Monthly Musings: Beating the Winter Blues

I don't live in a place that has a true winter. Texas definitely has mild winters, so while it might not be super cold, it has created an intolerance for cold weather, ha! I am not a fan of winter - it's cold, it's gray, it gets dark early - all things that make me grumpy!

1. Something you do for yourself to beat the winter blues?

This probably comes as no surprise to anyone - and honestly brings me joy year-round - but chai lattes make me happy! {grin}

Years ago Starbucks did a Valentine's Day cup, so fun!

2. Something you do for your family to bring joy over the winter?

I am really struggling with this question! I think because I can't stand to be cold, I tend to want to be mostly indoors in the winter, but I know that isn't good for us. Now that we have some solid winter clothes {after our trip to Ruidoso}, we have no excuses for enjoying the outdoors. Now enjoying might be a strong word...but at least finding things to do outdoors, ha.

3. Favorite cozy items or go-to's?

My Ugg slippers are on my feet almost nonstop all winter! Brent got them for me for my 40th birthday - in pink no doubt - and they are just the best.

4. Winter exercise habits or practices?

Nothing different for me since I do 95% of my working out indoors, ha. I do like to go on walks with my neighborhood ladies, and that is very dependent on the weather in the winter - I won't go if I think it's too cold!

5. Do you practice journaling or meditation?

NOPE. I guess my blog could maybe count? But traditional journaling, no.

6. Do you light candles or use essential oils to relax?

Yes, I love essential oils! I run diffusers in both girls' rooms with relaxing oils, and I have several I like to use on myself. I also will take a bath on occasion with Epsom salt and essential oils.

7. Any bedtime rituals you would like to share that promotes quality sleep?

Natural Calm is my FAVORITE for promoting good sleep. I don't know if it was Covid quarantine or turning 40, but my sleep went south in 2020. I struggled to fall asleep and struggled to stay asleep. Calm helps with both of these problems! I drink a tablespoon-ish every day {it won't make you sleepy during the day so you can take it whenever} and my sleep is SO much better.

8. What are your morning habits that help prepare for a good day?

I don't know that I have any? On school days I get up as late as absolutely possible to get the kids ready for school and I rush around all stressed out for the 75 minutes until they are at school, and I'm back at home working. 

9. Favorite way to spend a day off in the winter?

Reading a book curled up on the couch under a blanket with a chai.

10. Favorite winter themed movie?

This is all I could come up with, ha.

2023 Goals

Well, just about 10% of 2023 has already passed by, and I'm still noodling on goals for 2023, ha. I don't have a huge list - which is probably a good thing! - but I'm going to go ahead and put it out in the world!

I've broken my goals out into some categories - first, I have a word of the year. Then I have specific goals - physical goals, family goals, book goals {of course}.

WORD OF THE YEAR

Intentional

I want to be doing more things with intention this year. And I think my individual goals reflect this. I can get lazy or complacent and let life just go on without much thought. I want to be doing more with my time that means something - personally, with my family and friends, with the kids.

**********GOALS**********

PHYSICAL GOALS

1) Flexibility - I have definitely noticed an increase in my flexibility in the last few years as I've increased my participation in Pilates and Yoga. But I'm still not super consistent and would like to work on stretching and flexibility.

2) Weight Loss - Is it a yearly goal setting post for Allena if she doesn't talk about wanting to lose Paige's baby weight? {grin} Here we are again! BUT I had some good success in the last few months of 2022 and am slowly moving in the right direction.

FAMILY/HOUSE GOALS

1) Time with kids/Brent - I would like to spend more meaningful {dare I say intentional?} time together. As a family - group outings, game nights, as a wife - watching shows together, dates, as a mother - one-on-one dates, conversations.

2) Cleaning every day - I want to get the kids more involved in taking responsibility for the house. There are a few things they are responsible for {unloading the dishwasher, unpacking groceries, helping with laundry}, but there is still so much I do. To the point I am angry at the end of the day. And that is just ridiculous when our kids are 13, 10, and 6! Also, I want to take little breaks during the day and do 5 minutes of chores. 

3) Organizing - Brent is on an organizing kick, and I want to follow suit. Just little things like cleaning out the junk drawer, organizing the coat closet, etc. Tackle a small project each week or a big project over a month.

4) Family Vacation - We had so much fun in 2022 with trips {Ruidoso, Napa, Hilton Head, and Hawaii}, and while we can't repeat that quantity of trips exactly, I do want to make a family trip happen annually.

BOOK GOALS

1) 100 books - I am sticking with my tried and true 100 books/year goal. I really thought about going up this year, but given I want to spend more time with my family, this seemed counterintuitive!

2) Physical books cleanup - I am going to go through the physical books I have and make a list of at least 10 that I've had for years. By the end of the year, I need to have read them or I'm getting rid of them.

3) Goodreads TBR - I want to read my 10 oldest Goodreads books - or delete them if I haven't read them within a year. The are:

    1-Little Women

    2-White Awake

    3-Stamped from the Beginning

    4-We Just Clicked

    5-A Gentleman in Moscow [I have a physical copy]

    6-A Hundred Summers

    7-The Red Tent [I have a physical copy]

    8-Life of Pi

    9-The Poisonwood Bible

    10-Roots