35 in 35

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a blessed holiday season.  I made an effort to simplify the Christmas season at our house (is that ironic or an oxymoron?  Effort to simplify. Lol).  But, it truly made a difference in my stress levels.  We didn't get out every single last decoration, we didn't make ourselves sick trying to complete our Christmas bucket list, and we didn't race from event to event like in years past. It was so nice to spend quality time at home with my little family.  I hope you were able to enjoy it as well. 

I am a (almost) New Year's baby.  And this year I turned 35.  Not a huge birthday, but it definitely feels like a marker of sorts.  35 is firmly entrenched in adulthood, like it or not.  And while I've never been one to dwell on age or numbers, I am well aware that my mom was only 9 years older than me when she received her first cancer diagnosis, and 23 years older than my current age when she passed away.  She accomplished almost all of her life goals before her too-early passing, and I have felt an urgency over the past year to use her inspiration as a drive to be intentional in accomplishing my own life goals. 

These thoughts, along with seeing Amanda's list, led to the creation of my own list.  I have written down goals multiple times recently, only to lose my list (getting back to my natural inclination towards organization is one of my goals).  Posting my list here not only keeps me accountable, but also ensures I won't lose my list.  I would love to hear any goals or dreams you have for the coming year.  Let's make 2016 a great one!

Holly's 35 in 35 (not in any particular order)

1. Go to bed at 10pm, lights out no later than 11 (so long, Netflix binges)
2. Read more books
3. Watch less tv
4. Make a budget & stick to it
5. Participate in at least one of the 2016 One Room Challenge 
6. Plan a trip to Seaside; the last vacation spot we took as a family before my mom passed away.  It will have been 5 years in June since our last trip
7. Blog more frequently
8. Improve my photography skills (learn through books/classes/articles)
9. Focus on my time-management skills
10. Organize my home; this is something that used to come easily to me, but I struggle now that I have 2 little ones (& a spouse who is the complete opposite of organized)
11. Use my Day Planner every day (see #8)
12. Learn how to sew
13. Attempt more DIY on my own (instead of having hubby do it for me)
14. Bake more with my girls
15. Improve my health through regular exercise (starting with a minimum of 3 days a week) & decrease sugar in my diet
16. Train for and run a 5K
17. Create annual photo albums
18. Meal-plan every week & cook more at home
19. Go out on more dates with my hubby
20. Learn to play the guitar
21. Play the piano more frequently
22. Purge our home so that only things with meaning remain
23. Dust off my French language skills
24. Learn more world & American history
25. Volunteer on a more regular basis
26. Work on paintings or crafting
27. Start a cleaning schedule & stick to it
28. Plan more weekend adventures instead of sitting around the house
29. Focus on creating memories & traditions for my girls
30. Practice Random Acts of Kindness
31. Take my oldest to tea at the Ritz
32. Implement the landscape plan for our house that I designed 2 years ago
33. Create an outdoor living space (I dream of a screened porch) we can use & enjoy year-round
34. Send snail mail on a regular basis (& become better about the timeliness of thank you notes)
35. Celebrate each day for the gift that it is!