Monthly Archives: January 2018

Staying Connected

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Staying Connected: 20 Questions to Ask Your Teenage Daughter

Now, that my daughter has officially hit her teenage years, I’ve noticed that just asking how her day was seems to get me less and less.  Last year on Pinterest, I ran across several lists of questions to ask your kids in lieu of How Was Your Day?  And, my girls and I had so much fun with it.  It opened up the door to limitless conversations and a lot of laughter.

So with their help, I decided to come up with a list of my own, in no particular order.

  • Who did you sit with at lunch today?
  • What was for lunch today?
  • Who would you say is your closest friend at school?
  • What school activities are going on this week?
  • What is your favorite movie?
  • What is your favorite tv show?
  • What is your favorite song?
  • What is your ideal day?
  • What is your favorite dessert?
  • What was your favorite day?
  • Is there anyone at school that needs your help?
  • Is there anyone at school that needs my help?
  • Do you like your teachers?
  • What is your favorite class?
  • What is your least favorite class and why?
  • What can I do to help you with that class?
  • So far what was the best day of your life?
  • So far what was the worst day of your life?
  • What are you thankful for?

We are always looking for new questions to add to our list, what are some of the questions that you ask your kids to get to know them better?

TODAY I WILL STOP AND LISTEN TO THEIR LAUGHTER. I WILL BREATHE IN THEIR JOY. I WILL PLAY AND BE PART OF THEIR MEMORIES NOT JUST THE MEMORY MAKER.

Planning It All Out

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Planning It Out - What To Track In Your Planner

Here’s something that you should know about me, absolutely everything in my life is always a work in progress.  I am very seldom satisfied with the way things are.  I realize that can be a bad thing, but in this case I think it’s OK.  Being part of the planner community has definitely taken me through stages.  What does that mean?  Well, it means that I probably spent way too much money and energy on stickers, stamps, stencils and other things that I thought would make my planner pretty and keep me more organized.  And it definitely made it lovely, but It did not actually make me more functional, which was the whole point.  Don’t get me wrong it was great for Instagram and Facebook posts, and I loved looking at it.  But, it was not helping me to actually achieve my goals or complete my tasks in a timely manner. In addition to that I went through several types of planners and styles, before I finally settled on one that worked for me.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t still get enticed by the planner section in Staples or Office Depot, but ultimately I think that I have found a system that works for me.

My planner has become my life line, as much as I wouldn’t exactly want to admit that at 41 I need little reminders, I do.  I guess I can’t still claim Mommy brain, since my oldest is 7 years old.  But, that is kinda what it feels like, when you have to keep track of what everyone has to do and where everyone has to be.  After lots of trial and error, these are the things that I track in my planner that keep me on top of things.

Health-Wise – I track my:

  • Water Intake
  • Exercise
  • Steps
  • Hours Slept
  • Headaches
  • Weight Loss
  • Weight Gain
  • Prescriptions Filled
  • Vitamins

Family-Wise – I track:

  • Dr’s Appointments
  • Salon Appointments
  • Nail Salon Appointments
  • School Field Trips
  • School Projects
  • Quizzes/Tests
  • Family Trips and Birthdays
  • Family Wish Lists (Things the kids and hubby have been asking for)

Household-Wise – I track:

  • Laundry Detergent/Fabric Softener/Bleach Purchases
  • Cleaning Schedule
  • Spring/Summer/Winter Cleaning
  • Decorating by the Season
  • Household Wish List (Things we want to purchase for the house)

Just Because I am ME – I track:

  • Prayer Lists
  • What I’m Reading
  • What I’m Wearing
  • Moods

“A DREAM WRITTEN DOWN WITH A DATE BECOMES A GOAL.  A GOAL BROKEN DOWN INTO STEPS, BECOMES A PLAN.  A PLAN BACKEd bY ACTION MAKES YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.”

What is something you absolutely have to keep track in your planner or otherwise to be effective?  I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below.

Making Your Own Vision Board for 2018

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2017 is OVER.  Whether that hits you in the pit of your stomach like a ton of bricks, or you are overjoyed to see it go, it is done.  Around this time of year, most people seem to get into retrospective mode looking back over the year on what they mastered or what they wished they had done differently.  But, lets face it, the past is just that, the past.  There certainly isn’t much you can do to recover whatever stones you have thrown at this time, which means that it is time to look forward.  What are you expecting out of 2018?  What goals are you setting for yourself, your business, your family, your spiritual life?  Even more important than deciding what your intentions are, is laying the ground work for just how you are going to do that.  Only you can decide exactly what that means.  A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life.

A couple of years ago, one of my girlfriends hosted a Vision Board Party, and as much as I loved the company, the insight it gave me into that year was immeasurable.  Like everything else, only  you determine how much detail and how much fun this experience will be or how to combine them both. Here’s a How to on Completing Your First Vision Board in Just Four Steps.

Step One:  What are your Areas of Focus Going To Be For 2018? (For Example)

  • Health/Fitness
  • Family /Family Life
  • Financial Security/Stability
  • Spiritual Life
  • Career
  • Education
  • Home Ownership

Step Two:  How Can I Break My Areas of Focus Down Into Manageable Parts? (For Example)

  • Health/ Fitness (Take 10,000 + Steps Daily) (Drink 64 oz of Water Daily) (Get 7 Hours of Sleep)
  • Family/Family Life (Institute a Game Night) (Take Kids Out for One on One Dates)
  • Financial Security/Stability (Set A Dollar Amount to Go Into your Savings Account Monthly)  (Aggressively Pay Down Existing Credit Card Debt)
  • Spiritual Life (Attend Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting) (Make Time for Daily Devotion)
  • Career (Learn Something New Quarterly i.e. Continuing Education, or Software that can help you to advance in your field)
  • Education (Realistically Plan Out Your Courses)
  • Home Ownership (Take a First Time Home Buyer’s Class)  (Find Out What you would Need to do to Sell your existing Home)

Step Three: Use Pictures, Wording and Other Graphics to Visualize Your Goals

Things You Can Use to Help with This Step:

  • Magazines, Internet for Pictures, Quotes
  • Scissors
  • Glue Sticks
  • Tape
  • Embellishments of Any Type (Washi Tape, Stickers,Quote Bubbles)

Step Four (Final Step): Pulling Everything Together

You know that I like things to be in a certain order, so here I would say put all like items together. but, it is entirely up to you.

Grab your supplies, and put it together, however you like.  As a rule, I would say to put your Vision Board somewhere that you can see it and refer to it often.  Jump in and Get started!!

WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH. PROVERBS 29:18

Reflecting on 2017

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2017 has come and gone.  Another year that has flown by, the kids are older, a few more gray hairs showing up and trying to stay and few more dreams realized and a few laid by the wayside.  As with every year, there have been ups and downs, but the beginning of the year has me reflecting back on all that 2017 had to offer.

lessons in 2017

I can’t exactly explain why, but I feel like 2017 was a year of real vulnerability for me.  I literally felt like I was walking around with all my nerve endings exposed.  I think I spent a good part of the year, wondering why that was, and then the other portion of the year trying to accept it.   According to one of my favorite authors Brene Brown, “Daring greatly means the courage to BE VULNERABLE.  It means to show up and be seen. To ask for what you need.  To talk about your feelings. To have the hard conversations.”  And, truthfully, these were all things that I tried to do in 2017 and it is something I plan to bring forward into 2018.  I will tell you that no matter the outcome, inserting vulnerability into your life tends to lesson the speculation.  If  you know what you want, go after it and don’t receive it, well then you know you tried.  If you tell someone what is expected of them, and they fail to meet your expectations, there is no more wondering if maybe they aren’t getting it. You know and so do they.

on a personal front

  • I now have a 21 year old and a 13 year old.  Geez… (Ok, maybe don’t tell anyone else that.  They will figure out just how old I am lol.)
  • i jumped head first into learning how to cook more low carb food options for myself and my family.
  • i maintained a great A1C , for the entire year.
  • We redesigned our 13 year old daughter’s room, to make it more fitting for a young lady.
  • Oooh… and I managed to total my car, just three days after it was paid off (head banging).

on a business front

  • Our Etsy Store hit 536 Etsy Sales.
  • Our NOLA poster became our Highest Selling Item.
  • Posters in General were the Highest Selling Category in the Store  for 2017.
  • We Added Physical Invitations to Our Shop.
  • We Made A Lot of Updates to the Blog.
  • Leaned Into Being An “Influencer”  on our Social Media Platforms.  By the way, are following us? (Links Above)

my favorite books from 2017

  • The Monkey On My Back by Debbi Morgan
  • Big Magic Elizabeth Gilbert
  • Remembering Whitney by Cissy Houston
  • Milk and Honey Rupi Kaur  **** (A Must Read)

As we embark upon our next adventure, the year 2018.  Always Remember, “Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions.” – John Randolph