I love the holidays, but it sure is nice to get back to a regular routine. And it sure is nice that school doesn't start up again until the 10th, so I have time to be home and get things done. And play with the family.
Since I don't have a bucket list, do I do New Year's Resolutions? Not really. I just check out how I'm doing on my regular, eternal goals (usually the same for fitness, Spirituality, talent development, and finances year after year) and see if there is anything new I want to add. Haven't thought of anything new for this year yet.
But the new year does mean I try to organize a little more. Some things I found online and on Pinterest are helping me there this year. I do a little bit of flylady (focus area is front entryand dining room this week) and now I've signed up for a 52 week home organization challenge at http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/kitchen-organization.html where they will send me an email each week with some area to organize. We're working in the kitchen right now. I also have a 14 day house cleaning and organizing email that's coming in from Ask Anna (http://www.askannamoseley.com/). The house is looking pretty good right now...at least the public areas are...and I want to keep it that way and get more done in the usually unseen places like drawers and closets and laundry room.
I'm working on finances a bit to get ready to submit our tax return form. I am especially happy to be doing this now because in less than 2 weeks our mortgage will be paid off (it would have been paid off in 2011 but there is a new rule that you have to order your closing papers and they take about 8 business days to arrive--don't know if the rule is Wells Fargo's or the State's). Sigh of relief. It took us just shy of 19 years to do it.
It was actually funny when we told the kids. They were all like, "Wow, we're going to have money now." Uh, no. Money needs to go into fixing up the house plus this fall we will have 3 kids in college (yikes!). "What do you mean Mom?" Well, we need a new car, a new roof, and some new carpeting, and a new floor in the kitchen and dining room, etc. "New floor? Our floor's just fine." No, it isn't, first off, I've hated it ever since we got the house as it looks dirty even after it's just been mopped and it has cuts in it. "Nah uh." So I point out about 4 cuts in the dining room and 5 in the kitchen. "Those must be new! I've never noticed them before." No, some of them are older than you are. --Which helps to explain why a messy room doesn't seem to bother her...she must not notice that she's stepping over piles of clothes and books to get around her room.
Anyway, since we got our house so long ago, our mortgage really wasn't that high anyway. I know someone with over 4 times the mortgage I have (ours was $637/month plus taxes and insurance). So, it's a relief, and I'm thrilled, but we will not be turning into jetsetters.
I did think of one thing I'd like to figure out this year is how to balance play and work. I would like to "play" and not feel guilty about it. I would like to know how much work is enough and how much play is right. I want to be productive and not just busy. (see Middle-Aged Mormon Man post and a post on Smith Family Ice Cream Scoop).
So, when I'm on Pinterest and looking at new ideas is that work (because I actually am using the ideas I find) or is it play? It's definitely fun.
Same old goals, still hoping to achieve them:
read/study scriptures daily by myself and with the family
ditto for prayer
watch the budget and be prepared for retirement
work on food storage and preparedness
continue family history research
work on improving my Spanish and piano playing
eat healthily and exercise
read good books
have house (almost) always presentable
help my children to be ready to be out on their own
serve
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