I resolve to resolute!

Errr- somehow that title sounded better in my head.  Not sure that it makes sense that way...but you all know what I mean, right?

right...

So I have a new keyboard (got a new laptop for Christmas, yay!) and it feels different to my fingers, so I have been scared to write since this new feel causes tons of silly mistakes.  For example, now the / is where the . used to be on my old laptop.  So I am ending most of my sentences with / and having to go fix them.  Very time consuming - but worth it to jump back onto the writing wagon after falling off of it so dreadfully over the holidays.  It was a crazy holiday season and to be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure why. Funny how that works, you are stressed and exhausted, but as you look back, there doesn't seem to be anything in particular that stands out as "this event took energy."  I think it may have just been all of the people.  I love people, but they are exhausting!

Anyhow -  I was planning on this being a short post, and true to form, I can rarely make that happen.  But I wanted to take some time to re-evaluate my life and make myself some promises for the year ahead.  I know, I know - so out of my character to make a "new years resolution like everyone else." And you are right, you will not see me making resolutions like "losing weight" or "becoming more organized" or any of those bettering yourself types of resolutions.  Not that I'm against them, but you see - I simply cannot make resolutions like everyone else.  So think of this more like my bucket list for 2015.

Now, typically I take my New Years Resolutions very seriously - firstly because I am very serious person (note the serious look, well - if I had eyebrows you could note it. So...umm...just imagine very serious eyebrows and that should do the trick!) And therefore, I am very serous about keeping my resolutions, and because I refuse to be one of those that gives up half way through the year, that means I have to make new years resolutions that I actually want to keep (I have learned this simple step makes a huge difference!)

So to begin, for about the last 10 years or so I have had the resolution of eating chocolate whenever I REALLY want it. This has taken some planning on my part, for instance, I have to make sure that chocolate is always available in my house in one way shape or form.  Luckily, a very small amount typically does the trick, so thus far my chocolate habit has not become something that has interfered with my health. See, balance is key - I didn't say this was easy!

My second (and first new) resolution for 2015 is to purchase a nice pair of high healed shoes and learn to walk in them!

My husband does not think this will happen.  He thinks I will fall and says he will laugh when I do.  I think he has no faith and should be shunned thus-ly.  Feel free to join me in the shunning...especially since shunning most likely involved eyebrows, something I have previously mentioned I am sorely without.  I am determined to prove him wrong, shaming him to his very core should do that nicely!

Just watch, it will happen. I will be dainty damn-it!

My third resolution:  Get a twitter account, learn how to use my insta-gram and perhaps even end my rebellion on hash-tags. You see - I truly believe that social networks are a great gift to stay at home moms.  They allow me to be involved in the world, stay up to date and converse with friends.  Share silly stories/pictures with people through-out the day - and all in all, helps me not to feel so alone. When you are home with small children all day, every day and you are new to a city and still have very few connections (it is a challenge making friends as an adult!) social networks can help to fill that void and keep me alive when I go days or even weeks barely saying 10 words to another adult (outside of my husband, who is wonderful, but doesn't think I can wear heals without falling. So he is being shunned at the moment).  I do occasionally have to check myself, to make sure that I am not over-doing it. But all in all, I am so thankful for the connections I have made online!

4: Finally brew a successful batch of Kombucha tea!  I have learned about something new living in a town that is only a handful of miles away from a GIANT body of water - not to mention living in an older house.

Mold.

Mold is my enemy!

And mold has made it into my kombucha not once, but twice despite me taking every pro-cation I can think of.  But I will prevail!  I WILL beat this, because I love Kombucha so much, and it is so good for me, I feel so good when I drink it and it tastes fantastic and I cannot spend $4 a bottle every time I want some!  This is worse than my starbucks habit - which has dropped drastically since I stopped having date night every week. Of course with Pete's 2 miles away and a CoffeeBeanAndTeaLeaf on every corner (Earl Grey Latte, half the vanilla, whole milk and 180 degrees please!) Who would choose Starbucks?  I also want to do more fermenting in general - of foods, not myself.  No  self fermenting please! And no, I am not making wine or beer...though I hear it is a fascinating process!

 Of course this may mean I need a bigger kitchen since my Kombucha and my Sourdough starter already don't get a long...or may need to spread my fermenting around the house...  I want to make my own yogurt, I want to try water kefir and make my own dill pickles. He-Who-Is-Being-Shunned thinks I am a crazy hippie...and you know, I can live with that. So maybe I will lift the shunning...just for a little while.

5th, I want to give away more essential oils.  I do so love my essential oils!  And I feel so very blessed that I am making enough money at it now that I can roll all of my income back into purchasing and it doesn't affect our family budget (let me know if you are interested in learning more about essential oils, I LOVE helping people get started!).  Because I feel so very blessed, I love blessing others as well.  So I try to keep lots of sample bottles on hand, and if you ever want to try out anything (all I ask is you just pay shipping if you live far away) I am more than happy to send samples your way.  I truly feel called to helping others feel empowered to take control of their health (both physically and emotionally) and these oils can be so helpful as a part of that journey.  I also love researching for people, so never feel afraid to ask about specific challenges and whether or not there are oils can that benefit.  I love learning all I can!

Six - I want to learn how to make really nice, homemade soap.  I have started the process already (meaning I have the books and the materials, I just have to buy the tools and take the time to give my first batch a try when the children are far away!) I love how soap goes so wonderfully with my essential oils, and I would love to be able to blend the two to make some truly therapeutic soaps.  Stay tuned, I will need guinea-pigs who are brave enough to try some of my early attempts and give me feedback!

And my seventh and final resolution - and perhaps this one is under the "bettering myself" category.  I MUST write at least once a week.  Even if it is something short or silly.  I must find a way to do this, because when I do not write consistently, I tend to spiral into a depressive state that can be very hard to work my way out of.  So please, feel free to keep me accountable to this!

I think I need to write more rhyming things.  I know rhymes are very hard to publish, but they are so good for my brain and they are easy to drop and come back to later - not to mention very satisfying!  Perhaps I shall create a book of poetry and self publish at the end of the year.  That sounds like a fun goal for the year.  So give me some ideas! Perhaps some random words and I will try to write some silly rhymes around the words.  Or I love it when people give me fun titles of stories/poems and that don't actually exist - a fun way to get inspiration!  I think I need to make some connections with other writers.  That would truly be fantastic, and so inspiring!

Yes.  Yes those seven will do nicely.  2014 was a hard year, lots of changes.  Good changes, but still challenging.  I am excited for 2015.  My kids are older, so life is changing a bit since there are no longer tiny ones in my house.  We can do more, I can commit a bit better (I was terribly flaky there for a while, slowly getting better!)

Happy 2015 everyone - and remember: