As wonderful as it has been, I always look forward to January.  I love fresh starts.  And Routine.  As much as I like pulling all of the Christmas decorations out, I love the feel of a successful Christmas season behind us and all of the STUFF put away.  With that usually comes some cleaning out, throwing away, donation stacks, to-donate and to-sell stacks.

January just opens itself up as a blank slate.  A full year ahead of us.  Only God knows what’s in store.  It is so exciting to get a fresh new planner/calendar and start filling it with events and appointments and vacations, and to-do’s.  At the same time, I think I love January because I feel free.  Free to make changes, better choices, implement new ideas and have more focus.  I just love the clearing of clutter, not only physically, but mentally.

My hope for this new year is to focus on just that, clearing clutter.  I want to clear my thoughts.  I want to minimize.  I want to de-clutter .  My home, my mind, my STUFF, my time.

The song that keeps coming to my mind is one of my favorites of all time.  I find myself singing it often.  I feel like this applies to so many areas of my life.

Purify Me Lord

Purify me, Lord
From ways that aren’t of You.
Help me to take away the old and make my life brand new.
I surrender all to You;
Not my will but Thine.
The sweetest thing I know is letting Your love show.

Purify my heart;
I yield to You each part.
Help me to run into Your arms as the purifying starts.
I surrender all to You;
Not my will but Thine.
The less there is of me, the more of You I see.

Purify me, Lord
From ways that aren’t of You.
Help me to take away the old and make my life brand new.
I surrender all to You;
Not my will but Thine.
The sweetest thing I know is letting Your love show.

I surrender all to You;
Not my will but Thine.
The less there is of me, the more of You I see.

So, my “resolution” if you will… Is to take each day for what it is.  Live in the moment.  Make better choices in the moment. Get rid of distractions that are not building my family or myself up. (ie. phone, fb, pinterest, etc., etc., etc.).  Get rid of stuff that we do not need and that may serve someone else.

I am so thankful for the fresh start….  Happy January 2012!!

-Suzanne

Eli and his first donut…  he loved it!

Jaxon was so happy

On Thursday 9.22.11 at 4:40 am, my baby officially turned one.  We are filled with so much joy.  We have been through so much this past year and are just so blessed.

We celebrated in a large way this past weekend.  I am still going through pics and physically recovering, so I will post soon.  I promise (mom and dad ).

So for now…. Happy FIRST birthday Elijah Michael!  We love you!

While the end of the summer is bittersweet, I think KNOW our family is ready for the fall.

Of course there are obvious reasons like.. oh I don’t know, having the temp be below triple digits. Football season! Routine and a little more structure.

I am excited that I found THESE. I really like these printables and can’t wait to use them this year. Go check them out! If you become a fan of her FB page, there is a discount code.

I also ordered a new planner. You can check it out here. I saw this planner earlier this year and have heard so many GREAT things about it. I’ve been saving my pennies. There is a coupon code (welcome10) to get 10% off. I’ll show you mine once I get it… so excited! (yes, I’m a nerd to be excited about a planner)

Hope you’re having a good week!

Suzanne

Tonight I was browsing and came across this little gem…

credit for pic

I really liked it and decided to use it as inspiration for my own.  Here’s what I came up with::

I love the color but as i look around I’m not sure where it will fit in here… so i may have to make another… maybe in a turquoise shade.

and just because I haven’t shown you pics of my babies since MARCH…. here you go!

Have a good day!

2.  I miss my sister.   Like a whole bunch.  She moved to cali 5 years ago this month.  I can’t believe it’s been that long.  Sometimes I just want a sister night.  Sometimes I just want her to be at tj maxx with me to tell me the shoes or shirt is ugly and not to buy it.   Sometimes I just want to sit on the couch together not talking and playing on our laptops.  I love my sister.  And her sweet husband.  And my cute niece, Zoe and the other one inside of her belly.

3. holy cow, our kids look just like us.  wow. I just saw this picture when I linked the post above and did a double take.  at least we were cute!  I really want to reach into this picture and kiss Stacey’s cheeks and tickle those little rolls.

4.  I need to post some new pictures of Eli on here.

5.  I want to make pasta carbonara.  I have wanted to make it for a really long time.  I’m afraid of it.  ha.  It’s the eggs.  Do they cook?  Have you made it?  Do you have a good recipe?

6.  my random thoughts were running wild when I started this post.  Now the music is making me chill and therefore slowing down the random thoughts.

7.  ok, here’s a pic of Eli.  I have a whole series of these to post.  But this will do for now.gosh, he’s cute.  really cute.

8.  I need to find another good book to read.  I just finished black heels to tractor wheels.  loved it.

9.  I’m such a magazine junkie.  I’ve started giving my magazines away as soon as I’m done reading them.  It makes me feel good to pass them on during the issue month and it’s nice not to have the clutter around. I save all of my food network magazines.

10.  Speaking of food.  before all of our baby drama started back in August, we were picking one new recipe a week and making it.  It was so fun to decide and prepare and critique.  We’re starting this again this week.

11.  I have not made fried chicken in forever.  Like in about 11 years or so.  Joey has really been wanting some homemade fried chicken.  his birthday is this week.  I have bone-in chicken pieces marinating in a seasoned buttermilk bath waiting to be dreged in flour and fried tomorrow.  I hope it turns out.

12.  Frying foods scares me. I’d rather oven “fry”

13.  I think I think about food an awful lot.  I wish I could stay home all day and bake/cook something new each day.

14.  I’m getting sleepy.

15.  goodnight.

The first time was back in September.  I was so happy for him.  He really deserved it.  He was such a good boy despite all of the drama going on in his world.

Typical Jaxon pic… crazy eyes!

He was honored again in January.  I was so happy to be able to attend the morning his name was announced.

sneaking a pic during the assembly::

Here’s how this little series of pics went down::

Me: Jax, let’s take a picture on stage of you with your award.

Me: Ok buddy, that was good , but can you hold them up where I can see them, please?

Me:  (laughing out loud) ok, that was good, but can you smile normal?

Me:  Oh, I love you!

That’s about as normal as it gets around here!  ha!  I’d love about half of the energy this boy has!

Jax,

Mommy and daddy are so, so proud of you.  You are such a fun, loving, gentle, funny, nice, smart boy.  Oh, and did I mention funny?  We love you!