2016 has been a revival for me in crafting! My word for 2016 was PROGRESS and many of my long term projects have moved forward! I’ve started work on a new rag rug and I’m hopeful that January and February will be a great opportunity for spending more time on it.  After all who wants to be outside right now! Learning to knit in October reminded me how much I LOVE yarn. Making several gifts at Christmas was so fun!  

Being able to take off a couple of weeks from homeschooling at Christmas is one of the sweetest blessings!  I love doing school with my kids but it is SO awesome to not do it for a while and catch my breath.  If you homeschool I hope that these post are a blessing and an encouragement as you get ready to start back to school after the first of the year.  Only 4 months until spring!  Then summer will be here before we know it.  

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas.  Time with family and friends is so precious.  Our family is still celebrating but I want to share some of the best posts that are all about being in the kitchen from 2016.  So when you have time and are back on the internet after all the gifts are open, enjoy the flash back before we say hello to the new year!

Am I alone in liking a simple decorating scheme?  The chaos of glitter, lights and “stuff” everywhere makes me want to run screaming from the house.  When my excitement is small I can feel a bit like a Grinch.  Everyone else is thrilled with idea getting out all blingy chaos and yet I dread decorating the house for Christmas.  I don't like the family friction when I voice my preference for a few simple decorations and the family wanting to hang garland from the ceiling fans in every room.  (I'm so not kidding about this!)