December Reflections - 2016

December 31 - My Word for 2017

For the past three years I've chosen a "word" to help guide me through the year.  That's when I started doing the vision cards (thanks Jamie Ridler) as well.  The first year it was "Change."  The next year it was "Courage."  This year was "Focus."

I wrote about these cards here and wore the word in a locket around my neck most days:

Vision Cards

The locket with my word

For this year, I have made these cards:

and have chosen the word "Believe" as my guiding word for the year.  

I'm not a fan of Josh Groban but these words from the song "Believe" in the movie "The Polar Express" seem to fit what I am trying to embody this year.

Believe in what your heart is saying

Hear the melody that's playing

There's no time to waste

There's so much to celebrate

Believe in what you feel inside

And give your dreams the wings to fly

You have everything you need

If you just believe.

I'll write another message on a slip of paper and keep it in the locket to remind me to believe in myself and my goals.  

And so we've come to the end of another year.  Hope yours was a good one, and if not, that 2017 holds magic and wonder for you.  Happy New Year!

December Reflections 2016

December 28 - Quiet Moment

Posted this on instagram but thought I may as well include it here too.  Taking a moment to have a cup of tea and start filling in my 2017 planner.  I've got big plans :)

December 29 - My Wish for 2017

Normalcy.  We've had a pretty unusual year and a half with lots of home improvements...

which mean workmen around the house and medical issues for the hubs which meant hospital stays and doctor visits...

not to mention all the traveling he did to Oregon to be with his mom.  I wish in 2017 that we can settle back into a bit more structured routine, learn to adjust to the changes and get the inside of our house back in order.

I'm hoping that our nation can live through the turbulence that has taken place with our recent election and that God will help guide our leaders.  That's my wish for 2017.

December 30 - Thank you for...

Thank you, God, for keeping us safe another year.  Thank you to my friends and followers for reading and commenting on my little blog posts.

One more day to go in 2016.  I'm ready for 2017.  How about you?  

December Reflections - 2016

Thought I'd do a round up of the 12 moon shots I took this year.

December

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

I think I'm gonna try this one again too, but I'm going to see if I can capture it from different spots.  I love the one I got this month, with the tree in view.  I have to thank my husband for that one because he told me to go look at it and I couldn't see it from my usual spot on the back porch so I had to go to the front of the house.  I think the ones with the clouds around them are pretty cool too.  

Did you see all the full moons this year?  Make any wishes?

December Reflections - 2016

December 27 - My smile...

Taking this opportunity to post my December selfie:

December

I've kept to my challenge to take one a month this year:

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

I may try that again this year, we'll see.  I'm planning on doing another 365 pictures project so if I include selfies, that makes 12 pictures done :)

How about you?  Any plans for year-long projects?  Love to hear about it!

December Reflections - 2016

December 24 - Traditions

It was always our tradition when I was growing up that the family would all be together on Christmas Eve.  Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, nieces, nephews, everyone gathered at our house to celebrate.  We would eat dinner, open massive amounts of presents and then go to midnight mass.

When I got married and the kids came along, the tradition changed and Christmas Eve became the night for feverishly wrapping the last minute gifts and staying up past midnight to put together the "Santa" presents and fill the stockings.

This year, while there were no aunts or cousins, there were more than just the five of us and we did celebrate our Christmas on Christmas Eve because my husband was flying out on Christmas Day to be with his mom in Oregon and it would be the only chance we would have to get together until the New Year.

The stockings were hung and stuffed to the brim.

We sat around and opened lots of presents.

We shared Love.

Our family is growing little by little.  We make new traditions to go along with the old.

December 25 - Today is...

Today is a quiet day as I am sending my hubby off to be with his mom.  I have a chance to put away the wrapping paper and get the house back to some order.  It gives me a chance to reflect on how grateful I am for everything that is good in my life.  Tomorrow, back to work!

December Reflections - 2016

December 22 - This year was...

I grabbed this picture in January:

My word for the year was Focus, so I think it made sense for me to notice it.  

Focusing on the important:  We did a lot of repair work to the house.

  It was important.  

Bill spent a lot of time at his mom's in Oregon.  

It was important.

We went to A LOT of concerts and took a trip to Las Vegas and Reno. 

 Those were the good times.

A frustrating election -- Let's hope we can develop from the negative.

In 2017 we're gonna give it another shot!

December Reflections - 2016

December 19 - Something I love.

If the prompt said someONE I love, that would be easy.  Of course my husband, kids and family would come first.  But, the prompt is someTHING I love.

That makes it a little more difficult.  I love books.

I love Koala bears:

And I really love crafting in my craft room!

Oh yeah, I love music and going to concerts too!!

How about you?  What's something you love?