Happy New Year!

It is December 31, the very last day of 2017.

And I haven't even considered New Year's Resolutions. Normally? have them carefully outlined. But this year? Nothing. I honestly have barely even thought about it. I'm not entirely sure why I've been negligent in this arena. Maybe it's because I am surrounded by so much family at the moment -- which, of course is a beautiful thing. Currently in my living room I have a couple of nephews, my girls and their boys, and Jace. My home is relatively small and yet we are all cohabiting in a rather peaceful, fun-filled manner.

I can't even think about the fact that they will all be heading back to their respective homes in a few short days. I prefer to just stay present, living in the moment, so that I don't have to deal with that reality.

Or...maybe I haven't thought about it because I am hanging onto 2017 for as long as possible. 2017 has been good to me, to my family. I am deeply deeply grateful.

Or maybe it is because I don't trust myself. I am really gifted when it comes to having great intentions and then life gets in the way, or I settle back into the comfort of my old bad habits and such.

Regardless, I am taking a moment to really think about what I want for 2018. I have about an hour before we are all heading out the door (despite the fact that it's 24 degrees out) for my sister Lori's home for a New Year's Eve party. We will wrap up 2017 with a bang - Martinelli's, games, chips and dip, and laughter.

And then tomorrow? Well tomorrow we will begin anew.

So here we go. Here are my Intentions (not Resolutions as the word itself just resonates failure in my head) for 2018:

*I want to choose health. Recently I watched some videos put out my Susan Pierson Thompson who heads up Bright Line Eating. She outlines the addictive properties of sugar and flour and, inspired by the studies she presents, I gave up both for several weeks. Naturally, the holidays have wreaked havoc on my eating habits but I am determined to get back to whole-foods dining.

*I want to faithfully write in my gratitude journal. I've heard that there is some sort of benefit in actually writing out the things we are grateful for each day. I'm going to give it a shot.

*I'm going to continue making progress on my house. Roy is taking a few weeks off work during January and intends to remodel our kitchen during this time. Ah - I can't wait. But beyond that, I need to update so many things around my home: pot holders, towels, photo frames with updated photos in them, and the list continues. I want to make small improvements every month.

*I want to live intentionally by planning fun into our lives. Roy and I are so good at status quo. But I want more. I want to explore where we live, find fun things to do, and actually do them. You know - things that don't involve a screen. So my intention is to find one thing to do each month that is out of the ordinary.

And of course...I hope to be present in my life, to put down my phone, to write more, to read great books, to have inspiring conversations, to live simply, and to laugh.

A lot.

Nothing too profound exists in that simple list. But it's enough.

Happy New Year, Friends.

Merry Christmas 2017

Yesterday it was 74 degrees outside.

It is late December, my friends, and it was 74 degrees outside.

And so when I got off work (which, by the way, I am now off work for the next 12 days), I headed home to find Roy blowing leaves in a pile with the leaf blower as our yard has been overtaken with them. And so Jace and I together bagged up leaves and piled the bags in a row so that Roy can dispose of them. And while we worked, Jace chattered away. He talked about a new kid he has met and Spanish class which he doesn’t care much for and how very much he loves Christmas break and on and on. It was all things roses in our conversation as Jace is happily anticipating two whole weeks of gaming and sleeping in and staying up late and eating great food and family coming home.

Afterwards, I ran over to the Lewis’ front door and banged on it mightily until someone threw the door open so that I could burst inside. “We’re going to Braum’s. Wanna come?”

And they did and so the Lewis clan loaded up into their van while we Seals plus Jared loaded up into our car and headed to Cleburne for some burgers and fries and ice cream and such. 

Normally we just get ice cream when we go to Braum’s but on this particular evening? Well, we hadn’t eaten as we were racing sundown with those leaves. And so we all stood in the “food” line rather than the “ice cream” line and ordered to our hearts’ content.

Roy filled some little paper cups with ketchup and then, once we were gathered around the tables over in the corner, he pummeled them with pepper for his fries. 

“Ew!” Tami exclaimed, making a face. “Who does that?” And we all laughed.

And then we chattered away, all of us talking at once and probably nobody listening because apparently that is what we do. And, of course, when Roy started telling work stories that include concrete and measuring and all things boring, Tami and I pretended to fall asleep. We found ourselves hilarious…Roy found us annoying.

But that’s okay. He knows we love him.

And then when we all had full bellies (much to my chagrin) and only empty containers and wadded up napkins filled the trays in front of us, we headed back out to our respective vehicles and made the trek back home, safe and sound. 

I love the holidays. I love the blinking tree in our living room and festive sweaters and eggnog. I am eagerly anticipating heading to Oklahoma tomorrow for two days packed-full of family and laughter and silly games. Best of all, Darian is home for 3 weeks, and Savana and Guerin are flying home for a full week on Christmas Day.

i am grateful. 2017 has been good to me, to our family, and I am greeting 2018 with open arms for the bounty that it, too, will provide. That isn’t to say that I know that only good times will shower from above. But it is to say that I will choose to look for the good, to focus on the bounty, sometimes in the midst of the pain.

I hope that your lives, too, are filled up with the bounty of love, family, and laughter during this festive Season.

Merry Christmas, Friends…from our house to yours.