Friday, January 28, 2011

Passions

I know, I know!  I've probably written more about my passions in life than I should, mostly because I am not really following through with them.  The thing is, I feel that if you don't maintain constant thoughts about your dreams and your passions, they very quickly fade and die!  What are my passions in  life?  Other than my family, who are the most important part of my life, I feel very passionate about living naturally, eating healthy, being creative, and looking for things that maybe outside the box.

As some of you know, I am a social worker by profession.  I have about 12 years experience working with the geriatric population and in nursing homes (some nursing homes have younger people in them too).  I got my MSW in 2007 and between getting married and having my 3 kids, I haven't really done much with my career since graduation.  While I only had my undergrad degree, I thought long and hard about going back to school.  Did I really want to go back for a MSW, or did I want to branch out and do something totally different?  I often thought about going back to school to get my dietician degree, but then I figured the degree would just point me in teh direction of the SAD (standard american diet), again I wanted something that was out of the box.  After a while I thought about going back to school for an art therapy degree.  That actually would be a littel out of the box, as I'm not sure all insurances (probably a primary payer source for many people) actually pay for that type of therapy.  I had a mentor lead me to get my MSW, and then I could think about using my MSW and my passions as a way to treat people using more alternative methods.  Unfortunately, at this time in my life, I have not been able to persue many alternative therapy trainings.  I have taken a conference on journal therapy and would love to do more on that.  I have taken a conference on yoga therapy and again would love to learn more.  I have also taken a conference on art therapy, and would absolutely love to learn more on that.  I have so many different interests that I think could help me in my social work practice, but until I get my LICSW, which will not be for some time (not starting til at least when the twins go to school which isn't for another 4 years). 

In the meantime, I would love to take classes on the things that I have already mentioned as well as more alterntative therapies.  I would love to also incorporate different eating plans into my learning and my social work practice.  I would love to learn more about aromatherapy and it's affect on mood and behavior.  I just really want to incorporate My passions into my professional lifee too.  That way, I think that I will be a better social worker, if I am using things that I actually believe in and also be happier than jsut using the standard talk therapy.

While I am waiting for all this to happen, I really need to start following my passions in my own life, especially if I want to reach others with them.  I need to stop following the SAD and start incorporating the different diets that I think benefit people.  I need to continue to make time for my creative endeavors.  I need to continue to live as natural and handmade life as possible.  I think once I get into a rhythm, things will get easier to maintain.  It's just getting into that rhythm, that is tough.

This is a goal that I will continue to work on.  I know that as I learn more for my personal life, I will learn things for my professional life too.  I just think that I need to make sure that I get some sort of certification in the different things that I learn if I plan to use it in my professional life too.  I guess life is alwways a work in progress, and we are always learning!

Here's to following your passions and living the life that you truly want to be living!
Amy

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Diet

I have been really trying to be good with what I eat.  Some days are really good and some days are horrible.  Yesterday, I started to feel pretty miserable.  I went to bed with a slight fever and slept horrible!  Today I pretty much ate whatever I could find that was already cooked for me and my family.  I left my husband, who was stuck snowblowing all day, alone to cook and feed the kids while I went to work.  I brought some apples and some grapes and ate most of them, but it took my 3 hour shift to get that down.  I did get some chicken from the cafe, but ate maybe 1/4 of the plate.  My goal is to start to be more faithful to eating well.  I know that when I eat well, I feel better.  Why I can't remember that jsut because something tastes good initially, doesn't always mean that I will feel great later.  When I eat things I know are bad for me, that initial feeling often over rides the knowledge that I will feel miserable later on or even the next day.  Sometimes I think that the fact that it isn't an immediate bad feeling makes it more difficult to remember that it is the certain foods that I eat that do me in.  I have spent a bunch of time researching different recipes.  I hate to say that I think I may be cooking a little different for me than I do for the rest of the family, but that often goes with food allergies/intolerances I think.  Hopefully, if I can get to bed and get a good nights sleep, I will feel better and have more energy to plan the healthy foods that I should be eating.

On the crafting front, I am in the middle of a knit placemat knit along.  Surprisingly I am almost up to day with the rows.  The next thing that I need to work on is my apron swap.  I am hoping that I ca get some time in tomorrow while the kids sleep/have quiet time.  I am really excited about the material that I got and can't wait to get started on it.  I also have a few tuck-ins to work on.  I am also working on a shamrock dishcloth as a travel project.  I definitely need to make sure that I always have a travel project with me so that I can take advantage of precious valuable down time!

Any good healthy food apps for an ipad that people know of?  Vegan, gluten free,maybe even raw would be awesome!

Amy

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Time

As you may or may not know, I have a bunch of blogs that I write on.  At a play date the other day, a friend asked how I keep up with them.  It got me thinking and I decided that I really don't have time to update multiple blogs, especially when this blog seems to encompass what I write about on my other blogs.  I have decided, at least for now, to forgo the other blogs and write everything on this blog, that is everything except for things about my kids.  I have decided that the blog about my kids and my family is going to stay separate since I want that focus to remain on them.

Time wise, I am trying to be better organized.  Some days are good and some days not so good.  I just need to maintain the same level of organization, and hopefully that will help me better organize and prioritize my time!  I am trying to not just veg out on front of the TV.  I want to make sure that I use my time wisely so that I can get things done and also relax.  I have decided that Monday night craft night will be spent scrapbooking my wedding, so that something gets accomplished and so that I know what I will be doing that night so I can plan my supplies.  I want to spend time knitting while I enjoy TV.  I want to make sure that I have time to cook and clean.  I need to plan my menus so that I can go shopping and budget my money better as well as my time.  I need to budget my time with the kids so that they get enough mommy time yet things in the house get doen too.

As I write, I am working on a KAL (knit a long ) placemat.  It's a group that I joined and I find fun.  I know that I have other things to work on one being my apron for flirtyapronswap.blogspot.com as well as another apron swap.  I love crafting and I love swaps.  I am really enjoying being creative.  Oh, and I did finish the doll for my daughter, I just need to make some final adjustments.  It came out pretty good for my first time, but it's also a little scary looking.  I'm hoping that some final adjustments will help.

I'm off to menu plan and work on my KAL.  Any suggestions for menu planning are very much welcome! 
Amy

Friday, January 21, 2011

Less Mindless TV/Computer Time=More Time For Projects!

I really need to spend less time on the computer and more time doing the things that I love.  I have so many projects in the works, yet I can't seem to find the time to work on them!  This is partially because I don't have the time and partially because I don't manage my time well.  With 3 kids who are all almost 2 (at least for a month and a half until my oldest son turns 3), time for crafting is very limited, but yet I love it so I need to make time for it.  I have enough knitting projects or at least yarn and patterns that I can work on while I sit and watch TV (which I do way too much of).  I can pull out my sewing machine and complete many of the projects that I have planned while I watch TV.  Pretty much all of the crafts that I like to work on, I can do while i watch TV.  Instead of sitting there like an idiot, staring into TV land, I can at least be productive!  As I sit here and type, I am thinking "I have a scarf in my bag that I can pull out and work on".  As soon as I finish this post, I will be on to working on that scarf so that I can feel like i accomplished something.  I love the computer and I love blogging, but I love creating even more.  It's time that I sit myself down and make time for something I really love.  One of my post last month was about crafting for a cause, and I really want to make a goo attempt at creating something to donate to a group every month.  It's getting late for me to donate for the month of January, but I am going to try really hard to get something completed for the end of the month.  I will find a way to enjoy my TV shows, but yet enjoy my creative outlets too!

I also have my apron swap to start working on!  I was planning on getting my fabric for the swap today, but we got a lovely snow storm again here in Boston, so I didn't get out of the house til I had to go to work.  Maybe I can run out quickly tomorrow!

Amy

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Finding Time To Sew

I have way too many sewing projects that I need to work on.  I had planned to sew my daughter a doll for her 2nd birthday and my son a carrying case for matchbox cars (he loves his cars).  Now, here it is the Thursday before their birthday on Sunday and I haven't done a thing.  What else is new?  I may try to get some sewing done tonight, or at least get the pattern cut out.  We are, again, having another snow storm here in New England.  I am so hoping that it just gives us a dusting, but maybe it will force me to get some projects done!  If I can get these 2 things made, then I will feel good.  I do still need to get out and get a bunch of matchbox cars for my son.  I am hoping that they will really like these gifts and I can feel good about giving them something that I made!

Once these projects are done, it's time to move onto the new apron swap.  I still have to get out and buy new material.  I am thinking maybe tomorrow after we go to EI group, I'll stop at the fabric store.  I think I am going to make a half apron.  It's kind of funny that I got a half apron for the last swap and I made a full apron, and then this time, I am making a half apron and requested a full apron!  I can't wait to go and  look at material.  I love craft shopping and even though I can't afford to buy more, bot in terms of money and space, I always look forward to having a reason to buy something  new!  I am also getting together with a friend on Monday and we will be making some tutus for the girls.  I can't wait to have another friend to create with.  Also she told me that she has been making some mama pads and I can't wait to see them.  I have been tempted to make some myself, but I really need to see how it's done.  I am such a visual person.  I am hoping that once I see hers and see what materials she used, I can start to make my own.  Hopefully that will be one more thing that I can cross off my list of things that I buy.  I have also been toying with the idea of using cloth for toilet paper.  At first, I thought that it was disgusting, but then I realized I use cloth wipes on the babies so why not on me too.  I think it will be cleaner, less impact on the environment, and less paper product that I have to buy.  Now that I am writing about this, I am thinking that I may work on some more cloths for the kitchen, both wash cloths and towels.  I have some towel material that I got as a remnant and I can knit some wash cloths.  I really need to be less dependent on paper towels.  I really need to bleach the cloth that I now have and it they are still gross, I need to just get rid of them.  Thanks to http://ourmothersdaughters.blogspot.com/, I am thinking a little more about what I clean with!

Happy sewing and knitting, especially for the home,
Amy

Oh, and BTW, I still need to make a cake for the kids birthday!  Nothing special, just a cake with stars, I think!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A Healthier Me

One of my friends posted on her blog, reanbean.com, that she signed up for a specific exercise goal at 500in2010.blogspot.com.  I am actually considering signing up.  I am about 3 weeks late and would need to catch up to meet the yearly goal, but I want to get healthier and I think I really need to be accountable to someone other than myself.  I am making changes to my diet, it's not perfect, but it's better than it was!  My goal is to make exercise a priority in my life, not just something I do when I think about it.  I don't want to have to think about it.  I hope that even though I'm late joining in, I can still participate, because I think it is going to be important to be accountable to someone other than me!

Amy

Monday, January 17, 2011

Newest Events

I got may partner for the next flirty apron swap.  I am so looking forward to this swap.  This swap's theme is Valentine's Day and/or baking.  I now have a reason to go out and buy new material, but I have to wait until Thursday when I get paid again.  One goal/decision/resolution that I absolutely have to keep is no credit card use unless absolutely necessary.  That means, I only go to stores when I have money bugeted and/or when I have to.  So, no Joann's Fabric unless I can budget money for it.  I am hoping that I can make something with maybe a yard of new fabric and use some of my stash.  Now to pick out a pattern.  the best part is my partner decided on letting me choose the style of apron so I get to be really creative if I wish.  I can't wait, then it's on to quilts for my kids and my sister's soon to be new baby.

I entered a give away on citylifeeats.com for stevia.  I wrote a blog about my love for stevia in my tea and am so happy to say that I won free stevia.    For some reason, I had stopped using stevia in my tea and started to use honey.  I really didn't like the switch so now I am back to stevia.  I like honey, but only for certain things.  I can't wait to try this new stevia.

I have gotten rid of dairy for my kids and now I need to completely get rid of it for me too!  I am doing so much better, that is until tonight.  I even had coffee which I drink with cream.  That was a really bad decision, but as of right now, I am back to eating the way that I know I should be eating.  I really need to work on losing weight.  It really hit me tonight, just how much I need to lose weight.  I am back on track as of right now!  No more fun and games.  It's not only important for how I look, but for how I feel and my health!  I'm always fighting blood pressure issues and if I can't get my weight and my eating under control, I could be in some trouble!  I don't have a ton to lose.  If I lost even 15 pounds, it would be helpful, but in reality, I'd really like to lose more like 30 pounds.  I guess for now, I'll focus on the 15, then I'll look to lose more.

I can't wait to start sewing and eating well!

Amy

Friday, January 14, 2011

How Our Children Teach Us!

I tend to be a person that expects that things happen at certain times.  When they don't, I tend to feel a little out of control, like life is a little upside down and inside out.  I tend to expect immediate gratification, which is probably why I never finish a project.  If it doesn't happen quickly, I give up.  I tend to expect everything I do to be perfect immediately and if it's not, I tend to get pretty upset and give up vs persevering and thinking practice makes perfect!

Through some of my posts, I have received comments such as take it slow, you're only human, you don't have to do it all at once, etc.  In fact, I got one from my last post which has made me think.  My husband tell some similar things too.  I have been attempting to potty train my oldest child.  It has not gone well!  he is almost 3 (in a month and a half) and I just assumed that it was time.  I was getting a little frustrated that it was probably my fault, that I some how was doing something wrong.  After posing a question to my twins group, I realized that it's going to happen on my children's time.  Things don't always happen on my time line.  This made me think that maybe my children are here to teach me patience and that in life, things don't always happen when we want them to, but that they happen in their own time.

I need to slow down and accept that not everything happens immediately and that it's not a bad thing.  I need to start projects and finish them and not expect immediate gratification, but enjoy the process.  They say that with children, art is about the process not the final product.  I really need to remember that for myself.  I love crafting and creating.  I love taking simple items, yarn, material, etc and then making it into a useful product.  I have books about mindfulness and crafting and I need to remember that it should be fun not stressful.

With my diet, I need to realize that I can go at my own pace.  For example, eliminating dairy should be the first thing that I do.  I know that it causes me to feel ill so let's remove that from my diet and see how I feel.  Then I can start removing other food items.

Organizing- I just need to stop adding to my clutter.  I need to start small and go slow and finish things.  For example, I have a boat load of laundry on my bed that I just keep putting back into laundry baskets.  My goal tonight before I got to bed is to put it all away.  I need to remember to do a load of laundry and put it away before I do more so that I don't end up with just piles.

There's so much more that I can write about what my children are teaching me.  I'm sure that they will teach me many things as life moves forward, but right now patience and going slow are the ones that I am focusing on.  One of my husband's cousins was talking to him about dealing with ADD and a support group that she goes to recommended that you look through a small tube to help you focus on where to concentrate, for example when cleaning.  I think it's great advice and I need to follow it!

Patience and taking time to enjoy my activities are two things that I really need to work on.

Amy

Thursday, January 13, 2011

My Blog

I feel like I am constantly writing about my diet and lack of will power, my addiction to all things that I shouldn't be eating, my inability to follow through with the things that I set out to do.  I started this blog because I wanted to make healthy lifestyle changes.  I wanted to eat more whole foods, more healthy foods.  I wanted to live a more green lifestyle.  I wanted to enjoy my love of crafting and homemade items.  Have I followed through with these things?  Yes and no.  Fortunately I still strive for these things.  Unfortunately, I still strive with what feels like little luck. 
  1. Diet- I really want to be a vegan.  Lately, I am really not enjoying meat at all.  I seem to be ok with eating things like hamburger, but actual chicken, beef, and pork seem to just churn my stomach.  I haven't eaten meat since Saturday when we had steak that I really didn't enjoy (I really thought I would).  I did eat a taco salad tonight which was bad on more than one front, but I am moving on.  I really need to eliminate the foods that I think I have an allergy/intolerance to.  Now my kids may be facing similar allergies, only theirs may be more involved than mine.  For me, I tend to get digestive issues and maybe some nasal issues, but my kids are having issues with ENT stuff, like fluid in their ears and maybe enlarged adenoids and/or tonsils.  I am cooking more at home and eating out less.  I am eating a little healthier.  I really need to continue on the healthier track with my diet.
  2. Living Green-I guess I am doing ok at that.  I re-cycle.  I am trying to re-purpose clothing and free-cycle for things so that I am not buying things new all the time.  We were composting, but since the winter is here, we really haven't been able to get the composter open easily.  I really wish we should start composting again.  I am trying to use my veggie peelings, my veggie ends, etc for things like soup stock.  That way I am making my own, I am not throwing away useful food, and I know what is in there.
  3. Crafting and Homemade Items- I really need to focus more on this.  I spend one night a week with a friend to craft, but I never quite plan enough ahead of time so I never have a project (out of the million that I have that i want to do) ready to work on.  I am still buying things at stores(which I wanted to limit).  My twins second birthday is coming up and my older son will be three one and a half months later.  I still haven't made them a quilt.  I still haven't started their birthday gifts (the twins birthday is in a week and a half).  I wanted to start donating crafty things and haven't even thought about that, ok I have thought about it but have done nothing about it!
  4. Organizing- I still need to get myself organized.  I am getting better, but it seems like everytime I make headway, something happens and I fall behind.  Sometimes it feels like one step forward two steps back.  I still need to get better at having a plan in place.  Most of this means keeping the house neat and orderly.
  5. Exercise (weight loss)- I haven't done much exercising since the summer.  I still chase after teh kids, but that's just not enough.  I need to make time to exercise so that I can be healthy for me and my family.  I hope that when the nice weather comes, I'll be more likely to get out with the kids.  I can't wait though.  I need to find something now!
At least I have down what i need to work on and I want to work on it.  It would be really bad if I just have the energy or the desire to work on it!  I'll just keep plugging away and maybe, just maybe some day I'll get there!

Amy

Monday, January 10, 2011

Stevia

I love stevia.  I am trying to get away from sugar and for me this is the best way I know how.  I am really trying hard to eliminate all forms of artificial sugars in my diet too.  Years ago, I used to own a recipe book on cooking with stevia.  Unfortunately, as I was trimming down, I got rid of it.  Now that I am trying to get my heath back, I wish I had it.  I've been using KAL brand powdered stevia, but I was reading http://citylifeeats.com/ blog and she talked about NuNaturals brand of stevia, especially liquid stevia (she is also doing a give away of NuNaturals which I would love to win).  I want to try that next.  Unfortunately, we just bought a new bottle of KAL powdered stevia, but on my list to try next is NuNaturals liquid stevia. 

Does anyone else use stevia?  Any good recipes or tips on using it in things other than in beverages?

Amy

Who Am I? Food/Diet Related

To continue with the "Who Am I?" theme, I decided to write a little about my diet/foods I like to eat and foods that I should eat versus foods that I shouldn't eat.  I've written a lot about wanting to eat a more vegan diet.  There are many reasons for this some of which include but are not limited to: health, food intolerances, and animal cruelty.  I have been eating a lot of beans lately, not to say that I haven't had my share of junk food and I wondered if I had a big juicy steak, would I still want to eat beans?  This weekend, my husband decided that he would like to have a piece of steak.  We also thought that maybe the kids needed to have a bit of meat protein.  So, Saturday we went to a large butcher store.  I would much rather have eaten a more healthy version of steak, but this is what we can afford right now.  We went home and cooked it and it was pretty much cooked perfect.  I was good, but I definitely didn't get that "OH MY GOD" feeling when I ate it.  For me, that is a good thing.  I was a little afraid that if I ate a good piece of steak, I would be done for.  I have had a ham in my freezer that one of the neighborhood ladies gave to us.  I wanted to use it before it went bad because I forgot about it so I threw it in the crock pot today and I timed it so it would be ready for me to take to work.  I have absolutely no desire to eat it.  I actually took left over beans and butternut squash casserole type dish to work for dinner.  I have had a huge cheese and bread craving though.  I am working my way through eating a more healthy diet and in the process I am hoping to lose a few pounds.  I did make vegan cupcakes, so healthier, but still junk food.  I am going to eat some baked brie and crackers.  I am resolved to get my eating under control and hopefully, I can do the whole gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free diet.  I am also trying to cut out sugar, especially refined sugars.  The cupcakes that I made today are so not refined sugar free, but I can't waste food and I stupidly bought white sugar and white flour over the holidays for holiday baking.  Small steps right?  I will get there, it just may take me a few wrong turns and a few twists in the road, but my diet will ultimately be the way I want it to be!

Amy

Flirty Apron Swap

I just signed up for my second apron swap over atr http://flirtyapronswap.blogspot.com/.  I was so looking forward to doing this again.  I kept check the blog to see when registration opened and now it has.  This swap is going to be a Valentine's/baking theme.  I am so excited that I had a hard time choosing what kind of apron I wanted.  I am hoping to do a half apron this time and hoping to get a little more adventurous in the design.  Last time, I said that I didn't mind waht style apron I got, and I got a really nice half apron, which I love.  This time, however, I asked for a full apron.  I am thinking that I will change my style each swap, especially since I can't ever really decide which one I like best.  And, if I can remember, I will post a picture of my lovely apron from my last swap.  Have I mentioned yet that I love swaps!  Some of my facebook friends think I'm crazy for doing swaps, but I really love it and with 3 little ones, crafting/creating is my therapy/stress relief.

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Amy

Friday, January 7, 2011

Who Am I?

This post is more for me to think about who I am and what do I believe in.  It's really a post for me that I am sharing with anyone who reads this.  I think it is really important for all of us to, every once in a while, sit down and think about who were are and what we want out of life.  I think sometimes life just gets so busy that we forget our goals and belief systems and I for one, feel like I often need a reminder and a lilttle slap to re-focus me  back to where I want to be.

Who Am I?

I am a 37.5 (yes, I am being fairly exact) year old married female with 3 kids, 1 boy and a set of girl/boy twins.  I dated my husband for almost 14 years before we got married, and he was well worth the wait.  I have a graduate degree in Social Work and as much  I am happy that I have it, I'm not sure that it is my true passion. 

I love being a mom and I love that I am able to stay at home with my 3 kids.  I wish I could get myself into a better routine so that I don't feel like I am floundering trying to come up with ideas on how to keep them busy and get them to learn the things that they should be learning as well as keeping my house in order.  Since the new year started, I have been doing better.  I still need a lot of work to get my house in order.  I hate housework and I'm sure that I put it off, finding other things to do instead.

I love the whole idea of a natural holistic life, but sometimes I get to caught up in taking the easy way out, that I don't always follow through with my ideals.  I want to make sure that I use as few chemicals in my life as possible, especially when it comes to my and my family's body and environment.  I am try to use better quality body products, or even make my own.  I am trying to cook all our meals and snacks from scratch rather than buy processed items.  I am trying to use natural products, as long as they clean well, in my house cleaning.  I really need to make time to exercise, even though I hate it!  I need to make time to meditate and do yoga.  I want to learn more about herbs and essential oils and how they can benefit us in everyday life.  That is definitely one of my passions!

One of my other passions is being creative.  I love to make things!  I love taking something like a plain piece of paper, material, yarn, and make something beautiful and useful out of it.  I love the idea of handmade items versus commercialized products that everyone has.  I love learning new creative outlets.  I have not enough time to spend on all the things that I love to do.  I want to sew more, knit more, make more cards, scrapbook more.  I love anything creative.  There are so many creative avenues that I want to explore!

I really love to cook.  I don't always love to eat everything I cook and I absolutely hate to clean after cooking, but I love to make food!  I love cookbooks.  I love cooking shows.  I love trying new recipes.My new goal is to cook and eat healthy.  I am trying to be a little more adventurous in how and what I cook.  I want to cook more vegan/vegetarian foods, but sometimes I just want a huge hunk of steak!  I am trying to eliminate dairy, wheat, and gluten as well as refined sugars from my diet.  I believe that I have an intolerance, at least, to dairy and wheat/gluten and I just want to eliminate the refined sugars because they are just plain not good for you.  I am doing better with this goal, but still have a long way to go. I can't wait for the nice weather so that we can start our garden and have fresh food from our garden.  I will be better at planning out meals this year so that we can use what we have instead of running to the store!

 I really want to re-purpose/up-cycle more.  I want to lessen my carbon footprint by either making something myself or reusing things in a new way.  I really want to stop spending my money at stores where the items are made outside of this country.  Along with that, I would love to start eating with the seasons, so that I eat local foods not foods that are shipped in from South America or even California or Florida.

I love my family!  I love spending time with them.  I can't even remotely imagine my life without my husband or my kids.  This is the life I was meant to have.  I know that there is more about me to write, but if anyone reads this, it's already too long.

I wish I could make a living at my passions, but at least right now I can't.  That is not to say that in the future, I won't be able to find a way to include my passions into my work.  I'm sure that there will be more posts likes this, especially when I find that I am not living up to my beliefs and not enjoying my passions like I should be!

Amy

Monday, January 3, 2011

New Year's Resolutions

I read a fellow blogger's post about New Year's Resolutions and really liked what she wrote about.  She wrote that she will be making New Year's decisions vs resolutions.  Just the word change makes it more likely that one will stick with their decisions vs resolutions.  This year, I too will be making decisions instead of resolutions.  They may take time to actually accomplish, but my plan is to go slow and make these changes stick vs doing it all at once and finding that I do well for a short time, but it's just not something that I can carry out all at once.

My Decisions For The New Year

  • I will plan all my meals so that I cook healthy meals for me and my family and save money by only buying what I need
  • I will eat take out less often
  • I will start exercising so that I can be healthy
  • I will get my life organized so that I can feel less like a crazy person and enjoy my days with my family
  • I will make time to create both with and with out the kids
  • I will make sure that I keep a clean organized house
  • I will feed my body things that are good for it not things that make me feel sick
  • I will plan out a schedule so I can make sure that the kids get everything that they need,  physical exercise, mental stimulation, and also quiet time!
  • I will stop watching so much junk TV
  • I will start making more household products, beauty products, and most definitely cook my own food
I have a feeling that there are more things that I want to change, but for now that list is quite extensive.  Small steps make big changes!

What are your New Year's Decisions?

Amy