Managing That Little Thing Called Time

Today I've spent my time thinking about blog post ideas. What the heck do I write about?! I scoured pinterest for ideas and though I found a few things, none really seemed to fit my "blog identity." And then I'm like, what the heck is my identity as a blogger??

Hobby Hopping Housewife is what I use to identify myself as a blogger, but I'm beginning to think that I use that as more of an excuse. In all honesty, I burn myself out on things. I find something that I really enjoy, become obsessed with it and then do it until I can't do it anymore. So I literally have to hop between hobbies because I burnt myself on the last one. And this continues until I've gone through all my current hobbies, then picked up a new one, before I circle back through them again.

Since I've written my last blog post, I've really tried hard with prioritizing things. Problem is, not all things I "consider" a priority. For example, doing the dishes or laundry. Do those things need to be done? Yes. Is it on my list of things I would like to get done? Of course. Will it be a priority above editing the photos from the wedding on Saturday? Definitely not.

I think the issue at hand is not just prioritizing, but also time management. And knowing that sometimes things need to be more of a priority (like the dishes that are still in the sink as I'm writing this), but if I manage my time, I can get through the things I really don't enjoy (but really need to get done because who really wants their house to be mess?) and get on to the things that I really do enjoy. But not just that, but also being able to blog and craft and watercolor and do photoshoots and sew, all in the same week.... all along with having a clean house... and doing my bible studies and devotions... and not feeling pressed for time.

I guess that all entails having some sort of schedule too.

And being adaptable.

And flexible.

Shoot, life is tough.

How do you guys prioritize, schedule and manage your time?

25 Before 25 Update

So here's where I'm currently at for my 25 Before 25 list. (For those of you just tuning in, you can check it out here) I've got nine month to do/complete these and so far... I guess I'm doing alright.

Lemme start with the first one. Staring a blog. Well folks, I definitely have done that! 28 PUBLISHED posts! (doesn't mean that I haven't started others...) On the note of consistency, that's an entirely another story. My number 21 on the list is maintaining my blog, well, as you all know, I'm failing miserably at it. I'd totally love encouragement on this one. I really want to blog, but at the end of my day, it just doesn't seem to be a priority. Soooo, if you'd like to help me out, post on my Facebook or comment on my blogs telling me to "get the heck with it and post a dang blog!" Thank you kindly. 

On a much more positive note, I can, without a shadow of a doubt, cross off 15 and 151/2! I most definitely wear my fake eyelashes everyday! Exception, that time I was sick. Other than that, every dang day. I'm awesome. And then there's the topic of those stretchy headbands....I have not worn any. At all. I bet my husband loves that! Also, I did cut my hair off, so that too I'm sure helps. Hahha.

Believe it or not, I have been doing crafts... just not blogging them. Please believe me. But I understand if you don't.

Oh! And the quilt! I can't wait for this one!!! Justin's grandma loooooves Elvis Presley. Like, really loves him. So I'm going to make her an elvis quilt! Just bought the fabric yesterday! I'm so excited! Just in case you can't tell. Never made a quilt before, so this will be fun... I think I'll be fine. And I promise to take as I go photos. Just so you can join in on the fun.

I sadly crossed out 13 though. I sent Marie a letter aaaand she never sent one back. She said she wrote me, just didn't have a stamp. I'm tempting to just send her a stamp so I can receive that stinkin' letter, but that defeats the purpose, don't you think?

As for everything else... well, I'll get there. Eventually. Nine months to go, right? I'm not making New Years Resolutions this year, considering this is pretty much resolutions anyways. But I'm curious to hear what you guys have got going on! Have you been thinking about resolutions yet?? Let me know!

Happy Birthday To Me/25 Before 25

After reading my friend Megan's post, 25 x 25 and with my 24th birthday being today (yeah yeah, happy birthday to me), how appropriate and fun to make a list of my own!

I have but only a couple rules for this. For each thing that I complete, a picture must have been taken and blog entry must be published about said completed item BEFORE it can be crossed off the list. Okay, so maybe that's only one and a half rules... 

Here it goes!

1. Start a blog (I'm with Megan on this one, 25 posts seems like the perfect amount to say "I've started a blog"). 

2. Sell something I've made on Etsy

21/2. Make an Etsy shop

3. Make a quilt

4. Eat the top of wedding cake for our 1 year anniversary!

5. Bake a polka dot cake for any/no reason

6. Take a roadtrip with my husband

61/2. Camp somewhere I've never been while on the aforementioned roadtrip

7. Get my car painted, because let's face it, this just isn't gonna cut it for much longer

8. Make another video like this one

9. Watch the sunrise

10. Get outta debt

11. Take a balloon ride at the Great Park Balloon

12. Get my arm finished with room left over for two apples to placed under the tree one once we have kids ("the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" Get it? Because I have a tree tattoo on my arm, eh eh?)

13. Pen pals with Marie (consists of at least ten letters from each of us)

14. Book at least one photoshoot a month with my business Golly Gee Photography. Starting this month. (go like on facebook here!)

15. Put on fake eyelashes everyday. I love fake eyelashes and they'll make me do the rest of my makeup lol.
151/2. No more  stretchy headbands that my husband absolutely hates. Hahaha.

16. Read the New Testament (again)

17. Read the Old Testament (for the first time)

18. Follow daily/weekly/monthly cleaning schedule

19. 60 day workout

20. This one was actually supposed to be a New Years Resolution... One craft a week every two weeks, bi monthly let's say, (first off, let's be practical and I'll do them on Wednesdays, because with my current work schedule, I have the most time then this doesn't work because I hang out with Kate on Wednesdays. I just have to make time. And I can't say I've been doing them unless I post them on here, Instagram doesn't count.) and no more pinning craft things on Pinterest. Because as you can see, I've got WAY too many things on there, and mostly just because I'd actually like to do those things! So no more pinning crafts. At least until 3/4 of my crafts board is gone. Though I'm still going to allow myself pin Home Decor stuff (see also: Cleaning, Random/Funnies and Food)

21. Maintain a blog... I'm finding this one to be quite hard. Definitely harder than I expected. I'd say at LEAST two solid blog posts a week. I think that can be managed.

22. Take walks at night with Jus. This one is really important. I know we can't do this every night, well, it's just not practical. But I'd like to do this at least twice a week. 

23. Let Sundays be our/my relaxing days. Church, lunch with the in laws aaaaand then just relax away. Our weekends are too busy sometimes.

24. Consistently dye my hair. MAYBE even go get it done at a salon instead of just boxing it. Maybe.

and last but certainly not least (especially because this list is definitely in no particular order)

NUMBER 25. Take a sign language course. Not only does this benefit me at work, but how super cool would that be?!

I was going to add to the list don't wear sports bras so much/to work, but let's be real here. Those things are amazing! So much more comfortable. Sorry Jus! No more headbands and makeup everyday is all you get for now!

Wow. That sounded really bad. Let me be clear here, Justin isn't vain by any means. I just want to look good for my husband. There is nothing wrong with that.

*Moment of truth: I actually wrote this a couple of weeks ago ... My husband came home and asks me what I'm doing -

Me: Making a to do list, well, 25 things to do before I'm 25 kind of list.

Him: You have too much free time on your hands.

And he is so right! Ya see I knew this when I started it. I knew that a) it was gonna take me a long time to do b) more time than I wanted to put into it because come on, it's my birthday! and c) I'm a working woman again now, so why not use up all the free time that I had to prepare this blog for my birthday??

I'm awesome.

So what's on your to do list? Let me know! I would love to hear what you all come up with!

PS.

Keep checking back to see what I'm crossing off mine!