I’m never one for New Years Eve. I sort of dread it, to be honest. I get a little moody and melancholy and am content to have quiet little gatherings with my loved ones. Which is good, since that is what we have been doing for the last three years, since Wyatt has joined our family.

This year we had an early dinner with my brother, his wife, and my little niece. We went out for pizza and beer, had some nice conversation while our kids miraculously entertained themselves and ate their french fries (yeah fries at a pizza place, crazy kids). Then we all went home to our own homes, three blocks away from each other, and watched movies. We watched Jurassic World, while they watched Godzilla. Incidentally, Jurassic Park was the very first movie Billy and I ever watched together, and we are still huge fans of the franchise. I love dinosaurs! Then, we watched some television and when we started hearing fireworks in the neighborhood, realized it was a brand new year. For me, not a bad way to celebrate.

Every year, I pick some resolutions. This year, I guess I am still doing that, but I want them to be more lifestyle changes. To do more, and buy less. To spend more time outside. To be on my phone less, to bake bread more, eat more foods that are soulful and hearty and fresh. Slow down, stargaze, play in the snow (if we ever get any!) I’m still trying to stay away from plastic as much as I can, although I do make exceptions for my three year old, who will be four before I know it! I want to make the days count, and not just be whittled away by chores and errands – although, that stuff needs to be done or else we will have nothing to eat and live in a mess. But I don’t want it to be the focus. And I am sure there will be days that I spend entirely on the phone making appointments, or running here and there and everywhere, like this week has been full of. But I hope to build a framework this month, one that makes it easier for us to enjoy life more. To look at things with the wonder of a child again. To plant a garden full of flowers and good things to eat, to sit in the sun. To learn new things.

We started a project too, that should help my son. He gets his walker pretty soon, and we are so excited! He is on his way! We however, have a small little home. Cozy and warm and snug, but small. So the other day, I had a thought. A crazy thought, it seemed at the time, but we rolled with it for Wyatt’s sake. I decided to flip our rooms, and turned our dining room into our new living room (den, we call it), and our living room, which was bigger, into a “family room” that holds our dining room table and all his play stuff. We had to buy some new furniture, as our couches would not squish into the newly christened den. So now we have two little blue loveseats, one set right into our bay window. There is now so much space for our kiddo to explore with his walker, and it is easier for him to move around. It was a quick decision, but it was a great one. It feels so much more functional, and we love it. I still need to get some new plants and replace some things to make it work a little better, but for the most part, it is done and feels just right in here now.

This a new year, full of new possibilities. Sometimes we have to stop and take notice. Sometimes we need to be unafraid to make changes.
And if it feels right, drink champagne and dance on the table…

How about you? Any new plans for the new year?