Day Book 1-3-11

Outside my window...
Cold and frost, but it looks like it should be a clear and sunny day. Sam is wanting snow, but I could do without for a little while longer.

I am thinking...
I should have gotten in a better routine of getting up during Christmas break. But boy did the sleep and waking up naturally feel good after a sleep-deprived December.

I am thankful for...
Jeff's continued recovery, this warm house no matter how "small" it may feel at times, friends that keep me on the right track.

From the learning rooms...
Back to school this week. Hannah never did get caught up in Math. I'm not sure why she struggles with retention so much. That is Jeff's assignment for January before he goes back to work full-time. I need to keep Jordan focused this last semester. Hoping he gets his Health research paper done before community college classes start back up.

From the kitchen...
I started following Weight Watchers. I love that fruits are now 0 points. I just wished there were more in season right now. There are large muffins in the kitchen calling out to me, but I hope I can resist until after the kids eat all the good ones! I need to find time to stock up with nutritious snacks and lunch foods. It seems like I am going to the store every other day, but I guess that is better than the McDonald's drive thru window every day!

I am wearing...
shorts and a t-shirt right now. Whatever I put on today must be comfortable and warm. I am so sick of my fat people clothes. I hope that I can successfully lose this weight this year (and the next year). A good friend of mine reminded me that weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint.

I am creating...
hopefully a journal to remember our family experiences. I find that my memory is getting pretty fuzzy around the edges lately. I want to note those little things that are forgotten easily

I am going...
back to sleep if no one else is getting up. My beautiful color-coded schedule needs a little tweaking and then a lot of enforcing.

I am reading...
nothing right now. I need to find something that is good, easy to read but uplifting. We need to get all of the kids back to reading more. Sam is falling behind. I caught Hannah reading the other day, "I am finishing up Samantha so I can read The World According to Humphrey before it gets too easy for me."

I am hoping...
That the 2nd half of the school year goes by quickly.

I am hearing...
the furnace run. I am thankful for that noise.

Around the house...
Christmas decorations are pretty much put away. I was not in the mood for decorations this year. This house seems so hard to decorate. Everything was crammed on or around the fireplace and I didn't like that look. I really want to find some curtains for the family room windows.

One of my favorite things...
A clean house.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Basketball, Challenge, Conquest, Scouts... all of the activities start back up this week.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...(add your picture here)

New Year 2011

Well, 2010 is now packed away. What will 2011 bring for me and my family? We ended 2010 with Jeff having surgery for his diverticulitis. We are hoping and praying that this will take care of this particular problem once and for all. So back to 2011. I see many changes ahead in our family dynamics. Jordan is graduating in May. What changes will that bring to our family? It is time for me to let him venture out into the world, knowing there are many mistakes he'll make along the way. I am beginning to realize that it is through those mistakes, he will grow into an adult. How many mistakes did I make on my path to adulthood? Well, maybe one or two (or more) :). Of course one of the mistakes we (Jeff & I) made was not preparing ourselves financially to send four kids to college. But I must trust in God's Divine Wisdom and know that all will be fine. There are many lessons to learn in this lifetime. My prayer group buddies and I have been pondering this quote:

"If someone who is called to consecrate his life to the Lord God through priesthood or religious life rejects this vocation, then God will permit this person's decision and provide another solution, another path to holiness, such as in marriage. This path, however, will be more difficult and longer because it is not according to the initial, merciful plan of God. On this path there is a multitude of unnecessary torment, suffering and pain because God's initial plan was different, better, and gentler."

How can I apply this to my life? Even if it doesn't apply to religious life, God has a way of bringing us back on the right path even when we take a wrong turn. I hope that 2011 will lead me on a path towards Him. I ask for His grace to gracefully accept all the twists and turns this new year will contain. It is through Him that all things are possible. Here's a toast to 2011!