My "List" for 2016

As an excellent list-maker, though usually my skills are used for grocery lists or Christmas gift check lists, I am not one to normally make huge New Year's Resolutions.

However, I have, in the past, jotted down a few items I wish to see or do or create for the year ahead.

January of a new year always seems to be a great time to make a fresh start and plan ahead.

I love planning!
Whether it be a vacation or trip, a party or just a day adventure, I love researching and planning my brains out! I still am open to some spontaneity, but I like to be well prepared.

Back in 2012 I made a "My List" for that year.
I'm recreating that idea here with new plans for this coming year.

My 2016 List: (in random order)

1. Go to Costa Rica! (This is happening in less than 2 weeks!!)
2. See a sloth...a baby sloth, even better!
3. Jump from a waterfall
4. Finishing writing about my UK trip last year! (check out past posts here)
5. Start walking more
6. Write more regularly on this blog (I'm trying!)
7. Train more volunteers to cover my media job - a must!
8. Join a co-ed small group at church
9. Clean my spare room
10. Organize all my craft supplies
11. Sell my jewelry via a local store or two
12. Set up my Etsy Shop to sell my jewelry online
13. Put up photos and art on my walls (3 years and I still have empty frames!)
14. Go horseback riding
15. Go somewhere snowy next winter

16. Get a Tattoo (just a tiny one)

17. Keep up a more positive attitude every day
18. Do my best to help others around me

19. Go skiing/tubing/sledding more next winter!

20. Make healthier eating a priority

21. Read more (less TV!)

Meet the sloths from Lucy Cooke on Vimeo.

Okay, I'll admit that a few of these list items are a direct response to my upcoming trip to Costa Rica!! Gaaaaahhhh! So excited!!! I'll tell you all about it soon and I'm sure I'll be posting loads of photos of this new crazy adventure.

What's on YOUR list for 2016??

Sorting Out My Randomness (+ Freebies!)

Totally random photo of me & a moose.

All my life I've been a bit scattered, random, unorganized.

Whether it was playing with toys as a child, with stuffed animals, My Little Ponies and Barbies strew all over my room as I moved from one game or puzzle or idea to the next, or as teen in school, I always had homework mixed with reading books for fun and side projects always on the go.

I've even often seen myself as a "starter" and never a great "finisher" since I always seems to love new ideas and jump around from project to project.

Even my exciting new craft room in my new house has been full of my supplies and containers for a whole year with no sense of organization or coherence.
One day I will get to it and sort it all out. For now, I dig for what I need and dream of a pretty, sorted, clean and put-together craft room where I can instantly find anything I need.

However, I am trying to be more organized.

In the past year I have started and finished (or continued) a few of my dreams...

1} To make and sell my own jewelry at a summer market (read all about it here) 

2} I have been a bit more consistent with updating this blog.

Starting this month I am creating a schedule for myself so I can keep myself organized and on task with my goals for giving you fun and interesting blog posts.

This schedule is being assisted by a freebie my good friend Laura offered to me. She makes herself pretty monthly blank calendars for her own blog scheduling and gives them away to whomever would like one.
This month, I prompted her to post it to her blog as a free printable and she did!
So here you go, a free July calendar printable for you to use for whatever.

If you are a sleuth, you'll notice I've already missed one!

3} I also wanted to have some goals for this summer for fun activities and plans that would push me a little further passed my comfortable stay-at-home-or-only-around-the-same-people-I-know zone.

I found this wonderful "How To Summer" list printable and started filling it out with fun ideas and plans I could do this summer.

Easy instructions on how to make a gif like this.

You may notice there are a few ideas on my summer list that would involve a groups such as BBQs, Bocce, Hikes etc. Maybe you can join in!!

Hopefully these tools will help me be less scattered and more organized.
There is always room for self-improvement and I know being organized will help me finish my personal goals and move on to new, exciting plans!


Today's Question: What are some of your summer plans?