

Thinking About: How much we're going to miss having all of the family together this year. On my side, we've been very lucky for a long time and been able to have almost everyone together at Christmas. This year, there will only be about half of us. There will be no chaos, which is both a good and bad thing.

Enjoying: These few days before the holiday weekend to relax, have some quiet time, and finish things up without racing around. For the first time in a long time (maybe ever?), I think I'll head into the celebrations rested.

My actual laundry baskets are not
this nice!

Feeling: Accomplished. I don't know how I got so far behind on laundry but it took me all day yesterday to wash, dry, fold and hang what I swear must have been every clothing item the three of us own. It's the little joys in life, isn't it?

Looking forward to: Being with family! And finding out what's in the giant box Mini-me and Mrs. S sent for me. Seriously, I've been like a little kid wondering about that box!

Question of the week: If you don't celebrate Christmas, how do you enjoy having some time off this time of year while the rest of us are running ourselves ragged? For those of you who celebrate Christmas but won't get to be with family, how do you make it still feel special?