Another New Year

Another Christmas past and a new year has begun.  It was a great holiday season.  We had Christmas with the family and the soon to be granddaughters.  

What do you call the children of your daughter's husband.  Are they my step grandchildren?  Sounds so blah.  

They are such sweet girls and so much fun.  We played game after game of Monopoly.  The new version where each player gets a debit card.  The game is a much faster version but the adults couldn't figure out how to use the debit card machine.  Thank goodness for tech savy kids.  Currently Emma and I are the two time reigning champs.

After Christmas the girl's half brother and his now one year old came to visit and that little one is a cutie patootie.  Ron and I got her a Rocking Pony and an outfit for Christmas.  She really like the Pony as it sings and moves its mouth.  Of course it was driving the other adults crazy.

I was so super organized this year.  I had all my gifts purchased and wrapped by Halloween.  I put post-its on them with the recipients names but didn't decorate packages with bows etc until after November.  The day after Thanksgiving we decorated and put up the tree and all my gifts were ready to go under the tree.  I spent December cooking and just enjoying the Christmas music and movies.  I never felt rushed and didn't have to go shopping in the crowds.  It was great!  Plus I managed to actually save money in December and put it in savings.  Now that's a first!  

I've already started shopping for next year.  I didn't go to any of the crazy sales at the mall but took advantage of some online sales.  I usually try to buy about two gifts per month if I find the right items.   

It is now time to focus on the upcoming wedding.  Only 5 more months and they will go by so fast.  Right now we are focused on losing our holiday weight.  I gained 4 pounds and Ron gained 7.  It sure is harder to lose than it was to gain!

We are expecting snow tonight.  Not much 1 - 4 inches total but it will be enough to make people act like we are having a blizzard.  There is always a mad rush at Walmart with people shopping for snowmagedon.  Crazy....Oklahoman's just don't know what to do in snow.

We had our bathtub re-surfaced yesterday.  Looks brand new again.  We can't use it for 48 hours so Ron is unshaven and looking a little like Grizzly Adams.  I told him the sink is not out of commission but I think he's just using the tub as an excuse to just vedge out.   I can't imagine living in the olden days and not bathing but once a month!  No wonder they carried nosegays.....anything to mask the smell!

My next project will be the kitchen.  I want to get cabinets re-faced and pull-out drawers installed.  I can't get down on the floor to get to anything in the back of the cabinets.   

Our big Christmas present to ourselves was a french door refrigerator and may I say.........I LOVE IT!  I hated our side-by-side, worst design in the world.  It was inevitable that whatever I wanted out of the fridge was in the back and you'd have to unload the entire shelf to get to it.  Now it's so spacious and easy to fit everything inside.  It took a little organizing to get the freezer just like I want it but it's great now!  Highly recommend a french door fridge.  

Next year I want to convert from a glass cook top stove to a gas range.  I've discovered that there are great sales on appliances in December and again in July.  Our refrigerator was almost 1/2 off.

Ron says I can't be without a project and I suppose he is right.  I'm always thinking of something that needs to be changed or fixed.  Right now I have enough projects lined up to last me about 5 years.  I finish one and then start on the next.

Well I hope everyone had a blessed holiday season.  I pray we all have a safe and calm New Year!    Reminds me...I will be attending the Women's March in Oklahoma City.  Couldn't make it to Washington DC so this was the next best thing.