This Year's Goals

'Tis the season of the new year and the accompanying resolutions.  Here is a list of mine for 2013.

Personal
~ In bed by 9:30 - up by 6am (during the week)
~ Treadmill 4x/week
~ Work on photo albums 2x/month
~ Find more ways to perform service for others
~ More gratitude in my heart
~ Cut back to part time work

Family/Marriage/Mother
~ Family Time each Sunday afternoon
~ Miss M plays outside the house 2x/week
~ Date night w/sweetie 2x/month
~ Christmas gifts all ready for wrapping by Thanksgiving.  (Usually I do this, but this year I was behind and it was too stressful for me with last minute gift buying.)

Homemaking
~ Continue to work on being organized by following 52 weeks to an organized home
~ Redo kitchen
~ Paint the downstairs
~ Try two new habits to be more 'green.'
~ Host another community garden
~ get ride of (donate/sell/throw out) 50 boxes of stuff

Financial
~ Pay off medical bill
~ Increase monthly savings amounts for retirement & emergency funds
~ Pay cash for our vacation to Colombia

Business
We are still deciding what direction and what we want to do with our jewelry business.  Those goals will be posted later.


2012 was quite hard for us.  I look to 2013 with a very optimistic heart with many surprises awaiting for us. 

What are your goals for the year?

A Thankful Heart

Last year about this time, I listed 101 things I am grateful for.  This year, I add another 101 reasons that fill my heart.

This year's list:

Mi Colombiano ~ tissue paper ~ bows ~ barrettes ~ lotion ~ tulips ~ sunrises ~ locks ~ skeleton keys ~ laughs ~ riddles ~ arches ~ sand ~ arepas ~ compass ~ trees ~ chocolate kisses ~ philanthropic ~  electricity ~ second chances ~ breakfast in bed ~ gardens ~ savings ~ Utah ~ Oregon ~ Children Museums ~ explorers ~ curiousity ~ parents ~ health ~ siblings ~ goals ~ children ~ raises ~ help ~ Valentine's Day ~ hammocks ~ pebbles ~ Mr. Darcy ~ hikes ~ happy endings ~ septic tanks ~ gifts ~ treasures ~ movies in the park ~ wool ~ cotton ~ ironed sheets ~ Latin ~ running water ~ cut and paste ~ candles ~ bees ~ goat's milk soap ~ FMH ~ God's Country ~ alumni ~ closure ~ new thrift stores ~ game night ~ super glue ~ sticky notes ~ pictures ~ mashed potatoes ~ secret canyons ~ emeralds ~ puzzles ~ holidays ~ vacations ~ quality ~ country ~ old haunts ~ holidays ~ roses ~ traditions ~ Baroque music ~ big speakers ~ history ~ local concerts ~  flirting ~ fresh milk ~ hush puppies ~ PBS ~ lullabies ~ pillows ~ recliners ~ razzleberry pie ~ bon fires ~ Scrabble ~ iron ~ rags ~ birthdays ~ twinkles ~ valleys ~ grace ~ answered prayers ~ paint ~ cousins ~ bubbles ~ new books ~ old friends posing as books ~ Miss M 

For last year's list: CLICK HERE

top 9 posts of 2012

Here are the top 9 posts of my blog viewed in 2012. Enjoy.

9. The ending of summer  I love my summers. The freedom, vacations, gardens and beauty. This past summer thought, was a rough yet blessed summer for us.

8. Frugal Living A -- Z   Being frugal is a top priority for us.  These are some ideas to save money without going insane.

7. Saving $ with the laundry  Quick and cheap--- making your own laundry detergent and stain remover.

6. getting back in the saddle--  Organizing. uggh. Not my strong point.  Here is another attempt at trying again.

5. Money  Life through us a curve ball last spring regarding our finances. Ouch. But, always,  life goes on.

4. Clearance sales  One of the ways we save money is shopping the clearance sales. Fun finds indeed.

3. The Pile  Yep. I am a pile person. (Yes, I know it goes hand in hand with lack of organization.)  And yes. here is the follow up: The Pile No More.

2. disappointments....   they happened a lot this past year, but there is joy in the midst as well.

1. Week 7 of being organized This past year, I took on the 52 Weeks to an Organized Home Challenge.  There were some high points, and some sluggish points.  Week 7 was a good one for me.


Here's hoping for a fantastic 2013 that will be debt free, simple and joyful.  Cheers.

And that, my friends, is

getting back in the saddle--

WOW! WOW!  WOW! What a summer and for that matter, what a year!! Lots of ups (husband's new job & fun family vacations) and a tremendous amount of downs (family problems, financial strains). Many things had to give, and my grand plan of organizing my house was one of them. Earlier this year, I found a great organizing website that had a 52 weeks to an organized home challenge.   I started strong, wavered, tried again, did well and then life got in the way and the whole idea/plan/motivation fell fast and hard. 

I did, this summer, have a huge garage sale with family.  And what didn't sell, we donated to a thrift store.  It was amazing how much we sold and even more amazing was what was left to give away.  It was refreshing to be rid of all those items.

Well, I am getting my groove back.  I am setting boundaries and meeting goals.  I have some house and yard help. I am getting a good night's sleep. I am ready to tackle organizing the home.  I am not sure where exactly I ended with the challenge originally, but the nice thing about the website is one can start at anytime. So this week, I am joining back at week #39: Outgrown & Seasonal Clothing Storage  

And that, my friends, is

for teachers ---

I am a teacher and am always on the look out for websites to help me out.  Here are my favorite top six sites. If you have a favorite, please share! I would love to visit more.

www.teacherspayteachers.com

A website created to be an open market for teachers.  Lots and lots of ideas, worksheets and lesson plans.  Some you pay for and some are free.  If you create worksheets, this may be the place for you to sell them to others. 

www.teacherlists.com

A fairly new website, but if you post a list of supplies you need, you can get FREE wet wipes and paper towels for your classroom. 

www.moneysavingmom.com  

This website is to help you be a better home economist.  As a teacher and working mom, I have used many of the ideas here.  It also posts FREE books to download from Amazon.com and FREE printables for homeschooling, which I have used in the schools just as easily.

http://teachers.net/lessons/

This website boasts of having over 4000 FREE lesson plans! WOW!  In addition, it has a classified section, job board, mailings and more.

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/free-puzzlemaker/

This website offers FREE custom made puzzle makers including: criss-cross, fallen phrases, mazes, cryptograms, and hidden messages.

and lastly ---

 

http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/ 

This website gives you a FREE version of customizing your own jeopardy game.  Great to use with an inter-write board for reviews.  I have used this with junior high kids as well as high school kids and they all love it.

IMPERTURBABILITY!!

Yep! It's my new word of the week.  And it is what I need while dealing with all the chaos that is going on right now in my life. Because I get ruffled. I get frustrated. My mind becomes filled with so much junk and pain and hurt, that sometimes I shut down and slip into survival mode.

What does the word mean?  Well, that is a good question. It means: not easily perturbed, calm and unruffled.

Yep. That is exactly what I need.

Next on the list is to figure out different ways to help me cope... to be filled with imperturbability...

to start:

nature
prayer
stillness
gardening
playing
laughing
simplify
exercise
piano playing


Imperturbability!  That my friends, is

The ending of summer

August 1st. WOW! Where has the summer gone?? But you know, I am just as anxious for fall as I am each year for summer. I love the crispness in the air. I love the fall harvest.  I love pumpkin patches and corn mazes.

It has been a rough summer for us emotionally and financially. We have had our fair share of delightful ups only to be balanced with those depressing downs. I have laughed much, cried hard and have quietly prayed when my burdens will be lifted.

I am not sure what the future holds. I am not sure when or even if my burdens will be lifted.  But I march on with my family.  I also search out moments of quietness to meditate, pray and relax.

And that, my friends, is

joy

This past week I saw this phrase in passing:  Be the joy

WOW! It spoke to my heart.  Am I the joy? It leaves me much to think about.

My mind wanders, and I thought, why not?

Be the Joy
Be the Love
Be the Change
Be the Music
Be the Blessing
Be the Heart
Be the Strength
Be the Truth
Be the Life
Be the Reason
Be the Answer
Be the Sunshine
Be you
and always

 ~ ~ ~ Be the Joy ~ ~ ~

Jewelry Sale

We are having a weekend sale on our fine jewelry in our Etsy shop. Please check out our business blog for more information:

http://galleonsgold.blogspot.com/