Ten on Tuesday.

Well, hello 2013! J.J. Killins here, making an appearance.

Alrighty then, on with the first Ten of the New Year!

1. I had a lovely birthday on Sunday and am now three dozen.

2. My mom gifted me a gift certificate to a local spa. I see a massage in my future. Thanks, Mom!

3. I am still three months behind on editing 2012 pictures of my own, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel!

4. I can think of few more satisfying things than a big pot of soup simmering on the stove. Generally my children tend to agree, because we do have some scrumptions family soup recipes, however, I sprung "Vegetable Soup" on them tonight (AKA Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup), and they gave it a hearty go but decided it was too spicy for them. The grown-ups thought it was just lovely with our grilled cheese, and we will be making it again. (We disregard their opinions in terms of deciding whether something is a keeper; if the grown-ups like it, we keep it. The littles will grow into it. Or not.)

5. Ron and I spent a good chunk of the weekend watching season two of Homeland on Showtime's free weekend. We finished all but ONE episode of season two, and of course now we are in utter disequilibrium so if you know how we can watch the final episode of the season, please help me out.

6. Due to immense television consumption I have been slacking on my reading, and am only halfway through The Passage. Greatly looking forward to getting through it, moving on to The Twelve, and then finding something new to read. Hopefully just in time to hear the children's book awards on January 28th (yes I listen live, I'm a dork), and make a huge list of things I can't miss.

7. It was a balmy seven degrees on my birthday. Something about January 13th always brings about the frigid temperatures here. Of course we live in Minnesota, so it's to be expected, but we experienced 40 degrees on Friday, and the ice skating rinks and ponds and streams all completely melted. So taking it down over 30 degrees over the weekend was a bit abrasive, as my dad so perfectly put it.

8. Fisher and I hit up Costco this morning for the things that keep our home running, like salt for the water softener, oats, brown rice, coffee, dried cherries, and a roast chicken for dinner.

9. I cannot believe it's the middle of January. Where does time go? On the other hand, it does seem like Christmas was ages ago, not just weeks.

10. Alla's grade is doing a roller skating unit for gym and she just loves it!