2014 :: The Big And Little Of It All

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What a year it was.

Not fantastically amazing when I think about the year as a whole... 

But then there are all those hundreds of little amazing things along the way...

And when you really stop and look back at all of those little and big moments, 

You realize it was a pretty fantastic and amazing year after all, filled with ups and downs, good and bad.

And like most years, filled with lessons that maybe we didn't necessarily want to learn,

 but did anyway, and are probably better for it.

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Between school happenings, Birthdays, holidays, family time, work, 

learning to play a first instrument, trips, friends, family adjustments and growing and learning so many new
 things this year, there are a few things that have left an imprint on me this year for sure.

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When I pause to think about the "bigger" things that happened this year, a 

couple of things immediately come to mind.

My dad's stroke in November is undoubtedly at the top of that list.

I've thought several times since then that one day I will sit down and write a post all about that...
 but then I just can't bring myself to do it. One day though.

We had our first trip to the ER with one of the kids in May when Miss Charlotte
cracked her head open on a big rock while running outside wit her cousins in the dark.
Luckily it was just a cracked head that needed six stitches and my girl was a trooper, but wow, seeing all
 that blood and feeling so scared and helpless is a terrible feeling.
And all I could think of is all the mama's out there dealing with seriously and critically ill children.
My heart goes out to all of them so much.

I went back to work this year, like at a job outside of the home.
Part-time working, but working every day and it has definitely been an adjustment for all of us.
Lots of adjusting +  juggling... a big change for all of us, but mostly a good one.

Wyatt turned ten in October and that's still just kinda hard to believe and for this mama to deal with some days.
I look at how tall he is and how smart he is and how he just knows so much and I'm like: "What the hell?"

 { Some big and little snapshots form the year }



I am so thankful for this past year, for all of the big and little moments.
I am thankful for all of the hard stuff... and the good stuff, too.
I'm thankful for these two little people I get to try and raise every day.
I'm thankful for my family and for friendships and for all that I have learned this year.
Thank you for everything, 2014. 

I am ready to put this past year behind me and looking so forward to a fresh start in the year ahead.
I know it's really just the turn of the calendar page in some ways, but it has significant meaning to me.
A new beginning. A restart that I so very much need. I am so very thankful for that.

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Here's to 2015 and all that it may bring.

Why Hello There, January 10.

So when I looked at my phone this morning and saw that it was already the 10th of January, my heart kinda skipped a beat.
Just a tiny beat.
If it's already the 10th,  then I've lost over a week+ of the new year to decide how I am going to change my life this year.
Ha. Kidding there... kinda.

Kinda not.

You know how it goes....
You start the New Year off with so many goals and ideas and momentum and then quickly, way too quickly, it's gone.... and it's
only like the middle of February.
If you're lucky.
Or if  I am lucky... maybe you're not as bad as me when it comes to making changes STICK.

So it is Friday(yipppeee!) and I am home alone in a very quiet house today.
VERY QUIET... almost too quiet.  Almost. 
After 5,000 days off, my kids went back to school yesterday.
It was a good break, it really was, but it was also a pretty LONG break, with lots of snow and freezing weather.
But it was really good-  for me, for them for our whole family.

So I am going to take today and some time this weekend and think about what I really need to be doing in this next year.... there's a lot, of course,
always a lot. Which can be super overwhelming.
But I've got to start somewhere.
I do love reading all of the inspirational New Year's posts and articles, lists, videos, etc.
I really do love it although the pessimistic side of me wants to roll my eyes, and sometimes I do(especially at myself), the hopeful part of me likes
to cheer everyone else on and get inspired while I'm doing it.


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Here is a little bit of our week in pictures via Instagram....
{ I am Lucky13Amy on Instagram...}

It has finally stopped snowing here in the Midwest, life has resumed to pretty much normal around here.
We are leaving the house...and driving.... and it's a good thing.

But during our seclusion Super Mario Brothers, Rainbow Loom Bracelet making, lots of movies, forts, coffee, wine, drawing, painting and
playing out in the snow got us through.
Thank goodness for all of it.


HAPPY FRIDAY! Yay! 

B R A N D . N E W . Y E A R.

Hi there. And Happy New Year to you.

I think 2014 started off in the  very best way possible for me... for where I am right now in my life.
On January 1,  I headed off for a three-day get away all by myself... well, kinda.
The first night my cousin and I had a fun night away that we had been looking forward to for quite a while.
The next morning I headed to Chicago on the train for a few days where I met a brand new friend and spent time with one of my oldest friends, too.
It was good and fun but more importantly for me, for where I am right now in my life, it was really good and necessary.
Being away in a different place with different people and spending a lot of time by yourself too, gives you a different perspective of things back home.
I need to get away for clarity + perspective a lot.... three days isn't possible all that often, but whenever it's possible, I do it.

Just having time to talk with friends, to think, to get wisdom + insight from friends when you didn't even ask for it and they didn't know
it was just what you needed, is priceless.
It truly is.
We can learn so much from others and from ourselves, from different situations and places... from stepping outside the comfort of our normal situations.
I came back home with some answers, lots of questions and a list a mile long of things I want to change in this brand new year.
It won't happen over night, and most likely won't even happen over this next year....But I am going to get started.

I will be back soon with a full post on meeting my friend Shauna in real life, my hopes + goals for the New Year... and more.
I'm still thinking about my "One Little Word" for the year and hoping that this is the year it really STICKS.
I feel like this is the year for change.... How about you?
How is 2014 treating you so far?
Any big plans, hopes, dreams or goals for the new year??

Happy Monday to you. 

Progress + New Year Goals /// Week 2

Hi there.
So,  last week I told you all about my One Little Word and a little bit about my goals + hopes for this year...
I thought I would share a little bit more today.
Oh- and in case you missed it last week, my OLW is accomplish.
Accomplish- to achieve or complete successfully(which is pretty much the opposite of what I tend to do in my life more than half of the time).

Every week, at least once, I plan to review my goals, lists, etc. so as not to immediately forget what exactly
it is I was wanting to do this year.
You know, so it's not February and I'm like; "wait...what was my word again?"
Uh-- yeah, that * might * have happened before.
Maybe.

My first goal on Tuesday(kids first day back to school)was to get a good start on finding places for all of the stuff we have gotten
from Eric's grandparent's home.
Over the weekend Eric had brought in quite a bit more stuff including a couch, bookcases along with many smaller things.
It was all just sitting in my dining room stressing me out, in a serious way.
I know this is probably common sense to everyone but it's something I have only really come to realize
in the last few years; A chaotic space/room/home = a chaotic mind.
I know, I know....Duhhhhhh.
It's especially true for me though and it is one of the BIGGEST things I want to work on this year;
controlling the chaos.

One of the spaces that needs a lot of organization is my little office, aka: the maid's quarters.
I'm trying to figure out the best way/place to store all of the inventory for my shop, it's getting increasingly difficult and I have
got to come up with a better solution.
In the mean time,  I worked on a few smaller things in there yesterday and decided to start by getting rid of the big bulletin
board over my desk + changing up the wall.
I'm not done yet but I  love how it's looking so far.

> With Brave Wings She Flies :: free printable from Danielle at Take Heart
> You Are Lovely free printable ::  from Heather at Life Made Lovely

How are you doing with your goals, lists + resolutions/intentions at this point?
Do you have any tips, tricks or systems that really help you stick with your goals-- or to keep you motivated....
Any books/blogs/sites/quotes that are inspiring to you?
Anything?

Source: poketo.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: poketo.com via Amy on Pinterest

Wouldn't these little planners help you stay organized this year?
I think so!
Hope everybody has a great day... how is it Thursday already anyway?

Thoughts On Goals, Words + Hopes For The New Year

So,  I mentioned the other day that I was still thinking about my word for the year... 

my One Little Word... and I still kinda am but I think I have it.

I know this is really pretty dumb but I was hoping for a good word, one that looked good... 

a word that would look awesome on one of the Lisa Leonard necklaces I am coveting--

you know like inspire... dream... believe... hope...wish... 

A good word, one that would look cute.

But, that's not what I'm gonna get this year.

And uh-- that's not really how you go about finding a word,  anyway.

{ Don't worry you guys, I know this }

........................

I LOVE the start of the New Year, I really do.

It's a fresh start, a new beginning, an empty calendar, a clean slate and the hope that 

anything in the year ahead really is possible.

My biggest wish for the year ahead, for myself, is that I could carry this feeling with 

me all year long.

Not that it will just last for the first two weeks and then fizzle out because

uhhhh, that tends to happen sometimes.
Or pretty much all the time, if you are me.

This is what I do and I'm sure other people do it, too but I'm really bad about it;
I have an idea/wish/dream and it often dies before I even get it off the ground.
You know; I wish I could...  I want to... Some day I am going to....
And that's it, that's where it stops.

Ughhhhh. Why?
Why do I do this?
Is it self-doubt? Lack of motivation? Willpower?
Not enough planning?
Fear of failure?
Probably a little bit of all of the above.
Here's what I have recently realized ::
I do not necessarily tell myself out loud(or say to anyone else) that I can't do something
or wouldn't be good at it but it is more of a ingrained thought, like I don't even
completely finish the thought/dream/idea before I dismiss it.
Wow.
I don't really think I ever realized that about myself.

I want that to stop, or at least start figuring out how I can not do it as much, for starters.
I tell my kids all the time that they can do + be anything they want and not to let anyone
tell them otherwise.
The thing is, someday they might be the ones doubting themselves without even
realizing it. I figured this out in the car on the way home from the skating rink today(ha!).
I need to prove to myself that I can accomplish all of the big + little things I want to do...
no more wishing I could, dreaming of doing it, feeling bad when I see others do things I wish
I could do although I have never even attempted it myself(dumb).


Accomplish.
I want to start accomplishing things--
I don't just want to start them, I don't want to dream of doing them, I don't want this
year to end wishing I had started a year ago...
I want to actually do them.
I don't want to give up before I start, chicken out or sabotage myself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

So there it is, there's my word.
I know I won't accomplish everything I want this year but that's not really even the
point, I think the point is to have goals, to not be content where you are, to learn more,
try harder, challenge yourself...
and to dream bigger.
That's what I'm hoping for.

                                            Source: danielleburkleo.com via Amy on Pinterest

Tell me what your word is... goals?  plans? hopes for the New Year?
THEN hurry up and get over to Danielle's blog; she made this lovely little
free printable for her readers. Isn't she awesome? I love it!
Mine is going in my office.

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Happy Friday everyone!
This is our last weekend off before the kids go back to school next
Tuesday... we gotta make it a good one.
Hope you have a great weekend.

ps- if you haven't already, make sure you leave a comment to be
entered to win an adorable little fox mug just like this one... today is the last day.
good luck!