Here we are… Last day of the year. I’m sitting quietly this morning while Little Man is taking his morning nap, Little Miss is at her grand-parents and my dear husband is putting in a few hours before the holiday starts. After 3 nights of garden planning, we’ve just put in our seed order for 2015 and we’ve discussed what our hopes and goals were for the new year to come. A list of projects was put together, finances were put in order… our new life truly begins.
This is our first New year as homesteaders, our first New year as a one income family, our first New year with me as a stay-at-home mama and our FIRST New year with a clear intent : In 2015, we are taking our life to the next level.
Let me explain…
My husband and I are wonderfully good at being talented beginners. We tend to take on many interests and get good enough at them that they are fun and we feel accomplished in our “hobbies”, but we are not the most skilled at pushing through and challenging ourselves past that point of comfort. I think that is because when we were both working, all these skills were things we did in our free time. But now, things have changed. In embracing this new life of more traditional values, simplicity and self-sufficiency, we can no longer rely on so many outside sources to “back us up” when we feel too busy, tired or just plain lazy. It is time to put on our homesteader pants and jump out of the shallow end of the pool.
So this year won’t really be about trying many new things, but it will be about pushing what we know further…
- It will be about me making my kids clothes for everyday instead of play clothes for dress up and buying the everyday wear.
- It will be about me finally learning how to knit something that is not a dishcloth or a scarf.
- It will be about converting our gardens from casual everyday eating to food-producing with conservation in mind.
- It will be about continuing to cleanse our home of unnecessary things, leaving room for experiences, creation and imagination.
- It will be about pushing our food conservation further, preparing for the colder months.
- It will be about extending our growing season, little by little, on our way to year-long gardening.
- It will be about creating a herb garden that will give us more than a few plants for salves and balms. About pushing our knowledge of herbs, foraging more, making and keeping ourselves healthy through nature’s gifts.
- It will be about taking small steady steps towards self-sufficiency and provision for ourselves and the ones we love.
So this is our mantra, our mission statement for the year :
” To truly embrace the challenges of our life choices and to finally become a homestead. “
We look forward to sharing our experiences with you. You will probably see a few guest posts from my husband over the next few months as we are diving into building projects for spring. We promise to be honest and open, sharing in our successes and failures. All help and comments will be greatly appreciated. So many of you have inspired us on this journey.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! May 2015 bring you nothing but health, joy, peace and fulfillment in every sphere of your lives.
❤
Sounds very exciting & inspired. Best wishes to you! We’ll be following your adventures.
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Thank you! Your beautiful homemade holiday and winter decorations are certainly part of my motivation to do more next year for sure! I look forward to your input… Hopefully, you’ll share some of your experience.
xo
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That is a wonderful list of achievements to aspire for, I hope you are able to reach them in 2015. I look forward to reading all about them 🙂
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Than you for your encouragement… I have a good feeling about this year. I feel different going into it. It’s quite an amazing feeling! 🙂
Happy new year to you and all your loved ones. Nothing but health, peace and joy xo
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Beautiful! I am so happy for you and inspired by you and your family! Here’s to a wonderful and inspired 2015!
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Thank you so much Nicole, that is super sweet to say. have a wonderful new year as well and all the best to you and yours xox
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Sounds like a wonderful plan for the year ahead, so much goodness to be reaped. Enjoy every step along this path my friend, and may 2015 be all you hope it to be. Much love to you guys. Happy New Year!!!! xo
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Thank you so much dear Kim… I may come to you with MANY question! LOL! I hope I won’t get on your nerves too much.
Happy new year to you, Justin and Reece. xoxo
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There’s so much promise with a new year! Your list is a great one – it will be so rewarding to work on these!
Happy New Year!
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Thank you so much Christine… I look forward to sharing some of our steps towards this new life with all of you, my homesteading community.
Happy New Year to you and your loves. xo
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I love this mantra and your commitment to push yourselves further. It’s a great reminder to me, too, to embrace this way of life and go further ourselves. There’s still so much more we can do, too, like conserving more food (beyond peaches and pickles and frozen fruit!) for the winter, making more of our own medicines, and going beyond sewing cloth napkins to clothes and quilts! Thanks for putting your intentions out and sharing with us~ Happy New Year!
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We should try and keep each other honest this year! LOL! I always wish I had a closer (geographically) community… but while that isn’t really possible, my online community gives me so much strength. I look forward to reading about your strives to push yourself further… and if you have quilting questions, I’ll try my best to help over the webs. 🙂
Happy New Year to you! xo
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happy new year and I love your intentions! Adventurous and fun 🙂
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Thank you! Have a wonderful new year as well. xo
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Here is wishing you all the best in this new year! Sounds like a wonderful, delightful, yet challenging resolution!
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We like challenging… it’s the only thing that knocks us out of complacence. 🙂
Wishing you a very happy new year as well… nice to see you back on the webs! Look forward to reading you again. xo
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Sounds like a wonderful list to me. I’m smiling as I read it because i was just looking at simple patterns for dishcloths (for my next endevour !!).
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Ooh! If that is the case, I have a few patterns I found that I love… Let me find them and I’ll email you. 🙂
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i’m not sure if you got my email… but don’t worry if you can’t find them…i spotted a few on the web
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I just did… your message had been pushed down in my inbox, I hadn’t seen it! Hope the links help.
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i just opened your links… thank you so much !!!
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It’s going to be an exciting year! So happy for you that you’re pushing to truly create your ideal life – and full of respect for that too.
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Thank you Sally… Happy New Year! xoxo
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