What Is At The Top of the To Do List

After reading this devotion this morning during a week in which I have so much going on really put things into perspective for me.  On the top of my new to do list this week-

#1.  Love God with all my heart, soul, and mind.
#2.  Respect and Honor my husband.
#3.  Instruct my children in righteous conduct.

I am so very blessed and hope that I can spread the joy.

Growing Home Give Away

The Confident Mom is giving away the summer boredom package!

Just Sitting in Anticipation

Since Lucy has to go into the clinic twice a week to get weighed and she wants to be held- often, we haven't done much.  I probably shouldn't be blogging but I needed to get some words out.  It is helpful during stressful times and there is plenty of that to go around here.

Ariana and I worked on our All Kinds of Eggs Lesson this week.  Sadly didn't prepare because I only had one egg in the fridge but she had loads of fun with an egg hunt in which I hid words inside for her to learn.  She is only 2 years old, but I thought she might like the activity.  I should have just put the word EGG in all of them but we had recently been working on the letter Q so it was just some easy words like- quilt, queen, and mom, dad.  I think she had fun.

Hermione and I have Kindergarten registration today.  Mama, of course, is a little nervous and still unsure that this is the right decision for our family so I am taking a step of faith.  

We caught up with a tiny bit of laundry and went to the library.  I ate a little bit of ice cream (I know, I know that is a no-no), but I am a stress eater and there has been some extra unmentionable problems right now.  Please pray for my husband and our church right now.  Here are some pictures of my 5 month old 10 lb. 11.5 oz baby to make us all feel a little better.  She is itty bitty.

Priority Shift

I have to put some goals on hold and switched to some new ones.  My youngest daughter, Lucy, is almost five months old.  A couple weeks ago we took her to the doctor and found out she wasn't gaining any weight.  She has been spitting up most of mama's milk.  The doctor put her on some medicine for GERDs, but from the advice from some real moms I decided to lay off the dairy.  I am on week two of no dairy.  At first it was very difficult because I had to wait for pay day to replace some of my snacking habits with nondairy items.  But my husband went to Costco and came back with a nice big box of Larabars.  He was so very thoughtful and encouraging to me while making the no dairy switch.  So in between feeding her every 3 hours plus supplementing with formula to make long story short Lucy has gone from 9 lbs. 3 oz to 10 lbs. 5.5 oz in about 2 weeks.  The doctors goal with her is for her to gain at least one ounce a day.  Just to recap because I don't know when I will have time to post again-

Old Goals (put on hold)-
*52 Weeks to an Organized Home
*Reading 12 Books this Year (I usually read a lot more than this but I figured I would make the goal VERY attainable because of the craziness of life and it obviously was a good decision seeing that the health of my family has taken center stage.)
*Keeping the cookie jar at least half full with HOMEMADE cookies

New Goals-
*Lucy needs to reach 12 lbs by the end of the month (to make doctor happy)
*The 21 Rules of this House Project (this is long over due)
*Keeping up with no dairy diet

I am excited for the new goals but sad about not being able to bake or read as much, but sometimes priorities have to change. 

Week One: Kitchen organizion: countertops and sink

These are before pictures.  It makes me realize I need to decorate too.  Is there a decorate challenge for next year after it is all organized?  I should look into that or maybe I can make a list for next year.  I need curtains, candles, art, towels, etc.  I also keep forgetting about the broken drawer and the plug that doesn't work.  Will add some sink pictures next time too.  

Passover is Being...Passed over?

I wanted to celebrate Passover this year.  But was blocked by the fact that the store I shop at regularly did not carry the specific Passover things I wanted- matzo or matzo ball soup or the bottled grape juice.  Any way I was disappointed.  Tomorrow the plan is to call around before I go searching endlessly because after such fruitlessness I just got tired.

I love Passover Seder.  I am not Jewish but I love celebrating it for the Christian symbols.  I just don't know how you can NOT see Christ in the Passover.  We have celebrated at our church from time to time, but it had not been planned this year so I was hoping to have at least a meal and the Seder plate prepared.  My husband will probably think I am little cooky if I start bringing out the Haggaid and start singing Dayeinu plus my kids are so young I don't know how much of an actual Passover Seder they could sit through.  Ahh...wishful thinking...

Started the 52 Week Challenge to Organize the Home...I am super excited!!!!!  This week is organize the kitchen counter tops which I have a new idea about what to do with all the tons of cereal we have plus maybe I will remember to tell the maintenance at church to look at a plug that doesn't work.  Pictures?  I hope so.

Well- How to Start...Again

I was away for awhile for a couple of reasons.  I don't have the time to make a unique blog layout  because I don't know html.  I am just not THAT cool.  But since I finally found one I like.  It may be a lame-o reason but I just could not get motivated until it looked like something I could care about.  I like the three flowers on this layout because it represents my three beautiful daughters and the main topic of this blog will be about my family. 

I am not very unique.  I copy from my much more creative friends and random others.  Well I don't straight up copy but it can be much harder for me to focus than I would like.  What got me back on to blogging are two of my blogging mamas I admire who keep things simple and uncomplicated (at least they seem to try to, right? right?)- Aboundantly Blessed and Pookaville  They have really blessed me and challenge me.  They make me look like a lazy slob, but a slob saved by the grace of the Almighty God. 

This time I will try to keep updating more frequently and cleaning up links and side bars and columns etc...  Maybe I can bless someone, maybe this is just for me...it doesn't matter too much as long as I type.  Oh!  One last thing that keeps me from blogging regularly.  My husband loves the computer or at least watching TV on the computer until the wee hours of the morning so during times that would be ideal for typing thoughts ie when kids are sleeping my husband is using the only computer we have.  I am blessed to have an amazing husband with an awesome job and great house so I am not going to judge him for what he chooses to do with the computer or his time so, please, don't you either- thank you.