The Simple Woman's Day Book: January 2016

 

For Today...Saturday, January 2nd

 

 

 

Outside my window....a nice day, in the 40's, finally the sun is shining! Mom and I even took a bike ride today!

 

 

I am thankful....for my kitty - Jaxson.

(she keeps me company while Peter and Nathan are gone).

 

 

I am wearing...pjs.

 

A  favorite quote of the day....

 

  

In the kitchen....thank goodness for a bowl of Mom's yummy vegetable beef soup!! :O
I have not done much cooking lately!! :O(

 

 

....and Season 7 of Doc Martin to watch too!

 (again....if you haven't watched Doc Martin...you should!)

Great show! :O)

 

 

 

From the board room (Pinterest)...

 

weathered wood shelves

I could definitely do something like this in my bathroom!

 

One of my favorite things....chalkboards!

 

My January chalkboard....

 

 

and the small one in the laundry room....

 

 

Lindsey asked me to do her a holiday chalkboard....

 

 

 

 

On the calendar.....

 

-JANUARY-

 

1 day ago - 1/01 Happy New Year 2016!

3 days - 1/06 crew change (night away)

 

 

-FEBRUARY-

 

42 days - 2/14 Valentine's Day

57 days - 2/29 Leap Year

 

-MARCH-

 

60 days - 3/3-3/6 Vacation - New York

74 days - 3/17 St. Patrick's Day

77 days - 3/20 my birthday :O)

84 days - 3/27 Easter

looking back at 2015: March

{March 2015}
 

 

I started a food blog!
 

Taste & See
  

A blog about restaurant reviews, recipes, cooking tips,

meal planning ideas, and all things FOOD!

 

my favorite post from March....
 

my birthday... (the big 5-0)

 

my birthday trip to Lewes, DE
 

 

 

 

 

Girl's Day Out

 

 

 March was a great month!



we're headed north!!

For the past 6 or so years, in lieu of gifts, Peter and I have done a vacation after Christmas. We are completely in love with Disney and can hardly wait to go back (we even start planning next year's vacation before we even leave). This year was going to be no different, other than moving the dates up from late January/early February to the beginning of March due to Peter's schedule. By Christmas though, we normally had already booked and paid for our vacation, but this year, we both seemed to be dragging our feet. We started talking about our need to make plans, and decided that it just wasn't going to work if we wanted to stay as long as we usually do and drive down again. We thought about shortening our stay and even considered flying down this year (Peter hates flying, but was willing to do it this time).

I suggested we change our destination this year. We talked about several destinations, considered a cruise, but ultimately, we decided on a NEW YORK vacation!!!! I am beyond excited!!! I have wanted to go back since I took an all girl's overnight bus trip a few years ago and then Dad, Derek, and Julie went last spring. Peter hasn't seemed interested in going to NY until recently, but loved the idea of going this year since our Florida trip wasn't coming together. :O)

We will still go on vacation the first week in March, but of course, since we will be staying in the city, it will probably only be for 4 days/3 nights. This should give us plenty of time though to see the city and do all of the tourist-y things. :O)

I am now in full trip-planning mode and want to plan the perfect trip!! The very first thing we decided on: See The Lion King on Broadway!!! We thought it was perfect since The Festival of the Lion King show in WDW has always been our favorite! :O)

I have so much research and planning to do (and it is a bit overwhelming), but I am soooo excited to be heading north this year to an all-new destination for us (while keeping our return to Disney in mind for next year!) :O) :O)

Blogging!

Today marks the beginning of 6 years of blogging for me! This is also post #1,500!! :O)

Little did I know back in January of 2011, that this blog would bring me so much joy (and therapy!). I still love going back in the archives to look at pictures and see how our family and home have changed. I still post mostly for me, but don't mind sharing my blog with a few faithful readers or anyone who happens to stumble upon it.

I love writing posts and taking pictures and I especially love scrolling through blog posts to do my year in review. So many changes take place even in a year, which makes me even more thankful to have this place to document them all. Here's to another year!

looking back at 2015: February

{February 2015}
 

Disney...Disney...Disney...
 

Disney Vacation 2015

My favorite post from February was.... 

The Big Freeze

Dining Table Re-Do

 

a fresh start.....

I love the New Year! It's like a clean slate or a fresh start, a new beginning to a brand new year. While most people think about getting fit, all I can think about is getting organized. Not to say that I don't need to get fit (and it is a big priority), but getting organized is one of my favorite things about the New Year.

Starting with my calendar and the budget. I love getting a new calendar and filling in all the important dates for the year. I usually note a few big events from the previous year at the bottom of each month (just because I like to remember when important things happened this time last year). I usually buy a cute one from the Dollar Tree, but you can also print some really nice ones from Pinterest.

 

I really like this idea [using a clipboard]

 

 

 

and an old favorite [framed paint chips/dry erase]

 

 

 

or this reusable framed burlap calendar

 

I also like to go over our budget and update my binder. I do pretty good with this, but after the holidays, there are lots of receipts to be filed and the checking account needs to be balanced. If you don't keep a notebook or binder, there are lots of free budget printables found on Pinterest.

 

 

 

 

I have marked my calendar for the 2016 Home Organization 101 Series from A Bowl Full of Lemons blog beginning next week. Check out her blog----but I'll also be posting each week's challenge---so follow along!

 

[Mark your calendars, the 2016 Home Organization 14 week challenge begins on January 9th. If your house is in disarray, join me for purging and organizing tasks where we will cover a different space each week. Your house will be transformed from chaos to clutter free!]


Most of my organizing needs to be done around the house. During the holidays, things get a little messy, especially the attic, so I'll probably start there. I have taken all the decorations down, but most of the containers still need to be put away. As I pack everything up, I'll tidy up the attic and get a head start on the Home Organization Challenge! Let's make a fresh start....let's get organized!! :O)

looking back at 2015: January

It can't possibly be time to do another year in review! I feel like I just sat down and looked through posts from 2014, and yet, a whole year has passed. This year, I'm going to do a post for each month of 2015, just because there were so many great things to share! :O)

{January 2015}

I started "The Happiness Project"

 

Disney Planning

 

 

 

visit with Logan & Lindsey (and Allie)

 

 

 

 

(Nathan finally meets Allie)

 

 

discovered my love of Downton Abbey & tea

 

 

 

lots of decluttering

 

 

 

 

and my favorite post from January....

 

Link:  feeling very Jane Austen-y