i believe in positivity & tend to look on the brighter side of things. until our big move, i have been a cup half full kind of person. this year, i want to get back into that old groove of seeking joy & claiming it as my own. that’s what my newest project, print:: is all about. i also want to share it with you. so- here are some positive changes in my life. maybe they’ll inspire you… it is the little things, right?

:: eating well & losing weight. i wasn’t sure if i wanted to share this part of my life with you because it is such a hard topic for me, but these last several weeks have made such an impact on my life in such a good way. right now i am participating in the six sisters’ get healthy challenge with my close friend, mother-in-law & sister-in-law. i am a believer! weight has always, always been an issue for me, but it is so much easier to stay healthy within a community. for the most part, luke & i eat within the seasons & have an overall healthy diet. i have noticed throughout this challenge, though, that i used to rely on high carb foods & sweets as easy go-to snacks. i have eliminated most carbs & sweets from my diet, avoided dairy products, & lost ten pounds! it feels so good to be exercising regularly, eating well, drinking water & openly communicating with girlfriends. love it.

:: weekly chores. once i read all of your cleaning & organizational tips, i knew i needed to get to work. i have created a weekly chore list that helps me get through the week. before preparing dinner, i try to complete the work that needs to be done for the day. it usually only takes thirty minutes or so & it makes such a difference. i have completed one week of this new routine & i already feel much better.

:: loving fully. it is so easy to not love. i confess that i sink into those patterns of blaming & pointing fingers with very little effort. & that just isn’t fair for the man of my heart. i am so thankful for our partnership & commitment to one another. i am making every effort to forgive more, cuddle more & love fully. it makes life so much richer.

cheers to positivity!

i embrace valentine’s day with all of me. i am a flowers & dark chocolate kind of girl. i enjoy making little valentines & passing them out to my co-workers. yes, i even made a freezer paper stenciled t-shirt today with the largest heart i could manage. i just think sometimes we need a little reminder to be nice & share the love. we sometimes forget that pink hearts & glitter can be really good for us.

just some of my favorite valentine crafts to get you in the spirit!

::valentine party
::fancy wrappings
:: heart-shaped beets
::heart garland
::adornments for your hair
:: heart headband for that special day

happy valentine’s day, friends!

++ bottles are from mountain rose herbs++

i am not a cleaner. let me just get that out there right now. most of the time our floors are covered in a thick layer of dust & muddy paw prints. often our kitchen table has a cup or two & my latest project scattered about it with a vase of flowers for good measure. i feel like i can admit that to you, though.

here’s the thing. this past weekend was a cleaning spree of sorts. i scrubbed the kitchen floors, i folded all of our clothes. i even organized. the. pantry. i know. i purchased some beautiful bottles just before christmas as a bit of inspiration to get the pantry in working order. it took almost two months to get to the task as the bottles just sat in my office, but finally! our pantry is organized, cleaned & functional. it feels great, too!

as you may know, i am all about changes. i want to change! i realize that our house will never look perfect, but i am scheming up ways to make our home just a little more clean throughout the week. perhaps a cleaning schedule will work? chores for each day?

i would love to hear your thoughts on the ways you keep your home functioning throughout the week. i would love to hear what big chores you do & when each week. let me know. i can’t wait to hear your thoughts.