New Year's Eve

It is a cliche to talk about reflecting over the last year or pondering goals for the upcoming year on New Year's Eve, but many times something becomes a cliche because it is actually valid. :) What I said last year is still the truth for this year: My family has been together and in good health, nothing tragic has befallen anyone I love, and we have been able to provide Kaylee with everything she needs and probably more than she should have of what she wants. Friendships have strengthened, learning envelopes have been pushed, interests have been kindled and waistbands have expanded. As long as we can keep learning, keep growing, keep going, and keep smiling, it is a successful year. :)

People laugh at people who make "Resolutions", but they shouldn't. Where would you be in life if you never made any goals, never set any course, never stopped to assess where you are vs. where you want to be and what it might take to get there? The only problem with "New Year Resolutions" is the same problem faced any time...when a person makes unreasonable or broad-stroke goals with no idea how to get from A to B, no progress checks along the way, and no timeline in which to do it. They aren't "resolving" anything, they are just stating what they want and hoping they happen to get there. They usually won't, whether it be a career goal or a self-betterment resolution, because life will follow the path of least resistance unless you deliberately turn it the way you want it to go. If you don't know what steps to take to do that and stop and check where you are on the goal now and then, it won't happen. So do I have any resolutions? Mmm, I would say I have a few goals I'd like to accomplish for the upcoming year, yes, some easier than others. :)

We spent the day quietly, playing, snacking, resting. We had Christmas Round II and enjoyed opening lots of fun presents. Lon took the 4-wheeler and most of the kids out on an evening run out to the big tree house, the horses, the common land, etc. At one point he hit a ridge and got some air Dukes of Hazard style, and of course Kaylee wanted him to do that again and again. They came back in red-faced from the cold, laughing, with bits of hay stuck in various places. Life is good.

We watched a movie until about 10:00 p.m., then turned on the Fox New Year's Eve show as the most family-friendly version. That and I can not stand Kathy Griffin. Her voice and her personality both are pretty much as anti-Laura as you can get. ;) We laughed at some of the texts that people were sending in, Rania sent in a couple from us, and we watched the ball fall on New York time. This of course is the proper time for us Kokomites too, but here in Franklin it's actually an hour early. Some of us watched the same ball fall twice, while others were satisfied with watching the experience once. They keep talking every year about this amazing ball, and this year it's 6 tons and 12' wide...and guess what--on TV it looks like every other ball they have every other year. Apparently you have to be there in person to "get" it. Of course, people were standing outside in 2 degree windchill temps for upwards of 12 hours with no bathroom capabilities, and if you leave you can't get back in for security. Does that sound like fun to anybody?? Most things in life I like to say "Sure, I'd try that once." Except that. Unless the amenities are better than advertised. ;)

We ended New Year's Eve by Deenie wandering around the house and finding a good place to hide for the new year while the rest of us went to bed full and warm and tired and content. Like I said, life is good.

Welcome to 2009. :)