New Year!!

2010 favorite moments-
New more roomy house
Betty joined our family
Enjoyed vacations as a family and as a couple. Big Bear, San Fransisco, Disneyland, Vegas, Huntington Beach
Running 14 miles up the PCH.
Learning about the Power of Moms and Mind Organization for Moms.
Jared received the priesthood.
Sarah gets high honors at school.
Emma's fun b-day party.
Joseph learned how to read well! He is now over the 200 word club at school.
No major hospital visits for Joshua.
Jacob became our happy little boy and left baby behind (even if we do still call him baby.)
Ryan getting to spend more quality time with us.


I have decided that for this year I am going to do my goals a little bit differently. Instead of writing down all the things I want to do or become I am picking one main thing to work on and then I am writing out all the ways I can accomplish it.

A few weeks ago when I was feeling rather negative and very stressed out through the council of my husband I received the answer that I was to simplify. I have been thinking about that ever since and trying to figure out what that really means for me. So with that in mind I have decided that for 2011 I am going to focus all my efforts on Simplicity!

I am going to first and foremost devote more time to the Lord by reading my scriptures and kneeling in personal prayer every day. Not just casual study and casual prayer but the kind of study and discuss with my Father that I get to know both my Heavenly Father and Savior in a much more real and intimate way. I will have more time to do this because I will spend less time doing things that don't really matter. (like redecorating my house, shopping, lack of a good schedule)

Which brings me to number two. I will come up with a two week menu for all meals. I will then shop on line by week and have those shopping lists saved that I order every monday night. This will save on time and energy (I will know what is for dinner, I won't have to run out to the store for the one item I am lacking which will also save me money, I will be home with the kids at dinner time not running around worrying about dinner, kids will have lunch food-always, milk won't run out, I will be much more relaxed at dinner time and my kids will enjoy time cooking with me in the kitchen)

Third on my list will be to come up with a cleaning schedule. This will include displaying the laundry schedule I have created that works wonders when I use it. This is to be something very rough and not to be stressful. Just a basic every day schedule of things like when I will pick up the kitchen and when I will make my bed. I want ot have a set schedule for every day so that Josh and Jacob know what to expect.

This leads me into the fourth item. Create a daily schedule that includes more play time with the kids and more play time with the boys during the day. The idea for me is to be home more and more available for every day enjoyment with the little ones.

Fifth is to teach Joshua how to read. He loves writing his letters and asks me how to spell everything. He is ready and excited. I am ready. This is his year.

Sixth is potty train Jacob. I recognize this does not sound like it goes with simplifying but it really does. Once he is potty trained I will never have to buy diapers for my children again. This has been 12-13 years coming and I am excited to simplify in this way.

Seventh is to spend even more quality time with Ryan. With our busy schedule sometimes we don't get enough good time together. By letting using my time more wisely I will now have more time in the evenings to just enjoy him.

Eight figure out how to simplify the kids job charts. I am not sure yet if that means keeping it the same with a few modifications or a whole new redo. I think modifications would be the best.

Ninth I will schedule the year with everything that I can. Including time for special day long dates with Ryan, birthday parties, anniversary, weekly date night with kids, basketball, piano etc. I want everything on there. That way I will always know what is going on and when I really do have extra time.

Tenth will be to come up with a Family home evening schedule for the year. A rotation of who will teach, offer prayer, snack, etc.

And eleventh I will be VERY selective about adding anything extra to my list.

All of this will be a tool to help me be home enjoying my family more. So that when I am home I am not stressed or feeling anxiety. This way I will be able to be more emotionally available for my kids.

Growing up I never loved my name. I always thought it was boring and I dreamed of something more exotic or more beautiful sounding. This last week I got to think about the importance of a name and that I was sure my name meant more then I had previously given it credit for. So I decided to Google it (Google answers all of our questions right?) What I found was that my name meant to be joyful, bright, or cheerful. At first I didn't think much of it. But as it sat in my brain a thought formed. I believe that I was sent here on this earth to do just that. To find the joyful, the bright, and the cheerful. That when I don't feel it I am to seek it out and let it fill my surroundings.. That as I learn to do this more fully I will more completely fulfill my mission here on earth. So that is why I want to simplify... so that I may have an open heart and mind to fill my life with more joy, brightness, and cheer.

I am so excited about this next year. I am optimistic it will exceed my hopes and expectations. Here is to looking forward!!!