2013 Resolutions

First of all....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! My hope is that 2013 be full of hope, faith, love, and endless blessings. 2012 was a good year for us and although it ended a little rocky with my hubby being in the hospital, all is good and we are truly blessed. We have our families, wonderful friends, and this little guy, my nephew born 1-9-12. LOVE HIM!!

Like every year, we start our year off with resolutions.... most forgotten by February. But still New Year's is just a new start, kind of a clean slate, I feel the same way in the beginning of the school year. I really have always had the same resolutions.. To lose weight, Be more organized, and have a baby. Every year since I was 23, those same 3.. geez..
Not that I want to blame everything on the CANCER... but that threw my life in a loop and just turned everything upside down and it has taken me this long to finally feel a little normal again- the 18 pills a day doesn't help, but I have come to realize that it is my normal now, and that I have to swallow my big girl pill (literally)!!

My only resolution this year is to be happy and HEALTHY and I think after that everything else will fall into place. I am notorious for breaking resolutions, but I'm determined and really I kind of have to...we both do ( myself & hubby). Being sick seriously sucks.
Here are some of the things I want to do to be more healthy..

1. Drink more water and give up soda all together. Which will be so hard for me, but it needs to get done.
2. Eat better- eat more healthier, home-cooked stuff, eat out less, which is hard when you both have full time jobs, but my food binder ( when I finish it) will help and keep us organized and ready for meals.
3. Exercise- EEK!! I used to love to run, but now not so much.... My sweet hubby gave me something this Christmas that will hopefully help and I'm determined to start on Monday, if this damn cold subsides....

YES, Zumba!! Don't laugh.. but it's something fun I can do while it's cold outside, at least I'm doing something. My hubby walks and runs, but since it's cold.. he promised he would do it with me.
4. Sleep better- I've been known to crawl into bed at 1 am on a weekday... not good! Messed up your whole day!! So I'm vowing to have a better sleeping schedule.
5. Take my pills and vitamins on a regular basis... sounds easy, but it's not!! but I'm writing down my schedule and putting alarms on my phone to remind me to take my pills

Like I said, maybe, just maybe if I  start to get more healthy other things will fall into place... I can maybe start losing weight and help me get pregnant. I've also brought a few books to help me along the way, one of them highly recommended by a friend. She says a lot of the stuff worked for her.. it's worth a try..

Also with healthy comes more ENERGY!!!!and maybe I'll have the energy to whip this little house back into shape... sneaky how I managed to put in my 3 original resolutions in there. I've become a fan of organizational blogs and You tube channels and often find myself saying "wow, why didn't I think of that" or "Gee, that's a great idea" but just tucked them all in the back burner that is my brain.... So while hubby rested I went back and to the blogs, channels, magazine file, and even my pins and started writing all the ideas in a notebook....

Slowly, I'll be doing what I can.. I've come to realize (and it took me awhile, without beating myself up) that my house will not look like those in a blog in one day, one month, or even one year.... my house is by far what I want it to be, but I've come a long way!!! and I'm proud of myself!! I keep adding To-do lists, ideas, and other stuff into my notebook & I love that I have it.
My hubby's other resolution is to be more organized with our finances, so we decided to add a finance tab in our home management binder and make a budget.

And now for the HAPPY LIST....
Just to spend more time with my husband (DATE NIGHT-movies, shopping, once a month & game night once a week!!)
Spend more time with my family ( thinking like a weekday dinner)
Don't sweat the small stuff
Blog more- I love blogs and I have grown to love writing mine!
AND CRAFT MORE... which makes my heart dance!!

I had some Christmas stuff that are too late to post, so I'll have to be mean and post them up till next Christmas, but I have one on organizing your Christmas stuff and another on documenting Christmas memories that I want to put up later tonight and this week...
What are your resolutions???


Have a great year & GOOD LUCK,
Michelle

ON A ROLL!!....then life happens...

Hi everyone... Hope everybody had a very Merry Christmas!! I had some posts almost finished up.. just needed to up load the pictures I had taken FOR said posts...First with all Christmas hoopla, then our 12th anniversary on the 23rd, blog was put on the back burner and forgotten. On Christmas Eve I was getting treats ready to deliver and presents ready to take to my in-laws for their traditional Christmas Eve get-together.. my hubby who had been nursing a terrible cough, was looking worse. We went back and forth until finally deciding to go to the emergency room after some tests, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and was admitted into the hospital, it was a very tough first night as he battled a 103 fever and his blood sugar level going up to the 400's.. It was very scary. He is doing better, but is still in the hospital. I just came home today, only because he got a room mate and it was getting a little too crowded for everyone there. We still have not celebrated Christmas, our families brought all our Christmas presents and they are patiently waiting under the tree for us to open as soon as Marc comes home. I hopefully upload tonight and see what I am able to post.


Thanks,
Michelle

Grieving for Sandy Hook Elementary :(

Words can really not describe the sadness I am feeling. I am not a mother and I can't even begin to imagine the pain the parents of those 20 little innocent angels are feeling. It is tragedy, something that never should have happened... I keep reading news reports trying to find the reason to why this monster did what he did.
I also think about the teachers who gave their lives to protect these children, God only knows how many more lives would have been taken if not for their bravery. As a teacher, I am proud of them.. I don't have any kids, but every child that has entered my classroom as student from my very first
Pre-k class ( who are now 5th graders) to my current little ones...each one have a place in my heart. And I know that I would try to protect them the best way I can.
Tonight hug your children a little tighter and say a prayer for those souls who have gone home to heaven and pray for those who remain, may they find the strength to go on....

May God bless us ALL....
Michelle

Wrapping/ Christmas Card Station

The holidays can be daunting, especially if you are like me and take on more than you can chew.....That's another post, for another day. I want to talk about how I store my wrapping and Christmas card supplies. First off here is how I created my Christmas card station. I put my cards in a sturdy basket, where I also keep envelopes, stamps,  pens and is large enough to where I can put my Christmas planner, where I have keep my Christmas card list and addresses. The basket usually stays in the office, but it's small enough to take to my kitchen table or living room, while we watch TV.

My next station is where I keep all my  gift wrapping supplies. My dad gave me this cool wood tool box he found at a garage sale. My plans were to paint it a nice christmasy red, but that will have to be put into my next year list. I loaded it up with gift tags, tape, pens, scissors and other stuff I would need to wrap and decorate my gifts. I hang all my gift bags behind the room door, for easy access.

Yes I have GREEN CARPET.... YUCK, lol!!! 

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!

Michelle

Easy Christmas Card Display

I really wanted a very clever way to display my Christmas cards this year, something that I wouldn't need to spend a single cent on!!! I decided to use these two cute clotheslines I ordered through Avon a few years ago. They have miniature clothes belonging to Santa and Mrs. Claus!! It's Cute!! The item is not available anymore but can easily be replicated with twine, string, or ribbon, and decorated with homemade ornaments, felt shapes, or colorful snowflakes. OR if you are really crafty you can make the clothes yourself with fabric or felt. The clothes are hung by these cute mini clothespins. Since I didn't want to spend any mula, I used regular clothespins I had on hand. I decided to pretty them up with left over Christmas scrapbook paper.

And since I haven't sent any of my cards ( BAD!!) I only have my sister's cards, but hopefully the rest will be coming soon! 

Here's a closer look- Isn't my sister's family ADORABLE!!

OH AND THE BEST PART!!!!! My brand new personalized velvet stockings from Pottery Barn- I love stockings and have wanted them for so long !!!  It was an early Christmas present and maybe one day we will expand our family and add more stockings! I think they are so elegant..

How are you displaying your Christmas cards????

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Y'ALL

Michelle

Christmas Planner

 Hi there!! I'm finally coming around to posting about the infamous Christmas planner I've been putting together since summer. I made my pages, labels, and cover on Microsoft  Word and the binder is a plain red binder I found at Target. The Only tools I used was a 3-hole punch, regular hole punch, red cardstock and glue zots. My first thing was durability. I plan on using this planner for years to come! I laminated the cover, the label tabs, and the red cardstock separating the sections.

I also added a cute Martha Stewart label holder on the spine. Just to add a nice clean look, as well as keep in uniform with all my other home binders.

 The planner is divided into five sections. First is GIFTS- this includes lists of people we are giving gifts to divided into lists such as family, friends, and co-workers, also neighbor gifts. Next Year I want to tweak the list into a great list idea I saw here. Second is LISTS- This includes my Christmas card list with addresses, master to-do list, to-buy list, and a for next year list.   Because every year I think of new decoration, or a new idea I have for Christmas decor, or anything I want to buy for the following year. Things I didn't have time to get for the holiday, but want to remember for the following year. The third tab is SCHOOL STUFF- Because I'm a teacher, there is a whole lot of things I need to remember to buy and things to do. The Last two sections are for IDEAS and RECIPES

I also added a calender in the front, as well as our Christmas tree directions in the back.

Here is my Christmas Planner- I LOVE IT!!! I'm sure as the years go by and our family and needs change, the planner will change to.

HAPPY PLANNING AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Michelle

I'm ALIVE!!!!!!

Hello!! I've been MIA for the last two months. And.. although I love writing my blog, life got in the way. I have been wanting to show my classroom photos, organization, decorations, my fall stuff.. but I was just so busy- October is my busiest month with testing, our school fall festival, Halloween, and my birthday on the 30th. November we've been busy with work, Thanksgiving, and our annual reunion weekend. School has been very stressful and I have been re-thinking so many things in my life. I'm grateful I have my wonderful hubby to hold my hand through it all. I'm not giving up on the blog just yet... even if I'm the only living soul reading about my craft projects and endless dream to-do lists!!! I have so many plans, dreams, and ideas, wish I had the time and ENERGY to make them come to life.



Hasta Luego.....
Michelle