I'm back! At least, I hope I'm back. Around the time of my last post in April 2012, my life started changing so fast that I just could not keep up with this blog. This time I'm hoping (although not promising because life happens) that I will stay dedicated. It helps me immensely to write, and I am hoping that I might help others as well. So now I am back where I started last year on New Year's - making resolutions.
I love New Year's Resolutions. Like I said on last year's list, I love the idea of having a goal with a year to complete it.So did I accomplish my resolutions from last year? Yes and no. I made progress with most of them but I admit to getting off course at times. For example, as soon as Prairie Babe was born (who will be referred to as "Prairie Boy" from now on! Yeah!), I failed at following through with homeschooling Prairie Girl. But she is only 3 so it's not necessary right now anyway; we are just trying to form good habits. And I had to stop trying to lose weight since I was pregnant, but I did continue to exercise. I did feel like I grew in my relationship with God, and I did a lot more Bible studying than in previous years, but that can always be improved upon.
What are this year's goals? Well here they are, along with my plan.
1. Continue to devote more time to studying God's word
*Learn with my daughter through her homeschool lessons from ABCJesusLovesMe
*Complete the devotional book The Busy Mom's Devotional
*Look up and study the passages used in the Christian fiction books I read
2. Make each member of my family feel special and like they have my full attention
*Spend one-on-one time with each person on a daily basis
*Plan special activities and outings for each person
3. Get back to focusing on my "life skills" I have studied throughout the years
*Prevent clutter by limiting my shopping and selling/donating what I no longer need
*Be conscious of my plastic consumption and avoid bringing in new plastic
*Use natural products and avoid chemicals and packaged foods
4. Lose my baby weight plus 5 pounds
*Track calories every day for every food
*Resume my previous gym activity
And here's a little different list of measurable goals that can be "checked off"
*Complete at least 5 5Ks and 1 10K by the end of the year
*Help Prairie Girl complete 1 Complete Curriculum Pre-School Book
*Create checklist cards for the kids' daily routines and my housekeeping
*Read 12 books (children's books don't count!)
*Log 500 miles on my exercise bike
*Go on 12 dates with Prairie Dad (not just family outings)
*Complete baby books for both children
*Take at least 1 picture each day
*Write down what our family does each day even if it is only 1 line
And there you have it. I have no plan of perfection, and life happens, so I know I'll get off track. But I have something to strive for. And I'll probably add to the list throughout the year. But for now, I feel good about this.
Happy New Year to you and yours! Now tell me about YOUR resolutions!
Showing posts with label convictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label convictions. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Reverse Shopping
One of my resolutions this year was to de-clutter my house to the extreme while avoiding bringing new items in. By de-cluttering, I mean I want things OUT of my house for good - not just packed up into storage. When we pack things away, we aren't getting rid of the problem; we're only shuffling it to a new location and hiding it in a container.
A lot of people suffer buyer's remorse when it comes time to part with items. We have those pangs of guilt -
"But I spent my hard-earned money on it!"
"I needed it at the time."
"I might need it again!"
All of those may be true, but so what? I suffered from all of those claims, and I finally came to several realizations. That money is already gone, you don't need it anymore, and if you do need it again, you can probably scrounge up another one.
Right now my family is very blessed by the fact that my husband has a secure job with a predictable paycheck, but we've been through enough times when that wasn't the case, so I hate the idea of wasting money, especially when I've already spent it. Rather than donate half the contents of my house, I decided to sell what I could to try to earn back some of what I'd spent. I call it "reverse shopping," and it's become rather addictive.
I used to do the standard yard sales - load it all up on tables, mark it cheap, and watch it get hauled away. But in the past couple of years, I've discovered Facebook garage sales. I just have to photograph everything, list it with a price, and meet the buyer who claims it. So far my transactions have been very smooth, and over 2 years, I've had about 300 transactions. I usually meet people at the grocery store, or if I know them, they stop by my house. I get more publicity since there are 11,000+ people in the garage sale group, and I can get a better price, especially for new items or groups of similar items.
I'm not money-hungry though, so I don't sell everything. In fact, I give a lot away to family and friends. I have also donated a lot to help local organizations. I'd rather see things really help someone than for me to get a few bucks from it. Selling so much has also helped me really learn the difference between "need" and "want," so items I think people may "need" often get donated first.
So how is this affecting my house? I've been clearing out every room and making space. I've even tackled the storage rooms I used at my parents' house, and I've cleared out almost everything from there except some Christmas decorations and baby clothes. And I haven't missed a thing. I had so much stuff that wasn't used on a daily basis, that I never fully realized I had it anyway. Now I'm down to a select number of clothes and kitchen utensils, and I use what I have every day. If it's in our house, it has a value. This reverse shopping has also helped decrease my desire to go out for conventional shopping. I don't want to bring things into my home if there's a possibility I'll have to get rid of it later.
How do you get rid of your things? Do you sell or donate?
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The Choice
This month I had to make a choice. The library is writing the budget for the 2013-14 school year, and I had to decide if I wanted to work more or less. My choice? No work at all.
When my contract expires in June, I will be a full time stay at home mom.
In my mind, the choice was easy. I can be home with my children, supervise their education, nurture and love them, and ensure they have the best care. I'm not staying home for a break or relaxation time, that's for certain. But I chose to bring these children into the world, and I feel like it's my responsibility to raise them, not daycare workers and not grandparents, but me.
So why am I taking a beating?
Almost immediately I heard remarks about how I was giving up my career and would never be able to get it back. Stay at home moms don't make money. They don't get promotions. They don't make a name for themselves.
My response: so what?
Being a stay at home mom is not about me, it's about my children. If I wanted fame, power, and money, I certainly wouldn't have had kids. The choice I am making is about what will give my children the best possible life.
Then there's that word over which I've suffered abuse: choice.
People assume that I must be a pampered housewife with a rich husband since I can so willfully "choose" to stay home. That is far from reality. In fact, for most of our marriage, our income was at or below the poverty line. Only recently have we been able to move up a little, and by adding a 2nd child, we've taken a step back. Don't get me wrong, my husband has what I consider to be a good job with insurance. And by good, I mean we can pay our bills and put back a little extra. But I know many families who make much more than we do who claim that both parents have to work in order to have enough money.
And that's my problem with the argument: money.
It doesn't take a lot of money to survive. More than money, it takes careful planning, and that's where a lot of my work is. I have to plan meals, budget for trips, plan out project funding, and somehow compensate for those emergencies that were never in the plans. I've learned how to take little and turn it into something. So when I say I choose to stay home, I'm not saying I choose to give up a paycheck. I'm saying I'm making changes in my life.
I'm also choosing to teach my children about a certain way of life. I believe that having too much money can be a bad thing. I don't want to see them spoiled and selfish. I want to see them resourceful and appreciative. I love the look in my daughter's eyes when she discovers that Mommy can bake muffins with her instead of buying them at the store, and Daddy can plant seeds that will grow vegetables. She can learn by doing, and in the process I hope she sees that the world needs much more than money.
Now I know there are cases when both parents have to work, and of course there are single moms without a choice. And I commend them for doing what they have to do. Both of my parents had to work. My grandmother was a single mom. I get it. But I think the idea of money gets used as an excuse too often.
As a mom who's been on both sides of the equation, don't hate on those who have to work, and don't hate on those who stay home. We've all had to make choices, and in both cases there are often sacrifices. But we're doing what we can for our children, to provide for them, to care for them, and to raise them up as responsible people.
When my contract expires in June, I will be a full time stay at home mom.
In my mind, the choice was easy. I can be home with my children, supervise their education, nurture and love them, and ensure they have the best care. I'm not staying home for a break or relaxation time, that's for certain. But I chose to bring these children into the world, and I feel like it's my responsibility to raise them, not daycare workers and not grandparents, but me.
So why am I taking a beating?
Almost immediately I heard remarks about how I was giving up my career and would never be able to get it back. Stay at home moms don't make money. They don't get promotions. They don't make a name for themselves.
My response: so what?
Being a stay at home mom is not about me, it's about my children. If I wanted fame, power, and money, I certainly wouldn't have had kids. The choice I am making is about what will give my children the best possible life.
Then there's that word over which I've suffered abuse: choice.
People assume that I must be a pampered housewife with a rich husband since I can so willfully "choose" to stay home. That is far from reality. In fact, for most of our marriage, our income was at or below the poverty line. Only recently have we been able to move up a little, and by adding a 2nd child, we've taken a step back. Don't get me wrong, my husband has what I consider to be a good job with insurance. And by good, I mean we can pay our bills and put back a little extra. But I know many families who make much more than we do who claim that both parents have to work in order to have enough money.
And that's my problem with the argument: money.
It doesn't take a lot of money to survive. More than money, it takes careful planning, and that's where a lot of my work is. I have to plan meals, budget for trips, plan out project funding, and somehow compensate for those emergencies that were never in the plans. I've learned how to take little and turn it into something. So when I say I choose to stay home, I'm not saying I choose to give up a paycheck. I'm saying I'm making changes in my life.
I'm also choosing to teach my children about a certain way of life. I believe that having too much money can be a bad thing. I don't want to see them spoiled and selfish. I want to see them resourceful and appreciative. I love the look in my daughter's eyes when she discovers that Mommy can bake muffins with her instead of buying them at the store, and Daddy can plant seeds that will grow vegetables. She can learn by doing, and in the process I hope she sees that the world needs much more than money.
Now I know there are cases when both parents have to work, and of course there are single moms without a choice. And I commend them for doing what they have to do. Both of my parents had to work. My grandmother was a single mom. I get it. But I think the idea of money gets used as an excuse too often.
As a mom who's been on both sides of the equation, don't hate on those who have to work, and don't hate on those who stay home. We've all had to make choices, and in both cases there are often sacrifices. But we're doing what we can for our children, to provide for them, to care for them, and to raise them up as responsible people.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
New Year's Resolutions
I love new year's resolutions. I love the idea of setting goals and having an entire year to complete. I like to make some measurable and some not. I don't think we have to necessarily complete our resolutions, but I think any amount of progress towards them is positive. Mine always revolve around my personal convictions and life goals. I also like to work on refining my resolutions throughout the year and developing new ways to accomplish them. So since it is new year's day, and you're still finding out what I'm all about, here are my resolutions and the current ways I have planned to accomplish them:
1. Devote more time to studying God's word and prayer
* Read Bible stories to my daughter
* Read from my weekly devotional books
* Locate and use a Bible reading plan to help me make it completely through the book
* Focus on setting aside specific time to pray rather than sporadically throughout the day
2. Establish a homeschooling routine for my daughter
* Devise a curriculum that focuses on Bible study, phonics, math, science, social skills, and life skills
* Read one story a day
* Help her complete an art project three times a week
* Create a loose schedule of when activities should be accomplished
3. Make our home more eco-friendly by eliminating plastics and using more natural products
* Purge our home of plastic containers and use only glass and stainless steel
* Use reusable shopping bags in stores
* Use baking soda, vinegar, peroxide, and castile soap as the basis for my cleaning products
* Avoid buying packaged foods - purchase unwrapped, organic produce and local eat
* Avoid using disposable products including frozen dinners that come in plastic containers
4. Avoid buying things I don't need while de-cluttering excess from my home - to the extreme!
* Only run errands 1 day a week - if we don't have it, do without!
* Do not use shopping as recreational family time
* Do not attend clearance sales unless I really need something
* Purge my house of items I don't use, clothes that are worn out/too big, and things I don't want
5. Finish the craft projects I started in 2012 and use up my current supplies
* Use my yarn stash to make things that I need for my home like a table runner, pot holders, and doilies
* Complete the scarves I've start knitting and give them away at work
* Create a plan for bringing my daughter's scrapbook up to date and work on it every month
* Devote a weekend to sewing projects to complete doll diapers and clothes for my daughter
6. Lose the last 13 pounds so I can finally achieve the 120s for the first time in my life.
* Eliminate white sugar and white flour from my diet
* Exercise in the gym or at home at least 3 days a week
* Drink 8 glasses of water a day
* Focus on overall nutrition
7. Limit my computer usage so that I can accomplish more
* Set a timer whenever I sit down at the computer and leave when it beeps.
* Close my computer after my last session at night so I am not tempted to sit down again
* Set aside specific times to use the computer rather than throughout the day
* Create lists of what I want to accomplish at the computer
Whew! I think that's enough for now. I'm sure you've guess that my blog posts this year are going to focus on these topics, so you'll be on the ride with me watching me accomplish my goals. But enough about me. What are your goals? What do you want to accomplish in 2013?
1. Devote more time to studying God's word and prayer
* Read Bible stories to my daughter
* Read from my weekly devotional books
* Locate and use a Bible reading plan to help me make it completely through the book
* Focus on setting aside specific time to pray rather than sporadically throughout the day
2. Establish a homeschooling routine for my daughter
* Devise a curriculum that focuses on Bible study, phonics, math, science, social skills, and life skills
* Read one story a day
* Help her complete an art project three times a week
* Create a loose schedule of when activities should be accomplished
3. Make our home more eco-friendly by eliminating plastics and using more natural products
* Purge our home of plastic containers and use only glass and stainless steel
* Use reusable shopping bags in stores
* Use baking soda, vinegar, peroxide, and castile soap as the basis for my cleaning products
* Avoid buying packaged foods - purchase unwrapped, organic produce and local eat
* Avoid using disposable products including frozen dinners that come in plastic containers
4. Avoid buying things I don't need while de-cluttering excess from my home - to the extreme!
* Only run errands 1 day a week - if we don't have it, do without!
* Do not use shopping as recreational family time
* Do not attend clearance sales unless I really need something
* Purge my house of items I don't use, clothes that are worn out/too big, and things I don't want
5. Finish the craft projects I started in 2012 and use up my current supplies
* Use my yarn stash to make things that I need for my home like a table runner, pot holders, and doilies
* Complete the scarves I've start knitting and give them away at work
* Create a plan for bringing my daughter's scrapbook up to date and work on it every month
* Devote a weekend to sewing projects to complete doll diapers and clothes for my daughter
6. Lose the last 13 pounds so I can finally achieve the 120s for the first time in my life.
* Eliminate white sugar and white flour from my diet
* Exercise in the gym or at home at least 3 days a week
* Drink 8 glasses of water a day
* Focus on overall nutrition
7. Limit my computer usage so that I can accomplish more
* Set a timer whenever I sit down at the computer and leave when it beeps.
* Close my computer after my last session at night so I am not tempted to sit down again
* Set aside specific times to use the computer rather than throughout the day
* Create lists of what I want to accomplish at the computer
Whew! I think that's enough for now. I'm sure you've guess that my blog posts this year are going to focus on these topics, so you'll be on the ride with me watching me accomplish my goals. But enough about me. What are your goals? What do you want to accomplish in 2013?
Monday, December 31, 2012
The Beginning
Let's start at the beginning. I'm first and foremost a wife and a mom. I LOVE my family more than anything. They come first no matter what. I work part-time as a librarian, and I love my job, but I'll always put family first. My personal convictions grow out of my devotion to my family. With each choice, I think "how does this affect my husband and daughter?" As I have explored those convictions, I've become a sort of jane-of-all-trades. I love sharing what I know. The librarian part of me makes me want to extensive research on all of my interests, so I'm usually well-equipped with knowledge. For the past few years, I've usually shared on my personal Facebook page. But now the time has come for me to branch out.
I have a lot of interests. Environmentalism, crafting, baking, organizing, and simplifying rank at the top. This blog will feature all of those along with whatever peaks my interest at the time. I admit, I borrow a lot of ideas. I also have a lot of my own. I can't wait to share and hopefully find a few new friends who have the same interests.
So here are the basic elements of my life: I've been married to my husband for 7 wonderful years. He's a computer programmer with a B. S. in computer science and a B. A. in history. We have an almost three year-old daughter who is energetic, beautiful, smart, and incredibly loving. We also have two outside dogs and an indoor cat. We own a 1928 bungalow in a small Oklahoma town that is too rural to be urban. My husband and I have farming/ranching backgrounds, so we're used to doing things "the old way." I work part time as a librarian at the local university, and I have a B. A. in English education and a M. S. in library science.
After reading that, you probably think you know me pretty well. But you know what they say - never judge a book by its cover. Welcome to my prairie.
I have a lot of interests. Environmentalism, crafting, baking, organizing, and simplifying rank at the top. This blog will feature all of those along with whatever peaks my interest at the time. I admit, I borrow a lot of ideas. I also have a lot of my own. I can't wait to share and hopefully find a few new friends who have the same interests.
So here are the basic elements of my life: I've been married to my husband for 7 wonderful years. He's a computer programmer with a B. S. in computer science and a B. A. in history. We have an almost three year-old daughter who is energetic, beautiful, smart, and incredibly loving. We also have two outside dogs and an indoor cat. We own a 1928 bungalow in a small Oklahoma town that is too rural to be urban. My husband and I have farming/ranching backgrounds, so we're used to doing things "the old way." I work part time as a librarian at the local university, and I have a B. A. in English education and a M. S. in library science.
After reading that, you probably think you know me pretty well. But you know what they say - never judge a book by its cover. Welcome to my prairie.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)