One Little Word for 2009

Each year in the scrap world Ali Edwards challenges us to pick ONE little word as a "Focus" for the new year. My word for 2008 was Balance. Last year I made 2 canvases to help remind me of my word.
This is the journaling I did last Jan.

Balance being a Mother to Bennet including using my happy tone more than my ‘mom’ tone.

Balance between working full time and home (I sell office furniture. The circle is a piece of textile/fabric that represents work)
Balance being a Mother to Scout including my goal to continue pumping and breastfeeding. (I met this goal!! 1 year of nursing)

Balance between money spent on necessities and treats. (I glued a penny down and wrapped some twine around it)

Balance being a wife to Nick. Focusing on time for just the two of us as husband and wife. (We had alot of date nights outside the house!!)

Balance my passion of scrapbooking. Carving niches of time for myself in my scrapbook realm. (Crate Paper representing scrapbooking)

Balance. Keep all those balls in the air while riding the teeter totter of life.

I think I maintained my goal of Balance in 2008. I had successes as a mom, wife, friend, sister, daughter and scrapbooker. I lived to tell the tale.

The end of the year is always a time for reflection. I tend to be a multi-tasker. I always seem to have 20 projects going on at the same time. While I like keeping busy, lately I feel like it's GO GO GO all the time. It wasn't until Nick said something about it that I realized I need to refocus and RELAX to enjoy life.

So my year for 2009 is RELAX

RELAX: Slow down and enjoy the ride.

RELAX: Remember that I don't have to do it all. And I don't have to do it all TODAY.

RELAX: Enjoy each beautiful day.

RELAX: Spend quailty time with the girls. They are growing so fast.

RELAX: Get up to the cabin more. We were only there once in 2008 and I miss it terribly. The weekends there do wonders for my attitude. The chance to unplug and reconnect with what matters most.

RELAX: Daily with Nick and not get wrapped up in the routine of life.

RELAX: Scrapbook for me and my family. No one else.

In terms of scrapbooking I want to refocus, RELAX and truly enjoy it again. I had given myself the goal of getting a layout picked up for publication. I was lucky enough to have 2 published in 2008. One in Scrapbooks, Etc. and one in Memory Makers. I also had a shoutout in Creating Keepsakes.

I had a wonderful experience serving on the Feeling Scrappy Design Team. It was so rewarding to work with the team and develop educational classes. Plus- the other scrappers I met were pretty darn cool too!

I am currently having a fabulous time working with Scrap4Life as a Design Team member. I became active in the community there early last year and I have truly found a home. The ladies there are just top notch.

But there is another side to scrapbooking that one can easily get sucked into. This backalley, secret, dare-not-speak-its-name side. The feeling that you need to be published or on a design team. The drive to make a name for yourself. To be recognized. I'm not explaning this very well. I guess my point is that I was getting a little too wrapped up in all of that. Too much for my taste. So in 2009 I'm going to scrap for me without thinking of how it may be accepted by others. I will participate in Challenges and Contests because I want to, not because I need to be the best or win accolades. I'm going to RELAX and get back to my scrap roots.

If I get more layouts published that is wonderful. But I don't need it.
If I make a different Design Team or win a contest that is cool. But I don't need it.

I just need to RELAX and do what I really want to do.

2009- RELAX.