April showers bring May flowers!

We had a baby!  April 5th, Ethan Mark was born weighing in at 5 pounds 13 ounces, and 19 inches long!  It hasn't been a great month for goals, my quiet time routine was lost, but we have managed to keep laundry and getting ready.  We are working on finding our new rhythm and keeping going with what we have.  Once again Earl and I didn't get a date night, but what can we do with a new baby?!  We did do a special dinner one night with a movie at home, so that is going to count for me :)  Caroline is learning how to read, we are working through Hooked on Phonics Level one.  Brian's school is coming together, I am learning to tweak things for his needs and he is getting it slowly but surely.  I am going to define the goals I have for kid raising, since they are vague and unobtainable.  I have been drinking lots of water so that is definitely an in progress goal!   

March updates

We are waiting expectantly for baby number 5, but in the last month I've started getting up and showered right away. It really makes a difference in my morning! I don't get up earlier, but by being ready I get more accomplished. Hopefully I'll be able to continue this when the baby is born. The other thing I've done is had Alex flip laundry for me when he wakes up so before I come out of my room I fold a load. This has kept our laundry done and ahead of the game. I love doing it this way!

I also made school packets, all of Alex's lessons stapled together for each day, so now he can just grab and go. It seems to help us get to everything, although he's not completely independent with it yet. He is motivated right now because we will be finished with math and English early May if he doesn't take off while I'm in baby recovery mode.

We went to the beach this month, and the kids went to the park with Grandma and Grandpa, so I'm counting this as park days. We also went to the St. Patrick's Day festival in Emerald Isle as a special trip. Earl and I haven't had a kid-free date, but we've been walking at night and last night we did a date at home in the hot-tub at my parents house, and that's going to be the best we get this month!

February Check-In

February was a busy month and I'm not sure why! Earl and I got to go on a date to Red Lobster which was lots of fun to get out by ourselves. The kids and I played at McDonald's playground, and we went to Pullman Park with Aunt Becky and Uncle Glen. That was lots of fun-we all rode the carousel, and the train, and Daniel got to ride the boats. Then we all played at the park. We learned about weights and balances when everyone took turns on the see-saw to see who could balance it. We didn't get to a field trip, but we had a day trip to Garner to celebrate Caleb's third birthday and go out to dinner!

I printed out our breakfast menu, and posted it on the cabinet. Most of the choices are things we have on a regular basis. I also started freezing leftovers in smaller portions for Earl's lunch, he's much happier and it makes his morning easier!

Mid-February Report

We searched and searched Lejeune Yard Sales and managed to purchase 2 twin beds with mattresses for under $100! Alex got a twin bed with a wooden headboard bookshelf, very similar to our bunk beds. Daniel was moved into the bottom bunk of a twin bed and the three boys are sharing a room! Caroline got a futon-bunk bed, it's black iron and she loves it! I love that we have a full bed if we need it when we have company. She is in her own room now, and loving the privacy. I told her when the baby is bigger she will have to share with him for a while, but she doesn't care!

We have done terrible at developing a morning routine, so that is not anywhere near accomplished this month. We have improved our breakfast routines, so I will work on a formal list and that will be our accomplished habit for the month!

One month down!

Well this was not the month I expected. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, so I am learning the fast way how to eat healthier! My goal is to learn good habits that I keep after the baby is born so that I will continue to lose weight and be healthier. I have a few friends that are keeping me accountable which is a huge help. For now I am following this diet- which seems to keep me satisfied and my sugar at the right levels.

I am still continuing with the 3650 reading program, I haven't been every day but it's been consistent and I've enjoyed it a lot! It's hard to believe I've read nearly 300 chapters of the Bible in just one month.

We did two field trips this month, one to the Tobacco Museum in Durham and one to the Wastewater treatment plant in New Bern (it's actually today, so I can't share how umm. interesting it is yet.)

Since meal planning is still going great on Google, I am going to work on morning routines this month for me and the kids.

Halfway through January thoughts

So we are halfway through January, and I thought I'd share how I'm doing so far. We have been to the park twice this month so far! One time to a high-tech park in Swansboro and the other to the Commons Park in Jacksonville. '

I did pull Daniel out of school and we are so far using Preschool handwriting without tears with him and lots of play. Hopefully we will find more he enjoys soon. He is so little I don't worry about it much yet.

Meal planning is coming along nicely! I found out I can use my google calendar to "schedule" my meals. It helps to get the e-mail reminder to plan for it and see it on my igoogle!

I've been doing a daily Bible reading, based on Professor Grant Horner's 3650 challenge that is reading ten chapters a day in different books. I didn't think I could do it, but I am really enjoying it!

Finally, I got a straw cup for Christmas, and drink a ton of water with it now! Hopefully that will continue :)

2012 Goals

I don't like New Years Resolutions, they don't work. But I recently read an article explaining that if you have goals and a plan for your year, it tends to be more productive and directed. I liked that concept. I have a lot of things floating around in my brain that I want to accomplish or change, but I figure I'll get around to it someday. So this is my record of things I want to accomplish this year. I hope to update occasionally my progress.

Spiritually:

1. join a Bible study

2. follow through with a regular quiet time

3. finish the study Earl and I are doing

4. read through the entire Bible

Relationally:

1. monthly date nights

2. read power of a praying wife and 5 love languages (use what I learn)

3. make his lunch

4. SHMILY surprises more often

Household projects:

1. plant a successful garden

2. redecorate master bedroom

3. redecorate/add shelves to laundry room

4. redo hallway

5. find Caroline a twin bed, and maybe one more for Alex?

6. make and use cloth napkins

Monthly Habits

1. meal planning

2. laundry system

3. "swish and swipe" bathrooms

4. morning routines

5. evening routines

6. baking bread weekly

7. eating meals in the kitchen (teaching kids better table manners)

8. Waking up early, getting dressed and ready

9. finding healthy breakfast options, making a list they can choose from and having it available

10. finding healthy lunch options, making a list they can choose from and having it available (no more ramen noodles and spaghettio-s

Personal:

1. using WII fit or some kind of exercise 3x a week

2. drink more water

3. start eating cleaner/healthier

Homeschooling goals:

1. find a workable schedule for Brian and keep at it

2. teach Alex to be more independent

3. teach Caroline how to read

4. bring Daniel home and teach him/therapy followup

5. park times at least twice a month

6. 1 special day/field trip a month

Kid raising goals:

1. better manners

2. more consistent discipline

3. more spiritually "heavy"

a. daily Bible time

b. family Bible time

c. memorize verses

d. special lessons and activities to teach