Goodbye {For Now}

Hi friends!

I'm writing because I wanted to let you know it's going to be very quiet around here for a while. How long exactly I don't know. Maybe 2 weeks or 2 months? I'm not setting a time limit. All I know is that blogging and social media are fabulous, but also very time consuming, and right now I have more important things that need my attention (Like the little guy who is twirling my hair as I write this). When I feel like it's time to get back to it and I feel like I can balance it a little better I'll be back.

Thanks,

Tinkering...

I'm tinkering with some design things today, so please excuse any craziness. :)

Thank you!

Remarkable Faith: Funeral

Continuing on with the Remarkable Faith series over at Giving up on Perfect, today's topic is a funeral that has been significant in your life. As soon as I saw this topic I was reminded of a post I wrote last August when my Uncle Cordell passed away. Although the post is not specifically written about the funeral, I would like to repost it because it was a time of enlightenment and growing in my faith. My dad actually read an excerpt of this post when he spoke at my uncle's funeral, which meant so much to me. The funeral served as a confirmation of the things I felt when I wrote the post below, as well as a chance to meet a handful of the people my uncle touched with his life.

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A Time to Embrace
Reposted from August 11, 2010

I’m writing with a very heavy heart today.

I just found out that my great uncle, who has been battling pancreatic cancer for some months now, was taken to the hospital.  At the time I’m writing we’re not sure if he will be leaving.

After spending some time in prayer and seeking God through His Word, I have looked at some verses in a new light, and thought I would share.

First, let me tell you about my Uncle Cordell.  He has been a great uncle.  He has been the kind of uncle who never ceased to put a smile on my face, and joy in my heart.  He and my Aunt Wilma (his wife) are truly blessings to be around.  They carry warmth and comfort with them wherever they are, and I believe this is the “fragrance of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15) on them.  If my Uncle Cordell knew I was writing this, he would not want you to feel sorry for him, he actually wouldn’t want any attention on him at all.  He was slow to tell anyone of his disease for this very reason, and feel sorry for him you should not.  He is a hard worker who, despite his illness, saw to it that work that needed to be done was tended to.  It runs in the family, my grandfather is the same way.  They are quite the pair of brothers, my Uncle Cordell and Pops, very much alike in the joy they bring and their hard work ethic.  I’m hoping that the same work ethic is instilled deep within me as well, it might just take a little searching to find it.

Aunt Wilma and Uncle Cordell at my college graduation/birthday party, May 2007

Uncle Cordell holding Jayden, 4th of July, 2008

It’s hard to see someone you love suffer with the symptoms of cancer.  One of the times I felt it most was a few months ago when Dipal, the boys, and I met up with my Uncle Cordell and Aunt Wilma along with my Pops, Dad, brother, and sister at some of our family’s property in Tennessee.  There was a lingering sense of sadness that everyone tried to look past as the news of the cancer was still somewhat new.  When it came time to say our goodbyes my Uncle Cordell reached out his hand to shake mine.  In my moment of ignorance I lightheartedly said, “I don’t want a handshake, I want a hug.”  After all, that is typically how we would say goodbye in our family, but Uncle Cordell immediately informed me that while he was on chemo he was instructed to keep his distance from others and their germs, but he reassured me “next time.”  

This was the last time I saw Uncle Cordell.

As I was fingering through the pages of my Bible this afternoon, I was led to 1 Corinthians 15: 35-49, which captured my attention because of the subtitle “A Glorious Body.”  Specifically, verses 43 – 44 shone a glimmer of hope (talking of the body).

⁴³ It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory.  It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

No matter how dishonoring my uncle's natural body may have been to him through this disease, his spirit will be raised in glory.  No matter how weak this disease makes my uncle’s natural body, his spirit will be raised in power.

Thank you, Jesus.

As Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” It goes on to say in verse 4 “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

Laughed we have with Uncle Cordell, but now is a season of weeping and mourning the loss of someone we loved very much.  But we have assurance that one day we will be reunited with him in a place of joy.

And I can’t wait to get my hug when I see him there.

*I started to write this yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon after hearing the initial news of my uncle.  Late last night I received a call from my dad informing me that my uncle had passed away, and I completed the post this morning.  Please keep my family in your prayers, specifically my Aunt Wilma, my grandfather, and his sisters and family.

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If you haven't already, please take some time to check out others sharing their stories at Giving up on Perfect today.

Anyone up for some March Madness?

With my sweet little man at the Sweet 16 last year.

So, with less than 24 hours left until round one begins of the men's NCAA tourney I'm getting a little crazy, "mad" if you will. I've decided to set up a Hope in the Daily Grind group on ESPN's tournament challenge and would love for you guys to join me! My husband and I always fill out brackets and my husband usually even leads a group of friends in the challenge, which led me to the thought it would be fun to do a friendly bloggy competition. Here's the catch - you have less than 24 hours to fill in your bracket! No brackets will be accepted (according to ESPN rules) past Noon EST tomorrow (Thursday, March 17).

Although last minute, I'm going to try to find a fun gift or two for the winner as the tournament won't end until April 4th. {On that note, if you have an Etsy shop or business you would like to promote by offering a gift for our winner, please let me know ASAP.} Once I know what those gifts are I'll let you guys know.

Now on to the fun...

{Depending on how long it takes you to fill in your bracket this whole process could take less than 5 minutes.}

Click here {http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/group?groupID=174462} and either make a free ESPN account or enter in your account name and password if you already happen to have one.

Once you have created your account you should return to the Hope in the Daily Grind group screen with a red button offering you to "Create and Join". Click that button.

You should see your name as a link on a row highlighted in yellow. Click your name and an empty bracket will open up. To select who you think will win each game simply click on the team.

To finish you will need to type in what you think the score will be of the national championship game. Then click "Submit".

You are allowed up to 10 entries per ESPN rules. Use it as an opportunity to have your kids or hubby join in on the fun. You can name each entry as you choose by hitting "Edit Entry Settings".

If you have any other questions feel free to email me at Hopeinthedailygrind at gmail dot com.

Looking forward to some fun!

Macaroni and Marriage

It was right after feelings were hurt and sharp words were said. I wiped my tears with the sleeve of my college sweatshirt as I put the last of the dishes away only to make room for more. I placed the pot of water on the stove to boil like the anger that was inside me. Did we really just have that argument? Did I really just say that? Did he mean that like I thought he did? I can't believe we just went there.

I pulled out the blue box of noodles and powdered cheese, added the pasta to the boiling water and turned the temperature down on the stove and in my gut to avoid overflowing. I checked on the once frozen nuggets in the oven that were halfway cooked and I remembered how far we've come since we started.

Just three and a half short years ago we were in a one bedroom apartment, newly married, preparing for our first child, and all I knew how to cook for dinner was frozen chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. It was a weekly affordable staple for our beginning family. Tonight it was an easy option for a late started dinner and a way out of spending too much time in the kitchen on a Sunday evening. It was a far cry from my husband's favorite made-by-me meat loaf or chicken tortilla soup that I've learned how to make over the years, and an even further far cry from the most mouth-watering pork chops I've ever eaten (and I'm not a big fan of pork chops) that our neighbors invited us over for the night before, yet a testament to the beginning and a memento of the origin of two as one.

As I stirred the macaroni and cheese into fruition nerves were calmed and explanations were given. Although feelings still tender, we gathered round the table as one family, praying for God's continued guidance and thanking Him for our blessings, eating our macaroni and nuggets, cleaning up messy fingers and cheesy mouths capable of the most heart-melting kisses on earth.

And afterwards we turned up the music and danced in the kitchen like crazies, and I remembered why I'm here, the promises I've made, and how they make me feel loved. The journey can be hard, but these treasures are worth fighting for.

I Feel the Most Loved When... A Five Minute Friday Post

As someone who has always dealt with a lot of insecurities feeling loved has always been a lifeblood to me. As I thought about this topic, I realized that for me love speaks through actions and words of affirmation. My love language perhaps?

I feel the most loved when...

The sweet baby boys God has entrusted me with look me in the eyes and flash their big, beautiful smiles. They are breathtaking.

My husband shares my successes with all of his Facebook friends and seems so proud.

I mention to my mom the possibility of the boys and me riding with her and my family down to Tennessee and her response is "Are you kidding me?! We'll find a way to make it work."

When Jayden twirls my hair in his sweet fingers the way he has done since he was only months old.

When Jackson runs to wherever I am and throws his arms up in the air pleading "Hold you, hold you."

When I give Jayden a kiss and he says "So close!" just to get another one, and when he is satisfied proclaims "That's a yay!".

When my wiggle worm Jackson wants nothing more than to cuddle with his mommy after waking up from his nap.

When I feel loved all stress is relieved and forgotten.

Oh love, you warm and fuzzy feeling you. I love when you come around. :)





This post is linked up over at Five Minute Fridays hosted by sweet Lisa-Jo. Go take a peek at the other posts, but while you're there you should also take a look around the rest of Lisa-Jo's site. This post she wrote last week was one of my recent favorites. Those of you who are pregnant or who have ever been on a hospital tour will appreciate it. :)

Remarkable Faith: Baptism

As I mentioned yesterday, Mary over at Giving up on Perfect is hosting a special series throughout Lent called Remarkable Faith. The topic for today is baptism. If you're visiting from Giving up on Perfect I want to say a huge thank you for stopping by! For everyone else {to whom I am also grateful :) }, feel free to jump on over to visit the rest of the Remarkable Faith posts.

My first baptism was when I was 8 years old. Yes, you read that right, my first. There was a special event at church for the kids and I walked down the aisle, said a prayer, and we planned a time for me to be baptized. I remember very little of it now except for a few details. What impacted me the most was how insignificantly it seemed to impact me from that point on.

As the years went on I wondered if there had ever really been a change in my heart. I worried that my walk up the aisle was more a following of others than a decision on my own part. I just couldn't fathom how at 8 years old I would have really known what I was praying about or committing to. This is not to say that it's impossible to be saved as a child, but personally, I doubted that my 8 year-old self really understood it all. After years of wondering and debating my torn heart was mended in July of 1999 when my 14 year-old self finally decided to do something about it. I prayed to God confessing my sins, repenting of those sins, and turning my life over into His control. And, yes, following the example of the Bible, I followed this decision with baptism {again}.

It was a life changing moment for me. I remember the tears streaming down my face - tears of joy - that I knew, that I knew, that I knew I was His. In fact, I still have a little notebook that I wrote in afterwards where I simply stated, "I'm happier, no more doubts in my mind." I even used the date from the event in my AOL/AIM screen name at the time. How's that for serious? ;)

Have I messed up since then? That would be a big, fat YES! I mean, uh, have you read my story? Have I doubted God since then? Unfortunately, the answer to that is yes too, and you can read some of that here. But the amazing bigger picture in this is that He has never doubted me. He has never let me fall from His hand. He knows the plans for my life {Jeremiah 29:11} and despite my mess-ups and doubts he continues to plant desires in my heart to serve Him.

What's equally as awesome is seeing His work in my family. Within the last year I witnessed my husband's baptism which was such a special moment. A subject I had literally been talking to him about for years, questioning why he hadn't already followed through with it, and trying my best not to be pushy about it. Holding my then 2 yr. old in my arms was priceless as we watched the leader of our home publicly "take the plunge" to show his faith in Christ. I'll never forget the worship time afterwards when my little one {who is usually in nursery during the service} raised his hands and tried to raise mine for me as well, as if he was saying "Mom, we have a lot to be praising for today."

Giving up Perfect

** A perfect blog post would have a really moving picture that would be related to the topic here. I couldn't find one, and I'm working on being okay with that. :)

When driving home from Tennessee a few weeks ago a line came to my mind seemingly out of nowhere that said "Perfection is my enemy." Occasionally this line pops into my head, but usually it's because I've listened to Francesca Battistelli's 'Free to be Me'. This time it was random, although I'm sure inspired by the song I've heard so many times. So I pondered the line and thought for at least the hundredth time... That is so true for me.

I continued on with my day, picking up my husband from his almost week long trip, then arriving to our home in disarray from a combination of holidays and travels. We decided to get ourselves in gear and go to our church small group despite our long day. In fact, I had been hoping all day that we would be home in time to make it. As usual, it was a great night of being with friends and laughing, but more importantly, encouragement and enlightenment from being with this great group of people. Our discussion was about the importance of reading the Bible and why it can sometimes be so hard to stick with it. A few people threw out different reasons such as it being confusing or not fitting into the "normal" societal routine (all very true statements). Then I got the urge to throw out my own personal reasoning for not reading the Bible often enough - Perfection. You see, I have this perfect idea of how my morning should go: I'll wake up bright and early before the kids, exercise, take my shower, grab some coffee, then sit down with my Bible and soak in what God has for me in the calm and quiet.

I could count on one hand how many times my morning has really worked out that way.

As we were ending the discussion my husband shared a thought he had heard before as a challenge for everyone.  If we were going to try to add this habit as a permanent addition to our lifestyle, what were we going to give up? As our friend prayed and asked that question again I felt like I heard God so clearly and simply saying "Give up perfection."

Wow.  That was so huge for me.  And to feel like God had been preparing me all day for His message was so exciting!

How many times has my desire for perfection kept me from doing anything? It seems so backwards, but it truly happens to me all the time. If I can't do things the "perfect" way then what's the use in doing them at all? I feel overwhelmed by the tasks in front of me and decide to shut down rather than attempt.

As the Lenten season has been approaching I've been questioning whether or not I should try to participate, but I've wondered what would I give up that would really make a difference in my relationship with Christ. Then, it hit me as I worked on the draft of this very post that has been sitting on my computer for a few weeks - this is the time to give up perfection. To pray every time I feel overwhelmed by my to-do list or how others see me if I do this or don't do that. To try my best, even if it's not perfect. To be me and be okay with that. To understand I am a constantly changing (hopefully for the better) creation in Christ who doesn't have it all together and never will. And hopefully, this is something I'm not just giving up for Lent, but for good.

Giving Up On Perfect... It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? An awesome blog title perhaps? It just so happens that a blog I read regularly has that exact title and is written by another mom, Mary, who is figuring out the "journey through an imperfect life." I found Mary's blog through (in) courage and have really connected with her writing. Mary is also one of those bloggers who always replies to comments and when I emailed her with a question about my own blog replied quickly. She's cool like that. It just so happens Mary is doing a series through the season of Lent called Remarkable Faith where she will talk about her faith, but is also asking others to join in and talk about theirs. Jump on over, take a look, and think about participating. I know I'm looking forward to writing some about my own story and reading from others.

On a final note, I know Lent is not only a time of giving something up (Like Diet Coke, Chocolate, or Facebook), but a time of reflection on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, so I hope no one who is participating in Lent will think I'm demeaning this time. As one who didn't grow up practicing Lent I'm still learning what it's all about, and maybe I will more fully participate one day as I feel called to do so. However at this point in my life, this is what I feel God is calling me to work on.

What about you guys? Do you feel like you struggle with perfection? Are you participating in Lent? If so, I would love to hear what you're giving up and what Lent means to you.

Five Minute Friday: Photo Prompt

I remember being in one of my public relations classes in college when a favorite professor asked the question "Where do you see yourself in five years?"  Although I couldn't answer for sure, I envisioned myself in an exciting PR job, loving what I was doing despite the hard times that would surely come with starting my career.

Very quickly, it became evident that's not the direction my life was going to take.  Instead, on a random Thursday night just a few years later I was laughing with my favorite boys at a Harlem Globetrotters game.  I was sitting with guys that were not apart of the vision a few years ago, but now I couldn't possibly envision the future without.

And look at those smiles.  Those smiles make my heart flutter better than any job could ever hope.

*Check out other "Five Minute Friday" posts over at The Gypsy Mama.  (LOVE her idea to do this!!)

Project Life: January 1-8

So, needless to say... My Project Life posts were seriously lacking towards the end of 2010.  Ahem.  As were all my posts...  But it's a new year, so what better time to jump back on board?!  I love the idea of Project Life and if I really get my act together, am even thinking about making these pictures into a tangible scrapbook.  I love the convenience of pictures online/on the computer, but there is something nice about being able to hold something in your hands and take it in.


Saturday, January 1 ~ Happy New Year from the boys and me!!  For the last few years we've hosted New Year's Eve at our home and these were some of the leftover party accessories that the boys (and I) were playing with the next morning.

Sunday, January 2 ~ The boys, especially my oldest, are really into Toy Story.  They also are outgrowing all their pajamas, so for Christmas GiGi and G-Man (My mom and stepdad) helped us stock up on none other than Toy Story pajamas (You can also see a pair in the photo above).  My poor Jayden has his "sick eyes" in this picture as he was in the beginning of a cold, but they were pretty ecstatic to have these pajamas!

Monday, January 3 ~ Today the boys and I spent our entire day finishing up Christmas (See 2011 goals, #11) and after-Christmas clearance shopping.  They were such troopers (A new Toy Story book and some cookies helped)!

Tuesday, January 4 ~ Since committing to do Project Life for 2011 wasn't something I had thought through until the last couple of days, you get to see my messy kitchen on January 4.  The original point of this picture was to do a before and after organizing post... but that didn't happen.  Granted the severity of my cluttery mess is intensified due to the holidays, we'll just use this picture to say this is why #3 is on the 2011 goal list.

Wednesday, January 5 ~ There are a couple of things Jackson has started doing lately that I think are very cute, like going off on his own to build towers with his wooden blocks and this other little face he's making in the top right picture.  I also thought it was sweet how the boys like to sit at the bottom of the stairs while their daddy was working from home upstairs in his office.  I can just hear Jackson saying "Cheeeeeeeeeeese!!" for this picture. 

Thursday, January 6 ~ The boys and I left for Tennessee today to go visit with family while the hubs traveled on 2 back-to-back work trips.  This is one of the pictures I sent him on our drive down.  I try to send him a ton of picture updates when we're apart because he misses the boys (and hopefully me) like crazy!  Yes, we miss him too. :)

Friday, January 7 ~ Today was a fun day at GiGi and G-Man's house!  G-Man wanted to take the boys to McDonald's to play and have some lunch, and in true G-Man style he jumped right in and played with them.  Jackson loves pretending he's driving, which is what he was trying to tell G-Man in the picture.  Jayden loved climbing and playing in the playplace.  After lunch the boys came home and opened some Christmas presents from family who had sent them from WV.  Jayden especially loved his sleeping bag equipped with a flashlight. (The kid loves flashlights!)  Speaking of love, Jackson loves the Veggie Tales movie Jonah, which is what he, G-Man, and my sister Emmie are watching in the bottom left picture.  We completed the day with a story read by GiGi (by request of Jackson).

Saturday, January 8 ~ We started out Saturday with pancakes made by G-Man (He spoiled us with these almost every single day we were in Tennessee) and then drove up to visit my grandfather who we call "Pops."  We met my dad, stepmom, brother, and sister there and spent some time playing outside.  I forgot to pack any gloves for the boys, so my Aunt Robyn brought some over that she had of my cousin's - Mork and Mindy circa 1980!

To see more Project Life photos you can go visit The Mom Creative!

Looking forward to continuing the rest of the year with our pictures!!  Happy Tuesday everyone!!

Slowly but Surely Attacking Goals

It's day 10 of 2011 -- How are you doing on your goals/resolutions?  I actually haven't fully started attacking my goals yet, which I'm happy about.  Doing too much too early would only be a recipe for burnout.

One thing I have started on is goal #1 - to read the entire Bible.  In fact, I'm doing something a little crazy -- trying to read it in 90 days!  A few days ago on Twitter I saw a link to a group planning on reading the Bible in 90 days together and I thought 'what a way to accomplish my goal!'  Yes, a bit intimidating, especially with 2 kiddos, but exciting.

The site joining this community of Bible readers together is Mom's Toolbox, a blog that's purpose is to provide "Tools for real moms growing in Christ."  They have close to 1000 people taking part in this challenge!  I would encourage others to join in, however if you haven't started reading yet it might be hard to catch up as the group is on day 9 today.  In fact, I'm still trying to catch up to the rest of the group since I didn't start my reading until day 3.

As for the rest of my goals, I'm mostly just trying to set myself up with a plan to accomplish them for when we return home.  My husband had 2 back-to-back work trips to go on, so the boys and I traveled down to Tennessee to visit with family instead of staying home by ourselves.  It's been a great trip topped off with the beautiful snow today!

Now, off to go catch up on some reading!! :)

Hope you all have a great day!

My 11 for 2011

I'm usually not one to make New Year's resolutions.  Resolutions are known for being broken and I just feel like I would be setting myself up for disaster.  But over the last couple of months I kept having things come to mind that I would like to work on and get better at, so I told myself that this would be a year of accomplishing goals, or as we call them this time of year, resolutions.  If I summed up everything I would like to resolve to do into one sentence it would probably be "To get my act together, " but what fun would it be if I left it at that?  Not fun at all and definitely not setting myself up for success - I need specifics!

So, in an effort to help gather my thoughts and prepare myself for a successful year, here they are...

My 11 "Resolutions" for 2011:

1. Read the entire Bible.  I've been wanting to accomplish this task for years and years and this is going to be the year I do it.  There are so many different reading plans available to help that I really don't have an excuse not to - The only thing holding me back is my own discipline.  I think it's wild that I've grown up with my faith in Christ, but have never completely read the book that I believe to be the inerrant word of God.

2. Lose the last of that baby weight. (Yeah, I know it's typical resolution material.)  It's time to get back to the exercise routine, say goodbye to the sodas I started drinking over the holidays, and get back to a weight I feel good about once and for all. No. More. Excuses.


3. Stick to my routine.  I'm not a fan of cleaning (Just ask my hubby or even my roommates from college), so the only way I'll get it done is if I do it in small doses.  When I follow my routine the house looks better, I feel better, and I know it makes the hubby happy.  I would even venture to say our kiddos act better when the house is in order and not chaotic.  Peace of mind for all is a definite plus.


4. Decorate our home.  On the note of taking care of our home, I really would like to do a better job of decorating our space.  I love decorating, but it's not something that comes naturally to me, so it will take a bit of work.  I want our home to be a happy and comfortable place for us as well as a place to gather with family and friends in a pleasant atmosphere.


5. Take better care of myself and our family.  I guess this kinda goes hand-in-hand with #2, but when I thought of this I was thinking more along the lines of finding a good family doctor and keeping up with necessary check-ups and appointments to keep our family in the best health possible.  When someone gets sick I want to have a professional close by that I trust to help us out.


6. Blog more.  Oh yeah, it's on here.  Have you seen the last time I posted?  And let's just be honest, that was only for the free Christmas cards.  By looking at the quantity of posts I have you wouldn't be able to tell how much I really love doing it, but I promise I do, which is why I keep trying to find a way to make it work for me.  More than that, I feel like it's something I'm suppose to be doing.  The best is yet to come.


7. Keep in touch with friends and family more.  I am one of the world's worst at keeping in touch with people.  I'm sure of it.  I'm positive if it weren't for Facebook I wouldn't keep in contact with 80% of the family and friends I do now, and even with Facebook I don't do it nearly as much as I should.  I want to make the time to call family, friends, and people who have impacted my life on a regular basis.


8. Potty train our 3 yr. old.  I think I've been dealing with guilt about this everyday for the last 6 months.  I just can't stay consistent.  Everyone always seems so anxious to potty train, but you know what I realized?  Diapers are so much easier!  My little man is more than capable of throwing out the diapers for good, he just needs his mama to get on her A-game. (Or would it be P-game?) ;)


9. Have our family participate in more charity type events.  I want to start teaching our boys while they're young to appreciate the blessings in their life and to be giving and loving to those that might not be so fortunate.  I think so much maturity and responsibility can be gained from seeing the world through the eyes of others and learning there is more to life than your own little comfortable bubble of life.

10. Help the family budget.  Dave Ramsey would be so proud.  We've been making major milestones along our journey to being debt free.  However, I still see places where I feel like we (mostly I) could improve - like spending less money on groceries/going out to eat.  I've tried the coupon thing before, and to be honest, it drove me a little nuts, but I've been having the itch to give it one more go.  I even bought a paper on Sunday. We shall see.


11. Be better prepared for events like holidays, birthdays, etc.  It's January 4th and I still have a Christmas gift I haven't bought yet, you know, for the holiday that was 2 weeks ago.  It's not for lack of trying, but that doesn't mean it isn't eating me alive.  I really, really want to be more proactive about buying birthday gifts/cards, planning birthday parties (or any other parties for that matter), and yes,  buying Christmas gifts.  Doing some things at the last minute can be beneficial and fun sometimes.  Doing 98% of it at the last minute causes stress.

Whew!  I've got a lot to keep me busy in 2011, but I'm excited!

If you're not into the resolution thing, but would rather sum up your plan for the year in one word then check out Alece over at Grit and Glory.  Any other year I would have loved to jump on board, but since the point is to not make a list of goals, I don't really fit the criteria.  However, if I did sum everything up in one word it would be Gumption.  With a little initiative and drive my goals will be in progress in no time.

Happy New Year!!  Here's to a fabulous 2011!!