Favorites of the past week

It had been another, busy, sleep-deprived week that has been frustrating in many ways - but that's just life.  Besides, as usual, the blessings far, far out weight the frustrations. As Anne Shirley said in the book Anne of Avonlea, "There are ever so many bright sides...it's really a beautiful world."  So true, Anne Shirley, and so I will join once again with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, and other blog friends for Friday Fave Five (even though it is Saturday).   Here are of a few of my personal "bright sides" this week:

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We got these sweet pictures of the grand kids who live on the other side of the country. We miss them and wish we got to see them more often, but these photos really made my day!

The new baby.  How precious!

Big brother and the new baby sister.

Little sister turned big sister and her new baby.

Biggest sister and big brother so happy with their family's new bundle of joy!

This is my oldest grand daughter (who suffers from juvenile systemic arthritis) with the "Feel Better Friend" Doll that a friend of mine made and sent to her.

I think I am becoming a puzzle addict.  When I pass my puzzle and think "I will find just a few pieces," I find it very hard to pull myself away and do something else.  I finished this puzzle - a fun beach scene of San Diego...

and went on to this puzzle. 

I finally figured out how this Christmas present (my Garmin Vivofit) works.

I can now upload my daily activity information to my computer to see how I am doing.  I can't wait to see what the chart looks like when I get my boot off and Charly and I get back into our daily walking routine.

I have found the sleep chart especially interesting.  You can see that I get way more sleep on the weekends, than during the week.  Getting eight hours of sleep a night when getting up at 4:30 a.m. means going to bed at 8:30 p.m. on week nights and that just does not happen.  I have been making the goal to get in bed at least a little earlier on week nights though, now that I have a visual showing just how much sleep I lack during the week.

Josh (a.k.a. Elder Jones) emailed last week and needed some items including some over-the-counter medicine that cannot be mailed to Mexico via regular mail.  He did need the items though, so I found a private courier who is taking the items to him.  The items are packed in a zip lock bag  and then the courier (someone who is a Mexican citizen) drives the items over the boarder.  Apparently the see-through bag everything is packed in allows the items to pass through Customs quickly.

The service is legal (yes we asked ;-) ) and a just a bit pricey, but it is worth it to get our son what he needs.  

We enjoyed having an extra day off last week (Martin Luther King Day).   We decided to go to IKEA to look for a new mattress for Josh's bed. Although he won't be home for several months, we want him to have a new comfortable mattress, since the old one has been on his bed since he was little, and it never was very comfortable. We enjoyed a nice breakfast in the IKEA restaurant and found just what we were looking for, and it was on sale, so the bed is now ready for guests (our daughter is coming next month) and Josh, when he gets home in about nine months.

Of course, being at IKEA, I couldn't pass up getting a few of my favorite dark chocolate bars.

I'm reading and thoroughly enjoying this fun and upbeat book this month as part of the L.M. Montgomery reading challenge for January, hosted by Carrie at Reading to Know.  

I am still walking around in this boot, but I am walking around, and while I do feel it when I do too much, I know I am getting better.  I had a doctor appointment last week which the doctor cancelled because he fell off a ladder and broke his ankle and wrist.  Poor guy. I am hoping he will be well enough to see me next week and I'm also hoping to be able to walk without the boot (and drive) again soon.

The news on my husband's mother (pictured here with my husband and his sister about 18 months ago) is that she is still as stubborn and feisty as ever, however, the prognosis is not good. Age (she is now 86), Parkinsons and  heart disease have taken a toll and she will probably be transferred from the care center where she is currently, to hospice within the next couple of weeks.  She has had a good long life surrounded by family and we know that she will be met and surrounded by loved ones who have gone on  before when her time comes. It is just always hard to let go.

I love this thought for the week, especially with Valentine's Day approaching...

Lights Out - Book Review

This insightful, candid and downright troubling book by long-time "Night Line" host, Ted Koppel, deals with the not only possible but probable cyber attack that could take out our nation's electrical grid plunging our "plugged in" society into darkness and chaos. Koppel, a well-respected journalist, clearly sets for the case that those in government who should be planning for this catastrophic "act of war" by any one of a number of rouge nations or terrorists groups, are uninformed, unknowledgeable and confused.  Many simply appear not to know how to stop such an attack or how to ensure the survival of our citizens and society if an attack does happen. Through numerous interviews and analysis, Koppel builds the case that our nation is unprepared for a cyber attack and that, given the current state of affairs, there is actually almost no way to prepare for such an attack.  

While the book is less than 250 pages in length, it seems to be well-researched and credible.  Koppel almost gets bogged down in reporting numerous interviews with "officials" who should know about the threat of cyber attacks and how to prepare for and combat them, but in reality are not.  The fact that there are so many people who should be preparing for and fighting against this threat but are confused, conflicted or simply inept, is probably the scariest part of this book.  Outside of a few "preppers" in Wyoming and other parts of the west, and the Mormon Church, no one seems to have any idea of what to do and how to survive during a massive power outage that would affect much, much more than just our lights.

For me, the only disappointment in this book, (and it is a big one) is that Koppel gives very little insight into what, if anything, an "average citizen" can to do prepare for and survive an attack of this kind.  He describes and discusses the plans that some have, but then just as quickly points out the flaws in the plans.  I was hoping that at the end of the book, Koppel would include some basic survival tips, plans and supply lists, but other than what the reader gets from interviews with preppers and Mormons, there are none.  

I give Koppel four stars out of of five **** for this book, because he does do an admirable job of publicizing and explaining a dire threat to our society, but he does not inform the "average citizen" what, if anything he or she can do about it.  Perhaps that is because there is very little that each of us as individuals can do and, according to the book, those who are charged with protecting us are as confused and in the dark as we all will be if Koppel's warning comes true.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sunday thoughts - blessing others in small ways

I am sitting here at my computer, having just finished the last of the missionary emails I write and send every Sunday afternoon.  I love writing to and hearing from missionaries - my own son and others. Missionaries have such a wonderful spirit of humility, gratitude and service. The missionaries that I write to, (other than my son) have no family support and they rarely hear from their parents or any other family members. Taking just a few minutes to write and let them know that they are thought of and prayed for, or sending a small care package of goodies, is such a little thing, yet it seems to bring happiness to these young missionaries.

We get so many opportunities in life to bless others and make their lives just a little better.  I want to do better this year at taking more of those opportunities. Sometimes, something so small, like a smile or encouraging word, can help someone in a big way.  

There is a dear woman in our church who was diagnosed with cancer last year.  She is lovely woman who raised her own family and then took on the responsibility of raising two of her grandsons.  One of her grandsons and my son Josh are friends.  Beginning last August, this sweet woman went through a lot of radiation and chemo therapy treatments. They were rough. She lost her strength. She lost her appetite.  She lost her hair. In early December, her doctor told her that the cancer was gone and she didn't need any more chemo treatments.  A follow-up scan after Christmas, he said, would confirm that the cancer was gone. Last week, my friend had her follow-up scan. The news was not good.  The cancer had returned.  She will need more chemo and radiation treatments.

Through all of this, this woman remains cheerful and happy. She comes to church whenever she can and is always smiling and talking to other and giving love instead of complaining about her own problems, which are many.  She sends me texts through out the week and lets me know how she is doing. I always respond and try to be encouraging to her.  She told me that my texts help her so much. She said that sometimes she texts family members with news of her condition and treatment and she gets no response.  I don't understand that, but I do know that she loves it when I send her a text to see how she is doing or when I respond to her texts and just tell her that I am praying for her. It is such a little thing to send a few short texts to this woman during the week, and yet it really seems to help her. She knows that someone is thinking of her and cares enough to let her know.

I am now wondering what other small opportunities to help someone else, I have let pass me by.  I know there are many, so this week, I resolve to do better - to take a few minutes to help someone else - to let that person know that I care.

I love this quote from author Leo Buscaglia:

There are always ways to help and serve others and spread the love of Christ. We just have to look for and then take those opportunities which God gives us to spread His love!

"...Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." 

                                                ~Matthew 25:40

Friday Fave Five (Six actually...)

Time to look at some of my favorite things and blessings of this past week.

1. New Grand Daughter - This has been a pretty big week in our family - it's always big news when you get a new member of the family, so it wasn't hard to come up with my #1 favorite thing this week...

...the birth, Wednesday afternoon, of our newest grand daughter, Madeline. She is beautiful and we love her very much! What a blessing all eight of our grandchildren are! We are feeling grateful tonight for the safe and healthy arrival of this sweet addition to our family.

2. Rain - We have had a lot of rain this week. It has been raining steady here all day and is still raining tonight.

Not  much sunshine here in the desert this week - just dark skies, low hanging clouds and rain.  I love cool and rainy days here where we often overdose on heat and sunshine. It was a great day to stay home - warm and cozy.

 3. Sick Day - I have been back to work since Monday, getting along as best I can with my walking book and knee scooter, but by Wednesday afternoon, it was clear that I was over doing it.  Since I can't drive with a walking cast on my right foot, I am carpooling with Charly, and between having to get to school extra early and staying late so he can come and get me after his classes are over, I was feeling completely wiped out at the end of every day. My foot was painful and swollen and I felt exhausted and sick, so I took a sick day and spent most of it resting with my root iced and elevated.  I think that is just what I needed because my foot and I are both feeling much better! 

4. Good books - Fortunately, I had some interesting books to keep me company while I was home resting my foot.  I am reading Lights Out, the new best selling non-fiction by Nightlight host Ted Koppel and today I started Anne of Avonlea for the L.M. Montgomery reading challenge I am participating in.  Anne of Avonlea is also giving me a light and happy respite from reading about the disastrous consequences of cyber attack on the nation's electrical grid, which is what Lights Out is about. 

I usually don't do a lot of reading (other than my scriptures) on my Kindle, but lately, I have been downloading some free Kindle books. This is the Kindle version of an old book about King David and the Book of Psalms. It gives some interesting insight into an interesting man and one of the most loved books of the Bible.

5. Recovery - my mother-in-law who is 86 and has late stage Parkinson's Disease has had a bad respiratory illness this past week. At one point, she ended up in the hospital for a while.  I spoke with my sister-in-law last night and mom-in-law is doing just a bit better now and seems to be headed toward recovery. That is good news indeed.

6. Feel Better Friends - These are Feel Better Friend dolls.  My new "long-distance" friend, and fellow "missionary mom" Tami uses her crocheting talents to make these dolls for sick children who have to go through some really rough stuff.  (Notice that the doll on the left has "lost" her hair due to chemo). My friend posted pictures of some of the dolls she had made and donated to sick kids, and I mentioned that my oldest grand daughter who has Juvenile Arthritis would LOVE one of these.  I asked how much the dolls are so I could purchase one for my grand daughter. The response from my friend is that the dolls are not for sale, but she would be happy to make one for free and send it to my grand daughter! How sweet! The dolls are made with donated materials by talented volunteers who give of their time to help sick kids feel just a bit better.  Each doll is made to look like the child it is going to be a "Feel Better Friend" for. My new friend Tami and her generous kind spirit round and these cute FBF dolls round out my favorite things for this week!

As always, I am joining with another sweet friend, Susanne, at Living to Tell the Story for...

More about books - goals and challenges

Since it is another cold and rainy day here in Central Arizona, I am staying warm and cozy and thinking about books - specifically what and how many books I want to read in 2016.  I am a rather goal oriented person, so I always have a number of books in mind that I want to read during each year.  That number is usually 25 which is an average of two books a month. Of course for the last several years, I have gone well beyond that and, in fact, read 38 books last year.

I have been participating in the Goodreads reading challenge for several years now.  Again, I usually make my goal 25 books, but this year, I increased that to 26 books.  Again, I plan to go well beyond that, but I want to keep the goal something that is manageable and achievable for me.  That way if I read longer books or don't complete quite as many next year, I can still feel that I have achieved a goal.  Weird maybe, but that is just the way my mind works.

In addition to the Goodreads challenge, I came across some other reading challenges today here at Babara H's blog Stray Thoughts.  Barbara is hosting the Laura Ingalls Wilder Reading Challenge next month (February) and I thought it would be fun to join in since it has been years and year since I read one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.  Barbara also linked to some other fun reading challenges I am going to join in, like the Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge, which is this month, and is being hosted by Carrie at her blog - Reading to Know. Both of these challenges are simply to read one book by the challenge author in that month.  My mother was a huge Lucy Maud Montgomery and Ann of Green Gables fan and I still have all of her books, so I plan to choose one of those to read tonight after finishing this post.

Still another reading challenge I am really excited about is the Mount TBR (to be read) Challenge hosted by Bev at My Reader's Block.  This challenge is to choose a number of books to read this year that I already owns and have on my "to be read" shelf as of January 1, 2016.  I am entering this challenge at the "Pike's Peak" level - which means I will read at least twelve books this year from my TBR shelves.  I hope to read many more from my TBR stash, but I needed to leave myself room to read books from the library or books that I am given to review by publishers.

Here are three of my TBS shelves, so you can see there is no chance of my running out of books to complete this challenge.

I haven't yet decided which books from my TBS shelves I will read this year, but I have a variety of genres both fiction and non-fiction, and yes, there are more books behind the books in the picture.

An added bonus of this TBR challenge is that I will thoroughly go through my book shelves and I may even find some books that no longer interest me and I can pass those along to others by way of a donation to a thrift store.

Another challenge that looks interesting is the Back to Classics Challenge hosted by Karen K at Books and Chocolate.  The name of her blog alone makes me want to join in this challenge.

This challenge has twelve different categories and completion entitles the reader to entries in a contest to win a gift card to Amazon for (of course) more books!

Here are the categories as described on Karen K's blog:

1.  A 19th Century Classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899.

2.  A 20th Century Classic - any book published between 1900 and 1966 .Just like last year, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later.

3.  A classic by a woman author. 

4.  A classic in translation.  Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language.

5.  A classic by a non-white author. Can be African-American, Asian, Latino, Native American, etc.

6.  An adventure classic - can be fiction or non-fiction. Children's classics like Treasure Island are acceptable in this category. 

7.  A fantasy, science fiction, or dystopian classic. Dystopian could include classics like 1984, and children's classics like The Hobbit are acceptable in this category also. 

8.  A classic detective novel. It must include a detective, amateur or professional. This list of books from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction is a great starting point if you're looking for ideas.

9.  A classic which includes the name of a place in the title.  It can be the name of a house, a town, a street, etc. Examples include Bleak House, Main Street, The Belly of Paris, or The Vicar of Wakefield.

10. A classic which has been banned or censored. If possible, please mention why this book was banned or censored in your review.

11. Re-read a classic you read in school (high school or college).  If it's a book you loved, does it stand the test of time?  If it's a book you disliked, is it any better a second time around?

12. A volume of classic short stories. This must be one complete volume, at least 8 short stories. It can be an anthology of stories by different authors, or all the stories can be by a single author. Children's stories are acceptable in this category also.

I am excited to get reading - and will be doing that as soon as I finish this post!

Happy Reading!

January Dayboook

I decided to take a few minutes out this evening and join in with...

Outside my window...
it is a wintry, cold, rainy evening.  There was little sunshine in the "Valley of the Sun" today, and although the rain has now stopped, more is expected later tonight and tomorrow.

I am thankful..
that we got a very nice and positive email this afternoon from our son Josh who is serving as a missionary in Mexico.

Here is a quick excerpt:
"Everything went pretty good this week. I am excited for the new year and am confident that when September comes around I will return home with honor... I have read all the books in the missionary library they are all good and I'm still reading Jesus the Christ...I am learning little by little to trust in the Lord and that He can understand and see things I can't. He sees and understands perfectly who I can become...I will leave here with honor knowing that I touched lives even if it was just one."

I am thinking...
about my mother-in-law, who has been in the hospital with a respiratory virus. Although she is home now, she is not doing very well.  She is 86.

I am wearing...
one of my favorite sweaters - it is knitted of variegated yarn - blue, green, white and yellow - very bright and pretty but also bulky and warm.

I took a quick selfie so you can see the color of the sweater.  It is one of my favorite things to wear on a cold day like this one has been.

I am creating...
two knitting loom scarves.

I would like to make a lot of these scarves and donate them to a homeless shelter, but unfortunately I am not a very fast loom knitter, so I don't know many many I will actually get made over the next few months.

I am going...
nowhere tonight.  Tonight is a night to be home.

I am wondering...
when our 8th grandchild will be born.  She could come any time ~ her mom is now past her due date. I am praying for all to go well with the delivery.

I am reading...
Lights Out by Ted Koppel - a rather troubling book about the possibility and consequences of a large cyber attack on our nation's electrical grid. Scary stuff. Probably a book that everyone should read.

I am learning...
more about just how vulnerable we, as a nation and as individuals, are to such as an attack.

I am hoping...
to have some time to relax, watch TV and work on a puzzle tonight.

In the kitchen...
I have plenty of left-overs to get us through at least a couple of dinners.  Tonight we will finish off the Papa Murphy's "take and bake" pizza we got over the weekend with a BOGO special.  Tomorrow, we will have the rest of the slow cooker chili in the fridge.

Around the house...
The Christmas decorations are down and put away.  There is a puzzle up on a card table in the family room that I am enjoying.  The house is basically straight and tidy and just to keep everything that way,  I will begin my cleaning routine tonight with the downstairs bathroom.

Quote of the day...

A peek into my day...

Not glamorous I know, but I really needed to ice and elevate my foot after coming home from school today, so while hubby watched Jim Kramer on "Mad Money," I cozied up under a fleece blanket, with my book and Kindle close at hand and propped my foot up.

Enjoy this week.  

Make this new year the best ever one day at a time!

My Year - 2015 - in Books and Some Thoughts on Reading

No, this is not my family room, or any other room in my home, although my husband and I do admit to having a lot of books, and I truly do believe that...

The other day on Face Book, I saw this interesting graphic.  I do not know if the statistics are true, but as a public high school English teacher, I think that they well could be. 

If these statistics are true, I find them alarming and sad.  Our society desperately needs people who read and then think about they read.

The graphic below shows how much a person can read in a year by spending just 20 minutes a day with a book. The chart applies specifically to students and shows how reading correlates to academic achievement.  

Reading, however,  doesn't just make us good students when we are young.  Reading also helps stave off Alzheimer's and Dementia and keeps our brains young well into old age.  Read one article about that here.  

I love to read.  I read for information as well as enjoyment and relaxation.  It is near the top of my list of favorite things to do. Here is a list of books I read in 2015.  I have included the genre of each book and rated each one on a scale of 1-5 stars with 5 stars (*****) being the best.  The books I rated 5 stars are ones I really liked and would recommend to others.  I have also put those books in bold.

1.  Stitches by Anne Lamott  - NF  - Humor/Spiritual ****
2.  The Christmas Hope by Donna VanLiere  - Fic. - Christmas***
3.  Deep & Simple by Bo Lozoff  NF - Self-Improvment/Spiritual ****
4.  The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford NF - Economics***
5.  Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass NF - Biography ****
6.  Getting Past "If Only" by Kim A. Nelson NF - Self-Improvment *****
7.  Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke  - Fic. - Christian Romance ****
8.  I Declare by Joel Osteen - NF - Christian ***
9.  Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - NF - Graphic Novel/Memoir ***
10. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz - NF - Self-Improvement/Spiritual **
11. Better Than You Think You Are by Ardeth G. Kapp - NF - Self-Improvement/Spiritual ****
12. Love's Enduring Promise by Janette Oke - Fic. - Christian Romance ****
13. Lighten Up by Peter Walsh - NF - Self-Improvement ***
14. The Midwife's Tale by Delia Parr - Fic. - Christian Romance ****
15. Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen - Fic. - Historical ***
16. Flight to Heaven by Dale Black - NF - Christian ***
17. As A Man Thinketh by James Allen - NF - Self-Improvement ****
18. Women as Sex Vendors...by Mary Marcy and R.B. Tobias - NF - Political ***
19. Stress Management by Richard Carroll - NF - Self-Improvement *
20. The Slow Ripening Fruits of Motherhood by Emily Watts - NF - Family/Christian ****
21. Tug of War by Mary Ellen Edmunds - NF - Self-Improvement/Christian ****
22. The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer - NF - Christian ***
23. Your Sacred Yes by Susie Larson - NF - Christian ***
24. Refining Fire by Tracie Peterson - Fic. - Christian Romance ***
25. The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon - NF - Self-Improvement ****
26. Quiet by Susan Cain - NF - Psychology ***
27. A Good American by Alex George - Fic. - Historical ***
28. Confessions of an Unbalanced Woman by E. Watts - NF- Self-Improvement/Spiritual *****
29. You are More by Carment Rasmusen Herbert - NF - Self-Improvement/Spiritual ***
30  The Photograph by Beverly Lewis -Fic. -Christian/Amish/Romance ****
31. The Forgiven by Terri Roberts - NF - Christian/Memoir *****
32. Ties that Bind by Cindy Woodsmall - Fic. - Christian/Amish **
33. 52 Little Life Lessons from A Christmas Carol by B. Welch - NF - Christian *****
34. Lost December by Richard Paul Evan  - Fic. - Christian ****
35. The Book of Mormon - NF - Christian Scripture *****
36. Secret Sister by Sarah Price - Fic. - Christian/Amish *****
37. More than Miracles by T.C. Christensen/Jolene Allphin - NF - Historical ****
38. The New Testament -  King James Version - NF - Christian Scripture *****
39. Extending Forgiveness by Virginia H. Pearce - NF -Christian *****

Here are a few statistics about my own reading habits this past year.  About 74% of the books I read were non-fiction.  My top reading genres were Self-Improvement (I must think I have a lot to improve;-), Christianity, and Spirituality.  This coming year, I would like to broaden my reading genres a bit and read a few more books about history and maybe even politics (since it is an election year).  

Here is reading advice I give my high school students. 

• Read what you like. There are some things you might have to read, but make sure you are also reading some things you want to read.

• Don't get stuck with a book you hate. There are so many good books out there. We tend to stop or slow our reading when we are stuck in a book we really don't like. Although we always need to give a book a fair chance (I think that 50-100 pages constitutes a "fair chance"), there is no law about finishing a book you start.  If you are reading something you don't find interesting, put it aside and go on to  some thing better. 

• Read paper and ink.  While reading on a phone or tablet is better than not reading at all, studies have shown that we have better comprehension and retain more of what we read when we read goo 'ole fashioned paper and ink books. Reading on a tablet or phone at night before bed can also contribute to insomnia.  

• Carry a book around with you.  You never know when you might get a few minutes to read. This is where reading on your phone can come in handy.

• Always be reading something.  Most of us don't go months or even days without turning on the TV or checking social media, but many people go months, or even years,between books. Always have at least one interesting book going - something you look forward to reading. Some people even read multiple books at a time.  

• Never stop reading.  To read is to learn and grow.  Never stop.

Gratitude, Resolutions and Moving "Forward"

As a new year begins, I am taking a few minutes this evening to look at the last few days and weeks and remember some of the things I am most grateful for.

Since my foot surgery, the medical bills have been rolling in.  For this quick and relatively "minor" outpatient surgery, there were bills for labs, radiologists, anesthesiologists, the surgeon, the surgery center, medications, supplies and more things that we haven't even received the bills for yet.   I will be the first to say, that as teachers in Arizona, we do not have great medical insurance (I'm not sure that anyone does any more). We have a high deductible, but we do have a health savings account that is partially employer funded and personal savings to cover the gap between the deductible and insurance. All things considered, we won't go bankrupt and I am very grateful to have the insurance and the savings to cover most of the bills without too much stress. 

I am also grateful that my foot is "healing like a rock star" to quote my doctor at my last post-op visit earlier this week.  You can see that the foot is still somewhat swollen and bruised, but the bone is healing properly and the pain has not been too bad.  I will still be in a walking cast/boot for at least another month, but all in all, the foot is good and that is certainly something to be thankful for.

I am also so very grateful for this guy - my sweet and wonderful husband who has helped me out so much since I have been off of my feet for a while.  He has always been one to pitch in and do whatever is needed, but he has been kind and patient and caring and compassionate with me above and beyond the call of duty during the past couple of weeks.  I have truly been blessed with a good man.

I am grateful to have two weeks off to rest and heal.  We enjoyed a quiet Christmas with just the two of us and New Year's was the same, but it is exactly what I needed.  Last night we watched a movie, "Miracle Maker" which is a new Christmas movie that just came out this year.  I bought it on after Christmas clearance at a bookstore yesterday,  Today, I decided to start a puzzle while watching an old "Sci-Fi" movie marathon on TCM.  It was quite enjoyable for both of us and I am truly appreciative of down time to rest and heal.

I finished 39 books in 2015 which is a new record for me.  I plan to post a list later this weekend. Meanwhile, I have lots of interesting reads lined up for 2016.  Here are just a few.  I actually finished my first book of the year today - a book from 1896 called Lord Teach Us to Pray.   It was a short but inspiring first book of the year.  I am always very grateful that I can read and that I have easy access to many good books. 

My oldest daughter will soon be in a room like this - for the fourth time.  Her fourth child, (our eighth grandchild) another sweet little girl, is due any day! We are praying for a safe delivery and a healthy baby. We are so very grateful for all of our children and grandchildren. They are all a joy and a blessing and we love them very much!

It wouldn't be New Year's Day without thinking about a few resolutions and goals for the new year, so here they are.

Charly and I decided to cut back on sugar this year, so I baked some cookies to celebrate.  ;-) Seriously, we both have the goal to eat healthier, limit sugar and drink more water.We are also committed to continue exercise (I will be able to do much more once my cast is off) and lose a few pounds.  Charly is so committed that he has been getting up extra early this entire break and walking four miles almost every morning!

In addition to eating healthier, my main resolution this year is to be more positive.  I want to work to develop a positive attitude about everything and everyone.  Notice I said "work to develop."  I know from experience that a positive attitude doesn't just magically happen overnight, but it can be developed one day at a time, even one hour at a time, as I make the conscious decision to think the best about others and look for solutions instead of focusing on problems.  

That leads me to my word for 2016 which is:

I want to look and move forward this year instead of wasting time and energy reliving and trying to figure out things that have already happened.  I want to quit complaining, learn from mistakes, forgive myself and others and move forward.

I love a quote that I have on my refrigerator which says:

"Don't ruin a good today by thinking about a bad yesterday - let it go."

I want to live that quote in 2016 and for the rest of my life.

As I look back over 2015, I see a year that has been overwhelming positive for my family.  For that I am truly grateful.  Now, it is time to move forward into another new year, with gratitude for blessings past and present and faith that the "best is yet to come."

 Happy 2016!!