BALANCE, EXACTNESS, FOCUS

Kaia and Beck made a giant paper boat during Christmas break. It was so awesome! Did I tell you how much I enjoyed Christmas break? It was a first for me. I was actually a little sad to see the kids go back to school today. Well, that is, until Gabe decided to throw a cup of water on Zoe this morning while they were getting ready for school. The ensuing water fight created the need for 3 of my 4 children to change into dry clothes before school and in less than 15 minutes... yeah. Beck was still asleep at that point or I'm sure he would've been wet too! Vacation's over! Hooray for school!

For weeks now, I've been thinking about my "New Years Resolutions" and "Word of the Year".  I love January. I love the feeling of starting something new, changing for the better, resolving to improve; however, I'm not always so good at following through. (Yeah, don't LAUGH!)

Last year my word was DISCIPLINE -- although I achieved many personal and financial goals in this area (by the way, I totally failed at the "NO SHOPPING" thing), I feel like this word wasn't exactly what I needed. Maybe FOCUS would have been a better one. I don't want to be perfect and give myself a list of strict "No's". I want to be balanced and give myself more allowances and rewards, even, for goals achieved; more "Yes, as soon as I finish this" sort of thing.

I heard a great quote a few weeks ago:

"If nothing changes, nothing changes."

A bit like the Albert Einstein "definition of insanity" quote, but to me, it's more concise and for some reason, much more profound.

This year, it's not one "word of the year" per se, 
it's more like a mantra.

When I look back, I've actually done a lot of great things in my life. I just want to feel more PEACE and SATISFACTION and PROGRESS. This year, I will use BALANCE and EXACTNESS and FOCUS in the way I do things. Now you might think balance sounds a bit contradicting or out of place with exactness and focus... "let me 'splain":

Balance in how much and when and why I do things:

• I decide what is right for me -- when and how and why.
• Not too much play, not too much work, not too much crazy, but a balance. (I know I cannot totally control all of this, but I'm going to control what I can -- I always get myself way in over my head with obligations and commitments.) Part of this balance is FUN for me -- as in, I gave myself permission to be on Pinterest again. Done.

Mosiah 4:27 "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in wisdom and order."

Exactness in how I do things:

• doing things right
• finishing what I start
• sticking to my plan
• following up each week on my progress

This scripture keeps popping in my head over the last few months: Alma 57:21 "Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with EXACTNESS; yeah, and even according to their faith it was done unto them..."

Focus on what is truly important:

• family (show love everyday)
• health (physical, spiritual, and emotional) 
• finances (use exactness and restraint to achieve financial goals)

BALANCE, EXACTNESS, FOCUS

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I'll let you know how I'm doing in a week... if I can focus that long.

"Word of the Year" Pillows...

Yesterday's bang-cutting fiasco turned out alright... I'll post pictures later. Maybe. :) This morning I have to go in for my annual OBGYN checkup, YUCKY times 1,000!!!!! I haven't been too worried about it and although this makes no sense, that MAKES me worry about it. I'm trying to convince myself otherwise, but I just feel good this year. It's been more than a whole year and I've been FINE. (Freaked-out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional -- no really, I'm fine!)

Anyhoo.... Thursday: Threads and Things...

I made a pillow for my friend's birthday last week. She has chosen "LOVE" for her word of the year. I forgot to get a picture of her at Book Club... Camille's blog is "Behind the Quiet". She is a lot of fun and I think she chose a really great word to focus on. Happy Birthday, Camille, I hope you like the pillow!

Sewing on the beads:

 

All finished (it's about a 9x9 inch square):

  Close-up of the beads:

 I had fun making this pillow. I got some red beads (LOVE just looks RED to me) and I used an extra silver napkin for the pillow. :)

I'm hoping to make other pillows for my friends (and maybe myself) to help remind them of their word they are focusing on this year.
 Kaia made her own pillow, It says: "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, just like you!"
I love this girl. She LOVES to make stuff.

 She also made a pillow for Beck. It says: "I love GREEN!" That was his request.

I dare you!

Okay, I know it's not unique for me to say I have been thinking about goals and resolutions the past week or so...

I also told you in my last post about my
"Word of the Year" idea from my friend, Tawnya.

The word I have chosen for 2012 is:

DISCIPLINE

For the month of January (especially after Christmas) I want to focus my discipline on our finances; specifically, my spending habits. Now, we don't have a lot of "extra" money or disposable income or whatever you want to call it, but we do have a lot of debt.
Student loans, car loan, medical bills, mortgage, etc.

I would really like to focus on paying down our debt as much as I can.
This is going to take DISCIPLINE.

I was standing in the shower thinking this morning (thank you, Jane's Addiction, it really is the best place to think.) I was trying to decide what to wear for church... I realized I had SO many decisions... the black and white flower skirt, the brown skirt, the red and brown paisley skirt, the purple and silver striped skirt (I know!), the green ruffle skirt...suddenly I had a thought,
"I am SPOILED ROTTEN!"
I realized all of these skirts I bought sometime in 2011...
and I'm only mentioning the "Fall/Winter" skirts!

Now, just to excuse myself a little, all of these skirts were purchased from a thrift store where none of them cost more than $4 each, but still! Does any person actually NEED that many clothes, let alone skirts? (I said NEED...) I realized when Zeke got his new job last October, my clothing obsession I've fought so hard to purge from my system instantly returned (mysteriously...). I've been trying to stick within our budget and ease my guilty conscience by shopping at the thrift store, but looking in my closet this morning, I realized I have a problem.

Isn't that the first step to recovery from any addiction --
admitting you have a problem?
Well, I'm admitting it.
(I'm also admitting that my closet is full to bursting)
I also was thinking about DISCIPLINE and how I can apply it to my (ahem) "problem" and also benefit our financial situation.

I love the quote, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Sometimes I'm good at this;
I can be really good when I have to, but other times...
I buy 3 pairs of shoes just because I can't decide which pair I like the best...
(Seriously, how could I choose JUST ONE? They were *only* $6.00 a pair!)

So I'm still in the shower, when I got an idea. An awful idea.

The "Shopaholic" got a wonderful, *awful* idea!

What if I make a goal not to buy ANY clothes, shoes, jewelry, scarves, whatever for myself for one whole YEAR!!

NOTHING FOR ONE YEAR.
Sounds crazy, huh? Well, I like a good challenge!
I really want to see if I can do it -- if I can discipline myself.
Now, I have allotted myself one "new" pair of jeans next fall and one new white shirt for layering -- those are things that actually need to be replaced, but other than that.... NOTHING!!!!!

Who's in? I DARE YOU!

The money I would have spent -- estimating what I spent last year and when I see something I like and "JUST SAY NO" -- sometimes I'll pick something up and audibly tell myself, "NO!!" and put it back on the rack -- yes, as a matter of fact, I do get strange looks all the time -- I'm going to put that money into a special savings account and see how much I have one year from today.
I heard a quote somewhere:
"Our success in this life depends on our ability to discipline ourselves."(ouch!)

I also heard a quote today at church that really struck a chord with me:
"If we are willing to do what needs to be done, it will get done."(OUCH!)
So pretty much, it's up to me...

I really want to make a HUGE dent in our debt this year and this is just one way I can contribute and practice controlling my spending habits.

Here's me and Beck on Christmas: Zeke got me a new hood/light for my aquarium... it was the only thing on my wish list! :) My other hood has been broken for quite a few years now. Yes, I'm a nerd! But I'm a going to be a debt-free nerd... now if I can just stop buying fish!

Here's the hoop -- should I jump?

Look at this cute guy... he LOVES climbing in our tree.
Christmas isn't really Christmas without a kitten... life is good.

How's life? How's your Christmas preparations coming? You may think I am just one of those annoyingly perky people during Christmas... I love it! All of it. My friend, Stephanie, did a great blog post about that today and well, I'll just say DITTO to what she said. (and Steph, for the record, I might send out New Year's Cards again, the budget is *tight*)

Our family is also doing something really special this year... more on that later.

Okay, so in my last post, I told you that I sent my children's story to two publishers... (now three) well, I got a positive response from one of them just five days later.... WHAT?!?!?!?!

Yeah, I was pretty excited and I know they are a reputable company because a friend of mine has recently published with them; however, they require a $2,000 retainer FEE. :( Yes, I just heard screeching brakes, did you? Anyway, the retainer fee is fully refundable upon the sale of 1000 copies of my book. Blargh! I knew it wouldn't be that easy the first time out of the gates, but man, that email got me excited! From what I've heard, that is fairly common for unknown authors wanting to publish their first book.

I firmly believe that if I'm supposed to publish this book something better will come along. I wish I was Anne Shirley and there was a local "Rollings Reliable Baking Powder" Company that needed a boost. I bet I could win that!

Anyway, I love Christmas and for the moment, we are all basically healthy... which is kinda freaking me out.

I love my kids. We made some cardboard box cars this week just for fun.
And it was.
Beck slept in his last night.

Zoe and I went to a USU women's basketball game with her class. SO fun!

Here she is with "Big Blue", the USU mascot!
Zoe said he stunk like cologne... just keep thinking that way, sweetie.

Kaia's still awake (it's 10:15) and she's crying. Zeke is up there with her and I should go help. He is such a great guy... which kinda freaks me out too.

This should probably be another post, but I want to do a "Word of the Year" thing like my good friend, Tawnya. She is most groovy, by the way. I think it's a great idea and a way for me to really make some changes in my life all through the year. Not a big list of "resolutions", I've never been one for that really, but something simple. Something I can think about and implement everyday.

Once I decided to do this, the word I wanted came to mind almost instantly:

DISCIPLINE
dis.ci.pline (noun)

1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill: military discipline.

2. activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training: A daily stint at the typewriter is excellent discipline for a writer.

3. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.

4. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc.: the harsh discipline of poverty.

5. behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control: good discipline in an army.

This is what I jotted down on my phone:
TIME
MONEY
STUDY
GIVE
PROGRESS
SELF

I'll expand more on that list as I figure out exactly what I was thinking when I wrote it.
For the most part, I want to focus on our money and get out of debt. This year is the year!
I feel like the planets are aligning...