Goodbye 2012, Welcome 2013!

I usually spend the week between Christmas and New Year planning for the future, remembering the past. But this year I have not had time for that. I feel all discombobulated.

2012 was a good year and really the only major disappointment I have is in my stitching. Out of my 15 Crazy January Challenge starts in 2012 I did not finish 5 of them. Bummer. I have my 15 Crazy January Challenge 2013 projects kitted up and ready to post tomorrow. I chose several small patterns this year so maybe I'll finish all 15! I also have 2 1/2 Christmas stockings, a wedding sampler, a birthday gift, and three Christmas gifts to stitch. Plus Janel, Jessica, and I are still working on our afghan project.

If you read my last few posts, you know that I chose my One Word for 2013: Bold. I'm also taking part in the 2013 SSMT (Scripture Memory Team) that Beth Moore sponsors. I have a link to her blog on the right sidebar if you'd like to learn more. I will begin reading through the Bible again for 2013 using my Daily Chronological Bible.

I'm going to make some changes to this blog for 2013. I'm ditching the daily quote.The daily Bible verses will be from the NET Bible this year (unless otherwise noted). I'm going to make a determined effort to post a stitching update once a week. I may change around the layout some. I just want to freshen up the look of it. I'm still posting to my Christmas blog, but will make some changes to it also.

2013 is the last year of my 101 in 1001 list. I feel overwhelmed when I look at my list and see all of the items I have not accomplished. I'd better get in high gear!

Since joining the hordes of people on Pinterest earlier this year I've made several of the items I've pinned. I'm hoping to make many more in 2013 and hope to have a couple of Pinterest Parties to that end.

I'm woefully behind on scrapbooking and plan to make January 2013 "Picture Project Month" so I can hopefully get caught up. We'll see how that goes.

I enjoy reading other blogs and get so much creative and spiritual inspiration from them. Isn't it amazing how our "blog friends" enrich our lives? I wish I could meet each one, but until that happens, I enjoy our online friendships.

All in all I'm ready to bid a fond farewell to 2012 and am eagerly anticipating 2013.

One Word: Bold

In 2011 my one word was confident. In 2012 it was freedom. For 2012 my one word is bold.

I want to live my life boldly. I want to live my faith boldly. I want to bold in maintaining relationships. I want to be bold in improving my mind. I want to be bold about my health. I want to be bold when it comes to speaking out about causes that I believe in and support.

Bold. I want to be bold.

When I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me. Psalm 138:3

My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die. Philippians 1:20

2013 SSMT

In 2011 I joined Beth Moore's SSMT (Siesta's Scripture Memory Team). The goal is to memorize a Bible verse every two weeks for a total of 24 verses in a year. She's putting the team together again for 2013 and I thought some of you might be interested in giving it a try.

If you're not familiar with Beth's blog, she calls the women who read it "siesta's". She explains that it's a silly form of saying "sisters" and that somehow it stuck! If you'd like more information about the SSMT, click this link. I will be sharing the verse I'm memorizing with you on the 1st/15th of each month beginning January 1, 2013.

I will tell you though, my ability to memorize is not as sharp as it was when I was in Sunday School in the third grade! I really have to work at it. But it is fun, and I enjoy having some of God's Word floating around in my brain!

Are you ready for a new challenge for a new year? Join the SSMT and let's see how we do!

Merry Christmas

 Luke 2:1-20 NIV

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to their own town to register.

 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Family Christmas

We held our family Christmas on Saturday and it was even more fun than I anticipated! JD and Janel participated through Facetime and it was great to have them "there". Seeing the three grandkids together was so cool. This year they were all really excited about their presents and interacted well with each other. They're started to "talk" to each other which is so fun.

Today is Christmas Eve and Dan is working this morning. Later today we're headed over to John and Roberta's house (Gabe's parents) for dinner and White Elephant gift exchange. Then we'll come home to open our presents. After that we're going to watch "A Christmas Story" and play A Christmas Story Monopoly. Merry Christmas!

Dan and Zach - never too big to sit on dad's lap!

Skye enjoying the Christmas M&M cookies

Carl and JoAnne - "Papa and Gigi"

Ashley and Zach

Katie was so thrilled that Janel made Thunder a bear blanket!

Jessica - always happen to receive UofA gear

Dan with new Chargers gear

Katie and Grandma

JD and Janel opening gifts in Kansas

At some point the kids sneaked away into my bedroom for some fun

Thunder loves trucks!

Dan loves his Union soldier cap!

Adam does too!

Jessica stitched this for me

The big gifts: Thunder's tricycle

Skye's kitchen

Sunny's bike

Our neighbor Pat came over to watch the kids ride

Thunder, Gabe, Sunny, Katie, Papa, Gigi

Sorrow

I have started to write this post several times, only to realize I don't know what to say and give up. It's difficult to shake the sorrow of this past Friday. The shock fades, but the sorrow lingers. It's difficult to avoid wondering about the details. I have to try or I become slightly "obsessed". The thought of all those little First Graders is horrifying. The bravery of those women is, well, words fail me.

I can't begin to describe the depth of sorrow I feel. Not only for the victims' families, the survivors and their families, the town of Newtown, but for the shooter's family also. So much tragedy. So much sorrow.

There will come a day for recriminations, for social policy discussions, for hand-wringing over the state of mental health care in our country. Today is not that day. Tomorrow is not that day.

The only way I know to deal with the tragedies of life is through my faith in Christ. I do not understand why evil things happen to innocents. I can only pray for the victims. And renew my belief that God is in control. He is always with us. He was in the Sandy Hook school on Friday. He will be with the families and community in the days, months, years to come.

Please continue to pray for this community. Don't forget about them and the horrors they have endured.

"We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NET

The Final TUSAL for 2012

Wow! Where has the year gone? I can't believe it's time for the final TUSAL of 2012. I have enjoyed this stitch-a-long so much. Thank you, Daffycat, for hosting it! Here's my December TUSAL and some of the projects that contributed to it...

Brrr... Winter is Here

We are going to have winter later this week. The temps have dropped clear down to the upper 60s (although it's supposed to be 72 on Wednesday). I have put away the window fans until it warms up in February. I know I will have to wear socks later this week. I put a sweater on this morning because the high today is only going to be 69 degrees!

The weather forecaster is calling for a high of 59 (YIKES) one day next weekend. We turned the heater on last night before we went to bed and I actually heard it come on at 6 am this morning. Guess that means I'll have to turn it on again tonight.

In a few days our average high temperature will drop to 66 degrees. It will stay there until about the third week of January. Then it will begin the slow climb back up to the triple digits in April or May. Of course that's just the average high temperature. We could be below it or above it. I'm hoping for above it. I don't mind a few cold days. Especially this time of year it adds to the Christmas-y atmosphere. But if it stays cold for a week or more I will probably get grouchy.

You've been warned.

Our Visit With Santa

Ok. I want to end the suspense first off. We did not visit with Santa. From the moment Sunny got in my car all she said was "I don't want to sit on Santa's lap. I don't want to talk to Santa." We met my friend Joanna and her daughter Quinn at the play area and played first. We rode the merry-go-round.

Then we walked down to where Santa is temporarily residing. We oohed and aahed over the Christmas trees in the display. We slowly rounded the display to see other little kids on Santa's lap. Um, yeah. It did no good. She did not want to sit on Santa's lap.

Thunder was calm during all of this so I asked him "don't you want to sit on Santa's lap?" He stuck his thumb in his mouth and slowly shook his head "no".

So, we wrote a letter to Santa containing Christmas wishes, placed it in the big mailbox and took off to see the puppies.

As we were leaving the pet shop I hear "NOW I'm ready to sit on Santa's lap!" Maybe next time...

Thunder would not let go of my hand...

the merry-go-round goes a lot faster than it looks!

Writing a letter to Santa

In front of my main tree

Both kids love this nutcracker piece.

When you press the button it lights up and plays "The Nutcracker Suite".

Thunder likes to push the button over and over...

Surprise Party

Last night we attended the annual Surprise Party. I live in Surprise, AZ and they host this four-day event every year. It is so much fun, like living in a small town in the middle of a big city!

Dan, Gabe, Katie, Jessica, Adam, Sunny, Thunder in front of the town tree

Waiting her turn at the fishing booth

She caught a dolphin!

Tio Adam won a pink puppy for Sunny 

Sunny and Grammy on the Carousel

Tio Adam making Thunder laugh