Ringing in 2018

We rang in New Year's Eve with our neighbors. They say the people you're with on NYE are the ones you'll spend a lot of time with in the coming year, and with some vacations to Mexico and Vail planned together, this superstition is coming true. There's no one I'd rather spend time with in the New Year than our family and neighbors. We're so blessed.

We devoured good food (the kids made egg rolls all by themselves, except for the frying bit, and they were a hit), played games and watched the ball drop we these fine people.

Earlier that day, I stopped by the Catholic parish on NYE to fill up a bottle of holy water. We lit a candle, read blessings, and sprinkled holy water from room to room of our home, an ancient tradition to clear out old energies and welcome the holy into the dwelling that nurtures our lives.

Gryffy went wild with the holy water.

And on New Year's morning, our traditional donuts on strings:
"In the year 2018, let this be our goal: to focus on the donut, instead of on the hole."

When we came down the stairs that morning, this sign was propped up in the kitchen that Lorelei had secretly made to welcome in 2018. I love her colorful artwork! Wishing everyone a New Year filled with health, love, joy and lots of adventure!

In the year 2013 let this be our goal...

To focus on the donut, instead of on the hole.

 It was New Year's Eve 1999, in a hotel with high school friends, when I first read that quote.  It was streaming across the ticker at the bottom of the TV during the celebrations in Times Square, so fast that I barely caught it.  I loved it, and adopted it.  

And that's why our family eats donuts every New Year's morning.  

 We invented our own unique family tradition to go with it, too: donuts on strings.

The kids love it.

 Disqualified!

 I especially enjoy watching the children drool over the donuts as I make them wait until the strings are attached.  

They'll get me back over the next ten days, while I'm on a "Daniel Fast" refraining from meat, processed foods and sugars (and Facebook!) to be more disciplined and intentional about my life, especially prayer and my walk with God.  That donut was my last splurge.

But lunch wasn't bad.

Happy New Year!