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Dream big dreams

I turned 45 this year and it has been a big year for me. I realized this earlier in the year that there were a lot of dreams and goals that I had put off and put off, always thinking there was plenty of time. But, guess what? I don't know that. I don't know how much time I have been given to accomplish all the goals I have in my life. At 45, I better get started on some of the things I have been meaning to do for the last 20 years.

INSPIRATION
I have always been motivated by inspirational people and find it really helps me to have a mantra for my goals. When I first starting running, I was so out of shape and thought running slow was no good. But, this poster helped inspire me to JUST RUN, no matter how slow, it was the getting out there and doing it that mattered.

So, I got out there, every day, because I was lapping everyone on the couch. And honestly, this saying went through my mind almost as much as "I hate running" did in those first few weeks. It inspired me to keep moving. 4 months later, I am a runner!

Making a list of goals I wanted to accomplish was so important to actually getting them done. The list inspired me. At the end of the year, I want to have a big list of things I did. It is so important to me to accomplish these goals that I put on paper for myself. I don't want to edit someone else's book, I want to write my own. I don't want to be the timer at a race, I want to be the winner. I don't want to envy someone's trip to Italy, I want to stand there myself.

Time is running out. Whether you are 25, 45, or 85, the clock is ticking. Do you want to sit on the couch and watch someone else's life on reality tv or do you want to get out there and LIVE?

I want to LIVE and at the end, I will have this list of things that I did with my time and my life. I don't want to say, I squandered hours a day on facebook or in front of the tv. I want to say, I dreamed big dreams and then I made them happen!

Get out there and lap everyone on the couch and live!

Moving my blog on over to Wordpress...please follow me over there!!

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Clutter Control

BHG


Clutter Control


I have clutter ADD. It even affects my ability to write. If there is too many windows open on my computer or too many files to sift through for an image, I am paralyzed. The same thing applies to my house. When there the floor is covered in toys and the laundry room filled with clothing, I cannot move in any direction, much less a clean one.


I was talking to a young mom the other day and she told me that she was looking for a new place to live. She, her husband and young daughter needed more space. But, she didn't say they needed more space for themselves, she said that they need more storage. Well, that is just a sad commentary on American culture.


We have to move so we have more storage space for all or our Walmart junk that we aren't even using!!! We want to store it !!


We moved into our new house a little over a year ago and at first we only brought what we needed to survive. It was the best 2 months of my housekeeping life! There were only a few toys, only enough dishes for a meal, only enough clothes for a week. There were no knick knacks, books, paper, etc. I didn't have anything to clean. It was clean all the time. Then, my husband went and got the rest of our stuff.


As they moved boxes into the house, I could feel my anxiety start to rise. Here comes the clutter. Yes, it did.


Luckily, I am a minimizer, while my husband is a pack rat. And while he would like to keep every thing in case he needs it 20 years down the road, I am always yearning for the 2 months when we had no stuff.



The reason our houses get dirty is because we have too much stuff. I bet, like me, you also suffer from paralyzing clutter ADD. The only cure is to put a bunch of stuff in trash bags and truck it on over to the Goodwill. You don't need all the stuff. I promise, you don't need it.


Keeping your home clean is so much easier without a bunch of clutter. FREE yourself!

I love this beautiful urn from Willow House! It is 24 inches tall! It makes a substantial, visual impact on a mantle or tablescape. I equally love the decorative balls made from book pages or sheet music. I equally love the do it yourself sheet music decorative balls. This is easy enough that even I can do it. You can purchase the urn at my Willow House store.

2012 Goals

I don't want to brag, but I have been kicking some buns on my 2012 resolutions...wait, I do want to brag to my husband and kids because it is a competition here!
Between January and March I accomplished these goals I set for myself~~
~~I gave up soft drinks. Entirely. This is huge for me! I was a life long diet soda drinker and I haven't had any in months! ~~Started a book club with some neighbors. We are starting our 3rd book...The Tiger's Wife.
~~I joined a moms club to meet some other moms in Kalispell.
~~I planned a trip to the Willow House National Convention. I leave July 19th.
~~I flew to my parents house and visited with them for 9 days.
~~Pitched a column idea to a local magazine and they accepted it and are printing my first article in June.
~~I went skiing for the first time in 20 years!
~~Started running and by April I was up to 3 miles. Planning a 5k run next weekend.
~~Took a book proposal class at the local college.
~~Drove across the country with the new car and visited my oldest son at his college.
~~Went snowshoeing in Glacier National Park.
~~Submitted 5 articles to magazines..they were all rejected, but who is counting, right?
~~Decorated the girl's room and 2 bathrooms.
~~Earned enough money babysitting and selling Willow House to buy my new laptop!

Since I accomplished all my New Year's resolutions by April, I had to make some more...I am highly motivated by competition :)

~~Finish and submit my book proposal
~~Run a 10k ~~Situps and pushups every day
~~Hike Glacier
~~Revamp my blog and my local family website
~~Write the book whether it is accepted or not...if not, self publish.
~~Go on a retreat. That should keep me busy through the summer. I am sorry to my husband and kids who are losing this goal competition to me in 2012. Poor you! Haha! I am so glad to be back on my blog!

New Laptop!

Hello friends! I am back!! I finally earned enough money to buy my own laptop. I have babysat, sold my Willow House and worked like crazy to buy it and I am so excited to have my own computer!! My blog is going to undergo a whole new look and I will be posting back on her daily. I appreciate all of you who continue to follow and read along and I promise more good things are coming. Stay tuned!

Hey mommas!

If you have never showshoed, you must do it. It is so much fun! Last week, I went with the second graders to Glacier National Park to go on a little nature snowshoe adventure. The weather was beautiful and not too cold which was nice. Our excursion went out of the Apgar visitor center which has little discovery hikes every Saturday~~perfect for younger kids!

Glacier is a different place in the winter. Very quiet and peaceful. It always amazes me to see Bald Eagles flying overhead here. We even see them over our house. The ranger told us that people come from all over the world to see the bald eagles in Glacier Park.

Snowshoeing is also a fun workout. Strenuous and invigorating! I absolutely loved it and can't wait to go again. I heard that the trails up at Blacktail are good so I want to check those out. Adventure is so much fun!