2011 Resolu-NOTS: HOW DID I DO?

Last year I vetoed making resolutions.

Instead, I resolved NOT to do a few things.

Turns out I'm pretty darn good at not doing things....

Here's a recap and a run down on how the whole 'not doing things' played out in 2011:

1. Be Made a Fool of by This Baby: FAIL

This baby knows how to play me like a fiddle.

All she has to do is smile that adorable smile and bat those pretty little lashes, and I'm all but putty in her little hands. Thankfully, her personality is one that needs very little discipline right now, so it works for us.

2. Not Break the Bank on Craft Supplies: SUCCESS!

While I did do my fair share of crafting this year, I did a much better job of using what I already had rather than spend, spend, spending every time I got a new idea. This is an exceptionally good thing seeing as how there's not a craft store within an hour's drive, so gas plus craft supplies bought on every whim could have been a very bad combination.

3. No More Eating Endless Amounts of Mint Oreos: SUCCESS!

While I'm not dieting or anything like that (not that I shouldn't be.....cough, cough), I have done better about being intentional when eating sweets. My go-to phrase for this:

IS IT WORTH THE CALORIES?

If the answer is no, then I simply don't eat it; it's as simple as that.

4. No Pouting Because I Want One of These: SUCCESS!

While I do still hope to drive around in one of these one day,

my sights are currently set on something that looks more like this:

5. No More Missed Opportunities: A BIT OF BOTH

While I have tried harder to take advantage of random fun moments, this was not the best health year for me what with the back issues and the liver-induced hospital stay. I will say though that I view these moments as more of a blessing now than I did this time last year.

6. No More Breakfast Bar Every. Single. Morning.: FAILURE

As a matter of fact, I ate one of these this morning. I have, however, tried harder to venture out on the weekends with home cooked breakfast. But, this may just be one of those 'the grass is always greener' situations that isn't necessarily the best fit for my family...at least not while the girls are still little.

7. No More Rainy Day Excuses: SUCCESS

We did do some playing in the rain this year.

This post is proof.

8. No More Missed Chances for Kitchen Dancing: SUCCESS!

In fact, there is now a radio in my kitchen for this very purpose.

9. No More Forgetting My I-pod: SUCCESS!

10. No Breaks in Reading: SUCCESS....kinda.

(Currently reading....)

While I have read pretty much non-stop all year, some of that has been strictly reading I've had to do for work (aka novels I'm teaching). Does that count? I'm thinking perhaps....

11. No More Feeding My Dear Blank Please Blank Addiction: SUCCESS and FAILURE all in one.....

While I have completely parted ways with dear blank please blank, I would say I currently suffer from a wee overdose of Pinterest...... but at least I'm not the only one.

I'll be posting my 2012 RESOLU-NOTS next week.....there will be a linky party for you to post your as well.

Raise your hand if you're excited.

And in case that's enough for you, tomorrow there will be a birthday party at my house for Hollyn while I celebrate turning thirty-two. That's a whole lot of birthday for one little house...

Happy weekend-ing to you and you and you.

Happiest of Happy

My most precious Hollyn,

Being your mom is a gift, plain and simple.

You have added nothing but peace and joy to my life since the moment we first met...on the outside that is.

You are the piece of me that I never knew was missing, and you add so much fun to this little life o'mine.

I can't stop gushing over your spunk and your playful personality.

You have made my world a happier, better, more fulfilling place.

And I can't get enough of being your mom.

I don't know why in the world God chose me to be yours,

but I am oh so thankful that He did.

You, little one, are my sunshine.

And if you could do me one little favor and bypass this whole 'terrible two's' thing, that'd be great.

Love, love, love you big two-year-old girl of mine.

-Mom

Compromise

Tomorrow Hollyn will be two.

How that is possible, I don't even know, but that's a whole other post.

For now, let's talk about what I'm NOT doing tonight.

I am, in fact, not slaving over cupcakes, making sure each one is perfect with just the right amount of sprinkles and the icing just right.

It's not that I can't do that. I can,and I have. However, sometimes in life you simply must compromise.

So, tomorrow I'll be sending these with Hollyn to share with her friends at 'school':

And you know what?

It will be fine.

She will be happy and proud and feel special....

because she is.

And sending her with super fancy, homemade cupcakes will not make her any less or more special.

I just think that as a mother, we (by this I mean 'I', and I hope I'm not alone in this because that will only make me feel worse....) sometimes put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect all. the. time. And sometimes, in an attempt to create this perfect scenario 24/7, we fuss and huff and ended up nothing short of frustrated.

So, tonight I'm giving Hollyn a far better gift than homemade cupcakes that she would have appreciated no more than yum-o store bought cookies; I am giving her a happy, non-frustrated mom who has twenty more minutes to spend smooching on her babies.

And that, my friends, is better than homemade cupcakes, even the kind with sprinkles.

30 in My 30's: #22

If you do recall, around this time last year I made a list of 30 things I want to do in my 30's.

And a week ago, I was able to cross another one off:

#22- Eat dessert first.

And while it wasn't froyo, cheesecake was a very nice choice indeed.

Today I'm celebrating the big 3-2 with my momsie, and tomorrow it's back to the sawmill (aka the school where I teach, which happens to be nothing like a sawmill, but you get the point).

What was the highlight of your break?

Oh, and started reading Matched last night off my list of books to read in 2012. One hundred and fifty-two pages in, and so good so far.

Happy Wednesday to you and you and you, and happy early birthday-ing to me.

2012: My Reading List

Yesterday I talked about what I'd read in 2011. What I didn't talk about is how sometimes reading is the last thing I want to do when I get home. After talking about books for eight hours a day, I'm often so over it by the time I get home that I simply don't want to....
except when I'm excited about a book.
So, to help keep my love for reading smokin' hot,
 here are twelve books I can't wait to get my hands on this year.

Note: After putting this list together, I now have proof that I may be the most random person ever. Oops.

Matched

Radical

Insurgent

Bloom

Longing

Loving

Sarah's Key

Redeeming Love

One Thousand Gifts

Delirium

The Best of Me

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

What book are YOU most looking forward to reading in 2012????

And in other news, the birthday countdown is on, and I'm in full party-planning mode for Hollyn's second birthday party, which will take place on my actual birthday. Complicated and confusing?

Just a tad.

Happy Monday to you and you and you.

If you need me, I'll be making the most out of my last three days of break. It hurts me just to say that, btw.

2011: A Year in Books

In case you missed the memo, I teach senior English.

I love books, and I read all. the. time.

I'm kinda a book nerd, and I am proud to admit it.

Here are a few noteworthy reads from this year that I thought you might enjoy.

Books I LOVED reading in 2011:

My most read author from 2011:

The books I taught this past semester:

And, my favorite read of 2011:

What did you read this past year that you loved?

Tomorrow I'll be posting my to-read list for 2012.

See you then, mkay?

Sending 2011 On Its Way

2011 was a tough year for us.

Between my back, the Lyme disease, the liver, and the move,

I am praying for a better, less eventful, more peaceful year in 2012.

So, last night, in the theme of the uneventful year we hope to have, we kept things simple, and rocked out with some of this.....

...and some of these......

.....and several episodes of this.

Note: If you don't know who this, shame on you.

This week we will celebrate not one but two birthdays: Hollyn will turn two on Thursday, and I will turn thirty-two on Saturday.

That's a whole lotta birthday for one little week.

You can bet there will be some of this.....

...and a whole lot of fun havin'.

Here's hoping your 2012 is off to a great start.

Happy 2012-ing to you and you and you.

Oh, and last year I posted my 2011 Resolu-NOTS.

I'll be telling you how I did soon, as well as revealing my list of things I resolve NOT to do in 2012. This post will be complete with a linky party. So be thinking about your list, mkay?

See you soon.