One Little Word for 2013

This year's word snuck up on me. I wasn't expecting it. It took a while for me to recognize it, to acknowledge it, to accept it. It sounds so....not me. And then I thought, "maybe that's the point". The One Little Word that has chosen me for 2013 is ACTION.

Here's the post that really got me thinking this word was choosing me.

I still need to spend some time with this word to discover what it really means to me. Maybe that process will take all year. I don't know. So far, I know it means moving my body and exercising (a continuation of HEALTH, my OLW for 2012).  I know it means finishing some projects around the house. It means doing more than watching TV in the evenings. It means following through with some expectations for my kids (think chore chart, from 2011's OLW- CALM).

...see how these words never really go away, how they complement and bolster each other? I just love that.

I can't wait to find out what else ACTION will come to mean to me this coming year.
Do you have a guiding word or make resolutions for the New Year? I'd love the hear about it!

Thankful Thursday 10/11/12

As I mentioned a few days ago, reinstating my Thankful Thursday posts is one way I can work towards my goal of health, my One Little Word for this year.

I am thankful for our neighbors. It is so nice for my kids to have so many friends living next door, and the hubs and I have made new friends, too. We all end up hanging out or doing something together at least once a week!

 

I am thankful for my Kindle Fire. Seriously, I just love that thing. Everyone else in the house loves it too- I barely have a chance to use it these days!

 

I am thankful that my youngest daughter is discovering a love for Harry Potter! She's been an avid reader for quite a while now, but I think it's exciting that we'll get to have discussions about some of my favorite characters ever.

 

I am thankful that my husband was able to buy a new guitar. He's patiently waited for one for over a year, and I love listening to him play in the evenings.

I love the sense of fulfillment and gratitude this practice cultivates. Definitely good for my mental health!

Update on One Little Word 2012: Health

I didn't follow through with my One Little Word album this year, but I have been reflecting this past week on what I have accomplished toward my goal of health. Some things were deliberate, and some just luck. What else can I do in these last few months of the year?

Physical health- Through some rough medical treatments, time, and a little luck, I am now in remission from Meniere's disease and Relapsing Polychondritis. I returned to work in December of last year. I have worked hard to lose over 50 pounds so far, and have been able to discontinue two of my medications. Good progress here!

Mental health- Feeling good physically has definitely helped my mental outlook as well. I can't think of anything I've really put into practice to help in this area. To do: re-establish weekly "Thankful Thursday" posts. This is such a great way to keep perspective.

Relationship health- I think I've done a great job here this year. My family and I took a long-anticipated vacation to Disney World this past spring, and we all had a great time! We made some great memories that will last for years to come. I (only partially willingly) took a new position at work, and I've worked for months to accept the realities of my new job. Some of the benefits are that I am able to establish a different sort of relationship with the families I support, and build new professional connections as well. My husband and I just celebrated our 12 year anniversary with a quick get-away. We considered various locations, but in the end we consciously spent our time at a secluded cabin. This trip was about US, not about doing stuff.

Financial health- I admit, the report is not so great here. Sure, we're paying all the bills and afforded a couple of vacations this year, but our savings is still stagnant. To do: make a plan to boost up that account a little- E-bay? Making and selling cards or crochet projects? Yard sale?

I have three more months to focus on health, and I'm looking forward to what I can accomplish. I hope that health continues to linger in my mind, as calm (my One Little Word from 2011) has thus far. A few ideas are percolating pertaining to next year's word, too! Some seem obvious to me, but one or two words caught me by surprise but are persistently creeping into my conscious- one of these words keeps popping up in my blog posts. Can you guess what it is?

Do you have a special word or quote that helps move you forward?

Procrastination?

For most of my life, I have been a doer. Get it done now. No time like the present.

Then I hit my mid-30's and something changed. I slowed down and relaxed my sense of urgency. While that's really just a nice way of saying I'm now a major procrastinator, it is true that letting go of, or at least putting off,  not-so-important tasks has helped me cultivate calm.

Today I realized something equally important. Letting go is only good until the undone tasks start to create stress instead of relieve it.

Case in point:
We painted our living room several months ago. I bought new furniture and lamps, and had a vague plan for the wall space over the couch. This is what that area looks like today:

Yep. Still bare. This has been really bugging me for the past few weeks. So much so, that every time I look at that wall I scowl. Not good. The time for procrastination is over. Today I started painting some things I know I want on the wall, and put out a call to Facebook friends for a couple of other items I want. Action feels good.

To maintain my momentum, I am returning to one of my favorite organizational techniques, list making. I am trying something new and making my list time-sensitive by putting my to-do tasks on our family calendar. Everything won't get done at once, but I have a visual prompt to keep chipping away, and a reference that assures me there is light at the end of the tunnel. To maintain calm, I am admitting up front that my schedule may need tweaked now and then to accommodate changes to the kids' schedule (think extra dance practice before their parade in November), and the unplannable, such as my niece who is due in a week or so! Notice I said tweaked, not abandoned!

Are you a procrastinator? If so, are you good with that, or do you find ways to keep yourself going?

Losing my Passion

As I was sitting on my front porch today watching all the neighborhood kids run around, relishing these last few weeks of outdoors time, I found myself being a little jealous of their joy. Their energy. Their passion.

I have had a lot of good things happen this year. I moved into a new position at work. I've been healthy. I've lost weight. Took a great family trip to Disney World. But I seem to have lost my passion for a lot of things I once treasured. Some of those things I can live without, and chalk it up to "people change". But some things I don't WANT to let go...taking photos, scrapbooking, blogging about more than book reviews, my role as family memory-keeper. I dropped Project 365 and only got two months in to my One Little Word project. I have only scrapped through September 2011, and have not yet printed any photos from 2012. What gives?

While I feel a tinge of disappointment, mostly I feel an awakening. A welcoming of possibilities. An excitement to recommit to these things I love. I've enjoyed browsing for some new products that might help me simplify my memory-keeping, like Project Life. I'm gathering up supplies to start prepping my December Daily project. I've ordered last year's pictures for my girls' school albums. I have two meaningful blog posts written and scheduled.

Action feels good.

Have you had a similar experience? Lost your passion and joy for something you truly love? How did you re-ignite that spark?

One Little Word: January 2012

Last month's assignment included completing a few written prompts. Reflecting on our word and why we chose it, what we hope to gain through it...

My word for the year is health.
I am using a circle motif and shades of red and gray to carry me through the year and add cohesion to my album.

Paper- Creative Memories
Stamps- Unity
Ink- Adirondak

One Little Word for 2012

Ali Edward's concept of One Little Word has totally changed the way I think about New Year's Resolutions. I don't make a list anymore, although I could... lose weight, save more money, blog more, plan a family vacation, go on more dates with my husband....

My word for 2011 was chosen from a short list that all had potential to guide me through the year. 2012's word practically screamed at me! 

My poor physical health this past year certainly had something to do with my choice, but as I really thought about this word, I realized it was perfect for so many more reasons, and it can have so many more meanings... physical, mental/spiritual, financial, relationships...

This past year I thought about my word a lot, blogged about it, and even took some action. But I wanted more. More ways to incorporate it into my life, more ways to document my journey with my word, and more accountability. So I am  taking a class (led by Ali) that will give me monthly prompts and assignments, plus a group of women who are also documenting their word for 2012.

I can't wait to create and share my One Little Word scrapbook! Do you have a special word for 2012?

Revisiting CALM

Lately I have been contemplating my “One Little Word” for 2012 and it occurred to me that it’s been a long while since I talked about CALM, this year’s word.

As many of you know, the past several months have brought me serious health problems and an inability to work. Stressful stuff on many levels. Besides being ill, I worried about finances and how my children were coping. Not really calm-inducing thoughts. Despite all this, I did find some ways to reduce stress and deal with life. Panic was kept to a minimum and we all made it. In the midst of all the uncertainty and fear, here is what helped me cultivate CALM as much as possible:

Do what you love. For me this meant reading and scrapbooking when I felt up to it. My sister set up a small scrapbooking area for me on the first floor of our house so I wouldn’t need to climb stairs to my craft room. Hubs took me to the library almost every week so I was always well-stocked with reading material. I spent a lot of time on Goodreads, looking for new books and authors.

Get it out. Writing and talking about things really helped me. I even had an article published concerning being a parent with a chronic illness.

Don’t isolate yourself. My health kept me from many normal activities, but I did manage a weekend with my college girlfriends, a brief visit with my coworkers, and a few family get-togethers.

Ask for help. This is not easy for many people, but being honest about my limitations and allowing people to help was one of the best moves I made during my illness. Child care, running errands, cleaning, and meal preparation were all things I couldn’t do by myself. I found that being specific about my needs gave me some control over my life but still allowed for people to help.

Seek out a support group. In addition to family and close friends, I belong to an on-line support group comprised of other individuals with my rare autoimmune disorder. Venting to people who have been there can be very cathartic!

Get professional help. When my daughters were struggling and worried that I might die, I was fairly clueless about how to help them. A few visits with a counselor gave me some good ideas and peace of mind. I found a way to balance the truth with reassurance.

CALM was definitely a challenge this year, and it wasn’t always possible. That’s ok.

“That which does not kill me makes me stronger”. -- Nietzsche

Friday Faves 9/9/11 (Organize It!)

I have always been into organizing stuff. From an early age, I have been addicted to calendars, highlighters, file folders... all manner of office supply flotsam.

As the years have gone by, I admit to slipping a little. I have (more than) a little of my mother's piling habits. If you're a piler, you know what I mean! Piles of bills on the hutch, piles of kids' papers on the coffee table, piles of recipes in a shoebox. 

I have a lot of time at home right now, so I thought it was a good opportunity to revamp some of my household systems and getting a better hold on CALM.  I started by compiling a list of the main areas I wanted to focus on:

bills/finances

medical information

recipes

kids' papers

I could really go on and on, and probably will at some point, but as with any large project, you will be more successful if you break it down into small steps and prevent yourself from being overwhelmed.

The internet is such a vast resource for all things organizational. Ideas for organizing anything abound, and if you look in the right places, the information can be had for free! I've listed some of my favorite resources that pertain to the above categories, and some brief ideas on where I'm headed with my particular systems.

Home Management Notebook

Organizing Your Way has a great post on supplies, categories, and uses for a home management notebook. I am definitely creating one of these. I am in the beginning planning stages, and still deciding on my categories. So far I think it will include sections for bill paying/budget, one for each kid (activity schedules, school menu, etc.), information for babysitters, websites and passwords, and contacts.This is a great post because it has free printables for your binder.

Medical Information

As a lot of you know, my health problems have been especially troublesome lately. Making the rounds to several new specialists, and having to recount my history and tests results to each of them is simply exhausting, and often an incomplete endeavor. I had read a magazine article a while back about organizing medical records digitally, and it appealed to me at the time. I really wish I had ripped out that article! But, it was sitting in a doctor's waiting room, so I left it for the next patient. But I did start snooping around the internet, and will be exploring these options:

Organizing Life has downloadable forms that can be put into a binder for general information, or they may be good if you don't have any complex issues. I may use a few of these in my Home Management Notebook.

Paper Doll reviews some digital options, including flash drives and on-line services. I had intended to check out GoogleHealth, but when I checked out the link, I discovered this service will be discontinued in January 2012. Bummer. I may end up just creating files on my hard drive and scanning test results, etc.

Kids' Papers
 "I'm an Organizing Junkie" is quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs for all things organizing. This post has some great links from elsewhere in blogland.

Here are some good tips from Housekeeping.about.com:
For younger children’s artwork and papers, consider creating a Weekly Wall of Fame from a bulletin board in their room or study areas. Every week or so, tack up some of the work they bring home from school. Papers can then be sorted to what needs to be filed and what can safely be tossed.
Keep only the important cards. Birthday cards, invitations, and thank you cards can quickly overwhelm your storage places. Try to keep only the cards that really mean something special to you.

Some papers my girls bring home will go into my Home Management Notebook, but things like artwork and daily worksheets really overwhelm me.  Some tips I employ include:
Take photos of large or special art projects and keep the pics in a scrapbook or other photo-storage system. I keep a "School Days" album for each of my girls, and each school year has a 2-page spread dedicated to pictures of them with their art projects.

I keep only a few worksheets per year for the kids' scrapbooks. They get three report cards per year, which of course I save. Getting those report cards is a good reminder for me to choose a paper or two to keep- this way I get samples from the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.

A majority of the papers the kids bring home are one-sided. Instead of throwing out all that paper, I use the blank side for household computer printing or for the kids to color on. Saves money and natural resources!

Recipes
I have long used menu planning to organize my grocery shopping and dinners. My recipes, on the other hand, are out of control! I have them stashed in a recipe box and binders. I have stacks of cookbooks and magazines. In addition, I have recipes saved on my computer and on Pinterest.  I am still debating what system to use, but I am leaning towards a large 3-ring binder. I really need to spend some time paring down before I commit, though.  Again, I'm an Organizing Junkie has tons of ideas and resources for this project.

I recently read a blog post that mentioned Springpad. I haven't done anything more than bookmark the site to check into later, but apparently you can save and organize recipes (among tons of other things) on it, and access it from your smart phone. I can see how this would come in handy at the grocery store!

I will keep you updated on my organizing efforts... Please share any tips or organizing projects you are working on!

Related articles

• "Piling" is a perfectly acceptable form of organization, no matter what the Social Worker says. (mandythompson.com)
• Organizing Your Financial Paperwork (wisebread.com)
• Those CRAZY Coupons! (bizzeebmommies.wordpress.com)
• Menu Planning Week 35 (reflectionsbyrebekah.blogspot.com)

Menu Planning Week 36

Menu planning is a great organizational tool and really helps beats the "What's for dinner?" rush. 

I find it almost essential to my daily quest towards CALM.

Join us at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" for Menu Plan Monday!

Monday- Happy Labor Day!
Cookout with my family.

Tuesday-

• chicken pot pie
• mashed potatoes

Wednesday-

• leftovers 

Thursday- 

• French Toast Casserole
• sausage links

Friday-

• Frozen pizza (Mama Cozzi's brand from Aldi's- about $2.50 each!) 

Saturday-

• Diet Coke Chicken (Recipe from "The Crock Pot Girls" on FaceBook, see below)
• rice 
• asparagus

Sunday-

•  Frito Texas Meatloaf  (this was on last week's menu, but we were invited to my dad's instead. So on to this week's menu!)
• Mixed vegetables
  

Diet Coke Chicken

4 chicken breasts 

one cup diet coke

one cup salsa 

Poor everything over chicken; set to low and cook til dinner time (8 hours). The chicken shreds and is tender and yummy.

Menu Planning Week 35

Menu planning is a great organizational tool and really helps beats the "What's for dinner?" rush. 

I find it almost essential to my daily quest towards CALM.
This week I don't have a full list, as I will be out of town for a couple of days.

Join us at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" for Menu Plan Monday!

Monday- (breakfast for dinner day)

• Breakfast Burritos with Fritos (This is a really basic recipe- I omit the ham, and add browned ground sausage, as well as chopped onions and green peppers. You can change it up as desired, but the Fritos really make a difference)
• Hashbrowns

Tuesday- 

• Lasagna, frozen (from Gordon Food Service)
• Garlic Bread

Wednesday-

• Fritos Texas Meatloaf (using the remaining chips from Monday) **NEW RECIPE**
• Veggie mix- broccoli, carrots and cauliflower
• Fresh tomato slices

Thursday-
Fast Food :( Hubs and I will be traveling out of town for my consultation at the Cleveland Clinic.

Friday-
Ditto.

Saturday-

• Tuna-stuffed Tomatoes **NEW RECIPE- see below**
• Corn on the Cob

Sunday-

• BBQ Pork Chops
• Crescent rolls
• Mashed potatoes   

Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes

4 large tomatoes

2 5oz. cans solid white tuna, drained

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

2 Tbs. capers, roughly chopped

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. With a sharp knife, slice a very thin piece off the bottom and 1/4 inch off the top of each tomato. Scoop out seeds and pulp. Roughly chop pulp and tomato bottoms and place in large bowl.

2. Add the tuna, celery, capers, oil, vinegar, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper, toss to combine. Fold in the parsley.

3. Spoon the tuna mixture into the tomatoes.

People Who Have it Together

Food for thought today….

Do you know people who never seem to have their feathers ruffled? Do you panic when your day’s plans change, or play it by ear? Wish you were better about “going with the flow”? I found this list of characteristics that describe the “together” person. I know I, for one, can use a few of these ideas in my quest for “calm”,

my One Little Word for2011.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT TOGETHER HAVE…

Self Awareness

These people know who they are. They know their abilities and strengths, what they are capable of doing, and how to accomplish it.

Confidence

They lack fear.

Self-Worth

This is most often evidenced by their focus, not on themselves but on those they serve and work with.

A Sense of Urgency

This means a “divine impatience” about everything they do.

A Strong Sense of Personal Mission

There is a vision of what needs to be done and a passion and focus about doing it.

Awareness and Respect for Their Own Uniqueness

They don’t compare themselves to others or worry about what they’re not. Their focus is on what they are.

A Consistency to Their Lives

They are not tossed to and fro with every new idea or opportunity or change of events.

A Sense of Calmness and Serenity

They are often people who can keep their heads when all about them are losing theirs.

~Hyrum W. Smith

(Condensed from “What Matters Most: The Power of Living Your Values”)

Related articles

• Achieving Calm, One Decision at a Time (reflectionsbyrebekah.blogspot.com)
• my paper brain (desertrecluse.wordpress.com)

Achieving Calm, One Decision at a Time

I thought it was time for an update on how I'm doing with my "calm" resolution. As my One Little Word for 2011, I sometimes struggle to keep that thought at the front of my mind. Reflecting on the past couple of weeks, I am realizing more and more that calm is not something to be achieved by a life-altering change or major overhaul of anything. It comes in the day to day moments and little decisions that I consciously make. I am in charge of my behavior and reactions. Here's a few examples:

• My youngest daughter came home with a huge pile of stories and pictures she had done at school over the past few months. She scattered them all over the coffee table. I left them there for about a week, intending to go through each one and decide on a couple to keep for her scrapbook. The mess was getting to me, and the pending task was sounding less and less fun. I ended up throwing the whole lot into the recycle bin. I already have some of her work saved, and I'm sure she'll be bringing home more. Such a little thing that I let add to my stress. No more! Done.
• This past weekend I let the dinner dishes sit and played a board game with my family instead. Now, leaving a dirty kitchen is nothing new here, but this time I honestly let it go, guilt and obsession-free. I made a conscious decision to spend time with my family versus cleaning, and let myself feel good about that decision.
• I stayed out of a conversation on FaceBook that really had me riled up. The discussion was not appropriate for FaceBook, so I let it go.
• The hubs and I had tickets to go to a hockey game. We had an overnight babysitter for the kids, and people were expecting us. When it came down to it, neither of us really felt like going. Normally I would have insisted we go anyway, out of some sort of sense of duty or obligation. After a brief discussion, we spent the evening together, just us, instead. Went out to dinner and watched a movie at home. We even held hands! Definitely worth it, and it built up my "calm" stores.
• One morning last week we were rushing around as usual to get to the bus on time. My youngest daughter had put on a very interesting outfit, one I normally would in NO way let her wear to school. Normally I would freak a little and insist she change, making us even later and more stressed. But it was clean and weather-appropriate, so I took and deep breath and said, "Whatever. It's fine". And meant it. 

Image source: Found by Google Image search. URL  http://www.reformschoolrules.com/pc/barbkskpcalm/art101/Keep+Calm+And+Carry+On+Poster

How are you doing with your New Year's resolutions?

Family Chore Charts

Clutter makes me nuts. Dirty dishes in the sink make me nuts. Piles of laundry make me nuts. Doing all the household chores makes me nuts AND wears me out. What's a calm-seeking girl to do?

I admit we've tried a family chore chart before. It lasted for about a week, then everyone (including me) started ignoring it. This year I took a different approach. Instead of mommy/meanie/ogre handing out assignments, we sat down as a family and agreed upon specific duties, frequency, and when things are to be done. We also agreed that the assignments can be flexible to an extent.  Hopefully this will help everyone be more accountable. I found a few printable charts at the Family Fun website.

In some families, children earn an allowance for doing chores. Justin and I have always held the belief that taking care of our home is everyone's responsibility. It is expected and required from every family member. So our kids don't get an allowance for regular chores. We hope that by assigning specific duties, we are teaching our girls responsibility, time management skills, teamwork, and pride. These are more important than money! My personal added bonus is less stress and more time for things I actually enjoy doing!

How are household tasks divided up in your family? What are your feelings on allowances? I'd love to hear from you!

Related articles

• Make Conquering Housework a Habit with the 1-Minute Rule [Housework] (lifehacker.com)
• Whatever your style, devise system for keeping a clean house (commercialappeal.com)
• Age Appropriate Chores for Children (brighthub.com)

Ten "Stops" for 2011

One day as I was contemplating "calm", my One Little Word, I was thinking about the "less" part of of my calmness vision...less clutter, less stress, etc. I ran across the perfect blog post from Deva Coaching about letting go of things to improve your life. I am taking a few of hers and adding some of my own ideas here...

1. STOP sitting at my desk for more than an hour at a time. Get up and stretch!
2. STOP checking email in the evening. Spend that time with family instead.
3. STOP slacking off. If you say you're going to do something, do it!!
4. STOP worrying so much. Instead, dream about what you DO want.
5. STOP letting a rough morning determine my mood for the rest of the day.
6. STOP the need for perfection.
7. STOP doing all the housework. (More on a family chore chart later.)
8. STOP wasting time in front of the TV.
9. STOP thinking "if only"... make the changes you want to see!
10. STOP putting crafting/creating at the BOTTOM of my to-do list.

Sometimes stopping something sounds easier than starting something, or adding something. Are there things you can let go of? Will it be easy or difficult?

Resolutions in One Little Word

For those of you who know me and my blog, you also know that I find Ali Edwards to be a huge source of inspiration. She has a concept called "One Little Word" that invites you to choose a word for the year and reflect, plan, and create around it. I started musing about a word for 2011 by reflecting on 2010.

This past year has been: chaotic, inspirational, terrifying, pride-swelling, busy, depressing, fun, challenging.... I could go on and on! But in a word, exhausting to both body and spirit. I need a change. I need calm. 

To me, calm would mean:

• a doable and less stressful morning routine
• pleasant family evenings together
• no life-threatening diseases, operations, or accidents
• less financial stress
• energy and time to create
• a less cluttered house
• less stuff, period.

I am seeking calm in my everydays and in the big moments, too. So much of this calm is within my power to claim, if I only work at it. So in lieu of a list of New Year's Resolutions, I am making just one-- Create calm whenever possible, and seek inner calmness when circumstances are out of my control.