New Year's Resolutions

This year I read on a college friend's blog about resolutions.  Being "steadfast, firm." So, I opted for some New Year's Resolutions, rather than goals.  I set a high standard for myself at 15, but some of them are for my walk with the Lord, some for my marriage, some for my kids, and some just for me!  So here goes....

1.  Read through the Bible in a year
I've heard stories throughout my life from the Bible.  I've been involved in many Bible studies.  I've memorized some scripture.  But, this year, I really wanted to read the Bible cover to cover.  My prayer is to see God's character, and for Him to use this time to change me.

2. Encourage Dean daily and pray together
I made the pinterest frame "I love you because..." and I've been putting all the things that I love about it on it each night.  And, it goes without saying to pray together as a couple.  But, sometimes, it's so easy to get "too busy."  But those times are the times we need it the most....

3. Thankful Journal---Get over 1,000 things
So many people had told me how wonderful the book "One Thousand Gifts" was.  I am in the process of reading the book, and it truly is insightful and is changing my outlook considerable.  How humbly to realize that God is the same God whether I think things are the way I think they should be or not!  And He loves us, and wants what's best for us!

4. Read 10 books.
I love to read so this shouldn't be hard, but I wanted to try to amp up the reading.  Since I talk about colors and count to 8 all day, I thought this would be a good outlet to not lose my brain cells or vocabulary that I've accumulated.  (Not that it is much!)

5. Devotional Time with boys daily
We've set aside time each night before bedtime to read a Bible story as a family (or the boys and me if Dean is working or at band practice.)  We read the story and talk about what we're thankful for, pray, and sing.  Right now, I do most of the talking, but my prayer is that this time will begin to transform their hearts.  Aiden has started praying and singing, and even asking a few questions or making comments about Bible stories.

6. PLAY more
I know this is shocking to hear me admit...I'm too focused on "taking care of things" sometimes.  Yes, there's a time and place for being a good steward of what God has given me.  I want to have a place of calm for my husband and children.  But, they aren't little long, and we all have some kid in us!  So, I want to play more!  Get out, laugh, surprise my husband, surprise my kiddos!

7. Lose 25 pounds....keep it off
I know everyone says this!  Enough said.  But I joined Weight Watchers with my dad and Daddyjim.  It will be fun to all do it together!  Hopefully forming a new healthier lifestyle.

8.  Run a 1/2 marathon
I've said I wanted to do this for several years, but always thought I couldn't.  I'm going to train and run a 5K in April, and hopefully a 1/2 toward the late fall/end of the year!  My little brother really inspired me on this one!  He's about to run his 2nd FULL marathon in February..

9. Write one encouraging letter a week
As a "semi-retired" teacher, I discovered how you pour your soul and energy into a lot of little lives and often wonder if you are making a positive difference in their lives despite your mistakes.  So, I have a LOT of people in my life who have made a HUGE difference in making me the person that I am today.  Some family, some friends, some acquaintances, some educators.  I want them to hear about it.

10. Learn to sew
My grandmother, who we lost in August to cancer, was one of a kind!  God really used her.  She was the type of person who made ANYONE feel special, she would become best friends with the person who would most likely be overlooked by others.  She was an incredible seamstress!!  And, when she became really ill and couldn't do for others like she wanted to, she was doing two things.  She was making desserts, freezing them, and taking them to people on days she felt well.  She was also sewing all of her granddaughters, and granddaughters-in-law aprons.  I have it in my kitchen! I wanted to do this in her honor, and to remind myself to be a blessing to those around me like she was.

11. Daily Quiet Time
Self-explanatory.

12. Meaningful activity with boys several times weekly
This goes along with my challenge with my friend, Katie.  I want to do arts & crafts, teach them household chores, service, etc.

13. Take more pictures!
There was a time in my life that I felt like I was taking pictures and felt like I wasn't really living, but just shooting pictures to make it look like it was.  (Does that make sense?)  So I vowed to myself to start living.  I've done that!  But, I want evidence of my kiddos growing up!  So, I need to get better at this!

14. Pray before talking
If you know me, you know I worry!  I love everyone around me, and I think if I worry enough I can fix all of their problems and mine too!!  All in the sake of love!  :)  But God, who sees it all, loves them more than I do!  I'm going to pray instead of talking and worrying!  (Now, don't expect me to get perfect on this one before the end of the year....just looking for improvement!)

15. Remember birthdays!
If you know me, you know that I'm horrible at remembering birthdays!  Or, I might remember and think I've called.  Or I might have called, and forgotten to send a gift.  For those of you that I've hurt by this, I'm sorry!  It isn't a lack of love, I'm just not good at it!  I hope to get better this year!

I'd love to hear some of yours!  Blessings on you and your family in 2012!

Fun Challenge

A few weeks before Christmas my friend, Katie, and I made challenge to do something fun with our kiddos at home everyday.  I've wanted to be able to stay home with my kids for as long as I remember, way before having them.  The desire became even stronger after Aiden came along.  So, my husband has worked very hard for our family so that my dream for our children could be realized.  It is such a blessing to be with them all day to watch them grow and learn and play.  But, it's easy to let the busyness of taking care of a household choke out actually ENJOYING them.  So, my hope is to do something intentional each day in order to spend quality time each day.  I'm not the best picture taker so I haven't captured all of them on camera.  But here's the few that I did get.  So, occasionally I'll fill you in on what we've been doing to play together!  :)

 One day Daddy was off of work, so we golfed in the back yard.

 Aiden loves to create forts and tunnels in the living room, so we made a fort village this day and played in the floor off and on throughout the day.

 The traditional "decorating the Christmas tree" pictures.  Aiden was playing with Keegan's belly button, climbing up and down the ladder, and occasional putting a few ornaments on the tree.  He was squealing with excitement, which was so fun to watch!

 Aiden often spends time with his great grandfather, affectionately re-named D-Jo.  They like to go get haircuts, go for walks with "sticks", and play "Ephant" on DJo's phone.  What a sweet relationship that they have with each other!

 We were blessed enough to have snow early in December and again on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.  Aiden and I went in the front yard to get acquainted with it, and Aiden learned to throw snowballs.  Then, later in the day we made a trip to Aunt Jayla's house to make a snowman.  He LOVED it!

 Salt dough ornaments.  He really enjoyed playing with the dough.  These are the unfinished products before the painting happened.

 Chocolate covered bananas was a yummy and fun activity!  He would say "dip, dip, dry" over and over.  It was precious!  And, of course, he loved the sampling after they were able to cool off.

 We love books at our house!  This teacher mama absolutely loves to read to my kiddos.  So, this particular day Aiden decided that he wanted to read to Keegan.  It was priceless.

 Sensory tubs were such a cool idea that I found online.  I just threw some oatmeal, elbow macaroni and measuring cups and scoops together.  He played in this nonstop for about an hour.  He really loved measuring and scooping the macaroni and oatmeal. 

 A huge slide on our drive to Corpus Christi to visit family.  He looked so grown up climbing to the top of this all by himself.  It was REALLY tall for a 2-year old. 

 Daddy and Aiden ran the movie booth at a toy drive for kids in Portland, Texas.  They had a blast!  Aiden was able to walk around and receive cookies, candies, presents, and books.  There were inflatables and the movie booth.  They served hot dogs, hot chocolate, cookies, and popcorn.  What a fun night for kids in the area!

"Grandma Connie," a special life-long friends of Dean's made a spice drop wreath with Aiden.  He loved helping a little, but eating the spice drops a lot!  It will be a fun tradition for him I'm sure!