2011...I'm ready

Happy 2011!!! I can’t believe we’re starting a new year already!!! Where did 2010 go?? We had an amazing 2010 and I’ve been full of thinking here recently…this time of year does it to me….so I thought this would be a good place to maybe try to organize my thoughts.

I took just 6 weeks to recover with all 3 boys before going back to work, but for some reason this time it was a lot harder. I came to the realization this week that if I had taken the “normal 12 weeks” I’d still be off. It makes me kind of sad to think about…especially since I had to sleep all Christmas day. I’ve been back to work for a while now and still am trying to adjust to the night/day thing. I’ve been working nights for seven years but I’m not sure how much more I can take. The schedule is glorious for wanting to do things with the boys during the week and we love our “lazy days”. But going to church and doing things on weekends is really hard. It’s also hard to switch back and forth between days and nights. I’m having trouble sleeping and I can’t do a lot of the things I want to do…which brings me to what is coming up in 2011 for me!!!!

Last year I blogged about my one little word…Focus. I didn’t elaborate on it too much but this year I’m hoping to be more involved with it. Blogger/scrapbooker Ali Edwards coined the phrase one little word (http://aliedwards.com/2010/12/one-little-word-2011.html) and has led people on a journey since 2007. I decided on my word for this year to be BRAVE. On Ali’s blog she shows a photo that has scribbled “one little word can make a big impact on your life.”

As I pondered and prayed over my word for 2011 Nicole Nordeman’s song “Brave” kept popping into my head.
The chorus to the song goes like this:
So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave

Ever since having Jake, I seem to be paralyzed with fear….I’m afraid to go out with more than 1 kid. I’m not at all as strong as I used to be (I feel like I used to be pretty independent). Well, as I’m taking on new challenges this year, I know I’ll need to be BRAVE. I done with just merely surviving. I want to succeed at life. I want to be bold and grow in my faith. I want to be an excellent mother. I want to be healthy!!!

A big scary goal I’ve bitten off for the beginning of this year is to read the Bible in 90 days (www.biblein90days.org) !!!! I read about it from a few bloggers: Jolanthe (www.noordinarymomentsblog.com) Kelleigh (http://kelleighratzlaff.com) last fall and I wanted to do it so bad, but I knew I was due with Cole in the middle of it and I was afraid I’d fail. I’ve been praying about it and I’ve committed to it and we start January 3rd!!!! I’ll be reading with a group of readers from Mom’s Toolbox (www.momstoolbox.com/blog) and hopefully blogging some about this journey here. However, my main focus is to do the reading!! I encourage you to check it out if you’re interested!!! I got the 90 day Bible for Christmas and I also downloaded the kindle version on my iPod touch. I’m praying so hard that I can complete this!!! However, I know my spiritual life needs a boost. To be honest it’s been really hard to get to church over the last year. With the pregnancy fatigue and the boys seeming to always having colds (even right now they’re snotty) it’s really hard to get there. And I know my faith life has taken a back seat. I’m ready to put Jesus back in the driver seat. I know all areas of my life are affected by my faith and as that strengthens I hope all the other areas are strengthened as well.

Which leads me to my next challenge….I alluded to it a few weeks ago. I woke up on the day Cole turned 2 months old and decided it was time to lose weight. I had been noticing on another scrapbooker’s blog her desire to get healthy over 2010. It was a simple concept, move more, eat less. She had started on Weight watchers and then tried to do it on her own before returning to ww at the end of the year. That morning I had read her blog and she had been talking about coming back to ww and starting the new program (points+). I went that morning and I’m loving it!!! I love the new points+ program and have lost weight on it!! I continue to be inspired by Cathy and am using some of her ideas to track my own journey. She summarized her 2010 here (http://cathyzielske.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/12/a-year-of-moving-more-and-eating-less-in-scrapbook-pages.html) and I hope I can have her kind of success in 2011. It’s hard to be healthy. Its expensive, it takes planning and takes time. I’ll admit every Tuesday am I’m afraid when I step on that scale, fearing that I’ve slipped up or not tracked right. But I have to be brave and trust myself and know that I can succeed.

Another song that has been on my mind is Britney Spear’s “Stronger” (I prefer Glee’s version) but its another source of encouragement for me. It goes along with the whole theme of Move More Eat Less (http://cathyzielske.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/12/move-more-eat-less-2011an-invitation-to-you.html) and is part of my minds “soundtrack” if you will. While my “moving more” hasn’t exactly kicked into gear it will. I know I’m strong enough and I deserve it!!!

We’re starting this week with the boys (www.the-e-kids.blogspot.com) doing some regular activities and creating a routine. Maybe it’s just the winter blahs but we’re all going stir crazy. The boys seem to be running laps around us. I think Max has been testing his limits with us and I honestly thinks (and Jason is actually the one who came up with it…) that he needs some one on one attention. I could use some routine and consistency in our days. I’ve been inspired by Carisa (www.1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com), Jolanthe from above but at (http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com) and Erica (www.confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com) with some ideas for “home preschool” of sorts. I just want some time to focus on my boys, love on them, do crafts with them, and teach them. I’ll be using a combo of ideas from these amazing gals and others to focus on letters, numbers, colors and bible verses. I’ll be documenting that on their blog (and hopefully post more pictures of them there too!!!).

Overall, 2010 was a hard year. I got in a rut. I mentioned the paralyzing fear…I also got lazy. I got comfortable in my own bed (literally) and have blamed my laziness on anything I can…and while those things are legitimate (3 kids in 3 years, full time night shift, etc) it’s time to get my act together. Max is 3…3!!!! I feel like I’ve been napping these last 3 years and I want to remember the little things about this time instead of sleeping through it!! I read a quote on a mothering message board that said this, “the days are long but the years are short.” It’s so true. I find myself sometimes wishing the days would go by faster and I don’t want to do that anymore. Sure it’s tough having 3 young kids but other people have done it and survived!! I have a wonderful support system (hello…Jason is ah-mazing with the boys!!!). My family and inlaws are so helpful!!! I need to buck up and be BRAVE and face each day with the strength God has given me.

For a few months now I’ve been saying 2011 is the year of No Excuses….There is no reason I’m so tired, overweight and unmotivated. It’s time for things to change. It’s time for my house to be cleaned, our debt to be paid off, to get healthy, and to love life!!! Whew- that was a lot to type and thank you if you’re still reading. Mainly this is (like everything I type on this blog) for myself…for my own enjoyment….to record my own journey. It’s nice to look back and see patterns in my posting and remember what I’ve gone through. I often get very excited about my next new thing then end up letting my depression/anxiety/laziness take over and it’s done as quick as it starts. I hope to change that this year…and I hope journaling/blogging about it helps me get through it. If you’re joining me on the journey- please leave me a comment and we can share through this together.

I know it won’t be easy, but I’m ready. I’m BRAVE.

**I typed this from an email at work so the formatting is all wonky and the hyperlinks are old school & not hidden- if they don't work do it the old fashion way and cut & paste....sorry, I wanted to get this out of my mind and written down so I didn't want to wait until I had time to do it**

Overall update....

I finally had a few minutes at the laptop with no interruptions (at least the boys are asleep still for now)....too bad I have to get up at 5am to do it. It's ok, since I work tonight I'll be back in bed soon.

I had my 31 week checkup yesterday. Everything looks really good. I'm measuring ahead which means I will have an ultrasound in 2 weeks. She didn't seem concerned...I kind of remember measuring ahead with Max....I have little babies though so maybe my body just progresses faster...or I'm just big. I feel huge.

I'm not sleeping well at all. My sciatic pain is still there...a little better than before but still there. I fell wednesday (slipped on one of Max's toy motorcycles)...I bruised my foot and pulled some muscles in my belly. I'm having lots of braxton hicks and feeling lots of kicks...this baby is a soccer star I tell ya!!!

I still feel like it's a boy...not sure why. Just my gut. We'll be pleasantly surprised and pleased with whatever this baby is!!!

I'm afraid I'll be having to take some time off before the due date (10/17) so I'm hoping to stock the freezer over the next few weeks (mainly because I'll then be on FMLA for a bit at the end of my 6 week postpartum). I have a grand scheme to have 2 months worth of meals planned (broken into little chunks). It will really help our grocery budget during the postpartum if I can accomplish that.

We've moved the boys into the same room and it's been quite successful. Max is going through a dramatic phase which I think is just his no napping phase coming to and end. He seems excited about the baby...kisses my belly and knows Jake's old room is where the baby will sleep.

Inspired by this post, I've decided to color code the kids. Max is green, Jake is blue, and this baby is red. I've been working with Max on which color is his. He seems to know who each color belongs too!! We have name labels for the 2 boys in their colors so getting new ones for this baby should be simple. I also have been organizing some things around the house and put some plastic drawers in our coat closet to organize the kids stuff. Each kid has 2 drawers (in their color of course). I've also got some home pre-schooling ideas here and here and I'm trying to organize the activities for each kid in their color. I plan to post on the boys blog more about that as I get it together.

We have the nursery almost ready and just have a few more projects to get done before baby gets here. Of course, we're ready for baby anytime but I'd like to get a bit more organized.

Jason and I are taking a "Bringing up Boys" Bible study at church this fall and are soooo excited about it.

Ok, long update. So much easier to update from my computer rather than blackberry!!!!

Adventures in Canning....

I've never tried it before!!! My mom and I are gonna give it a go tonight. She wants to make some jam and I want to work on salsa!!! We'll see...I bought all my supplies and I'm so excited!!!I've gotten a gazillion books from the library and I even bought myself the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving!!!

How hard can it be??? HAHAHA!!!

Shopping and couponing

So I’ve been wanting to post some of my favorite resources when it comes to shopping and couponing. I’ve found several blogs that have really helped me out and I think I’m doing a decent job when it comes to saving some money for our family!!! (and since we’re going thru Dave Ramsey’s FPU class at church right now every stinking little bit helps!!!)

So here's my recommendations!!

First of all I read all my blogs in Google Reader. That way I just log in in the morning and if someone updates a blog it shows up in my reader. Then throughout the day I just check and see if anyone has updated.

There are three blogs I do check on my Blackberry when I’m not near my google reader and I do check those for updates religiously throughout the day.

Those are:

Crystal at Money Saving Mom

Jenny at Southern Savers (my friend Erin took Jenny’s couponing class in SC)

And

Marcy at Stretching a Buck (from Columbus , featured on NBC4 every other Monday with Ellie!!!)

There are several others but these gals are great with their deals. Marcy and Jenny do a breakdown of the ads for grocery stores and all three do the drug stores!! I love Marcy because she does a Giant Eagle deal (complete with what coupons go with the sale items!!!).

I’ve been tweaking my coupon organization system for the last few months- I finally think I have something that works. Erin (in SC) and I have been brainstorming methods and I hope to post pictures soon of what is finally working for me!!!

I’ve also found some great recipe websites that I’d love to share.

Year of Crockpotting (and she’s got a cookbook out!!)

Pioneer woman Cooks (delish food!!)

$5 Dinners (I love this gal)

Once a Month Mom (girls after my own heart....freezer cooking!!!)

Other things that have helped me with our grocery budget is menu planning and stock piling. Organized Junkie does a great blog carnival I’ve been trying to get into the hang of participating in and Money saving mom does a great stockpiling post.

Hopefully this post will be useful to someone!!!

Back to work....

No- not me- I still have a few more weeks. Jason's back to work today!! It makes me sad because we've had almost a month off together! We really do enjoy being together and it's been great spending these last 3 weeks with the boys!! And now that we've gotten a groove of whats going on- he goes back to work!! It may be a long day!! My mom is coming over after work so I'm not alone the entire 12 hours- so that's a plus!! I'm excited. I know I can handle it and I'm ready to take it on. Jas is eager to get back to work and we do need the money (I know I'll be ready to go back in a weird way when it's my turn).

The boys are doing great!!
Jake is 3 weeks old and the chair pic will be posted on their blog soon!!
Max is such a big boy. We finger painted yesterday with color wonder paints and he's wanting to read more and more books. Max had his 18 month appt yesterday and is officially done with shots!! Yay!! (at least until it's time for booster's for kindergarten).

I'm excited to get through today but know I'll be looking forward to Jason coming home after work tonight!!!

Stockpiling.....

Thanks to many other bloggers I'm getting the Drugstore Game down. I can't believe how much money I'm saving combining coupons with store sales. I got diapers for 11 cents and wipes for less than a penny. I've gotten a ton of FREE shampoo and conditioner (yes FREE!!!). We have an area in our lovely basement (which reminds me that I still need to post pictures).

I feel like I'm very prepared for the postpartum time (I have all the supplies for me and diapers for baby). We have been stockpiling free hair products, very cheap deodorant, antacids, etc.

The amount we have saved is astonishing...I'm so thankful for what I've learned!!!