How am I doing?

Ok so maybe I havent posted as much as I would have planned. Its been much the same for my action plan.

On the positive we have done brilliantly on our monthly meal planning only changing 1 of the meals following a slight defrosting issue (no I didnt forget to take it out but it was too cold to defrost in time!!) I have the next month's meals planned out and on the plus side the majority is in the freezer already :) I have started a quilt but due to illness and work stress have not got too far - ok so that is a form of procrastination but the kind i cant really control (thats my excuse and im sticking to it). The hall has been a slight non starter. I wanted to start with the very disorganised nightmare coat cupboard and I did get some metal basket things that hang off shelves to store scarfs, hats and gloves as they are always going missing and they are working well. Much time has been spent researching and installing aquarium. A few years before we got married russ' dad paid for us to get a tropical setup. We had loads of fish and it was really successful until we had an outbreak of something which killed the lot including our foot long plec. We decided that we would not refill the tank. That was about 10 years ago and we have looked on so many occasions at new setups over the years but costs and timing have never been right. Over the festive period we decided this time we would go ahead and get a new setup with our christmas money from my parents. We got a really good deal and in the corner of our living room is our new tank. After today's visit (our second for fish purchase) to the aquatic shop, we have 11 fish - 5 barbs, 5 tetra and 1 catfish called Basil. We also have some assasin snails that will eat any other snail that develops. We did have 5 shrimp but they all had a liking for the filter and died :( We are all enjoying it and learning what is working and what isnt. Amelia loves fish and she is learning lots of fish trivia and annouced to mum and dad that the tank needed aorting as the plant was affecting the filter!! Not bad for a 2 year old. All in all it has not been a bad month but I hope that february will mean we move a little further forward hopefuly the weather will be much better than it has been and we can get out and about more. I am also learning to crochet - now those of you who remember my knitting attempts when I was pregnant will laugh their heads off but maybe this is a little less tecnical and straight forward - we will see lol... changing

New Year, New Start

Well I am going to try and give my blogging another go and this post will explain why.

Many of you who know me will know I am the worlds best procrastinator. I have many ideas and plans running around in my head but I never get around to doing anything with them and when I think about it that is mainly due to procrastination.

I have decided that 2013 is the year to kick myself up the bottom and get on with completing things on my many lists. To help me with this I have decided that I shall regularly blog about my plans and ideas so that if I actually put them out there for all (well the few people who may come back and read my blog since most have probably given up its been soooooooo long!) to see I might have to get on and do it! Hopefully I will also be able to look back this time in 2014 and think of the acheivments and moving forward I/we have done.

Firstly I need to get organised - not an easy task but one I must start, to be able to achieve things I want to. This in turn will hopefully enable me to have a less chaotic home and I will be able to get to things and find things a lot easier. Also I may get to relax a little and reduce the unnecessary stress I put on myself.

Organising and planning meals will help with the healthier eating which I started a little of in the 2nd half of 2012 but will also help on the financial budget too. I have started stocking the freezer with meals that I have cooked enough for 2 or 3 meals, eating 1 and freezing the rest. Ideal for a Tuesday now AJ is going to a childminder in the afternoon and so no Granddad dinner - I can come home knowing that I have a proper healthy home cooked meal ready that just needs some re-heating.

On the eating and budget saving front, fresh vegetables & salads are getting more expensive and actually aren't that nice from the supermarket. We had a go at growing our own the year I fell pregnant with AJ but for various reasons we have not continued with it successfully the last couple of years (again procrastination was high on the reasons why!!). 2013 will see the transformation of our flat sunny front garden which has more moss and weed than grass growing on it into our vegetable plot. We are hoping to include some flowers (edible ones if poss of course) to encourage pollination and  to give it some color and "prettiness" (yes I think I am making up words again!). Some may think it odd that we have chosen the front garden but it really is a pain to cut and the fact it is a decent size and flat is a big plus over the back garden. I would also prefer AJ played in the back garden where I know she can go our and play on her own but I can easily keep an eye on her if I am in the kitchen or living room. watch this space to see home grown salads and chutneys next Christmas made with our own produce!

Organisation will also hopefully mean that I can walk in to my house and not have that feeling of "oh what a state this Hallway is". I have had many issues with living in this house even though I moved in with Russell & his Dad 15 years ago in February. If I am ever going to finally get over these issues and love my house I need to do some work to make it work. The Hallway is a major stumbling block with mess and lack of decoration I do think with some time and care I could get that nice homely feeling everytime I walk in.

Energy is definately lacking in this house unless you are called Amelia! I want to continue with my weight loss and get more exercise done so that we can enjoy Amelia's boundless energy. More energy will help me to acheive the other things I want to do. I'd love to do a lot more family walking/bike riding activities - obviously the weather needs to improve A LOT for us to be able to get out and enjoy the beauty we have here but not all of my goals need to acheived straight away.

Key to success in me acheiving what I want is to lower my expectations - sorting the hallway is not going to be a 1 day job (yes it is that bad!!) - it will take quite a few days as it involves sorting other areas too but I must tell myself that if I keep doing it in bits I will win the battle :)

I want us to enjoy our family time which is very precious making the most of everyday we get to speand time together as a family. So much sadness this year around the world has shown that we never know what is around the corner and every moment counts. I want to make sure that more of these moments are memorable rather than mundane.

Finally I want to get some me time and us time for russell and I. This is something that gets pushed to one side when children join you but is really something we need and should not feel guilty about taking. A few hours enjoying this sort of time makes a big difference to other times and so I already have a day booked for Russ & I to spend together which I am looking forward to.

I want to get back into my crafting and sewing, maybe read a book or 2 and do a lot more baking (remembering I can freeze it rather than having to eat it all in a couple of days!).

So after a very long post here is to my 2013 adventure - it is all here for me to look at and remember what the plan was at the start of the year in 12 months time and to see what I have acheived. I will be really disappointed in myself if things have not changed and moved in a positive direction here on 01/01/14. None of my ideas are unobtainable if I stick to less procrastination and more action :)

I send good wishes for 2013 to anyone who has read this post - I promise they will not be so wordy going forward.

Nona x