Like so many artists and creatives and entrepreneurs, a new year is like food for my soul.  Maybe it’s the controlling, type-A side of me, but I like to think it’s the dreamer in me (P.S. my little brother makes fun of my dreaming, but I say “Bah. Humbug.” to him. I’ll dream away as far as I’m concerned.)

The last few weeks have been filled with sketching, list-making (little obsessive with my list making), and planning.  I’ve poured through books, magazines, planned store displays, and we are dreaming (there it is again) up new ideas and ways to serve our customers and readers better.  I’ve been working on that site revamping we talked about, and even planning some exciting new adventures for our brand.

We’re taking some things with our online shop in a whole new direction, and I couldn’t be more excited about that.  There’s also a million goals/ideas I have for the blog and for homeschooling.  I’m telling you, right now, I’m like this crazy list lady surrounded by crumpled paper and sporting terrifying bed hair…all in the name of dreaming.

Take that, Lance.

I’m sure I’ll share a list of our home goals this year, but rather than bore you with all of my business goals and plans, let me say this…sometimes you just need to step away from things a bit to regain fresh perspective.

Don’t ever hesitate to shut down in the name of reaching more…take a break.  Bake cookies with the kids, take a trip, read a real book not on your iPhone.  You’ll be amazed at what Plans head your way and find you right where you are.

The last few years have been about growth in almost every area of our lives, and sometimes it’s been wonderful and others, overwhelming.  This year, though, is the year for refining.

Pulling away the excess in our home, in homeschooling, at the shop and the online store, and here on the blog, too.  I can’t even wait to share certain upcoming projects with you, and in the meantime, we’ll be refining our style at the shop, our selection online, and making our home work for us.

My main goal for this blog this year is to use it to touch more people through Christ, and in doing so, spend more time here.  I hope you’ll join me as this year, I go back to doing a bit of online journaling, and just sharing our day to day.  I’m going to think less about everything that is posted, and simply spend time with you sharing what we’re up to.

Refining.

It should be an exciting year.