Highlights

Thought I'd share a few highlights from this past week. From the menu department, this:

http://mynewroots.blogspot.com/2011/04/raw-brownie.html

The Raw Brownie

It's made with walnuts, dates, cocoa, sea salt and almonds. That's it. No flour, no eggs, no sugar, no oil. Just pure delicious chocolate goodness. Yum. My friend, Lisa, gave me the link to this recipe and it will be a regular in this household for sure!

...And this:

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/rice/greek-quinoa-and-avocados/

Greek Quinoa with Spinach and Avocados

This one was passed on by my friend, Sarah Ashlin, who is helping me with the whole monthly menu planning bit. It's easy, healthy, tasty. The perfect trifecta when it comes to making dinner, right? I thought some chickpeas tossed in wouldn't hurt. =)

There was also a highlight from the wish list department: I got my Storksak bag! Yay!

It is actually way more wonderful in real life. Nice and roomy, washable/wipeable with tons of pockets, and an extra across the body strap. I was really proud of myself for devising a plan to get it that stayed within our budget too. I used my Discover rewards to turn $60 "bucks back" into a $75 Bed Bath and Beyond gift card (which can be used at Buy Buy Baby). Then I went online and printed a 20% off coupon for Buy Buy Baby. So, by combining the coupon and gift cards and saving up my fun money for the month (I did miss a few of my vanilla lattes along the way), I was able to go ahead and "invest" in this new bag which I am really loving!

Two highlights on the JD front:

1. He went poo-poo in the potty! (Don't worry, no pictures of this to follow) It was only one time, completely at my suggestion (as opposed to his own initiative) and in no way really indicates any potty training readiness or inclinations... but still! It can't be a BAD thing right? He got some chocolate chips afterwards so he thought it was pretty cool!

2. He has started to eat supper with Jonathan and I. Or, rather, we've started to eat supper with him... Up til this past week we've been eating breakfast all together and I eat lunch with him, but then we would always feed him supper around 5:30, do his bath and get him in bed around 7 and then eat our own dinner - relaxing on the couch. I always thought that it was kind of nice to just get to eat dinner in peace after a long kid-filled day. By the time we were done eating though, I was pretty much done in for the day. As in, no energy to really clean up the kitchen, so that got left for in the morning (yucky). No energy to blog or fold laundry or work on any little projects. We would watch a couple shows and then drift off to the bedroom and sleep. Now, though, it's like I have this whole other chunk of the day that I never had before. It's called "evening"! Admittedly, dinner time all together is not quite as relaxing as it was by ourselves, but by 7:30 dinner and the house are cleaned up and JD is in bed. We can sit down and have a glass of wine or dessert,  read, blog, do a project, watch a show - whatever. It is actually really great! Not to mention, JD loves the time eating dinner with us and it is helping set the stage for family dinner time which is something we really want to put an emphasis on as the kids grow up... Anyway, here's a very small project that I've been putting off for awhile that I was able to get done in less than an hour after dinner one night.

Before: Plain white IKEA bedside lamps

After: More personalized/elegant with black ribbon trim

Finally, a highlight on the movie night scene. We've instigated weekly date nights. Two with a babysitter where we go out to dinner or whatever. And two at home where we just order take out and watch a movie. This week we watched 50/50. And while officially "recommending" movies makes me nervous (I definitely don't condone everything in the movies I "recommend"), we both really liked this one and in my opinion, it is hard to find a good movie these days.

My Harmonica Duet Serenade

I'm not really into all the "Mommy and Me" classes out there... We could literally be doing a different class every day of the week from swimming to yoga (I prefer doing yoga minus the wrestling a toddler part- although I will admit, a plank is a lot more challenging with a 28 pounder on your back) to baby sign language. All of which are great, I am sure. But really? Are they for the babies or the mommies?  That being said, JD has been taking Kindermusik classes, taught by my friend Alissa, since he was about 5 months old (and we do make the occasional appearance at the local library's story time). It's kind of my attempt to make up for my own lack of musical ability, rhythm, etc. He has always enjoyed the class and frequently requests to hear the CDs in the car and at home. While he's not overly participatory during the actual class (preferring to observe with one thumb in his mouth and one pinching his belly), in the car he really goes to town with the all the motions and even tries to sing the words now. Anyway, it is a great program and  twice a semester the kids all get new instruments to take home. These have always been a hit and thanks in large part to Kindermusik, JD has two little baskets dedicated to musical instruments. The most recent addition this past week was not one but two harmonicas!

Hence, I was treated to this little serenade Sunday morning as I fixed our Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake for brunch and sipped my second cup of (half decaf!) coffee. You probably "would have had to have been here", but it's one of those moments that I love about being a mom. Or as a popular article (Don't Carpe Diem - you've probably seen it posted on a mom's facebook status) calls this moment: Kairos. The authore says "Kairos is God's time. It's time outside of time. It's metaphysical time. It's those magical moments in which time stands still. I have a few of those moments each day. And I cherish them."

If you are a mom with young kids and haven't read the article, you should. Not because it's a life-changing work of genius or anything, just because the rest of this post will make a lot more sense if you are familiar with the article. And the author's observations really did resonate with me. First of all, because I can definitely relate to having older ladies telling me that "It goes by so quickly! Enjoy it!" in the aisles of Target. I appreciated the illustration about climbing Mt. Everest - crying every step of the way but having your breath taken away when you look up and see the view and wanting to plan your next climb. And the quote of the famous author who, when asked if she liked writing said, "I like having written." I laughed out loud at her description of her three kids' antics in the check out line and her response to one of these kindly old ladies, "Thank you. Yes. Me too. I am enjoying every single moment. Especially this one. Yes. Thank you." Ha Ha Ha! I also totally get the whole Chronos/ Kairos time thing. There are moments, regular everyday moments -when a peanut butter and jelly smeared face looks over at me in the middle of lunch and an already very full mouth says a muffled "MORE!", when those mischievous blue eyes peer out from between chubby little fingers and I hear "A-boo!", when I see a certain little grin, or pour water over a soapy head in the bathtub and notice the way his eyelashes look when they're wet - moments that I just want to freeze in my mind so that they will last forever.

I also liked her comparison to how no body at her husband's job is standing over him, reminding him to enjoy each moment or implying that he is not a very good worker if he isn't loving every aspect of his job, making the most of it all. She says, "Parenting is hard. Just like lots of important jobs are hard."  And that reminded me that parenting is a job. An important job at that (not that it had really slipped my mind how important parenting is, but sometimes it's just nice to be reminded and validated anyway). There are several parks in our neighborhood where I am usually the only actual mom there when I take JD to play. Most of the kids are there with their nannies. Nannies, who I am quite sure, are making a very nice salary parenting. Sometimes, instead of thinking of myself as "just" a stay at home mom or as having left my career, it's nice to remember that people who do what I do are highly sought after and actually get paid really good money.

Anyway, while I did enjoy the article and appreciated the point the author was making about being truthful and admitting to the trials of parenting, let's be honest. There are plenty of moms out there talking about how hard parenting is. And they are right. And for that matter, there are plenty of seemingly perfect (well intentioned yet very annoying) moms out there talking about how absolutely wondrous  it is too.  But for me, it doesn't really fall into one of these neat little categories. The bottom line is this:  I am absolutely sure that I will look back one day and say, "I enjoy having parented." But the truth is, I enjoy the actual here and now parenting too.  I'm not just waiting for the day when I can look back nostalgically, heave a sigh of relief and say, "Ahh...It went by so fast!" I am truly thankful to be able to say that I love my job. Right now.

Monday Night = Blog Night

Monday night has unofficially become the night that I usually end up blogging, but as I was thinking earlier in the day about what to write about, nothing really jumped out to me. Instead of just avoiding the blog altogether in favor of the second Hunger Games book (I do have a few guilty pleasures left after my New Year's purge), I decided to 1.) add some pics of JD which the blog has been sorely lacking and 2.) fill you in on my new baby "wish list" - a girl can dream, right? So, without further ado:

 

My little Rocketman. I'm not the photographer (and most likely never will be) that I wish I was. Most (all) of my pictures are taken with my iPhone, and it actually takes better pictures than our little point and shoot Kodak does anyway. Sadly, you will rarely be treated to any photographic genius on this blog. That being said, I think these shots turned out ok and capture JD pretty well. Playing with this cute little Radio Flyer Rocket out in our driveway is one of his new favorite pass times.

Here's JD and his friend, Penny. I know many of you probably already saw this on Facebook, but really? Can there be too much of this picture?? I think not. Penny has been coming over a morning or two a week while her mom and dad have a short overlap in their work schedules. Among her and JD's favorite things to do so far: scribble with crayons, hide in my closet and make no noise then start laughing wildly when I come check on them, see who can scream with the highest pitch, pop bubbles, play in JD's crib, and of course save time for some good old thumb sucking and belly pinching. When JD started this combo several months ago (he's never gotten attached to any kind of a security blanket, toy or pacifier - just the belly), I was totally fine with it, but I did wonder if it was a little strange. I have since noticed several other kiddos doing the same thing, though, so I guess it is not that crazy. And, as you can see, he's found a kindred spirit in Miss Penny. I noticed them both running out of steam towards the end of the morning and so I turned on some cartoons. A few minutes later, I glanced over and saw this. A moment I am sure will come back to haunt them in years to come! =)

And P.S. Who would have thought that caring for two almost two year olds, is actually easier than caring for just one?? It's true.

This one's pretty self explanatory. Putting my boys to work. JD is really into the whole "helping" thing right now. Think it will last long enough to actually be helpful?

Here's JD with another little buddy who we totally wish we got to see more!! So far it's just been once a year at Christmas time. Jake is our South Carolina friends, Duncan and Sarah Ashlin's, 15 month old son. So far, their relationship revolves around food. JD has the snacks and Jake wants 'em! It works out well as one of JD's favorite things to do is feed others.

That's all for JD at the moment. I will try to do better on the kid front from here on out. But on to my wish list. I'll abbreviate. =)

The Bob Duallie. How do people afford $650 strollers? That's not to say I wouldn't get my money's worth out of this baby. Needless to say, I'll soon be scouring Craigslist on a minute by minute basis hoping to snatch up one of these sweet rides for my chillins.

 On a related note, how do people afford $200 diaper bags/purses? Saw this Storksak beauty at Buy Buy Baby. Time to start saving my fun money.  

I've heard from alot of ladies that the ERGObaby carrier is their favorite. And I have noticed many a baby-wearing, Austin mom with one strapped on. Pretty sure I will be getting one of  these. I do have the BabyBjorn but remember JD growing out of it pretty fast and this is something I could actually still carry JD in and you can wear it on your front, hip, or back. I also have a Moby, but that's just too much material to be dealing with in the 110 degree Austin summer. I'm not really the continual around the house baby-wearing type, but with a toddler in tow I feel like this could come in pretty handy on outings. Now, usually they are plain old black or tan. But who can resist dropping an extra $50 just for the adorable Petunia Pickle Bottom print?

Here's the bright, cheery rug I found to be the focal point of the new decor for the kids' shared room. This, I actually found for very cheap at IKEA and it has inspired me on how I can make use of most everything that is already in there as well as a few other odds and ends that I already have. Stay tuned for before and after pics in the next couple months! =)

Now, just to be clear, I find most of the tons and tons and tons of baby paraphernalia that is out there extrememly superfluous, unnecessary, consumeristic, disturbing, and downright ridiculous (to name a few). In fact (and this literally just dawned on me so it hasn't been fully thought out or processed) it is almost like what Christmas has become in a way. Amidst all the shopping and traveling and eating and family drama and presents and Santas, no body remembers that Christmas is really about the fact that God sent His only SON to earth as a human baby who would grow up to show us how to bring about His Kingdom here on earth and then give His life to free us from death... And amidst all the wipe warmers, video monitors, designer furniture and clothes (which make a fashion statement about Mom and Dad not baby), pacifier cases, $650 strollers, $200 diaper bags, not to mention the toys (oh my goodness the toys!), no body remembers that people were having babies and raising children long before any of these things were invented. And dare I say?  It seems like maybe they grew up a little more responsible and a little less "entitled" than kids these days? And now that I've officially used the phrase "kids these days" it's time for me to get off my soap box.

But here's one more little bonus thing. Do try this at home. Your arms will hate me for it.

BA HAHAHAHAHA!

The Baby Blues (salad, that is)

I must say, this menu planning business is on point! Not sure why I didn't start this a long time ago...This past Saturday morning (after spin class), I drug out all my dusty cookbooks and headed to a lovely little coffee shop overlooking Lake Austin. Over a vanilla latte and a breakfast taco, I planned out a month of meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I get stuck in a rut eating cereal every morning, if I don't have a breakfast plan, and ooccasionally, Jonathan will come home at lunch time and ask, "What are you having for lunch?" In the past, I usually had no answer for this little question b/c I had just planned on eating a yogurt or some random combination of leftovers or another bowl of cereal. Now, I can tell him before he leaves in the morning what we are having for lunch that day! (His lunch time appearances are becoming more than occasional, and it's been nice for the three of us to all sit down at the table and eat lunch together.) And by planning out dinners on a weekly basis, I can keep better track of how much variety we are getting and how nutritional our meals are. Not to mention the fact that after I got done with the menu, I easily wrote out a grocery list. One where I knew we would use everything on it. One that was much shorter and more succinct than my old lists (or lack thereof) which usually involved a great deal of guesswork. So the list, combined with the fact that I don't make as many trips to the store for last minute meals, is already saving us some grocery money. As someone who thrives on organization, I feel so much more "together." I would even say more confident and less stressed. Perhaps you are rolling your eyes, since all of this seems - well, obvious. Maybe you already have a tried and true meal schedule/grocery shopping strategy that has been working for you for a long time. I know, I'm a little behind here...

Anyway, tonight we had a super simple to make salad that tasted like a little bite of heaven! Of course it is a bit presumptuous, but I just have to share the recipe so you can enjoy the goodness too.

Baby Blue Salad

1/2 cup coarsely crumbled bacon

1/4 cup blue cheese

8 cups baby spinach

2 avocados, peeled and diced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 lemon

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

In a large bowl, toss bacon, blue cheese, spinach, tomatoes and avocado. Add juice of half the lemon and toss again to mash some of the avocado. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with remaining lemon half, cut into slices.

Pair that with a glass of red wine and follow it up with a few pieces of a dark chocolate, and your evening will be off to a pretty good start. =) Speaking of evenings, I am totally enjoying less time with facebook and the tv at night. More time reading, drinking green tea at bed time, doing crosswords, and going to bed early! (And, yes, I am totally aware that this makes me sound like I am at least 80 years old. And, no, I totally don't care. At all.)  Going to bed earlier has helped me to get up a few minutes earlier a couple times this week to read my Bible and take some quiet time to listen for the Lord before I hear the first (of many) sweet "Mommy!"s of the day.

I've also been spending more intentional time with JD at home, instead of always trying to think of places for us to go in order to fill our time. Today was a chilly, rainy, inside day and I could have been tempted to just pack up and go to one of those indoor playlands with the ball pits, the inflatable bounce houses, and the toddler corrals containing every cheap, plastic toy known to man (and probably every germ as well, but I'm pretty much the opposite of a germaphobe). That place has saved my sanity on more than one occasion to be sure, but today we were at home the whole day except for one quick trip to the grocery store/ dry cleaners around the corner which accounted for a total of less than 30 minutes. Now, my son prefers to be played with instead of quietly entertaining himself as I hear some angelic children are known to do. So, I am attempting to embrace this to a certain extent. I'm implementing a little bit more structure in our playtime, and encouraging him to "help" me with my work whenever possible (which he absolutely loves). Been playing around with the idea of a (very loose and flexible) "schedule" for play activities since he is getting to the age where he can focus for longer periods of time, is enjoying constructing towers as opposed to just knocking them over, and is getting better at cleaning up. Trying to balance this more meaningful one on one time with time where he can learn to entertain himself while I make a meal, fold clothes, pay bills, or do a workout. With more reasonable (read: much lower) expectations of what I can actually get done while JD is awake, I find I can enjoy our time together sooo much more. And I realize how awesome it is to have this incredible time with my son. How I would not trade it. For anything.

So, yes. It feels good to be doing more of the things I really want to be doing. More of the things I actually value. The year is off to a good start. 

PS  And since I'm already being presumptuous with my recipes, I'll go ahead and share my whole menu as well. That's how excited I am about this! =)

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
B:	Crockpot Apple Cinn./Raisin Oatmeal	French Toast/Strawberries	Cereal/Grapefruit	Carrot Muffins/ Yogurt	Bagels w/ Crm Cheese Cantaloupe	Cereal/ Banana	Brunch: Black Bean, Potato Breakfast Tacos
L:	MacNCheese/ Hot Dog/ Green Beans	Turkey Deli Sandwiches/Kettle Chips	Veggie Omelet	Leftover Chickpea Pasta	Salad	Leftovers	n/a
D:	Baby Bleu Salad	Salmon/Rice/ Asparagus	Chickpea Pasta Almonds & Parmesan	Crockpot Chicken Rice/Green Beans	Leftovers/Take Out	Turkey Burgers/Sweet Potato Fries	Potluck at Church
B:	Cereal/ Banana	French Toast/Strawberries	Pear Granola Muffins/Yogurt	Oatmeal/ Blueberries	Bagel w/ Crm Cheese Cantaloupe	Cereal/Banana	Brunch: Waffles/ Berries
L:	Tuna Salad on Salad Greens	Leftover Tomato Salad	Veggie Omelet	Mac n Cheese/ Hot Dog	Hummus Sandwiches	Leftovers	n/a
D:	Grilled Chicken/ Tomato Olive Mozarella Salad	Brown Rice & Black Beans w/ Toppings	Beef/Broccoli Stir Fry	CrockPot Italian Lentil Soup	Leftovers/Date Night	Island Pork Tenderloin Salad	Tomato Soup/ Grilled Cheese
B:	Soy Sausage on English muffin	Crockpot Banana Nut Oatmeal	Cereal/ Blueberries	Egg/Cheese Burrito	Bagel w/ Crm Cheese Strawberries	Cereal/ Grapefruit	Brunch: Cran, Almond Coffee Cake/ Eggs
L:	Salad	Deli Turkey Sandwich/ Kettle Chips	Leftover Quinoa Salad	PBJ Sandwich	Butternut Squash Soup/ Salad	Leftovers	n/a
D:	Chicken Apple Sausage Pasta	Greek Style Quinoa Salad	Meatloaf/ Baked Potato/ Broccoli	Sweet Potato Bowl	Leftovers/Take Out	Spaghetti/ Salad	Crockpot Vegetarian Chili
B:	Crockpot Apple/Cinn. Oatmeal	Waffles/ Strawberries	Cereal/ Banana	Bagel w/ Crm Cheese Cantaloupe	Leftover Breakfast Casserole	Cereal/ Blackberries	Brunch:Lemon Cornmeal Pancakes/ Raspberries
L:	Leftover Chili	Tuna Salad on Salad Greens	Hummus Wraps	Baby Field Greens Salad (E2)	E2 Basics Salad	Leftovers	n/a
D:	Veggie Fried Rice	Beef Stroganoff/ Green Beans	Quinoa w/ Spinach and Avocado	Sausage Breakfast Cass.w/ Spinach Grits	Leftovers/ Date Night	Pad Thai (E2)	Pizza/ Side Salad

Bring on the New Year

I'm not really into the whole traditional "New Year's Resolutions," but I am excited about some changes that  2012 is bringing with it. I'm excited about meeting my new baby GIRL for one thing. That's right, I found out on December 20th that our next child is a "she." I was definitely expecting/mentally prepared for another boy, so it's taking some getting used to... I actually feel a wee bit nervous about raising a girl - like I will have an even greater responsibility to her than I do to JD (which already feels pretty huge). You know, to truly show her how to be the woman God created her to be, to value the right qualities in myself  so that I can set a healthy example for a girl growing up in a world that often values women for all the wrong things, to be a mother that she wants to be like instead of one she wants to be the opposite of. I have never felt particularly gifted in these "leadership" type areas, so I know I have some work to do. But while I'm nervous, I am also excited about the opportunity to grow and be stretched because I have always found that when I set out to teach something, I'm usually the one that ends up learning the most. Not to mention the fact that we had the perfect boy's name picked out and we're stumped for girl's names... So becoming a family of four - that's one big, obvious change that's coming this year.

There's another, more subtle, change that I feel is going to be coming this year as well. For the first time in quite awhile (probably since moving to Austin and having JD, in fact), I feel excited about my relationship with God. I realize that this sounds extreme. It sounds pretty bad. But I'm just being honest. I don't think I've been "far from God." I haven't been doubting Him or angry with Him or rebelling against Him. And I've even seen Him answer prayers, provide for our family, and work through our little church community, The Grove. But I haven't been "close to God" either. After some personal reflection (which does not come easily or naturally to me) I think there are two main things that have contributed to my general apathy in the spiritual arena. 1.)When we left South Carolina, we left behind a strong group of spiritually like minded close friends who constantly encouraged me to push deeper into God, to expect to hear from Him, and to change in order to become more like Him. We moved here to Austin, an awesome city where we did not know anyone. So that was different. 2.)Then I had JD and I began to value things like sleep, having a clean house, and getting back in shape more than spending time in the Word. I have been waaaaay more disciplined in working on my physical fitness than I have been in working on my spiritual health. Without even realizing it, I started to believe this lie that as a mother, in this "season of life"  I did not really have time to read my Bible on any kind of consistent basis anymore. I did have time to sleep in on Saturdays (thanks to my amazing husband), clean and organize my little house (I don't like to use the word "obsessively"), and train for a half marathon, a triathlon, and my personal best 10K though.  Looking back, I feel like these two factors combined to lull me into a state of complacency in which I was okay with where I was in my relationship with the Lord. And it wasn't a bad place, but since it wasn't really going anywhere it has become rather stagnate. In addition, I am realizing that I had begun to equate how much "doing good for others," serving, volunteering, etc I was doing with my spiritual well being. And being a mom has put some limits on how much of that I am able to do. So I was subconsciously accepting the fact that my  relationship with the Lord was just going to be "on hold" for awhile. When in reality, I am slowly waking up to the fact that perhaps God intentionally has me in a place where I can do less so that I can just be with Him more. All of this long-windedness to say that, thankfully, in the last couple of weeks, God has been doing something in me. I'm so glad He doesn't leave everything up to us! Right now, I am just in the beginning stages of realizing and admitting where I am and asking Him for the desire to grow. And I can already tell that He is answering that simple little prayer. I think He has been waiting for me to pray it for a while now. So that is the second change that I am looking forward to in 2012!

There are a few other, smaller, things I'm excited about this year too. My friend, Sarah Ashlin, has inspired me to new levels of organization. (Those of you who know her might not believe me, but it's true!) This Saturday morning I took all my favorite cookbooks to a nice little coffee shop overlooking Lake Austin and planned out a menu for the week. I typed it out, complete with recipes, and made a grocery list accordingly. Now it is printed and hung on a piece of cork board on the inside of a kitchen cabinet door (thank you, Pinterest). I plan on doing this every Saturday morning until I have about two months worth of meals to rotate through, and I expect it to save us time and money and help us to eat more well-thought out, healthy meals. (I am happy to share meal plans with anyone who wants some new ideas, btw!)

Speaking of healthy meals, I came across this article today while browsing Facebook. In a nutshell: DO buy organic milk (if you must buy cow's milk at all), organic potatoes and apples, grass-fed beef and wild Alaskan salmon. DO NOT buy canned tomatoes or microwave popcorn. Yes, some of this will most likely be more expensive. But partially through experience and partially through researching and educating myself on a very  basic level, I have come to realize that we will either spend our money at the doctor's office or we will spend it at the grocery store. Either way, we will be spending it. Food (see Michael Pollen's In Defense of Food for a good definition of real food) can be pricey. But it is worth it. I plan two to three meatless dinners every week (breakfast and lunch are almost always meatless anyway) so that when we do eat meat we can afford to buy the good stuff. We are still learning and probably have a long way to go on the healthy eating front, but we will be taking more positive steps this year.

I do love a good project and along with having a new baby comes the perfect opportunity. Redecorating JD's blue and black room and turning it into a fun neutral nursery for the two of them to share (once baby starts sleeping through the night, that is)! I am formulating a rough vision of what I want it to look like and collecting ideas from Pinterest, IKEA, Pottery Barn, etc. My mom comes for a visit in March so I'm going to put her to work helping me bring it all to life. And, as always, I have a mental list of home improvements in mind. A new lamp here, a rug there, some plants and patio chairs, a painting I've been meaning to do for the living room, and a slipcover for our couch that has seen better days... My focus has shifted to waiting for good deals and buying more "quality"  items rather than running out and buying the cheapest thing I can find as soon as I get an idea (and then not really liking it or having it break). So patience will be a virtue in this area. Sigh. Not a strong point.

I have also decided that I want to spend more time doing the things I want to do instead of wasting time not doing the things I want to do. Ha! This will be pretty simple (well, at least in theory) because it mainly includes cutting out a lot of Facebook time and TV time. I usually end up mindlessly watching HGTV and TLC shows one after the other or twiddling around on Facebook until like 10:30 or 11 at night when what I really wanted to be doing was blogging, reading the Bible, finishing a good book, calling or emailing a friend (instead of FBing them), keeping up with the journal I started about JD, having glass of wine and a conversation with my hubby, making muffins for the next morning, doing yoga, taking a bath or just going to bed early (8 is a good time!). The fact that we are cutting out cable will help with that. I plan on choosing one show to watch per week (The Biggest Loser starts tomorrow and it will most likely be over just in time for Dancing With The Stars to start up again... hee hee).

It seems like there are more changes to look forward to, but it is getting late and the only other one I can think of is laundry. Oh, Laundry. How I despise you! But I plan on changing my relationship with laundry by actually doing it in a timely manner. My goal is to just do some (a load or two) every day (or at least every other day), fold and (sigh) yes, even put it away that same day. Perhaps that will eliminate the procrastination to actually put laundry in the washer due to the fact that I know there is still laundry in the dryer from a week ago that I will have to fold and put away in order to dry the load I am starting...

Oh and last but not (by any means!) least -  maybe, just maybe, 2012 will bring the advent of JD being able to stay in a nursery (any nursery! church would be amazing; the gym would be down right miraculous) without standing by the door wailing, sobbing, calling pitifully for "Mommy!" and insisting "All Done! All Done!" the entire time. Please God!