Boys Rule My Life

I just want to get some things down "on paper" regarding my 2009 resolutions, goals, and aspirations.

In no particular order...

PERSONAL

1. Lose 3 lbs each month. I can do that, right?

2. Stop using bottled water at home. It's expensive and wasteful. It's convenient for travel, but not necessary at home.

3. Reduce soda intake to 1 or less per week.

4. Learn how to use my new camera! (Canon Rebel XS)

5. Continue weekly lunch date with Jeff.

6. Blog less and without obligation ... Live more. :)

FAITHFULNESS

1. Get up early for personal bible reading and/or prayer. (still working on this... 5:30 comes too soon!)

2. Continue with the online bible study.

3. Have at least a weekly devotional of some sort with the boys. (What do you do? I'm looking for suggestions!)

4. Pray at least once daily that Witt will outgrow his allergies.

PARENTING

1. Continue being consistent with the boys in discipline. This has worked wonders!

2. Encourage Will and Jeff to do a "boys night out" at least once a quarter.

3. Continue training the boys to do chores and help as a part of the family.

4. Reduce the number of times I ask Will to stop talking and try harder to answer more of his questions. (Multiple obscure "What if?" questions break me d..o..w..n...)

5. Complete Nathan's potty-training.

6. Read more books / watch less tv. (another ongoing battle)

NUTRITION

1. Reduce the amount of soy milk we use by at least half and start drinking more rice and almond milk. Too much of anything is not good.

2. Along the same lines... learn how to use different kinds of cooking oils - grapeseed, coconut, etc. I mostly just use olive and vegetable.

3. Incorporate more whole wheat flour and wheat germ in recipes. I currently substitute about 1/8 - 1/4 of the white flour with whole wheat in most recipes.

FINANCES

1. Update last year's budget.

2. Save for the boys' education.

3. Open a savings account. (If I don't see it in the checking account, I'll be less apt to spend!)

4. Stick to my grocery budget. I'm shooting for $125 a week or less to include all groceries, diapers, wipes, toiletries, cleaners, OTC medications, and paper products. Based on some of the frugal blogs out there, this should be totally doable!

5. Start looking into what it's going to take to build a house out in the country.

So that's about it. Some of it is very measurable, some quite vague. But they are mine and that's what I have time to write down right now. :)

Wishing everyone a fantastic 2009!

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Got this from Amy and thought it would be a good way to reflect on 2008 instead of the standard post. (The pictures have nothing to do with my answers... just wanted to "decorate" my post!)

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1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

Learning. This year has been such a learning experience. I learned so much about food, health, and being a more consistent parent. I have tried to learn from my mistakes and look at the bigger picture - not just how something might affect me. I also learned that I don't have to be a supermom (even though I'm still a work in progress on keeping my daily priorities straight ~ I'd rather sit and blog than do dishes! LOL!) Most of all, I realized how blessed I am with the family and church family I am surrounded by. God has blessed me with such a supportive, understanding group of people. I am SO BLESSED.

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

Even with all of the food allergy learning and trials, I would have to say that being consistent in discipline has been a constant struggle. Both Will and Nathan like to push it to the limit, but in different ways. Nathan just plainly ignores us (as if he didn't hear us) and Will can be outright defiant. It has been extremely challenging to me to put the right discipline in place for the "crime". (A spanking isn't appropriate for every misdeed and a nose in the corner doesn't cut it for others...)

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

Cooking from scratch and learning more about nutrition. Cooking dairy-free /egg-free was quite daunting at first, but after I got the basics down it wasn't so bad. I've learned how to cook more from scratch and in the process learned more about feeding my family better foods in general. Granted I still love to cook casseroles and comfort food, but we're making small improvements as we go and it really has been a wonderful experience.

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

Figuring out how and what to do when Will disobeyed at school. Bringing a third adult party into his daily life was unexpectedly difficult for me. I wanted him to obey his teachers, but I also wanted to make sure the teachers weren't being too hard on him. It is difficult for me to watch my children struggle, but struggle builds a character as long as they can learn from it. I realized that it's my job to LET him struggle a bit so that he CAN learn. Will is growing up right before my eyes. They all are, but he'll always be the first to make me learn new parenting skill. {grin} Poor little guinea pig!

5. Pick three words to describe 2008.

Family.
Balancing.
Happiness.

6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2008 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).

Balancing.
Learning.
Growing.

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2008 (again, without asking).

Challenging.
Rewarding.
Happiness.

8. What were the best books you read this year?

The Tightwad Gazette, Child Training Tips, Mitten Strings for God

not a book... but the internet has been a wonderful tool for recipes and alternate food choices.

I wish I had spent more time in the Bible.

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

Jeff and my boys.

My church family.

Tammy.

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

Letting go of things needing to be done a certain way. Even if the shirts are hung up inside out... at least they are on a hanger and not stuck in the laundry basket wrinkled.

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

Becoming more comfortable in my role as a parent... not that I'm completely comfortable or that I have all the right answers. Parenting is such an emotional roller-coaster. I had no idea... and it's just beginning. Parenting a 6 year old is so very different than parenting a (mostly) obedient toddler. The give and take. Making the hard choices. Discipline.

Parenting is not easy.

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

I've really become more aware of how little we talk about God in our home. He is a part of our family unit and we should talk about Him more than we do. Yes, we pray before meals and before we go to sleep, etc., but we're been lacking in other areas of just day-to-day living. My main growth has been bringing God into my daily instruction with the boys; explaining how God wants us to behave and to obey Him. My plan is to get out the bible and read the corresponding scriptures with the boys to emphasize that it is God's will that we obey. There are reasons for the way we live, teach, and worship. It's all laid out; we just have to be willing to learn what is planned for us. Just getting back to the basics in teaching the boys has helped me grow and be more mindful of God's plan.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

Ugh. This is an awful question. I have not exercised; I have not lost weight. In fact I gained an extra 15 pounds this year. Dairy free does not mean calorie free! :) One good physical growth has been my hair. I plan on cutting it around February and sending it off for Locks of Love. This will probably be the only time in my life that I will do this as I don't see myself growing it out this long ever again.

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

This has been a great year for me in the friendship department! Tammy and I have become really close online friends and I hope that we'll be able to get together again soon. She makes me laugh and cry. She's my BFF!

I rekindled some old friendships through Facebook. I've gotten back in touch with many early childhood friends and high school friends. It's been wonderful to see pictures of their spouses and children. To hear about their ups and downs and to realize that no one is perfect. I just might feel a little less self-conscious at my next high school reunion! :)

Jeff and I have a very strong marriage. We have great communication and we've had to learn balance in keeping up with the kids and having our own time as well. It's constant work, but it's good work and it's rewarding to be so in love with my spouse.

15. What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?

Organizing. I love organizing, but Jeff was right when he said, "Getting organized is the easy part; staying organized is the hard part." So true. so true.

16. What was your most challenging area of home management?

Staying organized! HA HA HA!!

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

Reading blogs. Although they are a great source of information and support, there has been too much time wasted on them. The last month or so, though, I have been coming closer to a better balance. I'm realizing that I just can't answer every comment and I don't have time to visit every visitor. I'd love to, but I just can't. I've also become more picky about what I blog about. I feel like my blog is becoming more of a journal for me than a record of just what we do. That's ok... it's my blog. And it's ok if I lose readers - the most important things I need to be doing during the day are raising, training, and loving my children... not keeping up with the bloggy Jones'. ;)

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

Our mornings are always one of my favorite times of the day. If the boys aren't up, Jeff and I will enjoy a cup of coffee in bed just chatting. If the boys are up, we're all in our bed chatting. Well, Will is mostly chatting (he's always got a lot to say!). :) Jeff and I also fell into a weekly lunch date. My MIL comes once a week to watch the boys while I run errands and we have been able to work in a lunch date during my errand time most weeks. It's been wonderful to have an extra few minutes alone with the person I love most.