Hello 2012

A new year and new plans . .. New goals and new me!     I have several things I am doing this month.   lol We will see how much I get done.

I am looking to start this challenge:

Then I will be doing a book club too, here:

I will be busy.   Not to mention, I am doing this challenge too:

I know it is a lot but most only take a few minutes a day.    I will work on keeping my house up too.   

September Goals for 3 in 30 Challenge

1.  To get a months worth of Freezer meals done

2.  To keep on top of my laundry each week.   So my goal is to have at least 1 to 2 loads washed & FOLDED every 2 days.    Some days I don't need to do a load but I do tend to not fold them when they are done.   So goal for housekeeping this month is to keep up on my Kitchen routines & add keeping laundry washed and folded.

3.  I am signed up for a 21 day challenge for praying for my Boys with Warrior Prayers, I am a leader of a group.  (which one with a boy/s can still join us)  But I am adding the book 31 day to a Better Spouse, prayer book for John.   So I will be starting that prayer book on September 1st for John and September 6 for the boys.

3 in 30 Challenge end of month update

1.  31 days to Clean - well, I was able to keep up some basic routines.   I will continue to see if I can work out a better way to focus on specific routines each month so it isn't so big of a challenge for me.

2.  This didn't happen well at all.   But since this next month I will embark on a Daniel Fast, this will be a must since I will be down at church most of the times, so I will need to have both meals for the rest of my family and for me.

3.  I have succeeded for the most part getting up early just due to the fact school started and I had to so I could have my quiet time before the boys got up.

I am glad I was able to have some success and pray that my goals for next month will be more precise and specific so I can have a better chance to really accomplish them.

3 in 30 Challenge Weekly Linkup

1.   Homemaking- well the first week of homeschool & UBC Academy derailed some of my homemaking.   THe laundry languished a bit but I was able to keep up some of the morning routines I began a week ago.   I am praying the next week will be a little calmer.

2.  Freezer Meals - these are still not happening - This week will be my week to get started.   My goal this week is to at least get a plan in place, since I will be away from home more it will be vital to figure it out.   But it will also make it a challenge this week.

3.  Waking up early - well because school started, I had to get up early.    So that by default I have been actually able to get up by 5:30 at the latest most days.   I would like to be up by 5:15 but I am happy to be able to get up earlier.   :)

Educating the WholeHearted Child Book Discussion Chapter 2

1. How are you making your home a living and learning center for your family?

This is a work in progress.   We do encourage them to think for themselves but as I realize how often I am not always the best at this one.   I grew up in a household where the TV was always on so it is an adjustment for me to change my norm.    We have started to really push the boys to take more responsiblity 

2. Are you willing to learn right alongside your children? If not, what is stopping you—time? Desire?

You bet I am.   I love to learn and even though I get frustrated at times when I don't learn quickly.   But I love to learn and pray that I can instill that desire and love in my boys too.

3. How are you prepared to answer the critics? You may want to sit down with your spouse and discuss your united response to the critics.

We have a pretty open and supportive environment.    Idaho is the freest states to homeschool in, we have no requirements or regulations.    the only thing you have to do is if they have been enrolled in public school you have to send a written letter of withdraw from the district.    Other than that, we don't have to do anything else.   Family has been very supportive and inquire how things are going.   Most of the responses have been number 3 that, "I could never do that".   I was one of those but found that I can and will.   I enjoy it even with its frustrations.

4. What is a positive story about your family’s homeschooling that you can share with a critic?

Not really.

5. The Clarksons share how they try to make their home a haven for their children. They believed in family style entertainment—where they made their home a fun place to be. What are you doing to make your home a fun haven where your family enjoys time together?

I know that our house if often where kids (their friends) want to come.    We don't have a lot of structured family time but we do hang out together a lot.    We play games together a lot and go swimming together during the summer.    I would like to implement more intentional family time though.    We have lots to work on over the next years to really create the environment I desire to do.

Weekly 3 in 30 Challenge Check up

1.  Homemaking - I am doing 31 Days to Clean.   On Day 5 and I am doing the new Martha Challenges which I have been doing pretty well with.    My kitchen has been clean and I actually got that floor mopped finally.    I haven't done a lot of organizing with in areas but I will get there.    I need to get to the Mary challenges more though.

2.  Freezer Meals - well I haven't even started with the August food.    I have some left over meats from last month so trying to get organized but those have really help out.

3.  Getting up at 6 a.m. has been tough.    Not sure what else I can do.   I got up earlier several times but have to figure out how not to snooze but it is such a norm for me, sometimes I don't even wake up until I have done it several times.    I just snooze it in my sleep.  

So all in all, I am doing okay.   Struggling to get some of those done.    Any ideas would be appreciated.    We start our supplemental homeschool classes next week so that will affect us a lot.   I am praying we can smoothly move in to the schedule without too much pain.    the boys have a hard time getting up earlier so it should be an interesting week.

Kids In the Word Wednesday

We started a new book this week by Pearables, The Narrow Way.   You can get it from their site or Christianbook Distributors.    We are on day two we are talking about faith.   Today's focus was on Who God is.    This goes well with our Wednesday night kids class at church which we are doing Firm Foundation for Kids by New Tribes Missons.    

We also picked up the Truth and Grace Memory Book 1 and I got that today.    It is a list of memory verses, chapters & books of the Bible.   Split up into age groups, this one is for 2 years to 4th grade.    

We also use the Scripture memory system from Simply Charlotte Mason's site.   that have been really good.    I have been reading through the Bible in 90 days.   So they boys have been doing the kid's version of it which is the first chapter of each group I read.   I am doing that through the Mom's Tool Box.   So we are on day 24 for that one.   We read that every night before bed.   They always remind me.  lol