Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope it has started off wonderfully! We kicked off 2009 at the in laws', with kids, games and yummy snacks. We spent the night there, as is the new tradition, started in '08, and then headed home after breakfast. When we returned home, I put dinner on the stove to cook: our annual meal of corned beef and cabbage. We have cabbage on New Year's because it's a superstition that if you eat cabbage on the first day of the year, it will bring you good luck all year long.
We went, later in the day, to a furniture store and ordered a new cubby/hall tree for the entry by the garage door. This is where we all enter most, and the kids drop their school bags, we all leave our shoes... etc. It gets cluttered. Thus, the hall tree. We also ordered a kitchen table and a "baker's rack" to go with our "old world" decor. We've had our table for several years, after buying it used, and it's seen better days. We will be painting the kitchen soon. The company who is making our countertop will come to make a template on Tuesday, hopefully delivering the actual counter before the estimated 5 week date, and the furniture will be delivered Wednesday.
I have ran the last two days, since my last post, albeit slowly due to the awful winds we still have. The day before yesterday I could barely open my eyes in the wind and blowing snow, so I cut the run short. Today my eyes watered, but I ran the 4.25 miles, anyway. I have ran 6 out of the last 8 days, so I'm pretty happy with that. Now if I can just quit the Starbucks... I'm going to try. :)
Made any new year's resolutions? Or picked one little word? I am using "peace" this year. Last Sunday's sermon at church was about God's peace, how to work on it, like to avoid worry (I am a huge worrywart!) pray first. So I am sad to see "Faith" go as my word, but am ready to welcome and work on peace in my life, with less worry. We'll see how it works out tomorrow, while our oldest daughter is having surgery to remove her wisdom teeth. Speaking of, please keep her in your prayers and thoughts tomorrow morning, if you can. Thank you, Lanne for the email you sent to us about that! It was so thoughtful! :) And made us smile.
I hope you all ended 2008 nicely and are headed into the new year happily and healthy! :)