New Year, New Goals

I fear I am just swimming to survive life! I have little time to be creative or crafty, but I am noticing changes in our daily lives. Today I am going to share our "chores" in order to keep our home fairly picked up each day.

M, who is 6, now helps daily with setting the table.
R, who is 4, helps with putting ice in glasses and setting out condiments.

Each night before bed each child must pick up all toys in the living room and set out their clothes for the next day to help before school prep go smoothly.

In addition to their daily jobs, once a week, normally Saturdays, they help with whole house cleaning.

M is in charge of running the vacuum. R is in charge of sanitizing the light switches and door knobs throughout the house, especially with cold and flu season being upon us. Now before you freak out that my 4 year old is expected to clean, I will add that I use essential oils for cleaning and sanitizing.

Here is the mixture I use for cleaning:
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1 cup water
5 drops thieves
5 drops Orange

SHAKE WELL before each use. If you dislike the smell of vinegar, add a little more orange. You can also substitute the orange for any other scent but I like the fresh smells like lemon, lime or orange while cleaning.

I also have R use a norwex rag to wipe with. I feel like we have been a bit healthier and I do attribute it to the natural supplies we are using each day in our home. The things we can find in nature that God gave us!

My final thought is that this year M and I are working and focusing on one fruit of the spirit, (Galatians 5) that we would like to improve in our lives. My "Catch phrase" is to choose joy. That is what I will be working on this year. M decided on kindness. I hope we can live it out!

August is here!

Summer is flying by! I am starting to feel anxious about starting a new year in a new grade. This school year holds many changes and new experiences for me. K is finally potty trained and doing great with that adventure! We have enjoyed countless hours at the pool, parks and day trips to my mom's. We also enjoyed a week with teenagers at church camp, and they changed me! Seeing chris was a bonus to our time off and the rodeo will be our last summer fling before classroom work sets in!

My sweet K turned 2 this summer and is turning into a little girl, not a baby! Speaking of baby...H baby love will be here January of 2012! That is part of my nerves with the upcoming year!

I trust that God is in our future and has a way for me to become balanced with life as a working mom, soon of 2! God is beyond good. How has he blessed you this summer?

Summer!

Summer has finally arrived for M and I! We have created a reasonable list of things we would like to do this summer together. Here is a preview:
1. Welcome uncle C home from deployment
2. Have ice cream (this was all Sis!)
3. Visit at least 2 different pools with slides
4. Visit aunt K
5. Go to build a bear
6. Go to the crayola restaurant
7. Enjoy picnics
8. Take lots of pictures
These are a few things we hope to accomplish this summer!

God is good for my gift of teaching that allows me to influence children all year long and the opportunity to minister to my family and have summers off too!

Enjoy your shades and flips!

My first quilt!

This is an eye spy quilt I made with lots of scraps from lots of people! A good friend from Manhappiness helped me with this project and I LOVE the way it turned out!

April has come and gone!

I can hardly believe that my school year ends in just a few short weeks! I love the sights, smells, and activities of both spring and summer.
I am looking forward to a few things in particular. First off, my sweet brother C is graduating from high school. C is a huge inspiration and close friend as well as brother. God is already using him and I can't wait to see all that God has for him in the next few college years for him!
I am also gearing up for princess camp with my senior high girls. I feel like the current teenage generation has more problems and issues than ever before. My goal of princess camp is to help them find self worth knowing they are the daughter of our heavenly king! I also want them to know that God has given me an undying love foe them! I am praying for their hearts already! And my staff lineup is amazing!
The thing I am most excited about is my summer off with Sis! We re going to go swimming and library trips. We are looking forward to camp, the zoo, and various other day trips full of sun and picnics!
I hope you can celebrate spring and summer too!

A true weekend to remember

Family life puts on A Weekend To Remember all over the world. A and I went before we were married and we were blessed by talking about true marital issues prior to marriage. However, A and I were sure that we would never have "issues" that they were talking about.
After we were married, reality set in! A and I found out we were expecting 3 short months after we were married. So in our 3 (almost) years of marriage we both finished school, moved 3 times, bought a house, started careers, had a baby, bought a car and lost a grandparent each. So A Weekend To Remember was a blessing to stop and reflect on us and the most important earthly relationship.
Highlights from the conference itself:
"before cities, governments or any type of authority God created family, so honor your role in the family."
And:
"my goal is to KNOW God and to make Him known"
If you ever have the opportunity to go, do. It will change your marriage, life and parenting. It will change you...for the better. I'm proof!

Happy Friday Eve!

Today was a typical day in third grade. We finished the communication arts portion of the MAP assessments. I am really proud of my mighty 13 for their hard work.

My dad isn't feeling so well and so my mom and I have been texting and calling all day to check on each other and offer support. We are nervous after the loss of my dear grandmother this past fall. Dad is fine, but we still panic whenever anyone feels a tad bit off.

I am looking forward to the weekend. First of all, because it's the weekend but also because A and I have plans to attend Weekend to Remember. We went to this marriage retreat during our engagement and have the opportunity to go again. We are looking forward to this blessing!

I must admit,i am nervous about leaving Sis for 2 nights. This will be the longest we have gone without each other. I know she will be blessed this weekend too with her loving H side spoiling her!