Welcome to Friday’s Fave Five, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, in which we can share five of our favorite things from the last week, wonderful exercise in looking for and appreciating the good things God blesses us with. Click on the button to learn more, then go to Susanne’s to read others’ faves and link up your own.
It has been a week of getting back to “normal.” Though it feels sad to put away the Christmas decorations and take the lights down, it does feel good to get the house back in order and start thinking about the new year. Here are some favorites from this past week:
1. Winning a gift card to Amazon from Katrina’s Fall Into Reading challenge!
2. Japanese food at the mall. Sadly our mall here is a little too far away to zip over to just to eat, but we needed to go to the mall to get Jesse a couple of clothes items and got dinner there. I had been longing for their chicken teriyaki. A bonus was having enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
3. A quiet New Year’s Eve. After the above-mentioned outing to the mall on NYE, we came home and watched Enchanted on TV, and then stayed up long enough to see the ball drop in Times Square in New York.
4. Safe travels for Jeremy. We had a bit of sleet and snow here and they’d had about 6″ of snow in RI, but all the flights were on time. Unfortunately his car had been towed when the snow plow needed to come through his street and he wasn’t there to move it. 
That was frustrating to come home to, but he got it all worked out and made plans to park elsewhere next time he leaves.
5. Egg McMuffins for Sunday breakfast. Sunday mornings are the only time I make a big family breakfast. That got started when I started having problems with low blood sugar and needed a lot of protein to make it through the morning at church without having to munch on something, then it became kind of a tradition. But we had to get up way early to take Jeremy to the airport Sunday morning and decided to grab a fast food breakfast on the way back. It was so nice to just relax with the newspaper and breakfast instead of having to rush around to prepare one, and I was able to catch a few minutes’ sleep before heading off to church.
Bonus: I forgot now where I found the picture online for my blog header, but I love that it depicts sunshine through the winter trees. The winter months can be a little depressing for me, with the cold, lack of growing things, bare trees, often gloomy weather, but keeping busy and looking ahead to spring help, and that light shining through there is just symbolic to me that winter won’t last forever and spring is coming.
Though I was sad at the beginning of the week to transition out of the Christmas season, I’m starting to get exciting about some new projects. I hope you’ve had a great first week of the New Year!
Stray Thoughts 
Probably won’t do a FFF myself this week – going to the dr. this afternoon – either flu, bronchitis, or who knows what. Glad you had a good week.
Love the header, and yes, it does convey hope that spring is coming. : ) So glad you got to have everyone with you for Christmas. What a blessing! We had everyone on Christmas day. We didn’t think it was going to be, but somehow Kevin did get Christmas day off. I savored the pleasure of it all.
Love your header and the reason behind it.
Ironically I just finished reading another blogger’s experience with getting their car towed. Bummer, hope you didn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get it out like they did.
I’m looking so forward to spring, and the cold here has just begun. It is nice to have winter projects to get us through.
Have a great weekend, Barbara!
Hmmmm. You have me curious. What projects do you have in mind? I always LOVE researching and starting new things.
How lovely to have a relaxing Sunday morning where someone else made the breakfast. And a few minutes of extra sleep is always a plus.
Congrats on winning the gift card. No need to ask if you’ll bet books, eh? Although i just received a package from Amazon and it had a walking video and a mold-resistant shower curtain.
Have a great weekend, Barbara.
that header is beautiful!! I live in eastern NY and we get VERY gloomy weather in January….especially the last 3 days. But today the sun came out and the snow was so pretty…a real blessing too was the warmer temps this morning Yesterday was only -6 on my way to work!! I loved all your faves….especially the knowledge that you won the gift card!! I did that reading challenge!!!! (the spring and fall ones) it was so much fun!! Have a great weekend, stay warm and cozy!!
I’ve often admired your header, Barbara. Our weather has been gloomy, even here in the Sunny South. :-). I know what you mean about being thankful to NOT do any kitchen work on a Sunday. It’s nice to be able to relax before heading off to church!
I love the header! I feel all warm and happy looking at it, and it’s full of hope. It was also a quiet NY eve for us and when 1 Jan greeted us, we saw fireworks from our window. It was beautiful. I’m sorry about Jesse’s car… safe travels for him! I am looking forward to my Egg McMuffin for breakfast!
It is an absolutely gorgeous picture. I’m not too bad with winter because I like the snow and cold. Sometimes the wind around here gets to me but that’s what brings the warmth after a really cold snap so I try not to hate it too much.
Sorry Jesse’s car got towed. There was a big issue in the city of Calgary with that too the last big snowfall. People were not knowing where to park as all the streets surrounding their homes were on the snow routes. They had to park blocks away from their homes. Which some just refused to do.
Congrats on your gift card win! Have fun spending it. Happy New Year to you!
Barbara,
I am like you – a bit sad that Christmas is over. Christmas is my and Miss Baby’s favorite time of year! 🙂 We still have our Christmas stuff up…. I guess, I need to face the reality and start packing up our Christmas accents.
Have a great weekend.
Congrats on winning the gift card. What fun!
It is a little sad to put up Christmas, but I’m always ready. I like things to be back to normal.
Love the blog header – any picture with sunlight is a winner in my book.
I know it’s hard to say good bye at the airport. But having a little treat after does help.
Looking forward to hearing about your new projects.
Bummer for Jeremy, but now he knows how to deal with this for next time! So nice you got to have his company over Christmas. Mmmm! Teriyaki chicken and leftovers too 🙂 Congrats on your win.
I do like your new picture header. I’ve found that winters are harder for me with each passing year. (I realize I sound a little silly complaining about it. But I’ve been taken aback by how this year is harder to work through than the last one was!) I, too, was sad that Christmas was over. But I’m starting to look ahead now and that is fun as well.
Glad Jeremy worked out the car situation for next time. That wouldn’t exactly be fun to come home to.
I saw that you won the gift card! Congratulations!!