Getting a Serious Head Start on New Year’s Goals

I randomly had the urge to make some new goals last month.  I wrote down the things I wanted to do or change, and set them aside, thinking they’d make great New Year’s Goals.  But then, as life happened, I just wanted to start working on them already.  So I did.  These are the goals I’ve been focusing on recently.

Simplifying my life.  I haven’t altogether given up on minimalism, but it may take a few years to get there (like, after my kids are out of the house?!), so in the meantime, I’m working on simplifying every area of my life.  Physically, I’m still working on throwing things out and organizing my house, which has included getting rid of my couches and moving a futon downstairs, putting pictures up, buying curtains (which may have turned out to be a mistake!), and hauling bags and bags of things to the local thrift shop.  The boys now have 14 tops and 8 or so bottoms, and I’m pretty sure my laundry room gave a standing ovation.  I even went through my books!  -This must mean I’m serious.  Also in the name of simplifying, I have given up Facebook, and I’m working on my other vices.  (I don’t want my children to think being glued to your phone is a. normal, or b. desirable.)  We went through toys, and are back down to balls, cars, blocks, and a couple of dolls.  The baby toys are stowed upstairs for the moment.  I’m considering getting rid of many, many other things (all the arts and crafts supplies, things that haven’t been used in 6 months, and things that get left out instead of put away).  But I’m meeting with serious opposition from my husband.  So I have temporarily settled for confiscating possessions left out in the evening and letting the children do extra chores to get them back.  Blessings from this simplifying are already evident- the children are displaying an increased level of creativity.  They’ve been playing with blocks every day, using them as houses, cities, and roads for their cars (in much the same way I used to play with dolls and blocks).  

Getting to bed early.  I’ve gotten more serious about this one.  I’ve been in bed by 10:30 4 or 5 nights out of 7 recently.  And yes, I’m proud of that.  That’s a really hard one for me!  But I keep thinking of all the blessings associated with keeping that commandment, and remind myself that I do want them, so I have to “go and do”!

Since instituting the above two goals I’ve had more time, and it’s been more effective time as well.  With all my new-found time I’ve worked on a few other goals that had been on the back burner.  I’m reading to my children more, reading for myself more, practicing the piano, exercising every (almost) day, and studying Chinese again.  The first four are reasons I wanted to simplify my life in the first place.  The last one, of course, is a gift to my husband, and I have to continually remind myself of the benefits of learning Chinese.  However, on the uber-cute side, my 22 month old can speak Chinese, in complete sentences.  

Oh, and the side benefit to reading for myself more is that I’m learning cool things.  I’ve been reading gospel-themed books, articles I have meant to read for a while, with the occasional TED talk thrown in.  

Exciting events are thrown in too, just to keep life a little off-balance.  Xander figured out scissors also cut hair, and used this newfound power on himself and his baby brother.  I suppose it was bound to happen.  At least they are boys and I can just buzz their hair.  Demetri gets to go to the temple for the first time today!  (I’m still coming to grips with the fact that he’s that old.)  And my baby, talking in full sentences- that’s new too.  And unsettling.  But short of duct taping his mouth, what can I do?

And these do count right?  I don't have to make more goals on January 1st?  Maybe I'll just review these ones and make sure I'm still on-task :).

It's been a good weekend

Shawn took Teddy to a home teaching meeting this evening, complete with backpack full of coloring, books, and stuffed animals.  Teddy took such a long, late nap that I had no illusions of getting him to bed at his normal bedtime tonight.  He was ecstatic to be the only one to go with Daddy, and it’s good to have a few one-on-one activities.  

Demetri is reading a book to Olie, and helping Olie to read some words to him.  I can’t believe my 4 yr old is sounding out words already!  He’s working on Hop on Pop.  Go phonics :).  He wrote the ABC’s today in sacrament meeting, while quietly singing the song, and is starting to write words like “cat” and “dad.”  Demetri is struggling with writing, but Shawn thinks it will be like reading.  He hated it until he started to get good at it.  Now he can read for a couple of hours a day without getting tired of it.  Here’s hoping.

I’m packing, and packing, and, hilariously enough, still wrapping Christmas presents as I pack (for people in Idaho), though most of them are wrapped.  The kids keep asking who they're for, and are eager to pass them out.  I’m also reading John Adams (by David McCullough), which I love.  I need to have a notebook with me.  I used to have a notebook specifically for books I was reading but I must have gotten out of the habit somewhere.

Shawn is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth to Demetri.  I’m not sure Demetri gets much of it, but he enjoys the time and insists on it every evening.  He has a 4 day weekend coming up, yay!  Maybe we’ll actually get to finish the running Scrabble game we have going.  And maybe I’ll actually put it away after this round…since we’ve been playing very slow game after game for the last several weeks.  I’ve learned a lot of new words that way. 

Olie’s new famous quotes (this must just be the age): “Mom, why do you follow me everywhere?” (said while we were in the huge Dennis the Menace Park this weekend).  And when I asked him if he wanted his coat zipped up he said, “Yes!  Then people will think I’m a different person!”  Haha, I guess changing shirt colors does that?  

Both of the younger boys have taken to calling Shawn "Dada."  No idea why.

How to Turn the Day Around

I should be in bed…but I have this blogging addiction.  Okay, it’s not for the sake of blogging.  I just like to write.  Nevermind that I have already written two papers (short-ish of course) today.  Those were predetermined topics.  When I write in my journal and on my blog I get to write about whatever I want.  Besides, blogging somehow keeps my journal going.  Weird.  

Found the camera, which has been lost for about 3 weeks…in a pair of Shawn’s pants that have been buried for about that long.  (Gives you a rough idea of the state of my house.)  So I’m going to start posting pictures again…because I realize that sometimes they can be the best part of a blog…even when I take them and they’re not very good.  Kids just grow fast.

I cut Shawn’s hair today.  Military cuts look funny anyway, but when I do it they’re just downright hilarious.  No pictures of that effort forthcoming; poor Shawn.  

It was a rough morning.  I talked my poor mom’s ear off.  Then I decided to do something for the kids instead of wallowing in my own self-pity (aren’t you proud of me mom?!).  So when Olie asked if we could please do something fun I surprised him by saying, “Sure, what do you want to do?”  The stunned child happily chose the game Categories.  Because you get to pour water on people.  They thought it was great fun and that mom was being a real sport to let them fill the very large lid full.  We all got soaked, including one of my couches.  Then we read whatever books they wanted.  We (I) have to read very slowly because they all like to say the words with (or right after) me.  They all have The Very Hungry Caterpillar memorized.  It’s probably good for them.  Just sitting there with them and watching their absolute joy over simple things did me a world of good.  I think I’ll survive here after all.  I mean, the odds are going up...

I did enough homework today that I’m satisfied that I won’t be scrambling against deadlines at the end of the week.  I want to read a good book.  But I think I will retire to my bed earlier than I did last night, that I may be less weary tomorrow than I was today.

Catching up...a bit

8^th March 2011

My son stayed up reading The Jungle Book for an hour and a half after Shawn and the other kids were in bed. I asked him if he understood much of it, because it intrigued me that he’d stay up and read something that difficult. He didn’t understand a lot of it, but just before bed said, “I just LOVE Rudyard Kipling!” Haha. Love that kid.

My unpacking is nearly finished, my dental work was not painful (I love my new dentist!), and hopefully my finger will heal quickly. I chopped it with a butcher knife, but not badly enough to go to a clinic.

Now for the packing. I'm excited about my upcoming trip...if only I could decide what day I'm leaving. Since I inevitably work to a deadline, it will probably be the last possible moment. There's just too much to do! (Read- I'm behind :().

10th March 2011 @ 12:50 a.m.

Yes- it's late. I'm on my way to bed. But I just noticed that I have several blog entries halfway done (or not even that far) that will probably never get finished. It's okay...haha- did I say 12:50? Had to take a break to make Shawn's lunch for tomorrow; I'd feel horrible all day long if I forgot. Well, I did get a lot of homework done this evening anyway.

Hark- what's this? The cry of a waking child at 1:15? Sure enough. Goodnight blogosphere- I better scoot before the whole house is up.

Update on Family Life

We’re having devotionals in the morning now- and it makes the whole day much better. We pick a few verses of scripture on a particular topic and discuss them and how we can do what Heavenly Father has asked of us. Today’s topic was love. The boys are trying to remember to show love to one another throughout the day. There are dozens of hugs going around, because that is how they show love. I think tomorrow we’ll talk about service as a form of love. :)

I’ve been writing about my mission in life, just for more clarity and to, well, write. I guess I like to write when I make the time to do it. There are several books I want to read, but I’m putting them off until after the unpacking project. Our 7 yr old has gotten into the habit of singing his brothers to sleep and then reading for an hour before bed. Normally I wouldn’t let him stay up that late, but as he seems to be enjoying reading so much, and it’s a good quiet time to do it with no distractions… Sometimes he reads a couple of chapters out loud to the little boys until they fall asleep, instead of singing. They adore their older brother. When he’s not busy reading the Magic Tree House at night, we read from a classic. At the moment we’re in the middle of Little Men, which he’s enjoying immensely.

Shawn isn’t around much, but he’s learning Chinese at a rapid rate. And when he is here, he tries to take a little time to play with the boys, we try to have dinner as a family, and we can squeeze family home evening in if we manage our time very well (read, if we have a fast dinner and the kids are pretty much ready for bed by the time Shawn gets home).

I’m looking forward to my trip in March and my sister visiting in April.