Hello 2017

I am not sure what to say about 2016, it wasn't a bad year, it was just a crazy year. There were days when I felt like I was barely hanging onto my life the roller coaster, I felt like I was behind and always struggling to catch up.

I don't know if 2017 will be any better, I am hopeful, and I have a plan. But, if I have learned anything it is that life very rarely goes according to plan. I am ready though.

The goal this year is to simplify, stick to the basics, try to take things one at a time, and be more organized.

I did not complete all my projects from last year, the list is too long, but I plan to simplify my approach this year and make sure that one thing is complete before moving on. 

I have spent the last 17 days of my winter break trying to clear out clutter and complete a few projects before moving on to other projects. My bathroom and laundry room closets and drawers are looking great so far, let's just hope they stay that way. Next up is the basement so we can get it framed, which is sadly as far as we will go right now on getting it finished, but we need a wall underneath the island so at least that will get done before the weather gets nice and we go back outside to finish that big job.

 I am hopeful for a good year, and so grateful I have these 4 to enjoy it with.

New Year's Eve

On Tuesday Rob took Hunter and Samantha to their cousin's house for a sleep over, when he came home he told me that his sister was not going to host a New Year's party this year. I knew they were all disappointed but I was thankful I would actually be able to go to bed when I wanted to. I love a new year and the chance to start over, but I also really love my sleep and at 10 pm I want nothing more than to be in my nice warm bed.

I knew I still wanted to make the night fun for my family so I started brainstorming. I decided we were going to go ice skating on our neighbors homemade ice rink, drag all of our mattresses out to the family room and watch our favorite movies of 2015, play some games, and eat yummy food. 

Rob decided it sounded like so much fun he was going to invite his sisters family and parents over because he felt bad they didn't have anywhere to go for New Year's. I had to adjust my plan slightly and it was a little chaotic that morning while I hurried to paint my window trim so we could get everything put back together and cleaned up, but in the end it turned out to be a fun night. Plus I love throwing a fun party, just wish I had a little more time to prepare and do a few things differently.

We still went ice skating before all the family arrived. It was so much fun!! Our neighbors made a huge rink out on their grass and then had fires roaring with hot chocolate, hot dogs, and marshmallows. We are so lucky to have such great neighbors and to live in a a great neighborhood, we have decided no one gets to move ever.

We came home and pulled out all of the kids mattresses and got ready for the family's arrival. We had chili and waffles for dinner, watched The Minion Movie, had a Mario Kart tournament, played farkle, and watched some of our favorite You Tube video's of 2015.

After the clock struck 12 and every one headed home we wrote on a balloon our one word we want to focus on this year and then released them. I love picking the perfect word and then focusing on it all year so I was happy my family was willing to join in.

The kids slept out in the family room while Rob and I snuggled into our bed, and yes I made it until after midnight, it was a miracle. 

Goodbye 2015, we are all looking forward to, and hoping for, a healthy and happy 2016.

Happy New Year

We spent the night ringing in the New Year with our favorite 'Ahos, Grandma and Grandpa Morris, and Mike and Lea's family. It was quiet and easy going, just the way I like my New Year's. Not to mention all of the great food.

We had planned on doing a white elephant with the entire group but then decided just to let the kids play. Best. Idea. Ever. It was so entertaining watching them all get excited when they could steal the gift they wanted, snatch a good one out of the middle, or groan when they had to put one back. I am not the biggest white elephant fan, but I would do that again in a heart beat.

We have been so blessed in 2014 and we are looking forward to what 2015 has in store for our little family.

Hello 2014

I LOVE a New Year and a fresh start, there is something so exciting and a little scary about what lies ahead in the next 365 days. I am hopeful this will be a pretty low key year for us, and throwing that out there is probably guaranteeing it won't be, but we can cross our fingers and try to roll with whatever comes our way.

Our big goal for this year is to get out of debt. It won't be easy and probably won't be fun at times, but I am confident with a little effort, hard work, and planning we can still do everything we want to do and get it all paid off. Some of the projects around the house may take a bit longer to complete, but in the end it will be worth it.

Disneyland 2015, here we come!!

I am also trying to love more and yell less, something I already forgot this morning when my kids were tired, cranky, and not so excited about chores and cleaning house. It is a work in progress.

As a family we are trying to get back to the basics: making sure we are reading our scriptures, saying our prayers, having weekly Family Home Evening, attending all of our Church Meetings, and Rob and I are attending the Temple once a month. I also want to make our Sunday mornings more holy and peaceful, hopefully having 11:00 church will help.

I want to focus more on my blessings and what I can do each day to reach our goals. One of the big things I learned in 2013 was that in every crappy situation we were given a million blessings, we just needed to recognize them.

Most of all I want to be more forgiving, not only to those around me, but to myself. I tell my kids all the time they won't be perfect and when they make mistakes to let it go and do better the next time, I think it is time I start practicing what I preach.

And for fun I want to learn how to sew and make quilts. It is something I have always been interested in, and with so many fun projects I could do around the house now seems like a great time to learn something new.

There is always the renewed effort to take more pictures and try to be in them more, along with being better about documenting and putting those pictures and memories together in books.

Again here's hoping for a pretty low key year with lots of time work on projects.

So with all of that out there all that's left to do is give a big "thank you" for the uneventful and relaxing day today spent at home in our pajamas. None of us are looking forward to returning to real life tomorrow. Thank goodness there are only two days until the weekend!!

2013 Resolutions

Happy January 1st, 2013!!

I love the new year and the fresh start it brings. I am looking forward to 2013 and all the great things it has in store for our little family.

I have tried for a few years to find a way to make my resolutions stick. One year I tried making new goals every month, I think I lasted until March, and last year I decided to not make any at all and instead make a bucket list.

But this year I had a few resolutions I wanted to make in mind, I was really excited about them, and I wanted to find a way to keep them. I started reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and the way she kept track of her resolutions clicked with me. I wrote down all my resolutions, and then made a monthly chart I could put in my journal to keep track of how I was doing.

I really hope using the charts, along with throwing it out to the internet, will help keep me accountable this year and I can actually keep some of the resolutions I am making.

I also decided to keep my changes simple, little things I could do each day, or once a week/month, that would eventually lead to big changes in my life. I also tried to make them very specific, hoping this would also help me keep them.

All of my resolutions fit into four categories I really wanted to work on: Myself, Spiritual, Family, and Creative

********** Myself ********** 

*Exercise at least 3 times a week
*Complete one Puzzle every month
*Read at least one book a month


********** Spiritual **********

*Read the Book of Mormon
*Write daily in my Gratitude Journal
*Study the 12 Topics in the new LDS Youth Curriculum
*Morning and Evening Prayer
*Attend a Temple Session once a month


********** Family **********

*Weekly Family Home Evening
*Eat Family Dinner at home/eat out only when planned
*Read with my kids at least 5 days a week
*Finish the Book of Mormon (read at least 5 times a week)
*Be on time to church

*Pay off Credit Card Debt
*Build up Savings
*BUY A HOUSE

********** Creative **********

*Complete a 12 on 12 project once a month
*Complete 7 pages a week for our family album
*Complete a project from Pinterest every week
*Complete a weekly gratitude photography project

*Complete my 2012, 2013, and 2005 books by the end of the year.
*Have 2012 and 2005 printed in a book for each child and give as a Christmas present.

**************************************************

It is going to be a great year, I just know it!!

One Little Word 2013

I love picking a word for the year, I have been doing it for the last 4 years, it is a great way for me to really focus on what I want to accomplish in the year ahead. But, for some reason I really struggled to pick just one word for 2013.

I thought about the word Balance, because heaven knows I need to find some balance in this life of mine, but that just didn't seem to fit all the resolutions I had in mind for the year.

I also thought about Power, because I just love all the strength in that one little word. Plus, I like the idea of having the power to change my circumstances, to make things better, but it still didn't completely fit.

The more I thought about it, the more a phrase kept repeating in my head, which was a problem because I wasn't picking a phrase, I was trying to pick one little word.

But it just wouldn't go away and I figured, it is my word for the year and I will use a phrase if I want to.

So here it is, my One little Word Phrase for 2013.....

There is so much going on in the world around and sometimes the bad seems to outweigh the good. Lately all the bad news and tragedy has made me feel overwhelmed and helpless. I realized one day that I can't change the world around me, the bad will always be there, but I can Be The Good in my little corner of the world, my home, and the internet.

The last few years have been hard, we have had a lot of trials, and I have not handled them in the most graceful manner. 2013 I am determined to change my attitude about our circumstances (which is also why I thought of the word Power), and to set a good example for my kids of how to handle adversity.

I will Be The Good in our home, I will provide a warm comforting environment for my children and anyone else that comes to our home. It may not be my dream home (hopefully that will come in 2013), but it is our home and I can bring out the good in it.

I also want to Be The Good in other's lives, I hope to find more ways to serve those around me, and get my children involved in helping others. We have been working on serving our family, and I see it expanding to those outside of our home, but I feel like we should be doing more.

I am excited to start a new year, I am excited for the possibilities that are ahead of us, I am excited to Be The Good in the lives of those around us.

I will have all my resolutions to offer the internets tomorrow, because once they are vocalized you have a greater chance of keeping them. I am counting on you blog to keep me accountable. That and my new approach this year thanks to Gretchen Rubin.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year, I hope your 2013 is amazing!!

New Year's Eve 2011

I have a confession, New Year's Eve is my least favorite holiday of the year, I don't usually stay up late and I really really love sleep.  Plus when everyone is already exhausted from all the Christmas celebrations keeping the sidekicks up till midnight (or later) never sounds fun.

I love a new year full of fresh possibilities, but I would rather wake up ready to conquer the year instead of spend the entire day wishing for a nap (or a nap for the very cranky sidekicks).

That being said my Sister in Law Katie threw a great party this year, we ate lots of yummy food, went out to shot some guns, played a few games, and spent time with Rob's family.  The kids all had a great time hanging out with their cousins, and there is always lots of laughs when we go to their house.

   

I don't have many pictures, I should have taken more but it is what it is.
Thanks Katie for the fun party!!