Looking back on 2011... and that resolution of mine :)

I don't know if you remember MY 2011 RESOLUTION ? Yeah, it was a big one. Looking back, I think if I had made the rules even more strict, I would feel a lot worse than I do. Honestly, I'd say I stuck to it by about 80%. So, if my goal had been to loose 20 pounds, I would have lost 16 pounds!!! Thinking about it like that, I feel really proud of myself. I have gotten rid of WAY more than I brought into the house. And most of what I did bring into the house adhered to my guidelines, or was calculated. I honestly can't think of a purchase that I regret AT ALL.

Now, one thing I have to say I'm ashamed I could not say goodbye to, and I feel a little guilty about? BABY GAP. Isn't that ridiculous? The truth of the matter is, their sales prices were usually CHEAPER than a lot of the Goodwills around here. Plus, their clothes are so nice and so cute. So, I still bought my lil' dude some new duds. He got a lot more things 2nd hand, but, I couldn't kill that love. And you know what? In the spirit of not being tough on myself, it's okay. :)

I'm proud of myself. I've grown up a lot this year. I'm moving in the right direction for my family.

This year, I don't have a new big resolution. I'm having a baby in 2 months. I'm going to have to adapt and change to accommodate a brand new life. My resolution is to be open, flexible and present. That will be big enough. :)

2011 Resolution Check- in

Honestly? So far, so good. I've slipped up here and there, but I literally went into Target last week and came out with only food. That's right people. The unthinkable happened. I didn't buy anything, not even the adorable shirt I saw on sale for 5 bucks. I walked right on by.

Here, however, are some of the deals I've gotten at the ole' Goodwill:

These brand new DKNY jeans? 6.99... Also, they make my butt look amazing, if I do say so myself.

This basket? 4.99. I needed something big enough to corral all of Hendrix's stuffed animals, and this baby is PERFECT. I'm toying (pun intended) with the idea of spray painting it a fun color...

This Melissa and Doug puzzle? 1.99 ! :)

This Fossil purse? 4.99... I LOVE IT!!!!!

I've really been having fun shopping around for things we need/ want. It's also felt great to walk through a store and PUT SOMETHING BACK ON THE SHELF when I realize that I'm about to buy something new.

Some other stuff we're doing. Eric and I have started travelling to the RED BOX. Yes, we're a bit late to this obsession, but we've been eating in more (another way we're tightening our belt). So, after dinner, we put Henry to bed and reward ourselves with a flick. Both of these guys were pretty great by the way!

I'm selling some of Hen's old baby clothes on consignment. I drop the stuff off and as it sells, I can come in and either cash out my earnings or use them for a store discounted rate. SO AWESOME.

At the end of the day, I'm TRYING. I really am. I know that my "need to spend" is something that comes from a silly place, a place that is insecure and disillusioned about what really matters in life. It's something I know my resolution is helping me to take a hard look at. I was talking to my little sister, and she told me there was someone on Oprah who bought NOTHING for a year except food. They didn't see a movie, didn't even get a hair cut! What I'm doing is small potatoes compared to that, but it's a step in the right direction.

So, what direction are you headed? How have you tightened (or loosened) the belt this year? Could you go a year without spending?

getting rid of the temptation

So far, my quest to not buy anything new in the new year? Off to a rocky start. :-/

I haven't purchased anything for myself, but I did run to the store for a quick present for my sister-in-law's birthday. I then proceeded to go into Old Navy and buy for my dad and my sister's birthdays (Granted, I had a gift certificate, but-- ahem-- still spent over).

Anyway, on the way home from these stores, I felt great! I had gotten some awesome deals, and bought things I knew everyone would love! However, very little thought was put into them, and WASN'T THIS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO AVOID?

Grrrr... I'm not going to beat myself up about my slip up. This year is about finding myself and correcting the mistakes I've been making. ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY, you know!? Right?

& So, I did something today to help myself in this journey. I unsubscribed from the emails from my favorite stores. Here were the heavy hitters:

Bye, Bye, Gap!:

See ya' later, Victoria Secret:

Oh, this was BY FAR the hardest... I love you forever, Target:

Today, I'm working on our budget for 2011. I really do want to succeed in breaking my love of buying this year. I want us to start SAVING (what a novel concept!), and I want to spend money on things that enrich our lives, not just things that make me feel good for a little while. While it might not be something I can do in a day, I know I can do it.

Dear Kelly Ann,

It's almost a new year, my dear. You are 26 years young. You are trying every day to be a better person. But, go easy, huh?

This year, it's about you, girl. It's about finding yourself. It's about finding God. It's about finding that ebb and flow, that comfortable cadence to life that so easily eludes you.

So; read more books, write more,nap with Hen, make good food and gain a few pounds.

Forgive yourself.

Move forward. Make a new voice.

For last year's words belong to last year's language

And next year's words await another voice.

And to make an end is to make a beginning.

T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

the new year.

The close of a year always brings me to major self reflection. Sadly, I am sometimes too hard on myself; so it brings me to self- loath. I wish I was easier on myself (perhaps that's something I can work on in the new year).

Things I'm addressing now:

- I've taken a hiatus from Facebook. For now, it's projected to last until January 1st, but it may very well last longer. I need to gain control of my "free time." Hendrix is curious and creative, and I need to nurture and inspire that in him. Telling him, "Give mommy a minute while I finish reading this person's ridiculous status update" isn't cutting it.

-I've borrowed Suze Orman's book, "Women & Money." I'm educating myself. I am creating a budget and a goal plan for the new year. Also, note: BORROWED. I joined the library. WOO-HAH!

-I've started Henry's scrapbook... Yes, this might have started a little late, but I'm super proud of the progress I've made so far. I plan on it being the coolest scrapbook ever. I'm having way more fun with it than I though.

-I've been making dinner. Albeit not insanely impressive, I've made dinner BY MYSELF the past two nights in a row. Tonight, I held an impromptu dinner for 10 people, and I only freaked out for an hour about it.

-I'm preparing myself mentally for my new year's resolution. I want to be insanely committed to it. I want it to change my life.

WHAT IS IT? YOU ASK?

I'm not buying anything new in the New Year.

Let me explain. I have a problem. It's really been an ongoing one for me. However, since I became a stay at home mama, it's gotten much worse. I BUY THINGS. I'm a buyer. No, I don't have an addiction to Gucci bags or designer clothes. I just buy STUFF. I can't even tell you the things I buy, because half the time I come home and I'm like: 0__0 why did I buy this shirt? i didn't need it! Repeat. Repeat.

Here are the ground rules:

• Obviously, I can buy new food/ groceries. DUH. However, I'm working on a budget/ making more dinners at home. So, my trips to the grocery store will be different than they have been. I'll make a list and stick to it. I'll go in with a plan.
• Things that Henry really NEEDS: sippie cups, binky's, random baby things that he would put into his mouth? WILL BE BOUGHT NEW.
• However, clothes for Henry? SECOND HAND, baby. There are a lot of awesome Goodwill's/ Consignment stores around here. So, Hendo will be rockin' recycled goods. I have a feeling he won't know the difference, but MY GAP CARD WILL.
• Birthday gifts can be bought new, but I will try my best to buy them used if possible. This (yay), will mean that trips to Goodwill will be about inspiration and fun. If I see something that I like for someone, but their birthday isn't for a few months? I'll buy it. Hopefully this will equal more thoughtfulness and less last minute scrambling.
• If Eric is with me, I can buy something new. Ahem. Eric made me put this in the ground rules. We VERY RARELY go shopping together (we're talking MAYBE 4 times a year), but when we do, he likes to spoil me a little. So, if I'm with E, we can splurge a little.
• IF I GET PREGNANT IN THE NEW YEAR... little baby things can be bought new (nothin' crazy... but, you know). Note: this is not at ALL in the works. :)

I have no idea how this will shape my new year, but I'm thinking quite a bit. I have a feeling it might shape my life. I need to work on my addiction to STUFF. I have got to get a hold before I become one of those peeps on Hoarders. SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY.

What do you think? Should I tighten my ground rules even more? Am I being crazy? Any bloggers you know doing something similar?