The joy jar tradition continues! The Mason jar in the kitchen is filled with slips of paper. Each slip is dated and has a note about something that gave us joy on that particular day. We read these out loud on New Year’s Eve. Here are some of the highlights from 2018:

• I am the sudden and proud owner of a ukulele!
• Watching Aria ice skate for the first time.
• “I love you so much too, Daddy.”
• Our new home is stunning, and we love it.
• Watching Aria coach the AAA guy as he fixes Lisa’s tire.
• “I like the music you make, Daddy.”
• Seeing how Aria has developed her imagination.
• Making up a story at Aria’s request about a cat and unicorn that love each other.
• Hawaii…so wonderful to be back.
• “Daddy! Dance with me!”
• Lisa playing the new piano.
• “The fireplace feels like a big warm monster hugging me.”  —  Aria, age 4

The main theme was once again family. We saved our favorite notes and put them in a time capsule with the others from years past. The new year always has its challenges and opportunities, so a new joy jar is ready to go for 2019 as a reminder of all that’s good during the next 365 days. Happy New Year!

Here’s one more glance at 2018 with a few joyful pictures:

Lisa and I started the Joy Jar tradition last year. We have a Mason jar in the kitchen next to a large notepad. The jar is filled throughout the year with slips of paper, and on each slip is written something that gives the writer joy on a particular day. On New Year’s Eve we get together to read each of the notes out loud.

This was not an easy year, but a lot of great things happened for which we’re grateful. Here are just a few of our highlights:

• Better hours. Home every night for dinner!
• Watching Aria in her first dance class.
• Our weekend getaway to Pana-Sea-Ah on the coast.
• Taking Aria to first day of preschool. So proud, but wouldn’t let Mommy go.
• Walking through World War II bombers over Father’s Day weekend.
• Our trip to Mount Hood. Fun at 7,000 feet!
• Watching Aria and her cousin, Thad, sit together at Disney on Ice.
• Aria climbing up into her big kid bed for the first time and saying, “Wow!”
• Daddy-daughter living room dances in the summer.
• Aria thinks “Roll out of bed in your jammies” is the funniest thing ever said.
• Watching Clarke discover his talent making applesauce and apple pie.
• Aria opening her Bitty Baby from Grammy and Grandpa at Christmas. Sheer joy.

The main theme was once again family. We saved our favorite notes and put them in a time capsule with the others from 2016 for reading again someday. The new year will have its own set of challenges and uncertainties, so a new joy jar is ready to go for 2018 as a reminder of all that’s good during the next 365 days. Happy New Year!

Before looking ahead, here’s one more glance at 2017 with a few joyful pictures:

Last December my wife, Lisa, thought we should have a “joy jar.” This is a jar filled throughout the year with slips of paper, and on each slip is written something that gives the writer joy on a particular day.

Ours was a Mason jar that sat in the kitchen next to a large notepad. Our plan was derailed a bit during a mid-year home remodel when the jar was jettisoned to the garage, only to come back into the house recently. It was stuffed full before the remodel, so we might have needed two jars had it stayed inside all year. We’ll put that theory to a test in 2017!

On New Year’s Eve Lisa and I joined together to read each of the notes out loud. In what was a trying year, it turns out there were plenty of wonderful moments. This was such an interesting way to practice gratitude, and it painted a picture of what was great over the last 12 months. It was also a fantastic way of noting milestones in our daughter Aria’s life. Some of our highlights:

• Aria’s face when she saw her birthday trike!
• Aria learning how to play the kazoo!
• “Bye bye, Daddy” every morning.
• Tenth anniversary weekend at Seaside.
• Indoor skydiving together!
• Watching Aria interact with snow for the first time on Mount Hood.
• Spending time with my family. Love it!
• Aria eating her first ice cream cone with Grandma and Papa.
• Summer coastal trip with Clarke’s parents.
• Eating oranges with my little girl while sitting together in the easy chair.
• Aria’s first time through the park’s waterworks. Delight and panic!
• Watching Aria copy what Daddy’s doing. He is so sweet with her.

The theme was family! family! family! The experiences we shared together brought a lot of joy. We saved our favorite notes and put them in a time capsule for reading again someday. The new year will bring its own set of challenges and uncertainties, so we’ll make a new joy jar for 2017 as a reminder of all that’s good during the next 365 days. Happy New Year!

Psst! One more glance back at 2016. A few joyful pictures: