Stop Chasing Perfect.

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7QT: Christmas insanity, books out the wazoo, and NYE pillow forts

Been a long time since I linked up, but I figured since being on vacation has given me more free time I would play along.

1. Christmas was perfect, just a blast. Jim and I went to church on Christmas Eve, where we happened to sit in front of a local news anchor from the Detroit area. I got distracted only a little bit. We came home to our tradition of breakfast food. And guess what? Turns out that chocolate chip orange ricotta pancakes are pretty darn good. Add some maple syrup and you'll be in a diabetic coma. Merry Christmas!

Jim got me some fun things which made me laugh: like a box of 100 hundred cookie cutters, complete with shapes, animals, and letters. I don't know which made me smile more that or the mini humidifier with a night light to help my bloody noses.

Christmas morning we went to the in-laws and then went to my folks in the afternoon. The best thing about when my family gets together is how loud we all become. My Mom drafted us all into playing a family game which involved lots of yelling and several of us near wetting ourselves. Then we just HAD to have a family photo, which resulted in this:

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas!

2. One of my favorite Christmas presents was all the new books I got. Reading is my drug of choice so when I got 8 new ones for Christmas I was in paradise. I'm half tempted to leave the tree up for a good long while so I can continue to have this view when I curl up with a good book...wonder what a Christmas tree would look like decorated for the 4th of July? hmmm....

3. I decided to pick a new word for 2015. I also picked two patron saints for the year and got St. Monica and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Looking forward to becoming friends with these two holy peeps!

4. Right after Christmas, we went up north for a few days with a friend. While we were there, Jim and I went to see the movie Unbroken. It was this small little theater in a small town that only plays two movies at a time in theater. The movie was great, and if you haven't read either of these   books on Louis Zamperini's life. It was great night out minus the part I accidentally walked into the men's room to use the bathroom. It must have been because I was all hyped out on Milk Duds.

5. New Year's Eve was very chill. We came home from dinner and watched Santa Claus is coming to town amid the crazy pillow fort Jim made in the living room. After the movie we proceeded to fall asleep until midnight, when we were awoken by our neighbors banging their pots and illegal fireworks. Then we fell back asleep until 1:30am and were awoken by myself having a nightmare that our apartment was on fire because we forgot to blow out the candles. On that happy note, we decided to go to bed for realz this time.

6. Today we're using one of our favorite Christmas gifts fr the afternoon! My aunt and uncle got Jim and I a year membership to Greenfield Village. This place pretty much sums much of good childhood memories. The village is actually closed now for winter, so we're heading to the museum for the afternoon.

7. Jim got bacon flavored floss in his stocking from my parents on Christmas. I deeply love bacon, but this floss smells nasty. And almost ruined my love for bacon. If you're looking for a stocking stuffer for the man in your life next year, don't get the bacon floss.Please.

Happy New Year and have a great weekend!!

One Little Word {2015}

This past year I was amazed how the word I chose to challenge and grow me really did just that.

There were several area's I really needed to focus on in an intentional way. Looking back on 2014, I am blown away by all the lessons I have learned and insights along the journey.

Over the past week, I have been thinking a lot on what word I want to shape me in 2015.

The more I thought and prayed about it, the more I knew my word for 2015 was serenity.

Over the past year, I have really come to reflect a lot on what serenity means in my life.  Serenity is not just for people working the 12 steps but really for everybody. Serenity is about peace, calm, surrender, and stillness. In our crazy fast-paced world today, who doesn't need more of those in life?? Serenity is about being at peace with yourself and your place in this crazy, beautiful world. It is about accepting life on life's terms...and being at peace with that (or striving to) no matter where life takes you.

Serenity is about acceptance and surrender. Throughout 2014, I really began to pray from the heart the Serenity prayer. These words stretch me like a rubber band, and remind me that I am really not in control. Even to this day I still set alarms on my phone several times a day to stop and take a few minutes to really pray these words from the heart.

Serenity is teaching me to accept the many things/situations/people in life I cannot control (which at times are many!). As a recovering control freak, it is quite the reality check to accept the idea that I'm not in control.

The only person I have control over is me, and sometimes that can be hard enough. It takes a lot of courage to be aware of the things I can change and then to act on them in faith. However, it takes even more wisdom to discern and know the difference between the two.

And that's what I need more and more as 2015 starts: more peace, acceptance, surrender, courage, and wisdom...

2015 is all about serenity for me.

Are you choosing a word for 2015?

What will be the word to inspire you the coming year?