Thinking Out Loud Thursday -- November 18, 2015

Welcome to this week's Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Me and Vanessa over at X-tremely V are so happy you stopped by.  Hope you link up below and share with us what you're thinking out loud about today.

Doing a little thinking out loud about myself today.  My birthday was Monday and that event always makes me a little reflective on exactly where I am in life.  I tend to make a little "Things I Want To Do Before My Next Birthday" list.  Some ideas are big, some are small and some are just plain silly.  Do you do that around your birthday?  I feel like a list keeps me operating more intentionally than just going about things willy nilly.  Let me share just a couple things from my list.

A big item is to organize my Pinterest boards.  I really wish I would have thought through the whole scope of what I would be using Pinterest for when I started.  I had a handful of very generic boards like "Favorite Recipes".  Well, that board quickly became populated with every recipe that looked remotely good.  BAD IDEA!  I should have thought bigger picture and set up a different board for each category of food I would be saving recipes for ~ like soups, candy, appetizers.  You get the picture.  So, for the next 12 months I am hopefully going to get all organized in my Pinterest world, which will save me time in the long run when I'm looking for stuff.  Anyone have a favorite way of keeping your Pinterest boards tidy?  Any clever names for your boards?  If you want to follow me (and see how cool my boards are going to be), click HERE.

Next is loosing some weight.  I know, I should save this one for a New Year's resolution, but I've already waited too long to make this a priority.  Over the last 6 years, I've let 30 extra pounds take residence in my body.  Well, the evacuation notice has been posted pounds.  You need to go!  Ian is graduating from law school in May and I would like to loose them by then.  I'm giving serious thought to ordering this bad boy so when I'm sitting on the couch catching up on my Shonda Rhimes shows, I can at least be burning a few calories at the same time.  

Click HERE to purchase

Another thing high on my list is I want to write more letters and send more cards.  I've said this before and, honestly, haven't done that great of job.  What really brought this to the front of my mind was a couple things I got for my birthday.  My friend Linda wrote me a letter and put it in my birthday card.  I'll truly treasure it for the rest of my life.  I've read it every day since it arrived and it makes me so happy Every.Single.Time.  I'm still crying each time I finish it.  But it's a happy cry, the kind that's good for the soul.  My friend Jane wrote just a few words in my card and, again, they touched my heart.  I loved their messages!  And I want to tell the people dear to me how much they mean to me and give them the same joy I felt when I read Linda and Jane's message to me.  I'm ordering THESE today and getting started.  Nothing is better than spreading some joy!

Click HERE to purchase

Thanks to all my friends and family who made my birthday special.  From my friends at work who brought me a bagel and my favorite chocolate cookies, my neighbor and her kids who sang me happy birthday on my voicemail, my nephew who sent me a happy birthday text, Eric, Ian and Kayla for their very thoughtful gifts and a birthday greeting from my brother, Ernie, who sent me this picture of my nephew, Liam.  #meltedmyheart  It's been a great, great birthday!

So what's on your mind today?  Link up below and share with us!  

Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at

Home of Malones

East Coast Chic

Hodges Podges
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
While I'm Waiting

The Deliberate Mom
This is How We Roll
Tuesday Talk
Brushing Our Way Through Life