New year : New goals

I thought I'd share my "New Year Resolutions" with you. I tried to make them easy things that I can easily add to our daily lives. And I wanted to build on good things I've already started doing. I'm hoping this will help me feel more positive about my goals and not feel like a failure for forgetting something.

So, here are my goals for 2013.

-Keep a cleaner/more organized home. I'm not looking for perfection, just better than I'm doing already. I don't have a ridiculously messy home or anything. We are still unpacking/organizing certain parts of our house. There are just certain areas that are cluttered, and at times when our life gets a little busy we neglect our home a little bit. I hate when that happens because then even when we come home it's not a peaceful haven from the world. However, I am thankful that I even have a home to make a mess. ;)

-Make more lunches at home for us to take to work. A couple months ago we noticed that we had been spending a large amount of money on lunches/breakfasts at work. It was killing our budget. We discussed what we could do better. We basically came up with the idea that we needed to exercise more self-discipline. We also just needed to remember. About half of the week we would bring leftovers for lunch. The other half I would simply forget to grab something as I ran out the door and then I was starving at work. So we were already doing it half the time, just needed to work harder to remember it. And we've been doing pretty well so far.

-Keep doing the dinner meal plans each week. This is something we started in like Septemer or something. I can't remember. It was quite a while ago. But before that we'd get to dinner time and say to each other, "what do you want to make for dinner?" After a good 1/2 hour of "I don't know, what do you want?" we would finally decide on something. Then we would look at the recipe and wouldn't have any of the ingredients. So we either had to start the process over or go buy ingredients. So I started planning the next week's meals every Saturday or Sunday night. The Saturday before (or Monday night if we procrastinated) we go out and get the ingredients we'll need for the week if we don't already have them. This has decreased our stress soooo much and I'm so glad we did it. We can plan nights to go out, to eat leftovers, and try new recipes when I know I'll have time to care. The best part is that we've been doing it for months. So my goal is simply to continue doing it!

-Follow our stake goals: 1, 10, 15. Our stake presidency told us about some goals they wanted to work on as a stake. The number 1 stands for doing 1 Christian act per day. The number 10 stands for leaving for church meetings 10 minutes before they begin. (Out in Utah it seems that many people have problems coming to church on time, even though they live 3 minutes away or less. Drives. Me. Bonkers.) And the number 15 stands for reading/pondering/studying the scriptures for 15 minutes everyday. I'm excited about these goals and I think it will make a difference in what we do each day.

-Steve and I have taken the 15 minutes of studying scriptures each day as another goal together. We used to read together right before bed. Then, again, when it gets crazy with meetings and homework we would forget and go straight to sleep. So we are trying to find other times to read so we won't forget. We've been doing okay with it so far. We're still getting in the habit.

-Do something active to help me feel healthier. It's not a secret that I hate very much dislike exercising and eating right. Ew. So my secret is to find something I like, no matter what it is. Once I find something I like, it motivates me to do other things better: like eating less bad things, drinking more water, etc. So I started yoga this last week and I loved it. Last year it was zumba. It's more important for me to enjoy doing something than seeing results. Results are obviously awesome, but if I don't enjoy what I'm getting results out of, I don't even care. Steve and I are also going to start doing Just Dance on the Wii for a little activity each week. We are nerds, deal with it.

Aaaanyway, I think that it will be interesting to see how I feel about these goals. I could say that I'll update you about them, but I'll most likely forget to do that.

I hope you enjoyed setting new goals for the new year with your family. I'm hoping for an eventful year of 2013!!

Crochet Snowflake Garland

So if you follow me on Facebook at all, you have seen my new obsession hobby of crocheting. I looove making things with my hands and feeling the achievement of finishing a project. I also love making things for others - because Acts of Service is my top Love Language. (Please read The Five Love Languages! One of my favorite books that has taught me so many things!)

So this new love of mine is so fun and relaxing to do in my free time. I've made a baby blanket, a couple scarves, and lately a BUNCH of children's/baby's hats. The hats have been so fun to play with the colors and try different hooks and tension to get the right size. I've been pretty successful so far. I'm really proud of the work I've done. A post will soon come with the pictures of hats.

But I wanted to make a little Christmas ornament or decoration for the first Christmas in our new home. So I went to the Red Heart website and did some searching. This website has lots of cute projects for all skill levels.

After looking at all the cute decorations, I found this Mitten Ornament and decided to try it out. So cute and I thought it would be a good one to try out the intermediate level, because I have been sticking with the beginner/easy levels so far. I did the mitten and the snowflake - and I wasn't wow-ed. I didn't really want it on my tree, even though it was cute. But then I kept looking at the little green snowflake I made and thought, I'll just make a few of these as ornaments. So I went to it. Then as I was making my third one I thought, I'll just make a bunch and make a fun little garland for my mantle!!! Even though it was more work - I went to it!

I think I made 6 green snowflakes and 6 red snowflakes. Soooo adorable - I showed Steve every single one because it was cuter than the last!

So dang cute!!

Strung them all on a piece of yarn.

Up on the mantle.

I forgot that it would overlap with the stockings. Whoops. But I'm leaving it because I love it so much.

The cute fireplace and mantle.

I'd say it's pretty cute for a first Christmas in our new home. And I'm in love with my new little garland. When the room is painted, I plan to make a proper lovely fireplace/mantle setting. But it's good for now.

I hope your season leading up to Christmas is as relaxed as ours. We have really enjoyed our relaxing evenings since we finished our shopping. This week is finals week for Steve, and then we'll be able to really enjoy the holidays! Can't wait! Have a good week!

12 Days of Christmas to Christ

We finished with Christmas shopping really early this year! That is usually what happens. That never happens!! I had extra time and did some shopping online, and got most of it delivered. And it's all wrapped and under the tree.

 

Since we were done early with the gifts and material part of the holidays, I decided we should start a new tradition to really focus on the reason for the holiday season. A while ago I was on Pinterest and found a cute little Twelve Days of Christmas to Christ thing on LDS Living. Here is the site: 12 Days of Christmas to Christ. I liked it because it was Christ and gospel centered, but not exclusively Christmas-y. I think it will be a fun, new tradition that we can do every year, together and any future children.

 

So to make this all cutesy, I typed up all the little representations in a cute font. Then I cut out those slips, and cut out wider slips in cute Christmas paper. Folder the cute paper in half, stapled one staple on each side, hole punched the top corners, and strung some ribbon through the holes. Then I folded the paper slips into thirds (I think) and put it in the little pocket. I had some little numbers that I traced and colored in to show the days. I had cute little advent-ish ornaments. A sweet, new tradition to start in our new home.

 

 



I'll update about how it goes and what cool things we learn. I'm really excited!!

 

 

And here is our fake little Christmas tree in our cool front window in our first home!!! I love our tree and our collection of ornaments we decorate it with. I especially love our personalized Disney ornament so we can always remember that vacation.

I just have one more little ornament to make to make a memory of our first home, then it will be complete for this year.



I hope your holiday season is getting off to a great start! This is my favorite time of year, and I'm excited to celebrate it in our home for the first time!

Painting the Bedroom

Well it is about time we tackled painting another room. We decided to go for the bedroom a couple weeks ago. Since this is our house and we can choose any color - we went bold. I made sure it was a color we both liked, so then even if it was a little too bold, at least we wouldn't hate it too much.

 

Don't you loooove that sheet window treatment? Classy ... I know.

 



BEFORE:

Yes, the little pillow says "Hello Sexy".

All of our bedding is old from my old bedroom, or my dorm things, or given to us by Steve's parents. The plaid one on top is the comforter I had all through high school. But NONE of the comforters or blankets we have actually fit our king size mattress.

The door on the left is to our little master half bath.

AFTER:



 

I LOOOOOOOVE this color sooo sooo much. I fell in love with it after the first wall was finished. We obviously have a lot to finish - put up our blinds on the window, paint the trim, do a second coat on the ceiling, my plan for the closet doors, putting up pictures and other things on the wall, and we're saving up for new lovely bedding.

Thankful & Blessed

It's still November. And I am still celebrating Thanksgiving. This year I have especially been focused on the good things we've been blessed with. This has been a BIG year on blessings for us.

We bought a home.
We love our neighborhood and ward.
I graduated with my bachelor's degree...and I survived.
Steve got a job in the area of work that he is going to school for.
We bought a much needed second car.
A new nephew was born.
We got to visit Disney World with my family.
Etc, etc, etc.

I sometimes compare myself to our neighbors and friends and wonder how I'll ever be like them. I have to remember not to compare myself to others, especially those that are more established in their lives and that have lived here for years. This past Sunday I really felt in my heart that we are blessed and I do not need to worry over the little things that I am concerned about.

We sang Count Your Blessings, along with other songs about gratitude. But a certain verse really spoke to my heart:

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.
Count your many blessings;
money cannot buy your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

I read that verse of the song over and over through the rest of the meeting, thinking of all that I already have and how so many others do not even have that. So I don't need to feel insignificant or like I don't have all the things I want. I have the things I need, and then so much more. I do not need to keep up with the Joneses, because my neighbors are some of the most sincere and caring people we've met. I don't need to worry that anyone is judging me or thinking they are better than me.

I know that Christ has promised me the best gift of all. I am so grateful for Christ's influence in our lives and in our home.

We are so blessed. I am glad that this holiday season helps remind me to be grateful in all I do.

The Same

Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.
                                     -Emily Bronte


I love this guy and I am so thankful for him every day.

A Close Second

Christmas is my favorite holiday. But Thanksgiving is a very close second. I LOVE remembering all my blessings and all the things I am grateful for.

In my first year at Weber State my roommates and I made a Thankful Wall in our apartment. We made hand turkeys that represented us and we wrote something like "Thankful Turkey" on it. Then throughout the month we would take post-it notes and write things we were thankful for on them and stick them all over the wall. We also let any and all friends that came into our room add to our wall. By the end of the month we had a full wall of blessings and big and/or little things we were all thankful for. It was so cool to see what things people thought of and to feel how my heart grew while we did that together.

I think I'm going to try and do something similar in our house this year. 2012 has brought us many MANY things to be thankful for (a home, a car, graduation with a bachelor's, new nephew, Disney family vacation, 4 years of marriage, and so much more). I'm not sure if it will actually be on a wall in our house, or if I'll just use the blog, but something will happen.

Anyway - November is always a special month because of the attitude I try to create in my life. I hope you all feel similarly as you go throughout the season of gratitude and giving.