2010 Goals

I'm really not one for new year's resolutions.  They've struck me too rigid and better markers for where I'm not meeting my own expectations.  Then I get discouraged, then the resolutions fade and are forgotten, usually before it's time to even turn the page on the calendar in the kitchen.

The beginning of the new year does encourage me to examine my life, my business and the life of my family and recognize areas that I would like to/need to change.  Here are a few things that I will be working on this year (some with the help and involvement of HandyMan) as a blogger, a business owner, a wife & mom and just for me.  What are you working on this year?

ThrivingMama

1.  Work on changing out our chemically based cleaners for more natural alternatives.  I'm currently working on make your own dishwasher soap :)

2.  Work to keep the grocery bill under budget through Monthly Menus and batch cooking.

3.  Continue to find ways to make favorite recipes healthier for us by hiding vegetables and whole grains.

Business Goals:

1. Craft Fairs: I have five craft fairs that I attended as a vendor in 2009.  I am hoping to add 3 more to my 2010 schedule including the Owego Strawberry Festival, and two others.  I'm currently researching for fairs in the Cortland and Delhi NY areas -if anyone knows of anything, please let me know!

2.  WebSite: I was a slacker on my website last year-and I've only linked it so that you can skim it over and truly appreciate the make-over that is coming.  It is my goal to update the site monthly and to have the make-over done by January 25th.  Stay tuned for more info on that!

Family Goals

1. Friday Night Family Nights - I had begun to notice that when we were all home, life was a game of shuffle GBaby back and forth so we could each get stuff done, and very little time away from the meal table was being spent together-all three of us.  So, we are instituting Friday Family nights.  This will mean that we cook dinner together, do bath and play time together with GBaby and once she goes to bed, HandyMan and I will have our own time together to watch a movie, talk about the week, etc.

2.  Work Down Debt-We are on track to pay off HandyMan's student loans this year. The next stop is our mortgage.  We really don't have any idea how much we'll be able to put towards the mortgage principle, but plan to put the excess from our frugal lifestyle towards paying off our home.  When I did the numbers and realized that by paying an additional $50 a month to our mortgage, we'd save $2,075 in interest over the life of the loan, it put the return on investment in black and white.

Personal Goals

1.  RAFT the Inbox - HandyMan has this knack for keeping his e-mail inbox empty.  I've always been amazed and just this last week he spilled the secret.  With every message that comes in you do one of four things as soon as you open it: Reply-Act-File-Trash, RAFT.  I'm a bit hesitant to admit that when I started RAFTing my inbox there were over 650 messages, some read, some not.  It is my goal to have my inbox cleaned out before we leave for vacation in February.  With a bit of work, I've managed to get it down to 550 messages already ;)

2.  Begin exercising again, for real.  The last year since GBaby entered my world, I've called her my workout routine, and she does require me to be on the go a lot.  But now she's heading for walking which means those upper body mommy muscles won't be used quite as much, and I'd kind of like to keep them in shape.  So, I plan to start exercising again and HandyMan has agreed to continue the "AM Shift" before he has to go to work so that I can do this.

Sunday Sunshine on Monday: Computers & Craft Fairs

Practicing contentment by remembering the graces of the week.

This weeks Sunday Sunshine was delayed because shortly after I put up the Cookie Dough post, my computer crashed, or more appropriately was demolished by some evil virus.  But this morning I am thankful that I was able to save my files, including irreplaceable photos and hours and hours of work.  I'm thankful that, while outdated, the back-up that I did have, was useful.  I'm thankful that I had a great craft fair on Saturday and my business cash flow is such that Charity's Candles can help foot the bill for my new computer.

Other things did happen this week and I am praising God and so thankful for a clean bill of health, which marks 4 years of no evidence of cancer for me.  I'm thankful for sunny, crisp fall days. Great deals on books and gifts were another grace from this week as well as some amazing family time and happy GBaby squeels.

All in all, a great week. And this week is Thanksgiving!  What are you thankful for?

Sunday Sunshine: So Much in a Week

Practicing contentment by remembering the graces of the week.

It has been a very full week!  I was able to spend the better part of the week at my parents with GBaby where I had all kinds of extra help which was fabulous.  I needed a few days of mom taking care of me so I could better take care of sick GBaby.  She is now feeling much better and we're all hoping she's on the mend.

HandyMan met us at my parents and managed to be on the early flights, in spite of all the delays on the route he was travelling.  We all drove home on Thursday and hit the ground running.  I had a great craft fair in Walton on Saturday.  It is the annual American Cancer Society's Harvest Fest.  While traffic wasn't that great and it was freezing out, sales were actually on par with two years ago when I last did this fair.

So its the beginning of another week and I'm ready to be home for the week.  How was your week?

~sjt

Sunday Sunshine: Craft Fair Calm, Beef Barley Soup and Good Days

Practicing contentment by remembering the graces of the week.

I have some grace-hangovers from last week to start off this week.  If you've been following you know that I had a craft fair last Saturday.  I'm generally a little "type A" if you know what I mean.  When I started setting up and realized a good portion of my display materials had not made it into the car, and I calmly went about creating a different display with what I had and my blood pressure didn't even bump.  Applefest was an outdoor fair and it was grey all day long, but the rain waited until the end of the day to start.  Since it poured at this event the entire day last year, this was indeed a grace.

On Sunday, I was craving beef-barley soup and trying to squeeze the ingredients out of my remaining grocery budget for the month.  Finally I decided that I'd wait and it could be an October meal.  Later Sunday evening I was making plans with a friend to get together on Tuesday and double-team our kids and get some kitchen projects done.  She says - I can bring beef barley soup, I'm making it for dinner monday and we'll have leftovers.  And the heavens opened and a light shone down and the angels sang.  Well not really but it was a pretty cool moment.

This week I also managed to stay on top of my chores and tasks and Gbaby and I had a great drive to NH where I am hanging out for the week.  It's always fun to spend time with my folks and to see friends. I am again so thankful that we were able to settle down within a reasonable driving distance of so much of our family.

So, what has brightened your week?

All in a Day's Work: Greene Apple Fest

One major source of exposure for Charity's Candles and Crafts is craft shows.  Most of the time the ones I attend are part of larger festivals are well known dedicated craft fairs.  Both draw significant crowds.  A well established event will have attendees that will come rain-or-shine because it is a tradition.

While visitors to these shows arrive looking for their favorite gift items or foods, I arrive looking for my competition - and at these events it's not always other candle-makers.  Often times its the little things that will draw the cash out of an attendee's wallet before they ever get to my booth.  Are there admission fees or parking fees?  Will visitors hit the craft area first or the food area and be tempted by all the delicious smells of food vendors?  All of these are things I take into consideration when I'm evaluating a craft fair.

Greene Apple Festival in Greene NY has become one of my best fairs of the year.  This past Saturday I left the house at 6:45 am and had my tent and booth set up by 8:30.  My feet were freezing and I was so happy to have dry warm socks and shoes to change into once I was set up!  The day was fairly grey and dismal but there were large crowds all day.  The rain held off until it was time to break down.  So I loaded up my little car in the rain and headed home for warm, dry clothes!  Once home it's dinner, GBaby to bed, and then inventory, accounting and then to bed myself!

AppleFest is one of those events that folks come to as a tradition.  In 2008, I set up in the rain, I sold candles all day in the rain, and packed up in the rain.  Folks were pushing around mud-caked strollers, kids were stomping in the mud in their galoshes and rain jackets and those who came out were having a great time!

This year was weather was dryer, the crowds were bigger and the sales were better than in 2008 and I look forward to seeing the crowds in Greene again next year!

Sunday Sunshine: Candles and Craft Shows

Practicing contentment by remembering the graces of the week.

This has been a very full week.  I was able to slip away for a Ladies Bible Study on Wednesday which was a great time with friends.  I also managed to get everything ready for the Greene Apple Festival where I was selling candles and in spite of the chaos of trying to get everything together and then realizing once I got there that I had forgotten stuff - the entire week was covered in a wonderful peace.  GBaby has popped another tooth.  She's up to 6 now and today seems to be a "happy in between teeth day" - for that I will be thankful!  I had been saving up for a little bit to make a purchase that I was able to make this week and my new sewing machine arrived on Wednesday.  I am very excited about this and will be posting much more on this in the near future!

Blessings to you on this first day of the week!

sara