Goals and How I get there

READY OR NOT HERE IT COMES!

We are fast approaching a New Year and with that i am fast approaching my 2nd blogaverary! As I get ready for the upcoming new year I start thing about my goals for the upcoming year...not resolutions BUT goals! Well let's go back in time to January 8, 2007 to my very first blog post

Every year January 1st rolls around and the buzz word seems to be "resolutions". Most popular to date. I resolve to go on a diet and loose ten pounds. Now that's great but how many actually achieve that..not so many. I propose a different challenge. My husband and I set detailed goals for the year. We write them out and look at them often. Mine are broken down into categories of personal and family. I am fairly detailed in them. I state which projects I want to accomplish say 2 sewing projects then I specify which ones. This may seem either too simplistic or too overbearing. Either way it sets your perspective for the year to come. I have two children who are very young and only 14 months apart, so goal setting is perfect to keep me on track and on schedule though most time my goals are set too high and I don't achieve them all. However I have discovered the more I have the more of them I reach.

Well I have added a third Child 16 months younger than the last one since then and now I have also come up with a notebook that helps me keep on track. So let me share the pictures with you!

This is the note book and the binder it is housed in

These are my monthly pages

This is written inside the fromt cover. I have ADD BIG TIME! So this is a must focus for this year!

This is a new section I added this year..actually it a revamp..It used to be weekly goals But this year it is weekly accomplishments so when i feel as though i have not accomplished much i can just go back and take a peek!

These are weekly goals and this is a break down of the monthly goals

This is an add on to the three ring binder. It is a declutter calendar. I Added it about half way

through last year. I only have six days left. Not bad when starting in the middle of the year. This has been a huge asset to me this year. Also in this spiral note book I have a page that is a list of everyone We buy/make gifts for and also a page to keep track of the books I have finished! I guess back when i made these decisions about Goals over resolutions is that You can resolve to do something BUT if you don't have a plan behind that resolution you are going to fail! JUST A THOUGHT!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (December 29, 2008)...

Outside My Window...Pretty sunny morning..It almost feels like spring with the snow melting! I am thinking...I love our new church and the family atmosphere that brings joy I am thankful for...the Lord's safe keeping as we almost crashed early Christmas morning as we slid for a long ways on black ice From the learning rooms...Nothing today a break week! From the kitchen.. I am not quite sure though I do know that I will be using my new roaster/ slow cooker sometime this week! I am wearing...feather pants and a wintery birdhouse scene sweatshirt! I am creating...an organized home..LOL with three toddlers I think that this is an impossible task! I am going...No where FAST! I am reading..Prayer by Philip Yancey, Defuse by Karol Ladd and Zecheriah, Psalms Proverbs and Re3velation I am hoping...for a calm week I am hearing..the hum of the computer Around the house..laundry to catch up on from the weekend, a few dishes and a few random things to pick up All the Christmas presents have been put away and I need to finish tidying my craft room BUT I am almost there! One of my favorite things..GAMES of any kind..board party you name it and I'll play it..Few restrictions apply A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Send Christmas cards HMM yes they have NOT been sent yet! finish craft room and take care of laundry A picture thought I'm sharing with you...

Tornado loves to take pictures with our camera. So this morning MOMMY lost her camera and enlisted Tornado's help in finding which he did....for his reward this is what he got to do Take some pictures..This one is of our den we are remodeling...AND his fingers!! Mommy searched and and low but with no luck found it so when mommy went out to the truck this morning to look for something else Tornado spied it hanging just where mommy left it hanging on the outside doorknob...he was standing on the porch proud as a peacock when I turned the corner!

Revisiting Ministry in Marriage and Motherhood

Monday, December 29, 2008

MY WALK MONDAY-REVISITING MINISTRY IN MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD

Ministry in Marriage and Motherhood was a class i took at the Bible College where my husband attended seminary. I loved this class and the professor. What a blessing both the instructor and the class was to me. For some unknown reason I found the notebook laying on the foot of our bed this morning . I opened it up and realized after just a few short moments of reading that I again was being blessed by this material. It was only a few short weeks ago that this topic came up with a friend of mine who was taking this class. She is about 3 1/2 years younger than I and well I guess I can share that our friendship has been a downward spiral for some time. Anyway through a conversation with her she began telling me that she begged her husband to allow her to take the class. He initially told her no because "she could teach the class" Finally he broke and gave his blessing so when I asked her if she was learning anything she said NO...I was shock and she got an ear full. though it was not specifically at her I shared how I was So opinionated when I began the class and by the end I knew and fully understood that EVERYONE will have a different Philosophy of Ministry in Marriage and motherhood. I have not arrived BY ANY MEANS. I have a lot more growing and learning. I love to learn. i struggle a lot when i don't I hope I always have a learning spirit. There is something oh so refreshing about meeting a person in their 50's or 60's or even older who still has a desire. i find I can learn and glean so much from that person. To think that a person who is in their mid twenties thinks that they have arrived and have it all figured out without ever experiencing full time ministry, teenagers, the death of a spouse, and so much more boggles my mind. I will never have it all figured out because I have not experienced everything there is to experience. And LORD I don't want to Start experiencing everything there is to experience either..(LOL) So for the next few months as I review this oh so important material I will share those things that has blessed me again. Until next time HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!

Tackling the DEN

THE DEN

Note the two different types of wood the right side is a veneered drywall..it was under yucky paneling...The left is real Cherry paneling that will be a chair rail. It will be finished natural because it will be gorgeous

This is my special spot..This is where my window seat will be. We have two bays. One in the living room and this one in the den

And where you see all the oblong circles there will be cherry trim. And a Cherry Chair rail too! In the far right corner there used to be a wood stove that was way outdated and not safe to use. It gave us quite a bit more space when we removed it! I am so excited. More picture next week

Present #3

So today in My day Book Entry i told you about the Christmas present Hubby had gotten me which was this..Or should I say THESE... BUT then I told you that a bigger present was in the bottom of the boot box and asked you to guess what it was and I told you it had something to do with the Boots and hat! Well It's time for the unveiling It was a home made card..Take a peek and then you'll know why it is SO much BIGGER than the other two...

So there it is in Black and white it's a trip. Our first real family vacation in 4 years. The vacation isn't necessarily the present it's to where and a girl can't take here first trip to Nashville TN without a cowboy hat and boots. After this last year we severely need a family vacation. So in the trip We are going to Nashville TN, Petersburg Ky and Pittsburgh Pa ...we want to stop off and visit Ron's Grandpa who isn't doing so well..Then it's off to Nashville where we will visit the Country Music hall of Fame Recording Studios the Ryman Auditorium and so much more Then it's off to Kentucky where we have friends and we will visit the Creation Science Museum AND a National Zoo Pass so we can visit whatever Zoos we wish in the next year...Did I ever mention I have a thing for Zoos Well that another blog post entirely And all along the way we will stop and visit presidents home, battle feilds and so much more. We haven't traveled like this since we went to Canada with Hubby's partents and brother 4 years ago! I am SOOOOO excited. What a cool Hubby I have to make his wife's dreams come true like that!

And By the way Monica was the closest by guessing Horse riding lessons...Mostly cuz she's the only one who guessed! Thanks for playing along and Yes someday I would LOVE horse riding lessons!

Simple Woman's Day book

FOR TODAY (December 22, 2008)... Outside My Window...SUPER windy and very very bitter cold! I am thinking...I had a great weekend.. I am thankful for...an incredible sweetheart of a husband From the learning rooms...Nothing today is a snow day! From the kitchen...a HUGE mess and leftovers tonight! I am wearing...what I wore to bed I am creating...Christmas gifts, a clean environment since we have started yet another house project. Pics tomorrow! I am going...no where until Wednesday night for Christmas Eve service and straight from there to my parents house in PA I am reading..Prayer by Philip Yancey, Defuse by Karol Ladd and Amos, Psalms Proverbs and Re3velation I am hoping...to get a lot done..ESPECIALLY the Christmas cards that are half completed I am hearing...wind outside and the hum of the computer Around the house..laundry to catch up on from the weekend, a few dishes and a few random things to pick up A bunch of Styrofoam that the kiddos decided to ground into itty bitty bits with so much static cling it's unbelievable One of my favorite things..Anything that is Chocolaty and minty combined! A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Finish Christmas cards, sign cards send them..Finish Christmas presents..Wrap them BREATH and sleep A picture thought I'm sharing with you...

So this was my Christmas present from Hubby and a VERY special one it is. It is something I have dreamed of owning since I was a little girl A Cowboy hat and cowboy Boots BUT This was NOT the only part of the gift there was something way bigger laying in the bottom of the boot box...something I have ALWAYS WANTED TO DO--Now who can guess what the third part of this gift could be!?! Check out the answer HERE!

Beyond Irritated

It's been a long time since I have written a post about something that drives me nuts so here it is CHRISTMAS style! Or should I say Holiday style! Yep that's it you guessed it. I am a full fledged Child of the King who believes that this "holiday" thing has gone way too far! Yes I know the purpose there is also Kwanzaa and Hanukkah...then there is CHRISTMAS and New years all lumped into the space of roughly a month. For many years these holidays coincided with no trouble at all....I will admit that Hanukkah is older than the celebration of Christmas However Kwanzaa was founded in 1966..My question was what exactly is Kwanzaa? So I did a little searching and here is what it is.

DEFINITION OF KWANZAA Kwanzaa is a unique African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. Kwanzaa is neither political nor religious and despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas. It is simply a time of reaffirming African-American people, their ancestors and culture. Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits of the harvest" in the African language Kiswahili, has gained tremendous acceptance. Since its founding in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa has come to be observed by more than18 million people worldwide, as reported by the New York Times. When establishing Kwanzaa in 1966, Dr. Karenga included an additional "a" to the end of the spelling to reflect the difference between the African American celebration (kwanzaa) and the Motherland spelling (kwanza). Kwanzaa is based on the Nguzo Saba (seven guiding principles), one for each day of the observance, and is celebrated from December 26th to January 1st. * Umoja (oo-MO-jah) Unity stresses the importance of togetherness for the family and the community, which is reflected in the African saying, "I am We," or "I am because We are." * Kujichagulia (koo-gee-cha-goo-LEE-yah) Self-Determination requires that we define our common interests and make decisions that are in the best interest of our family and community. * Ujima (oo-GEE-mah) Collective Work and Responsibility reminds us of our obligation to the past, present and future, and that we have a role to play in the community, society, and world. * Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah) Cooperative economics emphasizes our collective economic strength and encourages us to meet common needs through mutual support. * Nia (NEE-yah) Purpose encourages us to look within ourselves and to set personal goals that are beneficial to the community. * Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity makes use of our creative energies to build and maintain a strong and vibrant community. * Imani (ee-MAH-nee) Faith focuses on honoring the best of our traditions, draws upon the best in ourselves, and helps us strive for a higher level of life for humankind, by affirming our self-worth and confidence in our ability to succeed and triumph in righteous struggle.

http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm And then there is

Hanukkah (Hebrew: חנוכה‎, IPA: ['χanuka], alt. Chanukah), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, and may occur from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar.

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the Menorah or Hanukiah, one light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash, (Hebrew: "guard" or "servant") is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the Talmud (Tracate Shabbat 21b-23a), against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. (The shamash is used to light the other lights.)

Hanukkah is mentioned in the deuterocanonical or apocrypha books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. 1 Maccabees states: "For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. Then Judah and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the rededication...should be observed...every year...for eight days. (1 Mac.4:56-59)" According to 2 Maccabees, "the Jews celebrated joyfully for eight days as on the feast of Booths."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah So what exactly has created this HOLIDAY joy? Could it bee that I watched one hour of television and did not hear Christmas mentioned one time...BUT in the process I heard about HOLIDAY decorations,,,HOLIDAY gifts..HOLIDAY parties...HOLIDAY food..AND yes even a HOLIDAY tree! OR could it be that my pastor husband and I are faced with what seems like an impossible task of trying to convince our Three and a half year old that God does exist despite the fact he hasn't seen him on TV...Santa on the other hand....does not despite the fact he is EVERYWHERE on TV! I am ready to chuck the TV... NO not really BUT there will not be anymore Santa movies this year until Tornado is able to grasp that seeing isn't believing. At this point Tornado is a confused little boy. He marches around the house saying I believe in Santa but when he is asked to you believe in God he says NO but I love him> I think that we have lost sight. Materialism and the idea of kids Needing something good to believe in has clouded our views. Christ is the only good thing we need! AND HE IS THE ONLY REASON FOR THE SEASON!!

My home at christmas

* Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do... Just copy this email/post and paste into a new e-mail/post to share with others. Change all the answers so that they apply to you.... here's mine..... 1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper mostly 2. Real tree or Artificial? This year real. I was so excited a gentleman in our church gave us a free real tree 3. When do you put up the tree? usually the weekend after Thanksgiving 4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day 5. Favorite gift received as a child? bicycle 6. Hardest person to buy for? My dad and brothers! 7. Easiest person to buy for? My kids they have such easy likes! 8. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but is a mostly broken..A hand me down so i didn't even put it out this year 9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail and for the last two years handmade cards too! 10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't remember 11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? November 12. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I also don't remember but I really don't think so 13. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? butterscotch rice crispie candy with a layer of chocolate in the middle 14. Lights on the tree? Yes definitely 15. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night and Carol of the Bells 16. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel...that is until my husband gets a pastorate and then we will travel afterward 17. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Doner, Blitzen, and Rudolf ... 18. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star 19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning..But someday when my husband gets a pastorate we will open stockings Christmas eve 20. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Santa Claus! And how he seems to sound so much like God! You notice that he has a lot of names and seems to be all knowing and ever present - "he see's you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good".... that's worrisome!!! I guess this has affected us more this year than ever before cuz Tornado has decided that God isn't real cuz he hasn't seen him on TV GRRRR Frustrating for a pastors family 21. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red and silver with white lights..Lots of greenery around the house and Maroon bows to accent it with 22. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham 23. What do you want for Christmas this year? To sleep in ...My parents are terrible about wanting the kids to get up! 24. Who is most likely to respond to this? I have NO IDEA! 1. Do you read the Christmas story from the Bible with family? Yes - usually my husband reads it we do it a lot during the coming days but my parents don't really have that focus 2. What is your favorite Christmas movie? Mine is White Christmas. Danny Kaye is one of my favorites 3. Do you pretend Santa for your kids - NO! Though Tornado thinks he is real cuz he's seem him on TV we have had a real struggle with that this Christmas 4. Do you hang stockings? Where and how? More like propped under the tree But we do have them 5. Does your family have any birthdays near Christmas? My uncles And Vug's is near thanksgiving

I have been Had!

Ok So this weekend hubby and I and the three kids went to a church about three hours away. Hubby is a possible candidate there and we had a church desert and then hubby was also going to be speaking Sunday during all three services. Well we got there around 1:30 had lunch and then hubby and I got up at 4 to take our showers and get the kids ready. There was an older husband and wife who were coming to have dinner with us at 5 and then the church fellowship was at 6:30. Well about 4:45 the doorbell rings...LUCKILY I was dressed. Hubby made the comment WOW SO AND SO ARE EARLY...I went to the door who should be standing there BUT A LOCAL POLICE OFFICER!.. UH OH what on earth was going on??? I said hello and he proceeded to interrogate me about why we were in this house that had not been inhabited for a couple of years...GULP! I tried to explain but he was insisting that what I was saying was not true finally in desperation I called for Hubby.. I said "Honey" And he yelled back What do you what" in a rather frustrated tone because he was wrestling a naked 3 year old. And i quickly yelled back there is a police officer at the door. Hubby came out trying to keep Tornado at bay! We started throwing out name from the church and finally we got to a name that shall remain unstated and the officer repeated the name and said BOY that name sounds really familiar...I think I just arrested him a few days ago. Forgetting he was a police officer I said I don't think you would have arrested this guy...the questioning went on for another two minutes and finally he smiled and said my name is ......and he shook our hands and that was that. I fell to the steps with a smile! I began to think man that last name sounds familiar and I remember one of the deacon's wives telling me her son was an officer in the town!!!. I connected the dots after he left. That guy who had just been arrested was the officer's brother-in-law!!!..We were the recipients of a practical joke. One that was talked about for the rest of the weekend...Even one of hubbies questions that night was ..Do you have a criminal record..To which hubby responded with..Not until tonight! Later after all was said and done the officer stopped by the church and Tornado went up and asked him for his gun...the officer said no to which Tornado responded with asking for his keys...to which he said YES...SO tornado ran around for a while with all the keys to all the businesses in town...when he was bored with them he went back and gave the officer his keys back and said NOW GIVE ME YOU GUN. to which the officer said no..he is a persistent little booger..AND BRAVE TOO!

Simple Womans Day book

FOR TODAY (December 15, 2008)... Outside My Window...Wet and windy and yet warm! I am thinking...I had a great weekend..Despite the police officer incident...and that turned out to be pretty funny too! I am thankful for...the Christmas shopping to be 99.9% finished From the learning rooms...color review. and working on numbers From the kitchen...Pulled pork ..Now in the oven...My crock pot .is well not doing so well I am wearing...what I wore to bed I am creating...Christmas gifts, a dinner and a Christmasy environment! I am going...no where until Wednesday night for AWANA! I am reading..Prayer by Philip Yancey, Defuse by Karol Ladd and Amos, Psalms Proverbs and Re3velation I am hoping...to get a lot done..ESPECIALLY the Christmas cards that are half completed I am hearing...wind outside and the hum of the computer Around the house..laundry to catch up on from the weekend, a few dishes and a few random things to pick up One of my favorite things...Chocolate Truffles! A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Finish Christmas cards, write Christmas letter sign cards send them..Finish Christmas presents..Wrap them BREATH and sleep A picture thought I'm sharing with you...

This is how Tornado fell asleep last night when we got home late from a church Hubby had spoken at this weekend!

I STOLE IT!!!

I confess I stole this from my friend Diana Blog! ENJOY!!!

My Walk Monday

Monday, December 8, 2008

My Walk Monday

As of late hubby and I have had a new outlook on all of our experiences! With family, friends, and even churches. The last few months have been tough to say the least. We try to keep our heads screwed on straight! But things happen. So what is our new outlook you might ask. Well It's just this everything is a lesson. Either it's a good learning experience or a bad learning experience. We have learned how to do things...OR most often how not to do things. History repeats iself. Just look where our nation is right now and look how we got here. It very similar to what happened during the great depression! WELL this weekend was just one of those sorts of weekends. We visited my parents! My parents profess to be believers..HOWEVER to hear the excuses about why we can't go to church OR the reasons why they do certain things is amazing. That is where I have always differed from my parents!. my parents look at Christianity as a duty Something they HAVE to do. Christianity is my life, my everything. Without my faith in Jesus Christ my life is worthless. Everything I do is rooted in that! It's two very different views of what the Christian life looks like. It was a very good warning for Hubby and I to keep our faith fresh! It's avery hard thing to do...but It is my prayer that we communicate to our children the way a Christian life should be led and enjoyed..Istead of it being an after thought!

Simple Womans Day Book

FOR TODAY... December 8, 2008

Outside my window..gray as gray can be..AND VERY COLD! I am thinking...that we had a nice weekend with my parents though very stressful I am thankful for...an understanding husband! From the learning rooms...Christmas! From the kitchen...I have no idea...It's always really rough coming off a trip! I am wearing...Looney tunes flannel PJ's plus a layer under them! LOL...Hair downfunky green striped socks! I am creating...More Christmas presents and Christmas cards! and a beautiful Christmas home! I am going...CRAZY!! I am reading...Prayer by Philip Yancey and the Bible I am hoping...for a wonderful time this week and weekend! Around the house...unpacking..repacking..Cleaning and straitening but nothing really earth shattering! I am hearing...Kids playing with a game! One of my favorite things...Christmas time! A few plans for the rest of the week...Wednesday AWANA! Then The couple's Christmas Party at our church AND THEN off to meet with a possible church! Here is a picture I am sharing with you!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

This is Vug's Thanksgiving Birthday Picture! He is Chowing down on his Birthday cake which is a pumpkin Crisp...YUMMY it was a huge Hit!

Simple Devotions

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Simple Devotions December 3 2008

For Today... Dear Lord, I bring you my shortcomings... my frustration when things don't quite go my way! I bring you my worship and praise... Thank you so much LORD for the time together as a family last night as we listened to hubby play Christmas Carols on his violin...It has been so long! And what a joy..though I cannot sing right now what a joy it is to my heart to quietly praise you! I bring you my prayer... for grace and mercy IN EVERY area! You spoke to me... in a message this past Sunday the was so amazing. I had a struggle during Sunday school and then you answered and comforted me Lord during the morning worship service. It just shows that you are an all knowing God and knew my circumstances long before i did and prepared the way for my heart to be mended! THANK YOU LORD!

Tackle It Tuesday!

I am back This week and doing a lot better So Thanks so much for all of you who prayed for Everything! Now on to my tackle. I will list them this week ONLY because I have no desire to make ANY of my dear friends Ill! Our First tackle Happened on Saturday.. 1. We went and got our Christmas tree--A wonderful gentleman in our churchg gave us a free fresh one! I love it--I started to decorate it BUT Alas it was time to go to bed. 2. Hubby put new windows in our bay...In the den! They were SOO old! They were held up by hand made nails which cost a pretty penny today 3. We were given a deer last night so That needed to be butchered and put in the freezer! (that is why I am not doing pictures today!) 4. I need to clean up the sink area today...Not hard at all! 5. Christmas presents to be made! (also why i am not posting pictures today) Check back later for pictures of all the progress on some pictures!.....on Some things!

Simple Woman's Day Book

FOR TODAY... December 1, 2008

Outside my window...the sun is desperately trying to peek through. It's Cold and wet! I am thinking...a great weekend! Family we haven't seen since April are here! And a fun day with friends and a CLEAN HOUSE and Christmas tree up and partially decorated! I am thankful for...a pastor who preaches God's word! No Matter how hard it may be! From the learning rooms...Christmas! From the kitchen...Yummy pork tenderloins! COOKIES! My mom's gingersnaps that are the best! I am wearing...Flannels Blue and green PJ's and Froggy slippers I am creating...More Christmas presents and Christmas cards! I am going..nowhere until church on Wednesday! I am reading...Prayer by Philip Yancey and the Bible I am hoping...For a relaxing week and that my friend Jen's surgery goes Well! I am hearing...A child not happy with his circumstances and VERY old TV show playing behind me! One of my favorite things...the smell of a fresh cut Pine tree in my home! A few plans for the rest of the week...HT and Sugar for Dinner on Thursday Church on Wednesday And Friday leaving for my parents home and fun all weekend! Here is a picture I am sharing with you!

Tornado and Lady Bug at the Build A Bear Workshop last Saturday..Our two new family members Ella Bunny and Toby Bear!