Every year we all make those New Year’s Resolutions, and work hard to stay on track with them. As I get older, I realize I don’t have to feel discouraged if I don’t complete every one of them right away. As I look back over past years goals, it is quite amazing how many of them eventually became realized. For example, building another French Country home was a goal several years back. Originally, I thought it would have been completed at least a year or so ago. That goal is now realized…we are almost done building it. It’s taking a loooonnnggg time and has required me to increase my level of patience 🙂 Some goals just take a while to be realized, it doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen. You just have to keep believing and working towards it. Having a little faith and lots of patience can help us all achieve more of our New Year’s goals, without feeling discouraged. That being said, there is a pattern in my life of repeated missed goals. It has become totally clear to me and now has created quite the sense of urgency, to complete them. One is taking time each day to meditate, read scriptures, pray, and write in my journal. It’s seems so simple, yet I tend to put things for myself like that last in line 🙁 I also noticed I tend to not take time for me in regards to exercising. I enjoy walking, bicycling, working out, hiking, tennis, etc. – Yet I never seem to make time for that. So in addition to my other BIG audacious goals this year (i.e. – Buying a castle in France for my newly formed non-profit organization – Beautiful Bloom, Inc – to host self-confidence and life building retreats in), I still have to remember the daily, small and simple goals, that make all the difference in the world.
So to help me keep on, keeping on with all these goals, I started a new planner/journal/meal planning system for this year. I posted more details back in October, as I was getting my systems in place for 2015 – so be sure to check that out. Below is an example of how to use scrap paper pieces and project life type cards, on the opposite side of a daily planner for journaling. This takes two things and puts them into one easy convenient step. I always reference my to do list, so it’s handy having it right there. I never forget now to write at least something about my day. I still have a regular journal for writing long entries in, but usually those are quite sporadic and I wanted more of a record of our lives for my daughter.
Speaking of my daughter, the most important goal of all is spending lots of quality family time. I love spending time with my family, and with really tight schedules, it’s important to make time for that as well. Since we live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina, the beach is only a few hours away. We just returned from a much-needed beach break. We spent several days at the beach before Autumn’s school, music lessons, house building, church callings, farm fix ups, etc, start back up. We went with one of my sisters and her family. Here are a few fun highlights from the trip. GOOD TIMES…
New Year’s Day and here’s Autumn enjoying the beach with her cousin Kendall. It was a sunny, but brisk day. Warm enough though that we could take a nap on the beach – my favorite 🙂
Autumn with her dad attempting to fly his very large parachute kite – it’s huge, and pretty difficult to handle, but Dominick loves it.
There it is way up in the sky – so awesome right?
Autumn’s favorite thing is just sitting and playing in the sand…I think she was a little upset about the kite here though 🙁 She really wanted to fly it by herself, but it practically lifts her off the ground.
Spent an afternoon at the HH nature preserve/museum. We learned that the horse shoe crab, native to the Carolina coast, is older than the dinosaurs. We found a complete hollowed out shell of a baby one the next night on our beach walk.
Love the owl…
We also got to see a really cool display depicting how baby turtles hatch and move out into the ocean.
Okay – so quick confession. I have this obsession with these old South Carolina Coastal trees, with their feathery hanging moss. Like total obsession. I love them so much. I feel a strange connection to them and I always hate to leave them. I did manage to collect some moss off the ground to bring home as a souvenir.
Look at the size of this beauty. We were enjoying God’s glorious earth…Autumn in her silver space pants, with her cousin Tristin. 🙂
Another great photo of the cousins and those grand old trees.
After visiting the museum and walking in nature, we drove to the other end of HH Island and visited the light house/harbor of Sea Pines. There was actually overcast that day and the fog was rolling in, which made for a pretty cool effect by evening.
How cool is that right? Look at the Christmas tree on the golf course across the marina. We were eating dinner out on a restaurants patio, as it was getting dark.
Afterwards we went for a walk on the marina to check out all the cool boats. We had just watched this boat come into this dock. I still don’t miss having a boat though – so much work.
We spent a day shopping at all the stores – how funny is this photo with Autumn’s bird cleaning herself, perched on Autumn’s shoulder. If I hadn’t pointed it out, I bet you wouldn’t have even noticed it. I bought the kids .25 balls for entertainment. They were patiently waiting for their turn at the toy store.
That night Dominick took Autumn and Tristin swimming, while Jess, Rob, Kendall and I walked on the beach. It was a magical night…we had the whole beach to ourselves, the moon was full and there was this mist/fog in the air.
Along with finding the hollowed out remains of a horseshoe crab, here is another of our little magical discoveries that night. The cutest little crab also was out on a beach stroll. Look at his eyes.
He even let us pet him.
On our last day with the Lawrence family before they returned home, we went to Palmetto Bluff. If you haven’t ever heard of it before, go to the website and check it out. www.palmettobluff.com
It’s a pretty special place. Got us all planning another big audacious goal… A family beach house!
We had one more night left at our Marriott Vacation Beach Resort, so we went back the next day for more exploration and house hunting. They had this cute little treehouse park where we stopped for a quick picnic. Autumn loves brie cheese with blackberry jam on crackers.
My little Carolina girl is growing up..but not too grown up to go play on the treehouse… with her dad too of course.
She made it to the roof top! I would have died to have one of these to play on when I was a kid. SO FUN!
That’s a wrap – Be sure to take those few days any chance you get and spend it with your loved ones. It totally re-energizes you and helps you to persevere and achieve those New Year’s Resolution Goals! We’ve all heard the quote – “What the mind can conceive, it can achieve.” But when you hit that wall remember this…
“The obstacle is the opportunity” I actually wrote that one – The only quote I ever came up with. 🙂 It’s true though – there will always be obstacles to overcome on your journey in life. Follow your heart, do what you love, and never give up on your dreams.
Wishing you and your family a healthy, blessed and prosperous 2015!
