Tag Archives: word of the year

{ Home } Challenge 1: Chores

December 30, 2013 Salinda Leave a comment

{ Home } is the place we live. I want it to be a safe, comfortable, cozy place for my family. That’s not going to happen if I don’t stay on top of somethings. Things like laundry, dishes, dusting. Things I don’t enjoy. Enter my first challenge to myself.

Challenge:

Keep a neat home (not obsessively tidy, but clean enough I don’t panic when the doorbell rings).

Goals:

A daily load of laundry

A clean kitchen every night

3ish small tasks each day

Plan:

Don’t recreate the wheel. Use a system that I’ve used before and that I know works for me. For me that’s the Confident Mom planner. I love this plan, because I can do the few tasks listed on each day.
Stick to the system. The biggest reason I don’t usually stick to this system–I forget to print out the next week’s plan. I just printed the first 12 weeks of the year. No excuses now!!!
Delegate! The kids can help! Take for example today’s tasks: change sheets in the kids’ rooms. They can do that! Vacuum the kids’ rooms. They can do that too! Sweet!

Being Creative, Everything Else

You’re Invited…

January 11, 2013 Salinda 2 Comments

I’ve been blogging for 5 1/2 years. I started off sharing photos of the kids and sewing projects. More often than not, it’s just been milestones and day-to-day snippets. Sometimes, I share what God is doing in my life. Sometimes, it’s sewing reviews, tidbits, and tips. Sometimes, it’s cheesy pictures of my garden. Sometimes, it’s updates about my shop. Through it all, I’ve just kinda been me. Yes, I did try to impress on occasion. Yes, I did mostly share the good stuff over the bad. But still, I’ve been real—most of the time.

Blogging has changed. I haven’t. Much. And this boggles my mind. I’ve developed a bout of writer’s block and my mind is full of questions. What to say? Who really cares? (Hi Aunt Jo! I know you’re watching and enjoying the pictures of the kids!) Why would I post this cheesy project when there are 780,453 more awesome projects on Pinterest? What do I want (need) to share? Why am I blogging? I’ve wrestled with these questions for a while now.

Enter my word for the year:

I feel convicted to open my home to others, to be a friend, to cultivate relationships, and to be open, welcoming, and real. This blog is an extension of me, my home, my life. It should reflect my personality, my hopes, my beliefs. So, starting today, that’s what I’m giving you. The open, welcoming, real me.

You are invited…

to be real with me.

See the ins and outs of our family,

the way we spend our time,

the things that bring us joy.

Get to know me.

What: Real Life

When: Several times a week.

Where: Here on the blog, on FB, on Twitter, or on Instagram.

No RSVP necessary. Just stick around!

Everything Else

Being Deliberate-a 3 week check-in

January 23, 2012 Salinda 4 Comments

It’s been about 3 weeks since I declared my intentions to be deliberate in 2012. How’ve I done? Well…

I’m still running/walking with the Couch to 5K program. It’s been cold, my shins hurt a little, and sometimes I think I’ll never make it, but I’m still giving it my best.

I picked up the phone to call (okay, text) a friend. We set a play date and we watched our kids play hard while we enjoyed a cup of coffee and a wonderful chat.

I made a black skirt. This was a very deliberate descion on several levels. First, I knew I wanted to sew. Rather than just make up a pattern that was appealing to me, I decided to take a look in the closet to see what I needed. I decided that I could use a causal/weekend uniform skirt. I choose to replicate a store bought skirt I loved and wore all summer. I lengthend it for the fall. Lastly, I choose to complete the skirt in one evening. Hooray! These means I didn’t add another project to my UFO pile (UFO=UnFinished Object).

I’m doing a better job sneaking veggies and fruits into my family’s diet. This has been easier with our garden and our road trips lately. I found some amazing veggies at a Farmer’s Market down in Destrehan. (Thanks Jane!) I’ve also been to New Orleans and Little Rock so I could grab a few things at Whole Foods.

I really like this “One Word” thing. It’s been rewarding to discover that I’m following my intentions rather than failing at resolutions.

Everything Else

My 2012 Word of the Year: Deliberate

January 3, 2012 pcc Leave a comment

Deliberate.

An adverb.

As in “be deliberate” or advised, calculated, considered, knowing, measured, reasoned, studied, thoughtful, thought-out, weighed, intentional.

Merriam Webster Dictionary defines deliberate (the adverb) as “characterized by or resulting from careful and thorough consideration” or “characterized by awareness of the conseqences”.

In 2012, I hope to be deliberate:

in seeking God through active study and prayer.
in loving others by actively searching for ways to show love, not just stumbling upon it.
in my marriage by setting aside time for my husband, not just giving him what’s left at the end of an exhausting day.
as a parent by being consistent.
in friendships by picking up the phone or dropping a note in the mail more than every once in a while.
in making choices that are better for my body, my mind and our budget.
in homemaking by creating a comfortable place for my family and a welcoming place for friends.
in business by setting goals that line up with my dreams and not chasing tangents.

So, that’s it. I plan to spend 2012 being deliberate, making choices that focus my attention, my time, my money and my health where they need to be. Like the writer of Hebrew’s encourages:

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses a surrounding us, let us lay aside everyweight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2 HCSB)

That’s my word.

S as in Sam