Thursday Thoughts: April 19, 1995 - Where were you?

April 19, 1995 will forever be ingrained in my memory. I'm sure many of you remember this day as well. But here in Oklahoma, our safe, protective and simple lives changed forever. I remember this day like it was yesterday.

I was a Senior in High School on my way to One Act Competition in a neighboring Oklahoma City town. A guy on the bus was listening to his Walkman (hey! They were so cool back then!) and I remember a group around him talking and then gasps! Then, the talking got louder and louder and spread throughout the bus.

Not yet to the City we were very unsure and nervous about what chaos we'd encounter. Since we were headed to a nearby town, we went around the City rather than through it. I don't remember seeing much because we were all still in shock. I think we could see some smoke rising in the air, but I'm not certain.

It's funny how your memory works. Some things are so crystal clear and others...not.

I remember walking into the school our competition was at and at first, not many of the other students knew about it. They had been focused on the competition. You have to remember too, that this was loooooong before iPhones, iPads, laptops, and the plethera of cell phones we have now. The lack of such devices then was normal. If this happened in 2012 it would be on Twitter in a matter of seconds! But, this was life - our life.

The rest of the day, besides the competition, was pretty much a complete blur. The ride home that afternoon/evening was pretty quiet. Not a lot of conversation going on as we'd heard bits and pieces of what had happened and the utter devastation it caused. We were in disbelief.

So, this day I remember my beloved state. I remember watching those directly affected by this senseless tragedy. I remember how this act forever changed my innocence.

Today...we remember.

April 19, 1995

Blessings,

Annette

Maid for Mondays: Don't blink...

 It goes so fast. One day you’ll blink…and they’ll be in high school. Blink again and they’ll be getting married. Blink again and you’ll have grandchildren. It really does go fast. I never thought it was true, but it is!!

Whether it’s because life is busy and we move at such a fast pace or because we don’t take the time to enjoy them while their young or …you fill in the blank. Whatever it is...that statement is true!

Mister Bull at age 1 (left) and Mister Bull just a few weeks ago at the Zoo.
See how tall he is next to his Daddy?!

My oldest son will be 7 at the end of June and in many ways it seems just like yesterday I was so excited to find out we were pregnant (again, but that’s another post). At times I want him to stay my little one, a momma’s boy all his life. But, I know this too will change.

Several weeks ago, I caught him helping out at home without prompting. He was helping his sister into her high chair for lunch and being so sweet and kind. Then, he turned and helped his brother into his chair. And, if that wasn’t enough…he laid on the floor and played with his youngest sister until I could finish getting lunch together. My heart was filled with JOY as I heard his voice soften and the tone change to sweetness.

But…as with any 6 yr old boy, that was short lived. His brother quickly did something that annoyed him and I then hear, “Bubba! Stop that! Do you want me to take you out of that chair and put you in your room?”

Ummmm….when did he become the parent? Oh wait…he didn’t!! Has this ever happened to you? This was a real wake-up call for me. My kids hear everything I say and watch everything I do!! They want to be me! So, right then and there I vowed to myself to change my ways to allow my kids to be kids for as long as they want!!! Okay…maybe not that long, but definitely longer than 6 years old!

But, in the meantime, I must learn to let my son be a little boy! He won’t be one forever, so I must be careful not to rob him of this time in his life!! I don’t want him to grow up too fast. So, here are some steps and tips I’ve come up with for myself and thought they might be useful for someone else too.

1. SET BOUNDARIES EARLY. You must make them understand you are the parent, not them. You are the one that corrects and disciplines, not them. I suggest doing this very early on, so there is no confusion when they get older. We were not as firm as we should have been with our oldest and now, we’re having to correct that behavior. Believe me…I’d much rather start early than correct it when they’re older!

2. WHO’S IN CHARGE? When implementing your boundaries, it’s also important to teach your kids as they get older who’s in charge and when it’s okay to help. We are working with our 6yr old son on this very thing. He thinks just because he’s so much older than the others that he has a “right” to correct them.

3. DON’T GIVE THEM JOBS. Now, let me briefly explain my point of view here. I want my children to learn that a house does not run by itself. Therefore, we assign chores to our children from an early age. But, our chore assignments are just that…chores. Our kids do not get paid for them for several reasons (which I will probably need to expound on in another post), but the main one being that they are a part of this family and therefore, they have certain (age-appropriate) responsibilities. It’s just how it works in a family. My example to my oldest: I don’t get paid to wash, fold and put away your clothes, to do the dishes or to cook your meals. Why should you get paid to wash the toilet? Now, to thwart any arguments that may be arising in you…we do give rewards for doing their chores. Rewards include and extra treat from the treasure box, earned time on the Wii, extra time alone with Mom and/or Dad, etc.

If you’re wondering what chores our 2 and 3 year olds could possibly do, take a look at this amazing chart I found a few months back!! It’s been a blessing and a life-saver for us! She does a wonderful job of breaking it up by age group.

4. IT’S A FINE LINE. There is a very fine line with this subject. While I can’t allow my son to continue correcting his siblings, I don’t want to squash his sweet and helpful spirit. God has blessed him with that spirit and we need to nurture it, just slowly and healthily. So, we have decided that our oldest is not going to help with his younger siblings unless we’re there to directly supervise. At least for now. And, as he gets older and more mature, we can work on other ways he can help without being the “parent.” But, for now…he’s on the other side of the line and staying there.

It’s my job to be the parent; to guide him and teach him how to be a better person. A God-fearing man. That’s my job!! And if that means I have some extra chores for a while so he can be a kid, then so be it! I’ll take the long hours and lack of sleep for the sake of my kids any day!!

What advice do you have about letting kids be kids? How do/did you teach your kids they are not the parent? Feel free to leave your tips in the comments or link back to a post you’ve written. I love reading other blogs and learning from them! Your kind words of encouragement inspire me!

Blessings,

Annette

Linking up to these great parties today:

The Better Mom, Raising Arrows, The Straightened Path, Far Above Rubies, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Deep Roots at Home,  Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well, Our Simple Country Life, Raising Mighty Arrows

Thursday Thoughts: Reality hits

My Dad holding my oldest daughter the day she was born.

The past few weeks have been rough to say the least. Some days I find myself able to get my housework/chores done, cook meals and take care of the kids with relative ease. And other days…like today…I find myself struggling to keep back the tears.

It’s the little things that get me. My kids talking about Papa living with Jesus now or my oldest talking about Indiana Jones, which he watched the first time with my Dad. And sometimes, it’s things like thinking about leaving this house where my kids made so many memories with my Dad, where he helped my husband put the flooring in and paint before we moved in. I also think about the next time God blesses us with a miracle…my Dad will not be there to hold him/her. He’s always been there.

There’s nothing I can do about it. He’s gone. He’s really gone. He’s not coming back. There’s nothing that will change that. I miss him so much it hurts. I know many of you probably know the sting of death. Man…does it sting!

But, I am so thankful that those same memories that bring tears also bring peace. Those memories are much more precious to me now. I will hold them close for the rest of my life. Pictures speak a thousand words to me now.

Today has been a rough one. A friend reminded me, the rain may be pouring down at the time but, the beautiful rainbow we saw today following the rain…that brings hope. Hope of God’s perfect will. Hope of God’s grace. Hope of God’s perfect love. And the hope of a new tomorrow.

Blessings dear friends,

Annette

52 Fridays: Weekly Update #11

Here goes this week’s report. You can read more about my journey beginning with Week 1. Feel free to join me and Crystal in this journey.

1. DAILY quiet time: I am still striving to read my daily emails every single day. Sometimes I don’t get on my computer and I double up. One thing that amazes me is how timely some of the verses and devotions are. I am encouraged daily and so blessed that I can read the Bible in this way. I get my emails through biblegateway.com and a women’s devotional through Proverbs 31 devotions. Such great tools – be sure to check them out! 

2. Weekly weight loss: Okay…so truthfully I haven’t quite fit the Wii Plus into my daily routine. I don’t get up early enough to get it done before kids are awake. I am usually super busy running around doing chores, finishing up school, cleaning, etc. during naptime (plus my oldest is awake and I am not quite prepared to scar him for life just yet!). And, by the end of the day I am simply worn out! So, hopefully I will do better this week in my quest for a more healthy and fit lifestyle. WOW!!! This is so much harder than I thought! 

3. Vintage Remedies 8 weeks to Real Foods: Last weeks plan did not come to fruition like I had hoped. So, this week I want to make an inventory list of my pantry and go from there. That way I can see what foods I need to use up and can replace with more healthy options! 

4. Homeschool Fun: Well, I’m not sure we accomplished this or not. Actually…I’m pretty sure we didn’t. I need to do MUCH better at this! 

5. Organization: All the kids’ clothes are hung up in the laundry room/central closet area. I hope this will make our lives just a little easier! I am still no closer to organizing the pantry than I was 3 weeks ago!! But, that is still high on my priority list! 

6. Staying caught up: I might get behind for a day, but I have been really good about picking up where I left off. I’m getting better at this each week. Maybe this week I’ll keep up with everything! HA! 

7. Blog changes: I am still working on the design of my blog and getting things just the way I want them before we go live. But, I hope to have everything up and running for a reveal on April 2^nd!!!! I will give you all fair warning before hand so you can be ready for the launch! I can NOT even tell you how excited I am! 

So, how are you doing in your quest this year? Are you becoming more DISCIPLINED or ORGANIZED? What steps are you taking to be more organized? What tips can you give those who are struggling in this area?

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Have a blessed weekend!

Blessings,

Annette

Scriptural Sundays: Romans 12:1-2

Photo courtesy

This weeks Scripture is very personal. This connects perfectly with Part 3 of my own personal testimony about my Daddy. (You can catch up by reading pt 1 and pt 2). 

(Part 3) The Change

I was always a Daddy’s girl, even when we weren’t that close. He would never let anything happen to me and hated when I was hurt, sad or having a rough time. But, it wasn’t until my college years that I could really see that side of him. And, it wasn’t until I was married and having children of my own that I really saw the man my mom fell in love with. He was kind, gentle and soft-spoken with my babies. That is the Dad I remember!!!! That’s the Dad I wanted growing up! I was so happy he was “back” for lack of a better term.

Several years after we got married (2003), a family friend approached my Dad about a mission opportunity in March 2007. Now, my parents had been to Mexico with our church group for 6-7 years, but this mission was in Mozambique, Africa. WOW!!! The friend came over and talked to my parents for hours (like 4 or 5 I think). And, let me tell you right now…I had known this man for close to 20 years and had never heard him say more than 20 words at a time!! The talk got my Dad so fired up that he couldn’t quit talking about it. Now, my Dad could talk for hours, but usually it was about computers (he was a computer programmer). But, for him to talk about missions was a totally new experience. My husband and I decided we needed to know all about this mission idea. We were completely blown away.

The things they told us about the Mozambican people were astounding. They had/have no conceptual thinking skills – NONE!! For example: In a story the family friend told, he sat down with some tribal leaders and they presented him with a problem they had. They did not have the vegetation for their tribe. They needed to have some for food, but didn’t know how to get it. If I remember correctly, their land could not sustain vegetation, so farming was not an option. So how were they to get it? He told them they needed to meet together and discuss their options. (He had been working with them on conceptual thinking and problem solving skills at this point.) He said it literally took them 3 days to figure out they could sell/trade some of their cattle, of which they had an abundance, to get the vegetation they desired. THREE DAYS…can you imagine?! That would have taken most Western thinkers less than 15 minutes to figure out.

And there were many more stories like that one! They have very graphic pictures painted on the outside of their “public” restrooms so people know how to use them. Their women, who are treated as property, find their worth in how many children they can bear. Some starting at the young age of 12!! And the list could go on! It’s appalling to think about when you consider where we are in our American thinking. Yes, these people needed Jesus, but they couldn’t even understand the basic concept of good and evil. So how could they understand God’s saving grace?

It begins in Romans 12:1-2, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” NLT (emphasis mine)

It all begins with “changing the way you think”! They were embarking on a new and ground-breaking philosophy that could and would quite literally change the world! And frankly, it already has!!


Blessings,
Annette


Part 4 coming Thursday!!!

The Middle Years: My perspective

(If you missed it, you can read Part 1 here.)

As I got older and entered into Middle School (6^th-8^th grade here), I saw even less of my Dad. He moved to a daytime shift, but I had dance 3-4 nights a week. I was also involved in Camp Fire, which required monthly meetings as well as campouts and various events. I volunteered at church, so I helped out on Wednesday nights, so that didn’t leave much time for my family. Except on Saturday afternoons and that was when my Dad wanted to be left alone. In the summer, he spent the better part of most Saturdays doing yard work and/or paying bills. This was the family I knew.

I was heavily involved in dance lessons through high school. I also played in the school orchestra, a extra chamber orchestra that met after school 1x a week, show choir that met 2x a week after school and I gave cello lessons to some of the middle school students one afternoon a week. Since I was at school nearly every afternoon until 4 or 4:30, I went straight to my dance studio and sat in the dressing room doing my homework until my class started at 5:30pm. I would do this Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights. Wednesday I went straight to church and Fridays I came home for a bit before football games (in the fall at least). Needless to say, my own life was busy. And, at that time…I loved it! I really did. I loved music and still do! My Dad also loved music and that is the one thing we had in common. But, with his work schedule and my extra-curriculars taking up so much time, I rarely saw my Dad. I even had dance classes on Saturday and was gone by 9am not to return before 1pm. By that time, he was usually fully engrossed in yard work or in bill paying mode (i.e. DO NOT DISTURB!).

It wasn’t until I left for college (5 years after I graduated high school, another story for another day) that we became close. I think it was the distance between us that made him reflect on his life and his life as a Dad. He realized I had grown up and he missed most of it!

Stay tuned for Part 3 coming on Monday!!!

Blessings,

Annette

52 Fridays: Weekly Update

Since Sunday night I have been battling an intestinal virus only compounded by my Crohn’s. I am so glad that today (Thursday) was a MUCH better day!!!! I have done what I could this week between an ALL DAY trip to the ER Monday and the weakness and tiredness that goes along with a virus. So, here’s my weekly update for what it’s worth.

1. DAILY quiet time: I have not been keeping up very well this week. Spending most of my time either in bed or in the restroom proved more tiring than I thought. Starting fresh again Friday morning!!! NOTE: I’m so thankful we serve a merciful and gracious God. We may falter and fail at times, but when we can call on His name and pick right back up where we were. And…it’s like we’ve never left. Praise the Lord! 

2. Weekly weight loss: I’m not sure this week is a good judge! Haha Although, I’ve probably lost some weight, I know it’s not due to healthy eating…but lack of eating all together! So…we’ll keep moving forward with this once I’m back to a more normal eating program. 

3. Vintage Remedies 8 weeks to Real Foods: The next few weeks are being spent cleaning/clearing out the pantry and using up foods we have already purchased. Then, I hope to replace those foods with more “real” foods and healthier choices. 

4. Homeschool Fun: Again…not much schooling going on with Momma down and out. We did have several teaching opportunities though that we seized the moment with. Right now those seem to have escaped my mind…ugh…I dislike getting old!! 

5. Organization: I’m working on my pantry. It’s proving to be a bigger project than I thought, but I’m so happy to get it going!!!! I’ve got a vision and I can’t wait to make it work! 

6. Staying caught up: Even though I was sick the better part of the week, I have remained quite caught up on laundry. I only have 2 loads to do tomorrow, which is right on track! YAY!!!! And, I’m pleased to say the dishes are caught up following dinner Thursday night! Double YAY!!!!! 

7. Blog changes: I am still working on getting everything in place. But, hopefully in the next 2 weeks I’ll be rolling out the red-carpet to my new website!!!! I am so excited!!!! 

What are some of your favorite “Real” or “Whole” food recipes? I need some GREAT inspiration to get me motivated!!!

Blessings,

Annette

Linking up:

Created For Home

Thursdays Thoughts: 12 Things I learned in 2011

This is exactly what happens at my house when we talk about potty-training!!!
 http://o5.com/signs-your-toddlers-ready-for-potty-training/ 

12. I stink at potty training. You may find this strange since I have a 6-yr old that’s been trained since he was 20 months, but truly I have absolutely NO IDEA what I’m doing! My 35 month old son wants nothing to do with the potty & my 20 month old daughter has peed and pooped on it already! So, I’ve decided…I stink at potty training – and I’m okay with that! It will happen when it happens.

11. Not everyone is going to agree with you. As a people-pleaser by nature this is difficult for me to swallow. But, I’ve come to realize that my convictions are not the same as everyone else’s and therefore, they may not agree with me or my beliefs. And you know what…that’s okay (provided its not a salvation issue because that’s non-negotiable with me). I simply ask you to respect them.

10. I need to get rid of my temper.  I can be a hot-head at times and have even found myself having to leave the room to avoid explosion. This is not the parent I want to be. I want to be a warm, loving parent that her kids run to for comfort, support and just plain hugs! THIS is going to change in 2012. (One of my few resolutions.)

9.  I can control my eating.  For several years its been a goal of mine to loose weight and get into better shape. This past year I realized I do have the will-power to make that happen. Unfortunately I realized that while I was pregnant and couldn’t do much about it! So, this year I can and will!! (I’m super excited about this one!!!)

8.  Housework can wait. I know I’ve read a ton of blogs about this very subject, but this Type-A personality just couldn’t get it in her head! I’ve always been one that needs to stay busy from the time I get out of bed until my head finally hits the pillow at night. I’ve revamped our family schedule to allow me more time with my youngens while they are awake. And I must say…its been pure JOY!!

7.  A perfect house is just a myth. There is NO such thing as a perfect house! At least not if you live in it – and WE DO!! My kids love to play with their toys all over the house. That’s just the way they are. And, I wouldn’t have it any other way! (Just watch your step if you come over!)

6.  Take advantage of teachable moments as MUCH as you can! This one is a difficult one for me. I tend to get caught up in the cleaning, folding, washing dishes, etc. that I miss the teachable moments and allow them to slip by. I realize that sometimes other things take priority (i.e. don't leave your infant on the changing table alone to go to the other room and teach your 2yo a lesson.), but for the most part I can stop what I’m doing and take time to make the corrections.

5.  Children can help with chores.  My obsessive tendencies are most tested when I let others do things I like a particular way – such as folding clothes or loading the dishwasher. I know that sounds silly, but its true. I have a certain way of folding clothes & when they’re not done that way it looks messy (to me). I’m learning to bite my tongue on this. My 6yo asks to help sometimes and often I’ve pushed him away because of my selfish desire for perfection. When what I should do is take him and teach him how to fold, then let him “practice.” And most importantly – DON’T correct him, but praise him for his efforts. (Yes, there are times I’ve had to rewash a dish – seeing as we eat on them and all.)

4.  Naps are necessary. At least sometimes they are. I used to push myself to the brink of exhaustion daily. With the Hubsters overnight work schedule, I often find myself up all hours of the night with sick kiddos, only to wake at 5:30am with my oldest son (his favorite time to awake). I used to pride myself on the fact that I NEVER took naps – even after difficult nights. But, on those days I realized I was the crankiest and had the shortest fuse. A short 30-min nap is sometimes in order to maintain my health and sanity!!

3.  Organization is KEY. At least for me it is. That’s why I’ve joined this challenge to help me get there. I used to be completely organized – BEFORE kids! Now, I need to find my way back. I simply function better when I’m organized and that begins with my home.

2.  My kids are growing up before my eyes. I know everyone says it. But, it’s TRUE!!! My oldest will be 7 this summer and I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. At times he’s still my sweet, little chunky boy that I want to cuddle with, but he’s growing up right in front of me. And the others are too! My middles are just about ready to potty train (I hope - see #11) and my youngest is trying to pull herself up to sit. It goes by in such a flash that before you know it – they’re getting married! I must take advantage of every moment I have to ENJOY them!!!

1.  My prayer and spiritual life need improvement. In fact, most of the time they’re non-existent. I find myself so consumed with my “housewife” and “mother” duties that I disregard THE MOST IMPORTANT duty I have – being a daughter of the King!! I find myself waking up with a mile-long list of to-do’s that I skip right over the time I need to spend with my Creator. This year I MUST do better! Its not just a need anymore, it’s a true desire for a deeper, more meaningful relationship with my Lord. When I am living in His will for my life, the rest of my day will fall into place. My priorities may change as the day, week or year goes along, but as long as I’m living in Him – I’ll be just fine!

I’m so excited for the new journey 2012 will bring. Stay tuned to see how it all turns out!!

Blessings,

Annette

52 Fridays - Week 2

Little T taking his breathing treatment. We had to literally put him in a burrito to get this accomplished! He finally settled down and took the medicine while watching Little Einstein's. Thank goodness for videos!

So, last week I wrote out my goals for 2012. I was (and still am) so excited about them. But, as I reflect back on the week, I realize I failed more than I succeeded. UGH!!! No excuses, just life! This week has been an extremely difficult one for our family. For those of you who don’t know, we have 4 kids ages 6 and under. (Yes, it’s a bit crazy at our house most of the time!) Three of them are under 3yrs old!! And this week the 3 youngens all shared a respiratory virus (at least their sharing, right?!). So, on Wednesday I’d had enough & we loaded all 3 of them into the van and took a trip to our doctor. WOW!!! What an adventure!! Our 2.5yo son not only had the virus, but wheezing on top of it, which means FUN times giving breathing treatments every 4 hours. After several treatments on Wednesday, he still was tight and not getting better – in fact, he was a little worse. So, she added another medication in the nebulizer 2x a day and an oral steroid! UGH!!! Have you ever tried to restrain a 2.5yo for 30 minutes just to give him medication? Yeah…it’s not as easy as it sounds! Our daughters just have the respiratory virus, but trust me…that cough is brutal!! It’s waking both of them up all hours of the night and causing LOTS of sleeplessness for this momma!  But, I’ve been through this with the 6yo and know that this too shall pass – thankfully!!

So as I reflect on last weeks goals, here’s what I’m thankful for – RE-DO’S!!!! I can start fresh at any time and there is no punishment! I’m so thankful that my God is a gracious, loving, merciful and forgiving God!! Otherwise I’d be a lost cause.

I also realized that I can’t change everything in one week. It’s a process and it’s going to take time. I always have these lofty goals and visions for my week and when only 2-3 of my 15 items are completed at the end of the week I feel defeated. But, that’s not true!! I’ve completed 2-3 items and that’s more than ZERO! So, this year I would also like to add a goal of PERSISTENCE!! Even if I only complete 1 goal per week, I will continue on. I have an overall goal for the year that I can meet, but it’s just gonna take some time. Some of my goals may take all year to complete, while others may take a month or two and some just a few weeks.

In any case, it took a long time to put on the weight and clutter the house, so it’s gonna take more than a day, week or month to get it back in shape! Patience is going to be KEY in this journey to a more DISCIPLINED life. I know they say not to pray for patience, but I’ve come to realize it’s just what I need!!! I need patience to stay on task and complete my goals. I need perseverance to stay the course and keep my “eyes on the prize!”

So, if this week wasn’t your best or life just happened, will you join me AGAIN (or for the first time) on this 52 week journey? I sure hope so!! It’s so much easier to take a journey, especially a difficult one, with friends. The encouragement is invaluable and pushes us to keep on, keeping on!!  Happy Friday to you and I’ll see you back here next week!

Blessings,

Annette

52 Fridays - Week 1

When approached by my friend Crystal about doing a link-up on Fridays I thought…“Who? Me? Really? I can’t do this! No way!”  Then I remembered why were were doing it – DISCIPLINE. Our word for the year. I commented on her post about choosing this particular word for 2012, in that having already outlined some changes I needed/wanted to make, I wanted to use the same word! And out of that birthed a GREAT idea that will hopefully take-off for us and those of you that want to join us.

52 Fridays to a more disciplined life!!  That’s right – every Friday this year we’re going to link to each other with tips, thoughts and our experiences in changing our lives to be more disciplined.

As I began outlining my goals for this year, it hit me that maybe our idea of DISCIPLINE is skewed. Why do we shy away from it and why is it such a “dirty” word? Jesus taught about discipline as well as Noah, Moses, Paul and more. The people in the Old Testament had to be disciplined if they wanted to earn favor with God. So, how have we strayed so far from this practice? I think it has everything to do with the fact that we live in such a fast-paced world that DISCIPLINE takes too much time, effort and energy. So, my goal this year is to change that perception within me (and others) to show just how great of a word it can be.

So, for Week 1 I’m posting my goals (broken down, of course, into manageable feats). Now, these may change or evolve as the year progresses, but this is where I am today.

1. Intentional, DAILY quiet time in the Word of God. I’ve gotten so caught up in my housework, chores, kids and frankly, just life, that this has gone by the wayside. It is now going to be a priority for me! My goal is to set aside 30 min a day for this.
2. LOSE WEIGHT!!!  To say I want to lose “x” amount of weight by this date scares me to death! I look at that total weight-loss # and immediately freak out, give up and sulk. Not any more! I’ve broken it down into weekly goals that I can manage and see myself meeting. So, my weekly goal is to lose 2 lbs. (Although, total I’d really like to lose about 65lbs.) There…I said it. Whew! Now…moving on…
3. Get rid of processed sugars!!!! I know this is going to be KEY to my weight-loss as I love a good brownie, just like anyone else. But, I also know I need to look at healthier ways to cook such sweets for my family. So, that process has started. In fact, I’m looking at using Vintage Remedies' 8 weeks to Real Foods to help me change these (and other) habits.
4. Make homeschooling more FUN!! Who doesn’t want more fun while their learning? Over the last 1.5 years I’ve been so consumed with what T’s doing and what curriculum to use, that I lost sight of a main reason we chose to homeschool in the first place: to create an environment where learning was challenging yet FUN at the same time. Thus far, I’ve been all business and no play (other than the occasional field trip). I’m going to be more deliberate about planning FUN time into our learning schedule.
5. Get my house (& life) ORGANIZED!! I’m following this blog to help me break things down weekly. She’s already gone through most of the year & posted her weekly challenges. I figure if I need to move mine around to fit the needs of my family (and address my stress for the week), I can!! At least I have a plan to follow and can be held accountable weekly. (I’m SUPER excited about this one!)
6. Stay caught up on laundry, dishes, school, general housework and STAY organized. Once I get things organized weekly, I want and need it to stay that way!!
7. Get my blog changed, updated, organized and just the way I want it!! I’ve got a vision (one that we’re still working on bringing to fruition) – I just need to get it done. I’m also going to be more deliberate about my posts. Check back here tomorrow for my Blog-Post schedule for 2012.

So, there ya have it. My goals for 2012. What are your goals? What would you like to change in 2012? Check back here every Friday for updates, tips & encouragement to keep going!!!

Blessings,

Annette