The Christmas season is over and the New Year has begun. We had a great Christmas with all my sibs and my dad at my brother’s house 12/26 &12/27. We’ve been extremely busy though, not only because of the holiday season but because my oldest daugther is leaving soon for the Navy. When I say soon, I mean SOON! In less than 24 hours, we will drop Karen off in Bowling Green, KY at the recruiters office. She will then be taken to Nashville, TN to meet up with other recruits from the region. Soon thereafter, she will be heading back north to Great Lakes, Illinois where she will complete basic training. They are going to freeze her butt off there and then ship her out to Monterey, CA to thaw! 

Karen will be in training for the job she has accepted for 1 1/2 years or so; mostly in CA but some in TX as well. She is so excited and we are excited and happy for her. But, we’ll miss her. So, if you think of it, keep us all in your prayer and thoughts, please. Both are greatly appreciated!

I am making some good choices to get the New Year started on a good note; small but good things. One of those things is related to a Christmas gift I received. My older sis drew my name this year and she gave me some new hot teas to try, some shortbread and a tea cozy that she knitted herself. It’s really pretty. She said she knitted it in the colors from my favorite Van Gogh painting “Starry Night”. It’s very colorful and bright. Anyway, the rest of the gift was tea for two at a tea shoppe near her house. We can either taste seven different teas, with shortbread between to cleanse the pallette or have one teapot of our tea of choice and a decadent dessert. I told sis at first I wanted the dessert (boy old habits die hard, don’t they?) But after thinking about it, decided to go with the shortbread. Plus, I love tea and the chance to taste seven new kinds is something I will love! I hate to buy a whole box and then end up not liking it. So, there’s one small step.

Another one is ordering a skinny coffee drink while I’m out with all my sisters on Saturday morning and eating some healthy oatmeal before I go instead of indulging in their sinful breakfast fare. Plus, I can be a good example to my sisters as well.

So, one step at a time. My next step is starting back on my exercise routine. We thought about going to yoga at the Y in the morning but it’s at 5:30 a.m. and we all decided we’d rather sleep in since we’ll all be off tomorrow.

Hope all is well. I’m off to my kitchen to try out a new tea and some shortbread. Have a great day!