What's Up Wednesday

Good morning everyone!  Welcome to this beautiful new year, full of 365 shiny new days and 52 brilliant new weeks, not to mention 12 new months, all ready for us to make the very most of them all.  Is that how you feel when the new year comes around?  I didn't used to feel that way; I used to feel kind of defeated before the new year even started, having just spent the last month eating more sugar and spending more money than anyone really should.  One thing I really like about getting older is that I'm beginning to realize that the past doesn't matter as much as the present, and that to live a happy life, you need to live in the here and now.  I'm trying!

It's not Wednesday, but I feel like giving an update on my life.  It's been a hectic fall/winter, and it feels like everything is starting to calm down a little bit again and maybe I have some space to breathe (and blog!).  In October, my mom had her hip replaced, and I was her sole caregiver for three weeks, at the same time that my hubby was on a business trip (for the first week), and my grandpa kitty was very sick.  So I had to make tough choices about who and what was important in my life.  I only got to see my poor sick kitty for a couple of hours a day, and I got to see my hubby even less, but thankfully we all made it though.  Kitty is feeling better now, I got to come back home and sleep in my own bed, and my mom is recovering so quickly! 

Sunshine, on one of the few occasions I got to see him when I was caring for my mom.

Being so focused on my mom, I didn't have a lot of time to take care of my garden at the end of the year.  It was pretty impressive that I managed to get out in mid-November to dig up my carrots before they totally froze. 

This is just one carrot.

I also didn't have any time to do any crafting, which made me pretty sad.  There's something in my soul that makes me want to always be creating in one way or another, and I get really down when I can't do that.  I didn't even get a chance to cook for a long time because my mom and dad get Meals on Wheels that just need to be heated up!  I have to admit that I was feeling really sorry for myself during this whole ordeal, and unfortunately I did some emotional shopping.  I'm not proud of myself for doing that, after all, we're trying to save for a new home.  But at least what I bought will be a lifetime companion.

My precious.

Yep, I bought a dutch oven.  I'm not happy with how much I paid for it, but it is a very nice piece of equipment, and I do love to cook! 

I have gotten myself back under control now.  We went on to have a very frugal Christmas, maybe even more so than last year.  We used the rewards from my credit card to pay for the presents for the kids, and then my side of the family did a Secret Santa exchange with a $20 limit.  For Chad's side, we tried to make as many gifts ourselves as possible, including lots of jam and homemade bread.  In the end, I think we spent less than $100 on Christmas for 13 people, and the best part is that it was a beautiful Christmas.  Less focused on presents, more focused on family.  That's what it's all about.

The best present

We did buy two small additions to our Christmas decor this year.  In honor of Chad's Swedish heritage, we started to collect Tomtes, or Christmas gnomes.  I also got the tiniest Dala horse cookie cutter to use to cut out pepparkakors! 

Large gnome, small horse

I am finally getting back into my designs, too!  I've been working on a new project for the last month, and I'm happy to say that it's almost finished.  This is an addition to the seasonal wall hanging collection, and now all I have to do is finish Summer and it's all done!

Almost done!

I also started a new quilt, but it's just in the cutting out stage currently. 

There's lots more to cut out still.

I'm going to make 2020 a great year.  Another thing I've come to realize as I've gotten older is that you make life what it is.  You can't change a lot of things in your life, but you can change how you respond to them, how you think, how you feel, how you react, and if you're positive with a hopeful outlook on life, you can make it a good one.  That's what I'm aiming for this year, hope and happiness in my life as it is right now. 

Happy new year from us!

Out on a wintry hike

And may you see nothing but possibilities in the days to come!