Organizing

So I'm in serious need of deep cleaning and organizing the house, all of it! It is frustrating, but I'm going to start and next week we are having a garage sale, so that should motivate me!

I want to get it all up to date, rearrange the living and dining rooms and maybe prepare to paint the bedrooms so we can switch rooms with the boys so they can have a bigger room and all three can sleep in there! M still sleeps in our room, in a bassinet. Which he is growing out of at a rapid pace. He just had his 6 month check up and weighs 18 lbs. He is in the 90th percentile! I haven't been really trying solids, but he seems pretty interested. I will start again. I feel like I start and stop, so I just need to keep with it, at least once a day.

Bugs first year of school is coming to an end. Monday is his last full day and then he has two half days to make up from snow! He is so glad to be done. He started his summer Tae Kwon Do class and Love went with and got to do the stuff along side Bug. They both came home so hyper, so I think it's going to be so good, for both! Bug has also started Cub Scouts. His first event is tomorrow where they learn to shoot the bb gun and archery! I'm really excited about this, I will be teaching the pack and helping out. Love just wants to be a parent this year to get the feel, I think I can talk him into helping me...

Summer begins! I'm so excited. Guitar lessons for Bug as well and I'm hoping for swim lessons. He did start riding his bike without training wheels earlier this year! So, I'm thinking some bike rides are in our near future!

Lent

So it has come upon us once again. This year I thought it would be great to take part in Lent, told my husband to think and pray about what God is telling him to give up. He came home and said, Beer, which he taken to mean an alcohol. He isn't an alcoholic, nor does he choose it over his family. But he does part take every so often. I thought this was good, and I kept thinking to myself, "Why isn't mine to apparent to me?" I should give up chocolate or sugar. But I kept feeling God tell me something else, not to give things up, but to put my soul focus on Him. I have a list that I feel is what He wants me to do and refocus my priorities. For the last year I have been a say home Mom, something I don't really take pride in. I'm not great at keeping the house clean or organized, I don't always plan or even cook dinner. I have been feeling quite lazy these days. I have weight to lose and I haven't really put my whole heart into it, to take care of myself, watch what I eat or to keep myself involved whole-heartedly in all the boys' lives. My oldest, I think, has suffered the most from this, when he is home, he runs around helping me out, getting diapers or the forgotten something in the other room. I have found myself saying many times, "I'm coming". I think that has been my auto pilot.

My attitude needs to change, I may not be good at the house stuff, but I am determined to put my family first, organize papers that have been put off and look at being home with my children as my job. I haven't looked at it quite like that before. I want to be interested in what they are interested.

Pickle loves animals, we should go to the zoo once a week, we have a membership! Nugget smiles a lot and has started giggling, what a pleasant sound. I want to make toys and fun crafts for and with my children. First on my list is to make a bag out of a t-shirt for Bug, he has been asking since before Christmas, so off I go!

I will be making a list of things we should do, but I think one fun family thing out of our routine would be a good place to start and to keep God in the center of things that we do. Out youth went to a conference this weekend and the theme was LOUDER THAN WORDS. I think that we all can take something away from that. What actions have you taken today to show Jesus to someone?

This is my Lent Season...to give.

New Year

Our church decided to read our Bibles together and the church got Life journals for the congregation to challenge us to read our Bible daily, something I have always struggled with. I always say that is something that I am working on. I am encouraged by my husbands faithfulness in this area. So have picked up one of these Journals. You are suppose to read the reading for the day, which can be up to four chapters in Old and New testament and sometimes includes a Psalm as well. It has been nice reading before bed. Love is taking a theology-type class and does his readings and book work while I do my readings. After you read you are suppose to get the "notebook" and write down what God speaks to you from your reading, what stands out to you the most. Observation is next, write what you have observed, next is application and how you can apply this to your daily life and lastly, prayer. Pray. I haven't been doing the whole journal thing for the last two weeks, but I have been reading my Bible and retaining what I have been reading. I have also taken my prayer life to the next level. I feel that I have been slacking as a mother. I have been diligently praying for my children and their futures, each of them. It's been exciting to see God answering these little prayers, even about the childrens sleep!
Sorry this is so long, it's really for me to look back at as opposed to reading for others.

So as my prayer list is growing and my family becomes more open to prayer for one another, it gets more exciting to see how God is speaking. I have been challenged by Him to listen to Him more. I know our future is in His hands. I am so blessed to have my family!

The Lord has been laying on our hearts what is next for us and how do we get there. I feel change is coming, in our location, in our jobs and as our children grow, our parenting. I pray for guidance in all these areas and that Love and my relationship continues to grow and include God in every step, even when we stumble, His Grace Is Enough.