Loving Life
Flashback Friday: Happy July 4th
Happy Independence Day from Brina and Karlie!!!
Today we are flashing back to July 4, 2005. It was the girls first July 4th Independence Day celebration! My Aunt gave the girls these adorable dresses to wear for the celebration.
We spent the first part of the day as usual. Getting everybody up, fed, changed, and some play time. That evening we went over to a friends house to play games and celebrate. They were good sports and happy babies the whole evening.
Brina, Riley, and Karlie all coordinated for the July 4th Holiday!
So many reasons to celebrate this July 4th!
Organized Chaos: Kids Crafts & Activities
Kids crafts
Our kids love doing a variety of crafts and fun activities. Anything from artwork to bead work to pottery and so much more! A lot of times for their birthdays or Christmas they will get some neat crafts and activities gifts to do.
We wanted to find a convenient place to store them until they had time to do the craft. Originally, we had all the craft items stored together in one general location, but not in their room(s). As the girls got older we had to start putting names on the boxes or items so each one knew which ones were theirs when they went looking for a craft to do. Since they are twins it is important as parents to make sure that each child has some items that are specifically for them. We felt like this was something easy to do regarding their crafts and it has worked out well for our family.
Once the kids moved into their own rooms we decided to put their individual crafts on one of their higher shelves in their closets. Each kid has their own individual craft or activity shelf so they can pick out their specific item whenever they want to do a craft. Some of the crafts on their shelves are the same while some are completely different. They can easily get a chair or step stool when they want to pick out a craft to do, but with the crafts being on a higher shelf it isn’t as accessible so when we have younger kids visiting the crafts stay in place and don’t get all spread out.
Crafts lined up, visible, and ready to be used.
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
Thankful for spending the extra time with my girls. They were a huge help this week. Thankful for everything Jake does for our family. I am blessed. There was so much to be thankful for last week.
I want to be accountable to you so the following are snip-its of some of the things I am thankful for this past week. Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday – Thankful for the girls help organizing the items that need to be donated and sold. They organized, took pictures, packed up the items, and went with me to deliver everything.
Tuesday – Thankful that we were able to find some swimsuits for the girls. It’s a lot of work shopping and trying on clothes but they did a great job! Grateful that Jake was able to spend some time working on the tree house fort after work.
Wednesday – Thankful that the girls had a great attitude when the movie that we went to see was sold out.
Thursday – Thankful for the girls help in getting the house picked up, supper put together and more. They are great help and for the most part we have a grand time doing it together. Thankful for laughter and a chance to have some one-on-one chitchat time.
Friday – Thankful for an opportunity eat dinner with some of Jake’s co-workers and enjoy part of the Greenville Drive game against Charleston which eventually got canceled due to rain and lightening. We still had fun!
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day!
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
The girls and I made some traction with several big projects this week. Both girls were a big help too. Thankful for some time with the kids. Jake has been busy with work and projects he is tackling too. He was able to get some work done on the tree house fort a little bit too. We altered our menu schedule a little bit because some evenings were a little crazier than we anticipated so you may see some of the same meals this week. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Roast Beef, Mash Potatoes
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Hamburgers, Steamed Vegetables
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Spinach Chicken, Fresh Salad
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Alaskan Salmon, Garlic Bread
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Roast Beef, Mash Potatoes
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week we were crazy busy, but were able to get a lot accomplished. The girls were a big help and were troopers throughout our entire week. Hoping that we will be able to have some more fun and get a lot done this week. We enjoyed spending an evening with Jake’s co-workers at the Greenville Drive game even though it got canceled due to rain and lightening on Friday night. Thankful for some extra time with the kids. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Lightening’s Last Hope by Joanna Campbell book to the kids – the kids got a cold than I got a cold so didn’t read as much this past week. Hoping to be back up to my normal self soon.
Plan one special activity with the familyPlay a Game with the FamilySpend time working on Summer WorkbooksAttend Evening Activities & EventsLunch Bags Packed for Work & Errand / Outside ActivitiesPrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)Prep & Figure out Schedule for Summer Break- Ride Bikes with the Kids – it rained at the times when we could ride our bikes
Work on special projects with the kids– cleaned out, organized, and sold items with the online garage sale as well as other projects with the kidsHang out at a park with Kids– we met friends at the park to have a picnic and playGo to the Library- Find a new local place to visit or new activity to do with the Kids – we didn’t do this one with everything else going on this week
Attend an extra-curricular activity or event- Pick up Summer Clothes for the girls (Swim suit, shorts, sandals, pjs) – we are a little late getting swimsuits this year because the girls grew out of theirs, it was harder to find them, but we got them!
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day- Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – hoping to get this working on my new phone soon
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals – fell behind when I got the cold
Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily – a little behind
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekClean House (Focus – Post Items to Sale and Take Items to Donate)– we sold a lot of stuff with the online garage sale and made over $250 which we will put towards debt, took items to donate, and was able to get some items cleaned up around the house.- Organize Chaos (Focus – Girls Scrapbooks) – we have the items together, but hoping to start everything this week (the kids are looking forward to this project)
Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Seed Goat Pen)Pet Care (Focus – New Collar for Snowball, Hay, & Mineral Bucket)- Repairs – (Focus – Girls Necklace Hangers) – Jake is hoping to work on this soon
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsRespond to Inquiry – Business Relation EmailsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attentionWork completed for clientsResearch and Plan Out Business GoalsPrep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car – working on it (should be making another payment this week)
- Payoff Medical Bills – paid some more
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt) – working on it
Pay Bills & File Paperwork- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – I DID IT! 🙂 It was a busy week and we had run out of milk, but I made it to the store on Saturday!
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Lightening’s Last Hope by Joanna Campbell book to the kids
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Family
- Spend time working on Summer Workbooks (Week #4)
- Attend Evening Activities & Events
- Lunch Bags Packed for Work & Errand / Outside Activities
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for Remaining Summer Break
- Ride Bikes with the Kids
- Work on special projects with the kids
- Hang out at a park with Kids
- Have a picnic with the Kids
- Go to the Library
- Find a new local place to visit or new activity to do with the Kids
- Attend an extra-curricular activity or event
- Turn in our Summer Reading Logs
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Clean House (Focus – Living & Dining Room)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Girls Scrapbooks)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Work on the Tree House Fort )
- Pet Care (Focus – Clean Out the Goat House)
- Repairs – (Focus – Girls Necklace Hangers)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
- Research and Plan Out Business Goals
- Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Always Remember…
Flashback Friday: First Summer
Brina completely folded in half and sleeping
This flashback Friday bounces us back to June 2005. The girls first summer! They were continuing to grow. It was amazing to see them start to learn more and change. They still could go to sleep in the most unusual (and what looked like uncomfortable) positions. Their smiles and little giggles made our days so much brighter. They put up with our silliness as parents and we had a lot of fun learning together.
We were home for the majority of the month of June. At their regular Doctors appointment they were growing and looking healthy, however, on Brina’s apnea monitor her heart rate was showing unusually high numbers so we had to go into a specialists office to get her hooked up to an EKG. We also had to bring her home on a portable EKG for a couple days to see if there were any complications. Thankfully she was fine, she just has a faster heartbeat than other kids at her age.
Karlie was our thumb sucker. She is enjoying her thumb as she falls asleep.
Snuggle bugs
Looks like mischief!
Karlie giggling as she attacks Tigger!
Karlie fast asleep with a decorative gift bow on her forehead…..she has no idea!
Love seeing those pudgy cheeks!
Brina having the EKG test done. She is not very happy with us right now.
Back home with all the EKG wires attached to her. She was more content once we were back home and didn’t seem to mind the extra wires until we pulled them off 2 days later and she had a bunch of red spots all over her belly.
Hanging out!
Silly ducks….Brina – “What are you guys looking at?” while Karlie snoozes away completely unaware of the duck on her head.
Karlie tolerated our silliness. As long as she was fed, changed, and got to play she was a happy baby.
Look at that cute milk belly! Such a huge change since her surgery the month before when she couldn’t keep anything down. Thankful for the doctors and a healthy baby.
Brina is excited about picking out gifts in the Cheaper Than Dirt Catalog…..makes Daddy so proud!
Brina showing off her fancy “pant” hat. She is not very impressed.
Karlie is not overly excited by her hat either. She is ready for her nap!
Happy Brina Bee!
Summer Reading Program – Swim Into Reading
Swim into Reading Summer Reading Theme
For many years I did a Summer Reading program at home with the girls. Each year I would come up with a fun theme and make a large display for them to see. Every time they read a book they would get to write it down and hang it up for everyone to see. This was awesome especially when the kids younger.
Our kids have always love reading as well as listening to me, my husband, or anyone read books. Audiobooks captivate their attention. We make it a regular habit to read every day to our girls and we encourage them to read as well.
Now that they are a little older we don’t do as elaborate of themes because they don’t need that visual motivate as much. I came across one of the summer themes I did not that long ago that we had a lot of fun with and wanted to share it with you. The theme we used was Swim into Reading. All the members of the family had a different color of fish and when someone finished a book they filled out their filled and hung it in the fish tank. The kids loved it.
I made our reading fish tank out of a table a light blue disposable table cloth hung on the wall. Over the blue table cloth I hung dark blue and green crepe paper.
All set up and ready for the fish from reading books to be added.
Starting to see some different colored books being added to the reading fish tank
The kids are loading up the fish tank with their different color of fish from all their reading. I wish I had taken a picture at the end of the summer. They did so well. Whenever the fan was on or when someone walked by the reading fish tank the crepe paper would move like the fish were swimming. Thankful for kids who love to read.
Catching the Kids Reading
Brina relaxing and reading on the couch
I love walking into a room and seeing my kids reading a good book. There is one kid in particular in our family that is always reading any time she gets a chance while the other one I do a silent cheer every time I see her pull out a book to read on her own. It is great seeing them get swept away into the story and hearing their little giggles as they are reading fun part makes me smile.
Reading came really easy for one of our girls while the other one it has been a lot harder. Thankfully we were able to figure out what was holding her back (dyslexia) and have spent the last few years working with reading tutors to help her develop her reading skills. It has felt like a long (and sometimes painful) process for both me as a Mom and my sweet girl, but we have gone so far. Anytime I see her reading on her own it makes my heart so happy. I love my girls and always want to encourage them as they learn various skills throughout their lives even if it means putting forth a lot of extra time and effort on my part.
All smiles as she relaxes and reads
Soaking up a good story
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
Last week was a different kind of busy with Jake’s family in town. We had a lot of fun playing, catching up, and spending time together. The week went by really fast. I am blessed. There was so much to be thankful for last week.
I want to be accountable to you so the following are snip-its of some of the things I am thankful for this past week. Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday – Thankful for the girls help with finishing up cleaning, running errands, and putting away groceries. Jake’s sister and family arrived late in the afternoon and we had a relaxing evening with them.
Tuesday – Thankful that Nadia was able to get into the dentist today and fix her tooth. The kids had a blast playing with their cousins all morning. There were some big nerf wars going on throughout the house.
Wednesday – Thankful that we were able to go with Mirm and the kids to Otter’s Creek Water Park. The kids had a great time playing in the water, swimming, going down all the slides. We took a picnic lunch at a table next to the park then went back in to swim longer. All the kids crashed on the way back home from playing so hard at the water park.
Thursday – Thankful for a chance to host Mirm’s family as well as Jake’s cousins that live in the area for the evening. We had walking tacos, great food, fun games, and more that evening. The kids enjoyed some new water balloons that Mirm picked up for the kids. It was nice seeing everyone and spending the evening together.
Friday – Thankful that the girls got off to camp well. Jake got up early to head to Charleston for work and came back later that day. Jake and I had a fun time with Jake’s extended family at Luke & Kristen’s neighborhood pool for the evening. Good foo, fun, and fellowship. It was the last time everyone was able to get together before Mirm’s family left for their next destination.
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day!
