Declutter 2013

I haven't made a New Year's resolution since I was in middle school, and back then, it was probably something super unachievable (become a movie star, learn karate, meet Hanson, etc.)

This year, however, I stumbled upon minimalism. It just so happened that I came across this lifestyle while Andy was out for some New Year's Eve partying and I was at home nursing our little Nugget. Since Hayden ate A LOT and often, I spent a fair amount of time on my iPhone surfing the internetz or pinteresting. Long story short, I decided to have a goal for the year - let go of all of the clutter we've accumulated over the years. If you want to call that a resolution go for it. I want to spend less time taking care of my things and more time taking care of my kid (soon to be kidS, whenever Andy and I decide to go for #2)

This is the longest any of my resolutions has ever lasted.

I cleaned out my closet in January. Andy and I also cleaned out the kitchen and have 2 big boxes to give to my family.

February was kind of a wash for me.

I'm picking back up, though with the new 2013 in 2013 challenge.

Here are some shots of my closet purge.

What I let go (2 large moving boxes overflowing)

Cleaner closet:

My Someone New...

...is cute, cuddly, and doesn't have fur! Tomorrow is his six-month-day. I could go on and on about how they grow up so fast and every moment is precious, yada yada. All of it's true. He's my new favorite photography subject so here are some of my favorites:

For the three of Hayden and his daddy, it is with a little bit of shame that I admit that I used one of the cheating iPhone apps to make them "Warm B&W"

Sheet Pan Dinner

My favorite kinds of dinners are the ones that involve the least amount of effort and create the fewest dishes. When I saw "Sheet Pan Dinner" recipes in a cooking magazine, I was hooked. Chop up a bunch of stuff, sprinkle it with other stuff, bake it in the oven and you're done? I'm in.

Each of the recipes either had something my husband didn't like (acorn squash) or I was allergic to (spicy Italian sausage), so my husband concocted a sheet pan dinner of his own. There aren't any amounts next to the ingredients because my husband doesn't believe in measuring when he cooks. Total dishes: cutting board, knife, bowl for spices, and the cookie sheet. I've already started thinking about other things we can put on here...like sweet potatoes, steaks, or anything else you can roast. Have a suggestion? Leave a comment :)

Ingredients:
Potatoes (we used Yukon gold)
Sausages (spicy Italian or Kielbasa or whatever you prefer)
Bell peppers
Red onion
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb
Parmesan cheese
White pepper
Cayenne pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Pop stabbed potatoes in the microwave for a couple of minutes (or if you don't mind a few extra dishes, saute them in olive oil for a bit) Slice the potatoes, peppers and the onion(s) according to your preferences. Spread them out on a large cookie sheet - the kind that has an edge so the stuff doesn't fall off - along with sausages. Mix the seasonings together in a bowl and sprinkle over the top. Bake 18 minutes, remove from oven and flip the sausages. Broil on the top rack for no more than 5 minutes.

BEFORE:

AFTER: