My 2025 Christmas Bucket List

I can't believe it is the holiday season again. The year seemed to just fly by!

I have been thinking about what I would like to do for Christmas, and while most of these things are the same every year, there are a few that are new for this Christmas (like making a t-shirt quilt).

Hopefully, I can do at least half of these this year. I want to make Christmas as memorable, enjoyable, and as beautiful as possible.

In no particular order, here is what I would like to do this Christmas season:

• Drink hot chocolate
• Watch Christmas movies
• Paint 
• Listen to Christmas music
• Sew second t-shirt quilt
• Bake Christmas cookies
• Go to a Christmas festival
• Make an ornament
• Make and send handmade Christmas cards (or send premade cards, if unable to make my own)
• Make paper snowflakes (I haven't done this in years, and would love to make them again)
• Go ice skating
• Build and decorate a gingerbread house
• Make an advent calendar
• Make a garland
• Go sledding
• Put a puzzle together
• Attend a Christmas church service
• Make/decorate scrapbooks
• Paint my nails Christmasy colors
• Make a snow globe
• Make cinnamon rolls
• Do random acts of kindness
• Read A Christmas Carol
• Learn at least one Christmas song on the violin
• Have an indoor picnic
• Play card, board, video games
• Make Christmas ornaments
• Have a spa day
• Do one thing out of my comfort zone
• Work on my baking, cake/cookie decorating skills
• Visit a pottery studio and paint ceramics
• Make a charcuterie board
• Bake an apple pie
• Binge watch at least one season of a TV show

There you have it. My Christmas bucket list for 2025. I am looking forward to the holidays, and what it has in store for me.

If you celebrate, what is on your bucket list? I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

What I Am Thankful For in 2025

Wow, it's been quite a while since my last post. So sorry about that! 

It is the holiday season again, and I have thought about what I am thankful for this year. I love to make a list of all the things that I am thankful for, as it reminds me of all that I have in my life.

This time of year is also bittersweet for me, as it includes the anniversary of my mom's passing. I do enjoy the holidays, but there is a part of me that wishes she were still here to enjoy them with the family.

I am thankful that I still have other family to spend time with, though, and that is what's most important.

So, here is what I am thankful for in 2025

1. My family
2. My friends
3. My faith
4. My home
5. My clothes
6. Video games
7. Board, card games
8. Books/audiobooks
9. My library and all that they offer
10. Jigsaw puzzles
11. My favorite music/songs
12. My favorite movies
13. My favorite TV shows
14. My violin
15. Joni and Friends
16. Baking
17. Knitting
18. Crochet
19. Photography
20. Journaling
21. Holidays/birthdays spent with friends and family
22. Central air
23. Local holiday festivals/events
24. Stickers (I LOVE stickers!!)
25. Warm showers, especially during the Fall and winter
26. Memories with family and friends
27. Naps (yes, naps!!)
28. Family videos
29. Cuddling with my cats
30. Sensory/fidget toys
31. Bullet journaling
32. Text messages from friends and family
33. Scrapbooks/photo albums
34. Clean, running water
35. Chocolate
36. Sudoku
37. Arts and crafts supplies
38. The sound of my cats purring
    
39. Water bottles
40. Loop earplugs and noise cancelling headphones
41. Canva (I love to be creative, but I'm not the best at free handing things, so Canva is one of those things that is such a big help)

Well, there you go. What I am thankful for this year. This time of year makes me realize just how much I have, and I am so thankful for all of it. 

What are you thankful for?

To those who celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving

My 2025 Word of the Year

For quite a few years now, I have been doing a word of the year and will be doing one again this year.

For 2025, I have decided that my word will be:

INDEPENDENT

It didn't take me very long to decide on this one, as I am tired of relying on others to do things for me, that I am fully capable of doing myself.

I am an adult, and I need to remind myself that I am capable of doing things for myself, and that people won't always be available or able to help me all the time. I want to be able to take charge of important appointments, getting myself places, making phone calls and more on my own, so that I can prove to myself that I can do these things.

I am also worried about what other people would say or think about me, if I say or do something, so I tend to not do things I want to do.

Every single time I had to make a phone call, or practice driving, I always thought about what could go wrong and that I couldn't do it myself, which made my anxiety go up. And I want to change that. I want to live a life that I love, instead of living in isolation, fear, and anxiety.

The things I want to work on, to increase my independence, are:

• to feel more comfortable making phone calls, especially important ones
• to feel more comfortable driving, so I can get my license and not have to rely on others taking me places all the time
• to speak/stand up for myself 
• when I feel like something is wrong, or when I have something to say
• to feel more comfortable with public speaking
• to try something out of my comfort zone more often
• to relearn how to play the violin, be proficient in playing, and to play in front of a group of people
• to have a new job, that is a good fit for me and my abilities
• to ask for help only when I actually need it, instead of just having someone do something for me before trying myself
• set healthy boundaries and stick to them as much as possible
• to be more responsible with money
• to learn how to not let my emotions get in the way of making decisions
• to feel more comfortable going places on my own more often
• to not be so afraid of change
• to learn at least one foreign language so I can help people who aren't fluent in English
• to do things I want to do without worrying about what others think/say
• to feel more comfortable starting a conversation with someone
• to be comfortable with grocery shopping on a regular basis
• to take better care of my health/prioritize self-care (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) instead of ignoring it
• to learn basic home maintenance skills
• to improve/maintain my friendships
• overcome my fear of failure
• to not let fear get in the way of living an amazing life

I hope to work on these beyond 2025 as well, not just for the one year. I just have to push beyond the fears, doubts, and anxiety to get to the things that truly matter.

Are you doing a word of the year? If so, what is your word for 2025?

My 2025 Reading Bucket List

I have always loved to read, but lately I haven't been able to concentrate on reading a book myself. Every time I start a book, I would end up not finishing it. Not because I didn't like the book, but because I didn't have the motivation to keep going.

This year, I want to do better with reading more. I only read one book last year, and it was a short one at that (The Great Gatsby). Very disappointed with that, as I wanted to read so much more. 

I hope to read at least 6 books in 2025, but if I can read more than that, that would be great. I know 6 isn't a lot, but with the way I am, it is a good starting point. I really want to get back into reading on a regular basis again.

I tend to gravitate towards young adult fiction books, but the last few years I have started branching out towards other genres like non-fiction and faith-based books. Which is good, as I want to get out of my comfort zone more often, even with the types of books that I read, so that I can expose myself to different types of writing styles.

In no particular order, here is my reading bucket list for 2025:

• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
• The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
• A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
• A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
• A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
• A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
• A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
• The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
• The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
  
• Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
• Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
• A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire
• Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
• Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
• Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
• The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
• A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
• An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
• Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon
• Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

What do you want to read this year?