New Year's Eve

I'm trying to catch my blog up, but most of my time is being spent sorting out our shop inventory which ended up in our house plus multiple storage units. Yes, there was that much plus furniture.

We spent New Year's Eve at home, just the six of us.

We spent the evening playing board games and lighting fireworks.

The next morning we had our third annual Cassel Crew Polar Bear Plunge. I know, I know. It's not cold enough here for a Polar Bear Plunge, but it's cold enough for us.

Before the Polar Bear Plunge

After the Polar Bear Plunge

Rick started water boiling for hot chocolate before we jumped into the water. He also had eggs, sausage and bacon ready to go on the grill.

Here's to a great new year. Some things that are ahead this year are: hopefully moving into a new home, a contract for The Christian Girl's Guide to Middle School, a possible contract for a Locker Devotions book, Jasmine' graduation, Jasmine going on a TMI mission trip to Mexico, a possible trip to New Orleans and a possible trip to NYC to celebrate Jasmine's graduation. The trips depend on finances. I had the money saved, but it has to go to the closing costs on the new house. So time will tell.

Hunter and Jessica are on a cruise this week, so we are watching their girls for the week. Plenty of photos to come. 

Life as It Is

A lot going on lately. We've been finishing up the projects I talked about previously. Unfortunately Rick has been battling some infections so hasn't been up to par.

River gets around really well now, so it can be exhausting (in a good way of course) to keep up with her. She's been hanging out while Mama works and even stayed overnight Sunday night.

I think I totally missed sharing about the beginning of the new year. I started a new tradition--our own polar bear plunge with breakfast cooked at the beach and hot chocolate afterward. Of course it's not as cold here as up north where they have true polar bear plunges.

Before

Hamming it up after
Looking at the video taken on my new Go Pro and Jessica's, we discovered that the three "littles" cheated by not going all the way under. Next year we are thinking of going to the springs where there's a ledge to jump from and all jumping at once.

We all made our goals/wish list/ to do list for 2017, read them aloud and toasted them with sparkling blueberry/grape juice.

Afterward three of us went to a combination birthday celebration. When Jessica was dating Hunter and Adam was dating Deja, we had four late December/early January birthdays. So we started going out for them. Deja dropped out of the picture, and River joined the team December 30, 2016. So we still have a four way celebration. Anyone can go, but everyone pays for his/her own meal.

I have more to post about, but this is already getting long. So, next time.