New Schedule Update

Well, the schedule is a couple of weeks old now and we are still following it. I do have to admit Tanner and Caelan are struggling a bit with Quiet Time now, but I'm committed to it! They do alright, but told me today that they want to take it off the schedule. They know to expect it, though, and stay relatively quiet and occupied reading their book selections. They have fallen asleep a time or two, but that is not really the point. I just want them (okay, and me!) to have a little down time in our day. I took a picture of our new schedule. Of course, we are never right on time with everything. I don't want this to rule our day, but to be an aide to our day. I am excited about how much it has changed our daytimes. The kids watch very little TV, only every few days for an hour or so. Otherwise they play or read books. We have a lot of books on tape we got from a daycare that closed down and they love to listen to those. They have found one that is an exercise routine and they do it almost daily. It's fun to watch Trevor try the moves in his almost-2-year-old way!

Desitin....

....is really hard to get out of hair.

I've washed it six times, once with dish soap, and I can still feel it.

New Routines

Today we started a new routine with the kids. I have been working at eliminating TV from their daily experience, but to do that I needed to have a schedule they could count on and I could follow. Yesterday during Trevor's nap, Tanner, Caelan and I worked on what their routine should include and made a couple of posters for them to follow throughout the day. They were very excited about it and jumped right into the routine today. I snuck in a quiet time for them during Trevor's nap time and as I type this post they are sitting on separate couches reading books quietly! I love it! Every time we finish an activity today they run to their posters and see what is next. The best part about it is that they helped me come up with the schedule, so they have really taken ownership of it. When Caelan started to protest quiet time today, I just showed her the poster and she quietly chose some books and climbed onto the couch.

I have been working on some new routines myself, as well. Not in the form of New Year's resolutions, just some changes I decided to go ahead and make. I am trying to get up at 6 o'clock each morning for some quiet time before the kids wake up. I have found that I am pretty grumpy though, if I don't get 8 hours of sleep. So, that means I must go to bed by 10! Tony's trying to adjust!! The nights I work (only two nights a week now) I will have to forgo the early morning. My kids don't deserve a grumpy, tired mom. But otherwise, I will be rising a bit earlier than has been my habit lately. Also, I'm trying to get myself back onto a routine for keeping up with the house and life otherwise. Catching up after the holidays has slowed me down a little, but I hope to be into the swing of things by next week.

Finally, we have been wanting to be more intentional with discipleship for our family. This Christmas we were able to find some great scripture memory music cd's put out by Max Lucado for the kids. We also got some devotional books geared for young children. And, my favorite, I found a two-volume set of Hymns for Kids that includes a book with the stories of the hymns and a music cd. The music is very nice and includes children's voices. I heard about the set over at Mommy Life.

I am excited about the changes, and the kids are, too. I'll let you know how we do over the next few weeks!

Looking Forward and Looking Back

I read somewhere that a traditional symbol of the new year was an image of a man with two faces, one looking forward and one looking back. Looking back over this year in my memory doesn't do much for me. My mind dwells on the difficult days and places I don't want to go. But if I look back in our photos for the year I am reminded that God always gives us hope, even in the darkest days. My kids have grown so much this year! Tanner is learning to read, Caelan is becoming a person with thoughts and ideas that she is sharing with us, and Trevor is expanding his vocabulary daily, always surprising us with what he says. These are some pictures of the kids on Christmas morning.





I'm glad for the close of a year. Looking back is good, but I am looking ahead today. Looking forward to how God will restore what the locust has destroyed this year. Looking forward to relationships restored, routines regained and purpose re-recognized.