Final Tally for January Goals!

All in all this month went ok.  I rarely can accomplish everything on my list- partly because I dream big, and partly because random life things happen that throw off my days.  And that is ok, it is just part of life in general - and especially life in a big family!

Fitness:
Run/Walk 100miles  (ran 50, walked 51.25!)
300 push ups  (390!)
Home Front:
Finish B's bed (Noah!)
Go through B's clothes
Go through E's clothes
Create some space in girls room for toys (still working on this, Berean does not want to move any toys.  We will see who wins this one.)
Deep clean upstairs bathroom
Go through everything in bathroom and purge (Noah did this with me- helps so much and makes it much more fun to do together!)
Clean and sort through our closet
clean and sort through our room
clean and sort through our office area (this is still in progress, as I decided to go through my filing system and update it.  Basically, I feel like I have been through every paper in the house that has not been archived in the basement. Lots of recycling and shredding accomplished!)
clean all upstairs carpet
delete pictures to have manageable computer files (I have been through 90% of files, but need to go through them again with Noah)
scan in pictures, memorabilia for kids files (started but not anywhere near done. HUGE job)
back up files!
pictures up on our bedroom walls
All Christmas stuff down, packed away and THROW out the stuff I don't ever use!


Finances:
stick with budget (did ok, didn't keep careful track though...)
eat out/pizza only 3 times this month (we bombed this one...not horribly money-wise, but dates ended up being eating out etc and having a barely functioning kitchen did not help this goal. Yeah, this was a fail.)

Social:
have people over 1 time (Grandma game night and impromptu small group gathering)

mini dates with each kid (the kids loved this!)
Date night with Noah
fun with friends for me x1 (went out with 2 friends- had a great time, must do it more often!)
Blog 20 times  (not super fascinating blog posts, but proved to myself that I do have time for the things I wish to make a priority)

MISC:
Dentist-me
Make 2 well child check up appts
take kids to well child check ups
make all kids dentist appts

QOTD

To get all my non-facebooking friends caught up...

QOTD: B: "Ever is a very brave baby. She let me help get her arms into her shirt, and she let me see if there was any black stuff between her toes. She is a strange baby, but very, very brave."

QOTD:  B (teary): "My shoes stepped on my fingers!"

after hearing Berean say things about cutting people's heads off, I sat down with the boys to try to figure out where she was getting this stuff. I asked them if they had been talking like that or if one of their shows used that terminology. They said that they hadn't been and then Deacon said, "it is from our history, Mom." Yup, we have been reading about Henry VIII, Bloody Mary and Queen Elizabeth...she is apparently paying more attention than I thought. 

In the 5 minute drive home Deacon used the words "protocol", "discern" and "stimulating" in conversation. I love that kid!

QOTD: B: "Roman, if you don't share your Christmas present, God will put you out of my family!" R: "yeah, right" B: "Or at least God will tell you that you have sinned!" oh brother...

  QOTD:
N: "You are a couple of beautiful girls."
B: "Yes, but Ever is not so cute anymore now that she spilled sausage pizza all over the front of my pink vest."
N: "She's still cute."

 QOTD: L: "What is a hippie?" R: "A guy who likes flowers"

 QOTD: D: "Doesn't the Sushi Olympics start on February 4th?"

coordinated a 2pm energy release playdate with neighbor. 5 boys outside creating havoc- as Deacon says, "there is all kind of mindless activities to do outside in the winter!" 

Deacon's questions and conversations during supper: "I wish I could taste with my fingers"- this was quickly retracted; and "I wish I had google in my head"- Noah told him he could have, but the upgrade was $5000 so we passed.

QOTD: D: "Mom, didn't you ever want time on the internet when you were little, just to look things up?" Me: "we didn't have the internet when I was a kid. What do you want to look up?" D: "I want to see things like if Sonic the Hedgehog has his own Wiki page".

got home from work to find little Ever, decked out in ONLY her winter coat, hat and boots waiting by the door. "Go", she said, and pointed out the door. Don't think Noah will be able to run his errands without his little buddy today!

 QOTD: (overheard) R: "we really need our own theme song." L: "you mean like a 'B---- Boys' theme song?" (pause) R: "yes, we definitely need our own theme song."

 QOTD:
B: "Can I have more Fruit Loops? I can't find any more on the floor to eat."

QOTD:
N: "We're having pancakes for lunch?"
B: "With blueberries in them?"
N: "No, sorry, I don't have any blueberries."
B: "Then why are we doing this?"

 QOTD:
N: "Why did Martin Luther nail the 95 theses to the church door?"
D: "Because he didn't like the church accepting money for their projects in exchange for going to heaven."
N: "What's the name for that?"
D: "A scam?"

QOTD: R: "Linc, guess what! (insert neighbor kid's name here) has just found an ANCIENT MAP, and it's of OUR OWN BACKYARD!" L: "Roman, I think he probably just drew it himself" R: "I know, but LET's GO FOLLOW IT ANYWAY!" 

if you want to test out your "church kid" score, check out this link
if you want to know why I sit on park benches, read  this link 

Gems from the Camera

 Sometimes I just have to laugh when Noah uploads the pictures and I see what the boys have been up to in the lego room.  I guess that is one way to make use of the skeleton mini-fig...

Day in the Life!

I missed the last couple Day in the Life Roundups, but this week I decided to join Laura and crew for the Winter Session of DITL.

Saturday

 January 25th, 2014

(I picked a weekend- weekdays are simply too chaotic to keep up with picture taking!)

Lincoln, basketball jersey over footie pjs, working on origami.

8:00-  Ever (2)  starts calling for us.   One of the boys pops a head into our room.  They have been up since 7, their usual, and their day is in full swing.  One of them gets Ever up and we remind them that if they take her out of her crib, they are in charge of her.  Deacon (10) happily agrees.  I know, I know.  We are pretty blessed that we can sleep, 5 children or not,  until 8 every morning, unless we choose to get up earlier.  Getting up earlier would put a damper on late night sheninigans, however- (midnight toilet scrubbing and laundry folding is so edgy, it makes me feel alive and I just can't give it up!).  Noah chooses to get on the treadmill first, so I lay in bed planning my to-do list until 8:20.  I leave the door closed and spend 10 minutes checking facebook, blogs and the news.  I go downstairs and learn that the morning activity of choice is Star Wars Origami.

8:30-9:15- I admire several "Fortune Teller Wookies", "Wickets" and "Han Solos". They all have cutsie names from the book series the boys are reading [Hans Foldo, Anakin Skyfolder], but I can't keep track of them all.  The boys do a nice job following the instructions and being creative. I also help finish up breakfast. The boys had made their own. Ever likes to try to make her own, but mostly make a mess. I eat a couple of pieces of toast with butter and peanut butter.  Then I clean up the main floor.  It got neglected on Friday due to taking the kids sledding in the afternoon and then having date night in the evening.  The boys are apparently cold. Deacon is wrapped in a blanket, and Lincoln has his basketball jersey on over his footie pajamas. Noah is on the treadmill.

Lincoln practices standing on his head, which he does constantly.  Noah continues on the treadmill, and I get ready for my turn.  

9:15-10:15- My running time.  I have a goal to run 50 miles and walk 50 this month.  I am on track, but I gotta get those miles in.  While I run I watch Mansfield Park via Netflex on my Kindle.  Oh, and I stay amused by watching Everyn try to get on all of her sister's clothes.

I think Noah took this picture during my warm-up.  I have to wear those silly ear protectors over my headphones because I can not find a pair of ear buds or even over the ear headphones that feel secure enough that I am not always fiddling with them.  

10:15- I get off the treadmill to find this little lady up and ready to go to the basketball game.  This is her first outfit of the day.  Yes, it is strange to have her sleep this late, but she has had some late nights and has been fighting a cold.  I always tell the boys not to wake her up, that she needs her beauty sleep, but that doesn't always mean that she gets it!  Anyway, she woke up in a good mood, so I am grateful. I took a quick shower and got ready for basketball!

We  all pile into the BRS [Roman coined TLA for Big Red Suburban {TLA - Three Letter Acronym}] and head for the first basketball games of the year for Deacon (10) and Lincoln (6).  Roman (8) doesn't like basketball too much and has decided not to play this year.  Noah coaches Lincoln's team.  The 3 siblings that were not playing spectated well.  My parents were also there, so there were plenty of laps to sit on and snacks to eat.  Notice Everyn's shirt, "Cutest Sister Ever".  I am always on the look out for shirts with her name on them! 

Both Deacon and Lincoln made a couple of baskets in their games, and they looked good out there.  This is an Upward Basketball League and it has been a great environment for them to learn the game in.  

Poor Everyn was getting sleepy by the end of the game.  Sometimes sitting in Grandma's lap, sucking her fingers and looking sad and tired is all that girl needs. She perked up with a post game Popsicle.  Lots of friends were around so we were able to visit a little and watch some of the next game before we escaped toward home.

12:30- We arrive home and I survey the kitchen.  We had a significant acute leak from our dishwasher earlier in the month [catastrophic seal failure].  We just finished the mitigation period and are now waiting on the insurance company in order to replace the floor and start the rebuilding of the kitchen.  In the meantime, one counter/cabinet is not where it should be and is blocking some of my storage cabinets.  Oh joy.  Lots of stacks, and since we are out a dishwasher right now, lots of dish washing.

We clean up a little and have leftover pot roast, carrots and onions for lunch.  The children are not impressed.  The people who dried out the kitchen floor left a path of cardboard for all of their ins and outs.  The kids ask permission to draw on it, and permission is granted.

Baby girl has nap time, man that girl loves to sleep.  Most of my other kids were done with naps before age 2, but not this girl.

Noah follows a link on facebook about good questions to ask in a relationship.  He starts asking these questions like, "When did you feel loved today?" and "How have I showed you my appreciation today?"  Who knows, maybe those questions will transform our lives.

1:30-Time to leave on the Lincoln/Mommy date.  Lincoln is so proud there holding his BOGO Culver's coupon.  I am doing "dates" with the 4 older kids this month, and so far they have been a hit!  I need the weather to warm up so that the dates all don't have to be food related!  Lincoln and I go to Culver's, have fun hanging out (even though he is my little "strong silent type"), and then go to Micheal's for butterfly cut-outs for Berean's bed and Cub for a few days supply of groceries.

3:30- We arrive home and bring the groceries in.  The plan is for spaghetti for 2 nights and pork for one night.  Noah has been working on the "big bed project".  He is making a bed for Berean, and it is getting close to completion.  As soon as I walk in Berean starts asking me for things; Noah said she didn't ask him for anything the whole time I was gone.  She has made a full outfit change, into one of her two favorite dresses. Deacon and Roman head over to the neighbor's house to play, and Lincoln and Berean start a game of their own.  Noah and I get to work putting some paint on the bed.

4:45- everyone is home and working on cleaning up so that they can have their screen time.  One kid gets their time pushed back due to some poor [selective] listening earlier.  All in all though, clean up time is productive- especially after I call them out on the shoving of things under the bed tactic.  The kids settle in for movies/computer/ds/kindle time (Angelina Ballerina for the girls!) and I finish up some walking while watching Mansfield Park.  Noah wants to put another coat of paint on the bed, so I get off the treadmill to help him with that, and then it is time for supper.  We have brats, hotdogs and stir-fried cabbage.  My mom had sent over some Monster Cookies, so we have these for dessert.  

After supper they kids helped clear the table and there was some football play in inappropriate locations.  

8:00-The girls read some books, and everyone was sent to bed.  Lincoln falls asleep relatively fast, but Deacon is up for awhile claiming he can't sleep. Noah got back on the treadmill, and I went upstairs to do some work sorting, shredding and recycling stacks of papers that I haven't gotten to for awhile.  

I watched another lame movie on Netflix as I sorted the papers, and then went downstairs to help Noah glue the bed together.  

We had intended to watch a movie together or something at the end of the day, but all of that bed-building and paper sorting was too exhausting, so we had to settle for going to bed by 11:30!  And that was our day!

Pictures from the Past

I came across these pictures in a file that my sister had given me.  This was a couple (few?) years ago and Lincoln was probably 4.  You know that 4 year old boys love to wear capes, don't you?  I had forgotten this park, but I am sure the girls would love it!  I need to add it to my "summer to-do list" for sure!

I got to hang out with this little boy on a "date" today.  He seemed very pleased to be alone with me, even though he didn't have a lot to say at the beginning.  By the end of our time together he was more chatty. 

His teachers say he is a driven learner and that he is very kind to his classmates.  He is always trying to keep up, to succeed, to be better than the other boys, even if they are older.  He has a stubborn way about him, and an inborn ability to doggedly keep trying until he masters whatever it is that he wants to do.

We tell him he doesn't have to, to just be 6- but telling him doesn't really seem to help.  So I try to encourage his play with his sister- where he can just play at a slower pace with less competition.  He is adaptable, fitting in well with everyone in the family.  With Deacon he plays rough and tumble and sports.  With Roman he plays legos and pretend.  With Berean he looks at books or does hidden pictures or plays duplos.  With Ever he is silly.

I hope that what he is learning as a  middle child and the youngest boy of 3 will serve him well in life.

Snowpants

It feels like this winter had been either freezing cold (like sub zero cold) or else snowing.  Noah can't catch a break with traffic, and I have been wearing snowpants way more than any 33 year old woman that is not a skier should have to.

Back when I was little I was always so embarrassed when my mom would wear snowpants around town, running errands, going on field trips.  But I totally get it now.  Leaning into cars to buckle children in, being the sole adult on winter time excursions- it is important to be warm and it is important to be prepared.

Somewhere along the line, however, I have also come to the conclusion that snowpants are also necessary to wear when I am going to work.  I go in late at night and I wear scrub pants that are super thin- my legs may as well be bare.  I do go from garage to parking ramp, but it is still cold.  I know some of the girls wear leggings under their scrubs, but then you actually have to change on arrival, because the job of the nurse is too active with a high likelyhood of sweat to continue to wear layered pants.  I can just slip my snowpants off in the locker room, no bathroom needed.

Coworkers do chuckle a little, but they are used to my quirky ways, and I think they are slightly jealous.  One time a patient in a wheelchair pointed and laughed as I left the hospital.  That was awkward.

On the coldest morning when I had to try to help my coworker start her car in the cold ramp for 15 minutes, only to fail, and then to drive her home with one of my windows mostly open for most of the drive- well, I was the one who was happy and warm in my snowpants.  That has solidified my decision: snowpants must be worn in the winter.  

Funny Link

Are you a homeschooler?  Do you know a homeschooler?  Do you like to laugh at homeschoolers?

If so, you will love this link!

 http://www.bubblews.com/news/1827804-homeschool-barbie

I'm still snickering. Embroidered tee shirt vs the turtleneck.  That stuff is pure gold.

Maybe sometime I will write about my plan for my girls and their furture barbie dolls, but for now I am just going to go bond with my treadmill- after all, I must look good in my denim jumper; you never know when an ankle will show!

Sunday Football Thoughts

Football day!  The boys have been excited all week, but then ended up playing outside during most of the first game.  That's ok, though, it is better for them anyway!

We were going to get Deke an Indianapolis Colts hoodie for Christmas, but through a series of events I didn't end up ordering it until after Christmas and it just arrived this week.  He was born in Indiana and (along with the rest of the family) considers the Colts one of his favorite teams.  It arrived Thursday and he has been wearing it continuously since he pulled it from the package.  Tomorrow I am going to have to get it away from him long enough to wash it!  It was just unfortunate that the team lost before the hoodie arrived.

Lincoln likes all the teams that have to do with animals.  He won't really admit it, but why else would he be continually talking about the Bengals?  He and Deacon have been drawing symbols and team names in block letters all week.

 Even though Peyton Manning doesn't have the tattoos of Kaepernick (*sigh*), he still is my favorite quarterback, and I always like to see his team succeed. Go Broncos! The boys really like the 49ers though, and I do too- what's not to love about a team who's name helps your kids remember a historical event?

Anyway, I am hoping for a Bronco-San Francisco Superbowl- we'll see what happens!  I think that game would evenly split our family cheering section- which makes it way more fun!

My Kitchen

Currently I have 3 air movers and a dehumidifier in my kitchen.  They all need to run continuously and they are very noisy. 

I never knew how annoying never-ending white noise is to my ears. It affects me much the same as  listening to continual piano music- both grate on my nerves.

Good thing it is a work weekend!

Jan goal update!

January

I have not gotten as much done on my list as I would have liked- partially due to the fact that as I was putting away the Christmas stuff, we were alerted that water was pouring through the basement ceiling.  Therefore, we have been dealing with the kitchen, water damage etc and not spending very much time deleting pictures :(  On the plus side, when this is all done with, the kitchen will have been deep cleaned!

Fitness:
Run/Walk 100miles (Run 22 and walked 20- almost on track!)
300 push ups (working on this one, by end of day should be 150!)

Home Front:
Finish B's bed (Noah!) (the end is in sight)
Go through B's clothes
Go through E's clothes
Create some space in girls room for toys
Deep clean upstairs bathroom
Go through everything in bathroom and purge
Clean and sort through our closet
clean and sort through our room (working on!)
clean and sort through our office area
clean all upstairs carpet
delete pictures to have manageable computer files (very close)
scan in pictures, memorabilia for kids files (started!)
back up files!
pictures up on our bedroom walls
All Christmas stuff down, packed away and THROW out the stuff I don't ever use!


Finances:
stick with budget (doing ok)
eat out/pizza only 3 times this month (once as a date night with Deke, N brought home chipotle once...maybe that is it?  Maybe we got pizza once before Noah read my goals?)

Social:
have people over 1 time
mini dates with each kid (Deacon done)
Date night with Noah
fun with friends for me x1 (lunch with coworkers, shopping with friend...something)
Blog 20 times (on track!)

MISC:
Dentist-me
Make 2 well child check up appts
take kids to well child check ups
make all kids dentist appts

Hair Twirling

Both of the girls are Hair Twirlers!

It's Been 6 Years

Everyn had her 2-year-old check up today.  She was non compliant with her weight check and shook her head violently "no" whenever she was asked to do something.

She refused her sticker after getting a shot, and not even Deacon's coaxing could get a smile after that injustice.

My baby has a sparkle in her little eyes, and she is a busy one.  In fact, I haven't had a busier toddler since Roman.  Her curiosity knows no bounds and I spend a great deal of time trailing her and trying to contain the disasters in her wake.

In fact, this morning at the clinic Deacon was filling out the developmental milestones questionnaire for Everyn.  He was looking ahead to the preschool section and it asked if the kid could use a scissors.  He started laughing, "oh, Evie can do this", he said.  "She loves using scissors".  And he is right.  She loves scissors, and sharpies and anything else that looks even remotely adult or dangerous.

Today she learned how to unbolt the door.  The extra lock we had to put on it for Roman's sake is no longer functioning. 

Ah, but she is cute.  Her smile is incredible and she is extremely interactive and loving.  She loves toys and playing pretend- she likes toys much more than Berean.  She just wants to be a big kid, and to keep up with everyone else. Why shouldn't she use glass cups, transfer liquids, do laundry, make food and open doors to go places?  Everybody else does.

It seems like just yesterday that I was facing trying to manage toddler Roman.  And now he is 8 years old and can do all the things he yearned to do at 2.  And I know that it will be very soon that Evie is 8 and no longer needing me with her all day long. 

But for now, we are close.  Very, very close.

Book Update!

Mid January Update!
19/53

1.Caddie Woodlawn
2.Cheaper By the Dozen
3.The Great Turkey Walk
4.The Great Wheel
5.In Search of the Source
6.Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
7.Rules of the Road
8.Across Five Aprils
9.Oh My Godmother: The Glitter Trap
10.The Tale of Despereaux
11.All Sail Set: A Romance of the Flying Cloud
12.The One and Only Ivan
13.Little Britches: Father and I were Ranchers
14.Miracle on Maple Hill
15.Moccasin Trail
16.The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children's Poems
17.The Winged Watchman
18.The Kitchen Madonna
19.Thee, Hannah!
20.Understood Betsy
21.Dragon Howl
22.Detectives in Togas
23.Follow My Leader
24.Gooney Bird Greene
25.Greek Myths for Young Children
26.Henry Huggins
27.The Year of Miss Agnes
28.The Family Under the Bridge
29.A Little Princess
30.The Cricket in Times Square
31.Kildee House
32.Red Sails to Capri
33.The School Story
34.The Apprentice
35.Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess (Platt)
36.The Child's Garden of Verses (Stevenson)
37.The Door in the Wall (de Angeli)
38.The Little Riders
39.The Minstril in the Tower
40.Tales of Robin Hood
41.The 21 Balloons
42.White Stallion of Lipizza
43.Captain Nobody
44.The Adventure of Sir Lancelot the Great
45.Sticks Across the Chimney: The Story of Denmark
46.Charlotte's Web
47. Rainy Day Poems
48.Homer Price
 49.Mr. Popper's Penguins
50.The Wheel on the School
51.Little Pear
52.Mrs Piggle-Wiggle 
53. Mr. Revere and I

Nursing

What does a nurse actually do?

I know there are all kinds of nursing, but a large portion of nurses are employed in hospitals.  I really love my job most of the time, but it is also a job that you just can't spend too much time thinking about or you just might quit.

Some of us "older" nurses have been talking about the fact that nursing schools don't seem to be preparing younger nurses properly (or else the students just aren't getting it).  Nursing is a profession, and nursing schools seem to be really trying to get their younglings to understand the professionalism of nursing.  The reality is, however, that we do a lot of things that do not seem to be of what would commonly be viewed as "of a professional nature".  A lot of the younger nurses do not seem to be prepared for the reality of nursing in an acute care setting.

So I laughed and laughed today when, on facebook, one of my coworkers summed nursing up so nicely:   "We're just over utilized. We're caught between elevating our profession and living the reality that is butt wiping and booger viewing"

Well said.

Date #1

This evening Deacon went to a birthday party.  Due to various circumstances it worked out very nicely for him, after the party, to accompany Noah and I on our dinner date.

He is growing up and a little bit obsessed with his kindle and his sudoku puzzles.  (Maybe he takes after his Grandma?)

In the restaurant I tried to point out to him all of the couples we saw where both parties were on their phones instead of interacting.  I want him to see the ridiculousness of that, the futility.  At least be on the same side of the booth, both looking at the same phone!

Anyway, we worked on a Sudoku puzzle together while we waited for our table, and then the three of us played the game "Spot It" while we waited for our food.  He seemed a little miffed that he didn't get to pick where we went for our "date", but I think he secretly enjoyed his time with just us, and we enjoyed being with him.

Going out to eat with a 10 year old is actually a perfectly pleasant, non-stressful outing.

The restaurant that we were at serves hot rolls with cinnamon butter.  He really liked them, but wanted to make sure that we had some left over to take home to share with his brothers and sisters.  I love how they are never far from his mind, or his heart.

At the bowling alley for the birthday party, he got some "points" that he could buy prizes with.  He got a small piece of candy for himself and then used the rest of his points to buy 2 rings for his sisters.  He has such a sensitive spirit, and I pray that God will enable us to encourage those traits and help him to always think of others.

I definitely want to make sure to go out with just him more often!

Snapshots From My Day

*Evie coming downstairs  all proud of herself in her new outfit, which she (with a little help from Berean) managed to get on all by herself!

*A couple minutes later heard the bath water running and ran upstairs to find Evie, in her new outfit, giving herself a fully clothed bath.

*Appliance man coming and verifying that it is, in fact, a huge leak from our dishwasher

*Helping Berean write her name, and finding that she, for some reason, is completely opposed to capital N's. This is a new hatred.

*Walking around the house wearing one slipper.  I should write a poem about this.

*Listening to 'A Little Princess' in the Suburban and seeing my boys' sense of justice take root.

*Teaching the Awana Sparks about gentleness, and realizing that I could use more gentleness in my life.

*Having a friend ask me a question that made me realize that I am a significantly different person than I used to be.

*Trying to carry on a conversation with another 'mom of many'.

*Finally got the invitation to the birthday party that Deacon lost.  Thankfully the party hasn't happened yet.

*Letting Berean call Noah and her Grandma on the phone just so that she could give a play by play of our day to someone other than me.

*Running 4 miles at the Y next to a friend while discussing homeschooling, sickness woes,  needing locks on our doors and our children.

*Realizing after my run that I am still not completely recovered from my recent illness.  My energy levels are subpar.

*Doing pushups multiple times.

*Finding my planner/calendar in the garage after searching the entire house for it multiple times.

*Driving my new Suburban and comparing pros and cons of it compared to my minivan.

*Giving multiple spelling tests.

*Learning about the Arctic Circle.  Anyone know who was the first person was to make it all the way across the Northwest Passage by ship?

*Talking Berean into going to craft class when her daddy had accidentally told her she was going swimming.

*Hauling 5 kids out of the house twice in sub zero conditions.  At least it was sunny!

*Telling the kids that they were going to have a new cousin and hearing what they would name a baby.  B would name a baby "Honey" and Deacon thinks that "Red" is a cool name.  Lincoln is partial to his own name.

*Cleaning up apple juice spilled by a baby who doesn't yet understand open cups and straws.

*Washing dishes by hand and walking on subflooring.

*Laughing about bitstrips on facebook

*Discussing our days with Noah

*Informing a child that they can't fall asleep in our bed because they are too heavy to carry back to their bed.

*Reflecting at the close of the day and looking forward to tomorrow!

Encouraging Words

I was reading Deacon's Awana book with him yesterday and helping him with his verses.  Yes, the kid can read but he is one who loves to be read to.  I mean, he will sit next to me for hours listening to me read.  Well, sometimes he is pacing and throwing a football into the air, but he is always listening.

He is a very social kid, so I don't know if reading with someone makes it a more enjoyable social thing or if it is just still so much work to read that he would rather listen.

Anyway, the book was talking about how we have so much power with words to make someone's day a little brighter or a little stormier.  We briefly talked about how true it is that words are powerful.

After every present that Berean opened, she came running over to me to ask, "did you give me these pants, Mom?"  I would say "yes" and she would hug me and say, "oh thank you, Mama, you are the best!"

She frequently will use those words, even when it is not Christmas.  Hearing her appreciation always makes me happy, and I find myself wanting to do things for her.

I have been trying to be better about being encouraging, especially at work.  You can not believe the smiles I get when I tell a coworker, "thanks for helping, you are the best!"

Today I got a facebook message from a coworker that thanked me for all the work I did the shift before she came in.  She indicated that my effort had made her shift much better.  Well, do you know what?  Her saying that to me on facebook- took her probably 30 seconds to write- made my day.

I got another email from somebody else indicating that they appreciated the extra effort that I put into a little task.  Not a big deal at all, but the fact that they noticed and took the time to commend me made me feel good.

This is something that I want to work on in 2014.  I want to be encouraging in my words, and not discouraging.  It is easier to do at work than at home,  but I am going to try!

I Should Frame This

Christmas Programs 2013

The boys were in 2 Christmas programs this year.  Their choir sang with the adult choir at our church in GLORIA! and then they, along with Berean, also participated in the Sunday School Christmas Program.  They each had a line to say (B just spoke in unison with all of the preschoolers) and they did great!

They looked pretty nice in their sweaters from Grandma Ruth!

I love "brothers" pictures!

2014!

It has been a rough couple of months, and an even rougher last couple of weeks!  The kids got hit with the stomach flu, and then caught influenza.  I had 9 days off between Christmas and this coming weekend, and I have essentially been sick for all of those days.

It is unfortunate  because I had a lot of home projects that I was hoping to get done while I was "on break" from work and homeschooling.  Alas, that was not to be, and so I am facing the jump into the second half of the school year and the first part of the New Year already feeling behind and frustrated.

I am trying to rectify that by formulating a plan!  Instead of making yearly goals or resolutions this year, I am going to make my goals on a month to month basis.

January

Fitness:
Run/Walk 100miles
300 push ups

Home Front:
Finish B's bed (Noah!)
Go through B's clothes
Go through E's clothes
Create some space in girls room for toys
Deep clean upstairs bathroom
Go through everything in bathroom and purge
Clean and sort through our closet
clean and sort through our room
clean and sort through our office area
clean all upstairs carpet
delete pictures to have manageable computer files
scan in pictures, memorabilia for kids files
back up files!
pictures up on our bedroom walls
All Christmas stuff down, packed away and THROW out the stuff I don't ever use!


Finances:
stick with budget
eat out/pizza only 3 times this month

Social:
have people over 1 time
mini dates with each kid
Date night with Noah
fun with friends for me x1 (lunch with coworkers, shopping with friend...something)
Blog 20 times

MISC:
Dentist-me
Make 2 well child check up appts
take kids to well child check ups
make all kids dentist appts

 

I have some other more personal educational/spiritual/marriage goals, but writing and publishing the above ones should help me accomplish some things that I really need to get done - for example, the picture/scanning stuff that has been put off for far too long!