Hello hello! Gosh, it’s been awhile! Such a good break, though. I thought I’d get one more post out in 2015 and do some work on an upcoming project…but y’know? The pyjama days were just too good and the computer did not tempt me one bit. Even with my littlest being so sick she had to spend a day in the hospital and still has a runny nose, that was definitely the most relaxing break I’ve had in awhile!

I did some pen and paper writing (which is my favourite!) and organized my weekly schedule with my new priorities. And got a tonne done around the house: decluttered and systematized. Just a little bit every day ended up completely overhauling my perspective of my home. And now I feel more energized and motivated to keep decluttering and organizing throughout the year. It might sound like a luxury, like reading for fun, to have time to purge – but like anything else, it’s about making the time which often means doing less of something else.

Speaking of reading for fun – I managed to do some of that in 2015 as prioritized! Here’s what I read in 2015:

1. Kilometer 99 by Tyler McMahon

2. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

3. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

4. Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde

5. The Joy of Missing Out by Christina Crook

6. Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood

7. Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo

8. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards

9. Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

10. The Sometimes Daughter by Sherri Wood Emmons

11. The Witches by Roald Dahl

12. The Stylist by Cai Emmons

Reading added pleasure to my year. Cai Emmons is now one of my favourite authors; I was exposed to a variety of writing styles that stimulated my own creativity; I was reminded of what it feels like to be so absorbed in a character and a plot that they permeated my thoughts during the day…all these little thrills that would otherwise be missing if I didn’t re-prioritize the minutes of my life.

And I’m super excited that I now belong to a brand-new book club that starts up this month! I’m looking forward to monthly evenings with other book-lovers which doubles as ‘me’ time, another bit of balance in my wheel. This month I’m hosting, and I chose What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (highly recommended by my friend, Salma of The Write Balance.) I’m 6 chapters in and loving it!

Here are some other titles I’m interested in reading:

1. Summer Sisters by Judy Blume

2. The Radleys by Matt Haig

3. Yes, Please by Amy Poehler

4. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

5. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

6. Martinis and Motherhood by Shannon Day and Tara Wilson

7. David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

8. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

9. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I probably won’t get to all these this year considering I now will also have book club reads, but guess what? I’m officially 14 episodes behind on my ONLY television show (The Young & The Restless) with no desire to go back. This has opened up 40 minutes a day of MY LIFE. Thank you.

Have you read any of these books? Throw me a title from your list of ‘read in 2015’ or ‘must-read in 2016’ in the comments!