Spiritual New Years Resolutions

Growing in my faith and walk with my lord and savoir Jesus Christ is number one my New Years resolutions.

• Read a devotion daily
• Memorize a verse monthly
• Pray before each meal
• Tell my daughter often of Christ and his love for her

Small steps, on a long journey, but I hope to implement these in my life this year.

New Year Resolution Categories

A new year is just around the corner.  Here are some New Years Resolutions Categories I will be working on in 2012!

• Spiritual
• Family
• Health
• Finance
• Home Projects

What are some categories you will be working on this upcoming year?

Christmas Traditions

There are some things that we do every year on Christmas Day, here is my list of favorites.

• Waking up 'early'
• Making Kringler
• Reading the Christmas Story
• Opening Stockings
• Having to play with the stocking toys before opening presents
• Going one at a time opening gifts
• Eating ham, and cookies

Are there things you and your family do every year on Christmas day?

Christmas Eve Traditions

Over the years some traditions have been added and changed, but here is a list of the most consistent and memorable.  I'm so glad to share these with my family every Christmas Eve

• Presents at Nana and Papa'
• Going to a different church every year
• Eating eggs Benedict for dinner
• Opening one gift 
• Stuffing the Stockings
• Wrapping any last minute presents

Do you have any tradition that happen on Christmas Eve?

Christmas Memories

I have so many happy Christmas memories, here are a few:

• Having a snoring 'contest' with Grandma Frances (she didn't know we were having a contest..opps!)
• Seeing A snowflake in Southern California
• Seeing bugs all over the Christmas tree
• Going to a church with an organ, it was an awesome Christmas Eve service
• Seeing a barbie under my full stocking
• Opening gifts at Nana and Papa's
• Making a ginger bread house at Grandma's
• Making chocolate covered raisins for Grandpa
• Playing Sets, and Wise and Otherwise
• Reading the Christmas story
• Making kringler in Grandma's kitchen

Okay, I had to stop...what are some of yours?

Christmas Firsts

Even with all the traditions every year seems to hold firsts, here are some of my memories.

• 1st in Missouri (cut down a real tree, it was a Cedar, it took up the whole living room and we all got sick)
• 1st Christmas with Hermes (in Columbia)
• 1st Christmas with Fiance
• 1st in Michigan (dad, mom and brother came to visit us in our 1st home)
• 1st without Grandma and Granny
• 1st with my beautiful daughter
• 1st in Indiana (everyone came to sister-in-law's house)
• 1st in Texas (was my 1st Christmas without my parents)

 What are some of your Christmas Firsts?

Why My Husband is Super Great

Let me just put this out there; I love my husband.  God sure knew what he was doing when he brought us together.  Here are just some of the reasons I think he is super great!

• He gets up early and comes home late to provide for our family
• He makes me laugh
• He is all man, outdoors man, hunter, sports fanatic (completely opposite from me!)
• He is kind and gentle
• He helps around the house, all I have to do is ask and he makes it a priority to get done
• We like a lot of the same things (that could be a whole other list)
• He is crazy in love with our daughter (me too btw)
• He lets the in-laws visit us almost every weekend!

Books that Changed my Life

Sometimes books help you achieve a 180. You think things are going along great and then you read something that changes the course of your life, these books have done that for me.

• The Total Money Makeover
• Love and Respect
• Calculus 2 (developed a friendship that has turned into a marriage)
• How to Talk So Your Kids Will Listen, and How to Listen So Your Kids Will Talk
• Wrinkle in Time, took my love of reading to a new level

Books you've read that had a huge impact on you?

Financial Links

Here are some financial sites/books I like.

• Dave Ramsey
• Rule #1 Investing
• Rich Dad Poor Dad
• The Automatic Millionaire
• Suze Orman
• Yahoo! Finance

Do you have some faves?

Friends Pages

Here are some links to sites of people I know and love.

• Discovering Jubilee
• Marathoning for Marriage
• Kitty's Vintage
• Red Step Studio
• Plain Great Women

Things I'm Addicted To

We've all got something we can't live without, here are a few of mine!

• Kettle Corn
• Morning 'coffee' (2cups soy milk and 1/4cup coffee)
• Pretzels and dark Chocolate
• Books, my nose is always in one
• HOT showers, I could stay in one forever
• Chap-stick (I use it multiple times a day)
• Making Lists!

Do you have something you crave everyday?

Car Trips - The Funny Times

With family car tips there are always some suprises, some good and some not so good.  I've complied some of the more funny events from family car tips.

• Driving from Kansas City to Lincoln with the whole family, fishing poles and all.
• Having "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" blaring, windows down, 20 degrees out side, going 0.002 mph; all of that to arrive right back where we started from.
• Taking a night 'tour' of DC
• Feeding my husband non-boneless wings in the car after he said "This is the best idea ever!"
• Sounds of the car - mom swallowing, and dad narrating the scenery "There's a stick out over there."
• Playing Wise and Otherwise
• Watching a guy try to pick up a pallet backwards at a gas station.

We have all laughed so hard we could cry, do you have any memories of those times in a car?

Generations of List Makers

This compulsion to make lists must be a genetic thing. My sister, Paula describes it as a family habit! She calls herself an inveterate lister who couldn’t get through a day or a week without one (some?) My list memories of my mother, Gerry, are of her sitting at her little roll top desk making a grocery list on the back of a scrap paper pad. She was green and recycling before it was in. She made lists of groceries, menus, and party planning details. The classic example is each serving dish on my wedding supper table had a hand printed note describing what food it should contain. Mom said that was so the aunts would know how to help!

*Aislie Frances. The newest daughter
*Leslie Frances. The mommy
*Karen Frances. The grandma
*Paula Gerry. The aunt. Her middle name is from our mother, Gerry
*Geraldine "Gerry" Frances. The great grandma
*Fannie "Frances." The great great grandma. Her given name was Fannie, but she didn’t like it!.
*Hattie ? The great great great grandma

Christmas Cookies

With Christmas fast approaching, I find myself wanting to bake Christmas cookies, here are my favorites.

• Sugar Cookies (Almond flavored)
• Chocolate Crackles
• Mexican Wedding Cakes
• Minute Fudge
• Chocolate covered raisins (or pretzels...or both)
• Fruit Balls 

What are some of your Christmas cookie traditions?

When a Cold is Coming On

When I get the scratch in my throat and I know I will soon be sick here are some things I do immediately.

• Neti Pot - Saline nasal rinse
• Gargle with Sage and Salt water
• Tap (Body Talk)
• Yoga - Downward Dog Pose
• Hydrogen Peroxide in ears 
• Homeopathy - Belladonna, Aconite, Ferrum Phos 
• Take Immuplex  
• Trigger Point Therapy
• Stock up on Orange Juice
• Make soups with garlic and onions
• Get a rice heat pack ready

 This might be over kill, but I do seem to not get the colds as severely as my husband.  If you have any cold remedies I'd love to hear them!

Other Related Post:
What I like to do on a cool rainy Fall day

Homemade Items I'd like to Try

I have loved some of the homemade items I've made and here is a list of ones I haven't gotten around to making yet.

• Hand soap
• Shampoo
• Eye Serums
• Tea (herbal)
• Hydrosol
• Essential Oils
• Vanilla Extract
• Beer
• Wine

Have you tried any of these?

I Feel Rich When...

There are often times I feel 'rich' and these are some of the things that make me feel this way.

• When all the laundry is folded and put away on the same day as washing
• Cooking a double batch of food, one for the week and one for the freezer
• When the fridge is full of cut fresh fruit and veggies
• Clean bathrooms
• Wearing brand new socks
• When the bathroom is fully stocked (full lotions, soaps, TP, etc...)
• Everything has a place and is in it
• When coupons have cut the bill by half

Anyone else feel rich?

Things I Always Forget to Do

There are somethings that are annoying when not done, but once I leave the room I never seem to remember to do them....

• Put RainX on windshield
• Defrost meat for dinner
• Recharge toothbrush
• Change light in spare room
• Put washer fluid in car

How about you, are there things that fall right out of your brain?

Homemade Items I'm not so sure about...

So far there have been a few things that I've made homemade that I'm not so sure about.

• Baking Soda 'Shampoo'
• Chap stick
• Dishwasher soap
• Laundry soap
• Eye Cream
• Tomato Soup
• Apple Cider Vinegar

Have you tried something homemade that didn't turn out well?

Thanksgiving Memories

I thought I'd look back and list some of my Thanksgiving Memories.

• Eating spinach at Granny's - almost couldn't get it down
• Walking on a beach  - watching surfers
• Aunt spilling a whole pumpkin pie in the oven
• Pecan Pie - Papa Al eating it by himself, making it for the first time by myself
• Crowded around the table at our house on Dennie Court
• Mom making a list of what we had at the meal
• Visiting my in-laws finding out they don't always have turkey!
• Watching football
• Playing video games and eating turkey dinner for 3 days straight (yes for breakfast, lunch and dinner!)
• Eating dinner at Spanish Moss

What are some of your memories for this wonderful holiday?

What I'm Thankful For

With Thanksgiving approaching it is only appropriate to list a few things I am thankful for!

1. Jesus Christ - my Savior
2. Family - so blessed by all the loved ones in my life
3. Friends - there friendships are so precious to me
4. My Home - Such a happy place to be
5. Freedom - it is not free and I am grateful to everyone to helps protect it

Okay those were the big things, but here are some smaller things that make everyday wonderful!

1. My Daughter's laugh - nothing much better on this earth
2. Kissing my husband every morning and every night - we have done this for 8 years
3. Seeing my parents several times a month - easy to say goodbye when I know I'll get to see you again soon
4. Chocolate - dark 70% or more so good 
5. Survivor - I just love watching people who are forced to co-exist
6. Discovering a new author - Charliane Harris is my new favorite

What are you thankful for this year?

Homemade Items I LOVE

I have been on a homemade kick and these are the items I love so much I will never go back to store bought!

• Lotions (hand salve, and body lotion)
• Sugar Scrub
• Deodorant
• Vinegar as a laundry softener
• Toilet Cleaner
• Shower Cleaner
• Granola Bars
• Kettle Corn
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Beef Veggie Soup

Are there things you make homemade that are better than anything you could get at the store?

Travel List

When I travel I need a list to help me pack for the trip.  Here are the Categories I use in my travel list:

• Personal
• Toiletries
• Components
• Garments
• Food
• Kids
• Medical
• Other

Here is the document that I use.

If you have other categories I'd love to hear from you.

In the Fall get your Home ready for Winter Projects

In the Fall I like to get my home ready for winter by doing the following:

• Stock up Freezer:
• Soups
• Casseroles
• Fall Veggies
• Cookies
• Potatoes

• Organize Closets
• Put away summer items
• Get out coats and boots

• Deep Clean
• New Filter on Furnace
• Wash blankets and comforters
• Scrub Fridge

What do you do every year to get ready for the colder months?

Related Posts:
Things I like to do in the Fall but never get around to doing
What I like to do on a cool rainy Fall day

Fall Morning Joys

Fall morning joys:

• Morning sun on crimson red leaves of Japanese maple tree
• Smell of coffee delivered to me by my favorite barista, Karl, with frothy milk!
• Steamy hot shower
• Listening to talk radio while I curl my hair
• Creamy taste of blueberry banana smoothie with some crunchy sliced almonds for breakfast
• Smell of my favorite Bath & Body lotion, Japanese Cherry Blossom
• Looking for my warm winter coat on the first 32 degree morning

What are your favorite fall morning joys?

Fall House Projects

Fall Outdoor Cleaning List!

• Power wash the house
• Clean the gutters
• Check Roof
• Trim Shrubs and Trees
• Rake leaves
• Touch up on outside Paint
• Wash Windows
• Drain Hot Water Heater
• Organize Garage (swap summer items for winter)

What projects do you get done before the winter comes?

Related Posts:
Things I like to do in the Fall but never get around to doing
What I like to do on a cool rainy Fall day

Things I'd like to do in the Fall but never get around to doing.

There are always a few things that I never get around to doing in the Fall, even though I'd love to do them.

• Apple Picking
• Going to a Pumpkin Patch
• Long Walks when the leaves are at peak
• Reread all the Harry Potters
• Take Family Pictures

Is there anything you would like to do during the Fall, but never seem to have time to do?

Related Posts:
Fall House Projects
What I like to do on a cool rainy Fall day

What I like to do on a cool rainy Fall day.

Cool rainy days in the Fall are great for:

1. Drinking hot tea
2. Reading a good book
3. Snuggling under a blanket
4. Watching out the window
5. Drawing
6. Writing notes to reconnect with friends
7. Watching a movie
8. Baking cookies
9. Yoga
10. Listen to music

What do you like to do on rainy days?

Related Posts:
Things I like to do in the Fall but never get around to doing
Fall House Projects

Happiness is a list

Happiness is making a list because:

• I can stay focused
• I get a kick out of crossing off an item!
• I have a place to corral ideas that I keep generating
• Once it is written down, I don't have to keep remembering
• I feel organized
• A list brings order to my planning
• I can make sure I am doing the most important thing - i.e. prioritize

List of Reasons Why I List

Here are a few reasons I love to write lists.

• Written purpose has power
• Set goals - so I can attain them
• Organize my thoughts
• A To Do list is manageable
• Crossing it out gives me a sense of accomplishment
• Collection of items (books to read, places to visit, presents to give, etc...)
• If I write it down, later I can see how far I've come
• Lists provide clear structure

What are some of your reasons?  I love to hear yours.