2025 Goal Review, Matching Shirts and Christmas Vacation!

There has been so much fun the last week, this will probably be two posts. The quick version is, instead of gifts this year, Jeff and I took the kids to Cancun, Mexico for vacation. We stayed where the weather was in the 70s and 80s everyday and got off the resort twice to snorkel and to see the ruins at Chichen Itza. 

On our day to the island to snorkel, the family wore matching T-Shirts. They were a hit! The tour guide loved them and the other passengers said it helped them stay with the right group. Even the transport driver got a laugh out of them. The teenagers didn't like the extra attention but it is a small price to pay for a Mexican Vacation. LOL (If you are local, the business that did them for us was Shirts and Such in Overbrook; I highly recommend Kim for your custom gear!) 

I will write more later about some of the other activities we did, but the wildlife kept the kids entertained the entire time. There were what I will call "Mexican Racoons" all over the resort trying to get some trash or just the food off of your plate. There was a petting zoo were Daryl became good buddies with the resident donkey. And in the hotel lobby, a family of monkeys lived in the trees. It kept things interesting! 

Ok, 2025 Goal Recap! 

Read 24 Books 24/24 DONE

Finished three books in December-ish! Instead of missing pickleball with the boys on the resort, I saved the last hundred pages for the airport, and boy was that the right call. We got to the Cancun airport in plenty of time but going through customs and security in Dallas was so long, we missed our connecting flight. I was so thankful I had the best part of my book to get through. :-)   

Let Them, by Mel Robbins is such a great nonfiction book to help reframe where you spend your energy. I understand all the "Let Them" tattoos now, and I might need one. ;-) If you are trying to please everyone at the sake of your own peace. Read this book. 

The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell was one of the books I snagged from the Lawrence Library book sale. So far that haul is two for two, as this was a good book. Sisters growing up in Ireland projects (15 and 14?) find themselves without parents on page two, and how they take care of themselves with the help of a neighbor keeps you reading. I left it in Mexico with a note for the next person to enjoy! 

Book and Dagger by Elyse Graham was my Christmas present from Jeff. It is a non fiction telling of the first intelligence staff during WWII. America was new to the spy game, so they decided to do it their own way with Ivy League professors, librarians and book buyers. There was so much background in the first 100 pages, I was a little worried. But the last 200 pages were amazing things I never knew about warfare. Even if you aren't a WWII person or military person, this book was very interesting and will teach you more about real spies than Hollywood will. The Ghost war chapter was the best! 

Run 650 Miles 652/650 DONE

I ran 42 miles in December and made my yearly goal! Finishing strong this year is only because I joined two friends to run the Salina half, and we did our long runs together. We kept meeting on the weekends and it has helped me not slack off. My weekly run steak is up to 25! I took advantage of the Mexico weather this week and did two miles in 75 degree weather. It was nice! This goal was brought to me by Aron and Laura, thanks! 

Money Goals

Fund 3-6 month ER Fund - Done April 2025! Yay for selling my house! 

Pay off Car - Done April 2025! Yay for selling my house! 

UFOs (unfinished objects) that need Finished 

T-Shirt Quilt (have the shirts)

Alpaca Quilt I got all of the lantern rows sewed on my Girl weekend this month. I am currently cutting out Alpaca pieces! 

Placemats - Done April 2025 

Alex and Daryl Photo Books 2021-2023 Just missing 2023 at this point. 

Will still have some quilts and photo books to make for 2026. Oh well! The 2026 Goal post will be next! 

Our best family picture! 

Showing off our shirts! "Christmas hits different when it's warm!"

My favorite place to read my real life spy novel. 

Monkey!

Everyone had to say goodbye to our Donkey when we left yesterday.

They were cute but I don't think any of us are going to miss these guys!