Happy New Year!

 

Here we are at the end of another year and the beginning of something new.  Thank the Lord for new beginnings. New chances to learn and grow and create. It's been a year of roller coaster rides at Kathy's cottage, but that is what makes life exciting no?

I have never been one for New Years resolutions. I have to agree with my niece Emily about them, "I'm not into lying to myself", she said at the family party yesterday.  I  was especially impressed with her viewpoint in dealing with them. Her resolution? "I will eat chocolate every day". 

 Amen my dear girl, and Amen.

So in the spirit of new beginnings and not lying to myself here are my non-resolutions (anti-resolutions?) for 2013

 

1. What you said Emily. About the chocolate:>)

 

2. I am going  to enjoy every bite I take. I'm tired of obsessing over what I eat. It hasn't helped, but I am going to try to slow down and let my body tell me when it is done enjoying the food.

 

3. I am going to indulge myself.  I'm not only joining the gym, I'm hiring a personal trainer for a while to help me get the most out of it. It is a splurge, but I'm worth it.

 

4. I'm going to stop feeling guilty about not having time to meet every need and finish every project. Guilt gets you nowhere, it doesn't finish the project, it doesn't write the post, and it doesn't inspire me to get more done. Enough.

 

I want to live intentionally this year. There are habits I have fallen into because they are easy. They are also destructive.  Time ticks away year by year and I feel the need to make some changes in the way I view things, in the way I do things and in my attitudes. Never stop growing.

Happy New year to each and every one of you! May it be a year of change, of growth, and of living life to the fullest!

 



Snow

 

“Wow, it really snowed last night! Isn't it wonderful? Everything familiar has disappeared! The world looks brand new!
A new year ... a fresh, clean start! It's like having a big white sheet of paper to draw on! A day full of possibilities! It's a magical world, Hobbes, ol' buddy ... let's go exploring!”
― Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes: It's a Magical World

 

 Snow. This time of year we are obsessed with it. We want it, we don't want it. We love it, we hate it. Whatever you think about it, however you feel about it, here it is. We got 4-6 inches last night. The sun gleams off it today. It's kind of pretty, a little annoying.

I'm not a big fan, but when it's fresh and white I kind of like it and when it's grey and dirty and frozen I loathe it.

Did you get some snow this week? If you did, I hope it was in time for Christmas.  That is when snow really shines isn't it? We all want snow for Christmas:>)

We had snow for Christmas, or rather, we made snow for Christmas.

These sugar cookie snowflakes to be exact.  Fun and pretty and they never get grey and slushy.

My favorite kind of snow!

I Hope your Christmas was white and wonderful.

And now, the New Year awaits. I always breathe a little sigh of relief when it's time for a new beginning don't you?

What does your new year hold?

 

 



Merry Christmas...

From our cottage to yours.

Wishing you all the merriest Christmas ever!

Love   ♥Kathy ♥

Be the Light

What are we to do with this season of darkness?

The only thing we can do, be the light for a weary world.

Be the one who restores faith in humanity (and God) to someone who has lost that faith.

Help the hurting people that you know, and some that you don't.

Give more. Of yourself, your resources, your time.

Hold a hand, wipe a tear, listen.

Pray, pray, pray.

What if we each found 26 people over the next year to help or comfort?

One every two weeks, it seems doable.

Start with yourself. Turn off the news, not because you don't care, but because the media fills the air with meaningless and unproven conjecture as they rehash what little they know.

They aren't interested in truth or fact, they are interested only in selling air time.

There are no answers there, only despair.

Turn it off and pray for the families, and for the people you know who are fighting battles.

And then light the tree and think about how each of us can  make a difference.

Be the light.

 

A Day of Silence

Simplicity

I am catching my breath and the decorating has begun. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here and the sparkle and candle light in this humble little home  makes the season seem like it is really here.

I'm looking for a simplified Christmas this year. Less is more. I may even take down some of the decorations I have already put up.  This year, I'll concentrate on the baking, the shopping, (which I have not begun!!!) and the reason that we celebrate. Christ came to be our Saviour.

It's as simple as that.

Anyone else simplifying this Christmas?

More scenes from the wedding

I have a few more photos, just released by one of our wonderful photographers who went out of their way to make beautiful memories with their cameras.  Thank you Aly!

In the charming little town of Clarkston, Michigan is an old church turned into a restaurant. I always have mixed feelings about that, but even I have to admit the food there is fabulous. It's called

 The Union and it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It just happens to be one of the bride and grooms favorite restaurants. The establishment let them take photos in a stained glass alcove  and then packaged up some of their famous cupcakes for the pair:>)

 They went through town taking pictures in all kinds of charming places, one of the home decorating stores even let them get into the front window Christmas display. I can't wait to see those!

Aren't they adorable? They came over last night and took us to dinner and then we stayed up into the wee hours talking before they headed off into the night bound for for their new home.

In another state.

I'm trying not to think about how far away they are, but we just put a new travel line in the budget, so I know we will see each other as much as we can.

Still, I'll miss her, and him.  

More to come....

Here comes the Bride

So my little girl married her military man last night. It was a whirlwind and I am so glad we had a photographer because this mother-of-the bride left the reception realizing her camera had been pretty much abandoned in the joy and hubub of celebrating.

 I was aware enough to grab a few pics of the bride getting ready.  She wore an antique pearl and rhinestone necklace and a vintage brooch that I have had for years and always dreamed of the right opportunity for one of us to wear it. I though it was perfect for her wrap.

As they had their photos taken in our little town a small boy mistook her for a princess.

Can you blame him?

 Her sister was Maid of Honor, her cousin wasn't able to make it in from New York to be in the wedding this time, much to our sorrow, but we know she was thinking of us as we were thinking of her.

 These two are a pair and have always been so close.

I know they will stay close even though miles will separate them.  Whew, it all goes by so quickly! I'll admit to being a little frazzled, but we had so much help from wonderful friends and loved ones and I am so grateful because I really couldn't have pulled it off without them. 

It was a small, intimate wedding with our closest friends and relatives. People we love so much, and it made for a beautiful celebration.

Today we try to dig out from the decorations, and gifts and spend a little more time with our daughter and her new husband. (I have a son!)

I don't want to bore you, but there is more to come as soon as I get some photos.

Oh it was beautiful, and yes, I cried.  But I'm so happy for my girl:>)