nadine at home kids.jpg

Hi.

I'm Nadine. Thanks for stopping by. The floors are creaky, the kids are loud, but the door's always open and the coffee's always on.

Make yourself at home.

14 Things in 2014

I have both of these patterns — and a pile of fabric. Time to get to work!

'Tis the season for lists!

As per last year's list, the following is more of a year-long to-do list than anything else, hence the lack of major character-transformation goals on it. I fully expect to continue to grow, engage, invest in friendships, and volunteer in 2014, too.

Some of the things listed build on the things I accomplished (or tried to) in 2013. Because that makes sense. I'm not really a jump-around-to-the-next-crazy-thing person — unlike my wants-to-do-everything husband, who recently proposed a new sport: helicopter paint ball. I may have reacted sweetly with "Pick ONE hobby!!!!!"

Here are 14 things I want to do in 2014:

1. Get thriftier. Shop smarter. There are cute second-hand shops in my neighbourhood. I never go in them. There are sales online all the time. I forget to shop until I need something and end up paying full price. No longer. It's time to use coupons!

Practical application: Stop buying canned beans. We waste so much money on store-bought hummus and canned beans. It's time to soak!

2. Sew a dress. (Maybe one for my brother's upcoming wedding? We shall see….)

3. Learn to drive. Apparently having a license in my wallet isn't enough.

4. Read books. In 2013, I read two or three books, tops. A few years ago, I read 70 books in a year. It's time to bring reading back.

5. Bake a pie (finally). And make my hubby very, very happy.

6. Get a plant (or two). Our Christmas tree is about to die — *sniffle* — and we'll be plant-free again. And it's not realistic (or financially responsible) to expect my husband to buy me fresh flowers every week. So it's time to get a houseplant or two. And maybe grow our own herbs.

7. Build this blog — intentionally. (Sorry for the recent neglect.)

8. Make more music. This one's already in progress, thanks to the best Christmas present ever. I'll fill you all in shortly….

9. Get a stamp on my passport.

10. Learn to relax. For an introvert, I suck at embracing dedicated "me" time. Things I fantasize about doing but NEVER do: paint my nails, take baths, light more candles. These things are all very easy and cheap to do. I want to do them this year. Often.

11. Keep turning our little apartment into a home. Pick up where 2013 left off and frame prints, make pillow covers, slipcover the cushion on our bench, hang more art….

12. Pick a (career) project. What do I actually want to do? What do I need to do to get there? What do I need to do differently? I want a little more healthy ambition in my life.

13. Stretch. Breathe. Move. I have the worst posture on the planet. By the end of the year, I hope to have the second-worst posture on the planet. (Baby steps, right?) Anyone wanna take up Pilates with me?

14. Simplify. Keep purging and organizing. Maybe do Apartment Therapy's January Cure? Physical and mental clutter are my biggest stressors. (I can't be creative in a messy space, for example.) I want to cut the clutter and make room for things that matter.

Practical applications: Donate to Salvation Army multiple times a year. Get a paper shredder and destroy old paperwork.

Phew. There it is, folks.

What's on your list this year?

YouTube Tuesday: Frozen

Looking Back: 13 Things in 2013