Relationships: Reflecting on Memories
- Across the fields the summer sun
- Is shining, and the breeze
- Flows gently through the trees
- Like waves upon the summer seas.
- The wild flowers all along the fence
- Are dancing in the sun.
- The bees are buzzing through the fields. . .
- I’ll bet their work is fun.
- Look, there’s a path upon the hill;
- Please come and walk with m.
- For overtop the hill and down,
- A meadow we will see.
- For in the meadow there’s a brook
- That I once waded through,
- And in the meadow there are flowers
- Of every shade and hue.
- Come walk, with me along that brook
- And share this day with me.
- As carefree children once again
- We live in memory.
– Bonnie Gaunt
Our lives are sprinkled with a variety of memories. Some of those memories bring a smile to our face while others bring a tear of sadness to our eyes. Memories can come rushing back when one or more of our senses are spiked such as a familiar place, smell, or sound.
When we walk along a stream or visit a familiar area with a family member or friend we get a glance into the past. It’s important to take the time to remember those good times. Relax in a quiet walk with someone dear to us. Taking the time to laugh at the good times and great memories we have shared over the years. Life goes by quickly and no one is guaranteed another day, but we have today so let’s make the best of what we have with those we love.
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
It was a week fun filled week with a lot of work, travel, time with extended family, and neat activities. Thankful for an opportunity to travel for a few days to spend catching up with family. I added the weekend since this week as well. Grateful for safety as we traveled to see people and for the wonderful memories that were made along the way.
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 in getting some tasks done around the house. It was a busy day of prepping and packing. The girls packed their entire suitcases by themselves so that saved me time from rounding up all their items and getting them in the suitcase.
Tuesday – Thankful for friends that are willing to watch our house and pets while we were away visiting family in New England. It is good knowing that the everything is being cared for while we are away.
Wednesday – Thankful for a job that I can work part time so I can travel with my family as well. Jake dropped me off at work this morning and picked me up early afternoon to drive to the airport so we could fly out to see family in New England. Also, grateful for airplanes and the ability to travel places relatively quickly. Thankful safety in our travels.
Thursday – Thankful for time to spend with Jake’s Mom and grandparents in Vermont. It was cooler in Vermont but the girls had a grand time with Grandma Kay, Nana, PopPop, and their chickens, puppy, and exploring the woods.
Friday – Thankful for another fun filled day in Vermont to spend time with family.
Saturday – Thankful for a safe trip to Connecticut and an opportunity to spend time with Jake’s Dad. The girls had a blast!
Sunday – Thankful for a safe trip to Massachusetts to visit with Jake’s cousin Matt and his family.
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!
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
It has been a fun, but busy week. I am keeping my list shorter for the upcoming week so I can focus on time with family and friends. Thankful for time to spend with people in my life. It is always great having adventures, learning, and making memories with people around me. Grateful for the opportunities I have been given. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids. – getting through it
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids. – read some of it to the girls
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids. – working through flash cards
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids. – learning more with the kids
- Do devotions, reflecting on our blessings, and prayer time with kids every night. – off schedule with some travel at the end of the week
Plan one special activity with the familyPlay a Game with the Kids-
Attend After Work Activities Lunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activitiesPrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break- Ride Bikes with the Kids – was not able to fit it in this week
Work on family projects togetherPack suitcase for next family adventure- Daily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under control – did the first half of the week
Kid Goals
Have kids do 1st week in Summer Workbook(s)Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a day- Sign up kids for the Easley, Anderson, & Greenville County Summer Library Reading Programs – have it started, but not all the programs done yet
- Sign up kids for Barnes & Noble and other similar reading programs – started
Have kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week)Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skillsEach kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blogSpend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skillsKids start packing suitcases for next family adventureAt least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day- Keep up with my FitBit Goals – did better
- Do yoga at least 5 times a week – the off schedule made it harder
Go to my Appointments Scheduled this weekUpdate Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries dailyTackle some lingering projects on my “to do” list
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 – Normal Maintenance Cleaning)Organize Chaos (Focus – Start getting the Laundry Room back together and organized so we can clean up the family room downstairs)Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Plant Lilly Flower and Blueberry Bush – weather permitting)Pet Care (Focus – Refill Skipper’s Feeder)Repairs – (Focus – Check on Water Heater Recall Notice we received)
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 clientsNotes typed for workMeeting regarding work goals and upcoming tasks completedFolders Labeled for work- Desk drawers organized – almost there
- Do at least 5 blog posts this week – other priorities popped up
Catch up on Hootesuite- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update – more to upload
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchOne-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor – not quite settled on a time for all parties
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – working on it
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork – getting it done
- Go grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budget – did it for the most part, but had traveling this week
- Sell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use – work in progress
- Take items to the recycling distributor – was not able to do this week
- Make meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending – started out well at the beginning of the week, but do to traveling wasn’t able to do so the later part of the week
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids.
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Spend extra time with family and friends
Kid Goals
- At least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- Maintenance items only
Business Goals
- Maintenance items only
Financial Goals
- Maintenance items only
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.
- Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids. – getting through it
Congratulations Brina! Regional Science Fair Champion – Cupcakes on the Rise Project
Brina bringing back her trophy!
Brina has worked really hard over the past few months on her Science Fair project, Cupcakes on the rise! She has made approximately 410 cupcakes since starting her experiments. Our fridge has been full of chocolate cupcakes and she as well as Karlie have taken a lot of cupcakes to school everyone week to share with their friends and classmates. Proud of Brina for all her hard work.
Regional Science Fair Champion – Brina!!!
For her science experiment Brina picked a cooking experiment. She wanted to find out the difference in the heights of cupcakes when you use eggs versus egg substitutes (like applesauce and egg replacer). Many people have allergies and it is important when making food for people with these allergies to know how the recipes will turn out. The eggs act as binding agents in cupcakes, but will non-egg cupcakes turn out similar and tasty. Are there any noticeable differences specifically in height (but also observations regarding taste, texture, how perishable the cupcakes are, and more information).
Congratulating my sweet girl on her win! She was still in shock, but excited and pleased!
Brina started working on her Science project months ago. She started with making cupcakes one batch at a time. Brina did everything in making the cupcakes (a couple of times Mom or Dad chipped in and helped with clean up, but otherwise she did it on her own). Next she took the information from her experiments and created her journal, graphs, took pictures, and more. Once she had all her experiments completed and the journal was complete she started working on her display board. She added all the required and key information on her board and then spent the next few days adding more cute decorations to make it fun and appealing. There were a lot of stickers used in the process! 🙂 The display board turned out well too.
Jake and Brina at the Regional Science Fair Ceremony! Way to go kiddo!
She discovered that although the applesauce and egg replacers do act sufficiently as binding agents in cupcakes they do not rise as high as the cupcakes containing eggs. The taste and textures of the non-egg cupcakes were not only acceptable, but preferred by some family and friends. The day before her school’s Science Fair presentations she made another batch of cookies to share with her and Karlie’s classmates. She won the opportunity to go to regional the following week! The day before the regional Science Fair competition she made another batch of cupcakes with the 3 different binding agents to take for the judges to enjoy. Jake took her during the school day to set up her project and we came back for the ceremony that evening. We were pleasantly surprised when they announced her as the 1st place winner for the Regional Science Fair 2016. She won a trophy, certificate, medal, and a cash prize for her Science Fair Project.
Standing with my sweet Brina by her display board, cupcake goodies, and all her awards! Good job Brina Bee!!!
Thankful for an opportunity to see Brina work for months through the Science Fair process and her hard work get rewarded. She is a great cook and always a big help in the kitchen. The project was fun, tasty, and a great learning experience for everyone in our family.
Karlie’s Science Fair Project! More = Less!
More = Less!
Karlie did a fun Science Fair project this year for 5th grade! It was fun and a great learning experience for her. Her friends and classmates were fascinated by it. We are proud of her hard work!
The purpose of the experiment was to see if the changing the velocity movement through a pipe will cause the pressure to increase? Bernoulli’s Principle says that when a fluid is traveling in a horizontal direction, as the velocity increases the pressure will decrease and vice versa. The principle shows when the pressure is at it’s lowest, and is at it’s highest. Some of the things that use Bernoulli’s Principle are race cars, airplanes (Bernoulli’s Principle makes it possible to fly), and it helps a baseball player throw a curve ball. The fluids increase speed, when pushed through a narrower space, will cause internal pressure to decrease even though it is in a tighter space. The external pressure increase at slower speeds.
Karlie presenting her Science Fair Project! She did excellent!
Relationships: Now & Forever
Forever
When I look in your eyes and see your bright smile and feel your comforting touch, when I hear all the love in those warm, caring words that encourage and cheer me so much. There’s a feeling I have that “forever” is ours, that, no matter the season or weather, Our hearts will be filled with the same kind of magic and love that first brought us together. – Emily Matthews
A great reminder for those of us who are married. Our spouses know us better than anyone else. They know how to make us laugh and push our buttons. There will be days when life is smooth and bright while other days may have a few storm clouds brewing in the distance.
Take the time to talk with your spouse. Share your heart. Spend time doing projects and fun activities together. Go on a date. Relax, snuggle, and share a hug. It doesn’t matter if you have been married for a few days or many years investing in your partner is important.
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Thankful for extra time with my family. This week will be a little different so the dinner menu will be super simple. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pasta Entree): Grilled Hamburgers, Grilled Vegetables
- Tuesday (Seafood or Soup Entree): Baked Salmon, Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Special Event
- Thursday (Pork Entree or Kid‘s Night to Cook): Special Event
- 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 pasta 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 Pasta Entree): Grilled Hamburgers, Grilled Vegetables
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
It was really nice having an extra day tacked onto our weekend this past week with Memorial Day, but felt like we were playing catch up at work and in other areas the rest of the week. Thankful for the extra time with my family. We (mostly Jake really) got a lot done on the laundry room. It is looking good. We still have some more work to get it finished up, but at least it is usable and the washer and dryer are hooked back up.
The girls wrapped up their last couple of days of school. No more elementary school drop offs for our family. They are enjoying the start of their summer break. Late on Friday afternoon they joined me at work and helped get some items organized at the office. Thankful for their willingness to pitch in and help! They were excited to spend time with me at work. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids. – over halfway through the book, the chapters are short, however, sometimes we only have time to read 1 chapter a day with everything going on.
Read 7 Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.- Do devotions, reflecting on our blessings, and prayer time with kids every night. – prayer time and blessings (yes), but did not do kids devotions every night – they were crashing on us a couple of nights at bed time.
- Plan one special activity with the family – planned a SUPER AWESOME activity, but cannot share yet – they may read it here…..I will reveal our fun activity once we’ve had a chance to tell the kids the surprise first! 🙂
Play a Game with the Kids– played a Horse board game with the girls (cannot remember the exact name of it, but you collect ranch and wild horses as you go around the game board). Neat game the girls got from my parents a year or two ago.Attend After Work ActivitiesLunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activitiesPrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)– yes, we prepped for our upcoming trip and was able to get some items completed – still have a little more planning to get done over the next few days / weeks!Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break– getting everything figured out- Ride Bikes with the Kids – was not able to get this done this weekend, we had fun, got things done, but couldn’t do everything! 🙁
Work on family projects together –moving forward in the right direction on our projects (wish we had more time to get more items accomplished)Start packing suitcase for next family adventure- Daily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under control – we did this several times, but not consistently every day. It did work well when we did do it!
Kid Goals
- Have kids do 1st week in Summer Workbook(s) – since it was a partial school week / summer vacation week they did not get this done, hopefully we’ll get it done soon.
Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a day– they read daily on their non-school days when they were on summer break- Sign up kids for the Easley, Anderson, & Greenville County Summer Library Reading Programs – was only able to make a quick trip to the library to return books, wasn’t able to get them signed up for all the programs yet
- Sign up kids for Barnes & Noble and other similar reading programs – hoping to do it this week
Have kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week)Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skills- Each kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blog – one finished 2 blogs another did not get 2 completely done
Spend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skillsKids start packing suitcases for next family adventureAt least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day- Keep up with my FitBit Goals – hit a bunch of my goals, but missed a few!
- Do yoga at least 5 times a week – missed one day….so close!
Go to my Appointments Scheduled this weekUpdate Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries dailyTackle some lingering projects on my “to do” list
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week- Clean House (Focus – Laundry Room Remodeling Work Completed) – was able to get a lot of items completed, but the entire laundry room is not done quite yet. Will need to put it on hold as we tackle some other activities the next couple of weeks, it is still on our priority list though!
Organize Chaos (Focus – Refill Kids Snack Bins – hope to focus again on the laundry room in the future once further along)Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Plant Lilly Flower and Blueberry Bush – weather permitting)- Pet Care (Focus – Replant grass in Goat pen) – Jake was able to get their collars working again, but we weren’t able to replant the grass yet
- Repairs – (Focus – Refinishing our Laundry room, painting and laying new flooring) – flooring is completely laid – thanks Babe! Still need to add the molding, fix the door frame, paint the doors, add the closet door, put up 1 more wall, ceiling, and add the last sections of shelving.
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- Notes typed for work – was able to get some of them completed
- Folders Labeled for work – made good progress
- Desk drawers organized – was able to move forward, still more to do
- Do at least 5 blog posts this week – close but not quite there this week
- Catch up on Hootesuite – almost caught up
- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update – was able to get a start but have more to catch up!
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchOne-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor – still trying to get it on the schedule
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – made one extra payment this week
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork – paid and filed most of them
- Go grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budget – very close
- Sell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use – work in progress
- Take items to the recycling distributor – was not able to get this done this week.
- Make meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending – got home late one evening and didn’t have dinner already prepped
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids.
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.
- Do devotions, reflecting on our blessings, and prayer time with kids every night.
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Attend After Work Activities
- Lunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activities
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break
- Ride Bikes with the Kids
- Work on family projects together
- Pack suitcase for next family adventure
- Daily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under control
Kid Goals
- Have kids do 1st week in Summer Workbook(s)
- Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a day
- Sign up kids for the Easley, Anderson, & Greenville County Summer Library Reading Programs
- Sign up kids for Barnes & Noble and other similar reading programs
- Have kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week)
- Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skills
- Each kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blog
- Spend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skills
- Kids start packing suitcases for next family adventure
- At least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Do yoga at least 5 times a week
- Go to my Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
- Tackle some lingering projects on my “to do” list
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 – Normal Maintenance Cleaning)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Start getting the Laundry Room back together and organized so we can clean up the family room downstairs)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Plant Lilly Flower and Blueberry Bush – weather permitting)
- Pet Care (Focus – Refill Skipper’s Feeder)
- Repairs – (Focus – Check on Water Heater Recall Notice we received)
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
- Notes typed for work
- Meeting regarding work goals and upcoming tasks completed
- Folders Labeled for work
- Desk drawers organized
- Do at least 5 blog posts this week
- Catch up on Hootesuite
- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- One-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budget
- Sell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use
- Take items to the recycling distributor
- Make meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending
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.
Brina & Karlie’s 5th Grade Graduation Party & Celebration!
Brina and Karlie with Mrs. Johnson at their Graduation Celebration Party! Mrs. Johnson was Karlie’s homeroom teacher in 2nd Grade, taught Karlie in Gift & Talented Program from 3rd grade up, and was both girls STEM Club Coach for 2 years. Excellent teacher!!!
Such a sweet Daddy spent a lot of time helping get ready for this big day including helping cut starfish, decorate, blow up balloons, and so much more. Thankful to have a partner that pitches in and takes the time to celebrate with the kids!
Luau theme at the Grad Party! The kids had a blast!
Karlie with her homeroom teacher Mr. Moore and her friend David! Mr. Moore was an awesome teacher!
Brina hanging out with her friend at the party!
Sweet Sisters! Thankful for these two girls!School: Karlie’s 5th Grade Awards! Good Job KARLIE!
Karlie’s 5th Grade Awards!
Brina and Karlie had their 5th grade Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 27, 2016. There is something both unique and special about having twins because they challenge and encourage each other in many areas of their lives. Thankful for the girls love of learning. It is great seeing them grow up into amazing young ladies!
Jake and I knew the girls did really well this year, worked hard, and got decent grades, but we were still surprised at how well they did. Thankful for all their hardwork regarding school. It has obviously paid off and they have learned a lot throughout the year. They did fantastic this year. It was a tough year, but it was worth all their effort!
All there teachers were excellent and encouraged them to learn a lot while making learning fun for the students! Their Homeroom Teachers, Gifted & Talented Teacher, Reading Teacher, and STEM Club Coaches, Library Leader, Chorus Director, Safety Patrol Leader, Beta Club Leader, the Administration Leadership Team and more were all good about communicating with the parents which is always key in helping the kids be successful. Thankful for all the teachers and all energy they put into our kids this school year.
We are VERY PROUD of the hard work Karlie put forward this year and the amount she was able to accomplish throughout her 5th grade year! The girls have the biggest class in the school so it is a huge honor to get these awards. Way to go kiddo!!!
Karlie received the following 18 Award Certificates, 13 Award Medals, 3 Award Pins, 2 Trophies, & 4 Specialty Awards:
- 1 – Highest Math Achievement Awards (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – Highest Social Studies Achievement Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – Highest Reading Achievement Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – Highest Science Achievement Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – Highest Language Arts Achievement Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – “A” Honor Roll Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – Jet Toy Challenge Competition Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal – Brina’s Team went to Regional Competition)
- 1 – 5th Grade Elementary School Diploma (It’s official that she has graduated up to 6th grade – Middle School. Received 1 Award Certificate, 1 Award Medal, & 1 Stuffed Bear)
- 1 – Helping Hands & Beta Club Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal – for doing Community Service Projects throughout the school year)
- 1 – Chorus Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal – participated in Community Chorus Events & Activities throughout the year)
- 1 – Academic Excellence Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – Library Assistant & Book Worm Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Adorable Book Worm)
- 1 – President’s Education Awards for Outstanding Academic Excellence (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Pin)
- 1 – Safety Patrol Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Pin)
- 1 – 1st Place Accelerated Reading Award & Trophy (Received 1 Award Certificate, 1 Award Medal, & 1 Trophy – Karlie broke her schools record in highest AR Points!!!)
- 1 – Children’s Book Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Award Medal)
- 1 – STEM Club Award (STEM Club Team – went to state) (Received 1 Award Certificate, 1 Award Pin, & STEM Organizer for next school year)
- 1 – Gift & Talented “GT” Gift Award (Received a Karlie’s Characteristic Gift Award from GT Teacher and Classmates
- 1 – All A’s All Years in Elementary School Award (Received 1 Award Certificate & 1 Trophy)
Karlie and Brina together received 34 Award Certificates + 25 Award Medals + 6 Award Pins + 3 Trophies + 1 Cash Prize + 7 Specialty Awards at their 5th Grade Awards Ceremony!
Love these girls! XOXO
