Tuesday, January 02, 2007

New Year This and That

Did everyone have a nice time welcoming in the New Year? We had some friends over from church and my little house was bursting at the seams! There was lots of visiting, laughing, good food and punch. Several of the families went home early but there were 17 of us to ring in the New Year.



New Years Day was spent cleaning up and taking down Christmas decorations. Later that evening, we went over to my inlaws where Phillip's Dad made a wonderful Southern New Year's Dinner for us. Chicken and Dumplings, Collard Greens, Black Eyed Peas, Fried Okra *and* Fried Green Tomatoes, Cornbread and Banana Pudding for dessert. Everything was delicious!!!

I have been doing a little organizing, mainly in the kitchen. There was alot of wasted space in my china hutch so...



I added a metal shelf all along the back of it.



Now I have room for my punch bowl and other things I use only a few times a year.



Phillip took the kids to the park yesterday and they had lots of fun. It was too chilly for me though...48 degrees!





Today, I boxed up all the Christmas decorations and they are back up in the attic. I also vacuumed up 1 billion (or around there!) pine needles! My vacuum doesn't like me right now. ;0) We are back to our school work tomorrow and I am looking foward to getting back on schedule, eating more healthy, and all that other New Year's resolution stuff.

I picked out a few books to re-read, one of them being "Living Simply with Children" by Marie Sherlock. I also bought my first ever Farmer's Almanac this past weekend. It is full of interesting weather information, trivia tidbits and even poetry. Here is what it says the weather will be like this month....

"It's teasing: mild and moist, then fine but freezing! Sunny spells turn cold and sleety; January is a two-faced deity. Brrr! It's bitter, with snow spitters. Mush and slush, by gush!"




It sounds like a perfect time to light some candles and cozy up with a good book and a cup of tea. Winter is here to stay for awhile!

29 comments:

Reviekat said...

What a fun celebration for New Year's Eve. All the people in your home looks so friendly and festive. I really LOVE the teapot candleholders as well as your idea for getting more space in your hutch. :D

Susie said...

Your celebration sounds wonderful. You've been quite the busy gal getting all organized and ready for the New Year!
:)

Terri said...

I too, took down my Christmas decorations. Now I need to get ready to start my seeds and order new chicks!!!

Those tea light holders are adorable. What a cute idea.

Glad your party went so well!
God bless and happy New Year.
Terri

Creative Life Studio said...

What cute little candle holders! :) I, too, am ready for a little less revelry. We started school yesterday too. It went well, but it was a challenge to get back into the swing of things. The girls did a lot of their schoolwork with their heads resting on the table!

Happy New Year!

Tina Leigh said...

Kelli we must be kin...guess what I was reading while waiting for your blog to open....Farmers Almanac...the article on my fav-o-rite flower, the daisy!! Mailing you a note to today. Love ya!

Sandra said...

Sounds like you had a great celebration with family and friends on New Year's Eve.

Now, I WANT those teapot candleholders --- I love them! :o)

Tina Leigh said...

Oh I love those little teapot tea lites!! They are sooo cute!!

Marci said...

The little teapot candles are darling. Looks like you had quite a houseful. Did ya'll make crowns for everyone?

Laurie said...

Happy New Year Kelli! Love all that southern food!!

Anita said...

Hi Kelli! I am glad you had a great time with your familiy & friends! Food back to normal? ;-))) Good luck for your NY resolutions, I hope you'll accomplish them all!

I am back to work as well. The first day at the office was alright today - but I guess it will still take some time untill I am back to "normal"... ;-))

Jenn said...

I've been wanting to add shelves like that to my island cabinets. That is where my pots and pans are stored and it would be a lot easier with a top and a lower shelf rather than the one big space I have at the moment. NICE! :0)

jenn

Anonymous said...

The shelf in the hutch is perfect!! Good thinkin'! It's so wonderful to hear what you're busy doing about your home. I guess we all are inspired and/or re-energized after the holidays.

Anonymous said...

I've been following your blog for a little while now, and love to read and see what you're getting up to. Here in Wales we face the option of a) floating away or b) being blown away right now - the weather pattern of the end of 2006 has returned with a vengeance. I've been in the warm this afternoon sewing a charity quilt block and drooling over the quilts in "A Quilter's Guide to Floral Quilts" which seemed to have my name on it when I found it (reduced) in a book shop today . . .

Anonymous said...

What a great picture of Emily! Her hair is the color of sunshine, literally! :D

Kelli said...

Revee, it was a really fun night!!!

Susie, I should do the drawers in the bathroom but I think I'll take a little break for awhile. :0)

Terri, when do you get your baby chicks? I had read many books and websites on "chickens in the city" but we aren't allowed to have them as pets where we live. I hope we get to see pictures of them when they arrive!

Mrs. Pivec, school work went a little slower than usually today, especially the handwriting lessons!

Tina, that was the first article I read!! Now I know what your favorite flower is. :0)

Sandra, I found the teapot candle holders at a resale store about a year ago!

Marci, we had New Year's poppers than you pull at both ends and inside is a little prize and a paper crown.

Laurie, Happy New Year to you too!

Anita, no more fudge for breakfast. ;0)

Jenn, the best part about the shelves is that they are adjustable! I found them at Home Depot.

Copperswife, January seems like a popular organizing/cleaning month!

Bovey Belle, welcome! Your cozy afternoon quilting and reading sounds perfect! I have plans to start a crazy quilt tea cozy this week. :0)

Kelli

Kelli said...

Hi Melissa! You're right, her hair does look like sunshine!
Kelli

Anonymous said...

That photo of Emily was very experimental, I'm surprised you used it! I was just testing some backlighting ideas, with mixed results.

But yeah, it does lovely things with her beautiful hair. :-)

Anonymous said...

Wow! the picture of your daughter on the swing is so cool! You should frame that one...

Happy new year and God bless!
Christie

Pamela said...

Kelli, Oh my goodness, that party you had looks like it was not only fun but was bursting with happiness too! Everyone looks to be having a great time! That southern style dinner is my cup of tea and way to bring in the New Year with those black eyed peas!

Your cupboard shelf is very clever and you can never have enough room in the kitchen. Very inspiring! Happy New Year and thanks for your thoughtful prayers, I really appreciate it! :)

Mrs. Darling said...

Oh you make it sound so cozy and wonderful. Heres a toast to the year ahead!

Mrs. House Mouse said...

Sounds like a wonderful way to ring in the new year! The three House Mice were all abed! We are real party animals!

LOVE the lil candles, and that metal shelf was truly a stroke of genius!

C. H. Green said...

Looks like you had a lot of fun. I finally got my Christmas stuff put away too. Now to settle down for a long winter's nap. sigh.

Chrystal said...

Those shelves look like they will come in handy! Doesn't it feel good to get the christmas decorations all put away? I did mine today, and I feel so relieved! I think our vacuums were both having a bad day! Mine was fighting with me to!
Chrystal
web.mac.com/ihm10

Julieann said...

Hi Kelli:) Hey, I vacuumed up 1 billion and one needles...LOL. Your New Years sounded wonderful. Great job with the shelf in your cabinet, and I bet the almanac is an interesting read:)

Have a great day!!

Julieann:)

Carole Burant said...

Sounds like you had a very fun New Year's celebration:-) I've put away all my Christmas decorations also and now I'm busy trying to declutter a couple of rooms...I go through this every new year! lol The charity shops will be happy to see me! hehe

Anonymous said...

What a great way to ring in the New Year! And, I am feeling really lazy now, Thanks! ;) I still have all of my decorations up and my poor tree might just fall over if I were to breathe on it. I hope to get all the decorations down tomorrow, but I'm not promising anything! I love those teapot candles, by the way!

Kelli said...

Thank you, Christie! Happy New Years!

Pamela, you are right about never having enough room in a kitchen! I hope you are feeling much better!

Thank you, Mrs. Darling! Happy New Years to you and your family!

Mrs. House Mouse, it sure was a fun party but I'm still trying to get caught up on sleep! LOL

C.H. Green, a long winter's nap sounds perfect! :0)

Hi Chrystal! Our poor vacuums! LOL

Julieann, I'm rethinking this real tree thing! Maybe I'll change my mind by next December. :0)

Pea, it sure is a big job taking everything done! We have quite a few things to take to Goodwill this weekend!

Don't feel lazy, Becky! It's so much work to put them up and it seems such a short time before Christmas is over!

Heather Anne said...

Kelli - are you sure you are Canadian - 47 degrees is not cold!!!! Have you been South too long! Remember the great Canadian mantra - There is no such thing as bad weather - it is just poorly prepared people!!! Aren't I a terrible tease! We were out at the playgound this week and it was cool and damp, but than the wind came up and we headed for Tim Hortons and a hot drink! I'm getting soft too I guess, but the cold in Northen Ontario wasn't damp and didn't penetrate the 5 layers of clothes that we wore!

Kelli said...

LOL, Heather! I know I'm pathetic! :0) I do love the little bit of cold weather we get here in Texas. It's getting down to 32F degrees tomorrow night! Now South Dakota gets COLD in the winter! We spent several years there..brrr!
Kelli