Stuck In The Hodgepodge

Welcome to the first Hodgepodge in a brand new year! So glad you've played along today! Once you've answered the questions on your own blog, add your link at the end of my post. Be sure to pop over and leave a comment for the blogger linking before you because we're all about keeping it friendly here.  Now off we go-

  

1. It's that time of year again...time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words (or phrases) they'd like to see banished (for over-use, mis-use, or genera uselessness) in 2018. You can read more about the decision making process and word meaning here, but this year's top vote getters are-

unpack, dish (as in dish out the latest rumor), pre-owned, onboarding/offboarding, nothingburger, let that sink in, let me ask you this, impactful, Cofefe, drill down, fake news, hot water heater (hot water doesn't need to be heated), and gig economy

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you'd like to add?

There's not as many words on this year's list that get under my skin as in years past, but I'm not a big fan of the term 'unpack', and agree it's overused. Unless of course we're talking about the actual unpacking of a suitcase and then I'm okay with it. 

I'm a little tired of the word 'lit' and am surprised that one didn't make the list. 

2. What's something you need to get rid of in the new year?

For starters-the office files need purging, coats in the hall closet neither of us wear anymore need donating, and a few miscellaneous boxes in the storage room need to be sorted, emptied, and either moved to plastic bins or the rubbish.

3. Where do you feel stuck?

It's hard to explain, but in a nutshell I feel stuck in figuring out how to meet some of the personal goals I've set for myself. How to manage and order my daily routine as opposed to it managing me. I feel a lot of frustration in this particular area of my life because in my head I know what I want to happen, but then so often life seems to just roll out all over the place. 

I'm someone who works best with a bit of structure to my weekly activities and that's been missing round here in recent months. It seems like I'm always saying, 'starting tomorrow...' but for real...starting tomorrow I'm going to at least come up with a plan to have a better grip on my time in this new year. 

Also fresh starts are my favorite and I'm so grateful for more chances, brand new days, and the turn of a calendar page. 

4. January is National Soup Month. When did you last have a bowl of soup? Was it made from scratch or from a can? Your favorite canned soup? Your favorite soup to make from scratch on a cold winter's day?

I had a bowl of soup about a week ago, tomato from a can which is one of the few canned soups I enjoy. I do make a lot of soup from scratch, especially this time of year and in fact am making tortilla soup for our dinner tonight. My favorite made from scratch is vegetable beef prepared with short ribs, but I also love lentil soup and chicken with rice. We have those pretty often in the winter months or whenever anybody seems to be coming down with something. Chicken soup really is good for what ails you. 

5. Tell us one thing you're looking forward to in 2018.

I could dig deep for something original, but let's go with the obvious-spending time with my daughters and grandson. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Are your Christmas decorations up or down? Mine are coming down today, or at least that's the plan. We had company for the New Year's weekend and my Daughter2 stayed until Tuesday afternoon so I wasn't in a hurry to get things put away. Course I'd like to be Samantha Stephens right about now, and 100 bonus points to anyone who knows what that means! Happy New Year Hodgepodgers! And anyone else who landed or lurked here today!




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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 335

Welcome to the first Hodgepodge of a brand new year! I hope your holidays were full of the people you love, and your new year is full of the same. Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then ski back here tomorrow to share answers with your friends and neighbors.

1. It's that time of year again...time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words (or phrases) they'd like to see banished (for over-use, mis-use, or genera uselessness) in 2018. You can read more about the decision making process and word meaning here, but this year's top vote getters are-

unpack, dish (as in dish out the latest rumor), pre-owned, onboarding/offboarding, nothingburger, let that sink in, let me ask you this, impactful, Cofefe, drill down, fake news, hot water heater (hot water doesn't need to be heated), and gig economy

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you'd like to add?

2. What's something you need to get rid of in the new year?

3. Where do you feel stuck?

4. January is National Soup Month. When did you last have a bowl of soup? Was it made from scratch or from a can? Your favorite canned soup? Your favorite soup to make from scratch on a cold winter's day?

5. Tell us one thing you're looking forward to in 2018.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
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Christmas Unwrapped

I always enjoy the week between Christmas and the New Year. We're generally at home and it's quiet here, the days have a slower pace, and I still love sitting by the tree. Daughter 2 is here for a few more days too and she straightens my hair and cooks us dinner. We sip cocoa and play a lot of Skipbo and have really nice talks.  

We logged a lot of miles in the car this Christmas and we're all happy to have a break from the driving. Technically hubs did all the driving, but still...

We started our travels with a three+ hour drive to collect my mother-in-law in Tennessee. We didn't get to town until about 7 so essentially had dinner and got up early Friday morning for the 8+ hour drive to my sister-in-law's house in Maryland. FYI-all the driving had + signs beside the hours because holiday travel! We were not the only ones headed north. Or south. Or sideways. 

Anyway, we arrived in Maryland just in time to grab dinner before going to see my nephew in a play-A Christmas Story. So cute! We had a little Christmas Saturday morning with hubs mom and his sister's family, before getting back into the car for another 2.5 hour+++++ drive to my mom's house in N.J. 

This was the first Christmas we've spent with all my siblings in about 4 years and it was fun to have us all together. I know it made my mother so happy. We were missing Daughter1 and her sweet little family but we facetimed a lot and passed the phone around so everyone could see this cutie patootie. Oh my word, he is just the best y'all.

Hubs (like his father before him) always read 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' to his girls on Christmas Eve, and he was so touched to see my son-in-law carrying on the tradition.

Plus, our baby loves books! I'm pretty sure he's reading along with his dad.  

We trekked into the city for Christmas Eve at my sister's house and some of my family had a whole lot of fun with their karaoke machine. There might be video.

We had the most amazing Christmas Eve dinner. My brother-in-law made Beef Wellingtons which were not only beautiful, but also delicious. 

We had stockings and presents at my mama's house Christmas morning and I want to point out this gift bag has been under our tree every year for the past 20 Christmases. 

No Barbie inside, but the bag makes us all smile. Actually I have two, but I didn't want to send Daughter1 her bag because I'm suddenly aware of the fact that they've been under my tree for 20 years and I'd like to keep that going. 

Is she the cutest or what? My niece got her what I think might have been everyone's favorite present this year-a cupcake hat! 

Daughter2 loves cupcakes (both the baking and the eating) and this hat is too adorable for words. She wore it to the grocery store yesterday and several people stopped her to comment. Super cute! 

We said this was the year of the suitcase because Daughter2 got a brand new set, hubs and I got a new bag, my mom got a bag, and my sister and brother-in-law both got new bags. Now we just need somewhere to go. 

I know where I want to go.

We had Christmas dinner at my brother's house, which is where hubs, Daughter2 and I were staying and it was really nice not to have drive anywhere. We had a fantastic German meal and my mom's wonderful cookies for dessert. I tried to get a picture of my mom with her daughters, but one of us likes to make us all laugh so this is the best I could do. 

The day after Christmas is my big sister's birthday, and we always make a big deal out of that. I learned from the best-ha! 

Daughter2 and I spent the afternoon with her over at my mom's house, playing games and laughing a lot. We had the birthday dinner at my brother's house and there were more presents and wonderful family time. 

I did get a picture of all my siblings with my mama and am so happy to have a snapshot of us all in the same place at the same time. It's a treasure. 

And then just like that we were back in the car for the long ride home. The traffic wasn't terrible but 689 miles is still 689 miles so a lot of driving. Daughter2 had us listen to a podcast called Serial and hubs and I were hooked which helped make the time pass. 

Plus there was this sky-

Now bring on the new year!
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A Holly Jolly Hodgepodge

Merry Christmas Hodgepodgers! And if you landed here today by happenstance or Google or whatever Merry Christmas to you too!  I'm declaring next week our holiday break so this is the last Hodgepodge in 2017. Next time we 'meet' (January 3rd) the calendar will have turned to a brand new year.

If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post. Be sure to leave a comment for the blogger who linked before you, then go have yourself a happy holiday and a merry new year!

Now grab your cup of Christmas cheer because here we go-

  

1. Where have you found unexpected magic or delight this holiday season?

Facetime. When this little guy's face pops up on my phone it is delightfully magical.

I cropped my little thumbnail out of this picture because I looked a little crazy, which my daughter tells me is how I always look when we FaceTime. Whaaaaat???? 

I mean she didn't say 'crazy', but pretty sure she meant crazy. I can't help it y'all. He sends all my emotions every which way so go ahead and call me crazy. 

2. What's your favorite type of holiday gathering? Will you/have you gathered in your favorite way this month?

My favorite would be a cozy family night on the couch with both my girls home, everyone in comfy pjs, snacking on popcorn, watching White Christmas. No we haven't gathered that way this month, darn that geography. 

Honestly I enjoy most holiday gatherings and we've had some lovely dinners, parties, and get togethers with friends this month so I can't complain. I'll be with all my sibs and my own sweet daughter2 on Christmas Day and know that will feel really special too. 

3. Time has named 'The Silence Breakers' (women who came forward with stories of harassment)  'person of the year' for 2017. Would you agree? If not, who do you think deserves the title?

I don't have a problem with their choice, but if I were in charge I'd likely opt for our nation's firefighters. What a nightmare they've endured this year as they've battled to save lives, homes, and some of the most stunning natural beauty in America. They're heroes in my book. 

4. How did you spend your time this year? Are you happy about that? Elaborate

Hmmm...good question. This year went by in a blur and I think most of my time was spent on family stuff, some beyond wonderful and some just plain hard. Lots of miles logged to and from family, a new grandson, the death of my father-in-law, lots of complicated people stuff. I'm never happy to walk through hard things, but I know God uses those experiences to grow and change me and there's been a lot of that this year. And we were given the gift of a grandson which added a kind of sweetness to life that cannot be easily expressed in words. Beyond grateful for every single minute I get to spend with him. 

5. Bid farewell to 2017 in ten words or less.

I became Nana so 2017 you'll always have my heart. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours~

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 334

Merry Christmas Hodgepodgers! And anyone else who has happened by here. I'm declaring next week our holiday break so this is the last Hodgepodge in 2017. Next time we 'meet' ( January 3rd) the calendar will have turned to a brand new year. Raise your hand if you love a fresh start.

Ok, here are the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with your friends and neighbors.

1. Where have you found unexpected magic or delight this holiday season?

2. What's your favorite type of holiday gathering? Will you/have you gathered in your favorite way this month?

3. Time has named 'The Silence Breakers' (women who came forward with stories of harassment)  'person of the year' for 2017. Would you agree? If not, who do you think deserves the title?

4. How did you spend your time this year? Are you happy about that? Elaborate

5. Bid farewell to 2017 in ten words or less.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

It seems like I should mention Christmas on my blog somewhere sometime so how about here and now? I like to write in the early morning and that's just not happening these days, so 10:30 on a Thursday night it is. 

Can we just talk about this? 

I mean I cannot even handle the sweetness captured here. This photograph is in a frame on my kitchen fireplace mantle and it's the screen saver on my phone and I look at it at least ten times a day. At least. It's perfection...the Santa, the darling tree, the face...y'all the face! Can you even??? 

I'm still getting the hang of decorating the spaces in this house for the holidays but Rome wasn't built in a day. We have three trees up in the house, four if you count the small one sitting on the pool room bar, and there's no real rhyme or reason to what hangs where. I see all the beautiful themed trees on Instagram and Facebook and while I'd like to be that girl it's just not me. I'm sentimental and want all my many and assorted memories in the form of Christmas ornaments hanging side by each every single year.

I don't buy boxes of ornaments. Ours are treasured keepsakes from our children's growing up years, places we've lived or traveled, or they hold some other special meaning like a favorite hobby or pastime. 

What that means is a London Taxi sits beside a popsicle stick star made long ago by little hands. It means the ballerina bunny belonging to my youngest daughter dances on a branch beside the Strasbourg cathedral. Pheasants dangling from a hunter's vest fly beside Anne of Green Gables because that's how we do Christmas here.

Also pretend I'm not standing on a ladder-ha! In case you're worried, hubs was close by. The amount of time it takes me to arrange those beads exactly so makes him twitch, but he wasn't about to leave me unattended.

We have a tree on the screened in porch and I may one day decide to decorate it in a more natural way. I know I'll likely still keep a few family ornaments there too because when I look at my Christmas tree I want it to say 'this is us'.

I did have a sign made this year for our family room mantle (Etsy Shop-Rustically Inspired) and I love it-

I'll probably have to invest in new stocking hangers next year because this mantle is a flat front and that heavy brass angel tried to take out the fireplace repairman when he was here last week. I think we've got them situated for now, and we take stockings down for filling. I mean Santa does.

My shopping is done (I think?), cards have been sent, packages mailed, there's a bit of wrapping that needs to happen still and of course more baking because I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as too many Christmas cookies. Just ask anyone. We have a dinner party this weekend and friends dropping by next week... my youngest daughter will be spending her break with us and there will be days enjoyed with extended family too.

Some years are harder than others and I feel like this has been one of those here. Yet in the middle of it all came this tiny baby boy who has brought so much light and joy into our hearts.

The everyday stresses and pressures of life don't cease just because it's Christmas, but they do fade to the background and let hope take center stage. May the truth of the Christmas story touch your heart in a special way this holiday season. 

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An Ultra Violet Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Christmas is right around the corner and I'm invoking the hurry less, worry less mantra in order to participate today. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say Happy Hodgepodge to the blogger linking before you. Here we go-

1. 'Hurry less, worry less'...what's your strategy for making that happen this holiday season? How's it going so far?

My strategy is one day at a time. I have a mental list of a few Christmas related tasks to tackle every day and I do my best to tackle them. That being said, there have been a lot of interruptions to my daily plans this month, and I probably haven't rolled with them as kindly as I could have. I'm a work in progress. I don't think I feel hurry and worry so much as I feel pressure to accomplish so many things. ALL THE THINGS. 

My survival tips are few and simple-start the day sitting quietly by the light of the Christmas tree. Watch the sun rise and remember the God who made it happen has the day in hand. Have a conversation with Him about my to-dos and my people, my hurries and worries. Have a cup of coffee and take time to ponder. This season is made for pondering. One day at a time. 

2. Do you have a list of to-dos that need accomplishing in order to prepare your home and/or property for the winter season? What are some of the jobs on your list? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone to accomplish these tasks?

Sort of. It's not written in stone, but certainly there are jobs that need doing this time of year and somebody needs to do them. Mostly that somebody is hubs. Hi hubs! We have loads of tall trees and hubs collected all the leaves into piles, but we did pay someone to come in and take care of mulching them. I think they mulched them? They may also have hauled some away. Whatever the job is done. 

The boat needs winterizing and we paid someone to do that job this year. Some thing-a-ma-jig was due for tweaking or replacing so we had the marina guy winterize at the same time. Hubs was on top of things and we managed to get that done right before the cold snap hit so yay hubs! 

It's clear why I'm not in charge of winter prep around here, isn't it? Ha!  

3. According to dietitians surveyed, the most popular health foods for 2018 will be -turmeric, sprouted foods (bean sprouts, breads with sprouted grains, etc), veggies in place of grains, dairy free milk, and pulses (lentils, chickpeas, etc).  What's the first thought that ran through your head when you read this list? Of the foods listed which one might you add to your regular diet? Also, can milk really be dairy free? Is it still milk?

My first thought was blech! That list sounds a little bit too healthy to taste good. I do like turmeric and I love veggies and lentils and chickpeas too so I guess pulses, but ewwww...in my opinion the healthy food industry needs some new terminology. Also, I like milk. I know there are people out there who cannot tolerate lactose, but I'm not one of them. And I read somewhere that non-dairy doesn't necessarily mean milk-free, so it's all pretty confusing. As far as what item from the list will be added to my diet, well I already eat quite a few. I love lentils so will maybe find some new ways to use them. 

4. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2018 is Ultra Violet. According to the Pantone site 'Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking pointing us to the future.' What say you? Do you like the color purple? Did you see the movie or read the book-ha!?  Is purple a color you wear often? Describe for us one purple item in your home without using the word purple.  If you were in charge of such things what color would you select for 2018?

I do like the color purple, and wear it on occasion. Something in my home that's this color? One of my most favorite pitchers, purchased in a tiny little town called Nove in the northern part of Italy. The trip there might be one of the reasons I love it so-

It's a fig, and the perfect shade of 'aubergine'. FYI-saw the movie, didn't read the book. If I were in charge of the world I think I'd choose a sunny yellow. Don't we all need a little more sunshine in our lives? 

5. Favorite book you read this year?

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm helping in my daughter's kindergarten classroom today. Her students are working on presents for their parents and she needed some extra hands. Kindergartners are my favorite. 

Kindergarten teachers too.