Working on #22...

Ah yes, it's almost February. For our family, that means it's officially TAX TIME. Mike is an Accountant and, if he had it his way, he thinks everyone should begin their taxes on February 1st.

(I think I just heard a roar of laughter from across the nation...)

Bless his heart, right?

We recently got an Income Tax Organizer from Smead and Mike is actually giddy to get started on our taxes this week. Finally an organizational tool that makes HIS life easier! 

It's a file folder with six divided pockets to organize tax paperwork for categories like deductions & credit items, charitable contributions, medical expenses, mortgage interest and more.  Instead of tossing all of the tax-related receipts through the year in one file folder and separating everything out when we do our taxes in February (or for most of you...April), we can put the paperwork in the right section throughout the year, making tax time much easier for Mike!  It was so cute watching him agonize over which labels to put on which file tabs.  Welcome to my world of organizational bliss, honey!

We also got a monthly accordion file to sort receipts and other paperwork for each month.  It can work instead of a file cabinet and can be taken on-the-go. 

Why would I need this, you ask?  Simple: I have an issue with paperwork.  For one, I keep too many receipts.  You wanna know why?  Because everyone requires a receipt for everything anymore!  I always think, "What if I need this for a return...?" or "What if it breaks or fades or shrinks or goes on sale in the next two weeks???"  So I file it away and may or may not ever find it when I actually need it.

In the past, I've organized non-tax receipts by category (groceries, clothing, gifts given, household, etc) but some receipts belong in multiple categories (I blame Walmart and Target for this issue!) and I forget where things are filed when I need to return something.  (I know what you're thinking: YES, I do return that many things.  I'm a horrible impulse shopper and often find myself with too many wants vs. what we actually need.)

Now that we have this fun new monthly accordion file, I'm going to sort all of our non-tax receipts by month.  In January 2012, all of the receipts for January 2011 will be shredded. 

I spent about an hour this weekend pulling all of my old receipts, labeling them "2010" and sticking them in the December section.  I'm starting with a clean slate this month/year with a new system for our paperwork and receipts.  I'm ready to know what goes where and am hoping to be able to find the things I'm looking for in our office!

I'm excited that our paperwork will have an expiration date for purging purposes.  We'll see if this new system helps me cross #22 ("Develop a workable system for paperwork in the office") off my list of 101 Goals in 1001 Days - ?  Here's hoping!!!

Meal Plan 1/31/11

Monday - Leftover {Crock Pot} White Chicken Chili
Tuesday - Citrus Baked Salmon*, Orange Rice* and salad
Wednesday - Braised Balsamic Chicken*, broccoli and mashed potatoes
Thursday - Spaghetti and Meatballs with Whole Wheat Bread
Friday - Southwestern Quinoa Casserole*
Saturday - BBQ on the grill
Sunday - Super Bowl Party - yellow, green and black tortilla chips and homemade salsa, teriyaki meatballs, sugar cookies with chocolate frosting shaped like footballs, homemade chocolate cake with green frosting (decorated like a football field)

* New recipes - will review next week

#39 - Visit a friend in the hospital

I fully intended to cross this off my 101 Goals in 1001 Days list in a couple of weeks when my BFF has her 4th baby (and I still will, Jess, no worries!) BUT I got the unfortunate opportunity to accomplish this task a little early.

My aunt Carolyn, who just turned 50 last week, had to be hospitalized after having a stroke on Thursday.  She's doing better, but really needs your prayers.  She is a single mom to a 17 year old autistic son with ADHD and several other behavioral issues.  Because of my aunt's financial situation, she receives medical aide from the state, so they will likely have to be involved in my cousin's care while she is in rehab for the next month.  It's a scary situation that will certainly result in him back-sliding in his (already slow-going) behavioral progress. 

So if you think about my aunt Carolyn and cousin Shane, could you please lift them up in prayer?  We know that God is in complete control of this situation and that everything happens for a reason...we're just praying for a full recovery and wisdom in how to move forward with the state assistance they require.

Now go hug your family. Most of us take our health for granted...myself included!

Friday Favorites - Top 10 Kitchen Things

It's been a while since I posted Friday Favorites!  Here are my favorite kitchen tools. (Some of my pictures are a little blue-ish because my white balance was on the wrong setting.  Oops!)

Apple Corer/Slicer - This product is in my dishwasher almost every time I run it. We eat a LOT of apples in our house and this is absolutely a favorite product of mine. (you can use it for pears, too) This and the apple corer/peeler/slicer thing that makes apple pies so easy to make. My kids love helping crank the handle when I make Apple Fritters.

Bread Machine - Because without it, we wouldn't eat homemade bread.  In this season of my life, I just don't have the energy to mix, knead, rise, punch down, rise again.  The bread machine does it all for me.  I set it on "dough cycle," 90 minutes later I dump it into a loaf pan for one final rise, 20 minutes later it bakes for 25 minutes while I cook the rest of dinner.  Done. My house smells delicious and my family thinks I walk on water.

Crock Pot - (I just realized I'm accidentally listing these in alphabetically order...I'm anal even when I don't try to be!!!)  Throw dinner together in the morning, come home to a homecooked meal in the evening.  What's not to love?

KitchenAid Mixer - Could I live without it?  Yes.  But with three little kids "helping," it's so much easier to be hands-free when mixing ingredients.

Mini spatulas - These are so perfect for getting out the first piece of cake or brownie without tearing apart the whole pan.  I really do love my little tiny spatulas.  I have three of them, believe it or not!

Pizza cutter - Not just for pizza anymore!  This is in my dishwasher almost every wash cycle, too.  I use it to quickly cut up food for the kids: eggs, pancakes, waffles, quesadillas and, of course, pizza.  It's so much easier than the old school fork and knife!

Scraper - (I *think* this is called a scraper???) Making homemade sugar cookies or anything that needs to be rolled is so easy with this tool!  I use it to pull up the cookie dough shapes and place them on the cookie sheets (so they don't tear) and I use it to scrape the counter of flour, directly into the trash can. Easy clean up with no messy, floury hands!

Cookie scoops - Again, a multi-use tool!  I no longer hand-roll meatballs anymore, plus I obviously use these for cookies and filling muffin tins or cupcakes...I love, love, love them.  (I'm seeing a theme here of tools that keep my hands clean while cooking...)

Magic Bullet - Smoothie for one, please.  When my blender broke last year, I replaced it with this little guy.  (actually, Mike's mom bought it for me for my birthday, but still)  I once ran out of tomato sauce for a recipe, so I just dumped a can of stewed tomatoes in the Magic Bullet, pulsed for a few seconds and voila. The container takes up as much room as a glass in the dishwasher.  LOVE!

Glass storage containers - I bought these at Costco and they're just wonderful.  I can reheat things without worrying about the weird "no plastic in the microwave" issues.  They nest easily in the cabinet.  They're pretty in my fridge.  I mean really, what's not to love?

So that's my list. What kitchen tool could you not live without?

#96 - Go to bed at 9:00 every day for a week straight

Well, I did it.  WHY it took me TWO YEARS to cross this simple task off my list of 101 Goals in 1001 Days, is beyond me.

I'm now in the habit of going to bed between 9-9:30 instead of 10-10:30 and overall, it's making me a much nicer happier person to be around.  I've figured out why this is a good thing for me, even though I'm naturally a night person:

- I've been waking up before the kids instead of waiting for the kids to wake ME up.  This is a much kinder, gentler way to start the day!
- I have a few minutes of peace and quiet to wake up slowly instead of being bombarded from the moment my mind is approaching consciousness.
- I don't waste time on the computer or watching stupid tv shows for that extra hour every night.
- There's no early afternoon decrease in energy, which is when I used to be tempted to take a nap or sit down and procrastinate things that need to be done because I'm "too tired."
- Having a 9pm bedtime created a sense of urgency.  For that week, I noticed myself rushing around to tidy the kitchen, pack lunches, throw in a load of laundry and return emails before 8:30 so I could have enough time to wind down and actually be in bed at 9:00.

I recently stumbled upon a post with quick tips on Why and How to Become a Morning Person.  If you need some motivation to become a morning person, these tips are worth a quick read!

It took me a few days to write about completing this goal, and since the last 9pm night, I've been turning off the lights around 9:15-9:30.  I like the new, earlier bedtime routine!  It's working for me.

Q&A Wednesday - Kid Vitamins and Clarifying "No Sugar"

Living By Faith asked, "Curious to know, what vitamins do you give {Jason}? I'm on a search or vitamins for my 15 month old and he WILL NOT take those drop ones you can get. I'm about tempted to hand him a gummy bear!"

Recently, we've switched all of our kids to liquid vitamins that we buy at Costco, called "Reviva." They're around $20, I think, but it lasts quite a while.  We give Jason 1/2 of the dose we give the bigger kids and they all love it. I hope that's helpful!

---------------------------------------------------------

BethAnne made a comment regarding my post Good-bye sugar, hello gum! "Oh my.....that is a huge undertaking!!  Does that include all things that list sugar as an ingredient?"

In a word, yes.  If sugar is in the first 5 ingredients (or any form of sugar, including high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, honey...also no artificial sweeteners) - it didn't touch my lips. 

I tried just doing "no desserts" which included something sweet after lunch/dinner and usually during Ryan's after school snack, but that didn't cut it.  Allowing any kind of real or artificial sweetener in my diet kept the mid-day and after-dinner cravings on the forefront of my mind.  After 3-4 days (of sticking to absolutely NO sugar in the first 5 ingredients) got the cravings out of my system and the temptation was completely gone.

I last about 2 weeks without sugar, then Mike insisted on making homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Apparently, he didn't realize I had taken myself off sugar and made the kind of loving, supporting comment only a fellow sugar addict would make: "Just because I make cookies, doesn't mean you need to eat them."  Um, RIGHT!  Smell up the whole house with the warm, melty goodness...they are my favorite sweet treat, after all. Thanks for helping the cause, honey!!!

Needless to say, I caved and had one.  Then I ate 4 more.  The good news is that I felt nauseous the rest of the night, so it deterred me from being tempted for a few more days.  Then I made some Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting for our Bible study and just had to have a taste.  Oh man, it was so worth it.  (ahem...both pieces...)  But then I felt sick again.  Thankfully, my body is no longer used to mass quantities of garbage anymore!

The natural sweetness in fruits (specifically apples) always help me during those first few days of "detox."  I also like to snack on popcorn because it's piece-y and I can grab some throughout the day when I get the munchies.  And, of course, I chew a lot of gum with Xylitol, hence the post title.

Sugar is poison for our bodies.  It messes with our mood, it compromises our immune system, plus it makes us fat because the more sugar you eat, the more you crave. 

I think I've gotten to the point where I'm going to have 4-6 "no sugar days" each week and plan my cheats.  Parties, Bunco night, birthday celebrations...that way I'll have no guilt and I won't feel like I lack self control. 

I'm so sick of the roller coaster of attempted will power followed by a guilty conscience.  Who needs more guilt???  If you think you might be addicted to sugar, look up some articles explaining why sugar is bad for you and consider overcoming the addiction naturally.

Come on...join me!  Everyone's doing it...  :)

Valentine Idea

A few years ago, I stole saw this great idea for my kids' Valentine cards. (on Becky Higgins' blog)  I've heard from the parents of Ryan's old classmates that kids in his pre-school class still have their Valentines, even 4 years later!  So I keep duplicating the idea.

I start by adding text to one picture...

Then I create duplicates to print to give to classmates...

Last year, Hobby Lobby had a huge sale after Valentine's day and I picked up a bunch of goodie bags.  Of course, this month I've spent $10 on candy to fill the bags, but that's another story.  So much for trying to be frugal! Kaylin and I had fun putting them together for Ryan's and her class.

Last year, our computer died after I made Kaylin's Valentines, but before I had the chance to print them.  Once we finally got access to all of the information on our old computer, I didn't want the cuteness wasted, so I printed out a 5x7 copy of the picture to frame.  This will come out each Jan/February and be stored with our {limited} box of Valentine decorations.

Oh - and I had the greatest "wish I would have thought of this sooner" idea while filling the goodie bags.  All of the Christmas-colored candy was on super-sale after Christmas, right?  Next year, I'm going to load up on Hershey's Kisses and M&Ms, then separate out the red ones for Valentine's day and the green ones for St. Patrick's Day.  Because they all taste the same!  Hopefully, I'll remember next year.  And I hope you will, too!

Meal Plan - 1/24/11

Monday - Breakfast for dinner - Whole Wheat Crepes
Tuesday - Chicken Fried Rice
 Wednesday - {Crock Pot} White Chicken Chili
Thursday - Bowties with Broccoli & Sausage
Friday - Crust-less Quiche with broccoli and Whole Wheat Bread
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Chicken on the grill with vegetables

Other stuff:
Peach Crisp
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting for our Bible study

Jason at 15 months: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Wow - I feel like I haven't posted an update about Jason in forever!  But it's officially time.  Because he's growing like a weed (he eats as much as Ryan did a few weeks ago...and Ryan now eats as much as Mike!) and he's talking and getting ready to walk any day now (yeah, I know...my kids are so slow) and before I know it, he's going to stop doing a lot of the cute things he's doing now. And I don't want to forget any of it!

So, here goes...

Such a happy boy...most of the time!

The Good:

- Jason is unbelievably social.  He says, "Hi" all. the. time.  To anyone, anywhere.  Even to us at home and especially when he's doing something wrong.  He looks over and says, "Hi!" when he gets caught going up the stairs or playing with the phone and always after he's told, "no."  It's his universal word for, "Everything's good on my end...are we cool?"  He's such a little charmer.  After strangers say, "Well hi! (then to me) Isn't he cute?!" and he continues to say, "Hi...hi...hi..." I always say, "He's going to be my politician."  He just loves the attention.

- Jason is a total parrot.  If someone is talking to or about him, he repeats whatever word stands out to him as best he can.  Yesterday, we were on our way to In & Out Burger and he was begging to "eat" so I said, "Do you want a hamburger?"  He repeated back, "booger booger!"  All of us cracked up and he had no idea why, but he joined in on the laughter.
- When Jason gets excited, he rotates his feet (at the ankle) in opposite directions.  This happens often in his high chair when he sees food coming.

- He blows on almost every bite of dinner before he eats it. (clearly I must serve dinners too hot!)
- A few weeks ago, I finally noticed four new molars.  They were the suspect of his bizarre behavior and screaming outbursts for most of December.

- When he needs a diaper change, he starts singing, "Chugga chugga chugga chugga...POO POOOOOOS..."  As if smelling him wasn't warning enough.
- Jason loves to be chased, saying, "I gah geh choo" and crawling away.  When we scoop him up, he yells, "GA-KAH!" for "gotcha!"

- He's becoming increasingly less picky.  And now knowing his molars have arrived, I'm giving him different foods that require more than front-teeth rabbit-nibbling to consume.
- When we forget to pray at meals, Jason puts his hands together and says, "ah-bah" to remind us to give thanks.

- This kid loves baths.  Loves, loves, loves them.  He would sit in a tub full of water all day and night if I let him.  He might be part fish.
- He also loves books.  Almost as much as baths, but probably a little less, since he can enjoy them every day and isn't limited to enjoying them 3-4 times a week.
- Jason's favorite songs are "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." 
- His favorite foods are Trader Joe's cereal bars, pretzels, bananas, blueberries, dry cereal (Cheerios and Go Lean), applesauce and recently, almond butter sandwiches.

- I've moved him into his crib in Ryan's room full time now.  Sometimes that means one or the other wakes up first and starts a party in the dark, but the transition had to happen sometime. 
- This weekend, I started teaching him to clean up, singing that horrible song from Barnie.  He got the concept today and put some of his mega-Legos back in the bucket.
- When he does what he's told right away, I make a huge deal out of it, saying, "Good boy!!!" and everyone in the room starts clapping.  He now says, "Bah BOH!" (if I forget to praise him) and claps at himself.
- He can also use the walker on the tile without it slipping away from him.  His strength and balance is improving daily and it won't be long before he's walking!
- Just today, he started standing on command.  He'll let go of whatever he's holding onto when asked to stand or if we ask him to "let go." 

I'm not completely convinced, but *I think* Jason might not like his baby swing...

The Bad:

- Until recently, he had no interest in the stairs.  He crawled up to the second step, turned his head around to make sure everyone's cool with his feat, then climbs back down on his belly.  This week, I made the mistake of standing behind him as he crawled up by himself while he chanted, "Go, go, go!"  Now he wants to crawl up the stairs all the time.  Just this week, he's gotten so fast that from the time one of the kids tells  me he's on the stairs to when I walk over to grab him, he's already up the 2nd flight. He doesn't see the difference in me standing behind him for safety and him doing it alone. I'm working on this!

- Except at bedtime, Jason has no interest in giving me kisses or hugs.  It's terribly offensive and makes me so sad!  How can I not take it personally when he hugs and kisses everyone but ME?!!?

- This kid is per. sis. tent.  Certain off-limit items (remotes, phones, Wii accessories, the fish food and net, toilet water) are just too tempting for him.  Some days, as soon as he's out of his high chair, he cruises over to any of these things to get a good, healthy "no" lecture to start the day.  Why, oh why?

The baby mullet before Jason's first haircut.

...and The Ugly:
- Last week, the baby mullet went bu-bye.  It made me unusually emotional, for some reason.  He looks like a little man now with his fancy, trimmed up hairstyle.  (*sniff*) 
- He hits.  In the face, specifically.  "Jason, can mommy have a kiss?"  "NO!" (*smack*)  "No hitting...be gentle."  Then he pets my hair like a dog while slowly saying, "Gen-tolllle..."

Jason-speak:
muk = milk
wah-wah = water
bah-ma-na = vitamins
eck = egg
ma-na = banana
boo-beh-beh = blueberries
pee-oo = pear
ah-po = apple
ah-pa-dah = applesauce
toe-toe = tomatoes (he LOVES tomatoes, even in balsalmic vinegrette dressing from my salad)
ah-boo = oatmeal (today he actually said, "oh me-oh")
bree = bread/toast
chee-oh = Cheerios
see-ee-oh = cereal
bah = cereal bar
pee-tah = pizza
pah-tah = pasta
pet-zole = pretzel
booger-booger = hamburger
ch = sandwich
bye = bite
bah = ball
sh = fish
dock = dog
guck = duck
guck = also means "stuck"
hup = help
go go go? = he wants to be allowed to go up the stairs
side = outside
up = up
dow = down
boo = movie
toe = toys
shoooo? = shoe
hew = hair
ew = something gross is on his finger
eee = eat
mo = more
ah-dah = all done
ah-guy = all gone
peas = please
tay-too = thank you (he says this every time he's handed something)
gen-tole = gentle
bah-dah = blanket
pah-doe = pacifier
Kay-Kay = Kaylin
Ry-Ry = Ryan
bah-doh = brother
dit-doo = sister

Pictures that will be scrapbooked with these accomplishments:

The pesky molars

This boy constantly has dirty hands and knees.  I can't wait till he walks!

Such a "reader"

That's all I can think of at the moment.  Every time I look at Jason with his new haircut, I get sad that he's growing up so fast.  My baby boy!  (*sniff*)  I'm getting all choked up!

I'm just not in the mood...

Can I vent for just a minute?  Is anyone willing to listen to me whine?

I have been in tears twice today. And I'm not even PMSing!  Do you ever get so frustrated and feel so helpless that you just...cry?

Last night, I got a bill from my dentist's office for $782.  My insurance denied coverage after I payed $900 out of pocket.  $900 that we weren't expecting and certainly wasn't budgeted.  Now we need to come up with another $800?!?!  All for work that could have been spread out so that the insurance WOULD have paid.  So I've had a bunch of work done that was inconvenient (4 separate 1-2 hour office visits, requiring child care each time) and remains uncomfortable to this day (I now have the JOY of a custom-fit mouthpiece at night to prevent me from grinding my teeth) AND the added bonus of an extra $800 bill. 

I called the dentist's office to investigate and ended up breaking down in tears after finding out that they aren't willing to adjust the balance.  Even though, in my opinion, this unexpected claim denial could have been prevented by more prodding by the dental employee. 

Then I called the insurance company to find out WHAT ON EARTH and cried to that total stranger, too.   So humiliating. When I got off the phone, Kaylin asked, "Mommy, why is your face all red?"  Because I didn't realize that it's my responsibility to tell the dentist's office about the limitations (that I didn't know about!) for our cheap-o dental insurance, dear.

I complained about it on Facebook, saying, "Who needs diapers and food?  Full bellies and clean butts are overrated," and an old co-worker (who I haven't seen in 5 years) is insisting on giving me a bunch of diapers that her son outgrew.  It is so sweet that I want to cry...again.  I'm not a charity case...I mean we're not losing our home or anything, but it's so cool to see how people step up when others are sucker punched with unexpected financial burdens. 

The irony is that I'm preparing for a garage sale this weekend.  I certainly don't have $800 worth of items for sale, but the money that was supposed to go toward our couples getaway (to San Francisco in a couple of months) is being robbed by stupid dental bills. 

I'm so frustrated.  Better after blabbering through this post, but still frustrated.  "Would you like a first class vacation to Hawaii?  A European getaway?  A high def, 65" flat screen LED tv?  New bedroom furniture?  Four months groceries???"  "No thanks...I'd rather pay my unnecessary dental bills.  That's where I'd like to spend my $1700.  Thanks anyway!"

Grrr.

Q&A Wednesday - How Do You Find Time to Blog?

Fleur asked, "I am a homeschool mother of five...ages 6 and under (four daughters and a 5 month old son)...and I would love to know how you got your blog started. My hubby keeps saying I should start one...which I did...but never managed to get past my first entry..."

Wow - five under six.  You must be one busy mama!  I can understand why you'd want to start a blog.  The days are long but the years are short...time flies when you're busy!  And you don't want to forget a minute of the sweet parts of these days you're living.

I started my blog in 2007 as a way to post funny stories and pictures of my kids for family and friends.  Friends of friends became readers, then some random moms in different parts of the country and around the world, so I started putting more general homemaking thoughts, ideas and recipes on there to appease a larger audience. 

For me, it is easiest to blog during naps and in the evening.  When I was just journaling about our family, I wrote each post as if I was typing an email to a friend (since most of my readers were friends).  When something cute or funny happened, I'd jot it down on a notebook and type it up when I had time.  Back then, I was posting only a few times each month, so maybe start with the goal of once per weekend.  Since your husband wants you to keep up with the blog, maybe he'd be willing to take over with the kids for an hour or two every Saturday while you write posts and add pictures - ?  Just a thought.

Make it real no-pressure.  Don't try to make things look fancy or word everything perfectly or try to impress.  I always think about my blog as the storage place for our memories should our house ever burn down or should I get hit by a bus. Not fun to think about, but it's my mental insurance policy on things I might otherwise forget! 

I hope that was helpful, Fleur!  Don't get overwhelmed by the task...just document the little, important things on your family blog and it will soon be a website full of memories!

*expired* $10 for a $20 Amazon gift card

UPDATE: These are sold out!!!
Check this out!  Living Social is offering a $20 Amazon gift card for only $10.  Click here for details.  Limit 1 per person, so you and your spouse can both buy them!  It's a national promotion, even though it says, "Colorado Springs," and I'm not sure if they have a limited quantity available, so you might want to jump on this great deal!

Meal Plan 1/17/11

Monday - Chicken Stir Fry
Tuesday - Leftover Crock Pot Chicken Burritos
Wednesday - {Crock Pot} Bean Soup with Tortilla Chips
Thursday - Chicken Enchilada Quiche
Friday - Pizza night
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - {Rachael Ray's} Meatloaf Roll Up

Sometimes You Just Gotta Go With It

(our overflow fridge in the laundry room)

Have you ever found defrosting chicken in a puddle of could-be-salmonella-y juice on the fridge shelf?  Then you have to tear everything apart and clean it, drips and all, before it gets dried and crusty and passes the could-be germs on to other food packages.  Even though all you wanted to do was start your crock pot and go along with your day.

Then have you ever started cleaning that one shelf in the fridge and just kept going and going and going?  Until the whole fridge was empty and your counters had glass shelves and drawers piled high?

Yeah, me neither.  I clean my fridge, um, (*cough*) all the time.

Sometimes you just gotta keep going when you get motivated, you know?  And sometimes you wish you would have put the thawing chicken in a baking pan so the juice would have stayed contained.  Because this is not the first time this has happened to me.  Or to thawing meat in my fridge.

Someday I'll learn...

*Newsflash* There ARE Enough Hours in the Day!!!

Last week, I read a startling fact.  One that I've known all along, but must have never really allowed to sink in. It has changed my perspective on daily life and how I prioritize everything that I need to do. 

Are you ready for this?   Wait for it...

There have always been 24 hours in a day.  Never more, never less.  Since the beginning of time; God created each day with only 24 hours.

So if God created a day...the perfect day...to be exactly 24 hours (and he even created us to require 8 hours of sleep, cutting that day down to 16 productive hours, but I digress...) WHY IS IT that I feel like I can't accomplish everything that I need to get done in a single day?!?

The answer is simple: PRIORITIES. 

I'm reading the book, "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss (which I highly recommend, ladies) and this concept was one of the lies she discusses. Since reading it last week, my perspective has been completely transformed.

From the book, "Years ago, I read that the average woman today has the equivalent of FIFTY full-time servants, in the form of modern, timesaving devices and equipment.  That figure may or may not be accurate, but we certainly have many conveniences available to us that were unknown to women of past generations.  Imagine going back to the days when there were no dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines, dryers, or automobiles - or even further back to a time when people had never heard of indoor plumbing or electricity."

The fact of the matter is that whether we lived in 1800, 1900 or 2011, as women, we DO have enough time to do everything we're supposed to do.  What we need to determine is the answer to this question: What IS everything we are supposed to do? 

The Lie: "I don't have enough time to do everything I'm supposed to do."
The Truth: "All I have to do is the work God assigns to me."

From the book: "The frustration comes when I attempt to take on responsibilities that are not on His agenda for me. When I establish my own agenda or let others determine the priorities for my life, rather than taking time to discern what it is that God wants me to do, I end up buried under piles of half-finished, poorly done, or never-attempted projects and tasks.  I live with guilt, frustration, and haste, rather than enjoying the peaceful, well-ordered life that He intends."

What I realized after reading about this topic is that the "job description" that God has for me right now, in this season of my life, is to raise my young kids, support my husband and nurture our family. Everything else is secondary.  I need to take care of:

• my mind - studying God's word on a daily basis
• my body - making healthy choices for myself, inside and out
• my family - physically (making meals, helping with homework, etc.) and emotionally (teaching them Godly character, kissing boo-boos, arbitrating disagreements, etc.)
• and our home - keeping up with dishes, laundry and making sure we are in a relatively sanitary (not necessarily sparkling clean) living environment

If I am able to do all of these things with plenty of time to spare, then I can make myself available for friends, extended family and volunteer opportunities that arise.

What helps guide my decisions is determining which roles others cannot play for me.  I am the only wife to my husband.  I am the only mother to my children.  In my case, I am the only daughter (and only child) to my mom. 

I am not the only parent who can aide in the classroom.  I am not the only neighbor who can bring a meal.  I am not the only person who can volunteer at a church function.  I am not the only friend who will show up at Bunco night.  My child is not the only one who was invited to the birthday party (that I need to drive to/from or chaperon).

Don't get me wrong: I'm not suggesting that we stop serving others around us or withdraw from all social activities.  The problem is when we convince ourselves that we have to do everything we're asked to do. Some of us need to learn to say, "no."

That is the other related lie that women in our generation believe: "I can do it all."  I went through that a few years ago; I had it in my head that I should be able to be the perfect wife and mother, keep my house clean and organized and beautifully decorated for each holiday, plan and prepare healthy, home-cooked meals for my family, save hundreds of dollars with coupons, run the mom's group at church (among several other church commitments), volunteer at my child's school, post on my blog every day, stay physically fit, keep up-to-date scrapbooks filled with beautifully photographed pictures all while working from home part-time. 

Even looking at that list is absolutely exhausting.

I really enjoyed that season of my life, but at the time, I didn't realize that my home and my family were suffering.  By the time I was ready to engage with Mike or the kids, I had given so much of myself to other things that I had nothing left to offer the people who meant the most to me.  I was mentally, emotionally and sometimes even physically drained.

Since adding Jason to our family, my activities are down to virtually nothing, yet some days I busy myself unnecessarily.  Only to feel overwhelmed and frustrated later.  I've intentionally cut down many things that ate away at my time.

• I say, "no" a lot more, giving myself permission to change my mind later.  
• I'm very choosy about social activities; park days, which birthday parties we attend and everything else that tries to overtake our calendar.
• Certain tasks have a permanent place in my daily routine, like exercise and, recently (ahem...since reading about this topic) reading the Bible daily.
• I choose 3-5 MIT ("Most Important Things") to get done each day instead of 10-20 revolving things that overwhelmed me.  The MITs are crossed off first, then if I have energy for other items on the list, great.  If not, I have the freedom to do whatever I want, guilt-free.
• I hardly ever talk on the phone to friends anymore.
• I rarely schedule play dates, and when I do, the parents don't stay.  It's worked out as a babysitting trade or a kids-only play date, so my kids have fun while I'm able to get stuff done around the house or give Jason my undivided attention.
• Neighbors and I "double up" on errands by calling or texting each other when we run to Costco, Target or other stores.  This cuts down significantly on last minute trips to grab pantry staples. (It's like a grocery carpool!)
• I only scrapbook about the main events in my traditional scrapbook, keeping track of the day-to-day in my Project Life picture-of-the-day albums. (I'm doing the digital kit this year so I can cut and paste from my POD blog)
• The blogs I follow has been significantly scaled back.  I skim most of my friends' blogs and still have a handful of larger blogs that encourage/inspire me, but the time I spend reading posts is a fraction of what it was a year or two ago.
• In the last week or so, I've also decided that I'm going to stop Facebook for a while.  It sucks me in and I'd rather be spending that time doing other things.

I feel like I stay home a lot more than I did before.  It's a much slower pace and I'm a much calmer person as a result.  Since having this epiphany last week, I procrastinate less.  When I see a sink full of dishes or am tempted to plop down to relax, I push through and finish what needs to be done first. I've stayed ahead of my to do list and am experiencing the peaceful, well-ordered life that God intended for me.

And I can go to bed most nights feeling confident that I accomplished the plans God had for me that day.

P.S. I've been wanting to blog about this for last past 10 days, but other things were a higher priority, so I didn't get to it until today.  :)  That's how I roll now...

My Word for 2011 is GRACE

For the past couple of years, I've heard and read about people picking one word to focus on for the upcoming new year.  Not a list of goals or resolutions: just. one. word.

They discussed this on the radio last week on my way to the gym and my mind got stuck on the concept as I worked out.

What would my ONE WORD be for 2011?  What ONE WORD would sum up all of the things I want to focus on...encompassing adjustments I want to make to my personality, habits and  lifestyle?  What ONE WORD would last for a whole year?


Self-control popped into my head.  Maybe that's two words, but it's where my thoughts landed.  I want more self control with food, with my tongue when reacting to my husband and kids, with my impulsiveness to do this or that right now.

But that didn't seem accurate enough. 

Balance?  Maybe it was balance.  If my life were more balanced, maybe I wouldn't stress eat or lose my temper or feel overwhelmed by tasks on my to-do list.

That wasn't it either.

Then it hit me: GRACE.  That is really what I need to focus on this year.  Not being more graceful physically, Grace is cutting people slack, whether they deserve it or not.  Grace is letting the little things slide.  Grace is giving others the benefit of the doubt.  Grace is releasing your expectations and allowing those around you to do things in their own way, in their timing, making mistakes without judgment.

We all need grace, but even more, we need to practice extending grace to others. So that's my word for 2011: GRACE. 

What's your one word???

Meal Plan 1/10/11

Monday - Chili and cornbread
Tuesday - Sloppy Joes with Seasoned Baked Potato Wedges
Wednesday - Crock Pot Chicken Burritos
Thursday - Baked Potato Bar (with broccoli, cheese and leftover chili)
Friday - Date night with friends
Saturday - BBQ Chicken on the grill, rice, salad
Sunday - Manicotti with Homemade Noodles

Other stuff:
Almond Flax Granola
Whole Grain Waffles

Toddler Self Torture

My toddler-who-isn't-toddling plays this game every day.

Why he continues to torture himself is beyond me.  If I put more pacifiers in his crib, he throws them all out.  It's actually less fun for him if I only give him one. 

I've been wanting to get this picture for my POD album for weeks.  I just don't understand this boy!

Q&A Wednesday: My Schedule {right now}

I've been asked a couple of times this week, "What do your days look like?"  My schedule changes often to meet different needs at certain phases in my life, but I'll share with you what my schedule looks like right now, at this stage: a 1st grader, pre-schooler and a toddler (who doesn't toddle).

I'm a pretty routine person, which is one of the reasons I think I get so much accomplished. I'm often asked, "How do you get so much done?" or "How do you have time to blog/scrapbook/bake/cook every night?" Personally, I think it's all in my habits. That and the fact that my hobbies are fairly productive (producing blog posts, producing scrapbook pages, producing homemade bread or producing from-scratch chicken pot pie).  I don't watch much t.v. and I really don't read very often.  And, as much as it pains me, I hardly talk on the phone anymore.

Sorry, back to the schedule...

6:45am - Ryan wakes up; he is a human alarm clock.  He is responsible for doing all of his upstairs chores (make bed, get dressed, PJs put away, pick up room, brush teeth) before going downstairs.  Hearing him up and about usually wakes up Mike and me.  (How pathetic is it that my kid wakes me up every day?  What's worse is that it's at 6:45!  Just being honest. Someday, my goal is to consistently be awake before my household, but that's not how it's going right now.)

7:00am - Drag myself out of bed, put in my contacts, get dressed for the gym, make my bed, quickly check my email.  Once all that is done (about 10 minutes later), I get Jason up and dressed and bring him downstairs.

7:15am - Everyone eats breakfast.  If I didn't make lunches and move the laundry from the washer to the dryer the night before, I do both of those things. We usually do our Bible lesson during breakfast and review our daily Godly character trait for the day.

7:35am - Ryan leaves for the bus stop and Mike leaves for work.  The little kids slowly finish eating while I clean the kitchen, unload the dishwasher and fold the laundry in the dryer.

8:00am - Do Kaylin's hair and check her chores (make bed, brush teeth, vacuum kitchen, wipe bathroom counter).

8:15am - Mondays and Wednesdays we go to the gym at this time.  Tuesdays and Thursdays I play with the kids until 8:45, then drive Kaylin to school.  Fridays, the kids play while I do housework until my friend Alison comes over to work out at 9:00.

9:30am - We're usually getting home from the gym or returning from dropping Kaylin at school.  Jason goes down for a nap until 11:00. On MWF, Kaylin and I have a snack. 

T/Th: When Kaylin's at school, I put Jason down for a nap, then do my Bible study homework and sometimes do the Wii Active. (on the perfect day, I do both) After that, I usually get on the computer; blogging, meal planning, printing coupons, making my grocery lists, replying to emails, scheduling appointments, etc.

M: I host a small ladies Bible study at 10am and our kids play while we go through our lesson.

W: I spend time with Kaylin; do her reading lesson book, color, bake, fold and put away laundry together, cook dinner (if it's a casserole or meatloaf type meal) to stick in the fridge, etc.

F: Kaylin's playing with Alison's kids while we workout in the family room.

11:30am - Jason wakes up and we all eat lunch. (T/Th at 11:30, we pick Kaylin up from school) After lunch, I try to run an errand (Costco, Target, Walmart, the grocery store, etc) to get everyone out of the house and break up the day.  If we stay home, the kids will play together while I do chores or Kaylin and I will make something in the kitchen while Jason tears apart the house plays on the floor nearby.

1:30/2pm - Both kids go down for naps/quiet time in their rooms.  I do my Bible study homework (if I didn't do it at 9:30), then catch up on the computer.

3:00pm - Ryan gets off the bus and has an after school snack.  If Kaylin is awake, she joins us, if not, we talk about his day and go through is backpack.

3:30pm - Jason wakes up and has a snack, Ryan does his homework, Kaylin colors or does her own "homework."

4/4:30pm - I start dinner while Ryan does his afternoon chores (unloads dishwasher/takes out trash and recycle bin as needed, sets the table for dinner). 

5:15pm - The kids and I do a 5-minute pick up of toys and the kitchen before Mike comes home.

5:30pm - We all eat dinner.

6:15/6:30pm - The kids clear the table and Ryan vacuums the kitchen.  After that, Mike does the dishes while the big kids shower and I give Jason a bath.  Then everyone gets their PJs on.

6:45pm - Mike reads the kids stories while I finish cleaning the kitchen, make lunches for the next day, check that Ryan's backpack is ready to go and start a load of laundry.

7:00pm - The kids go to bed and Mike and I collapse downstairs. We spend a few minutes catching up and going over the day before going our separate ways.  This week, we've taken this time to both do our daily Bible reading (we're going through a "read through the Bible in a year" challenge with our church).  After that, sometimes we watch t.v. together, but usually he watches a man show (Myth Busters, History channel, football) while I scrapbook or catch up on the computer.

10/10:30pm - Time for bed!

There are obviously interruptions to the schedule, like volunteering at the kids' schools and during sports seasons.  Kaylin has gymnastics on Wednesdays afternoons, so I have Ryan do his homework while she's in class.  During football season, Ryan has practice one night a week and games on Friday nights so everyone gets to bed later than normal.  Monday nights, we host a couples Bible study for church and I have Bunco a couple of times a month...you know, stuff comes up.

But that's the gist of my life.  Lots of the same, day in and day out.  I like the routine, and when I notice myself getting bored, Jason's nap schedule will change or there will be a school disruption (Spring Break, Christmas break, summer) - it's enough to keep things interesting enough!

Later this week, I'm going to write about priorities.  I was really struck by a chapter in our Bible study book about the topic and I want to get my thoughts out in a post.  But not now...it's time to get ready for Ryan to come home!