2018!

Happy 2018! Another new year, another fresh start. As sad as it is to pack away the Christmas decorations and get rid of the tree, I love using it as an opportunity to clean the house, toss out junk, rearrange, and just declutter.  A couple of years ago we changed our dining room into a playroom because it worked for us at the time. And it was great, until it wasn't. As Gabriella has gotten bigger, so have the toys. Add Elliot in and now all the baby toys are out again and it was just cramped. Gianni also needed a small office space which  was added into the toy room and it was out of control. So we took advantage of the Christmas clean-up, and rearranged the whole house. The dining room went back to being a dining room and we  divided the living room in half and made one half a living room and the other a workspace. The den has become the toy room and while that area is still in need of some organization, the flow of the house is so much better.

2017 was a year of new things... new baby, new car, new job, new life with 2 kids. Because of  that, I decided that 2018 is going to be our year to make life simple. Don't get me wrong, 2017 was very good to us, but much of the year felt a little hectic.  Adjusting to two kids wasn't easy; hats off to all the moms and dads (including my own!) who made it look seamless and easy. I felt pulled in a lot of directions, had a hard time figuring out how to give Elliot all he needed while still being there for Gabriella and  therefore felt like the normal day to day things fell to the wayside. For 2018 I want to get back to the basics and just simplify everything. I truly love cooking for my family and I haven't done a whole lot of it over the past 9 months. There are so many delicious, healthy, but easy and simple recipes out there that I am striving to make this year. I want to rely less on prepackaged meals and cook more from scratch; not just for our health but because it is something I enjoy.

I also want to keep our home as clutter-free as possible. This is a tough one because I am a pack-rat and Gianni is what I call a "scatterer"... he leaves a trail of his stuff around the house :)  I swear he can be followed from the moment he wakes up until he goes to bed by the trail of things he leaves in his wake. I save way too much and then go on a massive purge and throw away all the things in my sight. So instead of getting to that point, I have been trying to do a mini-declutter/clean sweep every evening and so far, 10 days into  2018, it has made a big difference!

And finally, the mandatory health and fitness resolution. Here's the thing: I have no motivation to work out. Except for I need to pull it together and do it. Both my parents have had health scares/ issues arise in the past couple of years and at the end of the day I am closer to 40 than I'd like to believe. My job gives me access to a beautiful gym and I really have no excuses and need to get out of my own way. I am keeping it easy and simple this year: my goal is to pick 3 classes a week to take. Will 3 classes give me rock hard abs? No. But it's a start and an easy way to get into a fitness routine. And being active and healthy are the goals!

I wish you all the best as we start this New Year. 2017 was a wild ride; I can't wait to see what this year brings!!