Hands Up For The New Year Hodgepodge

Visit Joyce and join the fun!

1. Share one favorite moment/memory from your Christmas holiday.

Gathering with my family for Christmas dinner, sitting around the table talking and playing games, relaxing and enjoying their company. 

2. What was the best thing you ate over the holidays? Was it homemade or store bought? If it was homemade did you make it?

Homemade stuffed shells that I made for Christmas Eve, along with meatballs, salad and Italian bread from the best bakery which happens to be in my town :)  I usually do not eat them because of the cheese but this year I decided to enjoy.  Plus I know I'd be starting a Whole30 in January to reset and get back on track. 

3. What was one of the most beautiful things you saw over the holidays?

My Christmas tree.  I still have it up and it is so beautiful when it is lit. 

4. What does fresh start mean to you?

No looking back, making changes and forging ahead with a brand new resolve.

5. On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being very positive and 1 being not so great) how would you rate 2016 in terms of personal achievement and well being? Explain. 

I would say a 7.  What did I achieve?  Not much, except I spent the year living in our new home caring for my elderly mother-in-law while homeschooling my children, running the household and trying to love others.  Actually that is a lot to me.  My thyroid stayed in normal range after being diagnosed with Graves Disease a few years ago, there is no trace of it now.  In the Spring my dizziness acted up and made everyday things a bit more challenging.  Still, I am thankful. 

6. Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse, or just general uselessness. Go here to read more about how the words were chosen or, if you're like me, to find out what in the world the word or phrase even means or the context in which it's used. There were quite a few on this year's list I'd never heard before.

Here's the 2017 list of banished words-

You, Sir-focus-Bete Noire-Town Hall Meeting-Post Truth-guesstimate-831-historic-manicured-echo chamber-on fleek-bigly-ghost-Dadbod-listicle-get your dander up-selfie drone-frankenfruit-disruption

Which word on the list would you most like to see banished in 2017? What word or phrase would you add to the list?

I haven't heard of many of these.  I can't think of a word that I'd like to add to the list but I'm sure I will when I read other Hodgepodgers' answers. 

7. Large or small, light or deep, share with us one goal you have for the new year. 

To get back to clean eating, be stronger and in better shape.

8. Insert your own random thought here.