Monday, December 30, 2013

Bring on 2014!!

                                        

+JMJ+

Since we've been unschooling..   I mean... actively, intentionally, unschooling, I have found that even the sky is not a limit. :)

Today we went fruit picking.  Robyn was glad she wore long sleeves... there are big thorns to to contend with when picking grapefruit and oranges.. the smell was amazing.  We filled our bags.

Now is my job.. of zesting, (to freeze), then peeling, seeding, sectioning, and removing the pith so it is nothing just nice juicy sections of fruit.. and the juice.   Normally I add a can of pineapples and a jar of cherries.. and some sugar to sweeten.  But this time is just the fruit we picked today only..  and the girls still like the sugar.  Hubby and I prefer our fruit sections with a little salt... which grosses the kids out.  :)     I love making the fruit salad, even though it means sitting for hours doing this, back cramping, sticky, and squirting myself in the eye every couple of grapefruit.   I have always loved the 'busy' work of peeling, shelling, snapping...  my mind is roaming a million miles away, while my hands busily make for my family.  I love it.    And my girls are gulping down the fruit almost faster than I can peel it.

New Years Eve is tomorrow..  I've got goodies planned for us to eat and drink.  Dinner planned for New Years Day.   I got English "crackers" this year.  I know they're meant for Christmas, but we were not here for Christmas.  So we're 'pop' them at dinner on New Years.

Thinking ahead to the New Year... what will it bring?  Robyn starts back in Special Olympics in January.  My bocce princess is going to be doing her best, and hoping very much to get to go to State to compete again.   I wonder about her aquatics.  If she'll bowl again this year.  If she'll play anything else.

I wonder about Amy's schooling.. boyfriends..  her work, her friends... and she'll be 21 this summer.  Robyn will be 14.  How fast my girls have grown!

Hubby and I have things planned for 2014.   Personal goals, family goals, financial goals.  Me?  I even have homemaking goals.   Spiritual goals.  Goals as a wife and mother.    Will I meet those goals?  Will I be disappointed in myself if I don't meet those goals?

Tomorrow I'll be putting the black eyed peas on to soak.  I already have the ham and the collard greens in the fridge.  Bacon to fry in, steaming rice, and good Southern cornbread.   Champagne chilling in the fridge, wondering if we can stay awake for the arrival of the New Year.    I'm not dwelling on my failings for this past year... I did things I never thought I could do, and I'm not taking any of it back.  2013 was a really good year.  Robyn blossomed.  Special Olympics has been a Godsend for us... for her.   This year brought new friends, and reacquainted me with old friends.  And deepened existing friendships.  God has richly blessed us this year, truly.

So I light a candle for the New Year.  Remembering ones we've loved who've passed on, not with sadness but with joy.. all those good memories.   Looking forward to 2014...  seeing it as a large, beautiful package with lots of ribbon, just waiting to be unwrapped.  I wonder what treasures it holds. :)   

Time will tell...

Happy New Year, family and friends!!

xoxoxoxo