.resolutions check-in.

It's January 31st. A great time to keep each other accountable on our New Year's resolutions.

Normally, by this point I've already ditched all half-hearted attempts at sticking to all the things I resolved to do starting January 1st. This year, I resolve to not let that happen. The things I committed to do are just too important to ditch.

One of my resolutions was to read at least a chapter of the Bible every day. I am happy to say I have done this! It has made a huge difference in how each day played out, too. Better attitude, more reflective on God's blessings, even growing excitement for what comes next. All good things. :-)

My second resolution was to intentionally make it a point to be a blessing to someone every day. Being that I know I haven't purposefully sought out some way to do this every single day this past month, I guess you could say I've fallen short on this one. I can say that each time I intentionally sent a text of encouragement or gave a compliment without a second thought, it has inevitably been a blessing to me in return. I do intend to keep this going throughout the year, anytime the thought to do so crosses my mind. I'm not going to let the fact that I have fallen short on this one deter me from continuing on with it.

How are you holding up your end of the bargain with this New Year?

.bedroom inspiration.

So I'm planning a little (actually, quite large) master bedroom re-do! Here are a few pics from my inspiration file. With any luck, I'll be posting "before" and "after" pics soon!

It's going to be fun to put this all together on a budget!

.serenity.

What am I doing today?

.a help meet.

A sweet friend gave me a copy of the book Created To Be His Help Meet: Discover how God can make your marriage glorious by Debi Pearl. It's a copy that she previously read and made notes in and underlined. I've only read the first chapter, and already I'm greatly enjoying reading her notes and finding out what parts spoke to her; but, even more importantly, I'm already motivated, just from the first chapter, to be a better partner for my husband.

One simple question that keeps lingering in my mind is: What can I do to be a better help to my husband? I know what he desires and what aggravates him. Am I doing all I can to avoid aggravating him? For selfish reasons, am I purposely failing to do little things that I know are important to him?

I can honestly say I know there is at least one solid area I need to improve upon. I know with all my heart that my husband worries about our finances. I, being the thrift-addict and decor-enthusiast that I am, know that it stresses him out every time he comes home to find new "items" I picked up while out and about in my day.

I justify all these little purchases to him by saying, "I used cash." Or, "It was only a dollar." Or similar justifications. I always thought he was worrying too much about insignificant things when he'd get upset with me for shopping...again.

Now I understand fully: If it's a significant worry to him, it should be a significant worry to me. I should do everything in my power to bring joy to my husband and not concern or added stress.

That being said, I'm not saying I'm never going to shop for home stuff or go out and spend a few bucks on something fun. However, I have a few days off now and then, and I usually use them to shop. To support my habit. I know I need to be using my days off to be more productive, to get more stuff done around the house or catch up on sewing, to plan better meals instead of throwing a frozed bagged dinner in a skillet 15 minutes before he comes home from work. I've been quietly convicted about how I spend my free time for a while now. Reading the first chapter of this book has opened my eyes to the fact that changing my bad habit of selfishly, needlessly spending will not only benefit our finances, but it will benefit my marriage.

Just some thoughts I'm having tonight. I'm excited to keep reading and grow spiritually and become more of the wife and woman God created me to be!

.snow day.

I am currently enjoying my first snow day of the season and am loving getting to devote the whole day to my creative hobbies! And the best part is, I'm sans make-up and my hair is sticking out in every direction, but I don't have to worry about how I look until this evening when the hubster gets home!

.nye dress and resolutions.

It's New Year's Eve! I'm not sure what all hubs and I are doing to celebrate tonight other than dinner with friends. We tend to keep this holiday pretty low-key, even though every year I like to pretend I have a snazzy party to attend, which allows me to go on the online hunt for the perfect dress.

I'll admit, I'm not one to prance around in a fun mini dress (no matter how much I adore ModCloth's selection). I am just too modest for those little numbers; not to mention, I'm not the biggest fan of my knees.

So, if I had a snazzy party to attend tonight, this would be my dress:

It's from Shabby Apple and can be found here.

I would pair it with champagne-colored heels and a cute clutch.

Ok, enough with the fake NYE plans. :-)

I wasn't planning on making any resolutions this year. (Come the second week of January and I've usually forgotten all about them.)

This year, however, I've come up with two very doable resolutions.

1. Read at least one chapter of the Bible every day. My friend and I have already been doing this, and we keep each other accountable by reading the same book, same chapter at a time, and we text each other our favorite verse from the day's chapter.

2. Every day, I want to intentionally seek out an opportunity to be a blessing to somebody. I'm picturing: complimenting someone when I might normally be too shy to do so; paying for the car's behind me order in the drive-thru; offering to give someone a hand if they appear to be struggling; texting someone to let them know I'm praying for them. I'm really excited about this one!

I'm curious what your resolutions are, if you have any!

.my 2010 in pictures.

I put together some images - one from each month of the past year. It's a great way to reminisce on all the highlights from this past year! My, how things change in a year!

January marked the closing on our first house! We were eager to break open the paint buckets and get started on transforming our new house into a home!

Our moving in was delayed by two weekends of snow and ice. We finally got moved in in February. Simon was a lot nervous in his new cluttered surroundings...and I probably was just a little bit too.

March was the month I tackled the trails of Dogwood Canyon with my friend Loren. We celebrated the end of our fun trip with a huge ice cream cone at a semi local gas station.

April marked my first time to ever go see the Roller Derby! What made this event even more memorable was the fact I was on a Girls' Night with all the ladies I work with!

May was a BIG month for me! I traveled all the way up to New York to see the big city for the first time in my life, flew on an airplane for the first time ever, rode a subway for the first time ever...etc.

June marked the debut of "Shabby Threads" in a local shop called True Treasures! A very exciting month filled with LOTS of sewing!

July held our annual Summer trip to Kansas City to watch the Royals play. It was hot as ever but so much fun!

In August, hubs and I celebrated 4 years of being married!

Hubs and I were super excited for the start of Razorback football season in September. Here we are at our first game of the year!

October is my favorite month of the year! I had an awesome day on my friend's farm, feeding her cows and riding a 4-wheeler. We also went to the pumpkin patch and corn maze that day.

November is always such a great month filled with lots of family time. Thanksgiving was great this year, and I love this picture of the ladies on my side of the family and how we all coincidentally coordinated perfectly that day!

I love December! The Christmas lights in Fayetteville were beautiful this year despite being scaled down from previous years.

Looking back, I am reminded how full of blessings this past year has been. I can only hope and pray that 2011 will be half the year this one was!

Here's what's to come in 2011:

• Hubs and I will celebrate one year of living in our house
• Hubs will turn 29, and I'll hit the big 2-8
• I will get to meet my new niece/nephew!!!
• Hubs and I will celebrate 5 years of marriage