Resolutions 2009

1. Make each room in my home a functional space
the state of my home is sort of a thorn in my side. We bought a fixer upper type home without realizing that we have no time for fixing upping. There are several areas in our home that are in complete disarray, and really need some love. There are several minor repairs like holes and marker on the walls that really need to be focused on. Just thinking about it all really overwhelms me. We are also doing a room swap with the children which kind of has things all over the place. I have realized while thinking about it that the only way I can make things flow is to focus my energy completely on one room/space for an entire month... I have already started with my most aggravating space... more on that later.

2. Learn how to manage my time properly to be most efficient.
With 4 children time has become quite a commodity. Time management is not my strong suit, but I am finding that in order not to lose my mind I need to stick with a schedule and really be wise with how I use what little free time I have each day.

3. Only keep what I love and love what I keep
It has taken me a while to figure it out, but I am finding that using this philosophy while going through my home room by room makes getting rid of the stuff that clutters our lives so much easier... I am going to continue my weekly decluttering.. I have done it all year this year and have made quite a dent, but I still have a way to go.

4.Teach my children how to respect and care for what they have.
My children are hard on things. I am constantly having to throw broken things away. I have learned to cling lightly to stuff during this.. but I really want them to learn how to respect and care for the space and things that they are privileged to have.

5. Celebrate every day
I try to do this already but it is good to be reminded to be content in every moment, and to celebrate even in the midst of trials and hard circumstances because life is so rich and full of unexpected treasures when you find ways to celebrate it every day...find meaning in the menial

6.learn how to sew well.
I sew extremely basic stuff (curtains, napkins, tablecloths) pretty well... I want to learn how to sew clothing and toys for the children this year.

7. March to the beat of my creative inspiration daily
Sometimes my creative energy goes in 10 different directions at one time. I tend to resist that this is the way my mind works. I am choosing to embrace this and really just free myself to work creatively with different mediums, and give myself permission just to play with what I feel like playing with during that moment

8. Don't cry over spilled paint
This weekend Perrin accidentally knocked over a gallon of pink paint on the floor. I did my best to get it all up, covered it so the children wouldn't play in it while it dried.(they did anyway)
It spilled on the grody carpet that is in our basement...the carpet I have loathed for years and which is going to get replaced this year(another one of those big house projects) so today I decided I would get all of the paint gallons put away so more couldn't get spilled.... and then I dropped one and it busted open..... Perrin said "Mooom look what you did!!".... So what did I do? I got out the paint brush and touched up the wall the the children drew on to get the majority of the paint....
The irony of this whole scene made me laugh... so I guess the idea I am trying to capture here is that I shouldn't be upset when crazy stuff like this happens.... I should just accept that they will happen during this season clean up the mess and then move on...