Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a great time celebrating last night! We went out with another couple for a few hours and then headed back to their house just in time to watch the ball drop and pop some sparkling wine. And of course get my New Year's kiss!
Now Mike & I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions.
We believe if you're going to do something, do it.
You don't need to wait until Monday or the next month or the new year.
However, these are the things that I have already been trying to work on, and we will definitely be keeping up (or doing better at) this year!
I'm going to be a better follower of Chirst.
That means daily devotions (which I'm horrible at!) and a prayer/praise journal.
I'm going to be healthier.
This past year I already cut out soda and greatly increased my water intake (which was easy since I NEVER drank it. It tastes gross.)
However I haven't been consistent at working out, and we don't eat nearly as healthy as we should be, which is going to change.
My goal is also to be better at walking the dogs. It is good for me and good for them. And they deserve better from me.
I'm going to be better with our finances.
We have a budget, we are just horrible about sticking to it.
But we have switched to (mostly) cash envelopes and when it runs out, we are done until the next pay period.
We are also paying off our credit card, and then our loans. Then we have to build our savings and a separate 6 month savings of living expenses.
...Bring on the tax return!
I'm going to be a better wife.
I am going to keep making an effort not to bring up every little thing that frustrates or upsets me. Which is hard because that is a lot of things.
I am going to be better about keeping up with the dishes, which are my least favorite chore by far, and the one that irks my husband the most when it isn't done!
A Christmas Recap...One Week Late
I am so horrible about editing my photos. Maybe it is because I spend so much time editing everyone else's or maybe it is because I am a procrastinator, but whatever the reason, it rarely gets done. So these are our Christmas photos, just one week late. (Which is much better than the year and a half it took me to edit and post my Mom & sister's visit from summer 2012...)
Our Christmas season starts the evening of Thanksgiving, usually.
This year we waited until the day after, but still watched "Elf" while putting up our tree!
Mike, putting the star on the tree.
My Baby Boy.
Sophie refused to join the picture.
Every year we each get to pick out a new ornament...
Mike's ornament of the year.
My Mama asked me for some pictures of how we decorated.
She can still enjoy them after Christmas, right?
Our living room, as if walking through the front door.
A close up of our fireplace.
Those are clear ornaments filled with red or green glitter. They spell "Merry Christmas".
My Scentsy countdown warmer, "'Tis the Season".
I actually build the "N", "O", & "L".
...and I made this print!
The centerpiece on the bar.
Tea light candles in votive holders filled with "snow".
The tray is filled with jingle bells and miniature bulbs.
The centerpiece on the table.
On Christmas Eve, our friends came over to make cookies, then we went to church service together.
Sweet Kennedy loves the dogs! She was watching them from the window.
She wasn't too interested in cutting out her cookie...
And she had fun decorating them...
...but even more fun eating them.
Kaden woke up to go out and see the dogs.
Christmas Morning
Ranger "opening" his present.
Once again, Sophie wasn't interested in the photo op. She got a big Nylabone.
I gave Mike a Mr. Beer kit and refill, a bottle of Johnnie Walker "Black Label" scotch, and a pickup for his guitar.
In his stocking he got a watch, tie, and candy.
He gave me two cardigans, a nose stud, and the sparkly heels I had been wanting!
My stocking had many pairs of earrings, accessories, and candy.
It was my first Christmas away from my family, which definitely made it not "feel" like Christmas.
It was also the first Christmas, that I remember, that wasn't spent in Montana. It didn't "feel" like Christmas without the snow!
While missing my family, I enjoyed spending at least one year as just a couple, building our own traditions.
For dinner we had steak. Because we could.
All around, it was a good Christmas, I hope yours was too!
Well that was interesting creating an account. I was asked what gender I was and was *almost* smart alecky enough to choose other :) I was also asked to prove I wasn't a robot.
ReplyDeleteI love your Christmas decorations! :) Happy New Year!!
Oh Mama, you are NOT and "other" haha
DeleteThank you! I had lots of fun planning and making them :)