A New Year...A New Try!!

So.....another new year comes. I love New Years....truly. I get all excited. I LOVE making resolutions and I think I make them all the flipping time! haha So....after hearing some things from my family today, I thought I would share you ours.

Honey: "I think this year I should watch more movies."

Chickie: "No! No! No! More snack!"

Little Miss: Snickers....smirks......nothing.

Karate Kid: "I think you should...." He took on the task of coming up with things WE needed to improve on.

Alas, this was not what I hoped for....but it will get better. I guess I will share with you MY resolutions.

#1 - I resolve to work hard at studying the gospel and spending more time on my knees in prayer in the ultimate goal of getting closer to my Heavenly Father and having my heart changed so I may Love where I am in all aspects of my life.

#2 - I resolve to write more in my journal. I feel that this is one of the most important things I can do this year.

#3 - I resolve to keep in contact with my family. I will post more on my idea...but I have a letter writing idea I'm putting into motion.

#4 - I resolve to make small steps every day toward becoming more minimalistic. I need to clear the clutter out of my life. #1 will help me with this! lol

#5 - I resolve to make my relationship with my husband stronger than it was the day before. I want us to be progressing! 

Now, these are my top five. Of course I have a bunch of things I would like to do....you should see the list, but to be honest, these five matter most to me.

What did you resolve to do!?

Living without WHAT!?

So.... I tried everyone. I did. I tried to get my kids to have fun and to do fun things every day but they revolted! They wouldn't do it and would whine and complain and be terrible the whole time. WHY!? A friend of mind made comment that maybe they are just used to me doing fun things. WHAT?! I totally understand though. My kids get bored with me playing the piano and dancing around the house.....does yours? Maybe I need to tone it down so my kids appreciate my FUNNESS....yes. I totally just made that up. So I guess for now, that list has become sort of a Summer Bucket List. I will throw out a few things that I wasn't TOTALLY looking forward to, but we will see. We just did Mind Jars and that went over well.... I will have to post about that soon.

Meanwhile, my Honey and I have come to a complete realization.....we have way too much stuff. AGH! This is nothing new people. I knew I had too much stuff and my friends all know I have too much stuff! That's just me, right? Wrong! We have decided that the stress and clutter and all that comes with it does not belong in our home.... or in our lives for that matter.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 (from the Doctrine and Covenants a part of the Book of Mormon)
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God"

We couldn't do it. We couldn't get ahead of the kids. I felt like I am constantly cleaning only to be left with a mess at the end of the day. Our kitchen was COVERED in dirty dishes.....

I don't think you believe me.....well, I'll show you just what our house looked like. Now, these are REAL photos....don't judge.

Doesn't it look like I set this room up to take a picture for the next I SPY book?

Those are clean dishes.....I know amazing....but still out on the table.

A whole lotta crap on the counter!

Lovely huh?

Um... I have no words.

The OTHER side of the room.

The front room.

The toy box.....for downstairs.

Dress up clothes.

Junk...why?

The hallway upstairs....you know, the one we "cleaned out."

Our bedroom

 Now looking at these pictures you are probably thinking... what a terrible mom? I know! I feel like it! I feel like a terrible wife and mother. I feel like I can't take care of my home like I am supposed to. But now? Looking at it with new eyes and a new mindset...no wonder. We have way more stuff than our family needs. So? We are going to adopt a "Minimalistic" mindset. Of course this could take years, but we are off to a good start and my Honey and I are BOTH resolved.....which will mean more in the long run. So for now, we purge and we purge. I have small fleeting moments when I would love to go shopping, but I must change.

I must change so my children will know what a clean home feels like.
I must change so my children will know HOW to clean.
I must change so we can save money instead of buying things I don't need.
I must change so that we can afford the things we DO.
I must change so we can afford to give our family more experiences.
I must change so I feel better about my role as a wife and mother.

Change will make us all happier. We know this to be inspired revelation to our family and I hope you feel inspired to do what fits YOUR family best!

For now....feed the URGE to PURGE! lol