Happy December! Wait- December?? This year has flown so fast. Every year, I look back and think, “what did we do this year?” and “wasn’t it just summer?” 2015 was no different, but I choose to view that as a blessing. Though I sometimes wish time would slow down, having enough in my life to keep me moving and occupied is a positive thing (within reason).

November was all about simplifying and focusing more on the tasks at hand and life in front of me. Those three goals were definitely met with progress everyday. We are almost settled into our sweet apartment, have hosted a few people already and are loving our new home. The tree has been up since the weekend after Thanksgiving and life is so good! When I started to simplify and really prioritize how I spent my time, it was amazing- thing got done!

I’m carrying those lessons over into this month as I strive to finish the year strong and prepared for 2016 to be the best year yet. A year of true, content joy! My word for 2015 was ‘cultivate’ and this month I am going to tend to the last few things on the list to set myself up for a wonderful harvest.

1. Plan and map out the back end of HHE for the new year. A lot of tiny action steps and semi-large projects fall into this. I have a lot of dreams and plans in my head for next year. In order to make them happen, I need to give myself a roadmap.
2. Find a new church. This has always been a hard one for Adam and I. We both yearn for that sweet community that a church family offers, but have yet to find one that feels just right. We will be trying out a few places this month, in hopes of settling in somewhere.
3. Make healthy choices today. With the holiday season, it’s so easy to say you’ll pay attention come January 1st. What is wrong with now? I am vowing now to be aware of my food and exercise choices. This has always been a struggle for me, but there is no time like the present, right?
4. Slow down & Enjoy. So many times, I find myself getting worked up over things that have been commercialized in this precious Christmas season. This year, I will be so cognisant of how my time is spent. The important things like baking, family time, date nights, church and friends. Those are the things I’ll look back on and remember, not nights feverishly typing on this keyboard. So, there will be timers set and doors closed more often.

What awesome, inspiring and wonderful things do you have planned this month? How will you spend your last month of 2015? I hope you choose to unplug more, savor the joy and relax a bit.

xoxo, Jenn