Hello guys! I hope you have had a beautiful Christmas season. I hope you are as motivated by the upcoming year as I am.
It has been quite crazy the last few 6-8 weeks or so. Challenge upon challenge, but I didn't crash out. I'm very proud of myself. I did the necessary paying attention to it deeply. And then executed how I need to without a full meltdown I want to truly, TRULY say thank you to those who were patient with me with Black Friday. Your patience was felt every time, I wanted to send an update email but literally didn't have the energy to form the words. Thank you. More on this later.
Julian's birthday was a success.
STORYTIME! My birthday last year was on me. When I say on me, I had to plan, secure whatever was needed and put it all together for myself. If I wanted a cake, I had to pick it out and most time expect to be the one to pick it up. He and I fell out about this and I demanded to be celebrated this year or I take the energy I use for their birthdays and put it in to myself. It occurred to me, that I am not THOUGHT about. And I didn't like that. I only want to surround myself with people who will think of me. When I plan their birthday mornings I do it with love and gratitude for who they are to me. But who they are to me should dictate how they feel for me. Now, don't get me wrong. These two are obsessed. But they don't know what to do to show me that love. So I had to teach them.
They first needed to start by communicating with each other more. Leave being offended about anything out and listen to each other intently. WITHOUT PREJUDICE and with TACT.
FUN FACT: Tone of voice still succeeds in this house. It's something we work on daily, all three of us and we have gotten so much better. We all have a slickness that irritates each other and we are working on it.
This year's morning birthday surprise was very special. Because I refused to even celebrate my birthday with them, if they DIDN'T show me they were grateful for the day I was born like I show them on the day they were born that I am grateful that they are here with me. That's why you guys only saw Jia's. There wasn't one for me. And I refused to show his and there was NONE for me. I demand to be shown true love.
It was truly gonna hurt me to not celebrate Julian this year if he did not put in the effort to celebrate me. I am addicted to doing the most for the people I love. Something small, quaint, quiet and inexpensive (just like theirs) to make you feel special on your birthday. I need it like air.
And this year, I think I pulled it off. He's never had a "balloon birthday party" not even as a child. So I went with the balloons and we have decided to do 3 gifts. A NEED, a WANT and FUN gift. Jia is in charge of the fun gift and the other parent pick out the need and you both decide on a want gift to give. His need was a wallet. His want was Madden 25, and Jia and I decided we would get him some of the old school cologne he wore back when we courted for his fun gift. I knew he was expecting a Ravens cake. But I went with the baby picture cake and he LOVED it. Y'all should have saw how his little face was the only piece left. It was a nice boost for both of us. I love seeing happiness I CAUSE!
He even admitted it felt great seeing me love the things they worked together to get me for my birthday. It does it for ME, to invoke these feelings in them. When Jia said, "Sylveon!" it gave me the best serotonin boost. She still walks around holding it like a baby. It's a Pokemon plushie, if you don't know who Sylveon is.
Speaking of Jia, I got through another birthday and Christmas season without having to add an another phone line to my account, THANK GOD! Somebody clap.
Jia is a homebody. And she is attached to her iPad. However, she still has to be watched on there. They speak in code on that shit, I know that. We have constant talks about internet conduct. If she do decide to do some dumb slick shit we have warned about, it will be my greatest challenge. I hope she doesn't though.
I am still glad it's not a phone. Cause she don't take her iPad to school. But she will spend every second of the day on it if you let her. The constant reminding to take a break, get off, stretch your body, hold your neck up is draining. I'm hoping to create a schedule and regimen we can stick to with her once school starts back. I might have a few more years before having to cough up a phone. Maybe.
So in between planning Christmas, planning birthdays, my stores depleted. So I got them packed up, Black Friday happened, once again bigger than I expected. And then my stores deplete again. A great problem to have but that is what caused the hold up. I miscalculated so much inventory compared to what I would need. It was slow getting packages in to complete orders, just a MESS. But no crash out. But definitely worn out. But we got it done and I hope I got it there before Christmas if any were presents. I appreciate yall's patience so much. NOBODY that inquired about their package was mean. Being mean to me stresses me out even more. And everybody was just so nice and understanding. I LOVE YALL!
It wasn't just me, either. I was experiencing the same thing cause I ordered these planners from IvoryPaperCo. It's a black owned, woman owned planner company. And I really liked the design of the pages. She was running a 30% off sale the week of Black Friday. I ordered on November 27th. They are out for delivery today, the 27th. I inquired only after I got done with my own work! And I was very nice and so was she.
I ordered 5. One for Wellness (me), One for Tangles and Beyond Budget Planner, Home Budget Planner, One for Social Media Planning, And a Mundane Task Planner. I know that's a lot. But I have tried desperately to use just one planner for everything and it just doesn't work out for me. I am craving consistency. And I am making the effort to plan it to create more consistency for myself. I have so much work to do to get better. I will share more about planning on my Youtube (beyondthetangles). Julian will be involved with the house budget planner so he can see what's going on at all times as well. I'm excited to get started with these. My fun gift from Jia was Hello Kitty stickers for my new planners. She listened when I mentioned how cute they would be. I love that. LOVE ON ME!
Be sure to subscribe to my Youtube for more on using my planners. I follow this girl on there called The Organized Money. I love her tips and advice on how to use the planners. This is where I get frustrated. And she makes it so simple. Check her out as well!
Because of the non celebration of my birthday and Christmas, (no my guys just didn't know what to buy me for Christmas last year) there wasn't any celebration of our anniversary on New Year's Day. I STOOD ON BUSINESS. So, since this year was great, we will be celebrating our 14th year anniversary. I might get dolled up for the dinner out.
I hope you have enjoyed catching up with me! CONSISTENCY is still the word for me. I got a little better in 2024 but I'm so ready to get on a new level. What are you guys being consistent about next year? Tell me below!
xo-Ashley
