Organizational JOY

As I shared a few weeks ago, I decided to pick a word for 2016 instead of a single resolution...

...and that word, as you may remember, is joy. 

This year I am trying to live more joyfully by doing little things that make me happy (reading, indulging in candy from time to time, strolling the aisles of Target just for the heck of it, etc), as well as bringing joy into the life of others every chance I get. 

While picking my brain on December 31st for more small things that I could add to my joyful list, it occurred to me: being less stressed in 2016 would bring me copious amounts of happiness! But just how would I go about doing it?

If you know me in real life, you may know that I am an extremely anxious person who worries over the most mundane of things -- it's how I've been the last 25 years and is how I will probably be the rest of my life. Anyway, between being a mom and writing for a living, I have had many a restless night where I stare at the ceiling and think about everything I should be doing instead of sleeping.

I have state posts that need to be written.

Those newspaper articles aren't going to edit themselves.

What about scheduling posts for MT? I can't forget to do that on Tuesday and Thursday!

And the bulletin announcement for our mom's group at church... Did I really forget to submit it again?! 

You get the picture. 

Since I do all these things from home, I try to do them around Jax's schedule (because babies don't keep and I'd rather spend my time with him), which freaks me out even more because I only have so many hours in the evening to finish everything.

Ugh. Ugh. UGH!

Then it hit me: Get a planner, you dummy! So I did... and it's one of the best investments I ever made.

So much joy in one picture: My pretty planner, coffee, a candle, gummies, and chubby little toddler fingers :)

At the beginning of each week, I figure out what all needs to be written, what chores need to be done, which days we're meeting with friends, doctors appointments, play groups, conference calls, etc. and get it all evenly distributed over the 7-day period. Now, instead of thinking I have to vacuum, do laundry, clean bathrooms, write 10 articles, and go to the library with Jax all in one day, I can look at my schedule, see that I only have to write my OIYS posts, maybe schedule MammaTech social media from my phone, vacuum downstairs, clean the bathroom, and then spend the rest of the day building Legos and reading with my favorite little guy.

And the best part? Once I complete a task, I get to check it off my list :D 

Work to-dos on top; chores on bottom.

Ahh, sweet, sweet joy! 

Do you have a word you live by? I would love to hear it!! 

New Year & New Resolutions

Happy New Year, Friends and Family!

I hope everyone's 2016 has gotten off to a healthier start than ours has...

Early Wednesday morning, I woke up with a gunky throat and immediately panicked -- I have contracted bronchitis AT LEAST once every year since my senior year of high school, and I miraculously hadn't had it at all in 2015... and with Brandon's and my big anniversary trip this week, I could not afford to be getting it.

Long story short, I took some Mucinex, called Cassie (our sweet babysitter), slept a bunch, and tried to warm my chilled and achy self the entire day... and guess what? It worked! I felt one-million times better Thursday morning!

But then Jax ended up getting sick Friday evening and had a worse cough/fever than I did... anyway, it is now Saturday and he seems to be fine (minus a little cough here and there), so please keep your fingers crossed that he stays that way while my parents watch him!

Here are a few random pictures from our NYE/day:

This is actually from Wednesday when I was sick... Cassie took it and sent it to me when I was dying in bed :P

Also from Wednesday... I wonder how he ended up catching what I had? #momfail

I wasn't able to get Jax out of the house at all on Wednesday, so Brandon took him to Kohls and to dinner Wednesday night while I laid in bed and tried to work.

FINALLY! A Thursday photo -- such a mess but he had a blast!

NYE meal at the OG with my two favorite people!

My aunt gave me this sweater for Christmas and it's basically the cutest thing ever.

When the new year hit, we were already lights out (though we did stand next to the window so Jax could watch all of the illegal fireworks being shot off around the neighborhood).

Did you make a resolution this year?

I typically don't (because I usually break them in record time), but this year I decided to choose a word to live by... so my word for the year is....

*drum roll*

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JOY

As some of you may know, Joy is my middle name (literally) and it's always been one of my favorite words, so I decided to make it my 2016 mantra by living and spreading it!

How will I live joy? I am going to try to do more little things for myself that make me happy, like reading (since getting my OIYS job back in April, I haven't read a book :/), drinking tea before I go to bed, and getting my hair shampooed whenever I go in to get it cut... just little things like that that boost my mood.

How will I spread joy? I want to surprise my husband and son more often, give money to strangers, and do kind things for family and friends every chance I get. 

I am really looking forward to 2016 and look forward to sharing it with you, dear reader! Here's to another wonderful year! Oh, and blogging gives me joy, so you will be hearing a lot more from me this year (ready or not).