New Goals for a New Year!

Happy New Year, friends! I just settled Levi down - and miraculously, last night was the FIRST night since the beginning of December that he has slept without waking!!!! - so the fact that he was up only around 4:45 is actually something to celebrate, and he is now quiet in my room, so hooray!!

We have started off the year with a renewed sense of purpose, are working on some things that have caused us so much stress over the years (I'll share those later), and are making plans to realize some dreams of ours. Wow. Some shorter-term goals are to simplify and declutter room by room, and be suuuuper vigilant about what enters our home in the first place. Tricky when this involves gifts from family that, well, you just don't need or want.

And to laugh and enjoy the small things. Really! I shared on IG the other day how I've been feeling a lack of joy in my life, and that isn't how I want to live. I want my children to see a Mom who dreams and laughs and chooses well and loves unconditionally while holding onto Truth, without worrying about what people think, or how our situation compares to someone else's. I want others to see a light in me that comes from following Christ, and that can only happen when I allow Him to fill me up. And I'm learning that it's the small steps, the one foot in front of the other steps, that grow me on a daily basis much more than huge leaps and bounds, ie, loftier goals.

So here's to moving forward, one step at a time, in love and grace, with purpose and intention.

What are you dreaming about for the new year??

 Ok, can't do a post without pics, so here are a few from our NYE and New Year's Day. :)

Jonah got some new bamboo steamers from Santa and he made us dumplings and these custard buns. They were both delicious!!!

I have a love-hate relationship with ushering in a new year. This year, it was okay, although it does make me cry to think that he will be turning three this year. Three??!!

Still kind of stuck in that strange in between land of Christmas and New Year when you don't know what day it is or what you're doing, but smooches are always a good choice. :)

Personal Goals for The New Year

Well.
We're three weeks in.
It was a great beginning, but things took a downward spiral quickly when we all got sick (still recovering, ugh), and now I'm in that post-holiday-sick-of-winter funk.
But it's okay. I don't have to throw in the towel, admit defeat, or hang my head in shame. I get to keep trying, keep working towards my goals, and that's a good thing!

So here they are:

1. Spend more time reading and studying the Word

2. Pray for my children and husband with specific and intentional petitions, not just broad "generic" ones

3. Continue to move my body and fuel it with the best nutrition

4. Invite more friends and families over for coffee, play dates, big dinners...you name it!

5. Dream more. No, really. Dream big crazy dreams.

Interestingly enough, or maybe not, HA, these were quite similar to my goals for 2017. So how did I do last year?

I wanted to do some specific Bible studies last year, and they did not happen. I also was lacking in the reading Scripture department, big time, which has such a huge impact on my day to day life. I still feel extremely unsettled at our "new/old" church, but I'm really craving interaction and friendship and all that, so I'm just going to reach out to a few friends and see about doing our own study a couple times a month. I've also committed to reading the Bible in one year, and I've been doing well so far.

My prayer life still needs work. Some days/weeks I feel on fire, and others, well, barely dim.

Ha, don't ask me about my fitness goals THIS week! Earlier I shared that I felt more in tune with my body and more in shape right after Levi was born, and then as time went on (and sleep got nixed for over a year) I fell into bad habits and my self esteem suffered. I'm doing better. My family gave me a FitBit for my birthday, and I love it! Turns out I'm very competitive with it, ha ha. Now I need to take the time and effort to eat better, and stop snacking on junk!

I think we did well in the hospitality department, and I'd like to keep that momentum going. There's just something so special about coming together and sharing what's going on in your life with friends.

I admit that I get stuck a lot lately. In my own head. Life is complicated, isn't it? I mean, it isn't, but it so is. And relationships. Talk about complicated! I seem to be in a season where past hurts keep coming to mind, and it's hard to get past them. And then it's hard to dream about anything, really, because I'm just plain stuck. I suppose I need to pray more about this one.

So anyway, those are my goals for the year. Do they resonate with anyone else? Does anyone even read this blog anymore? It's been so hard to keep up with everything, but I'm trying! :)


And of course, every New Year I treat myself to one or two new plants to celebrate new beginnings, and to help get me through these dreary winter days. The cats devoured the poor African Violet, but the pink one is doing well. For now. ;)

A Different Kind of Goal...Say Yes!

 I've been thinking a lot about how my little girl sees me, or more specifically, if I am someone that she will esteem to be like when she is grown. She's older now, newly ten, and I know she takes in everything I do, the good, the bad and everything in between. It's been humbling, to tell you the truth. I've had to contemplate the way I react to people and situations, especially when things aren't going my way; how I care- or don't- for those around me: do I happily offer help to someone in need or do I grumble and complain about being inconvenienced? Do I feel purposeful or resentful in all that I'm called to do?

And not to open a big ol' can of worms here, but I also wonder if she likes what she sees when looks at me. The first three months of my postpartum journey were great, but the still-sleepless nights have caught up with me, and that coupled with winter doldrums, has me in quite a state. I'm eating junk, too. No bueno. So I wonder: does my daughter see me exhibit self control or act like a victim of circumstance? Does she see me taking the time to savor and enjoy good things, or am I too frazzled/rushed/preoccupied to do so?

So my goals for 2017 look a little different than ones from previous years. Rather than cutting out this or stopping that, I'm looking to live more fully, more present and aware. I want my daughter to be inspired by my choices...maybe now is not the right time to mention that at this very moment she is throwing a colossal fit over being told to take a shower tonight instead of tomorrow- who knows?...I want her to see someone who loves life and actively pursues it with all she's got. I plan on saying Yes! to more coffee dates with friends, although they just might have to be at my house instead. That's okay. I need to say Yes! to adventure and fun, Yes! to time spent reading and studying God's Word, Yes! to bending the rules every now again. I will say Yes! to extending grace and to loving people right where they are, Yes! to healthy choices that fuel, invigorate and recharge me. Life is meant to be lived well. So I've started by adding some of these things to my planner, just as I would an appointment for one of the kids. I pray when I wash dishes and fold laundry, so basically, for hours, ha ha.And I'm going to commit to writing out my dreams and prayers in a journal so I can see how God answers, and He does answer.

I realize that perhaps none of this makes sense to anyone but me. And that's okay, too. Here's to a beautiful start to 2017.

I'm joining in with Shay and Erika for Workin' It Wednesday. Thanks, ladies! I'd love to read your goals for 2017 so leave me a comment or a link to yours. xo

I wrote a separate smaller post about goals here.

Happy New Year & Goals for 2017

Happy New Year!

2016 was a big year for our family, and although I typically mourn the "loss" of a year when we ring in the new one, I have to say that I was surprisingly ready for it this time. Even looking forward to a brand new year, right from the get-go. Normally it takes me a few days or so to ease into brand new, ha.

 I was disappointed that we had to cancel some plans with friends because several of us just weren't feeling well, so our celebrating was about as low-key as it gets. But Isabelle helped me set this up for our 9:30 pm ringing in...I was aiming for ten, but baby boy had other ideas and I was just plain exhausted.

Like many, I've spent a lot of time thinking and planning, and even a little dreaming about this new year. Levi is simply amazed at the possibilities. ha ha ha

This picture has nothing to do with anything, other than the fact that I didn't take his picture on Christmas Eve, and this is what he wore. So it's doing double duty here for New Year's. Baby boys in plaid, and sweater vests!, are just yummy. Well, those little grey suit pants make me weak in the knees, too. :)

After a weekend of list-making, goal-setting, and prioritizing needs versus wants, I did something I feel like I haven't done in ages...I plopped down in front of the TV with absolutely no agenda at all and inhaled enjoyed my salted caramel popcorn.

So what are my goals? Pretty simple, actually.

Being more intentional about Bible reading and my prayer life, and sharing that with our kids

Planning more time with friends, individually and as a family

Carving more FUN into my daily life

Seeking adventure, especially with my husband

There you have it. What things are you hoping to accomplish or get better at in 2017?

Goals, Good Books and Making Plans

I'm like so many others who view September as the month of beginnings, much more so than January. The year has always begun for me as soon as school gets back in session, and it's permanently ingrained in my teacher's mind/heart. So...Happy New Year? =) Every so often I like to record some goals and plans, kind of "write out loud." This is one of those kinds of posts, so either A. sorry! or B. you're welcome! (Because I like to read about other Mama's goals/thoughts, too.)

For a long time I was guilty of reading only homeschool-related things, and without any balance in that area, it began to consume me. That's never a good thing. My poor mind (and planner's heart) needed a break! I forced myself to pick some "non-essential" books off the library shelves, and wouldn't you know, the first several were pretty awful, and then the next few were okay, but still not even worth mentioning. I guess I lost my touch about finding a good book, ha! Then I found these two:

1. My Time in France

It's Julia Child's story of her life with her husband Paul, and their time in Europe, pretty much what the movie based its info on. I loved it! She was quite witty and had such a zest for life, and it was also very much a love story- she and Paul adored one another, and I found it really inspiring for the kind of marriage I want to have. One warning: some people (my mother) were put off by the details - and there are LOTS of details! - about all the food, but I just loved it. Now I want/need to watch the movie again.

2. Trim Healthy Mamas

I have a feeling I'm one of the only women who had not heard of this book until fairly recently, and while some people may not think of it as leisure reading, I have found it really fun to read. It has also been a great source of information about nutrition from a Biblical perspective - I admit that I have never fully explored this topic in the Bible, and it is so interesting! On a recent grocery shopping trip, the clerk (who was a middle-aged man, and whose wife happens to be expecting their fifth child...I chat a lot with people, ha) asked me if I was following the advice from this particular book, based on what had just passed on the conveyor belt. That made me feel pretty good because I haven't actually begun to purchase anything differently from what I always have, just lots of veggies and fruit, lean meats and not so much in terms of breads and pastas.

I'll admit that I have read more than a dozen books about hormones, thyroids and the like in recent months because I'm on a mission to get to the bottom of some of my issues, but that wouldn't count for "fun reading" so... Oh, and I did really like The Hormone Cure by Sara...oops, can't remember, but the book is great!

My biggest goal by far is to get back in the habit of devotions/reading my Bible. I don't know why I go through seasons like this where I simply don't feel like doing it. My guess is that I need better materials, and I haven't made as big an effort in finding them, which of course is just an excuse. I want us to also do more in the name of Christ. We will continue to make brown bag lunches to hand out to the homeless, and I've got some other ideas swirling around that I'd like to plan out and see through, but there are many opportunities to reach out. I want my children to love to help others, and I have to admit that I have had a grumbling spirit recently. If there's something in it for me, great; otherwise, never mind... that has to change!

My second goal is school-related. I want to bring the boys to all of the neat historical sites/places in our area, such as Boston and Lexington, and make plans to visit at least two other farther-away places sometime this fall.

My third goal relates to organization. Any busy Mom needs to be organized, but now that school happens inside my house, I find that I need to step it up. I need everything to go to...a place, someplace, and not the kitchen table! I've had some successes on this mission, but I still have a ways to go to work the kinks out. I think I've also become lazy with things like laundry and my ever-present little piles of stuff, and it kind of wears me down. A cluttered home = a cluttered mind. That won't do. I want to wake up energized and ready for a new day, not sucked back into yesterday because I haven't finished taking care of things that should already be done.

What to do? I'm going to find some new Bible study materials. I wish our church did more studies because I'd love to join up, but they don't seem to (which has been a big, not-so-great surprise since joining). I'm also going to do a little research into some trips and actually put them on the calendar. That's the hardest part for me! What if the weather isn't good, the kids get sick, I get sick? Of course there are also soccer and gymnastics schedules to tackle. But, trips don't happen if they don't get planned, and I need to get better at this. Lastly, I have already added some storage to our main work area - the dining room - and need to find a good system for folders and papers and such.

Of course since I'm dying to put out some fall decor and light up my pumpkin spice candle, we've had temps into the 90s here all week. Maybe that's the perfect pause button moment I need to get things in order and then be perfectly ready for Fall when the cooler weather does come. A good sweat is good for the soul, you know.  =)

Tom Brady and The 2014 House List

Yeah, that's right. Hangin' with Number 12. We totally had a vibe going on...can't you see it?

I'm almost sorry I'm subjecting you to this. This is me, no make-up (except for my favorite cheapo lip gloss) and with my been-in-the-rain-and-under-a-hat-all-day hair. Or, you're welcome because you probably feel a lot better about yourself right now?  ;) Well anyhoo, we had such a great time and I will cherish that night forever. I'll write more about it tomorrow.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an ardent list-maker. People, there are sub-lists of my lists! It's bad. Our "house list" has dwindled considerably, but there are still lots of lingering projects. Nothing too extraordinary by itself, but all together, I'm slightly hyperventilating. I'm just going to have to jump in and start somewhere, which means I'm going to have to work really hard to stay on top of the boys' schooling, customer's orders, life in general, and now these projects. I thought I'd blog about them to keep me motivated to finish...though at this point, perhaps the motivation to simply begin is more like it.

2014 House Goals

1. Install closet system in the Master Bedroom Closet

2. Finish upstairs Main Bath

3. Either paint, put up a border (yuck) or crown moulding in Isabelle's room

4. Better storage/shelving for Ethan's room and Jonah's room

5. Finish the Kitchen Island

6. Add shelf or art to First Floor Bath

7. First Floor Hallway/ Entryway

8. Replace Front Door

9. Replace/ Redo Front Steps

10. Finish removing haphazard rock wall and cleaning up entire area (otherwise known as the "pet cemetery") in front yard

11. Finish large/huge/ginormous/completely overwhelming rock wall garden in front yard

12. Replace garage door

13. Replace garage entry door

14. Redo Kitchen Pantry

15. Redo Upstairs Hall Linen Closet

There is probably more, but my official list (and three sub-lists) are all upstairs, and since Ryder was making gagging noises in his house and I let him out waaaay early this morning, I am not leading him upstairs to jump on multiple sleeping children in order to go get said lists. So from memory will have to do.

See? Now that it's written out, it seems like a lot. But I know it's a much smaller list than when we first started here, not quite a year and a half ago. This next photo is in reference to #10 on the list- Ethan has been instrumental in tackling this huge project, and I'm one impressed Mama. I'll have more pictures to show soon.

If you want to read where we got started, click here. 

THIS POST shares some of our progress so far. Happy Monday!

You can find me @ Rose & Ruffle on Facebook HERE

and on Instagram HERE

Some Goals for 2014

I used to be a firm New Year's Resolution maker. Until I was so sick and tired of feeling like a failure that I just completely gave up altogether.

Because my resolutions never lasted. I don't think I'm alone, either.

Now I think of things a little differently. I reflect on the past year, things I thought I did well, and other things that could definitely use some improvement, and I set some goals for myself. It's still a resolution of sorts, I suppose, but it just feels a little kinder. We women are typically our own worst enemies, but I am slowly learning to be nicer to myself. Do any of you struggle with that too?

Some of my Personal Goals are:

• Be more mindful of what I'm eating, and WHY - I tend to snack on sweets when I'm lonely, bored or anxious
• Get more daily activity- I love to do things outside but it's so much harder in the cold dead of winter
• Pray for patience and empathy for others - I can have a rather sinister heart/attitude, and I don't want to live with that kind of negativity; I'd like to be known for having compassion, being kind, and helping others
• Savor life - I want to live with thankfulness, intentionality and purpose; constant gratitude reminds me that everything single thing I have is a gift from God and makes me want to share His love with others
• Cherish and tend to my friendships more

Some of my Home Goals are:

• Install a closet system (been sitting in the box in the basement for a year now) in our teeny tiny bedroom closet
• Reorganize the pantry and install new shelves
• Ditto for the inadequate linen closet upstairs
• Change the front steps and landing - the color at least, but hopefully everything
• Add Board and Batten to the downstairs hallway
• Add the finishing touches to the kids' bedrooms

I would like to add here that I made great progress with some of the goals I'd set for 2013. I worked on them until the very end. Literally. I instagrammed a picture of my newly-hung scarf hooks on 12/31/13 around 4 in the afternoon!  =)

there is so much going on here that I just love, even though I'll probably get yelled at for posting this!!

I told my Dad he was going to have to get more matching shirts for J & C, ha!

One little tradition I've enjoyed over the years is to welcome in the New Year with a pretty plant or two. This year I brought Isabelle with me to pick them out, so that was special. We decided to get one for Mimi (my mother) and Grandma (my m-i-l) this year too. We also enjoyed a New Year's Day brunch with my in-laws, an afternoon of swimming fun with my husband's sister and family, and then we hosted a brunch at our house that weekend with my parents. Add in a few dinners and coffee & desserts with friends, and I think I'm off to a good start!

Now I'm off to bake some cookies...it is Friday after all! Have a great weekend!