Time is Flying

I can't believe that time is flying by so fast. In just a couple days my baby girl will be 3 months old and my big boy just turned 5.

Sometimes it doesn't seem fair that it just seems to slip by. I am trying to make the most of everyday with them.

My kiddos are amazing, I truly am blessed.

Here are a few pictures from my phone. I am blogging from my phone btw.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jaymie

November 3in30

I want to start back up with the 3in30 goals so I have made a list for November.

Let's see how I will do!

1. Limit my time spent on my phone.
       This is a BIG one for me! I have an Android phone. I currently don't have an internet connection at home BUT I can get a wireless signal to my computer from my phone. Well with a tiny baby & two rambunctious boys, it's not always easy to get on my computer. Unfortunately it is very easy to sit on my phone. I do everything on my phone. Web, email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube...EVERYTHING...except talk haha.  I spend a huge part of my day just sitting on my phone. It started where I would watch videos or read books on the Kindle App while I was nursing and now I just do everything on it and I hardly every put it down. Even right now it is sitting right next to me.
        So it's time to nip this bad habit in the butt.  I want to limit my time spent on it.  I won't shut it off because it's the only phone I have at home and Randy will need to get a hold of me BUT I need to restrict texting, twittering, FBing, YouTubeing and all other unnecessary distractions to only when my kids are sleeping. While they are awake I need to devote my time and attention exclusively to them and their lives and our home.

2. Make a new routine/schedule & STICK TO IT!!!
     I can not tell you how many routines I have created that have just fallen through and for my Hayden, he NEEDS a routine. He can not function & perform well in school without a routine. We definitely could never be unschoolers, he really needs a routine. Since I haven't been able to keep a routine going well schoolwork has been a nightmare and he fights me constantly because he doesn't think it's school time. SO I really need to make one and stick to it!

3.  Read my Bible DAILY!!!
       I have been doing decent with this. I started with the Good Morning Girls study which I have no problem reading the verses, but the S.O.A.P.'n I haven't stuck with. It's very easy for me to read my Bible (on my phone) while I'm nursing the baby and I have been spending time in my bible every day BUT I'm not devoting my time to actually taking in all that I'm reading.  I need to set aside time for just me and my Bible. To take notes and really put my whole head & heart into God's word.

So that are my goals for this month.  I hope to check in once a week to let you know how it goes...hopefully not from my phone (because yes there is a Blogger app LOL).

Thanks for stopping by!

Jaymie

Talking to Him...

I struggle with something.

I struggle because I know what I should do & what I need to do, but I don't know how to do it.

I don't know how to talk to God...sounds weird eh?

It still feels a little awkward, talking to God.

I wasn't raised in a home that emphasized praying or giving it all to Him. Sure we were raised to fear Him. I knew there was God. I knew my mother always said if she ever walked into a church surely she'd set on fire immediately!

I never understood that.

If I could replace one thing about my childhood, it would be that I didn't KNOW God. That there was no church or Bible in our lives. That's what I wish I hadn't missed out on.

So as a girl who lost 25 years of knowing Christ as my savior, I want to know all that I can know now. I want to "do it right."  I want to teach my children and raise my children up knowing Jesus and talking to God.

But how do I teach them to talk to God, when I don't even know where to start?

When I pray, I feel nervous and get all sweaty. Like I must not be doing this right or I'm going to mess up the words.

Or maybe I still feel that guilt, that maybe (even though He loves me & has given me a clean slate) I'm still not "good enough."

I get apprehensive & scared to lead a prayer whether at the table before a meal or even in my own heart when my eyes are closed and it's just me and God. I still feel...scared.

Is that weird?

I am hoping the more I grow and the more I read my bible, the closer I will feel to Him. I want so badly to have a close personal relationship with Him, I just have to let go of my mind.  Stop letting my mind play tricks on me.

Stop over thinking and just let it flow.

Anyone else? Any other new"ish" believers have the same problem?

How do you overcome it?

Thanks for stopping by!

Jaymie

Menu Plan Monday 10/10-10/16 2011

Menu planning has been working well for us and I have stuck to it pretty much every day, with the exception of Friday which was pretty hectic and I had WAY to many sweets at the kids' Co-Op Harvest Party lol.

Anyway, here is our menu for the week

Breakfasts
cereal
cinnamon raisin rolls
oatmeal
yogurt and granola

Lunches
turkey and cheese sandwiches
leftovers
chicken & cheese quesadillas

Dinners
Kielbasa with fried potatoes and onions
spaghetti & garlic bread with peas
Slow Cooker Meatball Stew with mashed potatoes and dinner rolls
chicken and biscuits
pizza or strombolis
turkey burgers with fries
Slow Cooker Ham & Potato Soup in a bread bowl

Have a great week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jaymie

Praying for Peace

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27 KJV)

I am praying for peace.

Peace within myself, peace within my love, peace within my children, and a peaceful environment in my home.

The Make Your Home a Haven challenge really is just what I need right now.

As a mother of a 4 yr old and 2 yr old and a 7 week old sometimes (all the time) my home is anything but peaceful.

My tone can be harsh, my stares can be sharp and I feel so emotional.  I let those emotions control me.  I let them over run my spirit causing me to lose my temper and then what happens? After I’ve lashed out or yelled or glared? 

I feel horrible.

The guilt emotion over runs me and I want to cry. To see those little faces and to know that I’ve caused their sadness, even though they’ve been told over and over not to jump on the furniture or not to bend your brother’s arm back that way, I still feel so bad.

I am praying for peace.

I’m taking Courtney’s challenge and I am going to strive to have a peaceful home. I am armed with candle, soft music, bible and lots of praying. 

Lord knows I do NOT want to have another week of sadness, anger and guilt.


Thank you for stopping by!

Jaymie

My Candle Burned Out

I love these little Febreze candles…they smell so good and are inexpensive but unfortunately they don’t last very long.  I burned one for 3 whole days, from the time I woke up until the time I went to bed, and it only lasted 3 days.

So I’m on to my next candle Apple Delight & Spice.  It smells yummy, makes me want to make an apple pie.

I have been doing fairly well with the Make Your Home a Haven challenge this week.  Lighting the candle each morning really does help to remind me to pray and to be more engaged in my home and my family.  I’ve been feeling happier this week and even when the stress hits I see my candle flickering and I say a prayer and try to remain calm and remember that God is in control and he will take care of us.

Things feel as if they are falling into place again.  I have my moments when the baby is screaming and I can’t do things as I want to when I want to, like lesson plan or fold clothes. I’m finally getting my house back in order. I got a new planner, the Busy Body Book and it is AWESOME. I love it! It’s really helping me to organize all the “sections” of my life.  I really love it.

I am so looking forward to more of Courtney’s challenges for the Make Your Home a Haven challenge.  They’re working for me and my family so far!

Next week it’s
“October 10 – Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys. Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Remind your family to avoid seething anger, tattling, criticism or back talk. As the wife/mother, work on gentleness this week.”

                                                   

Thanks for stopping by!
Jaymie

Make Your Home a Haven Day 1

I have decided to take on Courtney's (Women Living Well) "Make Your Home a Haven" Fall Challenge again this year....hopefully with more success than last year.

Over on her blog she posted about two types of houses. A house where the woman is distant and a house where the woman is engaged. The question is whether we are like House #1 (distant) or House #2 (engaged).

Unfortunately on most days my home is like House #1. I am distant, pulled into everything else I have going on and don't ever take the time to just have fun and be with my family. The dishes and the laundry and everything else clutters up my mind and I can't seem to focus on anything else.

I really want to change that...reading her post made me sad when I acknowledged that I am that distant woman in House #1. It made me think about what kind of impression and memory my children will have of me. What I want for them and what they've been handed up until now, seem to be two different things.

How do I get to where I want to be? How do I become the engaged woman in House #2?

I'm going to strive to be more engaged in my children's lives and stop worrying about my messy lived in home.

I've lit my candle...a yummy smelling Febreeze candle called Leaves & Spice. I love Fall scents, don't you?

I've also said a prayer for my home and a prayer for myself, so that I can try to be more engaged as I go about my day. I'll be checking back in!


Thanks for stopping by!

Jaymie