Simplify

The word for the year  in my life is Simplify.  Everything.  After moving out of our 3 story home
into a single level ranch I have had to do some major downsizing, which is a good thing.  I sold pieces of furniture that I loved, parted with things I never thought I would, and am still going through boxes of sentimental pieces and deciding what to keep and what to part with.  It has been a huge undertaking, but it feels so good, I have had a garage sale, given things away, donated a ton of stuff to Salvation Army and just plain tossed stuff that has just been cluttering up our home and my mind.  We do not have a basement here so if I want to store something it has to go up in the attic of the garage, and well, if you have been following me for very long, you know that is the last place I want to go (after our accident).  So it is either risk our lives (ha ha) or let it go, so I am letting it go!!!! One area I struggle with is with photo storage, I love to take photos and have forever, I need to find a good system to keep them protected yet out of the way, I have tons of pictures!! On my quest to simplify I purchased a Erin Condren planner for the year.  I had read all about how fantastic this planner was and then when I found out that I could put my own photos on the covers to personalize it, I was sold!  I am trying so hard to keep our schedules to a minimum, I feel like we have been overscheduled for years and I want that lifestyle to be in our past.  We have moved home and life is much simpler (is that a word?) up north.  No more rat race, speeding on expressways just to keep up, traffic backups, the need to "keep up with the Jones'", those days are gone.  Now we have family meals together with our whole family and my children are getting to know their family by spending time with them, priceless to me.  We have lived away for 20 years, it is a precious gift to walk into the local diner and have old friends say "hey Mark and Leslie, how are you today?"  People actually know us here and they care.  I prayed that one day our children would be raised the way we were,in a  small town, and my prayers were answered. 

 Front above and back below of my new planner

Speaking of prayers, I have been trying to read the whole Bible this year, I saw this Bible last year on Paige's blog and found it later in the year so I saved it for the new year.  We gather the kids together at night and read together, I love that time of day.  (We have missed a few nights already but we do catch up ).

We also have started budgeting and doing the Dave Ramsey program. Wouldn't it  be a huge relief to be debt free one day!  The big expenses are coming up soon and we want to be sure that we are more prepared for them, (Dayton goes to college next year, wants a car, etc...)So wish us luck!!!

All of these plans are to help us get simplified, organized and give us time to enjoy the little things in life.