Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Hard to believe that it's 2013 already! But I'm excited about it -- I feel like great things are ahead, and I love thinking about the possibilities!


We started a new tradition this year. Last night, on New Year's Eve, we each wrote about the past year on sheets that I printed off from thedatingdivas.com

It seems like a great way to collect everyone's thoughts and memories and then save them from year to year. I'll be putting ours in a binder in sheet protectors. It will be fun to look back on them in years to come!


I have loved looking back at 2012 and recognizing the countless ways our family has been blessed.  Its been a truly great year! During the year last year, we kept a stack of cards next to a jar so that we could write down all of the good things that happened.

Then, on New Year's Day, I'll incorporate the jar into my centerpiece on our dinner table. During dinner, we'll open the jar and read the cards. It should be a fun way to remember. I'm sure some of the things we've sortof forgotten about, so I think we'll love having the reminder and then being able to talk about whatever it was and "relive" it a bit. Such a fun tradition!

One thing I keep thinking about is that I need to get more organized this year. I love being organized, but I haven't given myself the time to keep our home that way lately. When we were kids, my favorite thing to do while my parents were away for the evening was to organize the pantry, or clean the garage, or rearrange my furniture in my room. I loved trying to make things more efficient. In my youthful mind, I thought I was doing something nice for my parents. In hindsight, they probably weren't all that thrilled to come home and find the house all re-done, and things not where they thought they were. Oh well. Its the thought that counts, right? (Sorry Mom!)

I am using the month of January (and probably well beyond) to get things organized and into shape. In a perfect world, I would have Deseret Industries (a local thrift store) come and drop a pod on my driveway, and I would fill it to the brim and have them haul it all away. I would LOVE that! But, since they don't do that, I'll have to do mine bit by bit and get my son to drop a truck load off at D.I. every now and then.

There are so many great things all over the internet and Pinterest, in particular, that have great organizing tips and tricks. I'm going to try some of them out and see if I can get things in ship-shape around here. If I find anything really great, I'll pass it along!

Til then....

from lilluna.com