A Glance Back, A Look Ahead

  As I look back at 2020, I can easily focus on how blessed I am. Although we were affected by the pandemic (mainly in the difficulty of finding various supplies and food items), our day-to-day life was not that different.

We are so fortunate to live where we do. The weather allows us to be outside almost every day. We had a brief period of businesses being closed, but it was mainly businesses we don't go to anyway (bars, gyms). It has been rough having the grandkids here for school each day. But other than that, life has gone on. I'm so grateful.

In 2020 I accomplished:

Reading 100 books! This has been a goal of mine for years. This year I signed up for the Reading Challenge on GoodReads and managed to meet my goal. I actually read 102 books. I guess that's the good side of having school in my home. I had lots of time to read in between helping them with their lessons, haha.

Bible Reading: If you've read my blog for any length of time you know that I try to read through the Chronological Bible each year. I really enjoy reading the Bible in the order that things happened. So much easier to understand and puts events into perspective. This year I read it on the YouVersion Bible app. 

Stitching: Well, my stitching really suffered this year. It was almost impossible to stitch during the school day when I was interrupted every 20-30 minutes with somebody needing something (or so it seemed!). I only managed to complete a few projects, although I did finish a Christmas stocking which is a big job.

One Word: My one word in 2020 was steadfast. As I look back on the year I realize that it was the perfect word because I needed to be steadfast. Steadfast in providing emotional support to my daughter and her kids as they lived with us. Steadfast in believing even on the most stressful days that God is in control and things will be better. Steadfast in protecting my health - both physical and mental! When I chose that word I had no idea what a large role it would play in everyday life.

• 2020 Steadfast
• 2019  Resolute
• 2018 People
• 2017 Hope
• 2016 Content
• 2015 Time
• 2014 Home
• 2013 Bold
• 2012 Freedom
• 2011 Confident

This Blog: This summer I was thinking about my blogs (yes, I have two) and trying to come up with a plan to be a better blogger. Blog more, have more directed content, share more family stuff, try to be inspirational. I have a plan, but as I'm learning (especially this year) life definitely gets in the way! Blogging in 2020 was certainly a hit and miss proposition for me.

Family: For obvious reasons I had a lot of family time this year. Having Katie, Sunny, and Thunder live with us for 287 days... well, that's a LOT of family time! During the summer we had a few family events here at home in the swimming pool. We traveled to Kansas in June. And we capped the summer with Dan's 65th Birthday Celebration with the family all heading to Colorado for Labor Day Weekend. JD, Janel, Blizzard and Winter arrived on Christmas Eve Day and we held Family Christmas on Christmas Eve for the first time ever. The most joyous times are when I have all my kids around me.

A Look Ahead...

Reading: My reading goal for 2021 is 75 books. I have several very thick books I want to read and keeping my goal at 100 does not lend itself to reading thick books!

Stitching: My goal is the same as last year; to complete 12 projects. I also really want to finish the afghan I started with Jessica and Janel in (gulp) 2010.

Bible: I started a new-to-me Chronological Bible on the YouVersion app for this year.

One Word: Oh my goodness. I noticed that the past several years I start this category with a lot of confusion and angst over what my one word with be. This year is no exception. As I've talked with my husband over the past week I realized that the word I use more often to describe how I'm approaching 2021 is optimistic. So that's my one word. I am very optimistic about the future and life in general. 

Family: Although no one is living with us now, we still have school in our home. With Katie's work schedule that means we have Sunny and Thunder three days each week. For the foreseeable future. As in, I sure hope this doesn't last until May, but I'm prepared if it does. I think this year we'll be able to get in more family birthday parties, Easter, Mother's Day, etc. We're having a warm, dry winter which means outside festivities are easy to have. We're also planning a trip to the Galveston area in July to celebrate my 65th Birthday. In between there will be lots of sleepovers, cousin days, and other fun activities. We're hoping to get to Kansas at least twice in 2021.

All in all, life is good. We have our health. We have our family close by. We Skype every Sunday with the Kansas family. Everyone has jobs and still goes to work every single day, and has since this all started. (Except the adults in education. One works from home, one goes to work, and one quit her job). So, I'll say it again. All in all, life is good. We are so blessed.

Our original little family: JD, Jessica, Me, Dan, Katie, Zach

Looking Ahead...

Well, it's 2020! I'm eager to look forward into the new year and make some plans, set goals, dream dreams, and make wishes.

Quiet Time: In 2019 my daughter introduced me to the YouVersion Bible app. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but I do. I've completed several devotions/studies on it. As you know if you've read my blog for awhile, my favorite daily Bible reading is the chronological Bible. I found it on the Bible app and will be reading it from there this year. My daughter Jessica is going to join me in this venture.

Reading: Last year I only read 41 books. I have a stack of them on my bedside table to read, mostly non-fiction. Each year I usually read whatever strikes my fancy but this year I plan to re-read all of the John Grisham novels in the order they were written. I told myself my goal is to read 100 books this year. I think that's mainly a motivational tool and not a realistic goal!

Stitching: In 2019 I completed nine projects. Four of them were Christmas stockings which take me months to stitch. The other five projects were small patterns that I only stitched on while accompanying my friend to chemo. We started the year with chemo once a week for eight weeks, then every other week for eight weeks, then once every four weeks. I'll be putting together a collection of smalls to stitch for this year. I also need to stitch three stockings this year. Hopefully I'll finish by June or July so I can spend the rest of the year stitching some patterns for me!

Family Time: As our family has grown over the past ten years I'm amazed at how much time is spent on family time. I love it, but it definitely requires a change of priorities. This year in addition to the usual birthdays, sports events, school programs, Grammy Summer Camp, and sleepovers, we have a few family trips planned and one special trip for just Dan and I. I hope to document these activities on the blog better than I did last year.

Which brings me to my last category.

Blog: I have such high hopes for posting on my blog. So, why don't I do it more often? I don't have an answer to that question but am working on a better organizational plan to achieve my high hopes. I enjoy blogging, especially reading your posts. I feel a part of this community and treasure the blog friendships I've made here. Especially getting to know a fellow blogger personally face-to-face, Gracie.

So there you have it. I'm ready for 2020 and all of the challenges and opportunities it will bring.

Happy New Year!

A Look Ahead...

I've come to really enjoy this week of the year. I enjoy taking stock of the year that's ending and making plans for the year ahead.

I don't make New Year Resolutions, but I definitely make goals for the new year. I lay out goals for stitching, for reading, for home improvement projects, for travel, for gifts, for family events. Of course, all of these are written in pencil, you know how real life can interfere with plans!

Stitching - {{sigh}} my stitching this year was the pits. I was shocked when I counted up my projects and saw how few I completed. So, in true to myself fashion, I've decided to overcompensate in 2017. I need to stitch six Christmas stockings. I want to finish my afghan. I want to stitch a baby sampler for my soon-to-arrive grandchild. And of course, I have a pile of WIPs to get to.

Quiet Time - if you've read my blog for any length of time you know that my favorite source for daily Bible reading is the Chronological Bible. In 2016, I tried something new. I had a flip calendar of daily readings from Jesus Calling. I really enjoyed that. So for 2017 I bought "Jesus Always". I'm also doing a weekly Bible Study with some friends, which I think will continue in 2017.

Blog - last year I switched to a "Verse for the Week" format. I really liked that and I got a lot of very encouraging comments. So I'm sticking with that for this week. I hope to post a stitching post once a week, but I'll be satisfied if I manage one a month! I did better over on my Christmas blog this year. I published a countdown for all 52 weeks leading up to Christmas and I managed to write all of "Christmas in July". I also posted most of the days in December. Again, this plan worked for me so I'm hoping to duplicate it next year. I already posted "Christmas Countdown: 52 Weeks From Today" on Monday.

At home - we have so many home improvement projects to complete. I made a list of the interior projects and a list of the exterior projects. I'm hanging them on the pantry door and we'll cross them off as we get them done. But as you know, you're really NEVER done with home improvement!

Travel - in 2016 we took the trip of a lifetime to Disneyland. We also traveled to Kansas to visit JD and Janel in September. This year we're tentatively planning to travel to see JD and Janel at least four times. We want to go to San Diego at least three times and we're thinking of going to Disneyland for Christmas. Now that we're both in our 60s we feel the urge to do things we've never been able to do before...

Family - and of course, we're hoping to host many family events this year. As the family grows there are more reasons to celebrate each other!

So Long 2014!

I probably say this every December 31st, but I don't know where the year has gone! It has been filled with family, friends, and fun. Our family grew with the addition of Storm's birth in June. We got to spend time with friends both near and far. We managed to complete a few projects around the home. And although it's not technically "new" to us after more than a year, it still feels new!

This past year I used the Our Daily Bread Devotional Bible for my daily devotions. I enjoyed it immensely and have passed it on to Jessica for 2015. I'm looking forward to using a new chronological Bible, the "Chronological Life Application Study Bible" NLT. Unlike my old chronological Bible, this one is filled with charts, maps, and loads of "helps". I am so excited to get started on it tomorrow morning!

My stitching this year was made up of baby samplers, Christmas stockings, and afghans. I only managed to complete 12 projects. Ugh. I need to make three stockings next year. And I also need to finish my share of both my afghan and Jessica's. I'm hoping to get lots of starts going in 2015. I also hope to "finish" the 15 or so finishes I found in my craft room yesterday. They're stored in plain sight so I guess that means I'm consciously avoiding seeing them!

I've also committed (or maybe I should be committed) to making a lap quilt for Katie out of some of the kids baby clothes.

On the book front, I've had a pretty good year. I read a total of 79 books. I have a stack of new ones I received for Christmas ready to be read. And I'm working on my list for the VNSA book sale in February.

I have many hopes, dreams, and goals in mind for 2015. There's just something about opening the pages of a blank calendar book that makes me feel excited and optimistic!

So as 2014 winds down in these last hours, I hope you're looking back with satisfaction at a year well lived and looking forward with anticipation to the opportunities and challenges of 2015!

Happy New Year!

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.

2012 - A Look Ahead

You know when I was younger New Year's was the most depressing time of the year. I dreaded the new year. I'm not sure why. But I got over that in my 30s. Now, New Year's is not my favorite time of the year. But it is a change that I look forward to as the old year winds down. (Actually, I think New Year's is a silly holiday. The new year should start when the new school year starts, it would make life so much easier.) As 2012 is upon us, I'm excited to look into the new year to see what it will may can bring.

For my Quiet Time, I plan to read the One Year Chronological Bible again. I've said it time and time again. If you want to read the Bible in context, get a Chronological version. It's like reading a story. It somehow makes all the stories in the Bible fall into place. They make more sense historically. My favorite part of the chronological Bible is seeing when the Psalms were written. The first Psalm to show up is Psalm 91. It's in the middle of Deuteronomy on March 24. You know how easy it is to get bogged down in the Old Testament? Those Psalms are like a little oasis to me when they show up in the middle of a particularly difficult OT book. The last Psalm is Psalm 147. It's on September 23. Then I only have to make it to September 28 and I'm in the New Testament (whew!)

I'm not sure that I'll continue the $5 Savings Plan. I kind of fell off the wagon last year. We want to buy a house in 2012, so basically every spare dollar that we have is going to that project. I am planning to fill a Christmas Jar in 2012. I will also buy Angel Tree gifts again next Christmas. I love doing that. I will participate in at least two charitable projects in 2012. One of them will take place in February. Katie works for a company that manages 20 group homes for CPS. At Christmas this year she mentioned that the teenage boys homes never get donations or gifts from people voluntarily. So I baked cookies and made candy for those two houses. In February, I'm going to make candy and bake Valentine sugar cookies for those boys.

I have an ambitious goal for x-stitching this year. I'm going to participate in a 2012 Crazy January Challenge, but I'm making my own rules. I will work on a project each day for the first 15 days in January, but some of them will be new starts, and most of them will be WIPs (works in progress). If you're interested, you can check out my projects on the 2012 Crazy January Challenge tab at the top of the blog.

I want to be more disciplined about my health this year. My cholesterol is a little high. Of course, as is typical in this day and age the Dr. wants me to take a pill for it. I'm not big on pills. So I'm trying to get it back down in the next three months. I also STILL want to lose 30 pounds. And I need to stay on top of controlling my blood sugar with diet and exercise.

I failed to meet my goal of reading 100 books in 2011. I'll try again in 2012. I will also keep plugging away at my 101 in 1001 list. I have completed 16 of the 101 items. I have 27 items in progress. My end date is 8/29/13, so I need to get going on this list! If you're interested in my progress you can click on the tab at the top of the blog to see how I'm doing (or not doing!).

And last, but not least there's my blogs. I love blogging. I have stalled out on my political blog and the recipe blog. I hope to do much better in 2012. I'm sure it will be easy to get back to the political blog since it's an election year. Any one that knows me knows that I'm passionate about politics. I want to be passionate about cooking. I think maybe it requires a measure of patience that I don't have. I'm more than half-way through my 365 photo blog. When it's complete I want to print it as a book. Actually, I want to print all of them as books. I just haven't checked into the details of that yet. Maybe this year. I have "met" so many great people as a result of blogging. I enjoy reading other blogs and get a lot of great ideas and information from them. I hope my blog(s) encourage and interest my readers as theirs do me.

So friends, there you have it. A new year is upon us. I'm ready for it. I'm excited for it. We have a lot of exciting family events coming up in 2012. And of course, there will be lots of unexpected joys and challenges in the year. All I can say is... bring it on!

Crazy January Challenge 2011 - I May Be Crazy Enough to Do This!

This week on the stitching blogs I started reading about the 2011 Crazy January Challenge. I am intrigued and intimidated by this challenge, but I may be crazy enough to try it. Most of my stitching projects are large. For instance, it takes me three months of non-stop stitching to finish most Christmas stockings that I make. I rarely stitch small projects that only take a day or two. That’s why I’m intimidated by this.

The rules are:
1. Start stitching a new design every day, from 1/1 – 1/15. So by 1/15 you have 15 new WIPs (Work In Progress) to stitch.
2. Try and finish everything you started stitching during the year 2011.
3. Show photos in your blog if you have one, in January and during the whole year while you stitch, as we all love to see photos!

Wow, the thought of having 15 started projects hanging over me is daunting. On the other hand, every year as I make my stitching to-do list, I pass by several projects I’d like to make for myself. I’m seriously thinking about doing this. The idea is that you kit up the 15 projects, and then start one a day until Jan. 15th.

I don’t know, the more I think about it, the more I think I’ll do it. If you’re not into needlework or crafts, this will be very boring for you. So, if I do it, I’ll try to limit my posts and photos to the X-stitch Projects page on my blog. Stay tuned… this could be marvelous or this could be disastrous!

101 in 1001

On October 15, 2010, I was surfing blogs and found one with a page entitled "101 in 1001". The author had made a list of 101 things she wanted to accomplish in 1001 days. I was inspired by her idea and decided this was something I'd like to do myself. I adjusted it to fit my lifestyle and this is what I've come up with. I'm going to make this post a page, and will keep myself accountable by tracking my progress on this page.
So, here goes... My starting date is 12/1/2010 and my end date is 8/29/10

1. Read my Bible every day (0/1001)
2. Stay on top of my blood sugar
3. Send a long-distance friend a card monthly (0/33)
4. Walk 10,000 steps every day (0/1001)
5. Have a face-to-face visit with a local friend monthly (0/33)
6. Go through 6 tubs of photos Dan brought back from his dad’s house (0/6)
7. Monthly overnight with Sunny (0/33)
8. Visit Columbia, SC
9. Create wedding scrapbook for Jess’ wedding
10. Create wedding scrapbook for JD’s wedding
11. Create scrapbook of Sunny
12. Create "A Few of My Favorite Things" scrapbook for me
13. Cross-stitch seasonal quilts series for myself
14. Make a quilt for Jess
15. Make a quilt for JD
16. Make a quilt for Zach
17. Buy a house
18. Take a knitting class
19. Take a photography class
20. Go to the movies once a week with Dan (0/143)
21. Cook one new recipe per week (0/143)
22. Do a 365 photo blog
23. Take 30th anniversary trip
24. Organize charity drive twice each year (0/6)
25. Host a giveaway on my blog
26. Attend VNSA book sale each year (0/3)
27. Post on political blog at least once a month (0/33)
28. Post on recipe blog at least once a week (0/143)
29. Visit Seattle, WA
30. Visit OK City Memorial
31. Lose 30 pounds (0/30)
32. Try 5 new restaurants (0/5)
33. Read 100 books in 2011 (0/100)
34. Buy 2nd car... with cash
35. Visit each MLB park in a single season
36. Write a book for my grandchildren
37. Visit Padre Island, TX
38. Organize a "Cousin's Day" for my grandchildren four times per year (0/12)
39. Read four new fictional authors (0/4)
40. Share the plan of salvation with a Jehovah's Witness who knocks on my door
41. Attend a Homes Tour at one of the Historic District Neighborhoods in Phoenix
42. Conquer my scrapbooks supplies by de-cluttering or using them all (so I can start fresh)
43. See my out-of-town kids at least twice a year (0/6)
44. See my in-town kids once a month (0/33)
45. Visit Leavenworth, WA
46. Spend Thanksgiving at Disneyland
47. Choose nine angels every Christmas to symbolize my kids and grandkids (2010, 2011, 2012)
48. Make a complete budget and follow it
49. Attend the ballet
50. Attend the opera
51. Go to the Arizona State Fair
52. Go to Bronner's Christmas Store in Frankenmuth, MI
53. Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the alphabet (A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z)
54. Get a massage
55. Attend at least three Spring Training Baseball games
56. Attend at least three Diamondback games
57. Learn American Sign Language
58. Design an English Garden for my backyard
59. Design an outdoor dining room for my backyard
60. Create a dedicated indoor playspace for grandkids
61. Stay at a B and B in Prescott
62. Visit all of the Presidential Libraries
63. Go whale watching
64. Give away a Christmas Jar in 2010, 2011, 2012 (0/3)
65. Tip 100% on a meal
66. Visit the Phoenix Zoo
67. Visit the Wildlife Zoo and Aquarium
68. See an IMAX movie
69. Set up a Roth IRA
70. Tour the Rosson House at Christmas
71. Visit Tempe Town Lake
72. Purchase a Nook
73. Attend a game at Cardinal’s Stadium
74. Learn to use my food processor
75. Ride in a horse drawn carriage
76. Volunteer for a political campaign
77. Plant a tree
78. Attend a taping of "The Price is Right"
79. Cross stitch "All Holidays" Door for myself
80. Purchase a set of Christmas China
81. Get professional photo of entire family
82. Go to Canada
83. Set foot in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
84. Get a closet organizer system
85. Purchase new bridal set for 30th anniversary
86. Subscribe to Real Simple magazine
87. Purchase a laptop
88. Purchase a GPS
89. Refurbish Bee's rocking chair
90. Get a passport
91. Take "fear of flying" class
92. Cross-stitch baby sampler for A.
93. Visit the Phoenix Botanical Garden
94. Ride the Phoenix Light Rail
95. Organize my photos
96. Finish Katie's Quilt
97. Visit Mount Rushmore
98. Make a will
99. Take a dance class
100. Join a bowling league
101. Complete everything on the list

completed
in progress
gave up on