Happy New Year, Everyone!!!!

Oh, who can believe this????

Another new year and we're all here????????

Yay for us!

First, let me say what a pleasure it is to hang with these sweet ladies and youse at the cafe! It's so much fun to share Erma Bombeck wisdoms, great recipes, Kitchen: FAIL!!!, sweet successes and moments like this:

Which have now changed to moments like this:

And this!

And this!

Morgan Delaney Blodgett, welcome to the planet! You're stinkin' cute!!!

We've got grandkids with us these next few days... and sweet daycare/wrap-around care kids... and baby coming home, loved ones flying out, a New Year rung in with joy!

As I hear Morgan's big brother and sister starting to stir upstairs, I want to take the time to tell you how wonderful this is. Being here, being with all of you, recipe or no recipe.

My favorite Erma Bombeck quote is one I have on a plaque in my kitchen:

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope I don't have a single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything you gave me." 

And from Mother Teresa:  "Peace begins with a smile."

And from a young mother, imprisoned for doing the unthinkable, who wrote to Erma Bombeck from prison:  "If only I'd learned to laugh at all this, maybe my children would be alive today."

Laughter is good! Laughter is healing. Laughter is the upside of mixed emotions, the jam on our bread.

Life, love and motherhood aren't easy roads, but faith, hope and laughter make it so much better!

This is our youngest with Elijah... At 6'3" and 200 lbs., we're not sure where Luke came from, but we like him! Every family needs a Bumble! :)  Luke can put the angel on the tree WITHOUT A CHAIR. Reason enough to keep him, right there!

Turn off the wretched news and turn on the smiles.

Annie... How stinkin' cute is that???

My One Word for 2015 is discernment... It is a word I need in all areas of my life, so my focus this year will be on that!

I'll mess up. Pshaw, that's a given! But I'll try hard and that's not a bad thing to promise, now is it???

God bless you on this beautiful New Year's Day! To you...

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US AT YANKEE-BELLE CAFE!