Happy Homemaker Monday: Goodbye December

                                              


I'm back... again!
Where do I even start?
I have all of these long thought-out blog posts in my head about how I return to the blog world, how I explain where I've been and all of the amazing things that God has done in my heart and in my life over the last year of my life, but mainly over the last month during my time away; but I decided to start again with a Happy Homemaker Monday/Hello Monday post instead. What was I thinking? LOL.
Actually I know exactly what I was thinking. I was thinking that you ladies are the folks that I have linked up with for a long time now. If anyone knows my inner struggles with blogging, its you ladies. You have seen me come and go, never judging me. You have never asked why I linked up a few days ago then deleted my blog. You have never written me off and decided I'm just going to disappear so I'm not worth following. Nope. You've still stopped by my blog, read and commented. Some of you have even followed me, then re-followed when I posted a new blog. You never made me feel like something was wrong with me, which was absolutely the lie I was believing that made me act so strange. You just hung in there with me, visited me when I was here, and made me feel like I had never had a moment of crazy when I deleted my blog and had to restart. You ladies got me through, and I appreciate that, so instead of starting with my long explanation (which is coming, because the work God did in my heart is good, and I can't wait to share!) I decided to come back and start here, with you ladies on this quiet last Monday in December.
So I am back, and I'm starting again with a new blog because at this point I have no idea where any of my old ones may be stored. I got a new computer for Christmas because I have the best husband in the world- and I'm thankful. I'm thankful that God changed my mind and gave me truth. I'm thankful that I can write this blog without apprehension- and I'm thankful for any of you who are reading, especially if you've ever read before. Thanks for hanging in there. I have some really exciting things to share on my blog. I am past my writers block, I am healed of so many things, and I'm so ready to jump in and start sharing my heart! So for today I say thank you, and I can't wait to re-follow all of you who I was following before I - again- deleted my entire blogger account. It's a pain, but I'm thankful, because every step and every pain brought me to this place of peace that I feel today, so I wouldn't change a thing!
December is almost over and January is just around the corner! I have started to slowly take down our Christmas decorations, but I'm not sad at all because the season was so wonderful I believe we squeezed every bit of Christmas out of it! We are ready for a new season, and we are excited about all of the new things beginning in our lives. Since I've written a very long introduction, I'll save updates for next post. So for today, its sooo very good to be visiting with all of you lovely ladies today! I have so much to share its spilling over, so I had better move on with HHM now!

  Today I'm joining Sanrda for Happy Homemaker Monday and Holly and Sarah with Hello Monday!

  

*** The Weather ***
It's very back and forth. One day it will be in the high 60s then it goes back down again. It looks like we go from 65 today to 41 tomorrow, yikes! We are also traveling to the mountains this week, so I'm sure there's some cold temperatures waiting for us there!


*** Right now I am ***
Writing in the quiet. My kiddos went to the mountains right after Christmas to spend a week with their grandparents and cousins, and my husband is at the gym. So its just me and my thoughts. I miss them all, its far too quiet without them.


*** Thinking and pondering ***
Oh my, so much! I will share today I promise!


*** How I am feeling ***
Excited about the new year. Motivated and most of all, at peace- which is something I've not felt for awhile and I'm really enjoying this feeling more than I can explain.


*** On my blog ***
I haven't started this blog until this morning! But I do want to share so many things! I want to share my journey with minimalism and how its changed our lives. I also want to share my new journey in renewing my mind, and how that honestly has changed everything. As well as my resolutions, I get a lot of people don't like those, but I'm a clean slate girl and I LOVE them.

*** From a Friends Blog ***
I can't wait to visit you all and see how your holidays went!!! I have lost a lot of friends blogs, so let me know where you're blogging at so I can follow!

*** On the menu ***
My daughter got me a big meal plan board for Christmas! So meal planning is certainly one of my resolutions! This week its just me and hubby for most of the week so we are kind of shooting from the hip. I think we decided to have hibachi for lunch today and a light dinner. Who knows about tomorrow, its so cold I may put soup in the croc pot!


*** What I am wearing ***
My go-to sweatpants (red today) and tshirt (black)


*** On my reading pile ***
I've been reading Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen, as well as Rewired by Renewal by Barbra Lawson. Its been life-changing for sure!


*** On my TV this week ***
Actually we have been rewatching Once Upon a Time, one of my favorite shows! Other than that we just finished basically every Christmas movie imaginable! This year we saw; Home Alone, Christmas with the Kranks, the Grinch, Family Stone, Christmas Vacation, Elf, the Holiday, Four Christmases, and we watched Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas at least a dozen times!


*** Looking around the house ***
I'm so ready for all of the Christmas decorations to come down. I'm not a scrooge lol and I LOVE putting them up, but I also love having my minimal house back when its all over!


*** To do list for today***
I don't have a lot to do today. As I mentioned with the kids out of town I cleaned everything yesterday, so I'm going to deep dive some studies I've been doing and do some major life planning for the upcoming year today. Tomorrow I will un-decorate everything but the trees at least. We ended up with three Christmas trees this year lol, so I'll wait for the kiddos to help me do that!


*** What I am creating ***
A new blog! I'm excited this time around, with zero apprehension!


*** From the camera ***
Christmas was really busy. I didn't do a very good job of being slow and intentional this time of year, it feels like a whirlwind- but we still do do everything Christmas! I have a few photos, I haven't even really looked through them myself yet!

My sweet kiddos on Christmas Eve, ready for bed lol!




My sweet Grandbaby, enjoying gifts with his Mommy and Daddy! He LOVED opening gifts!




Our huge family event at our house on the 13th! All my kiddos and of course my Grandbaby, both my sisters, their families and my cousin and his wife, along with my sweet Daddy. It was the best!




Stephen got and Ice cream maker for my Kitchen aid! I LOVE this! We just tried simple Vanilla but I can't wait to see what we can make!

I did get one photos of our house decorated with all of those inflatables lol!

I did add the natvity this year, and I like it the most!  I loved the inflatables last year, but this year I could have done without them lol! But the kids love them, so they will stay!

*** Bible Verse/Devotional ***

This verse changed my life!  I don't know why, but about a month ago, I really discovered the power in this verse!

Romans12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Thank you to all who visited!  I will be sharing a lot this year, so if you're following, buckle up lol!  I have a LOT to share, so I have to plan my blogs for a few weeks :)  

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