another freeby :)

i just love synchronicity! as i was browsing stonesoup (after my last post) i stumbled upon a free e-baking cookbook! i haven’t looked through it too much, but i’m excited to! baking with 5 ingredients or less? yes please! head over here to get your copy! you can also get a free e-cookbook here!

new year, new goals

i have to start off by saying that i’m feeling pretty resistant to setting super specific resolutions for 2011, probably because i figure i’ll just fail at them miserably. but i do think the start of a new year is always a great time to evaluate and think about some things you want to change or improve upon. so instead of resolutions, i think i’ll have some goals or ideas to keep in mind throughout 2011.

1. be nicer to myself. i’ve been thinking for a while now about how my life will change this year – primarily with doing my internship and working. i also have a big art show coming up this summer, and who knows what else in store. i’m not going to lie, i’m a little terrified. how am i going to be able to keep up with all of my homework and all the house stuff that i like to keep under control – laundry, dishes, etc. – while working/interning 5 or 6 days a week? i don’t really know. but the point is i probably won’t be able to the way i’d like. i need to be okay with that. i need to cut myself some slack, and accept the fact that the laundry might pile up or i might need to ask for a small extension on an assignment. i might also need to ask josh for help more, with groceries for example. he really doesn’t even mind getting groceries, but it’s still something that i usually assign to myself.

2. closely related – self care! this is kind of a therapist-y term, but it basically means you’ve got to take care of yourself, especially when you are helping others with their own issues. i’m nervous about working with hurting, abused, and neglected kids 20-some hours a week, especially since i know i’m generally super-sensitive to hurting people. i know i’ve got to separate my life from theirs, and make time to rest and do things i enjoy – sew, make art, spend time with friends, walk, etc., no matter how busy i get!

3. be gazelle like when it comes to saving money! (this is a dave ramsey thing – basically meaning super motivated.) josh and i are planning to have our car paid off by summer, and then start tackling my school debt with a vengeance. i hope to contribute to our efforts as much as possible by sticking tightly to our budget, using coupons, and being super thrifty with our grocery shopping (aldi, here i come!).

4. reduce and simplify. i’m really hoping to live on a little bit less this year, by getting rid of clothes, books, and other things that we don’t need cluttering up our house. i’d like to sell what i can, and then just donate the rest. i already feel totally overwhelmed with how much God has blessed us, and i really don’t want to hold onto stuff that i don’t use or need. i need to have a purging day soon, but then this will also need to become an ongoing effort. i’d also like to simplify what i buy – focusing more on what we really need. and with cooking, i’d like to prepare more simple, healthy meals, like meat or fish, sauteed veggies, and healthy grains. no need for a million ingredients for this busy girl. maybe i’ll be heading over to stonesoup more in the future for some super simple meal ideas.

5. write more. this, of course, is closely related to my 2nd goal. i like to use writing as a way to de-clutter my head, and i think this will be especially important during this crazy year. i plan on returning to this site, which i’ve used in the past, but have gotten away from in recent months. it’s a convenient and easy way for me to write.

6. graduate! (well, that’s pretty specific, but i’m leaving it there anyway! i’m so tired of school!)

i think that pretty much sums it up. there are a few others floating around in my head, but i think they’re all pretty closely related. cheers to an amazing (and busy!) 2011!