Happy New Year!...2009 recap.

Will and I on Christmas Day. :)

Happy New Year! I just realized we are almost a week into 2010 and I haven't posted my 2009 recap or 2010 goals! I am still unpacking and reorganizing around here...getting everything back to normal after traveling for many days. I never even opened the computer while we were gone! I needed a break from anything that would inspire me to make something. :) hehe, I feel so blessed to be part of such an inspiring community online, but I get so excited about everything I see that I want to do it all!...and we know that is not possible. humm...maybe that could be a new years resolution...to sort out my priorities and stick to doing a few things well, rather then trying to do it all resulting in not well...that's not a bad idea. :)

Tonight I peaked at my Goals for 2009 post from last year checking over to see if I stuck to my goals completely...

1- get a bible reading plan started: yep! well, it was not much of a plan...I started out reading the One-Year Bible and got to about the middle of march and was ready to start something else I guess. I found an old testament youth bible at a garage sale with wonderful illustrations and started reading a bit each day. I am almost done with it! I love it!...I think it is the illustrations that draws me in, and I learned about so many stories that I never knew about. I also did an awesome study on Matthew and other various small studies.

2-get my studio put together and get working: yep! I definitely got this one going! I am so pleased with all the wonderful feedback I have been getting from people about my store. It really started to take off around the holidays. I have really enjoyed doing so many new projects! My store is now open again. I will soon be in the process of changing the look of it a little, so be sure to check back in the next month or so.

3-make an indoor herb garden: Yep!...only basil and chives though. Maybe I will attempt more in 2010.

4-get in shape: humm...this I was not so productive with. At least not by my standards. I have been back down to my pre-pregnancy body weight for a while now and have been good about getting normal daily exercise, but I did not started actually lifting weights again to tone up until the last month or two.

5-simplify!: Yep!..it is an ongoing process around here. I am again in the process of going back through our corners and closets. :)

6-learn how to cook authentic Italian meals:...kinda. I cooked a few new Italian recipes farfalle con pesto di arugula being my favorite, but I cut out dairy from my diet early in the year and many Italian meals that I wanted to make included mozzarella.

7-start a scrapbook for Will: Have not even started it! haha. It is always one of those things in the back of my mind. I did start designing a blurb book of his first year that I have yet to finish. :)

8-Make it a handmade year!: This was a big one for me and I am so glad that I followed through with it. It sure was a challenge, but each gift that I gave in 2009 I put a lot of thought into. Most of the gifts I made myself, some of the gifts I bought off Etsy, and a couple last minute gifts I bought gift cards tucked inside a handmade card. But for the most part I never had to walk into a mall or target for a gift. This really forced me to try new things. I learned new crafts and techniques, how to have patience when not getting things done just right the first time, and I also became more comfortable using my new serger.

While looking back over this past year I realized that I have learned so much! But the biggest thing I can take away from 2009 is that I learned how important it is to just...be. Will has made me realize that life is not about getting things done, but about being together. Being still and observant to what God has planned for me on any given day. I am so much happier and content with my day when I just sit and play with Will, or relax and have a conversation with Thad. Seems kind of funny, but I actually feel like I am more productive this way rather then making my day about lists. Laundry can always wait. :) I would always set my goals too high for the day and could never get everything accomplished what I had planned, leaving me discontent and irritated by the time my husband gets home. I can say that this past year has made me really realize this, but I have not been very good about actually doing this. So, naturally it seemed appropriate to make this my new years resolution. To just...be! Be still. Be observant. Be open.

Now there are plenty of other little goals I would like to accomplish this year: curing my cravings, cutting out white sugar, not eating after 8:00 p.m., getting my muscles strong again, incorporating lots more raw meals into my week, always simplifying, start cloth diapering, be more intentional about community, not just read my bible but really study it more often...and there are probably lots more. If you visit my blog often you will probably be hearing all about these and more.

What is the one thing you have learned or took away from 2009?