Wherein I discover that I'm no more organized in 2026 than before...

Here we are, a little over a week into 2026, and you've clearly discerned that one of my New Year's resolutions was NOT daily blogging, haha. I hope you all had terrific, fun-filled, peaceful, enjoyable holidays and have started off the year on the right foot. I have begun a jigsaw puzzle that we received for Christmas, but it is on the poker table in the basement and I'm rarely down there so I keep forgetting to work on it. Need to read more books and assemble more puzzles this year and play fewer games on my phone...

I've also, despite my hope and precautions, ended up with lymphedema, but that it not a story for today. We'll get there eventually. Right now, I'm just... I don't even know. But while I'm thinking about it, for whoever is taking notes, petite medium shirts aren't working. Some mediums also aren't working at all. I very much resemble a preschooler insisting on dressing myself, including getting arms stuck up over my head, because between the compression sleeve and the swelling in my arm sleeves are giving me fits. Please don't shop for me. It's going to be a case of me having to try stuff on to see what works. =/ Gah. Bah. Humbug!
 

On a better note, especially for those of you afraid to break a New Year's resolution, I have boldly gone there already. I possess a ridiculous amount of tea, including fun ones shared between my amazing sisters-in-law, below:

I decided I would have a cup of tea each day in 2026 since I have plenty. 

January 6, I forgot. 

So, you know, not even a week into the resolution. You're welcome. 

So far this is my run down:

Day 1- I admit, I was a little apprehensive to read "green tea, roasted buckwheat, and almond". However, it was delightful! I was not expecting to enjoy it.

Day 2- Grand Jasmin Chun Feng- green tea with jasmine flowers. Here's the thing. Had I not read it, I wouldn't have been consumed with giggles and probably would have liked it more, BUT because my Grammy had a jasmine air freshener in her tiny bathroom that my brother and I loved to hear "pssssst" when we pushed the button, my brain had a problem with the juxtaposition of that scent being in tea I was drinking. I let Dada try it and he thought it was fine, but I noticed he also didn't finish it.

Day 3- Detox- that word kinda scared me so I was apprehensive again but then I read, "rooibos, honeybush, moringa, and mango" and even though I don't know what honeybush or moringa are, I do like rooibos tea. This was no exception. Delicious! Bring on the detox!

Day 4- blend of Assam and Yunnan black teas, which was fine. Nothing stand-out-ish, but good.

Day 5- lemongrass, ginger, and carrot- didn't really expect much from this one but was pleasantly surprised about the delightful lightness of it!

Biggest letdown of the week was Day 6- long jing, "delicate and vegetal green tea". Probably fine if you're a green tea fan. I think vegetal was the right word and this one didn't get finished. I'm trying to drink them all straight and undoctored and this one didn't feel like much would improve it to where it wouldn't taste like honey or whatever versus the green tea taste itself.

Day 7- "blue mountain"- black tea, strawberry and flowers. Yum! Yes, please! Made up for the Day 6 even though I drank both of these on Day 7 to catch back up. 

Should probably mention I'm working my way through an Advent tea calendar that didn't get opened at Advent so I'm kicking off the new year with it before I work my way through all the other stuff I have. I'm also drinking all of these as hot teas, in case anyone wondered.

I don't know what today's will be, so I'll let you know later!

Have a wonderful week!

In which I blather on

I trust everyone has recovered from their New Year Shenaniganery. Welcome to 2025! 

Congratulations. You made it!

I sniggered last evening at our small group when I observed all the new, fresh haircuts. Hey, me too! Oh, wait...

Resolutions, anyone? I need to get back into some sort of exercise groove. Today is the third day of the New Year and I have a two day streak going of yoga, so I best get on the stick and do today's. I've already been sidetracked multiple times and it's not even 11 AM. Such is life.

Seriously, though. Drink more water and less alcohol. One is good for you and the other not so much. Eat colorful foods. Thing Three, that does NOT mean Airheads Extremes! Get out into the sunshine even when it's cold. How many of us have vitamin D deficiency? Hinrew, I'm obviously not talking to you, so shaddap. 😉 If the news is making you crazy, I give you permission to skim headlines to stay somewhat on top of things but not do deep dives into all the dirty details. Likewise with social media. Unless you're watching puppies. The only danger there is how MUCH time can be lost watching puppies... unless it makes you want a puppy, in which case I'll gently remind you that nobody wants to potty train a puppy in the winter. Wait until June.

Make new friends! People are lonely. Get together with ones you already have instead of just talking about how you need to. I'm super proud of Dada who had some guys over to play poker- for the first time in FOREVER- seriously, first time in this house and we've been here 11 years! 

Grow some cute tiny plants because playing in the dirt is good for you. There's even apps that will tell you what your plant is and what it needs to make it thrive. I might actually organize my seeds and my stuff and make a garden plan this year. Last year was a disaster... I can hear Thing One singing, "we don't taaaaaalk about it," and the end result was covering the "garden" in fallen leaves with some pizza boxes spread out underneath to help kill off everything underneath in hopes that we can start fresh and thistle-free. I know I'm part Scottish and that's their national flower, but my goodness, they don't all need to be in our backyard!

If you have vacation days, make a plan to use them. Don't just let them fade away into nothingness. My Dad used to take a "Sanity Day" once a month if there wasn't already a holiday or break day in there. It helped get him through 40 years of public education. You are allowed to take breaks! Especially if you are sick. People, Covid is still a thing along with the flu and all the other ick. If you are not feeling well and are financially able to do so, stay home and don't infect everyone else, PLEASE. Wash your hands, wear your masks, (which work or nurses and health care workers would be sick every day of their professions), and cough and sneeze into your elbow. 

Sorry. Can you tell I miss being around preschoolers? At least I don't have to admonish any of you to please keep your fingers out of your noses.

My point is, you are worth taking care of. Cherish your small joys and pay attention to your body. Catch small things before they can turn into big things- schedule those well checks and preventative procedures. Trust me. 

Any goal setters out there? I am really not one and never have been, but I'm at least thinking about them this year. I suppose that's why I don't do too many resolutions... they're in the same vein. I often remark, "ooh, I'd LOVE to look like that but I have zero desire to do the work involved," and I'm fairly certain I'm not alone in that camp. However, it occurs to me that goals can also be small. I will never look like Angelina Jolie, (sorry Dada), but I also can do small things to sculpt my arms, to keep strength in my legs, to improve lung function. Guys, maybe you'll never look like The Rock, and that's okay, but you can tone what you have as well. We'll all feel better for it, especially if it's done with friends. Those accountability buddies are wonderful and someone else might be longing to be asked because THEY want to look and feel better but don't want to be the one asking. Be brave!

Last thing, since I've been so preachy, and then I'll hush. One thing we got good at with masks was smiling with our eyes. Let's get back to that whether we mask or not. As connected as we are via technology, nothing lights our hearts up like a genuine smile. Let's have an excellent year of being kind to each other!

For those patiently waiting

I must apologize. I've been terrible about transferring quotes from our quote board to the blog, but there are some old ones up now (finally) at Telling It Like It Is over there on the right side, or you could just click on the link above. I have another half a quote board to do, but at least it'll give you something fun. So sorry! 

We've not been as good about writing them down in the first place lately, including a gem that I've forgotten half of. To whatever was said, Damon's reply was, "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down." Carrie wondered aloud, "did you ever even play with Weebles?" And I forget where the ensuing discussion went. All I remember was that the conversation took place in the car...

Maybe capturing quotes quickly should be a New Year's Resolution. 

And speaking of love languages...

Church has begun a new series based off of Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages, which is truly fascinating information. Anyone who knows me well will know that I am a Quality Time kind of person over anything else, and that it totally psychs me out when I find the right gift for someone because I am NOT a Gift kind of person. Sweet Dada appreciates Acts of Service over Words of Affirmation, which is another one that comes naturally to me, so I need to work on showing love to him in the way that he best receives it instead of just doing what's easy for me. The kids are all different as well, but Quality Time for any kid makes a big difference. I'll put a link at the bottom so you can check out the info. I see a lot of potential in how it helps with relationships of all kinds. 

But Mr. Chapman neglected to mention my true love language: cookies.

That's right. I am, above and beyond, a Cookie Monster at heart. That's why this particular $2 find at Goodwill made me do a happy dance:

I love to eat cookies, to bake cookies, to ship cookies in the mail, to deliver cookies to others, and to eat still more cookies. Cookie Monster IS my spirit animal.

And now you're getting the general idea of why this time of year is so dangerous:

~the oven warms up the house and makes it smell pretty

~Girl Scouts are selling crack cookies 

~since I can't hibernate I might as well bake

~people need cookies to cheer them up in winter doldrums

~Valentine's Day means fun heart shaped chocolate cookies

~and fun sprinkles

~nobody's really sticking to their resolutions by now anyway

~I got a new cookie cookbook for Christmas and have to test out all those new recipes

~we have kids and kids request cookies

~#wehavekidsthereforewehavecookies

~bananas headed to the dark side need transformed into creations other than banana bread sometimes

~repeat

So, grab some cookies (and hug those precious Girl Scouts) and tune in to listen to the messages here about the love languages and how they help you better relate to those around you. And have some milk. And another cookie!

The Swing of Things

Hello 2017 and the changes that it brings. I'm going to do my best to not talk about politics, at least not today, so here's what else is happening in life.

Chocolate cake. Cake is good. Free cake is even better. 

We celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary with a sans kids lunch out and free chocolate anniversary cake. Yay us!

The kids are trying to get back into the school day routine after winter break, but January is a little rough on new beginnings. We had no school due to an ice day declared last Tuesday, though in actuality the black ice on Wednesday,  was worse, then were off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday followed by a two hour delay for professional development on Tuesday. Go to school already so that I know what day of the week we're on, people!

The weather has been crazy too, reaching about 51 yesterday. We have had enough rain that the neighbors' pond tries to include our yard despite the treeline between them. The kids call this area The Leak. It is the same area where some of the geothermal piping went last fall, and yes, that post is mostly done but needs edited by someone with more working brain cells than me and he's very busy this week and next. Hold your horses.

The Leak. Damon came in from school last week proclaiming that he had "glass from The Leak". This was the first time I'd heard of The Leak but as we'd been playing 52 pickup with the recyclables a few days earlier I figured out what he meant. Now, one can't intermingle glass with the rest of the recyclables here where we live. It must be taken to a certain destination separately. So I knew there was no glass in the 52 pickup we'd been doing. 

It turns out his "glass" was actually a slab of ice that he'd set down on our kitchen counter. From my chair, I called to Carrie, "is that ice or glass?" She glances at it, "ice." "Then can you please put it in the sink so it doesn't melt all over creation?" "Too late." Insert eye rolls *here* as she dutifully scoops up melting "glass" and cleans up.

There looks to be about 15 pickup now in The Leak. 

Karate continues. In three weeks we have another graduation and if all goes well Damon should be bumped up to a brown belt, which means all 3Thingz will be in the same level of classes. That probably means nothing to you, but it means that we can drive up, sit through one class (well, I'm the one sitting- THEY will be participating) and drive back instead of one kid waiting while doing homework whilst the other two are in class and then reversing positions. Come to think of it, we'll need a new homework plan, too. Hmm.

The big kids are officially "candidates" which means they can go to just about any class they want to and will be testing throughout the spring in order to receive their probationary black belts in May. That will be a really big deal, so for those of you in the general area who want to come see that, pencil in May 13. Testing starts in March, so this is, again, a really big deal for them. Black belt testing only happens twice a year, and it makes for really exciting graduations. 

I'm still listening to first graders read on Thursday mornings and I love every second of it. It's incredible to see how much improvement they've shown since the beginning of the year. It's also awesome to see little people who are being well cared for by their villages, haha. There are quite a few I'd like to sneak home with me, but it's not because they're needy like when I was student teaching. It's more because they're so adorable and funny. It's a high point in my week. 

Dada's workplace is going through some changes and not all of them are good, which is how change works sometimes. We have some friends who are job hunting and we're all working on the faith issue called trust. It's hard when loyalty to the company is not reciprocated in equal measure. To quote Forrest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that."

Our elderly Newfie is still holding down the floor between the kitchen and dining room, so all is right with the world there. Our gopher-sized squirrels are still being a nuisance with the suet. The kids are- dare I say it because here comes the jinx- relatively germ free and I'm hoping it stays that way, though with the dipsy doodle weather I know that's not reality. 

How has 2017 begun for you? Did you make resolutions? Are you keeping them? The karate parking lot is full of overflow parking from the nearby gym as the resolution makers flock in. I should be glad for them, but I'm selfish and wish there were enough places elsewhere so that those of us doing homework in the SUV could also keep an eye on those of us in karate lessons. 

And what's with the fruit flies in the dead of winter? Don't these little buggers EVER die?

Time for me to get off my keister and accomplish something in the realm of food. Have a wonderful hump day!