New Planner Day

This is a tradition that I so enjoy!

Every year in the last week of December I go out and find the planner that I will use for the year.
It is something that I use to keep me on track, and I keep them as a record of the things that we have done over the years. I am not good at journaling, but at least we have the planners!

I found this one at Michael's, by the Grace of God.
It was the last one like it that they had and all the planner supplies were 40% off.

I also got a fitness package, so we'll see if I stick to it.

I got it set up and have the first week ready. It always feels so good to have that planner, with a blank year in front of me. Who knows what I will fill it up with?

I am also going back to the "Motivated Moms" chore system. I love it because I love checking boxes, and it helps me to remember to do all the details around the house that get overlooked.

If you are looking at a new accountability system, consider a planner and accessories.
I have found it to be engaging and rewarding in so many ways!

Our Rightful Place

There are so many things that we can do in this world, with our lives, and with our time. When we are young we face so many questions and have to brook so much advice about our plans and how we hope to achieve them.  There are almost too many options, and we can become overwhelmed with making the "right" choice. As we get older, we find that some things are settled, as we take jobs and find spouses, and welcome children, but there is still the question of how best to spend the time that is left to us.
In earlier societies the question was frequently settled by station in life, where a person was born, and just simply trying to survive. For many people the question of their "rightful" place in society wasn't a question at all, but a fact. The duty was to live in the place that was given to you the best way that you could. Now we have the benefit of a world where people are not limited by who their parents were, where they were born, or even their economic status. All those things can be changed, and we have a greater responsibility to use our time and resources in better ways.
What this means is that we can't allow ourselves to become complacent and allow time to slip away, putting off the things that we know that we should be doing for a later time.
There may not be as much urgency as in our college years, but time isn't waiting.
There are so many people, causes, and issues that need our attention, and every person has something that they can do to attend to the needs of others on the journey.
We must all account for the way that we spent our lives.
The talents have been doled out and there will be an accounting.
Find a few minutes each day to attend to the betterment of someone else.
If you can't make someone's day, try to just make their moment.
As a very wise wizard once said "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
And that IS an encouraging thought.

Fall In Love

See what I did there...?

I mean it though. If you are looking at the end of the year that is fast approaching and you are starting to feel that familiar feeling that you have let the year pass without much to show for it, now is the time to act! Pick up the things that you have put down because you are too busy. Schedule that Fall photo shoot, go for that hike, bake some bread, paint a picture. Take some time this Fall to fall in love again with something that you are missing. You will be so glad that you did!
Time is going to pass anyway. The weather is going to change, and the holidays will be here before we know it. There will be so much to do and little opportunity for those things that we are missing.
I took the morning last Saturday to walk with my camera, in our little town, and up the river.
The weather was gorgeous, and the leaves were so vibrant! I couldn't let another day go by because the leaves were falling fast.  I grabbed the day and ran with it. Sure there was a lot to do at home. And yes, there were people that needed things. But you know what? Those things eventually got done, and those people survived, and I have some amazing pictures and met some great people! I can't get that day back, so I am glad a took some of that precious time.
I came home energized and got plenty done anyway!
Give yourself a gift of time, and Fall back in love with something that you have been missing.

One Year Later....

And what a difference!