End of the Year Daybook :)

I haven't done a Simple Woman's Daybook post in a long time, but I got up this morning in the mood for an "End of the Year Daybook" post, so here it is. :)

December 26, 2011
Outside my window...Cold, cloudy, gray day with rain in the forecast.  The birds and squirrels are having a feast on the old air conditioner outside my window...since it no longer works, but we can't remove it, we've turned it into a bird feeder.  They make a huge racket out there, but I love it. :)

I am thinking...On the brink of the New Year, this verse about the ultimate in "new" has been on my mind since last Tuesday:

“For behold, I create new heavens

and a new earth,

and the former things shall not be remembered

or come into mind."  ~ Isaiah 65:17

Bro. Kent said last week at Mrs. Shirley's graveside that we always think about people in Heaven thinking about things that happened on earth, but that actually the Bible says that in Heaven we won't remember things that happened on earth.  I've been pondering that all week...what a comforting thought on so many levels! 

I am thankful...for all the blessings and lessons of this holiday season, for a healthy family, for daily provision, and for the encouragement of friends in so many ways in recent weeks.  


From the learning rooms...Planning and preparing for second semester!

In the kitchen...Making a big pot of potato soup for lunch.  Glad to have leftover treats from yesterday...cookie dough bites, cherry-pistachio bark, and oreo truffles (except I actually sent the last remaining oreo truffles with Billy to work...there weren't many. :))

I am wearing...Warm, cozy fleece and new fuzzy slippers I got for Christmas...for which I am VERY thankful this cold morning. 

I am creating...plans and schedules for the new year.  Billy is on week 2 of his 3 weeks working his "intermediate" schedule...transitioning from his former schedule of 6:30-2:30 to his new schedule of 11-7.  I'm not even sure what these weeks officially are...8-4, maybe?  Should be interesting...we start back to school January 2 and will need to adjust our schedule for the "intermediate" hours for one week, then start our 11-7 schedule the following week.  Apparently we needed some work on flexibility!

I am going...to venture out sometime today or tomorrow into the post-holiday chaos.  Children have Christmas money they are aching to spend, and I have a couple of returns (blech! :)).  

I am pondering...a blog post I've been planning since Thanksgiving and still not composed/posted.  God is still working on it...and on me!...but I'm hoping to finish it this week. 

I am reading...Katie Davis's Kisses from Katie.  Haven't had time to read much, but I can already tell it is going on my "Favorites of 2011" list.  Wow.  If it weren't on loan from a friend, I think I'd be underlining half the book. :)  Bedtime reading these days (when I'm not too tired to hold a book by the time I collapse into bed) is Mary DeMuth's The Muir House.  I hope to review it soon.  Can't wait for her newest book to come out later this month...Beautiful Battle.

I am hoping...for a very low-key week this week, with no surprises.  We've had a little too much excitement the last couple of months. :)  Really hoping to just have a relaxing, productive week this week. 

I am looking forward to...2012! After my favorite week of the year, of course. :) (See below...:))

I am hearing...Listening to Guy Penrod's "Breathe Deep" CD on my wmp playlist, in honor of the GP shirts the girls got for Christmas (Guess who those were from?? :))

The girls LOVE their Guy Penrod shirts!  "Pray About Everything" is Gracie's favorite song.   Someday I need to video her singing it. :)

Around the house...Enjoying our new-to-us Christmas Day surprise sofa!  Friends called Christmas morning and said that they had bought a new sofa, and could we use their old one?  So we added a little furniture moving to our Christmas afternoon plans.  So thankful! 

Going to be doing some serious decluttering and organizing this week (and maybe even a little painting??  I am afraid to get my hopes up, but maybe. :)  Sure would be nice to get the dining room done...or even half-done!...for my birthday. :))

One of my favorite things...(from my Daybook post this time 2 years ago :))... One of my favorite things~ this week between Christmas and New Year's!  It's always been my favorite week of the year.  That probably started due to my birthday falling on the 31st, but now I love it because it has a different "flavor" than any other week of the year.  There is still a lingering of the beauty of Christmas, with a continuation of holiday spirit due to the coming New Year's celebration.  The shopping, cooking, and preparation deadlines of Christmas are over, and it is usually a "slow" week commitment-wise.   And what a week for a "planner/list-maker", as goals and plans for the new year are being created! 

A few plans for the rest of the week:  SO thankful for an empty calendar this week.  No mid-week church activities, even...which will be really weird, but for which I am thankful after the hustle and bustle (much of which wasn't even holiday related) of recent weeks.  Homekeeping, cooking, planning/scheduling/school prep, a few errands here and there, relaxing time with family and friends, and hopefully a little crafting and photography...those are my plans, but we'll see what actually happens. :)

Here is picture I am sharing...

Silly picture of the kids when we were attempting to get some Christmas pictures...hopefully we'll get some better pictures sometime this week!

Linking up with the Simple Woman's Daybook today...visit Peggy to see more!