Feeling boosted...

Yesterday I got my second shot, the booster for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The nurses in my hospital have all been rotating to float the Covid units and I feel so thankful that this vaccine administration is underway! 

I am so grateful and hopeful that we can move towards fighting this pandemic even harder...

middle school...

On Monday, I began the process of getting Ryder signed up for middle school next year... 

I know that it is cliche, but I can't believe how fast time goes!!!  I can't believe that this little boy that made me a mama is almost finished with elementary school... Goodness gracious!

let it burn...

For Christmas I was given a multi-use burn tool:

Then my dad had these old planks of wood from an old bed that he shared with me:

I had some fun experimenting over Christmas:

So I have been playing around with different things.  I tried some things on wooden discs from our Christmas tree:

I sanded and stained a board:

Then decided to go with this:

I'm having SO MUCH FUN with this new toy...

I keep thinking of things that I can make and try!

Here is to creating new things!

Big Agnes

 For Christmas we got a family tent for local camping trips.  Her name is Big Agnes:

Literally...

We had the tent up and the kids loved playing in her.  Then on Saturday night, Kit smoked ribs and we made a picnic in the tent!

This last week brought up some really big topics, so times like this where are kids questions can be asked, and discussions can take place always feel like a win, even in the midst of really difficult conversations...

These moments and memories mean so much to us as parents!

Bike rides and connections...

 On Saturday we had our annual connection with one of our favorite families where we ride the boardwalk, eat Mexican food, and then finish off the day with doughnuts. 

We distanced and wore masks and connected and it was all what our hearts needed.  I love this family so much and we love the traditions that bring so much life to our family!

Anniversary

 On Monday night we ordered Mexican food from Avilas, Kit brought me a beautiful bunch of flowers, and we watched Netflix with the family...

Also we made Mexican mules... SO good!

Here’s to MANY future Mexican food take out dinners, lots of kisses in the kitchen, bouquets of anniversary flowers, and years of deep love and friendship shared together... Kristopher Rae, I simply adore you...

create...

Create (verb)

 cre·​ate | \ krē-ˈāt

1: to bring something into existence.

2: to produce or bring about by a course of action or behavior

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have never been one to pick a word for the year.  Generally I am more of a list maker/goal setter.  This year just felt different.  I prayed on what God would have me do this year for my annual list/goal setting, and this word kept coming up.

Create.

I know it is what this year is going to be about:

Creating space, creating boundaries, creating environments for health (mentally, physically, emotionally...), creating time for things and people that I love, actually creating things with my hands, creating and nurturing growing relationships...

My goal is to "create" every day and I hope to keep a journal with a daily entries of what I created that day.

I am looking forward to what this year will hold, and things that will be created!❤︎