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Happy New Year

Wow, its 2010... sometimes hard to believe when you look back to how much has changed...  

 

This year the changes for me are going to include simplifying my life and after considering all of my options SIMPLIFY was the word that kept speaking to me.

It means getting rid of many of the things you do so you can spend time with people you love and do the things you love. It means getting rid of the clutter so you are left with only that which gives you value.

Here are just a few from the list I found here that I plan to implement!

Limit your communications. Our lives these days are filled with a vast flow of communications: email, IM, cell phones, paper mail, Skype, Twitter, forums, and more. It can take up your whole day if you let it. Instead, put a limit on your communications: only do email at certain times of the day, for a certain number of minutes (I recommend twice a day, but do what works for you). Only do IM once a day, for a limited amount of time. Limit phone calls to certain times too. Same with any other communications. Set a schedule and stick to it.

Purge your stuff. If you can devote a weekend to purging the stuff you don’t want, it feels seriously terrific. Get boxes and trash bags for the stuff you want to donate or toss. Here’s my guide on decluttering. Here’s a post on starting small. More on purging below.

Edit your rooms. One room at a time, go around the room and eliminate the unnecessary. Act as a newspaper editor, trying to leave only the minimum, and deleting everything else. Article here.

Limit your buying habits. If you are a slave to materialism and consumerism, there are ways to escape it. I was there, and although I haven’t escaped these things entirely, I feel much freer of it all. If you can escape materialism, you can get into the habit of buying less. And that will mean less stuff, less spending, less freneticism.Read more.

Be present. These two words can make a huge difference in simplifying your life. Living here and now, in the moment, keeps you aware of life, of what is going on around you and within you. It does wonders for your sanity. Read tips on how to do it.

2009 in pictures

 

January 

 

February

 

March

April

May

June

     July

August

September

October

November

      December

Looking forward to 2010!  Happy New Year!

6 changes

Resolutions, habits or changing things.   They say for a new habit to form you need to repeat it 

You can read more about 6 changes here and figure out your 6 things.

Here are my six of which I plan to implement one at a time by focusing strongly on one of the changes.

1. Work out and running - I want to continue this habit of running and exercising.  I have a goal of 500 miles in the year to achieve and LOVE the feeling I get after I accomplish each new goal I set in running! 
2. Reading - I love reading and make time to read every night, but I would like to change the "computer" habit at least one day a week into a reading habit.
3. De cluttering - We have talked about moving... not soon but in the distant future and when I look around this house I think - are you kidding me!  So I need to continue to de clutter, if something new comes in, something else has to go out.
4. Debt reduction - This goal is something I feel really strongly about and I plan to implement a strategy on this before any other goal.
5. Creating more -  This year when Christmas came I hadn't created as much as I had in previous years and I want to change that by next Christmas by doing more throughout the year, not just at Christmas time.  Planning ahead for gifts with ideas and projects.
6. Eating healthier - making better food choices is something I have been working on, especially when Chels is home! But it is something I want to be more of a daily habit.

Favorites of 2009

Movies I saw in the theater 2009

• Monsters VS Aliens
• Up
• The Proposal
• My sister's keeper
• The ugly truth
• Julie and Julia
• The hangover
• Time Travelers wife
• The blind side
• Up in the air

Out on DVD

• confessions of a shopaholic
• He's just not that into you
• New in town

Books read in 2009

• Out stealing horses by Per Petterson
• Kentucky Rich by Fern Michaels (currently reading)
• The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks 
• The middle place by Kelly Corrigan 
• Eat this, not that
• Broken open - how difficult times can help us grow by Elizabeth Lesser 
• Into the wild by Jon Krakauer 
• A short guide to a happy life by Anna Qundlen 
• The Shack by Wm. Paul Young 
• Sailing alone around the room (currently reading)  
• The book thief by Markus Zusak
• The unbearable lightness of being (to read/recommended)
• The Reader
• The liar's Diary by Patry Francis 
• Always looking up by Michael J. Fox 
• Feed me by Harriet Brown
• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
• Finger lickin' fifteen by Janet Evanovich
• Ignore Everybody: and 39 other keys to creativity by Hugh MacLeod
• Mommywood by Tori Spelling
• Healing from family rifts
• Heartbreaker by Carly Phillips
• Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
• I thought it was just me by Brene Brown
• Walking the perfect square by Reed Farrel Coleman 
• The wizard of oz and other narcissist by 
• The help by Kathryn Stockett 
• High on arrival by Mackenzie Phillips
• The girl with the dragon tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• The bright side of disaster by Katherine Center
• Life is a verb by Patti Digh (currently reading)
• Blue water by A. Manette Ansay (currently reading)
• Have a little faith by Mitch Albom 
• Ordinary Sparkling moments by Christine Mason Miller 
• The last song by Nicholas Sparks 
• The Christmas box 

Goals, Resolutions: ways to a better you

My goals for a better 2010

• Read 50 books

I got closer this year and plan to make my goal in 2010

• Photo project for year 

I've done Project 365 for two years now, need something new/different

• Run 500 miles 

got this one from Jill and I think it will be a great way to track my running

• Reuse, Recycle, Reduce waste

using recyclable bags or paper

• Reduce debt

set up a plan for paying of debt one bill at a time

• Eat healthier

something I'm always learning and changing

• Donate my time

• Word for 2010

still trying to come up with it...

Word for 2010

Grateful - sometimes I have a hard time saying it out loud...why?  Well, the Christmas before we lost Ryan I remember sharing with my mother in law how happy I was, how I literally felt so happy that I feared something bad happening and just 2 months later we lost Ryan.  So for the past 17 years I almost cringe after speaking of my happiness or being grateful for anything, for if I do I may jinx myself...  Over time I have learned that stating my happiness does not mean something bad will happen (though that voice still does try and speak up every now and then), it has taught me to be grateful for the everyday things as well as the big accomplishments, to be grateful for the things that didn't happen, as well as the ones that did. 

For 2009 I am grateful for the following: Joel having another successful year in business, especially in this economy! Chelsea having the best semester at a new college that we all love, amazing grades, sweetest boyfriend and great friends, Zachary starting to look at his future, his grades picking up, being a really good kid and of course his adorable girlfriend and for myself the opportunity to spend so much time with my kids, my Macgyver husband who can fix just about anything, working with an awesome design team and being blessed with such an awesome group of friends.  That's a lot to be grateful for and learning to acknowledge all the little things of life in 2010 could be something to work further on...

Balance - I am constantly amazed by my girlfriend Lisa who seems to have such balance in her life.  With working a full time job and yet still finding time for her family and herself... Finding balance to do the things I need to do, the things I want to do and knowing when I need to remove something from the "balance" This is one area I definitely need to work on.

Faith - With all my reading, bible study and in so many other areas of my life; faith is an important area I focused on in 2009 and that I want to continue to grow stronger with in 2010.  Faith in myself, faith in others, faith in the world around us.

Focus - This word keeps catching me as it can be a part of my 2010 in so many ways. Focus on being a better person, focus on my faith, my family, my running, reading and other areas that can make you a better person.  But it was my word for 2009, so I need a new word for 2010!

Soul - finding my soul, baring my soul, live with more soul in my life, family and dealings with others.

Simplify - Can go in so many directions.  You can simplify your life, your household and all those things you allow to control your thoughts.

Joy - We can choose joy, no matter what situation we are dealing with we have the option of choosing our response, our reaction can come from a place of joy.

Genuine - Being myself and being okay with it, something I have grown into through many of life's lessons.  No longer worried about others opinions or thoughts.  To know that I am doing what is genuine to me, and being genuine to others.

Also in the running Live, Learn, Be, Perspective, Create, Change, Accomplish, Appreciate, Acceptance, Remember

So by December 31st I will have to choose my word...

Open your presents

at Christmas time but be thankful year round for the gifts you receive.  ~Lorinda Ruth Lowen

 Sam made all of the kids scarves

What a wonderful Christmas we shared with family this year. But it always comes and goes so quickly!  By the evening of Christmas all of the kids gifts were put away and there was nothing under the tree!

 Our Christmas morning ritual - start with the stockings

Zach's favorite things!  New phone and headphones...

And while Chels picked up this sweater as one of her favorites 

 Santa practically had to replace her entire wardrobe.  All her hard workouts paid off and she's down a few more sizes!

 Having both Grandmas over for breakfast was perfect!

group shot before Grandma left...

  Grandma's version of a gift card you can use anywhere

  
 Another holiday filled with wonderful family memories!
 
 

This week...

So much on my mind and so much I want to do...

For starters I want to organize my house.  Doesn't that always happen after Christmas? That must be why so many organizational bins are on sale at Target, because after the hustle and bustle of Christmas we are now ready to simplify our lives!  I know I am!

• I'm going to start a room at a time, actually a theme at a time really.  Like starting with Christmas.  There are some things I didn't put out this year, so I think they will find a new home along with other things that just seem to make things feel "too busy"

Next, my scraproom...

• I started going through it a few weeks back, but then it quickly got buried in Christmas crafts.  Besides for all the embellishments and paper that need wrangling, I think the biggest thing for me is getting back to organizing my pictures, they are everywhere and I'm looking through the same envelopes over and over again.  I wish I could come up with one system that works for me and I can keep up on?  I love the Stacey Jullian Library of Memories way... but I can't always keep up with that.  I need to find a system that is easy to maintain.
• Books and magazines... I have so many I want to read... both books and magazines that I would like to dedicate time to both of them... especially in the upcoming cold winter months.  Sometimes I can have two books going at once if they are on two different subjects and it seems my magazines can weeks without getting glanced at.

Listing my goals...

• Both short term and long term and how I plan to achieve them...
• Coming up with my word for 2010
• Writing more...
• planning vacations for the year
• bill payoff strategy

So I'm off to check out Real simple ideas, start putting away some Christmas stuff and later on I'll take a break with friends and see a movie!  

 

2009 has been good!

Reflecting on the year that has almost come to a close, lots of fun memories, great vacations and lessons learned!  Wow, time sure does fly!

  

Christmas pictures to come...

Have a holly jolly Christmas

it's the best time of the year...

 

 Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!