Making A List

Well, actually, I made this list at the beginning of the year. I just thought it might be a fun time to share it with you! And to check in and see how I'm doing with it!

I've never made a list of resolutions before, but in an effort to be more intentional with my time and energy, I thought this would be a good way to stay on track.

Here's the list in all it's glory...

New Year’s Resolutions 2011

Personal
1) Join a Bible study. Resume daily prayer & Bible study.
2) Be more gentle & meek (strength under control!) with kids
3) Read a book a month (alternate fiction & non-fiction (preferably parenting books))
4) Start back exercising 3 times a week

Family
5) Everyone eats the same thing at dinner (no more short order cook!)
6) Matt and I spend more one on one time with each other-YEA! DATE NIGHTS!
7) Matt and I spend more one on one time with each of the kids
8) Take advantage of our one free day at home- YEA! TUESDAYS!
9) Make new friends and reach out to existing friends/family

10) Get Frances on an eating and nap schedule

Home
11) Establish house cleaning routine
12) Create a decorating plan for downstairs living rooms, master bedroom & Kids’ rooms/bath
13) Plant an herb garden
14) Cook 2 new recipes a month

For the personal portion of the list, I mostly want to pick up where I left off after Frances was born. Those of you who have little one understand how crazy those first few months with a newborn can be. Add a move into the equation, and it has been C.R.A.Z.Y!! I mostly want to get back to my normal routine--those things that renew and rejuvenate me.

1) I have thankfully joined a wonderful Bible study, Bible Study Fellowship. It's an international, interdenominational Bible study, and if you've got one in your area, I HIGHLY recommend becoming a part of it. You will be blessed!

2) I'm trying my best with the kids. My main goal was to stop yelling/barking at them all day long. Am I the only one that does this??? I'm awful, but thankfully, by the grace of God, I have gotten better. I think the stress of the newborn, a new house, a new job for Matt, etc., etc. just added to my tendency towards this. Not an excuse. I'm just saying!

3) In January, I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. For February, I read Waking the Dead by John Eldredge. On the Kindle for March, The Postmistress by Sarah Blake.

4) I haven't resumed exercising yet. I might get a walk in once a week, but that's about it.

For the family portion of the list...

5) Trying to get everyone, especially my two four year olds, to eat the same things isn't going well at all. Please, if anyone has any suggestions PLEASE send them my way!!!

6) Thanks to two sets of wonderful grandparents, we've had one wonderful night out to celebrate a combined Valentine's and birthday. We've also had several nights without the twins which provides a nice break from our normal routine!

7) We are always looking for ways to separate the twins, and to especially give WGB more "guy" time with his Dad. Matt and Walker took a trip to Lowe's last weekend to buy my birthday gift--a new remote for our garage:) How's that for a gift from my guys! We've managed several outings with just the girls or just the guys.

8) These free Tuesdays have ranged from lazy "pj to pj" days to trips to the parks to visits with my Grandmother--just a lot of "mommy and her babies" time. With W & K starting kindergarten next year, I can't help but feel like our days are numbered!

KLB hanging out at home

9) We can always improve in the friend area. Matt's schedule has been so busy, we haven't been able to reach out as a family like I would like to. And I'm hoping the spring weather will allow for some fun play dates with friends. As for family, we've enjoyed being close to family again. There's nothing like it!

10) Ahhh...Miss Frances' schedule. Let's just say, I'm working on it! When we are home, she takes an a.m. and p.m. nap. However, most of the days the twins are in school we are out and about. This means she "naps" in the car, in the buggy or in my arms! She doesn't take a very good p.m. nap. So, we've still got some work to do. As for an eating schedule, poor thing still eats randomly. She always eats dinner with the family. She normally doesn't get much of a "breakfast" and lunch can range anywhere from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Poor third child! (On a side note, if you've seen pictures of this sweet chunky monkey, you'll know she's not hurting for food:)

Finally, the home portion is really just a list of things I want to do around the house...

11) I had to add this one because I haven't had a regular cleaning routine since we moved which basically meant the house went uncleaned. Now, Tuesday mornings are the big day! Depending on when I wake up, I can normally have the downstairs cleaned by mid-morning. The upstairs (the kids' rooms and bathroom) usually get cleaned later in the day, or sometimes, I'll wait a day or two to tackle those rooms.

12) I decided it would be good to prioritize the things we need around the house. For example, we are in need of a couch, a new kitchen/dining table and chairs, bedding in Kathryn's room, and really the list could go on and on. I thought if I had a comprehensive plan, it would keep me from purchasing on a whim, and make me really sit down and decide what we need and most of all what we'll purchase first when finances allow. Still working on this, BTW!

(fabric option for Kathryn's room)

13) Not quite sure if lavender is an herb or not, but I do have a lavender plant a kind neighbor brought us when we moved in. If I've kept it alive this long, I consider that a good start. I would also like to grow these herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley and basil. I'm also going to attempt to grow strawberries--in a collander--as seen in the February 2011 Southern Living.

14) I've tried new recipes over the last two months, but they've been the kind you find off the back of a soup can or a frozen vegetable bag. Not really the kind your compelled to share, but I promise if I find a good one, you'll be the first to know. And if you have any favorites, please feel free to send them my way!