New Year's Day book

Outside my Window - Sunshine! It's going to be a gorgeous New Year's day! We're going to have to spend some time outside today. It's a glorious way to start the new decade.

I am listening to - crackling coming from the kitchen. Paul is frying up the leftover potatoes from last night's fondue party. I'm really going to miss him making breakfast every day when he goes back to work next Monday. It has been such a nice relaxing week.

I am wearing - my PJs. I'm wearing a pair of comfy pants and one of Paul's long-sleeve t-shirts.

From the learning room - I'm slowly beginning to think about Spring term. Last term was largely a workbook term and I really didn't like it, but it's been a transitional time since I'm slowly working with Sam and teaching him to read while juggling the baby's nap schedule. Luke is working on a daily nature journal, but he's been concerned that his drawings aren't very good. I got him a book on how to draw birds with colored pencils for Christmas. I'm thinking about more art, more cooking less workbooks and more relaxed days. These things sound all nebulous and unformed, but ideas have been cooking in the back of my brain the last couple of weeks. I'm thinking about how to review French and Latin and come up with a good daily schedule so as not overload on the languages.

Favorite Things - New yarn! I have been organizing my projects on Ravelry and figuring out what's on the schedule for the new year. I still have to finish Luke's wallaby sweater. It's been on hiatus while I work on a lot of smaller projects.

From the Kitchen - I am determined to work on a winter menu. I always say I'm going to do this, but I never really finish it. I bought this book, Sunday Soup a few months ago and I'd like to try a new soup each week. Soup is cozy during the winter months and something that can be eaten for a couple of nights. Right now, I can smell those potatoes coming from the kitchen.

I am Creating - a January budget! It's time to set some financial goals for the new year. We have some home projects we'd like to complete including finishing the boys' bathroom. We gutted the bathroom when we moved into our house four years ago and we've been sharing our bathroom with them since. As they get bigger, our bathroom seems to grow smaller. So, it's time to finish that project. We're also saving for a new car. Our '98 Toyota Sienna is beginning to have lots of little problems. So, we have some careful budgeting on the horizon.

Plans for the rest of the weekend - I think we'll take down the Christmas tree on Sunday. The boys would like to keep the tree up until Epiphany, but I'm one of those people that likes to take the tree down on New Year's day. I compromised with the boys and we'll take down the tree this Sunday. We'll leave the Nativity sets up until Epiphany though. When the new year comes, I need to mentally prepare for regular life again.

I'm also going to clean up the kitchen. It's a disaster from our New Year's Eve Fondue party. I'm going to put Tessie down for a nap and sit down to finish knitting Regular Guy Beanies for Paul and Luke.

Some things to learn in the new year -

1. Magic Loop method for knitting socks

2. read Bleak House and The Count of Monte Cristo

3. learn to draw realistic birds with Luke

4. Fair isle knitting

5. how to make good homemade pizza (I'm sure this involves buying a good pizza stone.)

6. how to grow a successful kitchen garden

Happy New Year friends!!!! Enjoy the possibilities of a new decade! Where will it take you?