My Month In Numbers

Over at Notes on Paper, Julie has been blogging her month in numbers since January 2010. Over 2011, I noticed that others were joining her and so in 2012 I decided why not. It has also formed part of my "how am I going to record 2012" converstation that has been going around my end all through January - more of that in another post. For now lets just concentrate on my numbers;

92 - the combined number of lengths the children and adults teams from All Saints church managed to swim in an hour at the annual Swimmarathon. This resulted in raising over £800 for charity - half going to the local Lions and half to the Rawandan project hubby worked on in the summer last yer.

5 - the number of boxes received from graze this month in my quest to snack more healthly. Loving them!

8 - the combined number of meetings that hubby and I have attended this month. He is a governor at the local junior school and I'm clerk to the governors at the local infant school. We also have church meetings we attend. We are hoping February will have less!

3 - the number of farm animals (not live!) that were covered in wet tissue as my youngest practised her plaster cast skills!

1 bronze ballet medal passed with distinction and 1 very proud Mum who watched her!

2 - the number of penguins created by my youngest. The top one was made at brownies in Marzipan. The other is her own design using a empty munch bunch bottle, cotton wool and cut up black pom poms!



I am planning to put these into a page but for now I'm just enjoying the counting the numbers.

If you are interested in what other people have been counting try looking at the Pinterest Board!

What are you reading?

I have always been an avid reader.  My love began when I discovered all things Enid Blyton and spent many hours of my childhood with my head buried in a book.  These days it is not always easy to find the time to read and despite receiving an E reader for Christmas last year, I think I only read a handful of books in 2011.  However this year I am determined to make an effort and so my goal this year is to read 24 books - about two a month.  Fortunately for me my Christmas present from my in laws was a £60 waterstones voucher, so I have loaded up with my Ereader with 24 books.  Now I have no excuse for not having anything to read!  

So far this month I'm currently on track to achieve my target of 2 as I have already read "The Shadow Wife" by Diane Chamberlain and now am part way through "Juliet, Naked". 

For such a goal a reading journal is in order don't you think?

So what are you reading at the moment/

Half way through the year.

Over the weekend I managed to complete my June pages from 2011 album - so that means I've now reached the half way point!  


The first page shows my daughters taking part in the walking Carnival Parade - unfortunately the weather was not kind and it absolutely poured with rain!

Then we have the middle divided protector pages;

And finally the last page, showing my youngest taking her brownie promise in the mayors parlour.  I love how the mayor is making the brownie promise sign as well!

For this page I used a sketch from the creative craft world blog.


So onto the second half of the year!

Getting Active

This time last year I joined Weight Watchers on-line and successfully managed to lose about 1st and dropped a dress size.  My enthusiasm started to wane around September and a few pounds have crept back on.  But of course a new year means a new start!  This time I am not just focusing on weight loss but also getting more active. 

New trainers have been purchased and I having trying to walk at least twice a week!  So far, so good.  I am enjoying getting some fresh air, daylight and thinking time!  For the last two weeks the weather has been cold, but dry and bright.  The real test will be when the weather is not so good.

Card Organiser

Last year I was pretty rubbish at sending out Birthday cards to my nearest and dearest on time.  I lost my way when the electronic gadget we were using as a calendar went away for repair.  Upon its return, I could not remember my password and so could not get back into my calendar.  In the end I gave up and resorted to a paper calendar.  However this did mean that I had to write in all my important dates from memory. Closest family faired okay but not so well my friends.


Anyway a new year and a new start!  Having emailed round for the required dates, I have now got them all on my calendar.  But this year I wanted to be more organised - a) I wanted to try and make all my cards and b) have them ready in advance.


In order to assist me in my plan, I decided to make a card store, divided by months.

This is simply an old washing tablet container to which I have added dividers.

The plan is to make the cards and file in the appropriate month.  So far I have been able to file away cards ready for January, February and March.  Some of them were already made and some I have done over the last few weeks.  Below is the one I have made for my brother who is 40 in March!

Now I just need to remember to post them on time!

Finishing off!

January is normally a time for rushing into new projects and challenges.  Indeed there is certainly plenty to inspire at this time of year, as you wander around blog land.  I certainly have a few things I want to try this year and some projects in the pipeline but for the moment I want to concentrate on finishing some things off.  


For the next few months I am concentrating on my 2011 album which I have shared with you before.  I have to say my interest was beginning to wane, especially as I haven't touched in for a few months.  However the other day I pulled it off the shelf and my other half started to look through, commenting how great it was to wander through the year's memories.  This was the push I needed to get going again.


This weekend I completed the pages for May

As always 1 large layout to start - this time celebrating the youngest birthday.  Then the divided protector pages follow.

And the final page records our holiday in Ireland at the end of May.

So that is now January - May complete.  The photos are printed for June, July and August.  My aim is to have completed June by the end of January - maybe more if time allows.


So what about you, are you for finishing this month or getting your teeth into something new?

Hello 2012

and hello blog!  I'm sorry I have been an absent friend but hopefully that will now change as we move on through January.  


So how is your New Year going?  I've been reading about your plans and goals and you all look like you are going to be pretty busy in 2012.  Me?  Yes I am excited about this year and have lots of plans and goals myself.  One thing  I realised last year was that I achieve much more if I write my goals down - either here on my blog or on paper at home.

So here is my 2012 journal.  At the beginning I have written down all the things I want to achieve in all aspects of my life and then each month I am going to record what my focus is and how I get on. 


Throughout the rest of January I will share what I am focusing on and then update throughout the year - well that's the plan anyway!


Have a great weekend whatever you are up to.