Goals

so, i don't usually use the term "new years resolution" for some reason. 

i tend to stick to the simple word "goals". 

and the way i usually arrive at the ideas for my goals is through

reflection from the previous year, prayer, and having my eyes 

opened to some random things that just plain stink in this home (or more likely this heart!) 

and need to change.  change does not come over night darn it!
i am trying to learn that the fact is that these goals
in life need to be cultivated, practiced and prayed over.  lately i have been asking
God to give me a heart of conviction.  not for any one thing, but for many
things.  that i would be a woman who would stand stronger for Him and trust
Him with everything.
i have to apologize for writing so all over the place.  i am used to journaling for only myself
where it's okay that things are scattered and make no sense to anyone else!
here's a few pics of these sweet people God has given me to serve...

okay, this last one was to make you laugh.


here goes...some of my thoughts and goals for the year

Spiritual:

-Continuing to make my morning quiet/devotion time a priority

-Digging deeper into the Bible with Conviction

-Intercessory prayer

-Praying with more people right there on the spot!  Let's do it not just say we are going to!

-Be about a million times better example of Jesus to my kids 

-Learn more about Him so I can share more about Him

-Love with Christlike love -- deep and perfect and true -- void of my ugly self

-Empty to fill

-There is always so much in this area. i could go on and on!

- Read more good books

Physical:

-Continue working out 5 days a week (i do understand this may sound extreme, but i promise it's not!  i have a very devoted workout partner who works out with me and we just love starting our days super early with a workout. and it helps me stay on a good schedule to just do it all week instead of intermittently throughout the week.)

-Add in the elliptical 2-3 time per week (I saved up for one and it should be here soon!  i have always wanted one!)

-I have gone without sugar since the new year.  wow.  that's all i have to say.

-I have gone without white flour too.

-To not eventually freak out from not having white sugar and flour (it's my life dream to be able to say NO to these two awful things!)

-Get outside more

-Juice once a day

Mothering/Homeschool/Wife:

-Love on them more more more hold tight and soak up every moment

-Softer tones

-More consistant disciplining with love of course

-Take it slow

-Plan better for more fun activities and projects that will be remembered

-Show them Jesus 

-MORE DATES with husband  Shooting for 2 a month! we've gone years at a time without a date so this will be quite a feat but our marriage depends on it!

-Be very attentive to husbands needs and show lots of love  

-Pray and Pray and Pray for the wisdom and strength to care for my family the way they deserve!!!!!

i think i may end up to be a terrible blogger!

wow, it's like i think i want to blog and it sounds so fun to journal through the internet, but dang, you really have to make some time for this stuff! and i clearly have not!  heck, i don't even know who will read this!  i guess i have the hope that maybe some of the women whos blogs i truly enjoy will maybe enjoy and relate to my (non-existant) blog too.  i guess that's the point right? am i right? i don't even know!  i am a terrible commenter on others blogs because of time constraints (hence the fact that i cant seem to commit to my own!), but have been SO blessed by a select few blogs and i know i really need to let these girlies know!  anywho, i shall try...
let me share how the Lord has blessed us these last 7 weeks of school!  it's been hard and beautiful and trying and we are learning through it all.  i have three sons 10,8, and 6.  i really struggle to parent my very difficult middle babe.  he seems impossible sometimes.  i get depressed.  i get angry.  i cry.  and i do my very best to surrender this (and my sweet little boy) to Jesus.  and it's still hard.  all i want is to see him have peace and desire to obey and not be SO selfish.  it makes all our lives so so so hard some days that my head will truly THROB and ACHE from the stress.  i KNOW that he is in God's hands, but i fear that i don't have what it takes to be his mama and then my heart breaks and grieves over my shortcomings.  i KNOW i am in God's hands.  He holds me.  He loves me and little dude too.  so, this is on my heart right now.  this is what i am struggling with on a daily basis.  God is so faithful and i know that through prayer, fasting and the Holy Spirit in me i will be able to accomplish the precious tasks before me.

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is GOOD; His LOVE endures forever!
                                                                                                        Psalms 106:1
 

i love this guy.  i am so thankful for him. and i know that with God's grace and help i can do this!

we made it through the first day!

                                    



     praise God! that's all i have to say about that! ok, maybe i have a little more to say than that, but that's the most important part! He is good and we had a blessed first day of school! and tomorrow is their first day at our church school's elective program which is ran by my sister-in-law. they are so excited! they will be doing art lessons, pottery and ceramics, creative writing, arts and crafts, physical education, hot lunches provided by the mamas, chior, bible study and much more!  i am so thankful for all who participate to make this day possible for my guys.
     i'll share some of our day without trying to bore you!  we had a nice breakfast together, the boys choice.

then i took their cute little "first day of school" pictures!

                                                       
                                    then we cracked them books...

                                   

                             
     

we played a little...

did some reading aloud (our personal favorite part of the day)...

did a little experimenting. everyone had to do it! 

idea from here.

it was a good first day.  and knowing that it's because of God's amazing grace makes it even better!

school starts tomorrow and i think i may actually be starting this blog!

 

      so, i've been trying to start this here little blog for quite a while, but it just wasn't happening! as we are beginning our new and exciting (hopefully) school year I really desire to document and journal our journey. i think it will help to hold me accountable for stuffs i should be doing with the kiddos and that it will be super fun for the kids and i to look back through the posts and see all we have done. so i am going to really make this attempt for reals yo!
    i've been busting my buns all day to get ready for tomorrow!  i'm excited and nervous at the same time. I admit that their attitudes can be quite the downer at times. i have been praying tons and asking God to soften and prepare their hearts for this upcoming year of learning and exploration. also, that i would not let parenting intimidate me, but that i would parent confidently in the Spirit and trust in God's guidance. that i would choose Him.

this is an example of what you might see when i am not parenting in the spirit
pretty scary huh. i know you're feeling sorry for my kids right now...

i am praising God that all things are possible! that He can change me!  that He can make me into the mama He wants me to be! so i'll leave this post nice and short.  there will be lots more to come.  i am looking forward to sharing about our curriculum and some things that work for us around here.

p.s. my oldest little dude, noah, had a mishap on his motorcycle and ended up with a pretty injured foot. he's bummed but he'll be fine.  i'm still trying to get used to all the injuries boys get. Lord help me!

   

A Bit About Our Curriculum This Year

     I thought I would share what we have been up to this school year, even though it is soon coming to a close!  Can  you believe it?  I sure do have a lot of improvements to make for next year.  Mostly to be more intentional in my teaching and lesson plans.  To make things even more meaningful and fun.  Take it up a notch basically.  I will give an overview of how I feel our year went in June, but for now we gotta get to it and finnish up our books and try to enjoy ourselves while were at it!
   We chose to begin My Fathers World Exploring Countries and Cultures this year with our 7 and just turned 10 year old.  We have really learned a lot and enjoyed the gentle approach and the overall natural feel that this curriculum has to offer.  Here's a look at some of our books above.  I understand that it looks like a lot, but you are not in all of them at once!  You move methodically through them throughout the whole year and it makes SO much sense the way the lesson plans have it laid out!
The first pic is of our Geography books.  They are all excellent!  Great for different ages because they are easy to adapt the activities to the age level you are working with.  The teachers manual also helps by giving tips on what to do for different ages groups.  That little blue book as actually a little passport that you fill out every time you begin to study a new country.  The kids always enjoy that!  They are fascinated by the Window on the World book because of all the pictures and information on all the people groups around the world.  The Geography From A to Z is also a favorite of ours.  Every week we make note cards with the Geography terms for that week and draw pictures of them and write the definition on the back.  Then we review them periodically.  I have to say we really enjoy all these books and have gained a lot from them!

   These are our science books! My second grader does The Complete Book of Animals and my fourth grader works in the Properties of Ecosystems.  Then we read the Living World Encyclopedia together and the dK book is actually just a supplement that I already have that goes along perfectly with the unit, so I figured I may as well use it!  I love studying nature and my little country raised boys are right along with me!  The really cool thing is that the curriculum is set up so that you are actually studying the natural habitats, animals, forests, rivers, and climate of the countries and continents you are studying for Geography!  Very cool.

     These books are the read-alouds.  I have to tell you though that for some reason my 2nd grader who loves to read and has listened to MANY chapter books read aloud to him, was not into any of these books.  They were just  over his head I guess.  So I just read them to my oldest and that worked out fine.  He listened and enjoyed them with no problem. He's been chapter-bookin' it since kindergarten though.  The Kingdom Tales was awesome and sparked a lot of great conversation about God and who He is.
     I apologize that this is such a brief overview!  I will try to share some of our activities that we do in the next couple of months.  Next year, as we venture into the My Father's World Creation to the Greeks, I will be sharing along the way so there will be a clearer picture of the curriculum.  I love My Father's World and I feel very privileged to be using it!  I feel like it was put together by the Holy Spirit's guidance to bless families like ours.  I thank the Lord for this gift to help me to teach my little boys!
There will be more to come as I will share the rest of what we are doing in our school!  Have a blessed day as you embrace all He has done for you!