New Years Resolutions

Ok I know that this month is almost over so it is weird to be talking about Resolutions now, but I really have been doing it since the beginning, just haven't had time to blog about it until now!

Usually I do my Res's by 4-5 long-term year long goals, and in 10 years I think that I have followed through and accomplished...um 1. Sad! So this year I am taking a different approach. I am going to achieve 12 shorter term goals. Each month I am going to pick one goal according to what I need most in my life at that time.

For the month of January, I am printing my schedule daily AND I have to write down how long it takes me to do each task. The reason is because I was noticing that I was unrealistic on how long it takes to do things so I get overwhelmed with the fact that I am constantly "behind schedule" that I give up on my schedule my noon.

Perhaps this is all due to the fact that I recently watched Julie & Julia, which I really liked, I not feel inspired to want to write things that are special and important on my blog. I want it to be something that is so interesting or inspiring that strangers read it. Not because I want people to be impressed with me, but because I really just want to make others happy, inspire them, and or help them feel better. So not only am I going to report each month on the goal that I have attempted, but I am also going to write about one of my favorite books, like Julie did.

This month I haven't drastically changed. My schedule still doesn't always get all accomplished, but I have found a lot of self discovery. I am now aware that I really need to have a work hard schedule every day, because by the third day I am so done! So I've decided that every third day I get to sleep in and play with my kids for hours, even if the house is a mess, and even allow myself to do one of my favorite things without feeling guilty for it. Then I am refreshed for another two days of hard work!

The book that I was referring to is called Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin! It is so wonderful! It is a book about improving your marriage. I read it and reread it every chance I get. It is like another Bible! j/k But if any of you want to get your hands on it and read it along with my posts then that would be great! Otherwise, just enjoy the posts. I'll start with the first chapter on my next post. This way you will have time to get the book if you want.

My Merry Christmas!

This is what I got for Christmas from Mike! Don't you love the wrapping job? I think that our whole marriage he has never wrapped a present! ha ha. He does cute stuff like this or he commissions my sister or my mom to do it.

Here is my first reaction. My "I can't believe it" reaction. A little background, we decided to divide his bonus equally for Christmas and when the money was gone that was all we'd spend. I thought that new kitchen chairs would be too expensive but that was what I really wanted. Mike urged me to just pick other things. So I did and spent "my" Christmas. Then on Christmas morning I got four of these...
This picture is kind of far away so you can't tell but I am all teary. I couldn't believe that sacrifice that he made for me. He encouraged me to spend my money and then didn't get the PS3 that he wanted so that he could get me even more! I feel almost unworthy of a gift this pure of heart.

I believe that the truest form of love comes from sacrifice. If you want to learn to love your children more deeply, sacrifice for them. I don't mean give them something they need that you are able to give easily, I'm talking about give up watching your absolute favorite show to play that game that you can't stand that they always want to play. (I'm working on this personally) True sacrifice is giving up something you really want to make the other one happy.

Mike did this for me. It for some reason reminded me of when we were engaged and my awesome sisters wanted to make me a King sized quilt for my wedding day. It was a tradition in our family and all the other women chose their wedding colors as the scheme for the squares. My sister who took us to get the fabric said, "You don't have to do your wedding colors, they can be any colors you want."

So Mike said, "Like yellow and green?" (Green Bay Packers colors) Joking I said, "Sure, you have a say in this too." He lit up like a boy on Christmas! I was so cute that I couldn't say no. I had to jump on board and get excited too. So my blanket is green and yellow and I couldn't love it more if it were yellow and purple or pink and baby blue, because it is ours. It reminds me of the joy that comes from loving someone else more than you love yourself.

I know that that is small and insignificant compared to what he has done for me this Christmas, but those chairs mean so much to me because he loved me enough to give up what he wanted for something I wanted! Can I just say that he spoils me like this all the time! He HATES surprises for himself, but he LOVEs to surprise me big!

Merry Christmas Update!

WE HAD A REALLY GREAT CHRISTMAS. BECAUSE IT WAS MY PARENTS FIRST SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN HOME WE SPENT IT WITH THEM! THIS FIRST PICTURE IS ACTUALLY AFTERWARD WHEN WE CAME HOME AND TSADAKAH GOT ALL DREESED UP IN ALL THE DRESS UPS THAT SHE GOT FROM SANTA!...OK ACTUALLY IT IS NOT ALL SHE GOT. HA HA.

THE DAY AFTER WE WENT SLEDDING. HERE IS TSADAKAH AND HER COUSIN MORIELLA. SHE WENT DOWN A TOTAL OF TWICE BEFORE SHE WANTED TO GO HOME. THAT IS NOT EVEN WORTH THE TIME IT TOOK TO GET SHE SUITED UP.

HERE IS ELIANNAH AND HER COUSIN ASHER. SHE LOVED THIS! IT WAS HER FIRST TIME EVER. THE SECOND TIME SHE WENT DOWN HER GLOVE CAME OFF AND HER HAND WENT INTO THE SNOW. SHE WAS DONE AFTER THAT TOO. OY! WHAT BABIES! MIKE ON THE OTHER HAND WAS OUT THERE FOR THREE HOURS!

LOVES!

CHRISTMAS MORNING. THIS LIL OUTFIT WAS 5 BUCKS AND IT WAS A HIT! SHE PUT IT ON RIGHT AWAY AND DANCED AROUND THE FLOOR.

THIS DRESS WAS ALL SHE ASKED SANTA FOR! SHE LOVES IT AND WEARS IT EVERY DAY. IF YOU LOOK YOU CAN SEE ON HER FOOT IS A BRAND NEW BALLET SLIPPER! SHE IS DOING AN ARRABESQUE (SP?) HER LEG IS SIPOSED TO BE BEHIND HER, BUT SHE ALWAYS HAS IT OUT TO THE SIDE.

ELIANNAH IS OPENING HER FIRST PRESENT. SHE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A FAVORITE GIFT, IN FACT SHE SEEMED TO HATE THEM ALL EQUALLY! HA HA. WE GAVE HER A MUSIC TOY BUT SHE WAS MAD THAT THE INSTRUMENTS DIDN'T COME OFF THE STAND. WE GOT HER A STUFFED PENGUIN BUT THE TEXTURE FREAKED HER OUT SO SHE WOULDN'T TOUCH IT. AND SO ON...

WE HAD FUN HAVING THE KIDS DO A NATIVITY PAGENT. TSADAKAH GOT TO BE ONE OF THE WISE MEN. WITH HER IS SETH AND DATAN.

GIVE HER A CROWN AND SHE WILL BE ANYONE YOU WANT! HA HA

ELIANNAH WAS A COW FOR THE PAGENT. IT WAS THE CUTEST COSTUME EVER! IT HAD TONS OF PADDING IN THE BUT AND THAT MADE IT ADORABLE! I TOOK SO MANY PICTURES OF HER IN IT.