It's a New Year!

2017....can you believe it? 
This year will mark 55 revolutions around the sun and 29 years of wedded bliss.
Wow! Just wow! 
A new year always sparks the urge to do new things for me. I am embarking on several creative journeys this year and trying to finish up some that I started last year...maybe even the year before.

Let's see, where to begin?

I started a Jewels of the Sea crystal challenge. It's due in 2 weeks. I have so many ideas that I just can't start, but start I will....tonight!!!

The next challenge is a year long one. So fun. Each day you take a stitch and a pic of your progress and post it on some social media forum.
#1yearinstitches2017   is being hosted, if you will, by Brown Paper Bag.
I will be posting my daily progress on instagram if you want to follow along. 
https://www.instagram.com/the_daily_stitcher/

A little peek at what I've done so far. It's a 14" hoop (35cm)

 

Finished up what feels like a million french knots. It could be better, free form ain't my thing, but I am trying to grow.

Used an antique spring hoop to mount it.

Cleaned out my ORT jar so it can progress with my projects too.

Yes, my office supplies addiction has yet to be quelled. Zebra Mildliners. 

So. Much. Fun.

Last but not least, our Christmas card. Just me and the hubs. The Dot was not thrilled.

Hope the new year brings you joy, love, laughter, creative sparks and the inner peace that only God can provide, if things get tough.

What's your new year going to look like? I am always for looking for fun, new things to try that don't involve my jumping out of perfectly good airplanes or touching spiders.

New Year Ponderings

As I sit up in my bed, nose plugged, sinuses pounding, sleepy as all get out yet wide awake, I wonder about stuff.....new year evolutions, resolutions, challenges etc..  I also need something to do that won't wake the entire household or get my adrenaline pumping so Pinterest and the WWW it is. 

Keeping the light to a minimum as to not totally send my circadian rhythm into a tizzy...I scan

There is just so many things out there that you can grab a hold of to get your new year off to a bang...

2014 things challenge

Just One Thing

Just one word

get in shape

hundreds of ideas.....millions even...it's overwhelming....it's overkill

I like the idea of many of them, but what can I realistically accomplish? What makes sense for who I am, how I live, distractability and just plain practicality? 

in church today, we learned about choosing one thing and really committing ourselves to working on it. 

For most of us, that one thing will be hard to pinpoint unless we are brutally honest with ourselves. It's just too easy to pick weight, health, read the bible.....all good stuff, don't get me wrong, but not soul shattering. I want to have my soul shattered. huh, what? Wow, guess I found my one thing.....I best be careful how I pray for that...lol

I am also attracted to the 2014 things challenge. http://kathilipp.com/pages/2014things/

Let's be honest, there is no way I am going to actually track what leaves/enters my house on a spreadsheet....oh, I would be awesome at it.......for about a week. lol. I decided on a better, more reasonable approach that I think I can actually be committed to......I can clean just one thing a week! A drawer....a shelf....a box.....52 in all. I am quite sure I have more than 52, but boy howdy, that will sure make a dent and a half in making my life more simple and less stressful! I have already cleaned out two shelves in my bathroom...one just a little while ago...insomnia....it's a good thing...not, 

I am not gonna make a spreadsheet or a tally or take pictures..okay, not often with the pics, but I am committing myself to the process. I think I may even count emotional baggage too..no? Oh well, thought I could get a twofer with the soul shattering thing...lol

I still want to drop a few pounds and improve myself in lots of ways, but I think just letting go of stuff and being a better finisher are my evolutions this year. Lightening my loads, yep, sounds good and doable to me!

What will you commit yourself to this fine 2014?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

EEEEK! I'M A GREENIE! * * and a contest * *

**Evolution Alert**

I said I thought my car wouldn't make it to the 2014 mark. Sniff, sniff, I was correct.
She went in for a few little noises and left with the same noises with my hubs making noises about how much it was gonna cost to fix the noises.

The next day, we hung out together and ran some errands. Causally he mentions that since it was just down the road, we should, maybe, if I wanted to, go and look at some cars that get good mileage. Honda cars. Sure. I knew how his mind worked. We would look and look and think and think and look again and then talk about it for weeks and then get a car when mine finally gave up the ghost.

I. WAS. WRONG.

He had already made up his mind the day before while hanging with the guys. 

We ended up test driving 4 or 5 cars and, 5 hours later, my PT Cruiser was dropped off and I drove home in a brand new Honda Insight. I did get a little misty and the hubs freaked out when he wanted to go home and get her but I said no!!! I had to do the last drive. I REALLY liked my Cruiser.

She isn't red, a (very tiny) compromise I made, but I really like her. I have a thing for gutless hatchbacks. Although, she has a little bit of giddy up in her go!

Her "baby" pictures....

Yep, a hybrid. It's official, I'm a greenie. 

Not the first car I have purchased on a rainy, January day.

The color is called Truffle Pearl

I haven't been able to replicate this mileage....yet!

I am averaging 42.4mpg

She isn't the fanciest, the flashiest or the fastest, but she suits me just fine!
Now, what do I name her??

Hmmmmmm, do I see a naming contest in the immediate future?

Yes, yes I do.

If I pick your suggested name, in the spirit of being a greenie, one me-made cloth grocery bag will be the prize. 

She's not too girlie, just sayin.....

Let the suggestions fly.........contest ends when I pick a name.

The Now Mee

Just to keep me honest, here's a pic of me in my Nuu Muu. Oy,
The goal is to have this sucker not be tight by the end of the year. At least in the midsection.

Ready, set, get fit!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR,

2012 Evolution Recap

 A look at the beginning.......

*weight.....I gotta, but me and carbs....we are one, so it will not be easy. Maybe even add a little movement to my life.  I've been reading about short, full blown, bursts of exercise. I think I could do that.
Okay, I did this. I started the year at 205 and ended it at 187. Not too bad, eh?
 
*keep working on being more social.
Did this. Hosted a few parties, Christmas and a wedding reception.

*get a part time job  I've been a stay home mom for 20+ years.....scary
Did this too. It was a temp job, but a job.

*watch one child graduate high school and one graduate college (when did that happen?) and let them keep growing up, mistakes and all.
Had no choice, this happened despite my best efforts. lol

*acquire some new skills - scary skills - skills I wasn't supposed to need for a few more years. *gulp*  Grandma skills and mother-in-law skills. O-M-G!
Yep, this one happened too. It will be a process that continues until the day I drop.

*My church bought a couple of cases of chronological bibles with a daily format and challenged us all to read the entire bible this year. Yes, there will be a test. LOL Pastor did mention that he would occasionally refer to where we should be. Evil man. :-) I accept!! but now, as a church, we have the added benefit of learning something at the same time and being able to share...with everyone...because we will be, literally, 'on the same page'. How awesome is that?!
Okay, I did this, but not well. I fell behind and played catchup too many time. 

*Being the me I am supposed to be. If I learn to listen to God better, it should happen easier than if I don't, right?
Okay, still got a lot to do on this one, but I am trying.

*To make a difference, the good kind. Not the kind that people remember with a sad little shake of their head kind.
I hope this happened. I may never know. I do know I made a difference in at least one person's life and I am not sure if it was good or bad or just a piece of my personality they couldn't handle. I'll miss her, she is kind of inspirational in the in the "get involved" thing.

I wonder what 2012 is going to surprise me with, 2011 had plenty.
I got one surprise in 2012....medical issues. Nothing to worry about, but unexpected and it definitely helped with the weight loss goal. lol
  
Surprise 2, my car my not make it to 2014 without major surgery or being replaced. She is making some noises and they don't sound right. She did pass smog, so maybe it's the transmission. We shall see.

The hubs changed jobs last year and it looks like he will be changing again. Just pray, k. He needs to be open to growth and change and not get bogged down in old habits and the same for his employers. A little more money couldn't hurt either...just sayin. :-)

I haven't decided on my 2013 Evolutions, but I hope I am as successful in my 2013 growth as I was with my 2012 growth!

Happy New Year.....may it only get better or the tough times make your stronger!! Ah heck, both!

New Year's Evolutions

I set a few goals, kept a few goals and totally lost sight of a few goals.....sounds about normal, right.

Last year looked like this:

The short list:  

*finish stuff in a timely fashion, "procrastinot" 

I got a lot done. honestly, I did really well with this one...perfect...nope....dang near...yep

I am still a major procrastinista, but I am moving forward, not backward.

*drop some tonnage for health and ego

can you say: suckage? sure, I knew you could. LOL However, 2lbs is 2 lbs

*be less restrictive with the creative process 

I ran about 50/50 on this one. I am a little anal by nature so this one can be challenging

* be a better mom, wife, friend, Christian

kids are still alive, I'm still with the hubs, got great friends, God smiles at me more than He frowns....not too shabby

*figure out a way to entertain in my home that meshes with the hubster"s 8:30pm bedtime 

Yes, not a lot, but it did happen and once or twice it was spontaneous. 

* sister goal: go to parties and gatherings 

did a little of that too.

Well, it looks like I had more success than failure. 

I am betting I evolve similarly this year. Here's a few more:

*weight.....I gotta, but me and carbs....we are one, so it will not be easy. Maybe even add a little movement to my life.  I've been reading about short, full blown, bursts of exercise. I think I could do that.

*keep working on being more social. 

*get a part time job  I've been a stay home mom for 20+ years.....scary

*watch one child graduate high school and one graduate college (when did that happen?) and let them keep growing up, mistakes and all.

*acquire some new skills - scary skills - skills I wasn't supposed to need for a few more years. *gulp*  Grandma skills and mother-in-law skills. O-M-G!

*My church bought a couple of cases of chronological bibles with a daily format and challenged us all to read the entire bible this year. Yes, there will be a test. LOL Pastor did mention that he would occasionally refer to where we should be. Evil man. :-) I accept!! but now, as a church, we have the added benefit of learning something at the same time and being able to share...with everyone...because we will be, literally, 'on the same page'. How awesome is that?!

*Being the me I am supposed to be. If I learn to listen to God better, it should happen easier than if I don't, right? 


*To make a difference, the good kind. Not the kind that people remember with a sad little shake of their head kind.

I wonder what 2012 is going to surprise me with, 2011 had plenty.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

God Bless.......

It's almost time to say good bye to 2011

May the sands of time be kind to you and the tides of fortune flow more than they ebb!

I hope the holidays found you healthy, happy and loved!!

Merry Day After Christmas!!

New Year, New Projects, New Goals

According to the calendar, this year is coming to a close. According to those of us with school aged children at home, the New Year begins when school begins. I feel both dates myself because I have both kinds of calendars.




 I have one that begins in August...This one is ''thee'' main calendar. If it ain't here, it ain't happenin!

 And on my desk is a Franklin Covey, Very Red leather planner. This is my daily deets, goals and project time-lines and anything else I can shove into it. I even bought a wire-bound planner, to down size and try something new, entered two dates in it, hated it and promptly bought new pages and used the binder again. Anybody need a 2011 wirebound planner with two dates written in it????

I keep looking for the perfect planner page, I've even designed my own, but I haven't quite found a style that suits my ever changing needs and personality.  I am trying a new design this year. It has a small area for appointments, but room if I happen to have a really full schedule. Unnamed blocks where I can keep track of projects, goals, deadlines, phone calls, to-dos.......this may be the closest page style yet!

I tried the Palm thing....love it and hate it all at the same time. As much of a geek as I am, I still prefer paper for some things............you just never know when the battery is gonna give out and you are stuck at a pay phone in the middle of nowhere and they only thing going through your head is; "but his work number is memory 1!!!" Been there, done that, do NOT want another t-shirt! I've went back a step in time, and memorized a few phone numbers...LOL  Apparently I am also curtailing Alzheimer's in the process....who knew?

How do you track the passing of time?

I have two calendars, a blog and teenagers.....nuff said!  ;-)

Happy New Year!!!

May God bless you beyond your wildest dreams!

**