It's February 1st my friends!!
Today is the day...

It's time to discover those parts of you and those dreams of yours that have been hidden, lost, pushed aside, 

 kept secret or buried simply because of the busy responsibilities that fill up everyday life.

PROMiSE ME 2013

To kick off our first official day of Promise Me 2013...
an official PROMISE ME PAGE has been added to the blog - see the top menu bar
and a PROMISE ME BUTTON has been added to the sidebar!!
Go check it out...
see the official list of participants...(not to mention those of you who've decided to "quietly" participate)!
If you want to join us - we'd love to have you!!

Want to know what made MY list?
– Refresh my calligraphy skills
– Momcation
– Bake Macarons - succesfully
– Eyelash Extensions (silly - but I want to try them anyway). 
– Children's Book - finish this!
– Blow Out
– Whippycake Makeover Session
– Research French Ironstone and start collecting
– 12 Self Portraits I can be proud of
– Vintage Baking Recipes - test at least 5 I can't live without
– 5 New Cupcake Frosting Techniques
– Stainless Steel Baking Rings
– Mellow Mushroom - take the family
– Carve out more time with friends 
– Bird on a Cake Frosting Technique
– Create the "Tag! You're It!" idea I've been thinking about
– Visit Le Macaron French Pastries
– Trip to "The Barn"
– Visit the Ghirardelli Chocolate and Ice Cream Shop
– 4 Rivers with the family
– Milk Paint project
– Create a personalized stamp
– Embossing Stamp
– Bob's River with the family
– Do the Photo Wall I've been dreaming about!

Here's to some fabulous, magical things for each of us!!

A DIY...
completely unrelated to Promise Me 2013...
is coming up later today! *wink*

KEEPiNG iT REAL
You know that cute little routine I do with Ella every morning?
The one where we drop Ema off at the bus stop...
Ella sticks her head out of the sunroof and waves to the bus driver...
and then proceeds to wave to neighbors as we make our way back to the house?

Well...yesterday, I pull up to our house...
I pull into the garage...
and I'm so distracted by the landscapers at our house...
carefully ensuring I don't run anyone over...
looking at them in my rearview mirror...
watching them in my sideview mirror.
Next thing I know...
Ella tearfully and frighfully says, "Mom!"
I look up and in my routine/process of rolling up the windows...
I realize I'm in the middle of closing Ella's head in the sunroof!
Seriously!!
Like her forehead was being pinned in the sunroof before I even realized it!
Luckily there was no real damage...
except the emotional trauma I caused Ella and myself...
Needless to say...
we BOTH were much more cautious this morning.
Can you believe that?!

And now you know...*blushing*

{promise ME} logo

I'm gearing up for a GREAT week ahead.

Feeling energized, motivated and ready to make things happen!!!

For those of you who are planning on joining me in the "promise ME" journey...(details here)

here's the logo I designed for us....

SO cute, isn't it!?

The colors included are all from Pantone's 2011 Spring Fashion color report.

I'll be creating pieces of art...

blog buttons/badges...

and some fun things along the way.

Look for the free downloadable blank "promise ME" list tomorrow.

In the meantime...finish up your "rough draft" list.

We've got the rest of the week to finish this up.

Come Tuesday...

February 1st...

our year-long adventure of enrichment begins!!!

Hugs to each of you - wishing you ALL a very productive week.

Don't forget to enter the Origami Delights giveaway...

you could score some SUPER CUTE Valentine's Day goodies

to match the Valentine's Day printables I designed.

Contest ends Thursday!!

KEEPING IT REAL

It's so much easier to be motivated when everyone in the house if feeling much better, isn't it? *wink*

I'm SO grateful we are all on our way back to being 100%.

enrichment...

I mentioned last week I would be sharing with you a "promises" list I'm making.

I've encouraged you to come up with your own list as well.

(this photo will make more sense later on in the post)...

Here's the scoop on this list...

and the reasons behind why I'm creating it.

First of all.

Last year I created a "Before Birthday Goals" list.

It was a list of things I wanted to accomplish before my next birthday.

Fun things.

Things I thought about doing but never made a priority.

I was SO inspired all year checking off those items. (despite not having every single thing crossed off when my birthday rolled around).

This year...

instead of centering the goals around my birthday...(November)

I've decided to center it around the month of February.

The month dedicated to expressing LOVE to others.

How about expressing LOVE to myself February 2010 by starting on this list of promises...

and then expressing LOVE again to myself come February 2012 by celebrating my accomplishments?

I'm taking the entire month of January to create my list of "promises".

It's not a list where you'll find anything about losing weight or exercising more. (that's a different list). *wink*

This is another list of FUN things I want to achieve.

Most will be related to "creative" things that inspire me...

because for me...

that's what makes me happy.

There will be "promises" that involve fun activities to strengthen my relationship with my daughters.

"Promises" that will bring "added value" to my home...

to my life...

to my family...

and ultimately...

to ME.

Each of these promises will have one resounding common thread...

Want a sneak peek at just one of the promises I have actually already started?

PROMISE: select one recipe a week to try from Cannelle et Vanille

(my favorite inspirational food blog I gush over continually)

Creamy Potato, Celery Root & Sunchoke Soup with Purple Potato Chips

Apple, Pear & Fennel Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I've been so inspired already just from this one little promise.

My goal is to have the list written out by the end of January.

The idea is to start the process of "enriching" my life by February 1st.

I will have one year to complete the ENTIRE list.

Since this list is about "promises"...

and the focus is ultimately about the enrichment of ME...

I've decided to refer to these goals as

"Promise ME"...

and I just might be creating a cute printable we can all use to keep our lists handy.

I really hope each of you will be inspired to create your own list.

You've NO idea the power behind it.

It may seem like such a simple little thing.

But trust me when I say...

I have never accomplished more "fulfilling" things in one year than in 2010.

And it was a direct reflection of my original "list".

I'll be checking in on Tuesday, February 1st to "showcase" my complete list.

Have yours ready too!!!

(I've already got lots of ideas for little "prizes" I can send to my "Promise ME" peeps).

Let's do this!!

KEEPING IT REAL

Besides the reason I stated above about switching from November to February to start/finish my list of promises...

I also chose the month of February because I realized after this past year...

there are just TOO many things going on around the holidays and leading up to my birthday.

I felt like I would be much more successful by having a goal date in February instead. *wink*

The recipes from Cannelle et Vanille are proving to be somewhat of a challenge as far as finding the "exotic" ingredients.

I have a funny story to share with you in my search for kuri squash. (this will come later)