It’s been a whole month since I last wrote and while I wish I could say that I missed it, the truth is I have loved not being online and shutting off to the normal everyday pressures and routines. At the start of our holiday I had to consciously decide to switch off, which meant leaving my laptop at home and not checking my phone or Facebook every five seconds. But let me tell you something, once I got the hang of it, I realized how much I enjoyed it. I realized in a rather profound way how it had begun to take over my life. Instead, I tried to be present and enjoy my children without distraction for one whole month. While that wasn’t always possible in between all the moving and packing up, I tried my best to really focus on them 100% in between all the madness.

This has become my goal for 2015. To be more intentional in everything I do. Weather it be playing with my kids, decorating my new home, writing, cooking healthy food, spending time with my man, hanging out with my friends or getting fit, I want to do all these things properly with purpose. I think it can be so easy to get everything all muddled up (and get overwhelmed by the need to balance it all) and before we know it, we are doing everything by halves. We end up spreading ourselves so thin, that nothing is done truly well! I have given it some thought and come up with a few ways to simplify my resolution and help me stick to my goals.

1. I will prioritize better. Once I gain more clarity on what my real priorities are, I can put things in order of importance. Spending time with my 19 month old while my 4 year old is at school is more important that writing a blog post or doing another load of laundry.  I don’t ever want to be so caught up in writing about my kids that it takes me away from them. Learning to plan better is key.
2. I will get up without snoozing. For reals. Even after a bad night with kids, getting an early start can take the pressure off rushing and allow for all the extra things to fit in your day. (Maybe even that delightful afternoon nap) I will try my hardest to get my kid to school on time and make the earlier gym class. (I found myself lifting my right hand and looking for a bible while I read this over).
3. I will plan my grocery shopping better. I’ve never really understood people who do menu planning (I mean come on!!!) but I’m starting to see the benefits of it. If you plan your meals and write a proper list (that you actually stick to) it can save you countless trips to the shops. And it’s usually for a thing like an onion or garlic. Stock up on all your basics and then shop for your weekly meals. I want to spend more time cooking delicious food that inspires me (not just to shove down the bottomless pits that are my boys!)  I would love this to be the year that I master Thai cuisine and source the perfect roasted chili paste!
4. I will try plan 1 or 2 One on One play dates a week and then a mass play date with all the girls. This way I’m getting some real connection time in with my friends as well as embracing the madness of motherhood with a big group. The nice thing about the big group dynamic is that you often meet new people too.
5. I will put one night a week aside for date night. While we have always been quite good at this I think our resolution for this year is to do things we haven’t done before. And things that don’t cost too much money! More summer picnics, swims in the sea and walks on the beach. (We have actually even spoken about buying some vintage bicycles!) I want to give my husband my undivided attention during these dates. We want to talk more and discover new things about each other.
6. I will say I want to eat healthily and stick to it dam it! I will be conscious about what I put in my mouth and enjoy the benefits of healthy eating.  Ok a disclaimer must be added here. I will always find special occasions for chocolate. And Ice cream. And carrot cake. Oh bugger I’m off to a terrible start.
7. I will make more time for my single friends and those friends without kids. I love the lessons my single friends teach us. (Look out for a blog post on this topic). They keep me young and care-free and lets be honest they add some good humor to the boring drama that comes with having kids. Who wants to hear about tantrums and suicide hour when you can hear about happy hour the night before at their local bar.
8. I will remember why I started writing in the first place and find the time to fit it into my day/week. This is usually when Brody is sleeping mid morning, but if it means putting a night aside a week so I can do that outing with him and sneaking into bed early with a cup of tea and my laptop, well so be it. I will make time for myself, and doing what makes me happy and keeps me sane.
9. I will put on some spiritual muscle and read more books, spend more time thanking God for all He’s done for me and plugging into community. In essence it should really start here. It begins with asking God to help me to be the best I can be in all these areas of my life. If I am intentional about Him, surely I will be intentional about all these things?
10. I will learn to let go and not sweat the small stuff. I will embrace this new season with gratitude and be thankful for life. If all these plans and resolutions fail and I find myself back at square one, I will take a deep breath, ask for grace and try again.

May this be a great year for all you mommies out there! Happy 2015!

Hi I’m Leigh! Did you enjoy reading this post? I really hope so and would love you to stick around a little longer! Please feel free to browse my blog for other articles or to keep up with all the latest news and to be the first to hear about some great competitions, come and find me me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also email me directly at leeloobaggins@hotmail.com or simply subscribe below and never worry about missing out!