Organized Chaos

  • The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry

    Heading to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry

    While we were in Charleston over Spring Break we made a trip to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.  We haven’t been there before so the girls were very excited.  We headed out first thing Wednesday morning to downtown Charleston so we could be there when it opened to go exploring. The girls had a blast playing in all the rooms from being creative in the art room to checking out all the nooks and crannies in the castle, splashing around in the water wise room, experimenting with golf balls using Newton’s Laws, steering the pirate ship, shopping for groceries, and all the neat games outside too.

    We had only been there for a little while and McCown Bridges came to welcome us as well as let us know about the upcoming events.   If you are in the Charleston area and want a fun place to take the kids you should check out the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry!  Here are some of the highlights of our trip to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.

    Karlie having fun exploring the castle room!

    Brina and Karlie having fun

    Brina and Karlie at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry

    What things happen in Spring?

    Walking the plank

    Brina steering the pirate ship

    Our little Karlie pirate!

    One of Karlie’s paintings. Both girls loved hanging out and doing several crafts & paintings in the art room

    Brina really liked the art room and the colored rice

  • Travel & Vacation: Rides & Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade (Orlando, FL)

    Karlie having a blast shooting laser during the Buzz Lightyear ride

    We went on several rides at Disney with the kids and had a lot of fun!  We were thankful for friends who guided us in the right direction and recommended certain rides for the kids.  There were some hilarious shows we went to as well.  A few rides the kids loved so much we went on them several times! 🙂  You can read more about our trip in the Walt Disney World post.

    Mommy and Karlie’s screen shot from the picture they took during our first game, hilarious!

    Daddy and Brina’s screen shot from the picture they took during the first game!

    What did the four older ones get themselves into now!?  Such fun exploring the place with friends!

    It threatened to rain as the parade was starting but we were prepared with disposable ponchos

    Disney – “Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade!”

    Mickey and Minnie Mouse – Your Invited, Celebrate Today!

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    We had a BLAST last week spending some extra time with Jake’s cousins kids.  They were great kids and we had fun reading, playing, and exploring together.  It was neat having a 1 year and 2 year in the house in addition to 2 – eight year olds! 🙂    Hoping to get caught up on a lot of projects this week!

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station: Peril in the Palace by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 3) finished reading and started on the next one! 🙂  I love that the chapters are short so it is easy to read one right before devotions and bed.
    2. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    3. Play a board game – played a couple little kids games (the favorite this week with the younger ones was “Don’t Break the Ice”)
    4. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before – we had a couple field trips, special events, and a busy schedule with little ones running around this week so we didn’t get our lunches packed every night this week
    5. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Take care of, play, and enjoy extra time with the little ones staying with us this week – it was a lot of FUN!!! 🙂 

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – Ummm…..I didn’t do my official exercises (does it count lifting little ones all week)?
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day – was pretty busy and notice I got behind on my water a couple days last week
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – hoping to catch up this week
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – was catching up on a book that I needed to read for an upcoming meeting
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read) – made a little progress in the evenings but not as much as I hoped

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills
    4. Work on Spring Cleaning – it was put on hold with the little ones here last week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts – by the time the kids were in bed, house picked up and prepped for the  next day I didn’t get a lot of creative blogging done this past week (hoping to catch up this week though)
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients – got the projects I had to get done completed

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Send out the Alms & Legs Meeting Reminder

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4 – went over our Grocery budget this week
    2. Payoff the Van – hoping to make an extra payment next week
    3. Pay medical bills in full – making payments (a couple have been paid off this month

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station: Revenge of a Red Knight by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 4)
    2. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    5. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    6. Attend After School Activities

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills
    4. Work on Spring Cleaning

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Send out the Alms & Legs Meeting Reminder

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. Pay medical bills in full

    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.

  • What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan

    This past weekend we got to spend some time with my parents who were in town, celebrate my nephews birthday, and spend some time with our family and two cute kids.  The week is packed full of activities, it should be fun being a family of 6 for awhile too.  The menu plan is especially important with everything that is going on this week.  Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

    Our Weekly Menu Plan

    • Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Green Bean Tator Tot Casserole, Fruit Salad
    • Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Homemade Pizza, Steamed Vegetables
    • Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Calzone, Fresh Fruit
    • Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree):  Roasted Pork Loin, Vegetable Bake
    • 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

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    We had a wonderful Spring Break with the girls.  Last week Jake had to work for a few days in the Charleston so we went with him.  It was nice to hang out together with family and create new memories.  This week we are back to the normal schedule with school back in full swing.

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 8)
    2. Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2) – almost finished, started reading it this past weekend
    3. Ride bikes / scooters / skates / roller blades with the family – rode at home and took our bikes & skates to Charleston to ride as well
    4. Go on a picnic with the kids – had a picnic with the girls at the Easter Egg Hunt & while in Charleston
    5. Play in the park together – played several parks in Charleston with the girls
    6. Visit a Museum – went to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry and the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
    7. Plan one special Activity with the Family – spent time together in Charleston doing special activities including the Cooper River Bridge Kids Run on Friday!
    8. Go on a family walk – took walk through Battery Park
    9. Get together with Family and/or Friends – had some family and friends over
    10. Play a board game – played several games with the girls
    11. Go on a special road trip – went to Charleston
    12. Slumber party
    13. Go out to dinner one evening – went out to eat while in Charleston
    14. Watch a movie or TV show together one evening – since we finished reading the Little House on the Prairie books we introduced the girls to the TV show, they were sooo excited!

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – lots of bike riding, walking, and even a mile  jog in the Kids Run
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week – since we were traveling most of the week I didn’t plan out the menu
    3. Pay all upcoming bills
    4. Start Spring Cleaning

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van – made another payment
    3. Pay medical bills in full – got one of the bills paid off, working on the other ones now

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 9)
    2. Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2)
    3. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    4. Play a board game
    5. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    6. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    7. Attend After School Activities
    8. Volunteer One Day at Girls School
    9. Prepare for Upcoming Visitors
    10. Finish the girls Bookshelf

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills
    4. Work on Spring Cleaning

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. Pay medical bills in full

    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.

  • Starting to Plan the Kids Summer Break

    Even though we have only just hit the Spring Season and entered into the month of April we are already making plans for this summer.  I was looking back through our schedule last year.  It was packed full of fun, adventures, and a lot of great memories.

    As I get ready to plan for this summer I am remembering all the good stuff we were able to do last year.  Although, I cannot know for sure what this summer may bring I am moving forward with the planning.  The picture above shows the girls brief version of our calendar for July 2012.  The calendar was simple but it helped them keep track of the big events and activities that were coming up.  We kept it on the fridge so they could see it whenever they wanted, typically they would cross out the days as they ended.

    What we would like to do:

    • Travel – last summer we visited Charleston, Florida, Kansas, and Colorado.  We are not entirely sure what it will look like this summer but we are hoping to go to at least Charleston and Kansas again.  Thankful that the girls travel well! 🙂
    • VBS – the girls love VBS and have a great time.  It also provides great opportunities for learning too.  We would like to attend at least one VBS program this summer.
    • Camp – last summer the girls attended Swim Camp as well as Horse Camp.  We would like for them to go to at least one camp this summer.  They are currently signed up for WeDo Robotics Lego Camp at Roper Mountain Science Center and Swim Camp.
    • Participate in the Library Summer Reading Program – the past 3 years the girls have participated in the Summer Reading program and have enjoyed it (as a bonus they usually earn rewards & free tickets to special events which help motivate them even more).  We plan to participate in the program again this summer!
    • Learn & Explore – we went to several educational places over the summer like Roper Mountain Science Center, Battery Park, took a Historical Carriage ride in Charleston and more.  We plan to do more educational adventures this summer, some may be the same or similar, but we are hoping to branch out and try some new activities too!
    • Relax – all the activities above are important but it is also valuable to have some time built in to rest, free time, play, and relax whether that means swinging, playing in the yard, drawing with chalk, hanging out with family, friends (and pets), riding bikes, roller skating, riding scooters, etc…

    It doesn’t seem like a lot of activities but if you figure in the traveling and the fact that we only had two months of summer vacation we really did pack a lot into it.  We hope to make the most of our summer break this year by planning some of our adventures in advance.  It will be nice to catch up with some family, spend time learning, and make some great memories.  What are your summer plans?

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    We had a great Easter weekend with the family.  I am super excited about spending some extra time with the kids since they will be out for Spring Break this week.  A lot of my goals for the upcoming week center around time spent with the family.

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 8) – still reading through with the girls
    2. Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2) – haven’t started it yet
    3. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    4. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    5. Attend After School Activities
    6. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    7. Volunteer One Day at Girls School
    8. Easter activity & celebration
    9. Get together with Family and/or Friends

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – hoping to get back into it soon
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read) – reading through it

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4 – went a little over with the Easter items
    2. Payoff the Van – made another payment
    3. Pay medical bills in full – making payments

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 8)
    2. Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2)
    3. Ride bikes / scooters / skates / roller blades with the family
    4. Go on a picnic with the kids
    5. Play in the park together
    6. Visit a Museum
    7. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    8. Go on a family walk
    9. Get together with Family and/or Friends
    10. Play a board game
    11. Go on a special road trip
    12. Slumber party
    13. Go out to dinner one evening
    14. Watch a movie or TV show together one evening

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills
    4. Start Spring Cleaning

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. Pay medical bills in full

    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.

  • What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan

    Last week was pretty full, but thankful for some time spent with family and friends.  Having the menu ready in the evenings has been a big benefit for our family and makes the evenings go much smoother.   Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

    Our Weekly Menu Plan

    • Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Cheeseburger & Macaroni, Asparagus
    • Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Tacos, Corn
    • Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Noodle Soup, Homemade Bread
    • Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree):  Blueberry Pancakes, Fresh Fruit
    • 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

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week was the typical hurricane of activities from work, volunteering, tutoring, car searching, and more.  It was really nice to have Jake in town for the entire week, glad he didn’t have to travel.  The girls are looking forward to Easter and their upcoming Spring Break!

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 7)
    2. Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2) – working on it
    3. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    4. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    5. Attend After School Activities
    6. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    7. Volunteer One Day at Girls School
    8. Easter activity & celebration
    9. Get together with Family and/or Friends

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – did three days!
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – staying up to date
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – on hold briefly
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read) – making headway

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email
    3. Send out Alms & Legs Meeting Notes

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4 – didn’t keep the reciepts or take pictures during the busy week, but I was able to stock up on meat
    2. Payoff the Van – working on it
    3. Pay medical bills in full – got a few paid off, still working on the rest
    4. Complete 2012 Taxes – YAY! (and we already got our federal refund back)!

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 8)
    2. Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2)
    3. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    4. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    5. Attend After School Activities
    6. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    7. Volunteer One Day at Girls School
    8. Easter activity & celebration
    9. Get together with Family and/or Friends

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
    5. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    2. Write and Send Out Community Group Email

    Financial Goals

    1. Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Payoff the Van
    3. Pay medical bills in full

    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.

  • What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan

    Looking forward toward a normal week with the family.  We are finally get back into a more normal routine again.  Hoping the menu plan will help keep us on track so our evenings will go smoothly.  Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

    Our Weekly Menu Plan

    • Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree):  Beef Taco Calzone, Corn
    • Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook):  Pasta Dogs, Fresh Fruit
    • Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Curry Chicken, Jasmine Rice
    • Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree): Grilled Seasoned Pork, Steamed Vegetables
    • 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