Happy New Year!

Happy New Years!!!  I'm a few days late, but according to my husband I'm late for most everything, so this is only appropriate.  Ha!  I have disappeared from the blogging world for quite some time.  Not because I haven't wanted to, but because I'm not sure where I wanted to go with the blog.  I started this blog thinking it would be fun to blog about my baking experiences...  While that is fun, it is also overwhelming.  I realized that those beautiful foodie pictures you see on famous blogs such as thepioneerwoman.com are beautiful for a reason.  They make food look amazing (and probably taste amazing too)!  But in order to do this, you have to have great camera skills and a great lens.  And by great I mean super expensive!  I have neither.  It got overwhelming to have to take 50 pictures of a piece of cake in order to have one decent shot.  And in all honestly, I have no desire to be famous.  Nor do I want to have to invest the time, money, or energy involved to create that status.  I do, however, love to read over all of these amazing blogs. These women have amazing talent!  I also found out that while I love to bake and spend time in the kitchen, I don't really have a great desire to lead others down the same path.  I mean, I would love for you to try my recipes, but I don't feel my goal in life is to teach others to bake if that makes sense...  So, if it's okay with all of you (okay, so maybe the 3 of you who will actually read this) I will still be blogging, but about all kinds of randomness.  Besides baking, I love to shop!  I also love to read. A LOT!!! So as randomness goes, I will be blogging about whatever comes to mind or just sharing links to other great blogs that I happen to love.  I secretly wish I were crafty!!  I would love to have a blog like lifeingraceblog.com! She has an amazing knack with decorating, crafting, and her words and stories are always a welcomed blessing!! Check it out, you will love! 

Now, moving on...

Did you make any New Year resolutions?  I didn't really make resolutions, but more like personal goals.  Here they are:

1. Read 25 books
2. Memorize 52 Bible verses
3. Organize our storage area
4. Clean out kitchen cabinets and give away what we aren't using
5. Clean out all cabinets in all of our bathrooms
6. Clean out all closets throughout our home
7. Create a craft space for our kids and organize crafting storage
8. Lose 20 lbs.  Okay!  Isn't this every ones goal every January?!
9. Start running faithfully!
10. Be consistent in prayer for others
11. Be a better example for my children
12. Be a better wife to my man

That should do it!  Some of these goals won't take long to complete, others will take the entire year, and for some, my entire lifetime!  Thankfully I serve an awesome God that will help me with each of these goals if I am faithful to serve, trust, believe, and pray. 

Here are a few of the books I have on my reading list this year:

• Grace by Max Lucado
• Blessing Your Children by Jack Hayford
• Every Child Needs A Praying Mom by Fern Nichols
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans
• Jane Erye by Charlotte Bronte
• Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
• The Heart Of A Woman Who Prays by Elizabeth George
• Last Child In The Woods by Richard Louv
• The Friendships of Women by Dee Brestin
• One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskomp
• Why Men Hate Going To Church by David Murrow
• What Your Husband Isn't Telling You by David Murrow
• The Fruitful Wife by Hayley DiMarco

Okay, so that's more than a few, but those are the books I've either purchased or have sitting on my Amazon wish list.  All of these books are on amazon.com.  A few are out of print and I had to purchase used, which is great because cheaper and greener!

I hope you have an amazing and blessed 2013!!

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9