Resolution with Resolve

To Be Cliche or NOT To Be Cliche

New Year's Eve. Followed by New Year's Day. Followed by a NEW YOU. If only. The idea itself is a naive one...yet it gets us ALL every stinkin' year.

Even if the idea itself is naive, a New Year-NewYou is so believable because, really, it isn't just an idea. It's very much an action. It's a visual experience. You buy a new calendar for your office. You plan your end-of-the-year parties. You count down as the ball drops in Time Square. I personally feel like the New Year is the PERFECT time to start being a New You. And if you happen to be in the "any-time-is-a-good-time-to-start-over" group... this post is probably not for you.

On That Note

The end of the year is a gift. It is the perfect time to reflect. To remember. And no, I don't mean having a bashfest on yourself. I mean to truly reflect on your accomplishments, your shortcomings, your relationships, and your walk with the Lord Almighty. It's the perfect time to stop and think ahead. To think of the ways you hope to grow. Of ways you plan to change- both small and large. 

Resolve

So now that reflecting has been accomplished, you may have a list- or pages. If words could just jump off the page and work themselves into action! But alas, that isn't going to happen. It's going to take some resolve on your end- on my end. Resolve to take baby steps. And even if your goal or resolution isn't knocked out-of-the-park by the end of this next year, at the very least, you will have made an attempt. An attempt is accomplishment enough!

New Year- New Me

My desires for 2014 are no secret! I have a bunch of them and can only hope that the resolve in my heart will carry me to a happier place this year.



Problem #1: My life feels like a vacuum. It sucking the wind right out of me. The thoughts and actions that clutter my life are just overkill.

Plan: Making- not finding- quiet time. Time to be still. Time to learn how to trust. Time where I actively lean on the only one who can carry me through all of life's demands- my Father, my King.

Problem #2: So...here is an obvious one- weight loss. I've gained about 40 pounds in the last 2 years, and about 50 pounds since my freshman year of college. There's not too much to complain about here. I could blame it on my job. On stress. On a bunch of things really. Whatever the reason may be, the side-effect of my choices the past few years has led to excess weight. This weight gain has caused some health problems. Lack of sleep. Low self-esteem. Stomach pains. Back pains. And so on.

Plan: I have solicited the help of a close friend. We have purchased a 30-day boot camp pass from Groupon. This boot camp will commence on the first of February. I will also be registering for the local Color Run in March and training for this race will begin the first week of January. I am stopping here for now, because these two thing alone seem overwhelming. While they are in the process of being accomplished I will look to planning the rest of the year!

Problem #3: For all of the "me" things I do in life what have I done to help the "others" this year? Nothing. Epic fail. So self-centered if you want to put it that way.

Plan: I will be doing some research and praying on where/what/who I should be donating my time/effort/energy to this year. There are so many good causes and people in need that it would be nothing less than a shame if I enter 2015 with this same problem. I will keep you posted on what happens!

Problem #4: There have been far too many moments in 2013 where I refused to take care of myself. It's not even that I "didn't have the time", I seriously just refused to keep up with my physical maintenance. For one reason or another I felt like it was selfish. That the money could be used in a better way.

Plan: Not only will I be participating in a boot camp and the Color Run this spring, but I will also be budgeting $60 a month to enjoy a pedi/mani with gel. Sometimes you just need to feel fabulous on the outside in order to feel fabulous on the inside!

Problem #5: This one might be a bit odd, but I can't stand my penmanship! I have recently started practicing my cursive and print all over again. Although typing has it's advantages, good penmanship shows a whole different dimension of a person's intellectual and creative faculties.

Plan: I will be utilizing good 'ol fashion pen, paper, and time to make this happen. I not only would like to nail down basic cursive, but would also like to start experimenting with calligraphy and creating my own typography.

And There You Have It

If you haven't taken a moment to reflect on your year I would strongly encourage you to do so. Don't just come up with a list of things you wish were better. Don't just beat yourself up. Find some resolve deep down inside. It's there waiting. And if you don't think you have any to find- look up and ask for some.

Wishing you all a wonderful NEW YEAR-NEW YOU!!

Creating A New Tradition

My Christmas Card Keeper

In my last blog post I promised to share more about my Christmas Card Keeper idea. It's really quite simple. Each year, many of us will spend hours arranging a photo shoot, designing a card online, or hand crafting a card of sorts for the holiday season. We send them off and prepare to welcome the new year. Next year comes. We repeat the photo shoot, card ordering, card crafting, and money spending. 

I am passionate about Christmas cards. The repeating of my insanity with these cards isn't going anywhere. And since I am willingly going to spend money, time, and effort every year for the rest of my life on Christmas cards, you better believe I quickly found a way to keep track of these cards once and for all! My answer came in the form of a photo album.

I started off searching for a photo album of appropriate size. I generally tend to make my cards on the smaller end, so there was no need for me to purchase a large 12x18 scrapbook. I settled on an 8x8 photo album from Hobby Lobby.

After adding a bit of brown paper to the front frame I embellished with green buttons to create the shape of a Christmas tree. Well suited image, I know.

Next, I found some cute, stripped scrapbooking paper, cut it down to size, and added my Christmas cards! We have only shared two married Christmases together thus far, so hunting down a copy of our ugly sweater cards from last year wasn't too difficult. I can't wait to start filling this album with all of our holiday adventures and am looking forward to putting this out on the coffee table during the holiday season next year!

Feeling like it's not a big deal to keep track of your cards? Use this photo album/scrapbook idea to house all of the Christmas cards you still receive in the mail! Everyone has clothespin wreaths or ribbon holders hanging on their wall... but who has all of their cards neatly displayed, in one place, ready to view individually, at a moments notice? Well, that could very well be you next year. Get on it! 

Nothin Like It

That feeling you get when sifting through your bills and a good ol' fashion letter emerges. Say what?! Just the thought of receiving a card seems archaic. Thankfully, for people like me, there is still one time of the year when most folks seem on board with this notion. Christmas time!

I grew to love the tradition of Christmas cards as a kid. Every December my mom would sit down with a torn up address book, a stack of cards and go to town. Cards were soon filled with family highlights, accomplishments, and favorite pictures of the year. The night my mom sat down to work on our family cards I knew what to expect in the next few days... a plethora of Christmas cards waiting for us in our mailbox!

The thought of one day being able to create and make my own cards for my very own family was a dream that came true for the Christmas of 2012- our first "real" Christmas together. And despite how busy or crazy the year gets, it is a tradition I plan on keeping up with for the rest of my life. Since my stack of cards was recently laid to rest in the mailbox, here's a sneak peak at my tradition for the 2013 year!

Creating is a pretty messy process!

             

Details-Details-Details

As is in life- as is in cards- what really matters is on the inside.

The outside is important too! Gotta love me some photo tabs! 

Laid to rest until morning time.

Now I have to admit, these didn't turn out the way I had hoped- even had thoughts about throwing them out and just ordering something online! But I didn't. They went on their merry way the next day. I can say I am grateful for the learning experience this year's card set brought me. Next year's cards are gonna be bangin! 

And since I plan on making this a life long tradition for me and my family, it is only logical to make an extra one for keeps. I haven't quite figured out how I am going to keep all of these cards, but I intend to figure that out before the year's end.

Stay tuned for my Christmas card keeper resolution! 

In My Corner

In an average day I have touched a phone, my cell, and a computer keyboard. Everything I touch is linked together. Linked by technology. I need my computer while I talk on the phone and I need my phone while I work on my computer. It never ends- Ever! And if anyone knows me, they certainly know technology and I are not best friends forever. I would say we view each other as necessary evil.

Even as a tech challenged individual, I find it easier to sit on Pintrest than to actually get up and make the craft. Easier to order dinner in than to cook it. Easier to stalk Facebook friends than to actually remember to speak to them.

I constantly find myself looking forward to times when my fingers touch reality. Times when flour cakes under my nails. When hot glue is scalding my finger. For that moment when I have been pricked by thorns while gardening. In these moments I feel more connected to the world around me than all of social media put together. I feel as if I have successfully stopped time. Life is no longer passing me by. And in the end I have something to show. Something to share.

This Thanksgiving gave me the perfect opportunity to roll up my sleeves and dig in to reality. It also gave me an unexpected blessing. The blessing of realizing that technology is not the devil I have always believed it to be. These pies are the perfect example of my new found relationship! That I can actually work with technology to help shape my reality.

Every year I make the same traditional Thanksgiving pies- pumpkin and apple. Every year I make their crust and filling from scratch. Why not? Don't I buy enough pre-made stuff at the store year round? Well that didn't change... but what did change was my creativity level with the pies. And to be honest, I owe that creativity to a pin I found on Pinterest. What a great idea! It did take some time to braid the pumpkin pie crust, but after it was all said and done I was so impressed. As silly as it sounds, I was proud. 

Then I got to the apple pie. I am even more proud to say that I came up with this flower design on my own. I mean, I'm sure a million people have figured this out, but I didn't reference any pictures or instructions! I just went with it! The pies were a hit. Both in taste and appearance. I can also assure you that not another boring pie crust will be made.

Dare I say I can see a new bff in the near future?

The Little Things

This year I got a new iPhone 5s. I also got a new Honda Civic. Two BIG upgrades in my life for sure. It seems like I waited forever to call those things my own. Now that I have them in my possession, BIG deal. Quickly I was reminded how easy it is to get caught up in chasing upgrades. How easy it is to forget the joy of sharing a moment or making a memory.

I took a moment to stop. Just stop. To realize I am blessed. Not in the typical cliche way of everything-is-going-great blessed. In the way that I can still stop to appreciate color. I can still appreciate the sound of a guitarist playing on a park bench. That I haven't lost my mind...yet... to the grind of monotony. Maybe everyone else takes a moment to stop on a daily basis. Well then, go you!!

Me, I'm going to start making it a point to stop daily. To enjoy moments like this. A cup of coffee with a  view.

     

To enjoy real flowers on my desk.

     

To buy a book based on the coolness factor of the cover.

To visit a horse stable- just because the Budweiser Clydesdales were in town. 

To enjoy sitting by the water.

To remember, above all, give thanks!!