New Year with Bells and ..... Oranges!

This year Chris and I rang in the new year pretty boringly compared to our usual agenda in GA. Instead of all the "bells and whistles"  such as rook tournaments, fried turkey, fireworks, and a garage filled with laughing Carders, we spent the night playing games like uno and oh heck (another card game) with our sweet Seminary friends Brian and Tonya.

In Classical me style, I didn't take any pictures. I wish I had gotten at least one, but unfortunately I guess I was too consumed in our riveting game of uno, that taking a picture slipped my mind:) 

We ate tacos, discussed our Christmas time spent with family, talked about future plans, and told goofy stories. That's what I love about Brian and Tonya. We can just talk about whatever with them. 

They also came with goodies and brought Chris and I a 20 pound pack of fresh picked Louisiana grown citrus  Yepp.... 20 POUNDS. Yepp..... yepp:) We have naval oranges, satsumas, a couple blood oranges, a couple grapefruits, and even a couple lemons! Yesterday I ate 4 oranges in total. Yes 4, and yes, I know that is ridiculous. But they are just sooo good.

I don't really believe in the whole 'new years resolution' thing because in the past when I tried to make them it seamed I just failed. Last year I did something different and made a personal 'theme verse' that I wanted to focus on. My theme verse last year was Mark 12:30:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

I felt like I just kind of kept this verse in the back of mind and reverted back to it several times throughout the year. Many times even having to remind myself to love the Lord with all my strength several times a day! For instance, if I woke up on Sunday morning and just didn't want to go to church, then I thought I'm not loving him with all my strength. Or when one my 4th graders was miss behaving by talking back to me in class, and all sorts of mean comebacks that I wish I could spout back at them were rolling through by brain, I would think, oh Lord I'm not loving you with all my mind!

I felt like it was a really great verse for my theme verse and I am still searching for a new one for the 2013 year. It might take me a couple of weeks, but I'm sure I will find one that will be perfect:)