Ringing in the New: Part 1

Lately, I've been thinking about how--as far as winter months go--I really love January. I mean, even though I struggle to some degree with Seasonal Affective Disorder, something about a fresh beginning right in the middle of the dark, cold part of the year always seems to improve my emotional health. (Hooray for the Northern Hemisphere!)

I also enjoy getting back into our routine after the (happy) interruption of the holiday season. It feels so good to start again with renewed energy, as well as to try out some new ideas. Here are a few of the things that are new in our world:

A NEW CAMERA. This one, to be specific. I'm still learning how to use it, but it is definitely nice to have a reliable one again. Does this mean I'll do better at blogging with photos? We'll see!

BABY P'S NEW TOOTH. This little girl (couldn't you just eat her up?) had her first tooth come in, and a second is trying to follow. Aside from looking adorable poking up from those gums and representing a fun milestone, this event has increased the need for agile scheduling in our homeschool. Our normally cheerful, content baby has been demanding a bigger chunk of my time and attention these days, as well as the patience and cooperation of her siblings. She's definitely helping us stay agile!

LUNCH BAGS. I'm planning an entire post about our decision to use lunch bags, but let me just say this has been a FABULOUS solution to some of our daytime food challenges. Love, love, LOVE them!

MY NEW IPOD TOUCH. J has had one of these for a while, and we have all loved it. I was often borrowing it to use a few apps I found fun and/or useful, but I didn't really feel like I needed one of my own. Well, he and the kids surprised me with one for Christmas, and I have loved having it! (I have appreciated the reviews of kid-friendly apps on Carisa's blog, and plan to post similar reactions here to games and programs we use as part of our homeschooling.)

We've also done some tweaking of our schedule and daily routines, but I think I have enough to say on that topic for another complete post. Stay tuned for Part 2!