What Did I See??

I looked up from my computer at my little tracking calendar in front of me and what did I see? A little month called March staring back at me....

Yes, March 2015 - it's still up (well not now but it was). How did that happen? Where did time go? I imagine it went to the boys, drama club, reading competition, homework assistance, work, more work, driver's permit (yikes), shooting practice, movies, nails, cleaning and more cleaning, hugs, yelling, more hugs, end of school, more work, a few funerals, a fractured shoulder, rotator cuff surgery, a few weddings, a great concert, time outside, spring/summer, sunshine and rain....... Now it's almost the end of June and things don't look like they are slowing down anytime soon. BUT there are some good things on the horizon. Hopefully this will be all positive changes for our family!!

Pin It or PASS!

You tell me...
I tried this 'heart tree' as I call it -

Pinterest Version

 

My version...

Then I tried this candle and styrofoam balls...

 

Pinterest version

 

My version 

I think I should have used more of the 'glue' substance before putting on the epsom salt but overall I'd say they were both 

Now if only I could master this site and get the pictures to be side-by-side.....

Pin It or PASS!

I did a bad thing - a very bad thing. The blog I usually follow as my homepage is no longer motivating for me. Can you guess what I did? I changed my homepage to.... Pinterest. Uh oh, you know what that means. Lots and LOTS of pinning!!

But since one goal is to actually DO the pins, here are the things I've done so far this year and the results.....

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Looks as good as the link but wasn't a big hit so it's a 

While this Reese's Dip from What's Cooking, Love?

Was absolutely a 

Then I worked on a card for some ladies I wanted to reach out and wish a great year - 

Welcome 2015

With a new year come 365 blank pages to fill with whatever we choose. I love that. The newness, the beginnings, the clean pages, the chances to start over....

Looking back through my blog in 2013 I posted but did not meet 13 goals. In 2014 I posted (and did not meet) 14 goals. In 2015 I am going to finish - my 2014 goals plus 1! Just going to jump right back in and work on the same ones. Sounds like a plan to me!!

Here they are:

                              

GOAL 1 -I did ok last year but there is always more to be done. Besides, I love Organizing!

GOAL 2 - I think I need this at the beginning of every year. The holiday season can be so busy.... so it's Back to Basics with Flylady!

                               

GOAL 3 - Life is always better with less yelling... restarting the Orange Rhino Challenge.

GOAL 4 - Yep this says it all..... I just need to make time to do more of it. Scrapbooking is cheaper than therapy

GOAL 5 - My hubby's favorite one - More Dates!

GOAL 6 - My first year of tracking I read 44 books (goal of 30). Last  year I read 33(goal of 50 I think). This year I am going for Read 36 books!

GOAL 7 - AMEN!! Time With Friends - can you ever do this enough? Probably not and I know I did better last year but I want to do more. 

GOAL 8 - That Ole Recipe Binder - Last year I bought it and started filling it by transferring my old recipes off the computer. I didn't complete it but it's partially done. More to do....

GOAL 9 - Movement - Didn't do so great with this last year.... never too late to start again though.

GOAL 10 - This can go along with Goal 4 too. Send More Cards I've already got a start on this one....

GOAL 11 - There is SOOO much I have to be grateful for. Gratitude

GOAL 12 - Getting Rid of It! - Yes this could go along with Goal 9 too. I considered it last  year - this year I'm doing it.

GOAL 13 - RAKs - Random Acts of Kindness - this was a goal in 2013 which I met. But  you know how at Christmas time you are filled with the spirit and are kinder and you see others doing and being kinder as well? I want to try to keep that spirit alive ALL YEAR.

GOAL 14 - Mindfulness in all I do....

GOAL 15 - Ahhh Pinterest - where all the great ideas are put into folders. I want to continue to pin things but I also want to do more of the things I pin. Pin It or Pass

So there you have it - this is what my year looks like. I can't wait for each day of it!!

December Daily Photos

Going to give this challenge a shot - anyone else in??

Pin It! or Pass

Over the last couple of weeks I was on a Pinterest Bing. Not just pinning either. I was actually using my Pins. Here's the scoop:

       
This was my inspiration (the purple) - like theirs better but it was still motivating. Sorry I can't get it to rotate... I think I just needed a bigger butterfly and a darker background. It would still classify as a PIN!





I did a little baking....

   
Pumpkin Poppers - original on left, mine on the right - I know, you can tell by looking at them they are a PIN IT!

Egg, sausage, and cheese muffin - big success! Easy to freeze and reheat too! PIN IT!

 

 Crash Potatoes - no picture because, well, it wasn't pretty. These were a lot of work if you ask me. And honestly, I couldn't get them to smash pretty like these and then they got too hard.... PASS!

Then I tried both of these...

          

Pumpkin Spice Latte  The first was pretty good actually. I prefer it with a little whipped cream added in (and I just used strong coffee instead of Espresso) The second was definitely better but it also took more prep. Both were PIN IT!

So that is my PIN IT OR PASS Update - it's great to actually use those PINS!

Gratitude

I first learned about gratitude in a book I read many years ago and still keep at my bedside - 'Simple Abundance' by Sara Ban Breathnach. In this book Sara talks about keeping a gratitude journal. I did that for a while but then I didn't want to keep an actual notebook and life got in the way (hmmm, have you heard that before?) and I stopped. But what I learned was that even on the darkest day there are at least three things I can be grateful for. Last year I downloaded the Gratitude 365 app - I missed a few days - like 27, but that was all. I love going back and seeing what I had to be grateful for. I love seeing the huge number of things I actually listed last year. So this goal is to maintain Gratitude 365 and try to get in each day this year. I am so blessed, I need to remember that every day!