A year in review

                       I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great year this year. We took a different approach to Christmas this year and I think it worked out beautifully. Instead of buying a bunch of little gifts the kids were asked what "big/most important" gift they would like. We were tired of buying the little stuff that always gets broke, lost, or never used. So this year the kids  picked out a "big" gift and that was it! It was simple, the kids were over joyed!!! 


                     I'm proud of all of my accomplishments this year! I'm glad I had the support of family and friends. My biggest accomplishment this year was QUITTING SMOKING!!! July 17 was the last real cigarette I had. I had an electric cigarette for a bit, but I don't remember when I gave it up! During week 1 I listed all my goals for 2013. 

GOALS 2013....

1- quit smoking----DONE- I feel great since I quit smoking! Everything tastes better since I quit smoking!

2- Family Time- DONE- every Sunday is family day!  This is how we spent this last Sunday. Teaching the youngest to IMessage! She was so excited that she could text her daddy, sissy and mommy.... Oh and did I mention she has figured out how to video chat too? She can call her grandmother now! 

3- Get Organized- DONE- operation-kitchen-reorganization, Adysons Room I would like to organize my room and closet in 2014!

4- Eating Healthier- DONE- I no longer buy the boxed/frozen meals. I read labels of the products I buy. I'm cooking healthy! Buying healthier cuts of meats. Buying more veggies and fruits! 

5- Exercise- I have been a little sporadic with this. I plan on improving this in 2014. I have gone through Pinterest and found 100's of pins for exercise and pinned them to my board. 

6- Read More (52 book in 2013)- My last count was 13 pleasure books and 17 educational/informational... not too far off!! 

7- Brain games- I loved this challenge. I did use up all the crossword puzzles, Sudoku books I had. Now I have them on my phone and ereader! So I can play them all the time and be more Earth friendly! 

8- Blogging- Considering this is my 1st year of blogging I think I did alright. I have lots of ideas for next year to improve! If you have any suggestions let me know! 

9- Be More Positive- This was a tough one. Everyone has moments of frustrations, anger, its just a part of life. However I really tried to keep good spirits through it all this year! I am going to focus on only positive in 2014. 

10- Crafts- I may not have done 1 craft a month (which was the goal) I did more then I had done in 2012 (which was NONE) my favorite craft was the Halloween Village, Halloween Soaps, Laundry Soap, bath soaps, Christmas Ornaments. OK so I had fun doing them all!!!! 

11- Music- FAILED-  I am going to start over in 2014! 

12- No Chemicals- I tried lots of things this year. Most of them worked. I had a few fail. The biggest disappointment was dish soap I was really hoping to make my own stuff. After tons of research and several recipes everything failed. It failed because my water is too hard! So I found commercial stuff by 7th generation that is more natural and Earth friendly. 

13- Gardening- This went OK. Not as prosperous as I thought! But I am gaining experience and thats what matters! But I did have great luck with African Violets I'm very proud of that! I plan on starting more in February!  This is what they look like now almost 6 months later! I am so proud!! I am going to do many more in 2014

I had a wonderful year. I am blessed! I learned a lot about myself and my family in 2013. I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us! 

See you all in 2014!! 

Appleby Family Christmas Letter week 50 & 51

I've enjoyed the holidays this year! Family gatherings, catching up with distant family. Christmas is almost upon us! I can't beleive how fast this year has gone by! We're in week 51!!! My shopping is done. I can relax most of my presents are wrapped. I'm just waiting for Christmas, I'm just as excited as the kids, I can't wait to see the looks on their faces!

Watching all the specials is my FAVORITE thing to do over the holidays! It reminds me of memories growing up. The most wonderful memories I have growing up involve my Aunt Julie & Uncle Jim out on on their farm. Uncle Jim would style his hair & put on a Santa suit and sing! My grandmother, aunt and I would stand up and sing back up for him as he sang Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas! 

Jackie and I both quit smoking this year! We're very proud! He still travels for work, I have a feeling 2014 is going to be his year for great things! We certainly miss him around the house when he's gone! 

Brittany, well she's a teenager! She's a freshman!!! She turned 15 back in September. She is turning into a beautiful young lady. We are so proud of her! She's already learning the ins and outs of high school and life. A couple weeks ago 

she got her braces off! She has a beautiful smile to go along with her personality. She's doing great! 

Adyson, well, she turns 5 in February. She's growing like a weed as most kids her age tend to do! She will start kindergarden next school year. She's learning to operate the DVR remote control, so every 5 minutes "Mommy come help me!" is yelled out of her bedroom. 

Farm happenings- everyone seems to be doing great. Looks like all my female goats (nannies) will be having kids as early as January!!! Looking forward to that. As most of you remember the last couple of months were rocky, we lost Adysons Chicken Girl and both pigs. 

I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Enjoy family, friends and good times! 

Wishing everyone Merry Christmas!

Week- 49 

             It's been a busy week! Running to the grocery store to prepare for the winter storm headed my way! I'm all prepared to bundle down for the weekend and watch the weather. This will be the last weekend to relax before all the holiday plans start. So I think instead of going for a story telling we will stay home. 

On the way to run errands Adyson & I found something...in the middle of the road!!! We couldn't believe this guy was wondering the roads the day before freezing weather was due to hit us! 

I've been doing lots of searching this week for recipes in preparation for one of my goals for 2014. I've been playing with an awesome app too! I'm very excited about it! I can't wait to tell you about it, next year! I hope you guys will like it! 

HOMEMADE- I've made a new batch of  a few things! I love my homemade stuff. My skin has never been softer in the winter! You remember I have made these before and loved all of them! FACIAL TONER

MAKEUP WIPES

2 cups DISTILLED water 

1 Tbl face soap

1 Tbl coconut oil

1 Tbl jojoba oil

2 drops tea tree oil

Mix all together and heat in microwave for about 1.5 minutes

Cut a roll if paper towels in 1/2.

Use a container big enough to hold & keep wipes air tight, such as a pitcher (this is what I use, & pull wipes through the pour spout;) )

Put wipes cut side down in container. Pour liquid over the top & let sit for 5 minutes. The. Pull the cardboard out of the middle & start your roll! 

I have missed these. It's been a few months since I have made any but I will never be without them again. 

 BODY SCRUB-

Equal part olive oil and sugar. If you notice its too runny add some sugar. Put it in a container ( I used an empty body wash bottle) and set in the shower. I use this every other day. BE CAREFUL THIS WILL MAKE YOUR SHOWER SLIPPERY!!!  I wash/soap up and rinse then use the body scrub and really scrub it into my skin. Leave it on for a few minutes and gently rinse off. No more winter dry skin!!! All natural and healthy for your skin! 

READING- I've caught up on all my magazines, I had a TON of them! I hadn't read any since September. So I caught up! I love my magazines! Quick little articles, wonderful pictures, recipes, apps to try, new & up to date information. I cut out all my recipes & exercise/workouts, & stapled them into my spiral notebooks. I have 4 magazines I subscribe to, SHAPE, Fitness, Women's Health, Women's Day. 

                                              

Follow me on Good Reads to catch me on the latest book

I finished Haunted on Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase. Loved it if you like ghost stories, etc. Great, funny! Now I am reading The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox  and loving it so far! 


EATING HEALTHY- I've been loving having a small crock pot for breakfasts or smaller portions for just 2 people! I have made several breakfast casseroles and oatmeals since I got it. 

AWESOME BROWNIES

I am loving these for a treat/snack! They are awesome! 

REVIEW TIME-  
Last week we updated to the HOPPER with Sling. I am not that impressed. So the HOPPER is the main box( in the living room), and the girls and master bedroom have a Joey. (Yes 4 boxes in all) The feature of Sling is what sold me. Being that my husband travels I thought it would be nice for him to be able to watch his shows at his convenience (airports, hotel rooms, where ever he had wi-fi). This is not what its cracked up to be. 
Sling- When my husband watches Live TV on his device he takes up a "Joey/Tuner" from our home TV. So If Brittany is watching "A", Adyson is watching "B" and I am watching "C"  my husband has to watch what we are watching, and if he chooses to watch "D" then he will change our station!!! 
HOPPER- Same goes with the HOPPER, If Brittany is watching "A", Adyson is watching "B" and I am RECORDING "C" then we are stuck watching C. This " Record 6 shows at once" is for PRIME TIME TV only Monday - Saturday  6pm-11pm?? something like that. So it records the ABC, NBC,CBS, FOX, etc for those hours. 
It is nice that the girls can record what shows they want. However there are KNOWN system/software issues with the HOPPER with Sling according to the "advanced tech support" people I have talked to about these issues. Some of my shows do not record, although the HOPPER says its recorded. You can set up folders, so every one's recordings go into their own folders, but my folders don't work!
Everyone can press a button on their remotes and everyone can see what everyone else is watching. I can see from the living room or my bedroom what the kids are watching. The kids can press the button on their rooms and see what I am watching. That fact what not explained to me BEFORE I got the HOPPER. 

I'm still deciding if this is what we want/need or if we need to add a HOPPER to the bedroom. UGHHH decisions, decisions, decisions. 



My Christmas decorations- I love my Charlie Brown Christmas tree! My husband and the kids got it for me this year!! It plays music too!

A Special shout out to My Cousin Abby- Adyson Loves her TMNT sleeping bag! 

 

 
Every year since we moved into the house, Brittany has been putting bows on all the knobs in the kitchen. She coordinates them every year. It cracks me up. I love her to death and wouldn't change a thing!

He is one of my favorites, given to me by my Aunt Julie.

                       Merry Christmas!!!