Today marks my second blogging anniversary!  Sometimes I can’t believe how fast time goes, and then sometimes I feel like I’ve been blogging forever.  I feel that way when I think how far I’ve come since I wrote my first post.  The fun part is to look back on it all.   I enjoy having my blog as a place for me to keep memories of our progress we’ve made in our home and the projects I’ve done.  But, I definitely don’t write and share just for me…I share for all of you!!  I only hope that I inspire someone to make something or update something they have for the first time. I found that inspiration from other bloggers and it is my goal to do the same for you.  So, if I have inspired you and you have a success to share (or a failure with a funny story 😉 ) please share with me…it could inspire someone else, or just give us a laugh.

I was thinking about what was different in year two of blogging versus year one, and I don’t have anything that really jumps out at me.  One difference during 2014 has been based on my effort to Thrive. I thought today was a good time to check in and let you know how I’m doing.

One of the first aspects was thriving in my career as a Human Resources Manager.  I think this year that is happening.  I’m pushing myself professionally to learn and grow.  I applied for and was accepted into a program called Leadership Lancaster, which begins this Fall and I’m excited for that opportunity to develop personally and professionally as well as for the connections to the community.

As far as for the blog and the ideas in my head at the beginning of the year…it took a while but they are finally happening.  I wrote in at least one of my recent posts that my project was going to be for sale.  Well, this was my intention early in the year…I wanted to sell some of my projects, but I wasn’t sure how, when or where.  Tomorrow marks the official start of my selling.  I will have a booth at a local thrift shop, Thrifty Elegance.  I’m excited to have it all set up.  I’ve been working over the last few months to collect items for sale, some are just items I found and will resell and others I’ve updated with a new look, and yet other items are my creations (everything pictured below is for sale).  If you are local, I hope you’ll stop by and check it out.  The owners and other people with booths have great items for sale too!

Conferences were other aspects of my goal to Thrive.  I attended BlogU and Haven Conference.  They were two quite different experiences, and both valuable to me.  I learned so much, and I am slowly but surely implementing my newfound knowledge here at Puddy’s House.  I also had lots of fun at the conferences.  These are just two of the silly pictures from Amy and I at BlogU.

Personally, I’ve done my best to thrive too.  I can’t say stress hasn’t creeped in here and there, but overall I have not been nearly as stressed as I have at other times in my life.  I’ve really done well at leaving my work at work and enjoying my time at home. I’ll admit to being a bit spoiled this year with my time off and travels – I got to go to the spa with my friends, had days off that I worked on projects, and Bob and I traveled to Mexico.  We still have a summer trip to the beach to look forward to and a long weekend in the Finger Lakes.  Puddy gets to go along for both, so he’ll be happy too! 🙂

I hope you will continue to follow along in my journey here at Puddy’s House.  I appreciate all the visitors, comments and followers that I have.