then comes snow

Winter has officially arrived in the Lower Mainland.  Specifically we have snow and below zero temperatures which for us is cold.   Last year we didn't get any snow so this year has been very exciting for Kyan and he's been making snowballs and crunching down paths to pre-school and telling me all in the same day: "I love the snow" or "I don't like the snow" depending on whether the extra clothing involved in playing in it has been donned or not. 

Keeping warm is my goal these days.  Besides my slippers (which I just noticed are starting to come apart after close to 6 years of use) I've been warming with scarves and tea. 

Our new year routine is moving along nicely.  I'm on week two of the 52 Weeks to an Organized Home Challenge and what I'm gaining from this daily ritual of tiding up is some serious help in those crazy moments.  Being on top of the housework is extremely satisfying when spending so much time indoors.  January is working out so far.  Not bad at all.

so fresh and so clean

Through the fun that is pinterest I found a challenge that over 11,000 people have decided to join.  And for the first time in my search for help in this area I've found a step-by-step organization guide that makes sense to me.  The 52 Weeks to an Organized Home Challenge is following a schedule that I can manage (I think) and I already began week one today.  The kitchen is the starting point and  week one focuses on the counters.  Clearing them of things that don't need to be there and keeping them as clear as possible once you have decided what functions the kitchen serves in your home.  For us the kitchen is about food prep, storage and my mini life control center.
I think for many out there the advice on keeping the kitchen clean or organized may seem so logical that it doesn't need to be noted.  When it comes to my artistic, dreamy and some would say flaky mind these things are not so obvious and bare repeating.
I'm glad to have found this and just looking at my kitchen counters now I see that they are more enticing to me to cook on now that they have less stuff on them.
In other new year news I've finished up two projects and I'm excited to move on to finishing up a few more things before I get back to Ky's quilt and start the Memory Keeper piece for 2012.  Perhaps the New Moon energy would better suit the pace of these days rather than the full moon that shines on us tonight but I'm pleased none-the-less to be getting things accomplished.  2011 often felt like my feet were in mud and I was moving really slow.  Being in the land of baby will do that to anyone I suppose.
I didn't take a before shot of my counters but if you read my last post there is enough proof that this looks way better.