After a couple of weeks away from blogging to enjoy the holidays with my family, it’s time to catch up!
First of all, I updated a few blog-related things. Notice my header with a new girl that looks even more like me? Love her! I moved my feed, too, so I hope my subscribers are getting my posts; I don’t want to lose anyone! {Hello? Are you there, friends?}
We celebrated Christmas.
{over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go!}
{fun gifts and family time!}
{a new tradition: Christmas day lunch at Waffle House}
We built a fence.
Actually, we aren’t finished because the weather has been wet, wet, wet. And did I mentioned it’s been really rainy? But we’ve been working on this big project for a while now so it deserves a mention. Kathryn was out in the cold working alongside Ken every day; Lindsey helped some (when she wasn’t working); and I used my concrete-mixing skillz from all those years watching my talented brick-mason dad.
One lesson learned: if I ever move north, I’m going to need a new, fleece-lined wardrobe because I wore layer upon layer and still stayed cold!
We welcomed the new year.
Both the girls were away so Ken and I just enjoyed spending New Year’s Eve together at home (as Lacy huddled in the corner, terrified of the fireworks), and then spent January 1st going out for lunch, taking down the tree, and being glad we weren’t digging fence post holes or mixing and pouring concrete for a change!
I went a little bonkers with cleaning/decluttering.
{My 2013 motto: Simplify.}
I warned my family if they stood still long enough, they’d be cleaned, organized, or put in the give-away pile. I even sanitized my washing machine! I’ll be writing more about my simplification plans in the coming weeks; I’m hoping to simplify everything from kitchen wares to social media and all sorts of things in-between!
Kathryn is away for another few days of holiday time at her dad’s, and Lindsey has been at the Passion Conference this week, so we won’t start back to any sort of schooling until next week. In the meantime, I’m taking a carload to Goodwill, checking things off my to-do list, and working on upcoming blog posts — including the one explaining that teaser from just before Christmas. 😉
But for now…
how ’bout a few inspiring links from around the web?
- “Treasuring the New Year” at Habits for a Happy Home
- “Important but not Urgent” at To Love, Honor, and Vacuum
- “I don’t have to do it all (and neither do you)” at FIMBY
Linking up with:
~ Collage Friday hostess Mary at Home Grown Learners
~ Homeschool Mother’s Journal at iHomeschool Network
~ Weekly Wrap-Up hostess Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
I’m a big fan of authentic conversation and always appreciate hearing what you have to say. Thanks for reading.
30 responses to “Hi there, New Year! {let’s catch up!}”
The new header girl is super cute!
I’ve been decluttering too; I have a van full to take to the Salvation Army this weekend. Not that it makes any visible difference, but at least I know it’s gone. 🙂
I am working to simplify around here through decluttering and reorganizing too! I had hoped to be much farther along after a three-week break from homeschool, but my plans were derailed when illness hit, so that project is ongoing!
Good luck getting that fence finished!
Yes, as a GA girl now in MO — what I say is bitter, my husband simply states it is just chilly. I have fleece leggings that I got from Modest Mom blog and love them! I have needed them up here. It actually has been a mild winter so far, but the last week has been very cold in the mornings (in the teens but can feel like the single digits).
I cleaned out my closet yesterday, took some clothes to a local shop and traded them in for a couple of items and then donated another bag full. So, it does feel good to start the year fresh. Hopefully the rest of the Christmas decorations will be taken down today. It always feels empty after taking down the tree, but I’m ready.
Happy New Year!
You’re building a fence?!? I’m so impressed!
Your new header looks fantastic! It looks like some created a cartoon of YOU! Too cute!
Oh and thank you for the link to sanitize your washer. I was just thinking about how I should do that but wasn’t sure where to start! Happy {clean} New Year!
Decluttering is so happy-making, isn’t it? My family doesn’t get it, though; I live with a bunch of packrats. 😉
That clutter will still be there when you have time to get to it! 😉
I’ve figured out that I love winter weather as long as I don’t have to be out in it for long. But I just don’t have enough clothes for that stuff! I had on two hats, a scarf, three shirts plus my heaviest coat, but my legs still froze and my gloves are clearly mostly only for looks. 🙂
{Or, I’m a huge wimp.}
Meg,
Ha ha! Thanks! I was excited when I found my new girl! I tweaked a few things to have her holding the cup and all that but didn’t have to do anything to her face/hair so that was fabulous!
Happy clean new year to you, too!
Fence-building is hard work! So is concrete-mixing! Those are my husband’s department, although putting in farm fencing, he doesn’t need concrete–just a PTO powered post-hole digger on the tractor! I don’t think your neighbors would approve, though! 🙂
De-cluttering! I love it (in principle) although clutter seems to spontaneously regenerate, doesns’t it? 🙂 My current occupation is the opposite of de-cluttering: I’m unpacking 600 or so children’s books that have been in our hay barn since we moved here 4 years ago. I’m having to “de-mustify” them with 91% alcohol. Then comes the fun part–alphabetizing them on the new Ikea Billy’s upstairs in our newly-completed Narnia-themed grandkids’ dorm. This is SO much more fun than mixing concrete in the cold! 🙂 I can’t wait to start re-reading some of my old favorites!
And by the way, I’m so impressed that you could make your “new Jamie” hold her own teacup! She does look just like you. Bravo to you for all your changes and new traditions!
You’re right about that!
She does look like you! LOL I’ve been so eyeing other blog headers and who does them. I’d really like to give a gift of a new header this year. If only I could decide how I’d like it to look! LOL
Cold? Oh, boy, it’s been cold! We’ve been getting down to -2 to -12 at nights. I’m done with it! Bring on the positive digits!
And I’m totally with you on the simplifying! I’ve been on a roll with that! I’ve decluttering the upstairs. It’s looking quite bare and I love it! 🙂 And I’ve stuck to a simple weekly schedule with less running around…and an easier daily schedule with little screen time until it’s dark again. But the downstairs is next…and the garage (when it’s warmer).
I love your word. It is freezing here ~ at least by North Carolina standards.
Blessings, Dawn
Love the “new girl” she does look like you more – but you’re cuter – We always sing the “over the river and through the woods” song all the way to my mom’s 🙂 Happy New Year!
Jamie ~ first, let me tell you that your site design always makes me happy and calm. It’s just so CLEAN and inviting. I woud love something like this for my own blog. I feel like a change. 🙂
I also love your one word for 2013 — that was mine for 2012, and I think I achieved a lot of simplicity.
I’m glad our daughters are following each other on Instagram. I think they might be good friends if they lived just a tad closer, but I definitely think we need that Valentine blogger/daughter meetup in ATL, don’t you??
Wonderful photos! Waffle house, yum!
I just love your new header, it’s so darn cute but not too cutsey, good work! I keep feeling like my word for 2013 is Give, I’m just not sure what that means exactly! We don’t really have Waffle House restaurants in MI, but we have been in FL this last week and they are everywhere!! Glad you enjoyed the holidays.
Love the car picture! I also love the word simplify. I think that’s a great way to start a new year!
I look forward to following along as you simplify and hopefully getting some ideas. I have a tendency to make things more complicated rather than simplifying, but I’ve been working on that. And I live with a couple pack rats, too. And then there is my craft supply hoarding problem…
Jamie, I have a question for you. I took to heart your encouragement to remove Captcha’s from my blog to make it easier for people to comment. But in the past couple weeks I’ve been inundated with spam comments, frequently five a day–and I almost never get REAL comments! I get email notifications about the spam (that’s how I know if I get a comment from a real person, too), and the spam comments are getting fouler and fouler. It’s impossible not to see them when I go to delete them (even though Blogger almost always catches them), and it gets really demoralizing being exposed to this garbage multiple times a day. I’m just wondering what you do about spam. Do you have the same problem? Do you have any suggestions? I had begun using Captchas out of desperation even though I hate doing them on other peoples’ blogs, and I must say I enjoyed the complete freedom from spam. I agree with you in principle about Captchas, but I’m tempted to go back to them again. I’d appreciate any help you can give me!
Love, love the family photo in the car! So cute:)
We’re starting the new year with remodeling projects and decluttering too…though you are way ahead of me by sanitizing the washing machine!
Simplify was my word for 2012- great word for the new year. I chose a verse instead this year- Joshua 3:5, “…Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
Blessings to you and yours this season!
Oh, gosh, I’m not sure with blogger. Spam rarely gets through on my blog but I’ve got a good spam catcher. If you’re really getting that much coming through, you might have to turn captcha back on. It does make it harder to comment, but I suppose you have to choose the lesser of the evils. 🙁
Jenn,
I love the verse you chose!
Heidi,
Yeah, I have a few hoarding problems myself. But after packing up (and repacking – long story) my grandmother’s house a few years back, I vowed to get rid of SO much stuff! It’s a gradual process with some things, though, like evaluating if stuff with sentimental meaning is really all that sentimental, or figuring out many serving dishes I actually need and use, etc… 😉
Mary,
Thank you for the compliment! And yes, a meetup would be fantastic! 🙂
Jessy,
Negative 12? No, thank you! But yay for the decluttering! Woohoo!
I’d love to be decluttering and thought that with both my boys out of town I’d have the perfect chance. But Miss 12 has a badly broken arm and can do hardly anything – even reading is tough with just one arm to hold a book – except play games. And you need someone to play against !
I love to de-clutter! I love having my home decorated for Christmas, but I feel better when it’s clean and simple 🙂 I need to tackle drawers next 🙂
I love your blog 😉
God bless!
Nancy
Your header is adorable! So “Jamie”! Love seeing your family work together to build the fence. Happy 2013.
Celebrating New Year with your love ones is very memorable thing. I could see that you and your family had enjoyed a lot on those times.
You actually make it appear really easy with your presentation however I to find this matter to be actually something that I believe I would
by no means understand. It kind of feels too complex and very large for me.
I’m looking ahead on your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the dangle of it!