2010 in Review

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Hard to believe 2010 has ended.... We've been out of pocket this last week of the year - celebrating Christmas with Tom's family in Minnesota. It was a great trip full of love, hugs, laughter, and snow! Megan had her first snowmobile ride (thanks Tony) and Nicole had her first sled ride (Thanks Papa). It was also Nicole's first trip on an airplane and Megan's first airplane ride were she was "a big girl with her own seat". The girls did geat with flying - the trip up both of them had a rough time with their ears - but Nicole also had a double ear infection. On the way home we made sure Megan was smacking away at a wad of gum and Nicole was sucking down a smoothie.

But the biggest news is that to end the year - Nicole started walking! She's still a new walker and half way across the room she'll stop and get down and crawl - but she's gaining confidence and loves to try to walk (and climb) and is sooooo proud of herself.

Once I've had time to sleep a bit, I'll get some pictures up (blogger is not making picture uploading easy and I don't have time to fight with it right now). But since it is the first of the year, I wanted to go back and revisit my goals/to-do list for 2010. So - this is for me.... feel free to stop reading. :^)

2010 "Intentionality"...
1. Be a Deut 6 mom (to impress onmy children the Word of the Lord) - (grade)A - You know, I know that this is an ongoing goal that will be vital my entire life. But I do feel that God's honored my desire to guide my girls and we are in a good place and on a good path... a never ending and always chaning path - but it's a good one.

2. Be intentional in my marriage - D - yeah.... I would put myself on probation here (it's not an F because the heart was there). Don't get me wrong - Tom and I have a strong marriage - but my hopes of having our monthlly date nights and "keeping in touch with US - without the kids" - that just didn't happen this year. Now that said - it'll be on my goal list for 2011 and it'll be much easier! This year, little Nicole threw a huge wrench (actually the entire contents of home depot) into this plan. Because of a variety of circumstances I ended up nursing her until she was year and a few weeks. This baby wouldn't take a bottle, wouldn't drink formula, wouldn't take milk... it's been a bit crazy and when you have to be home for every feeding - it leaves little time for a date night. BUT, now that she's good to go without me... date night here we come!

3. cooking (4-5 days a week) - C+ -Ok, perhaps 4-5 days didn't happen... but I am happy to say that we did have a lot more home cooked meals. The issue I mentioned above affected this area as well... But the cooking co-op I have going with my neighbor has been a HUGE inspiration to get me cooking - and cooking new fun meals. I'm looking forward to adding more smoothies and such into our diet in the coming year.

4. Frugal living (couponing, budgeting, etc) - C- -Um...... Let's just say that starting tomorrow we are writing down all we spend so that we can actually really track what we spend and have some accountablity for purchases. We so use our credit cards for everything (hey, our frequent flyer miles got us to MN for Christmas) but that makes it too easy to buy silly things that we don't need.

5. Simplify life and stuff - B -We definitely got started on this one - but we have a long way to go. I'm just wondering why so many kid toys have so many tiny parts? I have a love/hate relationship with Polly Pocket type toys. But I have to say - as Nicole outgrows it... it's GONE! That is such a sense of freedom!

6. Schedule for the girls - B -This went Ok..... Megan and I have enjoyed our "mommy school" and "mommy game time" and all those things we get to do as Nicole naps. But then Nicole went and started to drop her nap... so we will be revisiting this. Once again, this is one of those fluid things and forever will be.

7. Keeping in touch with my crafty side - B- -Something for ME! I'm not sure how to rate myself on this one but I'm giving myself a B- because I think I've done more than I give myself credit for. I have lots of things on my "want to do list" and have some materials all ready to go... but I still need to get some other areas going first before I can give this a real priority position.

8. Cleaning - C- - and that's only because I can't bring myself to give me a D or F... which is probably what I deserve. I'm struggling to get Megan into a routine of cleaning up after herself and Nicole can destroy a room in seconds. I just can't keep up and do anything else on my list (which is why the whole simplify thing is really important to me right now). I have to be honest that this is my least favorite subject because it's the one that has me beat.

9. Get fit - D - I have lots of GREAT excuses... mostly dealing with Nicole. And they are real and solid -but the bottom line is that we have a brand new treadmill in the basement and I've yet to get on it other that to verify that it was set up and worked. UGH! Losing that naptime (for both girls) is killing me!

10 My own spiritual walk - I'm not going to give a grade on this one - Here's what I know from this year..... The Lord is patient, the Lord is loving, the Lord directs, comforts, blesses, instructs, humbles, and gives us seasons of life. To think that I have to achieve something is ridiculous - God is good and without Him guiding my every step of parenting, marriage, and every other aspect of life - I'd be lost and in dispair. Ipray that I will always strive to know Him better, to love Him more, and to sit at the feet of the Lord most High and soak his Word in. I pray that it will always be transforming, strengthing, even convicting and that I will always realize my dire need for His wisdom, presence, and direction in my life.

Well there you go - 2010 goals - the journey continues on into 2011. I am looking forward to taking some time to think on and pray about my focus and goals for this new year - I'm sure many of them will be very similar to last years

Happy New Year!!!!