Happy New Year!!!

 

Peter and I are closing out 2014 just like we always do....

 

at home on the couch waiting to watch the ball drop in Times Square on tv!

 

We wouldn't have it any other way!

 

 

It's been another year of change, but it's been a great year for our family!

Looking forward to what 2015 has in store for us!

 

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

2*0*1*5

 

 

 

The Happiness Project: 2015

This year, I am re-reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. I read it a few years ago, but pulled it out again just before the holidays and decided to make it my first book of 2015.

The Happiness Project (Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun)

 

 

Actually, this book will take me all year long to read, since it is divided into chapters, by month, each with a different topic, to supposedly help make this next year a more organized, entertaining, challenging, thought-provoking, joyful, fun, happier year!

 

 

1. January: Boost Energy

Vitality

2. February: Remember Love

Marriage

3. March: Aim Higher

Work

4. April: Lighten Up

Parenthood

5. May: Be Serious About Play

Leisure

6. June: Make Time For Friends

Friendship

7. July: Buy Some Happiness

Money

8. August: Contemplate the Heavens

Eternity

9. September: Pursue a Passion

Books

10. October: Pay Attention

Mindfulness

11. November: Keep a Contented Heart

Attitude

12. December: Boot Camp Perfect

Happiness

I'll post weekly about the sub-topics in each month's category. Hopefully, I can apply each of these steps to my life and find some motivation....

and have a happier & healthier 2015! 

 

itunes tuesday.....

I LOVE my new iPod! Thank you so much Nathan for my awesome Christmas gift!!

I finally have a playlist!!! Only 2 songs so far...but a playlist!

1) Shotgun Rider- Tim McGraw

 

 

 

2) Shake It Off- Taylor Swift

 

 

now to get moving with my new year's resolution....start walking!!!!

january chalkboard

#countdowntodisney

christmas 2014 {part 4}

My sister and nephew arrived on Friday to celebrate the holidays with us! They stopped on their way here to see Lindsey & Allie.

<3 <3

Once they got here, we exchanged a few more gifts and ate a little lot more food.

Yesterday was family game day.....

I love games....and I especially....

...LOVE scrabble!!!! <3

My family is not on the same page where games (particularly scrabble) are concerned.

Peter is out all together (he was working anyway), Dad is pretty on board, Mom is "learning" the game (although I think that may be her strategy), Nathan was uninterested (more on this later), Derek is super-serious and competitive, and sister.....well, see her expression in next picture.....

....we were lucky to get one game out of her!! :O)

That leaves me!

I've been told I may be a tad competitive...(but only just a tad)!!

Game 1 was pretty uneventful, and ended with me winning!!! :O)

For Game 2, we decided to make it interesting and pair up. Mom and Dad were on teams, Derek and I teamed up....uh oh!

Nathan decided Gran and Pop needed help and ended up joining in (actually took over the game!) ...so much for not loving scrabble. LOL

Teaming up Derek and I wasn't such a good idea. Our "team" consisted of him controlling the tiles, and NOT listening to my word combo suggestions. LOL

Sister was secretly videoing some of game....while the above pictures look like we are playing a friendly, family game of scrabble, this video shows the real story!

I should have shared my motto about game playing before we started!!!!

Derek ended up deserting me..........and joined the other side.

I miraculously scored enough points though to make the game a tie in the end!!!!

We had so much fun and are still laughing about it. I'm hoping to get a re-match before Derek leaves on Wednesday....but we will definitely NOT be partners this time (I'm sure the feeling is mutual)!!

 

One more picture from Christmas 2014....

 

I got this picture of Dad today sporting all of his Dolphins gear.

Nathan usually gets him something and this year Logan did too! Go Dolphins....

 What a wonderful holiday I have had with my family!!!!

DIY Weathered Wood Pallet Arrow

I love weathered wood arrows.......

photo sources above: pinterest

I just had to have one and I had the perfect place to hang it!!

I begged asked Peter to make me one (that was a no go).....

but my handy-dandy Dad came through (there may have been some bribery with food involved though).

I love it!!! <3

a new year: let's get organized!!

I love it when a new year begins! I love a fresh start! 

Two must haves for 2015:

1) a new {pretty} calendar

{love this subway art calendar I found at Dollar Tree}

2) a receipt organizer

I found this monthly budget organizer at Dollar General last year and loved it for keeping track of receipts/expenses. It has pockets for receipts and a ledger for each month.

This one is stuffed! Receipts will now be filed away in the file cabinet.

I made sure to pick up another one this year!!

Now I need to clear out my household binder and buy a new notebook and I'm all set for a new year of being more organized.....again!

5 on friday: holiday wrap-up

 

 

{one}

holiday wrapping

 

{this year, I used left-over tulle from the wedding & silver jingle bells from Dollar Tree)

 

 

I gave Mom a pretty box {Hobby Lobby} filled with her favorite things: teas/tea cup/gratitude journal/biscotti/chocolate/calendar. I also gave her a starfish Alex & Ani bracelet.

 

{two}

for your mistle "toes"

 

a {cheap} cute gift idea!

 

for Mom & Sister....

 

 

{three}

stuffed!!

 

holy left-overs! Our fridge is ridiculous!

 

{four}

elf

{he still has no name}

 

no shenanigans from this guy!

 

{five}

a little sparkle....

 

 

holiday nails {by Andrea}

 

christmas 2014 {part 3}

 

Christmas 2014 {part three}

 

"Peter, we slept in!"

(couldn't resist the Home Alone quote)

 

I couldn't believe it was almost 11:00 when we woke up! I was soooo tired, it was so nice to be able to sleep!

 

I jumped in the shower, then put on my Christmas jammies for the day.

 

Kayla came by and we had breakfast. We opened more gifts and Nathan opened all of his "Santa" gifts.

He had a great Christmas too!!

 

we gave him Carhartt bibs for work.....

Peter tried them on too....

......and proved he can fit in Nathan's size! :O)

(He has lost almost 30 lbs.!!!! So proud of him!)

I put a Mississippi Roast in the crockpot....I wanted something hearty today.
We had a few visitors, and Trenna stopped by with a gift she made for me!

I LOVE THESE!!! <3
Thanks again, Trenna!!

We had dinner, went out to do a little visiting, then came back home (and put my jammies back on and watched Christmas movies!!).  
It was so good to have Nathan home for Christmas this year!
Our holidays are so different now that boys are grown up and working away from home.
We have learned to stretch the holiday out though and usually end up celebrating several times to accomodate their schedules. My sister and nephew come tomorrow, so the celebrating will continue! We don't mind though, it just gives us more time to spend time with our family!!!

 

We wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!!!

 

 

Blogmas 2014 - Day 25