7 years

It is nearly 7 years since I posted on this blog. So much has happened (as does in life) and yet not much has changed.
I closed by hamper business and shed a lot of tears.
I stopped working with my husband and have worked at 3 different places (about to be a 4th).
My son has graduated high school and is about to start University this year.
Family relations have dramatically changed and some friendships have solidified while others have dissipated.
I took a year off from soccer to try different things and returned last year for what seems to be my final year.
And yet here I am writing again.
The real reason behind starting up my blog again is to document some of the self-set challenges I am going to do this year.
First up - January = Vegetarian.
31 days of no meat... as I mentioned on Facebook, it could be the best 31 days of my life or the worst. But it is just for a month. To start.
4 days out and I have begun to prepare. Will you join me in this journey?

Update on list....

Here it is, just past the middle of January and I decided I had better do a little report on how my list is going.

My original list of 37 jobs blew out to 44 in the end and I am sure it will get another few before the end of the month.

And I am happy to report that I have done 26.5 of those jobs! Yahoo and yippee for me! Why 26.5 I hear you ask? Ok, so I have half finished a job.. that is I have done the taxes for both businesses, but have not completed the BAS for them.

In all honesty I should have made them two separate jobs, but too late now, it stays as it is.

The last few days of the holidays are here now and work and school routines will soon begin again. Hopefully (with all fingers crossed) I can get the last 17.5 jobs done before life kicks in again properly and becomes pure chaos.

Stay tuned....

I love lists

Yep, I do love a list... in fact I have been very busy crossing off the things I have achieved from my last list that it got me into the mood to make another list. This time it is all the things I would like to achieve in the holidays....

So far there are 37 things on that list. Make that 36 because my wonderful husband just cleaned all my windows in the house, so that is one thing ticked off!

My list is made up of 3 areas. 1 for business related jobs. Those are the things that I have to do to ensure our two businesses survive. And to make sure the tax department doesn't come looking for me.

The second area is house related jobs. Good old fashioned ironing and sorting out cupboards - blah. All my favourite jobs that really should get done throughout the year, but I claim I am way too busy to do. Time to do them!

Thirdly is all the things I would like to do that I consider fun stuff. Finish craft projects and get more into my Wreck this Journal. Ironically even though I have been busy, busy, busy, I have managed to do a couple of pages of the Journal. AND, shock, horror, I have been writing in my normal journal. Ok, it is pretty run of the mill stuff. But if I am to get my head into some sort of order and achieve some of the things I said I want, then I have to do it!

When I showed said list to my husband he wasn't entirely enthusiastic. He did volunteer to do the windows, which is a huge help and the job has now been done... But he thought that because I made this list then any plans for holidays and get aways are out the (clean) window!

I must point out as (I did with him) that this list was made with the theory that it is a perfect and organised world where time is mine for the taking and I can do anything whenever I want. Long ago I recognised that such a world does not exist and I will have to take another step to see that some of these jobs get done....

Prioritise! At the end of the day it doesn't matter if all of the jobs get done. If I get 3, 4 or more of them done, then it will be 3, 4 or more off my 37 job long list. The rest can likely wait until later anyway.

I will keep you updated as to how my list goes... It will be a bit of an experiment to see then how I can make the other list of things I want to do actually get done!

Happy holidays!
K

Crossing off things on my "to-do" list....

Well, here we are on another Tuesday. Christmas appears to be just around the corner and I am getting into the swing of things organising my corporate Christmas hampers.

I have also been making the most of my "free" time and getting a few little projects done that were on my "to-do" list. That is going through my internet favourites folder called "Stuff I want to try" and actually try some of the things I have saved.

Today I finished off a pair of rosebud earrings inspired by a great blog post. I will post a photo later of them.

I have also just about finished off some magnets that I am trialling for the markets early next month. So far so good.

A storm has been brewing in my kitchen... I mean I have been cooking up a storm in my kitchen, making double choc muffins, chicken kievs, smashed potato and chicken salad and tonight a few home made meat pies.

Wreck this Journal has been sitting next to my bed begging me to open it and I haven't written in my journal although I have considered the million things I would write in it.

Just to top off my week I have found a brilliant site called Ideas Culture where they come up with ideas. How fantastic!! I have subscribed to their newsletter and I absolutely love the concept behind it. Check them out and see what you think.

In the meantime, have a great day!

Christmas? Stop swearing at me!

Even though I am supposed to be back in the land of living, I am not ready for things like Christmas!

Last week I tried, I mean tried to get things organised... I have some corporate orders (yay!!) that I am currently working on... but Christmas at home has just gotten a little more complicated.

Long story short we still don't know what we are going to do for Xmas. This year it is my intention to create a gignerbread house. I would like to cook a greek inspired lamb on the rotisserie and try to enjoy as much about the day as I can.

In my head I have great inspirations for decorating the house... So maybe now is the time to start a little plan. I actually saw a book at one of my favourite shops about planning for Christmas. What a great idea!

Ok, time to add a few more things to my list of things I would like to do and seriously start a plan for Xmas.

How are you guys going? Do you have any family traditions that you would like to share? Drop us a comment below!

Best wishes,
Kirsty

PS. I have done a couple more pages in Wreck this Journal. The fascinating thing is that after doing it I had the most specatular dreams that night... Wow, the power of creativity, hey?

Back from a break

So, I am back! Not quite with life just yet, still recovering from a chaotic 3 weeks that included a bridal expo, jury duty, 30th birthday party (mine), 9 day visit from my aunty, a 10 year old birthday party (my son) and then orders and work on top of that.

Needless to say that my BAS is still to be done and I should probably be doing that rather than writing here, but anyhoo!

Wreck This Journal has been sitting at the bottom of a pile of things beside my bed. Everyday I think about it and then get distracted with something else. I feel that pang of guilt and tell myself I need to do something about it and ironically enough I have added a few things to my vision board!

So far I can see that I like chandeliers and black and white. Ironically enough I knew that, even before I started a vision board. It does seem that each magazine I flick through happens to be a decorating magazine which is a subtle hint that maybe I should just bite the bullet and do my house up.

And the first step to that was get my husband on board to find someone to paint it!! After discussions this weekend he has agreed to ring a friend who is a painter!

Will keep you updated on the next step....

Had to share this little photo

I took this the other day when I went for a walk with our fat dog, Maddy. I have no idea how it will come out on screen, but I loved it at the moment I took it and wanted to share...