{ new year's eve }

We like to take time to reflect on this past year and manifest what we want in 2011 on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

We tend to stay home on New Year's Eve (with the kiddos)...making noisemakers, painting our nails gold, eating fondue (cheese & chocolate), sipping on sparkling drinks, lighting sparklers with the kids and launching a flying paper lantern full of all of our wishes & hopes for the New Year.

Next year we will be delivering some of these New Years Party in Box kits designed by the oh so clever Danyelle to friends (with paper lanterns & sparklers added too!)

What are your plans for New Year's?

Best wishes for a happy, healthy & adventurous New Year my friends. xoxo, Jenny

{ resolutions recap... }

I think its important to review the previous year before rushing onto the next...what worked, what didn't, what would we like to do differently, what would we like to add more of, etc. So, here is a a recap of my 2010 Resolutions & Aspirations...

{ fit + healthy ME } - this is the {year of the pullup!} (last year was the year of debt payoff and getting my act together financially)
: Sweat everyday. Step it up. P90X for 90 days. Do a pull up. Get toned. Sign up for a race. - Better! Did p90x for 2+ months, then slacked, then picked back up, ran a 5K, toned up but still for the life of ME cannot do a pull-up! :-)
: Less work, more play. Finally bit the bullet and hired a PT assistant to help with shipping, customer service, etc. -- Didn't do so great at this, especially when my assistant left to go back to school and I never re-hired anyone. So I worked hard, but I still feel I played harder.
: More yoga and meditation. - Yes!

{ family }
: Continue to practice Slow Family Living. Present, mindful time with kids. Continue to work on my patience, my letting go. Remember, our children only get one childhood. - Yes! Still always room for improvement!
: Weekly dates with Will (skiing, hiking, sushi, movies, at home, etc.) - Yes! Didn't manage weekly dates but at least 2x a month which was much better!
: Continue volunteer work at Sam's school. - Yes! Every Wednesday I volunteer in her classroom.

{ business }
: Launch LobotoME's No Brainer School Fundraising Program and make it an uber-successful way for schools to raise much needed funds (launching 1/15) - Yes! Still working on expanding the program to more schools! We are also going to revamp it a bit and offer more options in 2011.
: Increase LobotoME's affiliate network. - Yes!
: Support Will & Todd in a successful launch of new ZOIK product line and grassroots marketing campaign. - Yes!
: Support Will in a successful event production season and hosting National Championships. - Yes!

{ travel + adventure }
: Month in Dominican Republic or Mexico with Kids. - Fail. But we did go on a bunch of road trips in our new to us airstream and we've already booked our Mexico vaca for next November! Woot! :-)
: NYC trip with Sam and my mom next winter - Didn't happen but maybe next year!
: Week away with Will - a weekend...
: Girls weekend - Yes a partial girls weekend with Alli!
: Summer family Raft Trip(s) - Yes!
: 2 week East Coast Trip in fall to see family & friends! Yes!
: Moab Camping Trips - Yes!

{ home }
: Continue to simplify our home and contents - Less IS more. Get rid of things that aren't useful, beautiful or joyful. - Yes, but still more to go!
: Finish landscaping around pond & work on tree house for kids. - Getting there!
: Increase garden food production. - Fail. But supported the farmers market a ton! :)

{ financial }
: Continue sticking with monthly spending plans. Before buying it, ask myself, do we need it? Can I get it for less? Can I borrow it? - I'm getting better but December was a pretty big blow, so I'm going to get back on track Jan. 1st! :)
: Max out IRAs and fund kids college funds. - Yes!
: Keep working towards goal of having our home paid off in 5 years and being completely debt-free. - Working on it!

So all in all not bad.... Working on my 2011 Resolutions, Inspirations & Goals this week. Will & I like to work on these together on New Year's Eve.... Remember, a resolution isn't what you "should" do; it's a chance to move your life forward in the direction you want.

How did you all do on your New Years Resolutions? What's on your list for this year?

{ on my mind + menu }

1. Love this recycled wine barrel swing that my kids were gifted! What an amazing gift! Thank you Carrie!
2. This dress might just have made its way into my home. Just sayin'. I think I might have to join in on the "What I wore on Wednesday" bandwagon. It may help get me out of my workout clothes! :)
3. I have to say that these are my favorite workout pants ever. I love them even more than my Lululemon ones and they are a fraction of the cost. I can tell you about them now that I've stocked up. ;-)
4. Love this charming ice-skating party! Hoping to replicate it this winter if our pond cooperates!
5. Always inspired by her.
6. Working on our New Years Resolutions, Inspirations & Goals. Will share mine soon along with a recap of my 2010 goals. Manifesting lots of good things in 2011.
7. Was really inspired by a lot of people this holiday season but in particular her + her with their RACK (Random Acts of Kindness projects with the kids and her gift card drive to families in need) really hit home to ME.
8. Love this article on ways parents can save money but not buying into the whole "my child needs everything" mindset. The best line in it..."Repeat after me, your child won't remember!"
9. Gearing up for a post holiday purge of the house/closets/holiday decorations, a January spending hiatus, and a cleanse of the body (note to self: toss the leftover holiday cookies), a simple, repeatable meal plan for the month of January and tips to start the new year off more organized! More on these soon.
10. My favorite Christmas gift is pictured above...an imovie Will made for us about our 2010 adventures, trips & everyday moments. It was a complete surprise and awesome and I will treasure it forever!

Hope you all had a very merry holiday and best wishes for a happy, healthy & adventurous new year!

{ merry christmas }

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.

Andy Rooney

{ happy holidays }

{ all is calm, all is bright }

My goal was to enjoy the holidays and to simplify, simplify, simplify. I'm glad my plan is working. I've had to let a few things go (a blanket I was going to sew for Henry with basketball fabric, some of the advent activities (which I may do away with all together next year), a few holiday gatherings, saying no thanks to afterschool playdates and keeping the kids home more (baking cookies in the kitchen with me). The simple decorating is finished, the minimal shopping done. I'm exercising, eating well and trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. I laid in bed the other night after the kids went to bed and watched Eclipse, ate popcorn and relaxed. I'm getting orders out as quickly as I can but I'm not stressing about it. On busy shipping days (which are more often than not), I'm ordering healthy take-out and that's okay. We eat at the table with the twinkle lights shining and being thankful for the food on the table (home cooked or not). We delivered neighbor gifts this past weekend and teacher gifts on Monday. Stocking stuffers are purchased and tucked away. I'll just have some last minute Santa things to do on Christmas Eve.

What can you let go of to be able to enjoy the holidays a bit more this year?

I'm signing off from this space for a bit to spend as much time with family. Wishing you all a merry + bright holiday season with those you love. xoxo ~ jenny

{ on my mind + menu }

1. Love this quote. "I bless my home with love. I put love in every corner, & my home lovingly responds with warmth & comfort. I am at peace." ~Louise Hay

2. Love my new little holiday bunting flags from Dandee Designs pictured above my sink (in the picture above).

3. Not loving all of the shipping that needs to happen. Can't everyone just be done with their Christmas shopping in November so I can relax in December?!?! {I am however appreciative of the support + business, I just wish that these orders would come in November or January instead of my FAVORITE month of the year!} Speaking of which, its not too late, but get your orders in ASAP!

4. Love this post...What Christmas is not about from ManvsDebt.

5. Loving my new wallet from Delight.com! It has space for everything, including my Check ME shopping list, coupons, etc. It's pricey but it is so well designed I'm quite certain it will last forever.

6. Don't forget to take care of yourself during the holiday craziness...drink water, get plenty of sleep, fit in some exercise daily, eat healthy, etc.

7. Love this article about finding time to get on your yoga mat amidst the craziness of the everyday...

And lest you think my kitchen is always this tidy, I leave you with this... what it looked like mid-baking this weekend! Keeping it real people. :)

{ give the gift of sanity this holiday season}

Use coupon code: FIVEBUCKS for $5 off your order until Monday! Ready, set, shop!
ps. 15 days until Christmas! :)
ps. Did you know we have a Facebook page now? Join us over there for more sanity saving tips!

{ feed ME }

Due to popular request, our granola recipe....

Down to Earth Granola

4 cups of old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
3 TBS ground flaxseed
1/4 cup coconut oil (or vegetable oil but I prefer coconut oil)
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. In a bowl mix the dry ingredients. In a saucepan warm the oil, honey & vanilla. Pour liquid over oat mixture. Stir together.

Spread granola mixture in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan. Bake 40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Cool completely. Stir in cranberries. Store in airtight container for 1 week or in freezer for 3 months. Makes 9 cups. If you are making this as gifts (as I am) I'd quadruple the recipe and buy the ingredients in the bulk aisle at the natural foods store. YUM. Enjoy.

{ making my lists, checking them twice... }

I am done with all of my Christmas shopping. Don't hate me please.

1. The kids are getting this from Santa. Santa always leaves the kids something to play with together (an indoor toy)- last year (cardboard rocketship) & this year the kids are getting a cardboard playhouse on Christmas morning. Note to all of you...it keeps the kids busy ALL day decorating it with markers, stickers, etc. and its fully recyclable.
The other gifts we do are 4 categories (Want, Need, Read & Wear). We do this in order to limit what the kids get from us - they get too much as it is, especially when factoring in all of the grandparents gifts). I also attempt to find things at second hand shops or that are handmade or are from local stores and to not spend too much.
Samme...
Want - wood vanity for her room (I bought it at an estate sale this summer and have been hiding it since).
Need - new snow pants
Read - a children's bible & this AWESOME book.
Wear - new outfit for school (etsy)
Henry...
Want - scooter (a thrift store find, it is like new but was only $5)
Need - new sneakers (light up sketchers from local store)
Read - basketball book (from local book store)
Wear - NY Giants jacket (that I bought at the thrift store in like new condition for $3 - score!)

2. I got this print for Will. I thought it was fitting for us. We generally try to stick to the principle of "Trips NO Gifts" but I like to get him a little something each year for our home.

3. The kids teachers are getting a giftcard to a local coffee shop/restaurant; LobotoME notepads, jar of homemade granola and an apple ornament.

4. The grandparents are all getting a shutterfly photobook, a framed family photo, a print of Samme's school picture and a box of coal.

5. My brother & I are chipping in to buy my dad a used golf cart (it is a rockin' red); and my mom a gift certificate for a day at the spa. We get each others kids each one small gift but don't exchange gifts with the adults.

6. Neighbors, bus drivers, friends are getting baskets of homemade goodies - bread, granola, jam, etc.

What's on your shopping/making list for the holidays? Are you done? Haven't started yet?

image via sundance

{ on my mind + menu }

1. This song.

2. Love her style.

3. Love this advent calendar. I have had to resist buying it like 10x already.

4. Her workouts really kick my butt in a great way. Trying to schedule at least an hour of exercise a day so I can enjoy all of the Christmas cookies I want (and to keep my sanity)!

5. I'm also scheduling in time each day to do work on our families December Daily album...this month despite all of the holiday happenings. This may be the last year of the "believing" from a certain 6 1/2 year old and I want to document it all... I purchased an adorable pre-made album off of etsy so I have no excuses not to do it.

6. Love everything about this Advent project.

7. Next year I plan on incorporating this into our Thanksgiving tradition.

8. We've been making lots of these reindeer cards.

9. I'm in love with this house/compound.

10. Later this week... my holiday gift lists. Other than a few homemade food items, I'm done. Don't hate ME. I'm trying to wrap up other loose holiday ends (travel plans, babysitters, etc. this week) so that I'm on top of everything and not scrambling around last minute....

Happy Holidays my friends!

{ sanity saving holiday tips }

- KISS....Keep It Simple Stupid. :)
- Have a stash of nice wine to bring to holiday parties.
- Have a stash of extra kids gifts on hand. I like these blank/make your own books with a set of new markers or crayons.
- Buy a large roll of kraft paper, leave it plain, or have the kids decorate it. Add red & white twine, a white label and you are good to go with all of your holiday wrapping.
- Have a stash of LobotoME notepads for hostess, teach & co-worker gifts.
- I make an 8x8 hardcover Shutterfly photo book each year for all of the grandparents. It's their favorite gift always and we get them done all in one shot.
- Have ingredients in the pantry to make a large impromptu batch of veggie chili or lentil soup & cornbread for unexpected company or last minute guests.
- Don't know what to get a hard to buy family member? Buy them Coal. Seriously, its a great program to provide fuel efficient stoves for families in Haiti.
-And remember, its okay to say no during the holidays.
- I keep the Christmas decorations to a minimum. Think Sundance Catalog style. Simple & classic. Fresh evergreen on mantle, a simple tree decorated by the kids with white LED lights, homemade ornaments & vintage silver balls from Will's grandparents, lots of white & red candles throughout the house... About 2 years ago, I purged almost all of the holiday crap we accumulated. Now, I'm down to one bin of ornaments and one of decorations, lights & candles.

Here are some previous years Simple Christmas posts here and here.

What are some of your sanity saving holiday tips?

image via a lovely morning