five on friday

I can't believe 2016 is almost over. I know lots of people have said they will be glad to see it go, but I really can't say it's been a bad year for us. Of course we've had ups and downs, but that's just how life goes.  I am looking forward to 2017 though, and hope it's a fantastic year for us all. I'm linking up with Five on Friday for the last time this year. Here we go!

 
I can't believe Christmas has come and gone. Here's my favorite picture of me and Landon this year. We had such a nice and relaxed holiday. 

We always go to my mom's house for a New Year's Eve party/sleep-over. This year we've decided to do our low country boil and I cannot wait! We'll eat, play games (Win, Lose or Draw; Scattergories; Yahtzee, Uno), and laugh til we cry.  My sister's birthday is New Year's Day, so we'll have a family dinner (meatloaf & cabbage) and finish it all off with birthday cake. See why I don't make resolutions?!

We're getting a new washer and dryer next month, so I'm taking advantage of the chance to clean and organize our laundry room. I ordered this storage rack from Target (5% off plus free shipping HOORAY) to help me out. It should be just the right size for everything I need it to hold.  Another thing I'm doing in 2017 to stay organized is taking advantage of our garbage pickup. We are allowed six bags and usually just have 2 or 3.  From now on I'll have the full six. I'll talk more about that and how I hope to clear out ALL THE CLUTTER later next month. 

Do you have a word of the year? My word for 2017 is SAVOR. You can read all about that here.  I also found the perfect art print to accompany that word. This print by Heather Stillufsen just makes my heart melt. 


And now in book news...

Banana Cream Pie Murder (A Hannah Swensen Mystery), the latest in the series by Joanne Fluke,  is due out in February. I can't wait to read it and  hope to have a few copies to give away. Be sure to  check back later next month here and on Instagram (I'm ToniaTHC) for a chance to win. 

Best wishes for a wonderful 2017!

 

savor

  ~ SAVOR ~  

to delight in :  enjoy <savoring the moment>  

 

Art Print by Heather Stillufsen

I start thinking about my word for the new year sometime in December.  I don't really like to make resolutions, because why set yourself up for disappointment? But I do like to have a word that kind of wraps itself around our life at the moment. This year I've decided that my word will be SAVOR. The transitive verb definition defines savor as to delight in, enjoy, savor the moment.  But so many times I'm guilty of doing the exact opposite of savoring.  I'm a planner/follow-the-schedule type girl, always thinking ahead to the next thing on my list and it's really hard for me to go with the flow and just relax in the moment.  Instead of enjoying the quiet and cozy stillness late Christmas evening, I was pinning Valentine ideas.  Instead of playing UNO one more time yesterday,  I needed to mop the kitchen floor.  Not exactly savoring...  But days are going by in a hurry and I don't want to miss out on anything because I couldn't slow down and just enjoy the moment.  I have to learn to do just that, or I will miss out.  

So in 2017, I intend to savor the people I love and the time I have to spend with them.  That means letting some things go and making some changes to my "to-do" list and daily routine, but I'm OK with that.  I'm looking forward to it.  

Hoping your 2017 is everything you hope for. Savor it!!

Cheers!