Family
Welcome 2015 Treat!
Our “Welcome 2015” Rice Krispy Treat!
The girls and I decided to make our rice krispies festive to bring in the new year. Thankful for a new year! I am looking forward to making new memories with my family and friends! I am blessed! Praying for health, safety, growth, and good times!
The “2” is made out of a Fruit Roll Up and Sour Patch Kids.
The “0” is made out of Fruit Gummies.
The “1” is a Blue Raspberry and Cherry Airheads that were rolled out and twisted together.
The “5” is made out of Starbursts.
Thankful for the many blessings and great memories as we start off the new year!
A Leaf Covered Driveway Becomes the Kids New Race Track
There are benefits living in South Carolina with a lot of trees on the property, we have a lot of leaves! Our leaf covered driveway became the kids new race track one sunny afternoon. The girls took the rake, broom, and chalk out to the driveway and made a race track. They spent the rest of the day riding their bikes, scooters, and cars around on their fresh track. Glad to see them use their creativity and vent some extra energy.
Starting line for the race track!
A maze of kid roads on our driveway!
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
I have thoroughly enjoyed having the kids home on Christmas break this past week. It is great to spend some extra time together playing, reading, cooking, celebrating, and relaxing. I haven’t missed running around for school, extra activities, and doing loads of homework. Our family had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas, spending time together, and creating memories. Even with the kids home and in between fun activities I was able to get some extra items accomplished which was nice too. I am looking forward toward another week with the kids home! Several of the activities will be the same because my main goal is to spend more time with the family.
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
Read a variety of Christmas and Library Books my Kids Picked Out from Home and the local LibraryPlan one special activity with the familyPrepare for Upcoming Holiday EventsPlay a Game with the KidsSpend Extra Time with the KidsComplete Our Christmas ShoppingFinish Wrapping GiftsCelebrate our Family ChristmasMake Cookies and Goodies with the KidsDo a craft with the kids
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day – a couple days I was having too much fun I didn’t pay attention to how much I was drinking
Continue my YouVersion plan(s)– almost done with my yearly plan!!!Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – it took more time
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week– although I had to alter it at least once last weekClean House (Focus – At least 15 minute daily “pick up” to keep the house clean as we prepped for the Holidays)Organize Chaos (Focus – Get Gifts Wrapped, Mailed, or Ready to put under Christmas Tree)- Yard Cleanup (Focus – Finish Leaves) – it rained almost everyday last week so it was too wet
Pet Care (Focus – Skipper Dog Food Bought & Bin Refilled / Snowball’s Collar Battery Changed)
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 clients
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car – working on it
- Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, and other debt) – working on it
Pay Bills & File PaperworkGo grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Read a variety of Christmas and Library Books my Kids Picked Out from Home and the local Library, including Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Prepare for Upcoming New Year Holiday Events
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Spend Extra Time with the Kids
- Celebrate our New Years
- Make Cookies and Goodies with the Kids
- Do a craft with the kids
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
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 – At least 15 minute daily “pick up” to keep the house clean as we prepped for the Holidays)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Gifts Wrap & Boxes Put Away, Gifts Put Aways)
- Yard Cleanup (Focus – Finish Leaves)
- Pet Care (Focus – New Dog House for Skipper)
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
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, 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.
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Happy Kids & Messy Mud Pies
The girls love making mud pies! I cannot count the number of times they have been found mixing up a batch of dirt, sand, clay, pebbles, water, sticks, and a variety of other treasures they find in the yard to make their special mud pies. The mud pie in this picture was made especially for me! 🙂 It is what they call a “Happy Mud Pie”! When I was a kid my Mom would let me make mud pies in the backyard so this activity brings back some fun memories for me too. Although, I don’t remember getting so dirty doing it as a kid, but my Mom may have a different opinion about that subject. Ahem…
To be honest one of the biggest reasons I am not a big fan of the kids making mud pies is because it is messy (I don’t like big messes), not to mention the random holes they happen to dig in our yard, but when I do allow it they usually have a blast and come up with some interesting creations. They always get excited when they get my approval to make mud pies! After whipping up their mud pie concoctions they will set them out in the sun to bake for a couple days. Once they are good and dry they will pop them out of their containers and proudly show us their fun creations.
The more I think about it the mud pie making process is good practice for cooking (measuring ingredients, mixing, etc…) plus it allows them to experiment, and be creative with a variety of ingredients. While I will probably never be a fan of messes sometimes I have to let go of my priorities and just allow the kids to have fun making a mess. Plus, if it is warm enough outside I can hose them down prior to coming indoors. 🙂 I am thankful for my kids and glad that they enjoy opportunities to play, be creative, and yes even make messy mud pies.
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Celebrating Christmas Eve With My Family
Brina requested homemade Monkey Bread!
Thankful for a quiet and fun Christmas Eve with my family. It was a great day! We ate read books, played games, ate great food, made gingerbread houses, watched classic Christmas movies, and more wonderful fun with the family. It is nice to have a day to spend making memories together.
We got to open a family gift a day early! Jake got us the game “Forbidden Desert – Thirst For Survival“! we had a blast playing it together TWICE today!
Making gingerbread houses out of graham crackers! We had a great time making a mess and putting them together!
They turned out pretty well!
My sweet, thoughtful, and handsome man! He drove all the way across town early this morning to get me sushi, love him!
Sushi anyone!?
Starting reading this classic Old Yeller by Fred Gipson book to the girls today…so far they are enjoying it!
My parents got us some sweet hot cashews! DELICIOUS!!!
Watched the classic Christmas movie – Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer!
Another Christmas classic – Frosty the Snowman
Love It – EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem Aquarium
Jake and the girls got me an EcoSphere Aquarium for my birthday! I knew when the package arrived that it was some type of live plant or animal based on a text I received from Jake while I was out running errands – “There was a package dropped off this morning and it is susceptible to cold, can you make sure to bring it inside?” Oh Boy! As soon as Jake was home that night the girls were begging to check out the box. There was a lot of giggling, whispering, and checking out the special package that hung out in Jake’s closet with the lights on for several days before my birthday. Hmmm….interesting.
I knew if it was susceptible to cold and required extra light and/or warmth there was a good chance it was some living item. I didn’t hear any scratching, whining, or other funky noises or smells coming from Jake’s closet so that was a good sign. I was a little perplexed at what it could be though.
I was very surprised when I opened up my special birthday present to find an EcoShpere Aquarium inside it. I had never seen an EcoSphere up close before it was very neat! They got me an aquarium with four shrimp in it.
The best part about the aquarium is that it is super easy to maintain! My kind of pet! You don’t need to feed the shrimp, clean the tank, change the water, or anything else! Oh YES, that’s awesome! You just get to enjoy watching them swim around. It is a pretty cool system and the best kind of stress free pet to have around the house! If you are wanting to get a simple and easy small aquarium this is a great one to have around!
There are several places where you can get the EcoSphere Aquarium – on the EcoSphere website, at Amazon, on Target’s website, or another retailer that sales the EcoSphere products! If you have any Amazon or Target Gift Cards that you have earned from Swagbucks you could use them to purchase your EcoSphere Aquarium too! I hope you enjoy your EcoSphere Aquarium as much as I have! This is a great Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary, or Special Event gift for someone special in your life!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
STEM Robotics Club Co-Opertition Event
The kids robot performing its first tasks!
Recently the kids STEM Robotics team had their Co-Opertition Event to test their robot. They had two practice rounds to see how their robot performed on the new map for the upcoming competition. The first tasks went smoothly, but they had a hang-up on one of the targets towards the end. It was a good trial run to see what areas they need to work on for their robot. The team did really well and had a good turn out. They have learned a lot through their STEM Club.
In between sessions the leaders of the group brought a bunch of cool activities for the kids to do to pass the time (crossword puzzles, photos to cut out, poster boards to make, coloring books, puzzles, crafts, blocks, and more fun stuff). The kids had a blast and the time between sessions flew by quickly with them doing the various fun activities! Good Job Teachers for thinking ahead! The teachers also brought fresh fruit, nuts, and bottled water as a snack for the kids.
Thankful for the teachers and volunteers who invest so much time and energy into the kids and STEM Club. They really are outstanding and foster a true love of learning. STEM Club has been a truly amazing learning, team building, and educational experience for both of our kids. The first thing the leaders said when joining the team is “It will be the hardest fun you will ever have!” They expect all the team members to work hard, but they have fun learning together!
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