New Years Resolution

I know this is a little late in coming, but I figure since Shay and Erica's Workin' It Wednesday topic was New Years Goals I would wait and share them closer to their link up.

Notice how I didn't say resolutions, plural. I never do resolutions, I always felt like it was setting yourself up for disappointment/failure. Optimistic of me right? So I'm setting somewhat of a goal. Actually I've been doing this for several years now. Back in 2012 I decided it was the year I was going to start wearing jewelry, I didn't own any, do you believe that? So I worked on getting my jewelry game on, just adding a little something to my wardrobe. Let's just skip over 2013 because I was mostly pregnant and had a newborn.

In 2014 I was ready to get me back. I had two kids and was feeling all kinds of frumpy. I had told Mr. that I was going to get a new wardrobe after Mini Fox. Enter Alison and her all kinds of awesome Style Challenges (affiliate link). I decided to join her very first challenge in April 2014, and you guys it seriously changed my life. I had no idea leopard was a neutral, that you could wear black with brown and by wearing actual outfits could make me feel like a real person again.

My very first Alison outfit. Notice no make up, I didn't really even own any to tell you the truth. And the lighting, why didn't I try to lighten up this dark picture? Yikes.

Then 2015 was all about learning about make-up, I had never known how to do mine. I never wore it, period. I watched a million YouTube channels on how to do Asian make up. You have no idea how much I YouTube I watched. Hey same location, lighter pictures and I'm wearing a little make up, at least I don't look dead.

Then came 2016 and I decided I wanted to learn everything about hair, so I challenged myself to intentionally do my hair, instead of always throwing it up into a ponytail. One of my first hair styles I tried out before work no less! An acccomplishment, and I found out I really love doing hair, excpet that pesky messy bun, for the life of me I STILL cannot figure it out!

Finally onto my 2017 resolution, I know took me long enough right? Like you wanted to know my life history, ah, well, you got it anyway. I decided I want to get organized. My house is a mess! I mean it looks picked up, but don't open any closets or cabinets, cause yikes!  The toys are out of control, so this year is my year to get my house organized! I know it will be a lot of work, take a look at my house as I'm writing this post...I have to tell myself, it gets way, way worse before it will get better, right? Come back Monday January 23rd, for The Blended Blog, House Organization Link up to see how I'm doing so far.

Hint: This is how much stuff we donated from mostly my son's closet! Seriously I have issues. And this doesn't include that bags and bags of trash we threw out either. Feeling lighter and cleaner already! Now just a bajillion more rooms to go, or at least that's how it feels. Actually everything on the table came out of my crafting closet, trying to figure out how to organize it.

P.S. Yes if you look closely that is my son's mobile that I had on his crib from 6 years ago! I just couldn't let it go...but it was about time!

So what is your new years resolution, goal, word of the year? I'm really hoping that by summer I'll have everything in order, I can do that right? Just one room at a time?

Here are the other topics if you want join in as well.

 

Linking up here

How I Get Planner Organized

Happy Monday Foxy Friends! Today The Blended Blog sisters are starting a new series on how to organize different facets of your life. If you are stopping by from Christy's blog, welcome! Glad you stopped by! Since it is the beginning of the year, we decided we are going to start with planners, and how we organize our life.

Let's go back a bit...say back to 7th grade, when my mom got me my first day planner. Yep, it was green and made of canvas and probably from Target...I used the heck out of that thing. Back then Franklin Covey was the in thing to have, so a couple of years later she got me my first real leather bound legit Franklin Covey Day planner.

And the inside...yep I did all of 2016, then realized how much I liked the spiral bound planner that I bought for blogging, and decided it would be better to have another one for life, so I didn't have to lug this big thing around.

Random Fact: I keep all of the refills...I don't know why, well one time I wanted to see when I did something, so I went to look it up in the calendar, so I could then go find the picture in my folders of pictures. This is just what I had on hand, the others are packed away in storage...I have a problem. If I tried, I probably have every single year I've ever owned a Franklin on hand.

Let's take a closer look at that...

Last year, I was about to buy my refills, but realized that Franklin had spiral bound planners? What?! Game changer. I decided that I wanted to get my blog more organized and didn't want to be scrambling for posts each night. I bought a planner for my blog and then a separate for daily life.

Wow, why didn't I think of this sooner?

I know you want to take a peek inside. Back in college, when I was super bored in class and had a bunch of colored pens, I started color coding my planner. I did this so I could glance at my planner and know without having to read when things were due, when it was someone's birthday, etc. That then turned into highlighter. I've been using the same colors for at least the last 10 years.

From 2005

From 2015

Then last year when I decided to separate my blog and personal life I used the same color coding for my life planner and then changed it up a bit for my blog planner, but still the same idea.

Pink is link ups, Orange is The Blended Blog related, Green is my own, Yellow is just good to knows.

Here are my planners for this year.

Daily life.  When I get a new planner I fill out days off and birthdays and anniversaries first. Then life happens and the dance card starts to fill up pretty fast, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Blue is work things, green is something I have to do/a meeting, and orange is someone's birthday or anniversary. Even though you can't really see the print, you know exactly what is happening on what day.

 


For my blogging planner, I start with what I know, so I enter when I have days off right away. Then I add things that I always do, like Friday Favorites, and My TBB fashion link up. Typically I'll only go a few months out, just in case plans change. Then I fill in the link ups that I know of and want to participte in. I really like participating in Andrea's Tuesday Talk and Shay and Erica's Workin' Wednesday (used to be Stranded). I couldn't find my pink highlighter...might have to go buy another one.

So that's how I stay planner organized. I love the Erin Condren planners that everyone is obsessed, but quite frankly I don't have time to sit down each week to decorate a planner and if I did I would be working on my actual scrapbooks that I'm 6 years behind on, lol!

So how do you keep your planners organized? If you have read me first, hop on over to The Blended Blog to see how some of the other ladies keep planner organized! If you want to join us next week, we're talking about how we are going to budget in the new year. We'd love to see what works for your family!

Join in on any of the topics for the next few Mondays.

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up here

Friday Favorites #99

Happy Friday! We're almost at the end of the week, woo hoo! The first week back after break is always the hardest. So let's get to my favorites for the week:

Monday: My Winter Break In Numbers
Wednesday: Comfy Cozy Weekend Wear
Thursday: Sentence A Day - December Edition

I loved what I wore for Christmas, a little fancy for our little affair, but you know what? I don't care, I can wear want right? Anyway, it was so much fun to wear this skirt and top. Mini Fox wanted to take pictures with me and she picked this bench first.

Then I suggested we sit on the grass...she was all over that, she picked out the spot we sat down in.

Then my sister came and helped out so we could get the shot that I wanted...although I wish my shirt was fluffed out I'm happy with how it came out. Mini Fox is so darn cute.

Some random pictures. We were at the gas station and I had my phone in my hand so I threw it on Baby Fox's lap in the back seat, I had no idea he knew my passcode to my phone, and I look back and he's taking pictures. Later I saw what he took, little rascal.

Such an artist. That's his blankie there on his lap and he's set his Lego guy on it.

I captured this picture perfectly, totally on accident. They were being zombies and were surprise attacking me.

Naturally when you get really giant bags filled with gifts from your aunt, you then do sack races down the hallway, right? Blurry, but I still love them just the same.

You guys, I'm going to introduce you to the best app EVER! Okay, maybe that is a little dramatic, but really this app is awesome. It helps you to find flights at the best prices, simply enter where you're starting, where you're going and when you want to go and it will tell you when you should buy tickets! It sends you a notice when prices change, it's how I scored super low tickets for my trip in May! I didn't think the prices got that low, so if you have a trip coming up, go get this app, it's awesome!

P.S. Yes I am that person that doesn't care that there are 400 unread messages. Mostly they are spam that I never delete...at least it's not as bad as my mom who has 20,000.

Who is with me on this?

I've mentioned Us The Duo a couple of times now, but they just came out with another of their Hits of the year videos, and this one is awesome.

What are you all up to this weekend? Currently on my plate is taking down Christmas...ugh! Is it acceptable if no one is coming over I wait till next weekend? Hehe. Happy Weekending, we made it!

Linking up here

Sentence A Day: December Edition

1 - Mini Fox is just the cutest thing ever.

2 - So many errands, will they ever end?

3 - Thanksgiving part 2...uncooked turkey, oops!

4 - Of course church goes 20 minutes over when we have somewhere to be 20 minutes ago, but at least I got to see the Bishop, that was worth it.

5 - Holy crap, this 21 Day Fix Extreme Cardio is No JOKE!

6 - Sore from yesterday and now I just did Amp Cycle, what was I thinking...push-ups while cycling...I am not that coordinated.

7 - MNO...yes, I needed one of these.

8 - The pizza is bigger than her face!

9 - Christmas light looking, hoping this is a yearly tradition

10 - Legoland! Woo hoo.

11 - So much to do...when to get it all done!

12 - I guess I'll do a 21 day fixed video, even though I don't want to

13 - Amped Cycle is intense...

14 - Man my hair appointment got cancelled

15 - First time working in Baby Fox's classroom, I surprised him and he LOVED it.

16 - Please let there be no traffic, please let there be no traffic

17 - Cousin Christmas Party!

18 - Lazy day, just what we needed.

19 - Just keep wrapping, wrapping, wrapping...

20 - Last day in the office, woo hoo!

21 - MNO, yes!

22 - Holy Crap that was one long car ride, 4 hours to Santa Barbara is not normal, at least we got to see family, worth it.

23 - Cause why not, let's got to Discovery Cube when the house is a mess and needs to be prepped for Christmas Dinner.

24 - Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve!

25 - How do I have a 6 year old, where did the time go?!

26 - Lazy day, much needed.

27 - LEGOLAND was insane, note to self, never go during breaks.

28 - Chill, underwhelming experience

29 - Day date with Mr., much needed.

30 - There's a barber shop quartet singing in the Costco Food Court, so awesome!

31 - Happy New Year!

Have you been doing sentence a day? You can still catch up for next month, it's only January 5th! Get to it and start recording your moments one sentence at a time.

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up here