January.

 We are flying through January with still no snow.  It's been fairly mild weather to around our home.  

January is usually the month when I declutter and go from room to room to clean out closets, drawers, etc..  I've not gotten started with that project yet because we've been on the move with basketball practices and games and life.  I hope to start this next week!?!

We are back to routine!  That's like good medicine to me!  I like normal.  I like normal routine.  I love vacations, school breaks and long weekends but it does come time to get back to real life!  I'm ready.

I made my first long loaf sourdough bread last week.  Hadassah gave me a loaf pan for Christmas and I couldn't wait to bake with it!  It turned out wonderful!

I also baked a round loaf with cheddar cheese and oregano!  It was good but need to perfect the cheese in it better!

Basketball is in full swing and we are loving it!!!!  This is Matthew's last year with playing in high school because he's a senior and we are making the best memories!

And I gazed at the Christmas tree one last time before Matthew hauled it out of the living room.  This was a large, pretty tree!  It didn't dry out near as fast this year and was still so pretty.  It was only dropping a few needles but it was time to rid of it.  Until next year ...

Austin had his first basketball practice and game!  He did great and loved it!  It's so fun to watch him and Adrian play on the same team!  Go Donkey Kong!

New shirts and jerseys are always exciting!!!!

Mike and Matthew bought a muscle car the other week and have been working hard on it!  It got towed here because it didn't run.  So much of it needs fixed and repaired.  They are having fun and getting to one piece at a time!  On Saturday, they got the car to start and they were so excited to take it around the block and fill it with gas!  There's much to fix on this old car yet but it's time spent together doing something they both love.  I now have a full garage with oil cans lying around but the boys are having fun!

Each game is different.  Some teams hover over us and the next team we are big boys.  It's just a blast!  Coach told us that he might not play Matthew for this game because Matthew's been having some knee trouble.  Well, Matthew was there to play and ended up playing all but the last two minutes of the game.  I love this kid!

So much basketball growth happened because of this coaching team!

We made a doctor appointment to schedule an MRI for Matt's knee.  It's been hurting and giving him issues and it's good to know if he should keep working it or rest it.  The MRI results showed three different issues but nothing too serious.  Matthew can still play and then after the season we will work on strengthening the weak knee!

Matthew had to change into a hospital gown and lay still for 45 minutes in the machine.  It all went well and did fine but when we were getting ready to leave, he said, "Boy, I just don't like this doctors and nurses thing.  Let's get out of here!"  We have been so blessed and having healthy bodies and an energetic family is so much to be thankful for!!!!

January is usually the month to slow down and watch it snow.  I hope it does snow soon!  I'd love that!  And the slowing down part is still to come!  I helped with hot lunch on Wednesday and Lena and I made eight huge pans of lasagna on Tuesday.  There seems to always be something on my calendar!

Stay warm!  

Year in Review!

 

Something I absolutely love to do is .... remember!!!!  Looking back over my photos of 2022 is such a delight!!!!!  Here are some of my favorites for each month!

We are incredibly blessed to have all these memories be so sweet and precious!  

Thank you Jesus for a healthy family, plenty of food on our table and money to pay for our bills!  We are blessed!

Happy New Year!!!!

After all the Christmas events, we took a trip to the cabin!  This has become one of our all time favorite places to be!!!!  Some of my family joined us!

Met the first snowmen for this winter!  The kids "made" Warren, Mommy and Daudy!

What a blast!

Mike used Dad's tractor to cut more trees down on our property and started with making a driveway entrance.

The kids got pulled behind the golf cart on sleds!

The puzzle we bought in Missouri, I took along to do at the cabin.  I wasn't sure if we would complete it but we had is done in a few hours!  Such a fun one!!!!

We packed our bags and headed back home on Saturday afternoon.  Jr and Ruthie invited us to their house to cheer in the New Year!!!! We celebrated with JR and John and Martha Rose by playing Dutch Blitz!  The night was fun! 

I didn't take much time to think about any New Year Resolutions or Goals until Sunday afternoon.  We slept in Sunday morning, went to church, grabbed some pizza for lunch and came home to relax and watch the Chiefs win football!

I have read through the Bible a few times in the past years and love to read it in chronological order.  This time, I am chasing to read it with this plan!!!

The Bible Recap has the scripture reading and then some notes shared after the reading.  I'm excited to do this plan!

Matthew came home safe and sound from Florida!  He's got a tan and sat down at the dining room table to work on his Lego car!  I love this teenager!!!!!

Always good reminders!

Today, I cleaned up the house by throwing out the dried up Christmas greens.  The vacuum still doesn't work correctly but I still got things swept.  I took down the Christmas lights from outside and put them back in storage.  How can Christmas already be over?  We still have the tree in the living room because it's still soft and looking great!!!!

Taking down the Christmas decor and putting up some winter decor feels like a good way to start the new year!  This is also the last day of Christmas vacation and I'm ready to have the kids back in school.  Time off was wonderful and fun but now that the events are over, it's time to get back in school!

I sat down yesterday afternoon and starting jotting things down.  I like to have some goals but they stay pretty simple over the years.  If I feel like I can't attain them, I don't write them down.  Also, I just jotted down some places that would be so fun to visit.  Will we get to these this year?  Maybe some.  Maybe all of them!!!  We shall see!

A new year is always a fresh new start to a new calendar!  I've already got lots of things written down in it and we are excited to see what 2023 will hold!  God is so good!  

Cheers to a new year!  Let's go 2023!!!!