One Little Word 2015 - January Workshop Prompt

January.  My month of reflection, reevaluation and motivation.  I do this in bits and pieces as life keeps whirling along at high speed, but throughout the month I do spend quite a bit of time thinking about how my life is going, what I like/don't like, and what direction I want it to take in the next year.  Part of that process, for quite a few years now, involves choosing my Word for the Year (you can see the word I selected for this year here) and figuring out how to incorporate that into my every day life.  Last year, in a bid to keep my goals and intentions more present in my daily life I joined the year long online One Little Word workshop - such a great decision!  So I happily joined the workshop again this year.
While I shared most of the layouts resulting from the workshop prompts last year, I don't intend to post quite so many of them here on the blog this year.  However, I did want to start out the year by putting it out there - making myself accountable and sharing what I have been thinking about lately to clarify some of my intentions and goals.

My word for this year is Light.  I used my previous blog post for the journaling section on the "reason why" cards.  The photo was one I had snapped with my phone at sunrise during our vacation to Utah this past summer.  And while I'm not a "yellow person" I decided that my word practically demands that yellow be used, so I'm going with kind of a yellow/gold and blue color scheme.  I think.

That little heart is a wooden one I found in my stash.  I just used a little chalk to give it a blue tint and free-hand cut out the star, folding the paper back-to-back first so that the back matched the front since I knew I wanted to just slip it into the pocket and leave that section open to the next page.

Page two and so on.  I'll let the photos tell the story from here on.

So as January comes to a close, here's to seeking out and finding the light and the joy in everyday life.
What are you hoping for in 2015?

My One Little Word for 2015

Happy New Year!  Have I said that yet?

I have loved the holiday break.  Lots of fun, lots of time with the kids and extended family, plenty of down time to recharge.  But I also found myself a bit on edge - quick to lose my patience, cranky, maybe a little out of balance emotionally.  In among all this, I had been thinking about and selected my Word for this year (this is something I've been doing for the past few years in addition to setting goals.  It works as more of a touchstone or focus for me throughout the year.  See previous posts here) and one hit me out of the blue.

I think I'm pretty good at buckling down, working on the To Dos and Have Tos, being proactive, recognizing priorities, setting goals, looking for balance, and so on.  I've done plenty of work on being efficient, setting routines, and following through and I will have plenty of that going on this year without having to put extra focus on it.  Instead, I find myself wanting to reach for the softer things in life -  to be goofier with the kids, to be more patient, deal with interruptions better, more work on relationships with the people that mean the most to me, the fun, the laughter, peace, positivity.  Things that don't come as naturally to my mostly-serious self.
 
The word that came to me a couple weeks ago and has felt more and more right for me each day is

To me, light means joy.  Beauty.  Warmth.  Love.  Inspiration.  Giving.  Sharing talents and creativity.
So many many different ways and directions I can go with this and that's exciting.

This is the first year that my word comes to mind with its own visuals - light streaming through a break in the clouds on a stormy day or that hazy glowing backlight photographers are always trying to capture - lots of moods and nuances and all of them positive and affirming.  And that's what I want in 2015.    light


Do any of you choose a word for the year?  (ie: One Little Word along with Ali Edwards)  Set goals?  I'd love to hear about it.

Review and Renew

T-minus two days and counting until the new year! 
I always get so excited and full of ideas and motivation around this time of year.  All those thoughts creeping in about what I'd like to improve, change or work on in my life.  And all the possibilities of what will fill up that blank calendar.

Normally I would do some sort of Resolutions post about now, but I sat down to review my 101 in 1001 List and realized that there are few things I would add to it at this point.  Between my 101 and my Word for the Year (more on that in a couple of days!) I think I'm headed in a really good direction and am looking forward to making some progress and having some fun in the year ahead.

My 101 in 1001 as it looks now:
Start date: Monday, January 21, 2013
End Date: Monday, October 19, 2015

Personal
1 - Hit goal weight
2 -Get my flexibility back
3 -Make exercise part of my weekly routine (working out fairly regularly by Summer 2013)
4 -Gradually edit/add to wardrobe until I love everything in it and how it makes me look.  Then resolve only to buy things I LOVE
5 -Make wearing make-up a habit
6 -Make wearing jewelry a habit
7 -Buy a pair of really cute and COMFY boots (Done! Sept 2013)
8 -Find my best beauty routine
9 -Buy a really great peacoat/trench
10 -NO eating out for one month
11 -Take vitamins
12 -Find out my blood type (I’m sure I did at some point but I can’t remember it!)

For Fun:
13 -plan a really great Halloween costume, for once
14 -make it to Midnight on New Year’s Eve (shooting for that tomorrow night! ;)  )
15 -take at least one big family vacation per year (in addition to visiting family in Utah) (one down Feb 2013 Disney World)
16 -take the kids camping
17 -take the kids sledding (winter trip to Utah?)
18 -do something fun/social/girly at least once per month (12/33)
19-21 -visit some of the places we are only likely to visit while we are living here.  Complete at least 3 of the following:
                -Myrtle Beach
                -Colonial Williamsburg
                -Biltmore
                -New York City
                -Washington DC
                -Blue Ridge Highway during the Fall
                -Outer Banks
22 -go to Disney World (completed Feb 2013)
23 -take a class for fun (dance, cooking, photography, etc)
24 -try 10 new restaurants (8/10)
25 -visit a restaurant that has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (well we found a Food Network featured chocolate shop in Logan June 2013 – still going to try to do a Triple D restaurant though)
26 -get the kids a puppy (St Patrick’s Day 2013)
27 -invite friends/neighbors over for dinner (May 2013 – so fun!)
28 -pick a book/series and read it as a family (the kids got Percy Jackson series for Christmas and Kaitlyn is excited to make that our family reading book)
29 -go to a concert
30 -go berry picking (may 2013)
31 -ice skating
32 -Disney on Ice (Dec 2013)
33 -go horseback riding (Utah trip 2013)
34 -go boating (Utah Trip 2013)
35 -do something ridiculous and outrageous (We all did the Color Run! (Sept 2013)

Relationships:
36 -call Wyatt at least 1/month (11/33)
37-call Bonnie at least 1/month (5/33)
38 -go on a “date” with Sam at least once a month (day dates count!) (12/33)
39 -institute regular one on one or dates with the kids
 -write an I love you letter to:
                40-Sam
                41-Kaitlyn
                42-Tyler
43 -make a new friend  (or two or three!)
44 -send happy mail to someone at least once a month (0/12)
45 -plan something great for our 15^th Anniversary
46 -weekend away with Sam, without kids (Anniversary Inn/Logan July 2013)
47 -go to a movie with Sam (I know, I know – it’s harder than it looks!  We rarely get babysitters and when we do there is rarely a movie out that we both want to see)

Crafts/Hobbies:
48 -gain a working knowledge of Photoshop
49 -practice taking photos 3 times per week for at least a month
50 -take family photos once a month for a year (1/12)
51 -start scrapbooking again
52 -then COMPLETELY finish an entire scrapbook
53 -go totally manual with the camera and be comfortable with it
54 -read Exposures book all the way through
55 -some sort of crafty time with someone else at least every other month (10/16)
56 -make something visual to remind me of my Word for the Year
57 -make at least 10 of the items I have pinned on Pinterest (let's see... pallet pumpkins, Give Thanks board, turquoise painted furniture, Halloween door swags and witch sign, candy cane wreaths, football/university theme wreath, teacher appreciation cards, patching holes in kids' jeans, birthday and thank you cards, glue gun holders...hey that's 10 right there!  Let's try another 10 for this year)
58 -find a piece of thrift store furniture and refinish it (wing chairs April 2013 – now to find time to recover them!)
59 -take some of the photos from my Photo Idea List (ie: Kaitlyn in my wedding gown, a single location during each season (tree-lined highway or that swampy area down the road), bokeh with Christmas lights background, Tyler in superman shirt)


"Work" and Money Related:
 -grow the blog
                60 -consistant and regular blog posts (let’s say at least 2 per week)
                61 -work on SEO and tags
                62 -comment on other blogs a lot more
                63 -link parties (at least 2 per week?)
64 -write up a few of my crochet patterns and list on Etsy
65 -pay off all debt (except house and maybe truck.  Hopefully the truck too, but let’s be realistic)
66 -start savings accounts for the kids
67 -take the leap and start doing a few photo sessions for profit
68 -set up a better accounting system for Etsy

Because I need to:
69 -organize and back up photos
70 -re-do recipe binder
71 -complete at least 5 Random Acts of Kindness
72 -surprise someone
73 -continue Project 365/52
74 -update kids’ journal files
75 -give the kids more regular chores, have them help more around the house (started new chores May 2013 and it’s working great!)
76 -work up menus list (at least 6 weeks’ worth for both Summer and Winter)
77 -complete at least 10 projects that have been on my perpetual To Do list for a long time (0/10 hmm...where did I put that list?)
78 -make annual Spring Cleaning list and complete it (a reasonable list, not an insane list!)
79 -try 10 new recipes (5/10)
80 -update IPOD (especially playlist for working out)
81 -find a technology recycling place and drop off the broken TV
82 -stock the garage freezer(totally full of meat and GS cookies! Lol 9/2013)
83 -get a new cell phone
84 -re-evaluate and make decision on TV/cell/internet services
85 -declutter the craft table then make a point of doing it every day before bed and right after finishing a project for an entire month (then hopefully it becomes a habit) (0/31)
86 -don’t go to bed with dirty dishes in sink or on counter for an entire month (again – hopefully a habit after that!) (0/31)
87 -finish 72 hour kits and emergency prep
88 -go to the eye doctor

For the House:
-fill in some of the empty space in the living room.  At least:
                89 -something on the walls
                90 -console table (Nov 2013)
                91 -ottoman(s)
92 -print, frame and display family photos
93 -furniture for front porch (Mother’s Day 2013)
94 -plant flowers every Spring (2013 check!)
95 -finish decorating Tyler’s room
96 -make centerpiece for the dining table for all the big holidays/seasons (Spring, Fall, Christmas, everyday)
97 -throw pillows for the couch
98 -rug for entry
99-blinds for living room and craft room (Dec 2013)
100 -Kaitlyn’s room:  bulletin board and lamp (10/2013)
101 -lamps for master bedroom

So I'm interested...what are you thinking about for the New Year?