Happy New Year!

Hi All

Happy New Year everyone...2014...crazy! I can remember the Millennium so well! How time flies. Well, it is sure to be an exciting year for us with little one on the way. Family and friends are beginning to take bets as to when baby will arrive! Hubby was hoping I may go into labour today as he is back to work tomorrow and really doesn't want to go in lol! Think baby is too comfy at the mo though!

Anyway, as promised, I am posting about my resolutions today. Even if noone ever reads this post, I find it really useful to put my ideas out there and they definitely seem more real when they are written down....feel free to remind me of any at any point during the year!

I always make far too many resolutions and I'm sure this year will be no different but hopefully I will try my best to keep to them! Here we go:

1. Save and budget money more-this is something that I got a lot better at in 2013! I managed to save quite a lot but then had to use money to buy everything we needed for baby! However, this is going to be even more important this year as we will need to manage on maternity pay and hubby's wages-I have invested in a daily planner to help me plot this out (I will do a post on this at some point too) and to help me forward plan things like birthday pressies etc.
2. Lose baby weight-I'm not going to get too hung up on this just yet! I don't feel like I've put on a lot of extra weight (although people may tell me differently!!) but I always have lose weight on my list anyway! I intend to get back to the gym and try to eat more healthily but I'm not going to get hung up on a set goal or anything, will just see how it goes!
3. Blog more and about a variety of things-I used to really love blogging and blog hopping but work seemed to take over in the past few years. Although I know I won't have loads of time with a newborn baby, I'm hoping that I can use any down time to blog and to visit other people's blogs this year. If I can get myself into a routine then I may be able to continue it when I get back to work! I'd also like to have a blog with various content on it. This blog I would like to have crafty projects, general everyday stuff, life as a first time Mum posts, organisational posts, Project Life postings, weight loss/fitness posts, book reviews etc etc. I will try to keep my scrapping blog still going and might post specific projects on there but would like this blog to be a bit of an all rounder...we'll see...
4. De-clutter and organise house-again, another one that is always on my list! We have done quite well this year as we had to really de-clutter the nursery and various other places to accommodate our little one. This year, I'd like to work on small spaces at a time and perhaps complete some of the challenges that you can find on some of the organisational blogs that I have listed. I'm already working on one tip which is to get the month ahead's birthdays/events all sorted-i.e. cards written/gifts bought etc. Thanks for the tip Organised Housewife!
5. Take more photographs and begin to film (especially whilst baby is young!)-I am hoping that I will be constantly doing this anyway with a newborn lol, as I know I will want to document every moment! It would be nice to learn some tips for good filming and for taking photographs but if I can just do more of it this year I will be happy.
6. Complete Project Life album for 2014-this is my first year having a go at this and again it really is to document the first year of our baby's life! I have ordered the Honey Core Kit as it looked nice and bright and seemed quite generic. I'm sure I'll add to this throughout the year but I'm looking forward to building up an album in quite a quick way so I will try and share each week. I have only just ordered my bits and bobs so it may take a little while for regular posts to come but hopefully I will get on top of it as soon as it arrives!
7. Read at least one book for pleasure each month-last year I had a challenge to read 30 books before I was 30. I think I achieved this (although they weren't necessarily the books I had on my list!) and I really enjoyed just spending a bit of time escaping into a good chick lit or a brilliant classic for an hour or so. So I thought I'd set a challenge of one per month and see how I get on. I really do love the classics but my faves are easy reads such as Kinsella and Colgan. Will try and do some book reviews etc throughout the year if they would be of interest!
8. Spend two hours crafting a week-I really want to try and spend a couple of hours crafting a week, which would work well with my Project Life album this year. I'd also like to use up more of my stash than actually buying it which may need to be a priority in my budget planning!! I think it is good to have some time for yourself sometimes and I'd like me and hubby to be able to do that, even when baby arrives. Easier said than done I know! We will see how it goes!

Eight resolutions, my favourite number and it seems to be a nice lot to begin working on! Quite a variety and lots to do which I'm looking forward to! I will try and keep track throughout the year and keep you updated, maybe a regular monthly post. I also might add a few more if I'm doing well at one of them ;) 

I'd love to read your resolutions! Leave me your ideas below!

Thanks for looking and here's to 2014!

Hugs

Arline

xx