Be Natasha

Well Christmas is over and now so,

on to the New Year!

 

Our Christmas was very quite and calm.

Our first with our daughter at home.

We have decided to not travel as much now with Hana

and to be honest - we have been tired of being on the road on

Christmas day for a while. It's nice to be with family

but when you are miles apart it gets tough to meet up for

every holiday.

So waking up in our own bed on Christmas morning

and putting in the oven my 'new' tradition of asparagus and ham strata

while opening gifts...was really cool.

We set up some cool traditions this year...that have been a long time coming.

Christmas Eve before church - smoked turkey...while opening up stockings

and church then comfy PJ's and movies that we got!

Christmas Day - opening presents and eating all day...turkey in the oven and stuffing...

we only had turkey, stuffing and gravy for dinner because that is what we wanted

and the rest is just filler to be honest.
We wanted to go sledding with Hana in her new sled but it was much too cold.

So we stayed in and just hung out...played our favorite game and watched more movies.

It was a good day not to be rushed or on the road.

In between we celebrated with different friends through out the week - which was very nice.

Love the new way of life now and new traditions that we are adding into our life.

Oh sure...we missed being with our extended families, yet...we now have a new family that we are celebrating with ... and hopefully next year my family or Mike's will join us...but it seems like everyone is settling into their 'own' Christmas and what they want to do and they just want to stay home and relax...and you can't blame them, it's not a bad thing at all.

We may just need to pick another day in the year to celebrate.

 

As the New Year approaches...it's always a good time to reflect.

 

I am glad this year will be over soon.

It was not all bad but I am glad there is a new year coming soon.

New beginnings. New thinking. New vision. Just New. Because with change comes New.

And that is a good thing.

 

Not sure why we need to wait till the new year comes but it just seems that way.

 

I have been reading this great little book...The Happiness Project. And have been  enjoying it.

I am half done and my goal is to have the book done by New Years Day. For no other reason

than the fact that I have new books to read.

 

I just finished a chapter that challenged me and thought it is perfect as 2013 approaches.

 

Be Natasha

 

It's a chapter on being serious about play.

 

I really loved it.

 

To sum it up...find more fun, take time to be silly, go off the path and start a collection.

that is what Gretchen Rubin writes.

 

She touches on a lot of different areas of 'fun' in this chapter - challenging fun - where fun takes work and effort and is demanding yet pays off...accommodating fun - that usually includes family gatherings, outings with friends and things that you need to be accommodating, need to organize or coordinate other people - takes time and sometimes you need to be accommodating to make it work.

And relaxing fun - this is an easy one...just really you and what you do for fun no other people are involved usually.

 

The one concept that I liked was to make a list of...what it means to Be Natasha

 

What kinds of things do I enjoy and like to do. Not what I wished I enjoyed, what my friends enjoy, or what the world is enjoying...but what do I enjoy.

And not to be embarrassed about it if it doesn't fit in with what others are doing.

 And being OK in saying no to things if they just are not fun for you.

 

She writes and I agree with her..."that we need to  know and pursue what we enjoy and what is fun for us and NOT feel guilty about things we don't enjoy or do..."

 

So...I am being challenged to write out a 'Be Natasha' list...what I love to do...and of course that can change over time with different situations

 

like adopting a baby in mid life

 

NOPE not gonna lie, what we once thought was fun and what we think is fun now...changes... And that is not necessary a bad thing.

 

6 months ago...I would not like to sit in a pool with babies...but now...well definitely high on my fun list...or going camping/being in the mountains... hopefully MOST...of the summer...I am thinking that will be HIGH on my fun list.

 

Hana has been a big part of 'fun' and what that looks like. Seeing her have fun with the simplest things in life and what she can enjoy in a day of play...has made me come to a point where I need to evaluate what that looks like for me and us. Her stresses are very minor in life and she loves life.

 

I may just decide to play with blocks all day long, or watch Veggie Tales.

 

So...as 2013 approaches...I am having fun...writing out what I love to do and what adventures I want to try...and how I am going to do it this year!

 

Looking forward to a year of

 

"Being Natasha"

 

What kinds of fun things are you looking forward to?

 

What does 'Being __________" look like for you?

 

Happy New Year!