Today

Reality 

 

vs.

My dreams..

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have an Artsy Fartsy Friday and a most inspired, chilly weekend!

Less is More

So last year instead of posting a list of resolutions I posted something called More and Less.


Instead of chaining myself to resolutions I wasn't all that committed to, I decided to make time for some things and cut some things out of life. Last year's list of More and Less is gleaming with success! Each one has a check mark by it. While some things are not perfected I am still closer to experiencing life to the fullest than I was the year before. Isn't it a divine feeling the follow through and achieve!? Next to bargain buys and vacations at the beach and cuddling with cats- it's one of the best feelings EVAH! Things are always worth finishing. Always.

So here is my list from last year with a mini report

MORE

{using the good china}

Check. I have found more reasons to take the fancy option. I am not so much a fancy person BUT I do like feeling extra special. Anyway. I have been more of a moment seizer this year. I did inherit some good china! So now I can really use the good dishes.

{creating}

I did do this. Not as much as I wanted but I did redo my kitchen, my bedroom, got fabric for curtains, baked a lot and tried new and exciting recipes. I threw 2 baby showers which took tons of creating moxy. I hope this next year takes a new spin on the idea of creating...

{taking care of myself as well as I take care of others}

This sounds really martyr-ish but last year I found myself in the position of not taking care of myself very well. I think this year I did better. I definitely don't feel obligated the way I used to and am realizing I can't fix everyone or make them happy. This makes me happy. (See people pleasing below)

{savoring the moment}

I took a lot more pictures. I relaxed at home with just my John. Didn't make plans for the weekend ON PURPOSE. Smiled more and was quieter than the year before. You can't savor if you don't slow the heck down!

LESS

{letting others' dysfunction make me dysfunction}

I did pretty well here. Although it is hard to step away from situations family members or close friends are going through and to realize trying to make everything OK is not within my power. It's selfish to think that it is. Saying no or distancing was necessary in some relationships and I did it. I am still learning to step away and pray. Old habits die hard.

{obsess about looks- It’s time to grow up in this area}

Oh geeze. Well. I am not comfortable enough to be in my underwear in public yet but I did wear a bikini on our cruise. Isn't that the same thing as walking around in your undies? I am realizing God is not going to help me look like or be like anyone other than myself (thank you Joyce Meyer) and finally I think I am not caring about the outside as much as I am the inside. It has only taken 28 years to get there.

{people pleasing- this one is going to be hard}

And it was! Oh man! Right out of the gate there were a few situations where I was mentally imprisoned by "what if they freak out on me?!", "If this isn't just right, then what?", "What will make them mad?"

IT WAS REE-DICULOUS! Ridiculous, I say! I lost a little weight at the beginning of last year (bonus!) and I think this stress had much to do with it. I had anxiety and operated out of fear like never before! I was weighed down with feeling obligated, saying yes to every option, doing things only to make others not be upset. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB. Finally with a lot help from God, Joyce Meyer and a kindred spirit I learned what it was like to just not care as much- in a healthy way. I have been super excited about this one though because I have began to find my true self again through this process and love the differences in myself and others.This helped me fulfill my More goal :{ taking care of myself...}.

I am in a totally different place than I was last year.  So far, it's a great place to be!

I want to keep up the progress with these old resolves and not forget them. I don't know if I will start a new list this year. I am trying some new things but am not going to beat myself up if they don't work out. I am all about following through; that's what it is all about! But sometimes you just have to see what fits before you make the purchase, if you know what I mean.

This saying holds true though "Less is always More".

Word.

Favorite gifts this year

Since my secondary love language is gifts I tend to really love the Christmas season. Ok I live for it- let's just be honest. But the true gift really is in the giving not the receiving. Cheesy but true. If you are a true gift love languager, you get it. If this isn't your LL then you probably don't get it. No big deal. I don't get what the big deal is with physical affection. I'm getting better but still, words of affirmation and gifts are my thing.  I didn't need a thing this year but getting things I really like is always nice! 

Ok onto biz-niss.

In no particular order my top  gifts I received this year are:

A significant ammount of fiestaware in Shamrock, Tangerine, Lemongrass, Brown, Ivory, Scarlet, Peacock and Sunflower. (Chocolate, Ivory and Lemongrass not shown ) I think I totalled 28 pieces all togehter this season. 23 of them on Christmas day. Thank you to all who feed my Fiestaddiction!

Matryoshka doll measuring cups a.k.a M-Cups. These are way cuter to look at than the traditional ones lodged in my drawer somewhere.

Fun accessories including :

Giving's Gleam Cuff

AND..

This swanky shoulder bag my Huz picked out on his own.

Also the sweet scarf I am wearing which is hidden amidst the bundling.

ALSO everything my husband got me this year wins. He really put a lot of thought into everything and I got things that I had mentioned in passing months ago. He took great notes this year and definitely takes the cake for thoughtful gift giving! The joy in getting the gifts he bought me came from the ammount of thought and effort he put into each one. I have a precious man. Merry Christmas to me!

I was blessed with a full love tank this Christmas.

Christmas in the city

It was our year to be in in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago with John's family  for Christmas. The day after Christmas we took the train to the city. It only snowed 16 inches while we were there. No big deal at all.

 Here's my city day in pictures! No poetic reflections here just fun pictures of a grey snowy day in the windy and snowy city.

ready to go exploring!

we await the train..

My love and I

My husband and his parents

fuh-reezing.

 

John dances outside the opera house

 

The Bean!

 

I'm where the flash is..

What a pretty winter picture!

 

Our kind of town

John at the veteran's memorial saluting as usual.

A cat puppet show!

um, yum!

I love cheese.

Buildings as far as the eye can see

 

This is what we came home to..

He's in his element de-snowing the car

What a fun day!

She's my Best One

My little sister, Christianna Grace, came for a too short visit right before Christmas. It was a sweet retreat for her and it was the little taste of home that I needed. We had good conversation, laughed too much if that's possible and just made the most of our time that weekend. I meant to take more pictures but we were too busy having a grand ol time.

I am super proud of her. She's confident in who she is. She has more talent in her little finger than I could ever dream of having Not to mention she's adorably beautiful. Her heart is big and she doesn't hold her love back from anyone. Needless to say..


She's my Best One.

Being domestic..

Making pizzas. We're pros. And yes, I am cutting my onions.

 We watched a little Home Alone while we baked Christmas cookies

My best.

 

Sister silliness.

Blogs of Christmas Past

This week I am posting retroactively about my past month which was hectic and crazy but filled with wonderful thingst to blog about.

So bear with me as I post many things all at once. The Christi post and the Chicago post are my favorite!
More to come..