Welcome 2009!
Yesterday was my day to work in the APQS Showroom in Des Moines. Henry is always asking to go with, so knowing it would be a slow day and Bob has a TV in his office for some cartoon relief, I took him with. We had a good day. Pizza was delivered to the door for lunch. "They are going to bring it here." "How much longer do we have to work?" "Oh, I didn't know we have to leave now." He was fast asleep in the car by the time we hit I-80. The peace and quiet on the way home gave me time to reflect on the fact that the calendar was going to be changing. I keep scrap paper in the door of my car for the many lists I make. (Yes, while I'm driving I make lists. I am out in the country on 4-lane highway, so I have the car on cruise and am in the right lane. It's ok. I'm not writing books, just words to remind me of things later.)
I love these moments when it seems that every thought I have is so clear and crisp in my mind. That's when I knew that my word for 2009 would be clarity. (Thanks to Pat Sloan for getting me on this idea.) When I googled "definition of clarity" this morning, I couldn't believe that 10,600,000 other people had also googled the same phrase. The answer is "free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression." Some of the other things that come up on the google search will have to be for future blogs. But, today, I want to remain focused on my rules to live by for 2009.
This vision started to take shape on the drive home that 2009 was going to be like a Nine-Patch quilt block and clarity would be the center block. I have lots of goals and things I want to focus on in 2009, but in everything I do, I want their to be clarity. So, clarity will touch each of the surrounding 8 squares in the block.
I will write a little bit about each of the 8 remaining squares because I believe they will feel more real if it's in print.
Family--Always at the top of my list of important things. In 2009 I hope to have more patience with the energy that Henry has. I look forward to the changes in the girls, and fully expect potty training and getting out of their cribs to be the highlights of the year as they turn 2 in April. And, for Jeff, I hope to get the mixer out a little more often and make his beloved chocolate chip cookies for our evening milk and cookie ritual.
Food and Health--In 2008 I finally took steps to rid the baby weight that was plagueing me. As of today I've lost 30 pounds and feel so much better. In 2009, I hope to loose just a few more pounds, but to really concentrate on keeping the weight off and maybe even firming up some muscles with more walking. I give Weight Watchers full credit for giving me the push I needed, but know I need to own this and make it a daily practice with or without Weight Watchers. This has to be the rest of my life, not just today or tomorrow.
Fashion--This will probably sound silly, but in 2009 my goal is to wear different earrings every day, wear necklaces or bracelets if appropriate; and to wear fun socks! I am NO fashion diva, and sometimes I know I look a little simple or not put together. When I do put on the beautiful jewelry I own, I love how I feel.
Creativity--The list in this area is long...but a few of the areas that I want to express creativity in are my blog, the retreats I'm hosting, in my photographs, in the fabric line I'm working on with my friend Maureen, and in the book of projects that I want to accompany that new fabric line.
Work--I could create a whole nother Nine-Patch block for the goals in at my full-time job of National Sales Manager at APQS, but let's leave it at that I hope to keep building a network of sales reps and to make more people aware of the great products we produce.
Community--We've lived in Union almost three years. For Jeff it is home, because this is where he grew up. By getting involved in our church, the library, and our rec center, I'm getting to know more people and put names with faces. I also feel it's my obligation to give back to this community that we call home. Our town only has 425 people in it, yet it's a busy community.
Adventures--The Kaisand family is not into jungle prowling or the mountain climbing type, but I want to look at each day as an adventure with my kids. There is so much goodness in the things immediately around us. I just looked out the window to check on Jeff and Henry working on the ice house and Henry was sprawled out on the ice. Now that's an adventure in my book. So whether we're herding cows, driving tractors, digging in the dirt, or baking cookies, it will be an adventure.
Projects--Once again, this list is long! I always have projects in the works. There is the quilting list, the scrapbooking page list, and the house projects list. The highlights will include creating the following:
1) The Funny Farm by Sandy Gervais
2) A wedding quilt for Brett and Liz
3) Black and White quilts for the girls when they move to big girl beds
4) Bed quilt for Henry when he moves to a double bed--theme to be decided with his help
5) Finish my 2008 blog book (I've already been working on this!)
6) Finish the black-and-white photo wall in the upstairs hallway
I'm going to create a visual of this Nine-Patch block to hang on my bulletin board in my office. I want to be reminded daily of the clarity that I am going to find in everything I do.
Happy New Year!
I love these moments when it seems that every thought I have is so clear and crisp in my mind. That's when I knew that my word for 2009 would be clarity. (Thanks to Pat Sloan for getting me on this idea.) When I googled "definition of clarity" this morning, I couldn't believe that 10,600,000 other people had also googled the same phrase. The answer is "free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression." Some of the other things that come up on the google search will have to be for future blogs. But, today, I want to remain focused on my rules to live by for 2009.
This vision started to take shape on the drive home that 2009 was going to be like a Nine-Patch quilt block and clarity would be the center block. I have lots of goals and things I want to focus on in 2009, but in everything I do, I want their to be clarity. So, clarity will touch each of the surrounding 8 squares in the block.
I will write a little bit about each of the 8 remaining squares because I believe they will feel more real if it's in print.
Family--Always at the top of my list of important things. In 2009 I hope to have more patience with the energy that Henry has. I look forward to the changes in the girls, and fully expect potty training and getting out of their cribs to be the highlights of the year as they turn 2 in April. And, for Jeff, I hope to get the mixer out a little more often and make his beloved chocolate chip cookies for our evening milk and cookie ritual.
Food and Health--In 2008 I finally took steps to rid the baby weight that was plagueing me. As of today I've lost 30 pounds and feel so much better. In 2009, I hope to loose just a few more pounds, but to really concentrate on keeping the weight off and maybe even firming up some muscles with more walking. I give Weight Watchers full credit for giving me the push I needed, but know I need to own this and make it a daily practice with or without Weight Watchers. This has to be the rest of my life, not just today or tomorrow.
Fashion--This will probably sound silly, but in 2009 my goal is to wear different earrings every day, wear necklaces or bracelets if appropriate; and to wear fun socks! I am NO fashion diva, and sometimes I know I look a little simple or not put together. When I do put on the beautiful jewelry I own, I love how I feel.
Creativity--The list in this area is long...but a few of the areas that I want to express creativity in are my blog, the retreats I'm hosting, in my photographs, in the fabric line I'm working on with my friend Maureen, and in the book of projects that I want to accompany that new fabric line.
Work--I could create a whole nother Nine-Patch block for the goals in at my full-time job of National Sales Manager at APQS, but let's leave it at that I hope to keep building a network of sales reps and to make more people aware of the great products we produce.
Community--We've lived in Union almost three years. For Jeff it is home, because this is where he grew up. By getting involved in our church, the library, and our rec center, I'm getting to know more people and put names with faces. I also feel it's my obligation to give back to this community that we call home. Our town only has 425 people in it, yet it's a busy community.
Adventures--The Kaisand family is not into jungle prowling or the mountain climbing type, but I want to look at each day as an adventure with my kids. There is so much goodness in the things immediately around us. I just looked out the window to check on Jeff and Henry working on the ice house and Henry was sprawled out on the ice. Now that's an adventure in my book. So whether we're herding cows, driving tractors, digging in the dirt, or baking cookies, it will be an adventure.
Projects--Once again, this list is long! I always have projects in the works. There is the quilting list, the scrapbooking page list, and the house projects list. The highlights will include creating the following:
1) The Funny Farm by Sandy Gervais
2) A wedding quilt for Brett and Liz
3) Black and White quilts for the girls when they move to big girl beds
4) Bed quilt for Henry when he moves to a double bed--theme to be decided with his help
5) Finish my 2008 blog book (I've already been working on this!)
6) Finish the black-and-white photo wall in the upstairs hallway
I'm going to create a visual of this Nine-Patch block to hang on my bulletin board in my office. I want to be reminded daily of the clarity that I am going to find in everything I do.
Happy New Year!
What a really lovely, heartfelt post, Heidi. I thorougly enjoyed it and understand your thoughts completely. Earlier today, I had to name my favorite block in a giveaway and my answer is always the same - "Hole in the Red Barn Door or Churn Dash" (depends on the reference source) and "Nine Patch". I like them both for their "simplicity". Sometimes the simple things are all we need. My goal is to start 2009 with a "sabbatical of sorts" and take time for me - writing in my blog, organizing family photos, working on some quilts for an exhibit/programs and taking time for family. I've done a lot of volunteering and am going to put that on the "back-burner" for a change and these other things will take the forefront. Some years I make goals and don't stick to them. I know that this year is different. Plus I want to make it so that one of these days I can make it to one of your retreats!!
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Wonderful idea...love the 9 patch reference! Makes me start thinking.
A suggestion for the cookies... make a huge batch of dough. Drop zillions of cookies on a cookie sheet and freeze. Store in baggie or rubbermaid in the freezer. Pull out frozen cookies and bake....homemade cookies any time you want.
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I love the way you applied your clarity list to a 9 patch block! And in reading through your list, I have to say I share so much of what you listed.
In 2009, I hope to devote much more time to my creative outlets. Quilting, and gardening in particular, as these are the two that have fallen short.
Great post, from one list maker to another!
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LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!! Good for you!!! I think I may be doing my 'thinkin on life' in late January.... wowzer... taking time to THINK should be number one on my 2009 list.. LOL!!
Smooches to YOU!
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What a great post Heidi! I losve how you've compared your goals to a nine-patch block. Thanks for the inspiration -- and Happy New Year!
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