Christmas 2012

We had a great Christmas season. Christmas breaking started Fri the 14th, the same day that our baby neice was born! We headed to Salem after school and baby was birn at 5:24pm. We got to visit a little that night and spend the weekend hanging out.







We had a great weekend hanging out with our new baby niece. We headed home on Monday taing the long way since the pass was super snowy! The girls started Christmas vacation that week.

We had a great Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma Judys and the kids read the nativity story. They did great! This has been a tradition since I was a kid so its great to see my kids now participating :)




Christmas Morning:


Janell & Jake arrived the day after Christmas and Janell and Delaney were able to make it to our cousinn night that Saturday. Heres all the great grandkids minus 2


Janell and Jake stayed through New Years Eve. It was special to see them and bond with Delaney. Such a precious fragile time for a new mom and dad ;)
This is the day they left at dads fire station


i so enjoyed my time off with my kids. It was great! My big goal for 2013 is to get ourselves into a finacial position where we maybe dont need my income. Its daunting to think about but with lots of planning and disipline, I believe it can be done!

4 weeks to a more organized home

So I have slacked on the daily challenges but have gotten ALOT done in my house the past week! Last weekend I went throught the kids rooms and cleaned and organized, getting rid of so much stuff! My fan was cleaned, bathroom scrubbed, couch cushions vacummed and shampooed and all carpet shampooed. WooHoo! And today I worked on the medicine/spice cupboard:

Tonight is cousin night at our house and I am super excited! Itll be nice to have everything clean for company.

And here is Kiera rockn the 50's look today to celebrate 50 days of kindergarten

 

She wasnt to excited about participating but I think she'll be glad she did.

 

And heres my buddy that I get to hang out with all day weds and Fri, just the two of us.

 

 He is sporting his new "camera" smile. He is such a seet heart, giving me lots of sweet hugs today. I am really trying to focus on this time with him and cherish it! Love this boy!

4 Weeks to a More Organized Home: Day 3

Todays challenge was the bedroom; making the bed and cleaning, and the freezer. My room was totaly wiped out today and it worked great that I was able to get an early start on it since it took a litte time. Our room is so often the catch all that its always messy. Not the retreat/reaxing feel we're going for ;)

Our bedroom before:

After:

 

 

 



My freezer wasnt too bad, I had recently cleaned it out, so i just straightned it up a little. All in all I got alot done today but felt like there was still so much more as I put the kids to bed tonight. Oh well. I had lots of fun with my boy today when sisters were at school. I definatey dont wanna be so busy that I miss out. ;)

 

 

Th house feels good tonight and I hope that I've been a blessing my family by making our home clean, comfortable, and inviting,



4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Day 2

Todays challenge was cleaning your kitchen and cleaning out the fridge, two things I definatley needed to do :)

I started on the kitchen as soon as dinner was finished. It was perfect timing since it was extra messy from dinner

Kitchen Before:

Kitchen After:

 

 

Ah! Much better!

 

My fridge really needed cleaned out and wiped down:

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to tomorrows challenge since I'm off and should be able to get it finished earlier in the day ;)

 



4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge

I'm excited for the Money Saving Mom's  4 weeks to a more organized home series. My home definately needs it! Todays challenge was to take 15 mins to straighten up your living room and clean out your purse.

I worked today and by the time I got home, my house was pretty wiped out! The girls helped me clean the kitchen after dinner and I did a quick pick up of living room afterwards

Before:   (Yikes!)

 

After:

 



 

 



 

After the kids were in bed, I tackled my purse

 

 

 

I cleaned a bunch of junk out and switched back to my larger wallet. That way I dont have to carry a seperate envelope for coupons ;) Looking forward to tomorrows challenge!!



Big Moments

     We had a packed day yesterday, and some big moments for our girls. Natalie had a soccer game at 10 and one at 1 and Kiera had a birthday party at 2. Derek worked and was only able to make the 10 o'clock game, so I needed help from my parents with getting Kiera to her party since the game wouldn't be over. Kiera was invited to the party for a girl in her class. She really wanted to go and tried to be good all week. I didnt want to tell her no because so much of our time has been devoted to soccer and I wanted her to know she important too. I planned on having my parents take her but when it came time, she really wanted me too.She threw a huge fit right before the second game started because she didnt want to stop playing at the play ground. After a time out in the car and sitting quietly by mom, I decided to take her to the party. She needed that one on one time with me and was excited to go.
     Shortly after I left, Natalie scored her first goal of the season, her first goal ever. I was sorry that Derek and I both missed it but so happy and so proud of her. She has come so far this season and has really enjoyed playing. Her coach was also very proud of her and said so at their pizza party. After the pizza party, the whole team stayed the night at the coachs daughters house. It was Natalie's first "slumber party" Her first over night stay with anyone who wasnt a cousin or a grandparent and she had a great time!

Kiera had a great time at the party. I think it was good for her to do her own thing. Kiera and Jackson stayed the night with my parents so Derek and I were able to go out to dinner and a movie and do a little Christmas shopping. Besides Derek not feeling 100%, we had a great time :)

Am I doing enough?

Am I doing enough to let my kids know how much I love them? To show them how much they mean to me? Am I doing enough to show my husband that he is important to me? That I value him? Am I snapping at him too much? I struggle with feeling complete in these areas. I struggle to work, keep a clean house, have fun as a family, connect with my husband. My middle daughter has been acting out alot. Do I treat her differently because she is the "middle child"? Or does she just need more one on one time then her big sis? Does she feel important and loved by me?

There are so many chances to doubt that I am doing enough. I know that I am not enough. I need Jesus. I need His strength and patience. I cannot do it alone. I am praying for help showing my family how much they mean to me. By my words and my actions. I have really been working hard at being gentle and patient. Correcting my kids with a quiet voice. I'm tired of yelling, it doesn't work. I am struggling to teach my kids kindness and gentleness by example.

I missed the girls haloween party at school. I think they were disapointed. I struggled with going and ended up not making arrangements for Jackson. I should of planned ahead and tried harder. This weekend will be busy, full of soccer activities. I plan on taking Fri to hang out with Jackson and clean my house. Saturday will be busy but I'm hoping to squeeze in a date night with my hubby. We do not date nearly enough, and I am looking forward to it. Natalie is staying the night with her soccer team saturday night. Shes super excited, I feel like I'll be missing out on time with her. But I dont want her to miss opportunities for having fun being a kid. I'll try to spend some one on one time with her. Sunday.

I feel guilty for having to work. I have since I became a mom. It could be more than it is, I am so blessed to be able to work part time. We are finally getting good footing finacialy and I know  we wouldnt be able to without my income. I still pray about this, I know God has blessed me greatly with an amazing job with excellent pay. I struggle feeling like I could be a better mom, have a better home, if I was home full time. I am trying to focus on being grateful in all circumstances. The better I can manage my time, the more I can be present with my family, and bless them with a clean home, good food and encouraging words. 

I am praying for guidance in managing my time, so that I can feel like I am closer to doing enough for my family.....