New year, new calendar

The week between Christmas and New Year's is my time to get organized {again}...get rid of the clutter, stock up on essentials, change the batteries in the smoke alarms, repot plants....whatever seems necessary at the time. For me, preparation for the new year begins with a new calendar. It's a momentous occasion when I take the old down and open the packaging of the new...symbolic of what lies ahead. Today I will begin this process. I start by recording important dates...birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and such. This year I will need to post the state wrestling dates, state dance dates, Matthew's graduation date, first day of school {college}, Duane and I's 20th anniversary and Katy and I's trip to London/Paris. Duane and I will need to designate potential vacation days and possible dates for major work on the house (new flooring in upstairs and the looming kitchen remodel). As the year goes on, I utilize the calendar to communicate with my family days out of town, upcoming events and sometimes even just what's for dinner. Many of the dates will get reworked...changed...moved....but next year at this time there will be a record, somewhat, of the year passed and memories created.

O Christmas Tree

It's amazing what a Christmas tree can do to a room, a house. After much chaos between travel, work, schedules...we finally put our tree up. Up until yesterday, it felt ho-hum in our house and I had a difficult time "getting into" Christmas and now with the smell of pine in the air, the twinkling of lights, the glitter dusting the floor...yes, I believe Christmas has arrived. I love to turn down the house lights and let the glow of candles and the twinkle of Christmas lights lend to the ambiance of the season. Now onto wrapping, baking, reading and {enjoying} this season! I wonder why I waited so long?