It is hard to believe, but February is tomorrow! I have enjoyed, for the most part, working on my goals this month. I really think that this is something that I am going to stick with, monthly goals. My life is always changing; we are always growing, doing different things, succeeding in different things and struggling with different things. A year is a long time, a month is more reasonable … weekly and daily as well!
I had three goals for January. My personal goal was to get curtains done and …. I did! I was able to finish the living room curtains in one night at our church’s ladies craft night. The kitchen and dining room were another story. There are four windows, meaning four curtains, and multiples are boring. I get tired of doing the same thing several times! I already had one of them started, and was able to slowly do the others. I was not so sure with how I wanted them to look, but got them done and hung last week!
My spiritual goal for the month that will also continue into this month was to read the whole Bible in two months. Not easy! I would have good days in which I would read a lot and others when I would only read a few verses. It took me until this past week to figure out what worked for me. I found I do the best at night, when Joanna crashes at 8pm and we just relax and watch TV. To get to the point, I am currently (although January is not done!) finishing up the book of Joshua. I know that does not sound like much, but that is ¼ of the Bible, and some of the hardest books! Leviticus was amazingly interesting and I got through it in two days, Exodus and Deuteronomy were another story. I am hoping that with a more set schedule with reading and the hard books behind, I will be able to finish it this month!
My last goal for this month was a family goal, and that was helping Brad with his 30 day weight loss program. We started the program a week late because he was out of town, so we are not done with it yet. But he has done a great job eating well and exercising as well! My main part of this goal was the food and menu planning. It was hard going from just figuring things out on a daily basis to planning out and measuring out not just dinner, but breakfast, lunch and two snacks. It was hard, and I had a few days I did not do a very good job, but we are working on it! This month I also got the chance to learn how to menu plan, so I now have a binder with five weeks of recipes and the shopping lists to go with them. This is the first week I am using my binder and so far, it is really helping! I am hoping I can keep menu planning this month without all the weekly work, because it is already done!
My family goal this month is similar to January’s goal. I am going to stick with the menu planning, but also to try a few new recipes, and to get all of my recipes put into my binder. I am much more likely to use a recipe if I can find it! I also am going to make a week’s worth of freezer meals for those crazy days, guests, and when we are just lacking time! I have a few recipes for freezer meals and I am looking for more as I want to do seven new freezer kits! We will see how it goes!
My spiritual goal for the month is to finish reading my Bible and my personal goal this month is to get organized! My house is clean most of the time, and things have a place, but not completely organized. Goals like this one though can cause problems as it is a huge goal! So I sat down a few days ago and listed every part of the house that needed to be organized. I then got a calendar and filled in each spot with a goal. Some days, like Sundays, I did not want to have a huge project … there is not enough time! I knew which days I could spend more time on organizing, so I put things like closets on those days. Packed days I put things like coupons, pantry, or a junk drawer in the slot. Below is my list of what I am planning on doing and when.
February
1st – Kitchen Cabinets
2nd – Pantry
3rd – Junk Drawer
4th – Guest Bathroom
5th – Stock Pile
6th – Garage
7th – Craft Closet
8th – Sewing Cabinets
9th – Computer Files
10th – Photos
11th – Joanna’s Closet
12th – Joanna’s Room
13th – Taxes/Budget
14th – Living Room
15th – Linen Closet
16th – Coat Closet
17th – File Cabinet
18th – Junk Basket
19th – Bookshelf/Bed
20th – Closet
21st – Bathroom
22nd – Freezer
23rd – Refrigerator
24th – Emergency Book
25th – Recipes
26th – Coupons
27th – Laundry Room
28th – Car
29th – Backyard
I hope as you read this you are also thinking of a goal or a project to do this month! Does not have to be big, or three, just find something that you want to work on. With Valentine’s Day being this month, find a way to bless your family and to show them that you love them!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Little Toes to Little Words
It seems like just yesterday we were bringing Joanna home from the hospital. She is not even two yet and I am already a believer in ‘they grow up so fast!’ Many of our friends and family are miles and states away, so I decided to do a post on a few of Joanna’s updates and fun talents.
Joanna is first and foremost, a talker. I think she is taking after her parents! She jabbers about non-stop now, and we can only understand about five percent, but she makes her points well with her gestures and crazy eyebrows. She loves to sing, and she kind of mumbles most of the words until she comes to the ones she knows. ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ comes out more like ‘inkle inkle eehhh STAR! Ahh, ehhhh, ahh, ehhh, ARE!’. It is so cute as she has her dramatic hands and dance steps to go with all of the songs!
Besides talking all day, and being my little shadow that walks around going ‘mama’, we spend a lot of time reading books. Not the little books with a few words, chapter books, and she can read for over an hour at a time! The Berenstain Bears are her favorites right now. She knows her books so well that she says some of the words right before I read them. Another favorite is ‘A Christmas Story’. She loves anything with baby Jesus, but this is a book that is recorded by Rebekah (my sister) and she loves hearing it as well as reading parts along with it!
Joanna still maintains her normal schedule, getting up between 7 and 7:30, taking a nap for an hour or two in the afternoon, and crashing around 8. I find it so cute that she knows when she wakes up from a nap that it is snack time. Once I pick her up, she always say ‘nack, nack?’. She has a little snack box of little bowls of fruit snacks, goldfish, animal crackers, dried cranberries and cuties (oranges). Picking a snack is always so much fun! She is an eater and will normally eat anything we give her. Sometimes she plays with new food, but once we get one bite in, she will gobble down the rest! Broccoli is about the only thing I cannot get her to eat … and I don’t blame her much!
Joanna is very independent as she can play in her room very well. She loves listening to her CD player, playing with puzzles or playing kitchen. She is also enjoying her baby dolls as she likes to turn off the lights and have them go night-night. Although it has been very cold, she likes going outside, going on walks and looking at the birds. Right now we just check the mail, but it is something she looks forward to!
Joanna is learning so fast! She has been doing well going potty this past week! She has gone almost every time I have taken her. We just bought some big girl panties, but this mommy is not so sure if she is ready for that adventure yet! We are also learning a few colors, green is her favorite, and can count up to four!
It is so neat seeing her learn new things, but she is also teaching me. This week she has really showed me how special little things are. I love when her eyes light up when we have ‘cu-cakes’ (cupcakes or muffins), a fire in the fire place, and when she looks at hers or my painted toes or the Valentine’s garland on the mantle and says ‘pretty’. Little things can make her day, and little things can make my day as well!
I love it when she comes running to give me a hug or a kiss, or she wants to ‘ra-rock’ in the rocking chair. Love her sweet nature, her cute smile … my little big kid!
Joanna is first and foremost, a talker. I think she is taking after her parents! She jabbers about non-stop now, and we can only understand about five percent, but she makes her points well with her gestures and crazy eyebrows. She loves to sing, and she kind of mumbles most of the words until she comes to the ones she knows. ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ comes out more like ‘inkle inkle eehhh STAR! Ahh, ehhhh, ahh, ehhh, ARE!’. It is so cute as she has her dramatic hands and dance steps to go with all of the songs!
Besides talking all day, and being my little shadow that walks around going ‘mama’, we spend a lot of time reading books. Not the little books with a few words, chapter books, and she can read for over an hour at a time! The Berenstain Bears are her favorites right now. She knows her books so well that she says some of the words right before I read them. Another favorite is ‘A Christmas Story’. She loves anything with baby Jesus, but this is a book that is recorded by Rebekah (my sister) and she loves hearing it as well as reading parts along with it!
Joanna still maintains her normal schedule, getting up between 7 and 7:30, taking a nap for an hour or two in the afternoon, and crashing around 8. I find it so cute that she knows when she wakes up from a nap that it is snack time. Once I pick her up, she always say ‘nack, nack?’. She has a little snack box of little bowls of fruit snacks, goldfish, animal crackers, dried cranberries and cuties (oranges). Picking a snack is always so much fun! She is an eater and will normally eat anything we give her. Sometimes she plays with new food, but once we get one bite in, she will gobble down the rest! Broccoli is about the only thing I cannot get her to eat … and I don’t blame her much!
Joanna is very independent as she can play in her room very well. She loves listening to her CD player, playing with puzzles or playing kitchen. She is also enjoying her baby dolls as she likes to turn off the lights and have them go night-night. Although it has been very cold, she likes going outside, going on walks and looking at the birds. Right now we just check the mail, but it is something she looks forward to!
Joanna is learning so fast! She has been doing well going potty this past week! She has gone almost every time I have taken her. We just bought some big girl panties, but this mommy is not so sure if she is ready for that adventure yet! We are also learning a few colors, green is her favorite, and can count up to four!
It is so neat seeing her learn new things, but she is also teaching me. This week she has really showed me how special little things are. I love when her eyes light up when we have ‘cu-cakes’ (cupcakes or muffins), a fire in the fire place, and when she looks at hers or my painted toes or the Valentine’s garland on the mantle and says ‘pretty’. Little things can make her day, and little things can make my day as well!
I love it when she comes running to give me a hug or a kiss, or she wants to ‘ra-rock’ in the rocking chair. Love her sweet nature, her cute smile … my little big kid!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Courageous
Brad and I just picked up our copy of the movie ‘Courageous’ this week. We pre-bought the movie after Thanksgiving and since I never got the chance to see it in theaters, I was really excited when it finally came out on DVD.
I made some yummy cinnamon-sugar popcorn and got comfy after putting Joanna down for the night. Brad had warned me several times with this movie that I would cry, and he is normally right. I even cry in movies you would not expect. (Not full-out crying, just ‘damp eyes’) I did cry, and for you all who have watched the movie, you probably are not surprised as you probably had some kleenex’s handy.
The movie really is wonderful, and I highly recommend the movie, but it hit me a little differently than the main message of the movie.
I was sad when the father lost his little nine-year-old daughter, and I could never imagine how life would be like if I lost Joanna, but it was another line that hit me. We only get to have our children for eighteen short years, and then they are gone.
Joanna is quickly approaching two and these two years when by so fast. I do not even want to think about how fast the other sixteen will go! But as a mom, and also somewhat of a perfectionist, I am always working on things, and out of the corner of my eye, Joanna is growing up.
Sure, I am a stay at home mom, but I often act like my job is stay at home housekeeper. Housekeeping is needed, and with a toddler, a never ending task. But this movie brought me back to my real job: Joanna.
I have lots of friends on facebook, friends at church, our MOPS group, and then acquaintances on different blogs and pintrest who seem to be doing it all. They are involved with different groups, getting up early to run every day, creating cute crafts all the time, they have the perfect house, with the perfect decorations and everything is so orderly. And not just clean and orderly, but clean, orderly and oh, so cute too.
When I see everything that other moms are doing, it just makes me feel like I am not doing enough. My closets should look better, I should be cleaning more, cooking more, crafting more, and volunteering more. Think keeping up with a toddler is hard, try keeping up with dozens of amazing moms!
But the movie showed me that it is Joanna that counts. She is not going to care is sixteen years about all the crafts, organized play dates, planned out holiday décor, cute meals and amazing closets. She is what will matter and what I (and Brad) have taught her along the way.
During the movie, I remembered several times in the last few weeks when I snapped at Joanna. I was not upset with her about big things very often (she is not perfect, but fairly obedient) but the little things. Playing in her milk, dumping her books out, taking off her socks and for getting into my things. Looking back, she was just playing, and more often than not, she wanted me to play, she wanted and needed my attention. I remember one day she stood in the kitchen and just cried. I was busy that day, cleaning and cooking, doing things I ‘had’ to do, and I just told her to stop. All she wanted was time with her mommy.
The dishes can wait, I can clean the house after she goes to bed, but I will not have Joanna for very long. I thank God for every day that He has given me with her, but I have not always treasured those days.
The father in the movie only had his daughter for nine years. I have no idea how long I will be blessed to have Joanna, but in that time, I want to treasure her. I want to read a few extra books, play with the messy play dough, and get extra hugs and kisses when I can because they are precious. The dishes can stand still, time will not.
I have lots to learn about being a mother, teaching Joanna and leading her, but I cannot do that if all I am doing is comparing myself to other moms. I cannot keep up with everyone, nor was I designed to. I was created to do the tasks God gave me and use the gifts He gave me. Each mom is different, and each mom does different things. I am different and I need to stop trying to be the same.
I pray God will give me wisdom to see what the important things are and what I need to focus on. I pray that every day I hold Joanna’s hand and we walk together down this path. Not me pushing her forward, or sitting her down beside me, but walking hand in hand, enjoying every big, and little, step along the way.
I made some yummy cinnamon-sugar popcorn and got comfy after putting Joanna down for the night. Brad had warned me several times with this movie that I would cry, and he is normally right. I even cry in movies you would not expect. (Not full-out crying, just ‘damp eyes’) I did cry, and for you all who have watched the movie, you probably are not surprised as you probably had some kleenex’s handy.
The movie really is wonderful, and I highly recommend the movie, but it hit me a little differently than the main message of the movie.
I was sad when the father lost his little nine-year-old daughter, and I could never imagine how life would be like if I lost Joanna, but it was another line that hit me. We only get to have our children for eighteen short years, and then they are gone.
Joanna is quickly approaching two and these two years when by so fast. I do not even want to think about how fast the other sixteen will go! But as a mom, and also somewhat of a perfectionist, I am always working on things, and out of the corner of my eye, Joanna is growing up.
Sure, I am a stay at home mom, but I often act like my job is stay at home housekeeper. Housekeeping is needed, and with a toddler, a never ending task. But this movie brought me back to my real job: Joanna.
I have lots of friends on facebook, friends at church, our MOPS group, and then acquaintances on different blogs and pintrest who seem to be doing it all. They are involved with different groups, getting up early to run every day, creating cute crafts all the time, they have the perfect house, with the perfect decorations and everything is so orderly. And not just clean and orderly, but clean, orderly and oh, so cute too.
When I see everything that other moms are doing, it just makes me feel like I am not doing enough. My closets should look better, I should be cleaning more, cooking more, crafting more, and volunteering more. Think keeping up with a toddler is hard, try keeping up with dozens of amazing moms!
But the movie showed me that it is Joanna that counts. She is not going to care is sixteen years about all the crafts, organized play dates, planned out holiday décor, cute meals and amazing closets. She is what will matter and what I (and Brad) have taught her along the way.
During the movie, I remembered several times in the last few weeks when I snapped at Joanna. I was not upset with her about big things very often (she is not perfect, but fairly obedient) but the little things. Playing in her milk, dumping her books out, taking off her socks and for getting into my things. Looking back, she was just playing, and more often than not, she wanted me to play, she wanted and needed my attention. I remember one day she stood in the kitchen and just cried. I was busy that day, cleaning and cooking, doing things I ‘had’ to do, and I just told her to stop. All she wanted was time with her mommy.
The dishes can wait, I can clean the house after she goes to bed, but I will not have Joanna for very long. I thank God for every day that He has given me with her, but I have not always treasured those days.
The father in the movie only had his daughter for nine years. I have no idea how long I will be blessed to have Joanna, but in that time, I want to treasure her. I want to read a few extra books, play with the messy play dough, and get extra hugs and kisses when I can because they are precious. The dishes can stand still, time will not.
I have lots to learn about being a mother, teaching Joanna and leading her, but I cannot do that if all I am doing is comparing myself to other moms. I cannot keep up with everyone, nor was I designed to. I was created to do the tasks God gave me and use the gifts He gave me. Each mom is different, and each mom does different things. I am different and I need to stop trying to be the same.
I pray God will give me wisdom to see what the important things are and what I need to focus on. I pray that every day I hold Joanna’s hand and we walk together down this path. Not me pushing her forward, or sitting her down beside me, but walking hand in hand, enjoying every big, and little, step along the way.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Reflections and Resolutions
There is just something about January and the beginning of a new year that makes me smile. Although I enjoy all of the Christmas decorations, there is just something special about vacuuming up pine needles, sipping hot chocolate in a clean house while writing down resolutions for the next year.
As I started thinking of goals for 2012, I was reminded this week of all the ups and downs of 2011. This time last year, I was finishing up a very long ten day shift at the children’s home in Mt Vernon, Missouri. It was a hard week, and I remember counting down the minutes until I would be able to go home and stay home. Brad and I were ready for the ability to simply work part time, but not being away from each other.
The next few months were very difficult. Having a young daughter, working part time and Brad being gone for a week at a time was hard. Brad had always been my partner; two weeks after we got married we were working side by side. God had taught us how to work together, and now we were going to learn to work apart.
Spring came, and spring was difficult. Brad’s mother came down with meningitis and was extremely sick. I remember after a month of her being so sick, Brad visiting her or working, leaving me and Joanna at home, and still no luck with a new job, wondering when things were going to change.
God is good … and He is perfect, which includes his timing! Brad’s mother is now fully healed and the month our lease was up, we were moving to a new state and a new job. We were able to purchase our first home and I am now able to stay home with Joanna. I am so thankful we waited, that we just did not say yes to the first church, but waited for the church that God called us to!
There were so many big things God did this last year, but one thing I will always remember is Christmas. It was such a blessing being able to see each and every member of my family this year. Spending time with my grandmother who battled cancer this year, meeting the two new members of the Wilds family, seeing relatives from California, playing games with all the Tyer clan …. Those are reflections I hope to always remember.
I would love to say that 2012 will be calm yet exciting, that we will once again be blessed with health, safety and provision, but God is the one that holds the pencil … I just get to see His writing, His plan, as He unfolds it.
With 2012, hot chocolate, a pencil and paper, also comes with goals. Thinking about last January, I know that I had goals … but I do not remember any of them. I am sure that one of them had something about reading the Bible, something with getting projects done and the house cleaned. This year I only have one goal: to blog weekly.
I am sure that is surprising, and also pathetic. But that is going to be my one and only goal for the year. I have never been good about long term goals, so this year I am sticking with monthly goals. Each month I will have a spiritual, personal and a family goal. I am hoping that only having three goals a month, I can focus on them more and that they can be smaller. If I achieved them in the first month, I can go onto something different or the next step, but can always focus on that goal for another month.
I also wanted to blog about my goals as a way to keep track and for accountability. It is so easy to set goals and never let anyone see them or know them … because if I fail, no one will know!
My spiritual goal for this month (and also next month) is to read the entire Bible in 60 days. I am just reading it cover to cover, like a wonderful book. I just have my bookmark marking my place, some days a read a lot, others not as much. But my goal is just to read it like the most amazing story that it is.
My personal goal this month is to finish all of the curtains in the house. I have curtains to finish in the living room, dining room and kitchen. I am looking forward to having a house that looks ‘completed’!
My family goal is to plan and prepare all meals and snacks this month. Brad is doing the 30 Day Biggest Looser challenge this month and it requires a lot of planning and precision. I want to help Brad meet this goal this month and also to start planning in advance what we are eating verses just opening the refrigerator and hoping something ‘speaks to me’.
I pray that this month that we all daily go to the Lord in prayer … thanking Him for all He has done in 2011 and asking Him to show up His plan for us in 2012. I am looking forward to seeing what He will do this New Year!
As I started thinking of goals for 2012, I was reminded this week of all the ups and downs of 2011. This time last year, I was finishing up a very long ten day shift at the children’s home in Mt Vernon, Missouri. It was a hard week, and I remember counting down the minutes until I would be able to go home and stay home. Brad and I were ready for the ability to simply work part time, but not being away from each other.
The next few months were very difficult. Having a young daughter, working part time and Brad being gone for a week at a time was hard. Brad had always been my partner; two weeks after we got married we were working side by side. God had taught us how to work together, and now we were going to learn to work apart.
Spring came, and spring was difficult. Brad’s mother came down with meningitis and was extremely sick. I remember after a month of her being so sick, Brad visiting her or working, leaving me and Joanna at home, and still no luck with a new job, wondering when things were going to change.
God is good … and He is perfect, which includes his timing! Brad’s mother is now fully healed and the month our lease was up, we were moving to a new state and a new job. We were able to purchase our first home and I am now able to stay home with Joanna. I am so thankful we waited, that we just did not say yes to the first church, but waited for the church that God called us to!
There were so many big things God did this last year, but one thing I will always remember is Christmas. It was such a blessing being able to see each and every member of my family this year. Spending time with my grandmother who battled cancer this year, meeting the two new members of the Wilds family, seeing relatives from California, playing games with all the Tyer clan …. Those are reflections I hope to always remember.
I would love to say that 2012 will be calm yet exciting, that we will once again be blessed with health, safety and provision, but God is the one that holds the pencil … I just get to see His writing, His plan, as He unfolds it.
With 2012, hot chocolate, a pencil and paper, also comes with goals. Thinking about last January, I know that I had goals … but I do not remember any of them. I am sure that one of them had something about reading the Bible, something with getting projects done and the house cleaned. This year I only have one goal: to blog weekly.
I am sure that is surprising, and also pathetic. But that is going to be my one and only goal for the year. I have never been good about long term goals, so this year I am sticking with monthly goals. Each month I will have a spiritual, personal and a family goal. I am hoping that only having three goals a month, I can focus on them more and that they can be smaller. If I achieved them in the first month, I can go onto something different or the next step, but can always focus on that goal for another month.
I also wanted to blog about my goals as a way to keep track and for accountability. It is so easy to set goals and never let anyone see them or know them … because if I fail, no one will know!
My spiritual goal for this month (and also next month) is to read the entire Bible in 60 days. I am just reading it cover to cover, like a wonderful book. I just have my bookmark marking my place, some days a read a lot, others not as much. But my goal is just to read it like the most amazing story that it is.
My personal goal this month is to finish all of the curtains in the house. I have curtains to finish in the living room, dining room and kitchen. I am looking forward to having a house that looks ‘completed’!
My family goal is to plan and prepare all meals and snacks this month. Brad is doing the 30 Day Biggest Looser challenge this month and it requires a lot of planning and precision. I want to help Brad meet this goal this month and also to start planning in advance what we are eating verses just opening the refrigerator and hoping something ‘speaks to me’.
I pray that this month that we all daily go to the Lord in prayer … thanking Him for all He has done in 2011 and asking Him to show up His plan for us in 2012. I am looking forward to seeing what He will do this New Year!
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