Winter Joys and New Year Thoughts...

I'm in my 'nesting stage'. I think I have been for awhile already. Every unorganized corner in my house (and there seem to be a lot!) are driving me nuts! I've been organizing and cleaning and organizing and cleaning! Oh, and I've been sewing, too. I made a 'To Do' list that I want accomplished before baby arrives and it's giving me great satisfaction to cross things off! Since I know the Dr. won't let me go past 39 wks, there's only 6 wks left!!! We are so, so ready!!!!   :-)

I'm loving these cold, cozy days! Wes had off all last week and we all got spoiled!!! He worked in the basement most of the time and I love the results! the storage room is basically done and my storage totes are all stacked on the shelves; with room for more!  He finished the closet in the office and moved his desk down on Saturday!! and he ave the rest of the basement a major cleaning! Bless his heart! The place doesn't look the same!!!! we now have a big, open area and the children love to go down there and ride their trikes. I love it! I told him that he is such a handy man to have around!! I love his skill/talent with building! And his patience with 2 little helpers. He had several messes to clean up and little people climbing his ladder... Ah, I love him!!

It was so cold! I discovered attempting to get 2 toddlers and a pregnant Mama (who can't find warm clothes that fit, So she goes outside with a coat she can't shut) dressed warm  and out the door is a lot of work!  :) But the giggles were worth it! We went sledding the next day. Our yard is just enough of a slope that it's perfect for little people to go sledding! It makes me happy to hear them laughing. It does something to my heart...   :-)

 And of course when they come in all cold and rosy cheeked, they must have hot cocoa to warm them up... Because Curious George drinks hot cocoa to warm him up when he was out playing in the snow!  :-) I won't tell you how many times it got spilled before I got this picture taken! I think they downed about half of it!  :-)

 Playing with the blankets from Grandma S!  The children found the big boxes that held their Christmas gifts from my parents. And they NEEDED to open them right away! So they got opened about 3 wks early... Daddy makes the BEST playmate!

 Putting puzzles together on the kitchen floor. They are so into puzzles! It amazes me at times, but it's good for their brains!

 Aubrey's little fingers in the powdered sugar. I was making monster cookies and let her roll the balls in powdered sugar. She loved it!  :-)

Oh yes! Do you need an idea that will keep a little girl occupied for awhile?? A piece of fabric, a needle and thread! She sat there for a long time sewing... I decided that this is an idea that I will use more often!

And our baby... We are in love with it already! I'm really not as tired as I look.  :-)

My prayer for 2011 is that God would help me to more fully embrace His calling on my life; being a wife and mother. Sometimes it seems insignificant. Like really, what DO I do in a day?? I wash clothes, fix meals, wipe noses, read stories, give baths, settle squabbles, clean up messes, run toddlers to the potty ( and hope the Thomas the tank engine shorts are still dry!)... I really do love my life, but I find myself inwardly complaining about the little interruptions and requests. I'm praying that God would help me to embrace this time in my life. My children won't always be little. Aubrey informed me the other day that she will be 5 on her next birthday. Thankfully, she will only be 4!  :-) I want to play, laugh and love my little family more fully... Live in the present, the here, the now.

I've been thinking about this through out December. There were several things about our life that I wasn't happy with. I'm making a few changes and they seem to be working well.  I tend to be an idealistic person. And then I get depressed when I don't reach my goals and my children don't cooperate with my plans. So I've been praying about it and I'm trying to set my goals in their favor and not in mine. It's been working a lot better!

My weekly schedule looks something like this:
Monday: laundry, sweep all floors
Tuesday: ironing, baking
Wednesday: do weekly cleaning
Thursday: laundry
Friday: sweep all floors and whatever else needs to done

I love my little schedule! It's not rigid, I can easily adjust things. But it helps keep me on track and not leave everything for the end of the week. It's also quite 'do-able' with children and I like that!

I've also decided to quit spending time on the computer when my children are awake. It's more peaceful for all of us this way. I'm not frustrated w/ them for interrupting and they don't have a 'good excuse to be naughty'!  :-)

I kind of started my plan for 2011 in December... It's working well. I'm happy!  :-) I have a feeling the baby will add a new twist.   :-)  That's ok...

Wes and I have also agreed that I will begin to consult him more before I say 'yes'. I have the extreme tendency to over extend myself. I feel bad if I know somebody needs help or they ask me to do something for them. So I find myself saying 'yes' to everything and ending up knee deep and frustrated... And my family suffers. Somehow Wes seems to be wiser about what is to much then I am. So if I say 'no', or don't come to a 'ladies night out' it's not because I don't like you. It's because I'm trying to keep our home as relaxed as possible and that means a few sacrifices on my part. And that makes me happy.  :-)

Well, I need to run along... Have a good day!!!