What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

2012

 
I sat the other day and thought about all we accomplished in 2012:  

~ helped make 70 gallons of maple syrup
~ learned to spin wool
~ got a miniature horse
~ hung on hammocks
~ watched the Middle Barn fall down
~ cleaned up the Middle Barn wreckage
~ built a treehouse
~ had a date in the treehouse
~ made a hankie shower curtain
~ went on a dinner cruise for the first time ever
~ read lots of books
~ painted the living room trim
~ rewallpapered the bathroom
~ painted the bathroom
~ spent the night in a HOTEL.  That had a pool.  And I didn't pack bathing suits, knowing we couldn't AFFORD a hotel with a pool.  But the cheap motel was booked solid.  Lesson: Always bring suits.  Period.
~ Built a "coat closet" in mudroom
~ skidded many loads of logs out of woods
~ spent holidays sawing them up at the sawmill
~ glued maps all over the school room wall
~ spread turquoise all over another wall
~ built a stone foundation for the entryway to the barn
~ built a grand entry into the barns
~ re-sided a portion of the barn
~ rented dumpsters and cleaned all the outbuildings and garbage dumps around the place.  Made enough money on scrap metal to pay for the garbage dumpsters AND a woodsplitter.
~ split 18 cords of wood for the winter.  NOT enough.
~ hung hundreds of loads of laundry
~ put new ceiling in mudroom
~ planted a first-ever SEPARATE pumpkin patch.  Loved it.  Will never go back.  Ever.
~  replaced our washing machine
~ started drinking "sweet water"
~ fixed roof on barn
~ tore down the drop ceiling in the living room
~ made soap for the first (and second and third) times
~ taught a class at a library on herbs.  Made lavendar lemonade, peppermint tea and chamomile muffins for the occasion.
~ Sold an old tractor and bought a less-old tractor
~ spent many sweaty days doing garden work- the largest we've had.
~ set up a saw-horse summer kitchen.  (A brilliant idea)
~ had many parties
~ had Hopesteads' first-ever hayride
~ spent lonely nights when Matt was gone
~ had many happy homecomings
~ got electricity out to the barns
~ started attending a knitting class where I learned to INCREASE.  (wahoo!)
~ Started "officially" homeschooling TWO children
~ planted two filbert trees
~ paid several thousand dollars extra toward principle on our mortgage
~ went to the doctors twice.  Once for a Judahbear.  Once for a Mama.
~ spent many-a-day canning and preserving summers' bounty
~ pruned apple trees
~ spent a summer organizing all our clothes and stuff in storage.  (That was fun.)
~ Had two yardsales and made over $300.00 getting rid of said junk in storage.
~ had our first really successful year of corn planting
~ Found a signed, hardcover, first printing of an Eric Sloane book that Matt DOESN'T already own for FREE in the library Book Barn.  For FREE.  It was a great, (did I mention FREE?!?) Christmas present.
 ~ built a cabinet around a gifted dishwasher in the kitchen.  Still not working-but some time.
~ cleaned out the back half of the basement
~ dug out a new drainpipe for the kitchen.
~ killed (not enough) mice
~ planted over 30 perennials- most GIVEN to me by neighbors.
~ laid a new foundation for the front of the house.
~ sang carols at a nursing home
~ began a new hobby.  Carving wooden spoons.  (My first will be done very soon!)
~ started dreaming of building a log cabin in the woods.
~ listened to a million (not-funny) jokes but laughed anyway because I love the jokester.
~ lost 10 pounds (in the last month) after a year of trying
~ made almost all the gifts given for Christmas
~ Tucked children into bed night after night and snuggling into Misters' warm arms...wondering how I have things so good.

Looking forward to seeing all that the Lord has in store for our family in this new year of our Lord, 2013.  Maybe less work?  But I somehow doubt it...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!



11 comments:

Terri said...

Okay, I had a very busy year but this list makes me feel like a sluggard. Great job, Newmans!!! Happy New Year!

Leah T. said...

An amazing, full, and wonderful year you had in your new, forever home!!! :D I'm sure God has another beautiful year in store for your precious family!

Happy New Year, dear friend.

Sarah said...

Happy 2013 to your family!
Since you posted a little while ago about your homeschool composer of the month being Henry Purcell, I thought of you tonight when the classical music station was playing this narrated children's adventure about Henry Purcell's two children on a quest to find arundo dorax for Queen Anne (Arundo dorax is the plant from which oboe reeds are made.) Thought your family might like it! http://www.tafelmusik.org/watch-and-listen/recordings/baroque-adventure-quest-arundo-donax

Ruth said...

Praise God for a fulfilling and rewarding year! May Gods abundant blessing and favor be upon your endeavors in 2013. God bless you and your family!

Bonnie said...

A good year! (I wish I could have more parties. I love having parties) And what is sweet water?

Laughing at our "opposite" posts yesterday : )

Leah said...

A profitable year indeed.
God's peace and blessing to you in this coming year Rebecca. I'll be keeping up with all your future miraculous "profitability" on this little blog this year too. :)

(I was wondering what sweet water is as well.)

Leah T. said...

I think maybe she means well water? It is my best guess anyway. ;)

Unknown said...

YAY! What a YEAR, woman! Good job to you and Matt!! :) I love, love, LOVE the postcards (especially the tomato one!) and your photo...so cute! :) You look beautiful in it! :)

Regina said...

Yes, I feel like a sluggard too. LOL Congratulations on increasing! Soon enough you'll be able to knit your Mister some warm wool socks. :D I finished 3 pairs of socks in 2012 which surprised me, but the last one of those pairs happened to be for me! I have pictures on my blog. At the top there is a link that says "socks" (original, huh?! LOL) where you can see the pictures. :)

Yes, I *think* I did more than just make socks this past year...just maybe. It feels like that's all I did was make socks. LOL I'm finishing up some UFO's then I'm going to start knitting a lace shawl for my MIL for Christmas 2013. :) Busy busy busy! :)

Rebecca said...

Loved the post. What is sweet water and where are the feral or domestic kitties to help with the mice? And once again I am inspired to get going on all the things I would like to accomplish.

Rebecca said...

Ah- never would have guessed that sweet water would pique such interest! "Sweet Water" is the water we now drink like kings, since we got a water purification/softening system. Our water was bitter and eggish before but the new water has spoiled us good. The children coined it when they geban asking "Mama- can we have a cup of sweeettt water please?!" And it is worthy of the added adjective!

Thank you Sarah- for the link!

Regina- busy lady! Knitting a pair of socks is on my goal list for THIS year. As well as making something for MYSELF since I always make things and then give them away.

Rebecca~ domestic kitties? I'll tell you what our kitty does when he is allowed inside. He jumps on the counter and licks the stick of butter on the dish which I must then throw away. Once, Mr. Kitty pulled a dead mouse out of the trashcan that Matt had caught in a trap the night before. The creature is worthless, I tell you. Worthless.