New Year’s Eve will always find me missing my grandma. My early years were filled with parties complete with all the snacks, card playing adults, cousins everywhere, confetti throwing, and a huge sleepover. Waking up to all my aunts making a feast for breakfast, and another for lunch. Adults visiting, kids running, a whole day and a half of full on insanity. There is a gaping hole where my grandma used to be. All I can do about it, is try to fill the hole with my own version of the holiday.
Which is why we had all the snacks, most of the kids, the grandkids, and a bunch of the kid’s friends over here last night.
We started out the day at mass, and the annual Christmas breakfast. I got to see a few of my cousins, which I always enjoy.
Madison and Andrew’s furnace is still broken down, so they have been hanging here during the days. At night they have a portable heater that keeps their room warm, and Evie has been staying here with us. It came in handy, as I was touching up paint and painting some bedside tables, Mallory and Madison made lunch, and then started prepping the snack dinner. With their help, we had a great variety of amazing foods. Cameron ran to KC to see Lauren and her family, but came back for snacks and bowl games. Colin was excited to be on call. He had all sorts of dollar signs rolling in his mind. He texted in the late morning to let us know that the car vrs power pole calls had already started!
I hate to be happy about a broken furnace, but I do love having my best girls here! Wrenley is so happy and it is contagious.
We all made it to midnight to welcome in 2024. Evie hung by a thread with encouragement provided by wanting to pop her glitter cannons.
Evelyn is an early riser. I promised her waffles in my new waffle makers. She actually slept in! I got up early (because being old guarantees it) and enjoyed the quiet morning, by myself making waffles and watching the birds that I feed. I am sure there are people who set out certain types of feed, hoping to attract certain types of birds. I remember my mom’s mom hating blue jays, saying they were nasty tempered, and ran off the birds she liked. I am thrilled if any birds show up. I love watching all of them happilly peck around, hopping about. My favorite of all is this red headed woodpecker though. He hides his seeds in the post on our deck. He is chunky, and he has to turn his head sideways to pick the seeds up! I absolutely adore him. Such a cute bird.
We made tacos, did more paint touch ups, worked on the bedside tables, discussed remodeling the kitchen (dreams - only dreams) and enjoyed having the kids here. Tonight we made home made pizza, worked on some ornaments that I bought but we forgot to make, and celebrated Cameron’s belated birthday since he wasn’t here when it was his actual birthday.
I have high hopes for this year. I have made a resolution to get organized. Jim is on board with this idea, but his level of commitment may be altered when he realizes the plans I have for organizational gadgets, drawer organizers, and more shelving including a half baked idea on a pantry I want to build. Life in the winter tends to get like this for me. I’ll settle down when I can get outside more. 2024 is filled with promise. I hope that we can reach out, embrace it, make the goals a reality, reconnect with friends and loved ones, maintain good relationships with our children, and enjoy watching them grow and change, and have all the celebrations and fun with our grandkids. I welcome the challenges. I will count my blessings, and I will conquer the things that hold me back from living my best life. Goals, resolutions, and positive vibes!
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