2013 Goals

I've tried several different methods for sticking with my New Year's Resolutions. Needless to say, none of them has worked. I've tried just setting one or two for the year, a different one for each month, etc. This year I will, once again, try something new. I'm going to have daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. I plan on keeping track of them with a page I'm creating.

Daily Goals
1. Bible Time - I hate to say "quiet time" because that implies a 30 minute Bible reading and note taking session. Instead I'll say Bible Time. This could be anything from sitting down and reading a whole book of the Bible to memorizing Scripture, to looking up specific verses I need. I've started memorizing a verse a day using the guide in my Bible and it's been super beneficial. I figure any time is better than no time.
2. Thank someone - This can be anyone including strangers, workers, Kaleb and Peyton's teachers, Eric, family members friends, etc. I saw on a documentary that people who are thankful are happier.

Weekly Goals
1. Quality Kaleb time - Things get so crazy with 2 kids, a job, and a husband in school that I feel like I can unintentionally neglect Kaleb. So the goal is to spend some one-on-one time with him playing in the yard, watching movies, going to the park, driving around, or even at WalMart
2. New recipes - With so many great ideas on Pinterest, I hate not to take advantage of them. So each week I'll try a new recipe.
3. Exercise - Yes, it's true, I'm supposed to excercise every day. News flash! I don't. Once a week is a good jumping off point.
4. Blog - My poor blog ebbs and flows in its use. I'm going to try to blog something at least once a week.

Monthly Goals
1. DIY something - It doesn't matter what, I just want to be more crafty.
2. Read a book - Truthfully, some months I'll read way more than one book, but this is a baseline goal.
3. Date - Eric and I need to date more. I guess we'll have to find a local babysitter.

Yearly Goals
1. Run a 5k - If I'm going to do a 5k (which I want to) I want it to be a super fun one. I'm signing up for the Color Run in Atlanta, GA on April 9 and the Color Me Rad Run in Jackson on March 23. My mom's going to do the one in Jackson with me. My sisters, mom, mother in law, sister's mother in law, other sister's friend, and mom's friends are going to join us in ATL. It'll be fun! Couch to 5k here I come!

Our New Christmas

We've always felt like we got too much for Christmas. Of course, we always want way too much so that contributes to the over-gifting. This year we decided to move away from the traditional gifts piled high under the tree. We still wanted to give gifts to each other, but without having to spend hundreds of dollars doing so. Our solution? Stockings! I always loved looking through my stocking as a kid. (Honestly, I also loved the gifts piled high under the tree, too.) By just stuffing stockings, we are able to give gifts without going overboard. Maybe our tradition will change, but, honestly, the kids (and us) get so much from grandparents that stockings seem like a good alternative for our little family of 4. We're going to try to emphasize that the three wise men gave gifts to Jesus and that we are celebrating his birthday. Hopefully we'll incorporate some more Jesus-centered traditions. Maybe making a birthday cake or baking cookies to give to local missions or spending the present money on angels from the angel tree. Who knows?

Our stockings all lined up in a row. No fireplace = creative solutions

 

 Kaleb's haul includes some excavator jammies, an Angry Birds toothbrush with a timer, 2 suckers, Madagascar 3, marshmallows, some Hot Wheels, and a dump truck that flips into a tank.

Peyton's haul are all things that make him happy at this age. He got some construction truck jammies, a paci thermometer, some rice cereal, a bottle of infant gas drops, some spoons for when he starts eating baby food in a couple of months, and a rattle.

I told Eric that it doesn't seem like much, but he reminded me that that was the point. This year, and for years to come, the focus won't be on over indulging in presents. He was incredibly happy with what he got and doesn't miss all the gifts from us. We'll let his Happy, P-Daddy, Mimi, Pops, and aunts and uncles spoil them. :)

Book Review: The City of Dreaming Books

I basically picked this book up because of the cover. It's a book by a German author that has been translated to English. It's kind of difficult to describe this book. It's a little bit like Shel Silverstein meets The Phantom Tollbooth. It's an entirely different world with unknown creatures and places. It's almost TOO unknown. I like a good fantasy book as much as the the next gal, but I need some sort of "base." Something I can relate to. Once I got into the book it was pretty good. It's about this dinosaur who goes in search of an author who wrote what is supposedly the best piece of literature ever. He travels to Bookholm, the city of books, looking for someone who might point him in the direction of this author. While in Bookholm he runs into some crazy creatures and is eventually sent into the Catacombs of Bookholm - the scary domain of The Shadow King in which few ever return. While down there he encounters the legends he's read about and has to try to survive by learning who he can trust and who he needs to stay far, far away from.

2 Month Comparison

I hope I remember to do this each month. I keep thinking they look alike...then I see pictures of them together.

 

Kaleb at 2 months

Peyton at 2 months

2 Months Old

Sweet sleeping baby Peyton

Length: 23 inches
Weight: Almost 10 lbs
Sleep: During the day he's awake for 2 hours, sleeps for 2 hours, eats, and repeats. At night he can go up to 7 hours between feedings and that makes Mama and Daddy very happy!
Likes: Being held!
Dislikes: When his paci falls out.
News: He's started spitting up now that he's on formula full time. Hopefully we can get that under control. He also gave us his first smiles this month and has started cooing more.

Bookshelf Make Over

 This is the main bookshelf in the living room. I've had it for awhile now and I really like the dark color of it. I've been wanting to touch it up a little, give it some more color, but I couldn't decide on how to do that. If it was a wooden bookshelf I would have painted the back of it. But it's not. It's that fake, cardboardy stuff that kind of bends and wouldn't hold the paint. Then I thought about putting wallpaper on it, but I couldn't really find any that I liked. So I moved on to fabric. I figured I'd only need about a yard, but it wasn't in my price range. That's when I settled on a table cloth from WalMart. $1.74 for the table cloth and the modge podge was already laying around. I had to cut the pieces to size, take all the books off, and glue them on. Voila!

 I know it doesn't create a dramatic difference, but it's just enough to make me smile when I look at it. I get to keep the dark colors, but I also get some of the greens and browns from the dining room table and chairs. It all ties together nicely.

This is the close up of what each shelf looks like.

New, DIY Coasters

I really needed some coasters and I couldn't find any that I liked, so I decided to make some myself. I searched Pinterest (of course) for ideas and found one I thought was pretty cute. I modified so that it fit with my style, but the basic instructions helped. My sister made some coasters too so I waited until a weekend we'd both be in Jackson to do them. I bought 10 plain white tiles at Lowes, 5 pieces of scrapbook paper and some modge podge at Hobby Lobby, and had the paint brush at home. Haley gave me the idea to mix and match with the S - super smart, that sister of mine - so it was just a matter of combinations. I'm not one of those people who can visualize what I want. I have to actually see it. So I cut out a bunch of squares to fit the tiles and a bunch of S's to go on them. Then I started laying out the combinations. When I found 5 I liked, I used each one twice to make 10. I put a layer of modge podge on the tiles and then put on the base paper. Once that dried I put a coat of modge podge on the base. After that I glued on the S's then added several layers of modge podge over the whole thing. Overall I think they turned out super cute. If a glass stays on there too long the modge podge starts to melt? and I can see a ring of white. I think I'm going to have to do a top coat of clear spray paint or something. Score 1 for me in the DIY ring.

Book Review: Mark of the Lion series

 This series can be summed up in 2 words: SO good. It's set (mostly) in Rome during the time closely following the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The series follows 4 main characters - Hadassah, Marcus, Julia, and Atretes. Hadassah is a Christian house slave who is sure of her faith yet timid in sharing it. Her masters include Julia, a self-centered, insecure young lady who tries to find acceptance and peace by doing everything Rome tells her will help her achieve it, and Marcus, a wealthy, handsome Roman who wants nothing to do with Jesus. Through Hadassah's uncompromising morals and service, she influences everyone in her master's house...and beyond.
As a substory (and the basis for the third book) is the life of Atretes. He is a Germanic warrior who is captured by Rome and forced to become a gladiator in the arena. Through his innate will to survive and extensive hatred of Rome, Atretes becomes the greatest, most revered gladiator in Rome. His connections to Julia and Hadassah fuel the storyline for the third book in which he tries to return to his homelands in Germania.
I've never fully comprehended the full extent of how dangerous and life-threatening it was to be a Christan in biblical times. I've also completely underestimated the amount of depravity and horror that infected Rome and Ephesus. In truth, it sounds a lot like America today. Homosexuality, pleasure, gore, deception, and revenge ruled the time period. The books clearly illustrate that the power, mercy, and grace of God are the only things that can save a decaying world. And it can all start with one person. To say I recommend this series is an understatement. I'm thinking about requiring all of my friends to read it.