2011 Project List - updated

I have been a busy little bee this summer (actually more like in the 2 weeks that Bob was in Alaska for work).  I decided to dredge up the 2011 Project list that I posted back in January and actually get started on it.  Looking at it, I had such ambition, but it is so much easier to get it down on paper (or the internet) than to actually do it.  Those 2 weeks gave me the kick in the pants that I needed and I am busily working away on the rest of the goals.  Can I do it by the end of November?  I sure hope so as I fully plan on taking December slow and enjoying the holiday season and my family this year.

Here is what I have done and what I plan on still accomplishing (in progress tasks are in red):

paint trim (whole house) - downstairs done, now upstairs
paint front interior door
paint/refurbish interior doors
finish sofa table
paint kitchen / wall decor
replace remaining light switches
paint JT's baseboard
touch up JT's walls
paint/refinish stairs
window frame
paint fireplace cover
picture wall in living room
paint upstairs hallway
fix living room ceiling
touch up kitchen ceiling/office ceiling/walls
clean/organize/decorate office
clean/organize office closet
magazines read/purge
organize magazine clippings
purge cookbooks
organize recipes
print pics/develop film
stamp storage (boxes./organize)
organize pics on computer
back up pics on external hard drive
purge email
purge/organize my docs
purge/organize my favorites
establish & maintain filing system
clean/organize garage
clean/organize/purge basement
redecorate master bedroom
strip paper in Dining Room/paint
replace Dining room blinds- they are removed, now just what to replace them with....
redo upstairs bath
redecorate Kelsey's room
refurbish desk for Kelsey's room
organize spice cabinet
build pantry

I still have a lot to do.  Some might get moved to 2012 as I have added a few things to the mix resulting from changing a few rooms up in the house (my dining room is actually now a dining room) and acquiring/rearranging a few new pieces.  More on that soon...I am in mid progress, but have sneak peaks to share too. 

For those of you who follow my blog for scrapbooking...do not fret, I have been busy with that as well and hope to share a few projects, including my completed A Week in the Life album within the next week of 2.

Thanks for your patience everyone...

back to work.

Tracy

2011 goals

Every year I have made a list of goals for the coming year. Kind of like resolutions but a bit broader and in theory easier to keep. For the past couple of years they have pretty much been the same and by April I forget about them until I find the list again in September and restart my efforts. Some I have kept and continue to work on, and this year I am digging out the list again, starting with a fresh approach and a drive to really work on these goals. There are 15 in all...I know seems like alot, but remember these are goals and many of them go hand in hand but it is just easier to break them out and list them seperately. Some are personal, some need to evolve, some need some work, but I think with a little accountability I can accomplish them all for a wonderful 2011 and many more years to come.

2011 Goals (in no particular order)

Loose and keep off the weight

Turn the house into a home

Get organized

Keep a clean(er) house

Get rid of clutter

Continue to pay off debt (goal to be debt free by 2/2013)

Focus on Family

Enjoy every day

be a better mom and wife

breathe...don't yell

be happy with me

let it go....relax!

step away from the drama

Scrapbook more....100 layouts

Complete Project 365 (finally)

See...not too bad. So, why am I sharing this with you? Well, my blog will serve as my accountability for these goals. No, I won't share everything with you but I will share my progress on projects (the long, long list is another post), tips on organization, getting rid of clutter and digging out of debt, scrapbooking and other paper crafting projects and Project 365 (which I have started the past 2 years and don't make it past day 5). Oh, and I can't forget everyday little ramblings and family updates...right? Things won't change too much around here except maybe a little more variety, a little more frequency, hopefully alot more scrapbooking and projects around the home. I have tried schedules, themes, etc., but I just can't stick to them, so now I will post what I can, when I can and try to keep things interesting.

Some of you have been with me from the beginning and I thank you...some of you are new, and I thank you too...but what brought you to my blog and why do you stay? I would love to know what keeps you interested, and what will keep you around for 2011. Please take a moment to leave me a comment and let me know what you like, why you are here, and what you would like to see more of.

The long list of projects to be completed in 2011, my Master To Do List if you will, is coming soon.

reclaiming the magic

I have decided that this year I am taking back my December, taking back Christmas and putting the magic back into this holiday season.  I have looked back on past years and realized that while I had always intended to slow down and enjoy the season, I didn't and found myself stressed out, burned out and ready for January to arrive.  Not. This. Year.

K & J are getting bigger every day and while I know for a fact that J still believes, I have reason to believe that K might be catching on to the whole Santa thing.  While I know it is an inevitable fact of growing up, as  a parent I can do my best to keep the magic alive and the excitement in the air.  Yes, I do know that Christmas is not about Santa, but it is a big part of it when you are a kid. 

Me being a bundle of stress and rushing through each day during the holiday season doesn't help my agenda, so I am stepping back.  It helps that most of my shopping is done, a goal I have been striving towards for years now and can finally say I have accomplished...I just need to pick up a few things here and there while I am out.  Taking the rushing around to find the "perfect gift" out of the equation will allow me to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and what I want Christmas to be all about.  My focus this year is not on the commercialism but is on my family and building memories and traditions to last a life time.

I have added in a few special activities to the agenda this year and I will be blogging about them as they happen.  I have also decided that I am going to do a Christmas journal this year to help keep me focused on what really matters...family, friends, traditions and the spirit of the season.  I will be doing a combination of Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas and Ali Edward's December Daily for inspiration and ideas.  Not only am I hoping that this keeps me focused but it will allow me to document our traditions and enjoy the excitement of the season while the kids are still young (enough) for years to come.  It will also enable me to get back into my craft room and start scrapping again, a favorite thing of mine that I have let take a back seat for far too long.   

I will be sharing my pages on a regular basis.  I invite you to stop by often and take a peak.  As for today, December 1st, I leave you with this, as it sums up everything I want to say perfectly:

Changes

We just returned from a week's vacation in Maine...it was so peaceful and wonderfully relaxing and I really wish we could have stayed another week.  Once I get my pics uploaded, I will share all the wonderfulness with you.

For now, I wanted to share with you some changes going on right here at the old blog.  I have been blogging since 2008 and really haven't found my "spot" in the blogging world.  I originally started this blog as a scrapbooking/stamping blog, but just can't find the time to craft as much as I want to so low and behold the blog got put to the side and I didn't post as often as I wanted to.  I thought geez...I have so many other things I could blog about too, and have, on occasion, but for some reason I thought I needed to find one topic and just stick to it (I know I read that somewhere on some blogging tip blog).  Well, you know what?  This is my blog and I enjoy my theraputic (to me) postings to my wonderful 29 followers so I am going to blog about what I want, when I want (sort of).  Afterall, some of my favortie blogs to read are the ones that do just that...a little bit of everything and eventhough I don't know these women, I feel like they are life long friends because I can relate to their rantings as if they were talking about me.

So...if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time (and if you haven't, now you will know) I  suffer from complete disorganization syndrom (CDS)...not really a diagnosed syndrom, but it should be.  My house is a disorganized mess there is stuff everywhere (spilling out into everything I do or touch...trust me), I have too much stuff, I am always late (because I can never find anything), I am always running in a thousand directions, have too much on my plate and my stress level is through the roof.  Everything I just mentioned drives me insane!  I am slowly trying to fix that...one room at a time, one habit at a time...starting with this blog.  I have a plan...an organized, well thought out, plan.  Ok, it is a list (one of my many...but those help me function).  I wrote down everything I want to talk about and assigned a day to each topic...so here is what my new and improved, well thought out, highly organized blog format will look like: 

• Makeover Monday (organization, room remodels, etc.)
• Tell it all Tuesday (free for all, whatever I feel like telling you...daily life stuff)
• Weight Loss Wednesday (my journey, excercise and  healthy recipes)
• Thrifty Thursday (saving money and getting out of debt...with a vengenance)
• Friends with Flair Friday (Unity Stamp Co. Style!) (cards, layouts etc with Unity Stamps)
• Scrappy Saturday (layouts hopefully completed on my dedicated 1 night of scrapping)
• Simply Sunday (another free for all)

Now of course I am flexible, there may be days I don't post, I haven't scrapped/stamped or don't have anything to say...but I am going to try to stick to the above as best I can.  I figured it would make my love for blogging easier if I knew what I was going to talk about when...that is it (and I love organization and lists...I strive for it {and fail} everyday!)

Tracy

from dark & dreary to bright & cheery

I have been {very} slowly trying to turn my house into a home I can be proud of.  We have been here for 6 years now (has it really been that long???) and my house is still someone elses.  Sure I have my furniture in the rooms, my touches here and there but for the most part, I haven't really made this house a home.

I don't know why...it isn't like we are moving again...at least until the kid's have grown and we retire.   Maybe it is because I am afraid of color, but that can be changed right?  Or afraid of putting something on the wall, table, floor, etc. because I might not like it, never even thought of returning it (until a friend told me that was how she turned her house into one she loves).  Maybe it is because I don't really know what my style is, although I am slowly fiinding it.

Anywhoo...one of my goals for 2010 was to finish the house.  Now to me that means doing what can be done.  I am certainly not talking major overhauls (which really need to be done in the kitchen, basement and upstairs bath) I am talking cosmetic changes that I can do...paint, pictures, accessories and a little bit of crown molding.  Here it is July and I am in no way close to that goal (I think it was that fear...lack of style thing).  I don't know what has come over me lately (could it be all the fabulous home decorating blogs I have discovered???) but I WANT to get a move on.  Summer is so hard for that now because I don't have any me time to scour stores and work on fun projects...but Fall will be here soon enough and I can start shopping and bargain hunting.  Til then, I will be loaded up on ideas.

In the meantime, I wanted to share the first part of my home's transformation (file it in the DIY kitchen makeover category).  Keep in mind that the master plan is to have the kitchen gutted and redone professionally in 5 years (keeping my finger's crossed).  So I am not talking replacing floors, cabinets, countertops.  I am talking working with what I have and sprucing it all up with paint. 

I started with the cabinets and went from this:

(Please note this pic is in progress...notice the removed doors...and please excuse the mess.)

To this:

I painted the cabinets in 2 tone colors and replaced the hardware.  I also painted the trim of the window above the sink.  The result...I am really beginning to love the kitchen.  The colors actually almost make the ugly mustard yellow tile look pretty...not too much hope for that floor, but it is a slight improvement. 

Next step is the trim and walls!  I will post more pics when I get that done...hopefully shortly.

I will be sharing more as I slowly transform my house into a home.

Thanks for stopping by -

Tracy

The end of summer as they {think} they know it

The kid's have been out of school for the summer since Monday at 12:30.  After a pool party Monday afternoon at a friend's house and a trip to Hurricane Harbor water park at Six Flags with friends yesterday, today was the first day I had my 2 at home with me for summer vacation and I am ready to send them back.  Barring the occasional flare ups, I am pretty lucky that they tend to get along so well, but lately they have been at each other's throats and today was the worst it has been in a long time.  Not only that, boy were they needy.  Now, I love to be wanted and feel useful as a mom, but today I was borderline servant and I need to put my foot down.  I don't handle change to my routine all that well either so that, on top of their bickering, was making me think that pulling my toe nails out one by one might be more enjoyable than spending a whole "carefree" summer at home with the kids.   I know that sounds horrible, but it was one of those days.  Please know though that there is no where I would rather be...I love being able to be fortunate enough to be home with my babies.

So I guess some changes are in order.  I figured if I get up early I could pop in a load of laundry or 2 and enjoy a cup of coffee in silence and get my head in the game before the chaos begins.  If I stayed up a bit later I could get a few things done that I can't while refereeing an in-house-mixed-martial-arts-match over who took whose silly bands or who looked at who too long.  I also am a firm believer in schedules (more on that later) and have learned today that I cannot rely on everyone entertaining themselves all summer.  Oh, and I am not a servant, butler, maid or any other description that I currently feel I fall into.  I am a mom, and I am pretty sure the definition is different so, back to chore lists, schedules and organized fun. 

I came across this great idea for chore cards from Melissa over at 320 Sycamore.  I just love her blog.  Seeing as though I have an over abundance of craft supplies...I am going to spend some time this weekend and get those babies all made up and ready for action first thing Monday morning.  I also found some wonderful ideas and advice from another favorite blogger of mine, Shawni over at Life so I am also working on that bucket list and a schedule to organize this chaos before it gets out of control.  My kid's have it pretty easy, but I don't want to spend my summer yelling, jumping between fights and being on the verge of everything just falling apart because I have no control.  I know things will be tough, I know there will be a lot of resistance, but I am prepared to face it head on.  I am also prepared to reward them with fun adventures and treats for helping out and sticking with the program.  I am confident that by instilling this now (as I should have years ago) I am doing nothing but good for my children and our family (and my sanity!)  No one ever said being a mom was easy.  I am giving up on being the perfect mom (is there even such a thing) I am just trying to be the best mom I can be.  I want to enjoy my children to the fullest and somehow I can't in all the craziness...I can take organized chaos so that is where I am headed. 

I will leave you with this quote by Anna Quindlen (thanks again Shawni) which pretty much sums up my goal for the summer for myself and how I view myself as a mother and wife:

 "The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself."


Tracy

Officially NOT New Year's Resolutions....

Warning...long, long, long post!

Eek! Was my last post seriously December 3rd? I can't believe I have been silent so long...but the whirlwind of the Christmas season swept me off my feet and literally pulled me under. I was up to my ears in shopping, baking, decorating, wrapping, visiting and enjoying this glorious season.

So this being December 29th, I guess if I post some of my upcoming goals, they cannot be considered New Year's Resolutions. The mere fact that I am starting on them now also qualifies them as officially NOT New Year's Resolutions. Not to mention that these were the same goals that I committed myself to in the beginning of 2009....so, doing it at the end of 2009 just means I am keeping the momentum going (or re-starting!)

Anywhoo...last year I posted 16 goals. Things I really wanted to work on during the year, things to accomplish to make my life happier, simpler and more meaningful. Most of them fizzled quickly, some received a bit of tweaking, but this time around I am committed and will update here weekly just to keep me on track. Here are the goals from 2009:

Loose (and keep off) the weight - lost a little, but basically the same 5 lbs all year.
Finish the house (decorating and updating that is) - Big fat nope, but did get a new room due to the great roof collapse of 2009!
Get organized - Double big fat nope, but my piles are at least a bit more organized
Keep a clean(er) house (one I can relax in & be proud of) - started, stopped, and failed at this
Enjoy everyday, record the memories & take pleasure in the little things - improved
Focus on family - improved
Get rid of the clutter (ok, that goes with cleaning & organizing...but trust me, it needs its own bullet) - LMAO! Did I really write that?
Credit cards are for emergencies...CASH only! - Accomplished this! Yeah.
Be a better mom & wife - think I improved, most of the time...still need some work
Pay down some debt (long term...debt free by 2011) - Under control
Breathe...don't yell! Umm...yeah
Complete 100 layouts in 2009... not even close
Be happy with me... getting better
Let it go....RELAX!... ditto
Project 365 (1 picture a day)...if only I knew how to work my camera
Work CTMH smarter...not harder...accomplished

So with 2009 almost behind us and most of my goals in progress or failed, 2010 will be a continuation of the old and a fresh start of these goals that I truly feel will improve my well being (and consequently those around me). Here is my master list of the 14 goals I would like to focus on going forward....

Loose (and keep off) the weight (this is the year!)
Finish the house (decorating and updating that is)
Get organized
Keep a clean(er) house (one I can relax in & be proud of)
Enjoy everyday, record the memories & take pleasure in the little things
Focus on family
Get rid of the clutter (ok, that goes with cleaning & organizing...but trust me, it needs its own bullet)
Be a better mom & wife
Continue paying off debt and using Cash only!
Breathe...don't yell!
Complete 100 layouts in 2009
Be happy with me
Let it go....RELAX!
Project 365 (1 picture a day)

So bear with me as I will be using my blog to keep me on track this year. Look for little updates here and there, mixed in with the usual ramblings (and more of them). I also have a few little surprises coming up including some blog candy and a week long showcase of Unity Stamps the first week of February.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a safe and happy New Year.

Tracy

Digging out....

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to put out a quick post so you didn't all think I went awol on y'all again. I am here, have some creative stuff running around in my mind and have a whole bunch of topics I want to blog about - but first....{drum roll please} I am digging out...yup, digging out from the piles of clutter, chaos, paperwork, and mounds of just stuff that is lying around and preventing me from finding my "me time".

I am on an organizing mission and becoming a cleaning freak! So, please excuse my lack of posts for about the next week while I dig out and find my craft room again (I can barely find my keyboard....never mind the computer desk). I am armed with trash bags, file folders, and boxes for the Goodwill. I will recap next week and then hopefully get back into a regular groove - with some CTMH fun and my new Unity KOM coming soon! (oh...got to order some more storage folders too!)

Wish me luck....

Tracy

3.4 Down

I suppose that happy dances are the thing for me to be doing...because I have...all week! I had a tough week last week with my obsession with food. When I am out of my element, I tend to let go of my good intentions and eat...eat like there is no tomorrow. Last week with it being a holiday week - I thought for sure my weight loss plans were going to suffer. We attended 2 picnics had one late night fast food run and a retirement party. I was as good as I could be, ate what I really craved and skipped everything else....well, something I did was right because I am 3.4 lbs lighter for doing so (yep...whoooo! hooo!).

So with that great news, I trudged on and really started working at this. When I got home Saturday from my WW meeting, I put on my running clothes and out I went. I ran...high from the thrill of the great victory at the scale and can run almost 1/8th of a mile...almost...the whole way. I know..it is only 1/8th mile, but to me, that is a victory in itself. It has been a long time (a very very long time) since I last ran and I only did it because I was in Basic Training and had to do it, but now I am at it again...a whole lot older, a whole lot heavier and with all those extra jiggly parts...it hurt...like hell. But, off I went again on Sunday and Monday...took a break on Tuesday, and off again on Wednesday. My short term goal is to work up to run a whole mile....long term is to complete a 5K. But the whole benefit of putting my body through this torture is for health and weight loss...and to loose a few of those extra jiggly parts...you know, the ones that shouldn't jiggle.

So...keep those fingers crossed for me. I have been tracking my points, being honest with myself (I do have to admit that I haven't always been honest on this journey...but I realize it isn't going to work if I am not), eating healthy and yummy foods, and exercising, so I expect my adventure at the scale Saturday morning to be a happy one. Stay tuned for next Thursday's update and I hope to be back with some fun stuff on Mojo Monday.

Take care and stay positive,

Tracy

3.4 down....41.6 to go until the new and improved me!

It's a girl, and a boy and a girl and another.....

The smallest, furriest members of our family have had their own. At the end of October, we adopted two dwarf hamsters for the kids. Tessie and Chester have been a welcome addition to our household. We are actually on Chester #3 due to unfortuneate circumstances which I won't go into, but this one has actually lasted longer than the other 2. The problem is, we knew the first was a girl (we told JT she was a boy because he was set on Chester), we were told by the pet store that #2 and #3 were girls as well. Well....obviously either #2 or #3 was not. We can't be sure who the daddy is because the gestation period for hamsters in 18-25 days and Chester #3 was welcomed to our family 19 days ago.


Anyway, Monday morning, JT was in the playroom with the hamsters and told me they were making funny noises. All day long I heard squeaking coming from the cage and Tessie would not come to me or Kelsey. Tuesday morning Kelsey went to go check on Tessie because she was still squeaking and image the look on her face when Tessie was nursing 6 babies! We now realize that the squeaking we heard was actually the babies and not Tessie or Chester.


I tried to get a picture but it is hard to get the camera in the cage and close enough for it to be clear so here is the best I can do. They are so stinking cute...like tiny little pink erasers about the size of the top half of your pinkie finger. If you are local and would like your very own dwarf hamster in about 5 weeks, please leave a comment.


In other news. I have been working on Project 365. This is where you take one picture a day for each day of the year. It is a great way to work on your photography skills but also to record the everyday events in your life. For obvious reasons, this is today's photo (007/365). Tomorrow, I will post some of the other shots I have taken. This project is great because it checks off 2 items on my List of Things to Accomplish and Work on in 2009.

Lasts, firsts and looking forward....

I can't believe that in less than 7 hours it will be 2009! Unbelievable how time flies. As I look back over the year, I only have one regret...that I don't remember half of it and I didn't enjoy the little things...the everyday things that memories are built on. (Ok, so maybe there are a few more things that I regret, but I really am not going to sweat the small stuff here.) See, I am a sentimental type of person and those little memories are the ones that mean the most to me. So, this morning...jug (yes jug) of coffee in hand I started to think. Not about what I forgot (that is absolutely no use) but of how I can move forward without forgetting again. This brainstorming session led to my goals for 2009. I won't actually call them resolutions, because lets face it...does anyone actually keep those? These are my "List of Things to Accomplish and Focus on for 2009". The list is long but many of them are related to each other and in the end, if all are accomplished the one true goal of being a happier person will be achieved. So, to keep myself accountable....here goes (in absolutely no particular order):

• Loose (and keep off) the weight (this is the year!)
• Finish the house (decorating and updating that is)
• Get organized
• Keep a clean(er) house (one I can relax in & be proud of)
• Enjoy everyday, record the memories & take pleasure in the little things
• Focus on family
• Get rid of the clutter (ok, that goes with cleaning & organizing...but trust me, it needs its own bullet)
• Credit cards are for emergencies...CASH only!
• Be a better mom & wife
• Pay down some debt (long term...debt free by 2011)
• Breathe...don't yell!
• Complete 100 layouts in 2009
• Be happy with me
• Let it go....RELAX!
• Project 365 (1 picture a day)
• Work CTMH smarter...not harder (this refers to personal business goals I have set for myself)

So, there you have the looking forward. I am committed to these 16 items and will post my progress regularly (should make for some interesting reading material...). This also relates to the firsts. This is actually the first time that I sat down and thought of what I could do to make my life better, happier and be in control. The first time I took ownership and took a step to stop the out of control whirlwind I am constantly walking into. Now, I need to take action.

So now, to leave you with the "last"....

The last snowfall of 2009. This is a picture of the Kissing Ball my mom graciously hung on my front porch just before my parents went south for the winter. I had to take a picture of it covered in snow as it looked so pretty. I have always wanted one, but could never justify spending the money....so thank you mom. I look at it often (see it is the little things).

This is a picture of my backyard looking from the kitchen. I wish it came out a bit clearer, but it was snowing like the dickens and the back door is blocked from all the snow on the deck. It just looks so peaceful and serene with the snow. Funny that I see it that way as I don't like the snow...see that list is already taking its toll (enjoy everyday)....

I wish you all a safe and prosperous New Year. Enjoy the little things in life, they are afterall what makes it so special....

Until 2009 -
Tracy