It’s that time of year again, our second chance to start the new year (the Liturgical Calendar began with Advent in 2018).These are the big four resolutions that I’m compelled to commit to and I’ve included some resource, article and affiliate links that I’ve found helpful. This is not an exhaustive list! I might even edit and add to these lists throughout January…and I’m happy to check out your recommendations!

We’re starting with: Get Healthy, Pray More, Get Organized and Live Liturgically…with some subsections for each!

What are YOUR New Year’s Resolutions?

1. Get Healthy

The Smart Way to Make Healthy Resolutions You Can Keep by Keeper of the Home

Fitness

I’m determined to get back on track with my running…or at least elliptical machine and now weights and mat exercises at home when it’s just too cold or icy to run.

This is an awesome site and community if/when I get back on track: Catholic Women Run 

Fitness Trackers

So, now I’ve tried the Samsung Gear Fit 2  (Affiliate Link) which I liked a lot at first, but slowly stopped tracking floors, gradually lost accuracy with distance (even as I’ve changed my height in the settings to 6’4″!

I decided to try and replace the Gear Fit 2 with the Garmin Vivofit3 (Affiliate Link), but I was disappointed with how faint and small the display is. I decided I could live with that, syncing it with the Garmin App on my iPad until…I noticed an ugly bubbly red rash had developed under the plastic band, on my wrist. My wrist is slowly healing after no longer wearing the watch for 4 or 5 days, but I won’t be wearing it again.

I will be sending the Vivofit 3 back…and have already ordered the Fitbit Charge 3  after seeing how pleased my friend is with hers. My biggest concern is how accurate any of these trackers are with distance, given that I don’t have a cell phone (!) and won’t be carrying one on a run. I guess I’ll just see how that goes…and if I need to, focus more on steps and the other awesome things to track with this device.

Eating Healthy

• Of course, the real truth is that we probably don’t really need new kitchen appliances to clutter our counter. Though I don’t like hearing it, we probably just need to eat more veggies, less carbs, less sugar and drink more water, less liquor and less soda. But, a new kitchen appliance can cheer up cooking our favorite meals for the family.
• Air Fryer (Affiliate Link)  So, I couldn’t help it…I’ve been eye-ing this for a while. We got one this Christmas and while it cooks crispy things with little to no oil, it does indeed encourage poor cooking choices…frozen foods with little or no nutrient value…but addictively tasty. I have been pouring over Pinterest’s  healthy recipes using air fryers and I’m determined to use our new Air Fryer for good.
• Instant Pot (Affiliate Link) I’ve been slow to get on the band-wagon with this one, but I keep hearing about Instant Pots and how quickly some of our favorite family meals can be cooked…even when I forget to thaw meat from the freezer. I’m also seeing tons of Healthy Recipes using the Instant Pot. I might be placing an order with Amazon soon.

I did have some success with The Light Weigh Catholic Faith Based Weight Loss Bible Study and may just start that up again. I like the fact that it combines a reasonable way to eat that is quite flexible and focused mainly on portion control and that the whole approach to food is reinforced with Church Teaching, prayer and the Saints as mentors! The program doesn’t even rely on regular exercise, so maybe it will work even better now that I’m a little more committed to being active.

The Smart Way to Make Healthy Resolutions You Can Keep by Keeper of the Home

2. Pray More

• Pray More Novenas
• 5 Daily Prayers for Busy Families by Prayer Wine Chocolate
• 8 Simple Ways to Fit More Prayer into your Life by Marian Graces
• Why I Always Carry a Pocket Rosary and You Should Too by Marian Graces
• 5 Reasons to Attend Daily Mass by Epic Pew
• Reluctant to Regular Rosary Prayer by Equipping Catholic Families
• A Parent Who Prays: A Journal to Guide You in Praying for Your Children by Kate Warner

Here are some of our most popular prayer and Mass resources:

• Prayer Journal Prompts Craft Kit
• Journal Prayers and Novenas Craft Kit
• Make Ordinary Time Extraordinary
• 5 Tips to Help Adults Focus at Mass
• 5 Tips to Help Kids Focus at Mass
• Reconciliation Prep (and Refresher)
• NEW Journal Stamps and Saints Stamps and Prayer & Rosary Stamps…in the Prayer Impressions Journal Stamp Shoppe

Good (and Necessary) Spiritual Habits:

Bible Reading

• DIY Bible Journal
• How to Easily Read the Whole Bible in 2019 by  Brandon Vogt
• Ignite Read the Bible Like Never Before by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and Sonja Corbitt (Affiliate Link)
• You Can Understand the Bible by Peter Kreeft (Affiliate Link)

Spiritual Reading

• Blessed is She Daily Mass Readings and Reflection

• Introduction to the Devout Life St Francis de Sales  (Affiliate Link)
• The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis  (Affiliate Link)
• Interior Castle St Teresa of Avila  (Affiliate Link)
• Prayer Primer  Fr. Thomas Dubay  (Affiliate Link)
• The Story of A Soul St Therese of Lisieux  (Affiliate Link)

I’m currently loving this: (Click on the cover for the affiliate link)

and the Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women

and these are my favorites of all time:

Sacraments: Add a Weekday Mass and Confession once a month

• Reconciliation Prep (and Refresher)

Online Programs, Podcasts and Videos

• Fr Mike Schmitz on youtube
• Little Douglings on ShalomTV
• Catholic Moment with Robert LeBlanc

3. Get Organized

We’ve got Calendar and Planner Resources

• Calendar Saint Stickies Craft Kit …to convert your planner to be Catholic!
• Saints Wall Calendar for 2018-2019 
• 2018-2019 Saints Website Planner 

Catholic Planners:

• Daybook by Catholic Sistas 
• Liturgical Planner by Blessed is She 
• Customizable Catholic Planner by Faith and Fabric
• Catholic Planner by Catholic Planner
• The Catholic Daily Planner by Michele Quigley
• Marian Themed Catholic Women’s Companion by Do Small Things with Love

4. Live Liturgically

Pick a Patron Saint

The Mass Box

Ideas for Catholic Families by PBandGrace

Adjustable Liturgical Calendar PDF Craft Kit

Catholic All Year Compendium  (Affiliate Link)

This really is an awesome resource for Catholic families and classrooms. I will be posting a review soon.

This book follows the Liturgical Calendar and offers comprehensive background biographies and traditions surrounding the key Feast Days throughout the Liturgical Seasons of the entire Liturgical Calendar.  Traditional Feast Days and Liturgical Practices and Devotions are explained in Kendra’s witty writing style as she shares personal experience and practical tips for living liturgically as a Mom of nine kids! It’s a great read cover to cover, but you’ll find that you’ll pick it up again and again for reference and prep to celebrate Feast Days and Seasons as they arise!

The only thing missing…are beautiful pictures (which would have made it an 800 page book instead of 400!) but you can find plenty of exquisite pictures…and now high quality HGTV caliber videos for particular family traditions and activities, featuring Kendra and her adorable kids at Catholic All Year and on her Catholic All Year Instagram Feed.

*You will notice the Amazon Affiliate Links included in this resource list for recommended books and products. I do receive a small commission (that does NOT inflate the price you pay) and I thank you for your support!