Reflection and Resolution

I sit and reflect on the year past. Though only the outdoor lights and wreath upon the door are left to remind that Christmas has just passed. My children and I still work on a few of there Christmas vacation to-do lists, such as long lasting mini gingerbread houses, and lounging in our PJ's.

 I am reminded how blessed I am with three adorable angels that I have, and how (though I have to constantly complain about listening, doing what they are told, and cleaning up their room) I have wonderful children. Not to brag, but these are children that I do not have to worry about when they are staying at a friends house because I know without doubt they are well mannered and behave. These are also the children that when Mommy is sick, tuck the blanket back under her feet as she tries to watch them and is falling asleep on the couch from medication. I am blessed with the most wonderful husband who is quite simply a genius in the kitchen. He could more than likely make a PB and J fit for royalty in a matter of seconds.

Some days it can be very hard to remember all of these blessings, and the many more I have been given which leads me to Resolutions for the New Year.

For myself it will be becoming a more organized in attempts to better multitask as well as getting back in shape. People often think how nice it must be to be an artist and writer...Well in way's it is, we get to do the things we love, but if we aren't careful, we end up with fat pudgy waistlines that won't let us fit in our favorite jeans. (lol) So I browsed through my spirituality and well being Pinterest board and decided I would use a couple of neat finds to attempt my own version of weight watchers as well as share with you in case you also have get in shape bulleted on your own Resolution list.

So a quick breakdown for New Years resolutions:

• Become organized
• There are a multitude of places that have helpful advice on becoming organized. One I particularly love is A Bowl Full of Lemons which is over all home organization.
• Simple Dimples has a neat binder organization system that I love and think would be fab.
• The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking also has a great weekly planners for general as well as food planning available for free download.

• Get fit
• As I said before I will be trying to get into some sort of fitness routine, starting with changing how I eat. I spoke with my husband and he said he had had good weight loss on weight watchers before, but in these times, who can afford to pay to loose weight? Perhaps I'm being a cheapskate, but my favorite word as of late is FREE!
• So I found a great tracker/log over at Freckleberryfinds both a weekly meal tracker and a fitness tracker. This will help with monitoring food intake and daily point balance.
• Calculators: Points calculator , Activity calculator
• I have also located a really neat site called Fatsecret which allows you to find the nutritional values of the foods you eat if it is not available on the package.
• No one program is right for everyone, so find your own if this doesn't work for you.But please feel free to use any and all of the enclosed links. And let them know who sent you. ;)

• Become accountable
• If your a stay at home mommy like me accountability can be a difficult task. I am accountable for my own actions, but this proves tricky as I tend to let myself slack.
• Since I know without deadlines I dally, I will be making myself accountable through the use of a weekly binder system with check-offs, such as the above fitness and food log, but also creating one to ensure that I allow myself time to do the things I love such as scheduling in play time with the children, and personal craft time for myself.
• I already belong to a writing group Blooming Late which meets bi-weekly in my area, and have to tell my writing progress which helps ensure I am actually writing, but I will also be joining one on Google+ which is a specific accountability group for writers in order to accomplish my writing goals for this year.

• Complete a journal and write
• Personal journal as well as a spiritual journal
• This is for posterity's sake. I want my children to know what I was like as well as what they were like. So my intent is to write at least once a week, and jot funny happenings or sayings down as they occur to compile in a hardbound printed book for each child at the beginning of the next year.
• A spiritual journal is one for personal use. It is a way for me to become more enlightened though scriptural study as well as personal reflection.
• Write on my novels at least once a week and have one finished before the end of the year.

• Be Magical
• Remember to do fun just because activities that make me smile.
• Encorage others to remember that kid-like happiness and innocence
• Blowing bubbles outside on a sunny day
• Blowing bubbles with Strawberry Bazooka Bubblegum if its raining outside
• Watching dandelion seedpods blow in the breeze and looking for fairies dancing between them
• Wish upon falling stars and talk to the man in the moon

I apologize for the rather lengthy post. I'll try to have a shorter one next time. :D Please feel free to use the above links, and ideas for your own journey into 2013. Don't forget to be kid-like at least once a week and let the magic flow.