2017 is Over - Now What?

A new year. Clean slate. Time to get organized, establish routines. Do better. Be better. Whatever.

The week between Christmas (we had a nice holiday, thank you) and New Years is usually the time I reflect on the year past and make some loose plans for the year ahead. This year there was lots going on during that week, so when I had the down time, I wasn't in the frame of mind to contemplate much beyond "we need to catch up on Game of Thrones". Yep. 

That doesn't mean I haven't thought about doing some reflection and contemplation. I have some loose plans for the year, but they need prioritization so they don't become overwhelming. The plan is to tackle just one thing at a time.

My word for this year is going to be "Health". That encompasses not only my personal health, but how I can make my home healthier. There are a few things I'm working on there. I have drunk the Kool-aid that is essential oils in that quest to do better and be healthier. I won't try to sell them to you here, but I will talk about what I'm using and how, because it is exciting to me. I won't judge anyone who doesn't use oils - you do you, I'll do me, and we'll all be friends. 

Along with the quest for a healthier home, I'm still working on making it comfortable and welcoming. Slowly I've been decluttering my collections. I want to make a big push in that area so by springtime so the house will be put together and my efforts can then be concentrated outside. 

The movie theater is still where I work, and we just wrapped up a pretty busy month. The other assistant manager and I are still taking care of the majority of the day-to-day business. I don't know when our manager will be back, but I miss her and hope it's soon. 

Grandkids are growing like weeds around here. 

Miss Layla will turn three in less than two weeks. She's at the "I want to help - I want to do it" stage that is both endearing and annoying. I try to overcome the annoying part and let her be included when it is safe for her to do what I'm doing. She loves cooking and cleaning right now, especially with real tools. 

Her vocabulary is exploding and she's so wanting to go to preschool. Next fall will come soon enough and she'll get her wish. 

She loves "Frozen" and Minnie Mouse and singing and dancing, and keeping up with her brothers and their rambunctious ways. She prefers to choose her own daily outfits, which can be rather... interesting. This morning she had on pants, a flowered skirt, and a dinosaur shirt, accessorized with Minnie Mouse crocs. Free spirit, that girl is. 

Silas is 6½ and halfway through first grade. He's lost both top and bottom front teeth. He won't allow anyone to pull his loose teeth, rather waits until they literally fall out of his mouth. He still likes scary stuff, but has really embraced Pokemon. I don't know if he plays the video game or not, but he does have quite a collection of cards, and has started drawing and designing his own version of Pokemon characters. He writes such creative stories to go along with many of the pictures he draws, and his inventive spelling is wonderful and amusing to read. He taught himself to ride his bike without training wheels last summer, and there is no stopping him on the bike now. I'd love to get him on a motorcycle, but he's been reluctant when the chance has been offered. Like the training wheels, it has to come in his own time. Grammy must be patient. (I seriously almost bought a small electric mini bike for the kids for Christmas. It was "this close" to being on a cart to go to checkout. If we lived on an acreage...)

Bradley turned eight in the fall and is in second grade. He discovered Harry Potter over the summer when Jess read the first book to the kids as a bedtime story. They read the beginning of the second book together, then he went ahead and finished on his own, and now he's reading the third one all by himself. After finishing each book we watch the movie together. He's amazed at how much the movies and books are different. Brad starts wrestling again this coming week. As he gets older, he faces opponents who are more serious about the sport than those Kindergarteners from a couple of years ago, and he's got much more of a challenge to be able to do well at his meets now. Yet, he's just 8 years old, so his future does not rest on his mastery of the sport. We just ask him to put forth his best effort, win or learn. 

It is time for me to get ready for work on this New Year's Day.  I don't know how many will brave the frigid cold temps and wind chill to come see a movie, but I'll be there all bundled up to sell them their tickets. 

Have a happy and wonderful new year full of adventure and blessings. Work hard, play hard, love hard. Maybe that should be my motto for the year. Yeah, I like that.