keepin' up when the appeal wears off...

January was a good month.  I felt more fruitful, productive, relaxed, thankful, etc----and I really focused on enjoying my husband and wild   perfectly obedient children.  I had hit the ground running in goal setting, priority re-focusing and organizational overhaul.

And then February first was upon us---and I was delighted to have stayed on track a month....but the appeal....well, let's just say it's easy to get in a bit of a slump.  I have still been in the Word every day---but I find my mind wandering more often.  I'm still keeping a tidy home, but I find myself wanting to continually put things off.  I'm still enjoying my husband and children, but I find that somedays it requires a great deal of effort to be truly purposeful with them. 

In short, the shiny appeal of the New Year is gone---and now it's time to buck up and decide if these priorities, goals, resolutions....whatever name you put to them....if these will stick.  I'm still sticking.  Yes, it's meant jumping up and down in place a few times to work up the energy to load the dishwasher before I go to bed at night.  Yes, it's meant re-reading the same passage of scripture over and over to make up for the moments my mind is wandering.  Yes, it's meant apologizing to my kids...and sometimes my husband....when my patience wears thin.

But I'm sticking.

God is cultivating the discipline in my life to work through these bumps, to press on & to not throw my hands up in the air when the going gets tough.

So, for February...here's the breakdown of intentional goals...

The Habit: My husband and I are getting back on the "all cash" bandwagon when it comes to groceries/household expenses  More to come---and my first week back on that wagon---

The New thing: Homemade spaghetti sauce...and possibly a new laundry detergent recipe

Organizational project(s):  Undecided.  Most likely our bedroom closets & large bookshelf.  But hopefully I can muster up the will power to take on the finished part of our attic.  It's for real a scene straight out of Hoarders.

The Books: Working my way through Loving the Little Years right now.  Not sure if another one will make it's way on the list as we are wrapping up a discipleship group this month that requires extra reading as well.

What about you?  Are you "sticking"?  Any new years goals that you're struggling with?

a wrap-up of January

As we were all recovering the end of December/beginning of January from various illnesses, I shared about how I'm seeking to be more intentional, purposeful & fruitful in my home & other areas of life.  I identified my priorities and decided that to keep those in check, goals and plans needed to fit into one of those areas....and if it didn't, then it wasn't for me---at least right now.

We are one month in and I am so excited to be making headway in these areas!  There have certainly been growing pains---and will be many more I presume along the way.  I'm thankful for God's grace, for the discipline He is cultivating in my life & for what He is teaching me through this process.  I'm excited about what He is doing in me....and for the first time (in a long time), I don't feel trapped into comparing myself to other women in my life.  This process has been humbling, rewarding & quite refreshing!  Additionally, I feel like God's been revealing a LOT to us about His intentions for my husband and I as parents.  More to come on that when my thoughts are more organized. 

Sharing here provides such great accountability for me---and I love having a record of how God was working on our lives, goals I was accomplishing & books I was reading.

So, for January:

The habit I wanted to cultivate was being in God's word everyday, and not just when I "found time"-----I started January 3rd, and by His grace, I spent every morning for the rest of the month reading His word.  My hope is that by cultivating one habit at a time, they'll stick!  I'm hoping to finish a full read through of the Bible this year---so this habit will for sure be sticking!

The "new" thing I wanted to try-----I made homemade dishwasher detergent.  I've done this in the past and the recipe was a HUGE failure.  Thanks to Pinterest, I combined a few elements of a few different recipes and I've been using it for over a week now.  LOVE it.  Smells great...works great....and is so much cheaper than anything else on the market. I'm still working on a few recent "kinks"  Recipe and photos to come later...

The organizational projects----the guest bathroom under sink cabinets, the linen closet that contains our large stockpile, the coupon binder & setting up a new household notebook.  Didn't get as much done in this area as I would have liked, but illnesses definitely were a set back this month. 

Books read---again, with illness in our home, I ended up reading quite a bit/finishing books.  I've also added and removed books from my book list.  My goal is to read at least 12 non-fiction books this year.
-Misconception:
-Inconceivable:
-Love times three: Joe Darger
-Five Smooth Stones: Tom Nelson (this was a re-read for a discipleship group at church)
-Rising to the Call: Os Guinness

Goals for February, our first week back on the "all cash" wagon & why you probably want to report me to Hoarders Anonymous.... coming....soon?

Cultivating good habits & trying new things

Last year when I set goals, I created a list of twelve new things I wanted to try.  It was an epic failure, because as I've mentioned---my goal setting for last year was far too ambitious and lacked any real direction on how to go about accomplishing my goals.

We are only 25 days into the new year, but going through the process of setting goals according to my priorities has been transformational.  Each week, in addition to working through my to-do list & my cleaning checklist, I've been sitting down with a sheet that has a space for all 8 of my priorities.  I've been setting one or two goals underneath each priority for that week.  For example, this week under my "Work to maintain a clean home and organized life" my goals were to clean out the linen closet & under the guest bathroom sink.  By accomplishing that goal, I worked through another goal of filling a box of items to donate from my stockpile under my priority of "Serve others"---cleaning out those two spaces also meant I got to check them off of my "Areas that need to be cleaned out and organized" list!  :)

While I am getting "stuff done"----I think the better way to sum up how I feel is "I'm being more fruitful with my time, I'm accomplishing my goals & I'm keeping my priorities in check."

In addition to the goals, I'm really striving to cultivate some new habits for myself and the kiddos and I'm wanting to get back to the "try 12 new things".

This month, the habit I'm working to cultivate is spending time in God's word everyday.  One of my goals for the year is to read through the entire Bible using the ESV chronological plan.  By the grace of God, I've managed to spend time every day this month in His word.  While reading the Bible isn't a new habit, reading the Bible every day is.  I'm striving to cultivate this habit & make this a regular discipline in my life.  As I've said before, if I have time to check facebook, I have time to be in His word.

As for the new thing?  This month I made homemade dishwasher detergent!  I have tried this in the past and hated it.  This time I'm using a powder recipe that is a collection of other recipes.  The first few rounds have gone well---I'm going to keep using it, and if I'm still happy with it in the next ten days, I'll post the recipe I've put together from other recipes online.

book it!

One of my priorities in 2012 is to "seek to provide a healthy lifestyle for myself & family."

A focus area I identified was "developing my mind"--and thus, setting a goal to read at least 12 books happened.

I enjoy reading---and, I tend to read quickly when I set to it.  I'm not a fan of fiction and I enjoy reading things that may not line up with how I choose to live my life---simply because it challenges me in ways I wouldn't be otherwise.  However, I also find it really important to read books that also challenge me to develop new skills, habits & sharpen old ones in my roles.  I know many are put off by marriage and parenting books, but while I don't take everything they say to heart---I think there are often some good things to gain from reading extra books.

My book list for 2012

(I've already finished three books since we've been sick and relaxing a lot around here!)

Inconceivable
Misconception
A Love that Multiplies
Sacred Marriage (reading this with the husband--we are halfway through it from last year)
Love and Logic for Early Childhood
The Help
Wrestling Prayer
Satisfy my Thirsty Soul
Choosing to See
Bossypants
What Women Fear
Love Times Three
Loving the Little Years
Decision Points

I have many other books I might add to this list or change out---but I'm hopeful to finish at least 12 books by the end of the year!

getting priorities straight---aka, a really long post about goal setting.

We're all still battling various illnesses here. It has slowed us wayyyyyyy down in the last few weeks. As I jokingly told my husband, we are well on our way to meeting our deductible for 2012---thanks to an ER visit, two doctor's visits & three prescriptions for our little family of four.

 Goodness.  Honestly, being forced to slow down has been good for us. We've had time to read, reflect &; REALLY plan for 2012.

A few months ago I set out to "goal set" with a prayerful heart. I had been telling my husband for weeks that I didn't want to set goals according to my own agenda this year---but that I wanted to set goals with my most important roles in mind.  I have the temptation to see what someone else is doing and want to jump on that bandwagon….and when my attempts to “match” don’t work out, I get down on myself & my skills. 

I’m sure I’m not alone in playing the comparison game.

With a few months of prayerful processing, journaling & the planning sheets from Moneysaving mom, I've put pen to paper on what is really on my heart for 2012. Instead of setting out with grand ideas of what I want to do, I first put in writing what my priorities are (or ought to be). Truthfully, if you were to glance into my life even a month ago you would think my priorities were facebook & reality TV.

Starting first with my priorities and listening to what God has laid on my heart led me to set goals---and put meaning behind them. I think it's also helped put pure intentions behind my goals & actions recently. I don’t feel like I’m playing a comparison game or working to be someone I’m not---I feel really excited about what God has laid on my heart & actions I’m taking to be fruitful in these areas.


My Priorities....

-Having a growing and authentic relationship with the Lord

-Continuing to nurture and deepen my relationship with my husband

-Nurturing, loving, teaching & enjoying my children with lots of patience & grace

-Continuing to live a frugal lifestyle

-Seeking to provide a healthy lifestyle for myself and family

-Working to maintain a clean home and organized life

-Serving others and being faithful and fruitful in areas of service

-Developing new skills and sharpening others as a homemaker

Using the formula provided by Money Saving Mom, I first identified my priorities—then focus areas within those priorities---and then smaller goals to fit in those focus areas.  Sounds tedious, but what a wonderful exercise this has been!

For instance, my relationship with the Lord holds its place as my first priority.  Nurturing that relationship in my opinion requires time in God’s word, a devoted prayer life, reading additional books to challenge my heart and mind, etc.  One of my smaller goals that fit under these focus areas is reading through the Bible this year following a chronological plan.

I have done this process for each of my priorities—listing “focus” areas & then creating many smaller goals off of that.  Hopefully I’ll be able to share more about that throughout the year!


Do I expect to meet all my goals?  Maybe not. I’m still a mom of two little ones & a wife to a husband whose schedule requires more flexibility & patience on my part than I’m generally willing to give.  I’m only guaranteed one evening a week at home with him & thus plans (meals, projects, dates, etc) change…all the time!  But I’m thankful to have some sense of direction & a plan to achieve and sharpen myself in some areas.

The Week Between

I typically love the week between Christmas and New Years.  In general, it's an opportunity to rest after the rush of the holidays & to reflect on the year that is coming to close while also preparing for the year to come.

I spend the week between in cozy clothes.  I jot notes about things that worked well in home management this past year and I dream about ways to make life run more smoothly in the year to come.  I plan goals, write to-do lists, watch old movies & enjoy finding homes for presents.

This year I started planning for this week before it even arrived.  Last year's goal-setting was so....off the mark.  For starters, I set some great goals.....but I didn't take into account the new little life that would be joining our family.  As I've mentioned time and time again....we're just "getting by" here.

And sometimes that's okay.

But as I look to 2012, I'm filled with ideas of how to make life more efficient....how to make time for what's really important...and how to create margin in the day-day "must dos".

I'm planning to re-vamp our chore schedule, my planner/planning system, do a major organization overhaul, carve out time to sharpen some skills, tackle some DIY projects in our home to truly make it our home.

I have "to read in 2012" list to be written, planning sheets to be designed and printed, a new filing system to be set up....and so on...

...however, this year's "week between" is knocking us all down.  From teething to colds, and most recently, a stomach bug, we are all slowly falling down.  I'm typing this while I rest in bed during naptime for the kids...praying that I don't fall victim to the stomach bug myself. 

So the "week between" may be a little delayed this year---but the thought is there....and while sick, the rest & old movie watching is also present.

a blown challenge

Yeah....so...blogging everyday for the month of November didn't happen.  I'm ok with that.

To catch you up:

made a mad dash to finish homeade gifts for Thanksgiving/Christmas with the in-laws
spent a week out of town at the in-laws
spent a week recovering from a week out of town
it's the next week...still feel like we're all "recovering"

the trip was great--but still exhausting.
But really it was last week's super busy work schedule that my husband had that made coming home feel so exhausting.  I think I still have one bag that has not been unpacked--and I'm ok with that.

There is no Christmas decor up....and I blew it on getting anything ready for advent---and right now, I'm ok with that.

Instead, Lucy and I have spent most mornings curled up on the couch watching cartoons and movies---with me often enjoying some pinterest viewing as well.

I have some things to share....later....like some new takes on discipline/parenting that my husband and I have discovered, a cookbook I'm really enjoying, switching insurance plans,  plans to "make-over" our home on a $0 budget, the fact that I can never find a planner I enjoy---so I'm making my own---again, prepping for potty-training?, my sweet 8-month old (not so little) guy, how I ended up with 49 bottles of dawn dish soap....and more, I'm sure.

Oh, and with the $0 budget make-over plan & the need for a new planner and organization---comes a whole host of home organizational projects.

and maybe, just maybe....I'll be able to share some of this before Christmas....