New Year!

I really wanted to post before the end of the year, but it sure was nice to take a much needed break!!  I can't believe how much baking I did in the four weeks before Christmas.  Here's the numbers to prove it!

Pies: 4
Caramels: 320
Mint Oreos: 140
Sugar cookies: 60
Cheesecakes: 2
Caramel apples: 20
Divinity: 180
Cake Pops: 275

I honestly don't know how I managed to do all of this!  I woke up at 5:00 every morning to get a head start on my baking.  Plus keeping up with all the kids activities, school treats, church events, Christmas shopping, making dinners and trying to keep up with housework.  I was a crazy mess by the end.  It will be nice to settle back down and just do my "mommy" job for a while!

I have some awesome plans for the year.  A lot of them have to do with my house.  #1 goal is to simplify and organize.  I read two awesome books: It's All Too Much by Peter Walsh and Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider.  I've read It's All Too Much several times before, but when I read it hand in hand with Organized Simplicity, it all made sense to me!!  I started in October and got through my bedroom the front room and most of the kitchen.  It is amazing.  I know where things are and I know the things I have are what I really need/want/treasure.  We have so much STUFF!!!!  With such a big family, that is a given, but there's so much we don't need and we don't use.  It doesn't contribute to my home goals.  I'm so excited to have more time to really focus on this goal.  Another goal is to really organize and purge pictures.  I have over 20,000 pictures in digital storage, and boxes and boxes of printed ones.  This will take some time and effort, but I am taking it a month at a time.  I am almost done with 2012.  After I purge the digital images, I will choose the ones to print and scrapbook.  I have a notebook with lists of scrapbook layouts I want to do.  I love online books too, but scrapbooking is a huge creative outlet for me and I have done a family scrapbook for each year since we were married.  I want to catch these up.  I am starting with 2012 and hope to get several years done this year.  I have several other goals.  I set goals for physical, spiritual, home and family.  I have always been a huge goal maker and I welcome new year, new month and even new day goals!!

I will leave you with some fun pictures from Christmas morning.  Our biggest gift was a trampoline, but I have NO pictures of it!!  The kids have been jumping non stop!!  They put on all their snow gear and jump!  They don't even care how cold it is!  They are crazy!  Beth