Budgeting

What I've learned about budgeting.

• Zero-based budget
• Do what works best for you-not how you see others doing it
• Financial coach
• No such thing as perfect budget-new budget end of month every month for the following month, spend next months money before the month begins
• Budget meeting with spouse once a week or once a month-if possible, if not, press on and do your best.
• Goals. Have them.  Big or small.  Dream.
• Never stop learning.
• Be a student of budgeting.  Forever. 

What are some tips that you have learned?  I am SUCH a learner and love learning more and more so I can't get enough tips :)

More later...

Goals Accomplished Last Week

Goals for this week:

Personal/Heart Goals:

1. Continue reading 3-year Bible plan and be consistent with it.  I don't want to start something like this, and I do often, and then get tired of it and try and move on to something else.  I want something I can stay steady and consistent in.  This is helping me and to know I have a plan in staying steady in reading all of God's Word is great.  I read one chapter a day and read it a few times and read the commentaries on it and pray about it and I like it.  I then still have time to read for Life Group and other books.
2. Quiet time each morning-sit and be still.  
3. Drink more water.  I just ran out of sweet tea.  I crave it and drink it way too much.  Focus on 2 sweet drinks per day this week.  Rest of drinks-water!  Drank more than 2 per day.
4. Gym 2 times this week-two full body workouts or upper body one day and lower the next.  Or may try 2 body pump classes. First week of summer-kids stayed up way late despite my trying to get them in bed earlier, so early mornings didn't' work out.
5. Walk neighborhood with kids 3 days this week.

Organize Life Goals:

1. I am trying 5 Dinners in ONE Hour-prepped all meals Sunday afternoon-in ONE hour!  Cook meals Sun-Thur that I prepped. Though I followed through with this, most meals were not enjoyed because they are used to me cooking their favorites, I do not think this approach with new recipes will work too well, but perhaps one new meal a week I can incorporate.
2. Finish reading The Energy Bus for work.
3. Load of laundry per day. I didn't try too hard on this-maybe next week.
4. Schedule me time each day.  Use Google calendar as I have been for my personal planning.
5. Stick to numbers I put in budget for each category and don't move money around different categories. Work in progress here.

My One Goal For the Week

So I was reading through an eBook today and I realized that I keep aiming for multiple goals.  Feeling not accomplished when I do this.  So I decided to focus on ONE goal this week.  Maybe one goal per week from now on out.  Feeling scattered with many goals and many focuses going all over the place.

Maybe.  Maybe.  Maybe.

Should I even talk about goals.  Should I focus just on Jesus instead.  Perhaps the goal for the week should be focusing on Jesus.  The Bible does say to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and ALL else will be added unto you.  Thank you Lord for that truth you just laid on my heart clearly.  Wow.  He is amazing.  When we let Him take over and listen to Him we can actually see that.

I am going to do away with goals this week.  I am going to do away with my "to do" lists.  My thoughts scattering all over the place.

Jesus is my goal.

Jesus is my goal.

Jesus is my goal.

He is life.  He is love.  He is everything I need.  Jesus is my goal.

10 Goals for this Week

Still joining in with Money Saving Mom in making weekly goals and pressing on to make progress in life as I have been feeling scattered for a while.  Writing the goals down here is my sense of accountability to keep on going and pursuing.  Below are my goals from last week and then I will share what I would like my goals for this week to be.  

Personal/Heart Goals:

1. Continue 3 year Bible reading plan I started last week.
2. Read James 5 for Life group reading and find story to relate to my life to share
3. Journal on my Google Drive journal when not at home and don't have my personal writing journal so that I can still record what is on my heart and what I am learning.
4. Gym 2 days this week-strength training. Only made it 1 times this week.
5. Walk 3 days this week with kids around the neighborhood.  Walked 2 days-one with kids and one alone.

Organize Life Goals:

1. Inspired while reading 3-2-1 Stop to start minimizing things in our home that are not needed-declutter to put it simply.  Declutter 1 thing this week. Major Accomplishment decluttering my kitchen counter that has been a mess for years!  It is completely empty now.  Praise-yay!!  I will share pictures of this!
2. Finish reading The Energy Bus for work.  About 30 more minutes of reading until I am done with this!
3. Stick to budget and don't try and wiggle out of or rearrange certain categories with only a certain amount budgeted.  This will be a goal for a while, as I will spend more and figure out where to pull the money from later.  It's a huge praise and accomplishment that I have an awesome budget now compared to how I used to be, but I have some more work in this area.
4. Stay positive and focus on God when I feel like giving up in taking care of myself-physically and spiritually.
5. Drink more water.  Goal to drink only water and no soda or sweet tea starting in June.  Get used to this.

Goals for this week:

Personal/Heart Goals:

1. Continue reading 3-year Bible plan and be consistent with it.  I don't want to start something like this, and I do often, and then get tired of it and try and move on to something else.  I want something I can stay steady and consistent in.  This is helping me and to know I have a plan in staying steady in reading all of God's Word is great.  I read one chapter a day and read it a few times and read the commentaries on it and pray about it and I like it.  I then still have time to read for Life Group and other books.
2. Quiet time each morning-sit and be still.  
3. Drink more water.  I just ran out of sweet tea.  I crave it and drink it way too much.  Focus on 2 sweet drinks per day this week.  Rest of drinks-water!
4. Gym 2 times this week-two full body workouts or upper body one day and lower the next.  Or may try 2 body pump classes.
5. Walk neighborhood with kids 3 days this week.

Organize Life Goals:

1. I am trying 5 Dinners in ONE Hour-prepped all meals Sunday afternoon-in ONE hour!  Cook meals Sun-Thur that I prepped.
2. Finish reading The Energy Bus for work.
3. Load of laundry per day.
4. Schedule me time each day.  Use Google calendar as I have been for my personal planning.
5. Stick to numbers I put in budget for each category and don't move money around different categories.

More later...

Need Help Organizing Kids School Work?

I heart binders.  I seem to find binders the best organizing tool for me.  Give me a binder, some page protectors and papers to organize, and I will go at it.  I struggled for a long time in finding ways to organize my 3 kids school work.  I read blog posts and articles about it and I learned some ideas as well from Flylady.  I seem to have found something that is working well for me right now and hopefully I can just keep tweaking it here and there and it will turn out to be a great system.

GET A BINDER FOR EACH CHILD. 
I got a larger binder for each child from Target for $3 and it is flexible, it isn't one of those hard ones.  They were on clearance so I picked up I believe about 6 of them. 

GET PAGE PROTECTORS.
I get the big packs of 50 or 100 because I seem to use a lot of them.

GET TO WORK SORTING.
Sort through your school papers and give each child a pile.  Then work through each child's papers and for the ones you want to keep you can put them in the page protectors in their binder, and 2 papers should fit in each page protector, just put them back to back.

You can decorate the binders as you would like, put your favorite art work or something from them in the front cover.  You can also get new binders for each grade or fit however many grades you can in each binder and label them by what grades are in them.

I got my ideas mostly for this from Pinterest and mostly the pin that linked me to this site.  Below is her picture that she shared.  I did adapt my binders to my own liking, but basically this is where my main idea came from.



I also have a larger binder for each child that is for all of their certificates.  I got it at Target and it is more like a photo album.  I, so far, have my kids certificates and awards from each school year in them along with perhaps an 8x10 picture of them from that year.  Take this and do what works for you, but I like the idea and it is organized.

Now if I can just organize the rest of my pictures and papers, kitchen counter clutter is next to tackle, seems I procrastinate on that the most lately!  School is out on Friday and that will be a project up and coming!

I am joining in with I'm an Organizing Junkie as I continue learning to have my natural organizer in me come out! 



Ask me if you have any questions...leave me a comment!

More later...

p.s. I also just found Mary Organizes and am excited to join in with her linky party on Organize My Life!

10 Goals for this Week

Joining in with Money Saving Mom in making weekly goals and pressing on to make progress in life as I have been feeling scattered for a while.  Writing the goals down here is my sense of accountability to keep on going and pursuing. 

Personal/Heart Goals:

1. Continue 3 year Bible reading plan I started last week.
2. Read James 5 for Life group reading and find story to relate to my life to share
3. Journal on my Google Drive journal when not at home and don't have my personal writing journal so that I can still record what is on my heart and what I am learning.
4. Gym 2 days this week-strength training.
5. Walk 3 days this week with kids around the neighborhood.

Organize Life Goals:

1. Inspired while reading 3-2-1 Stop to start minimizing things in our home that are not needed-declutter to put it simply.  Declutter 1 thing this week.
2. Finish reading The Energy Bus for work.
3. Stick to budget and don't try and wiggle out of or rearrange certain categories with only a certain amount budgeted.
4. Stay positive and focus on God when I feel like giving up in taking care of myself-physically and spiritually.
5. Drink more water.  Goal to drink only water and no soda or sweet tea starting in June.  Get used to this.

More later!

My Goals for the Week

I am encouraged to make goals.  I am encouraged that even if I don't finish but one of them, I am making progress.  I am pressing on.  I am going to work on making goals as I have never liked to do this because I did not want to feel like a failure not completing them.  I would always give up right short of a goal.  I am seeing though how growth comes when just one goal is set out for and accomplished. 

I am encouraged by Money Saving Mom who makes goals regularly and presses on.  I am going to join in with her. I am going to try and make weekly goals.  I look back at my simplify goals post and see what I had written as some goals back then and what I have not done or what I may want to focus on.

Personal goals:

1. Hello Mornings-continue waking early, 5:30am goal.  Quiet time.  Exercise.  Plan.  Get ready for the day.
2. Complete a T-Tapp workout this week.
3. Write down each morning in my journal 3 things positive about myself.
4. Write down my priorities in life, very focused, not broad.
5. Continue reading Truly Fed as God teaches me to be free from any bondage to food or my body.

Financial goals:

1. Consistently stay in budget this week.
2. Continue using YNAB and adjusting categories to fit our needs.

Home Goals:

1. Do some sort of cleaning routine this week.  At least mop, dust, bathrooms and sheets.
2. Clear counter clutter-that seems to be the challenge that continues.
3. Don't beat myself up if I don't do it perfectly.

That is it for now.

Home Blessing Hour

So have you ever heard of Flylady?  I found her years ago, I can't even remember when.  I have not stuck to reading her information and I have not done everything she says to do.  She is an awesome lady who helps others get organized and clean in their homes, one day, one 15-minute timer setting, at a time.

There is a lot I have learned from her and that is just natural to me today.  What I wanted to talk about today is something I have been working on the past few weeks to see if it is beneficial in helping me maintain a comfortably clean home each week.  I have tried many things, trust me.  Many attempts at systems and plans.

What I had seen happening in my home the past 6-12 months is that I was enjoying the week and being busy working and caring for the family and myself that when the weekend came, I left everything to do as far as cleaning for the weekend.  This was really starting to bother me.  I had no time to relax and enjoy on the weekends.  So I decided I was going to try the home blessing hour and that I was going to do it on a WEEK DAY.  What week day did I choose?  I chose Friday, because it was perfect to get it done before the weekend started.

So today I will share about my experience with the Home Blessing Hour and what I am doing with it.  Basically the Home Blessing Hour is a general weekly cleaning to keep things maintained.  It is not deep cleaning (maybe the first time you do it but if you do it weekly it is not deep cleaning).  It is, like the name of it, an hour long.  You take 6 chores, set a timer for 10 minutes, and do each chore for 10 minutes and when the timer goes off you stop and you are done.

She has six things that she says to do.  The ones that I have been trying to do is are:

1. Cleaning the wood floors and kitchen/bathroom floors on my hands and knees with hot soapy water-just seems cleaner that way and seems to be what works best for me.  
2. Dusting the house-using my Swiffer duster which I love love love.  I used to always want to clear every surface and use a dusting spray to make everything shine, but this left me never wanting to dust. Along comes the Swiffer and it makes dusting so much easier.  My kids love to use it as well and I don't mind as much because they aren't spraying a cleaner, they are just using the Swiffer duster.
3. Vacuum bedrooms where carpet is.
4. Cleaning the glass in the house with Windex.
5. Wipe out the bathtub with cleaner, scrub toilet and wipe down counters and sink.
6. Want to add changing sheets on the beds, but haven't done that in the routine part just yet.

That is all.  Then I do quick pick ups with the families help, laundry and dishes mostly daily and then deep clean as needed when I have extra time.  I know taking an hour on Friday after working all day seems daunting, but hoping it will be rewarding to see the clean house all weekend.

How do you do our cleaning routines?  What have you found that seems to work well for you?  Do share...

My Home Management "Binder"

I have read post and post and stuff all about home management organizers and binders and all the crafty ways you can organize them.  There are many.  I love binders.  But

My new and wonderful Home Management Binder is.........

Cozi!  I love this system.  For all of my 12 years of being a mother, the main way that I kept everything organized was by the wall calendar in the kitchen.  If we had something to do, it had to go on that calendar or it would be forgotten.  Then enter Cozi last month...January 2013.  I had tried to use it before, but after starting to work full time outside of the home and it never seemed to click.  Then started using it again in January and it is wonderful.  I can see it on any computer, on any of our iPhone's app's and it is so convenient.

I use it for:

• Grocery shopping, 
• grocery lists, 
• meal planning, 
• to do lists, 
• wish lists, 
• our Calendar with anything you can think of on it, 
• a little journal you can jot down fun things that you do as a family, 
• and more.  

I even read today that Michelle Duggar, the wonderful mom of 19, uses it with her family and so that encourages me even more.  I wanted to share that with you all as maybe it is something that would make your home life management work even better.  It has really worked for me and I can't wait to utilize it even more. 

More later...

31 Days of Organization with Org Junkie! I'm in!

I am going to join in March the 31 Day Organizational Challenge though I am not doing an entire room, I am doing one of the most challenged spots in my home, the kitchen counter--a mess.  That is one of my goals so I will just join the challenge to make it a little more fun. 

I will be posting before pictures soon and will share my progress as I go.  I pray for more order in my home so I pray that this little challenge will spread through my home.  Here goes...just printed my organization calendar!

More later...

52 Weeks Project Update

So I am making some progress and it is nice to be intentional and to have goals and things to look forward to doing, so for that reason I am glad that I made this list.  I took our two younger kids to the Ringling Brothers Circus last weekend and we had a great time.  The kids were enthralled in the show the entire time, except of course when intermission came.  I am glad we went.  It will be a great memory that they have and even myself!  I update my progress in red with dates below and will share more as I journey more.  I am excited to walk in the first annual Jubilee Color Run in our town this Saturday with some great friends I haven't seen in a long time.  Excited to see God work out all of the details of the weekend.

1. Complete Couch to 5k and run in a 5k-Start training January with C25K app 60 day T-Tapp challenge. (did not feel like doing the running, want to rehab my knees and t-tapp is great for that 1/11/13) 1/21/13 update-sent before pics and registered yesterday, it's on!
2. Complete a mud color run or a spartan race-possibly the Gulf Coast Mud Run in November. 1/16/13 update will be walking this Saturday in the Jubilee Color Run with my friends! Done!  Had a blast it was so fun, glad I did it! (1/21/13)
3. Go on a family nature walk.
4. Make bags to keep in car to hand out to homeless people-let kids be involved too.
5. Walk 2 miles daily for 30 days straight-March.
6. Go 30 days drinking only water-February.  Not much longer to go on this :) (1/18/13)
7. Read aloud one book a week with kids.
8. Tan in tanning bed regularly for a month-April.
9. Make my own crab legs (one of hubbys favorite foods!).
10. Try a load of laundry a day for 1 week (can't stretch it longer or I may not even try!)
11. Let one child make dinner each month (starting small here!).
12. 5 minute workout daily for a month. (January). Been going strong for 10 days now (1/12/13)...1/16/13 still going strong and feels good, mostly doing T-Tapp moves, love that!
13. Play hide and seek with kids.
14. Get my blog redesigned. (January) Redesign started January 17th with Sweet Simplicity designs, excited!
15. Try a camping trip with the family (despite my dislike of outdoors and bugs lol) even if it is in the backyard.
16. Try the pushup challenge.
17. Travel to a state we have never been to.
18. Go on a cruise, Carnival preferred, but even if we just take a dolphin cruise on the beach.
19. Get our driveway widened-concrete!
20. Ride segways downtown with family.
21. Go to an arts festival.
22. Try rollerblading again.
23. Go on a bowling date with my man.
24. Do the Respect dare. 1/21/13 in progress, on day 4 today
25. Write an e-book.
26. Do the One bite at a time.
27. Take kids to beach and go kayaking.
28. Take a trip to water park during the summer.
29. Try a Cross Fit class.
30. Try a Zumba class.
31. Try a spin class.
32. Get a massage at a spa.
33. Take a trip with my husband to our favorite getaway spot.
34. Make a memory book for someone.
35. Christmas shop before December.
36. Take the 52 week money challenge: *1/4/13 update, made envelope to start putting the $ in...1/12/13-have not started this.  I'm not sure I am going to, working on getting more organized in the budget, but still possible.  (1/16/13)
37. Finish James Journible and write out entire book of James. Going strong 1/12/13, loving it.
38. Take a 30 Day Walk through the Psalms during summer to be ready for start of new school year. (July)
39. Walk in the Mall to Mall walk with a friend or with my kids (who wants to join me?).
40. Take a retreat/get away with girl friends.
41. Create a whole weeks meal plan with no allergens that all family can eat (breakfast, lunches, snacks and dinner).
42. Go to a concert with my man.
43. Completely reorganize kitchen counter where clutter always piles-this would make for a HAPPY home! (whole new system here with my home manager binder and all-simplify) Got page protectors and tabs to start organizing my home manager binder 1/15/13
44. Try golfing with my husband.
45. Take a family trip to Georgia and climb Stone Mountain together.
46. Dress up for Halloween.
47. Take a cooking class. Looking into doing this with a friend soon...1/16/13
48. Get a professional makeup makeover.
49. Ride the 360 wheel at the beach.
50. Take kids to the circus. Done 1/12/13, had a blast!
51. Make the bed every day for a week and see how it changes the day.
52. Take the 30 Day Yoga Challenge. *update 1/4/13-DVD purchased, recieved the DVD today 1/12/13...recieved the DVD and will start this in a few months...1/16/13

More later...love to you!
Kim :)

My 52 Projects in 52 Weeks

So I was inspired by this awesome girl at Pink and Rick to make a bucket list for the year, so instead of all the  more serious feeling direct goals, this is fun!  I want fun!  Also have seem something similar at my friends blog and that linked me to this site where it tells about the 101 project or the 1001 project!  Wow!

They also have other goals you can do like 52 things in 52 weeks, Things to do by 40 (before you turn 40), and others.  Hmmm...Do I want to do a 52 things in 52 weeks or do I want to do the 1001 days.  I am leaning towards the 52 weeks because I find it easier to put things into years instead of a longer time frame.  So here I go into 52 fun projects in 52 weeks!  I will update weekly throughout the year and share my experiences. 

This will be fun!  I'm excited now to make this list of things to do and try in 2013!  Join me?? woohoo!~

1. Complete Couch to 5k and run in a 5k-Start training January with C25K app  60 day T-Tapp challenge. (did not feel like doing the running, want to rehab my knees and t-tapp is great for that 1/11/13)
2. Complete a mud run or a spartan race-possibly the Gulf Coast Mud Run in November.
3. Go on a family nature walk.
4. Make bags to keep in car to hand out to homeless people-let kids be involved too.
5. Walk 2 miles daily for 30 days straight-March.
6. Go 30 days drinking only water-February.
7. Read aloud one book a week with kids.
8. Tan in tanning bed regularly for a month-April.
9. Make my own crab legs (one of hubbys favorite foods!).
10. Try a load of laundry a day for 1 week (can't stretch it longer or I may not even try!)
11. Let one child make dinner each month (starting small here!). 
12. 5 minute workout daily for a month. (January). Been going strong for 10 days now (1/12/13)
13. Play hide and seek with kids.
14. Get my blog redesigned. (January) start redesign on January 17th with Sweet Simplicity designs, excited! 
15. Try a camping trip with the family (despite my dislike of outdoors and bugs lol) even if it is in the backyard.
16. Try the pushup challenge.
17. Travel to a state we have never been to.
18. Go on a cruise, Carnival preferred, but even if we just take a dolphin cruise on the beach.
19. Get our driveway widened-concrete!
20. Ride segways downtown with family.
21. Go to an arts festival.
22. Try rollerblading again.
23. Go on a bowling date with my man.
24. Do the Respect dare.
25. Write an e-book.
26. Do the One bite at a time.
27. Take kids to beach and go kayaking.
28. Take a trip to water park during the summer.
29. Try a Cross Fit class.
30. Try a Zumba class.
31. Try a spin class.
32. Get a massage at a spa.
33. Take a trip with my husband to our favorite getaway spot.
34. Make a memory book for someone.
35. Christmas shop before December.
36. Take the 52 week money challenge:  *1/4/13 update, made envelope to start putting the $ in...1/12/13-have not started this
37. Finish James Journible and write out entire book of James. Going strong 1/12/13, loving it.
38. Take a 30 Day Walk through the Psalms during summer to be ready for start of new school year. (July)
39. Walk in the Mall to Mall walk with a friend or with my kids (who wants to join me?).
40. Take a retreat/get away with girl friends.
41. Create a whole weeks meal plan with no allergens that all family can eat (breakfast, lunches, snacks and dinner).
42. Go to a concert with my man.
43. Completely reorganize kitchen counter where clutter always piles-this would make for a HAPPY home! (whole new system here with my home manager binder and all-simplify) Got page protectors and tabs to start organizing my home manager binder
44. Try golfing with my husband.
45. Take a family trip to Georgia and climb Stone Mountain together.
46. Dress up for Halloween.
47. Take a cooking class.
48. Get a professional makeup makeover.
49. Ride the 360 wheel at the beach.
50. Take kids to the circus. Done 1/12/13, had a blast! 
51. Make the bed every day for a week and see how it changes the day.
52. Take the 30 Day Yoga Challenge. *update 1/4/13-DVD purchased, recieved the DVD today 1/12/13

There we go.  That was challenging to come up with 52 things.  I will share them as I go and will cross them off and update as I do them.  God-willing this is going to be fun to get all these things done this year!  2013 is going to be a great year and I trust Jesus!

find me here at the day zero project, made my list here as well, but my blog is the main place i will blog about it and edit as I go

More later...

Kim

p.s. share your list with me if you make one, how exciting to journey together in this fun!

My 2013 Goals

 

Personal goals

• Hello Mornings continues.  Getting up when alarm goes off.  Exercise, Shower, Quiet time, Plan.  Leading my group through the Winter Challenge and excited to start next week! 1/16/13
• I had planned to read Eden Diet, but I am making too much legalism in eating hunger/fullness so my goal is intuitive eating and taking care of myself.
• Use this devotional each morning to start my quiet time and prayer. 1/12/13-loving this so far
• Journal each morning things I am thankful for and praises. 1/12/13-not doing so well at this yet
• Use my Journible and write out the scriptures and study them and learn from them and soak them up. 1/12/13-loving this a lot, and it really soaks in when I am writing out the Scriptures, then there is a place on the left of page to take notes and it asks a few questions as you are writing, i like!
• Read lots of good books that I have on my Kindle already or that I have purchased, and I'm sure a few more that I know I will find along the way. 1/16/13-need to work on reading through one entire book at a time, feeling a bit scattered because all of the books are SO good!
1. The Respect Dare
2. Simple Living by Lorilee Lippincott
3. 3-2-1 Stop by Lorilee Lippincott
4. 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life by Crystal-Money Saving Mom
5. Tell Your Time (for the 2nd time reading) and work on time management plan
6. Energy Explosion-A 7 Day Guide to Jumpstart Your Energy by Arabah Joy
7. Complete by Arabah Joy
8. Found:  God's Will by John MacArthur
9. Let. It. Go. by Karen Ehman
10. Be  Authentic by Warren W. Wiersbe
11. What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst
12. Spirit Hunger (halfway through this already) by Gari Meachum
13. Finish reading, Anything by Jennie Allen
14. Finish reading, Get out of that Pit by Beth Moore
15. Blessed Life by Robert Morris
16. Sheet Music by Dr. Kevin Leman
17. The Money Saving Mom's Budget
18. Blogger Behave
19. From Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae
20. Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel
21. Chasing Superwoman by Susan M. DiMikele (already halfway through this)
22. ProBlogger
23. Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer
24. Have a New Husband by Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman
25. Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
26. Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer
27. Cleaning House (will write a review on this one when I am done! excited!)
28. Desperate-by Sarah Mae
29. Getting to No How to Break a Stubborn Habit by Erwin W. Lutzer
• Exercise and get FIT.  My body is begging me to be in shape again and I am excited to get there.  Use the gym membership I am paying for.  Walk most days with or without kids.
• Renew my mind by thinking and saying only positive things about myself-starting first thing each day.

Marriage goals

• Keep my marriage my first earthly priority.
• Read the marriage books in my reading list.
• Date nights monthly or as often as possible.
• Take care of myself so I can take care of my priorities (see my personal goals).

Parenting goals

• Keep my children my second earthly priority.
• Read parenting books on my reading list.
• Spend time each day one on one.
• Try reading aloud each night with them, excited to try this as I haven't been consistent with it.
• Class/hobby/sport for our sugar bear that he wants to try.
• Take care of myself so I can take care of my priorities (see personal goals).

Financial goals

• Make budget for each month before the month starts and spend every penny before the month begins. (Dave Ramsey's Advice) 1/12/13-got Total Money Makeover workbook last week and am loving it!
• Actually stick to what I wrote in the budget.  No stealing from other envelopes or manipulating.
• Complete Emergency Fund (baby step 1).
• Read Dave Ramsey's, Total Money Makeover all the way through.
• Baby step 2.
• Attempt to try to consistently use YNAB which I have had for a while.

Home Goals

• Use my customized cleaning chart from iheartorganizing and make that the core of cleaning. 1/12/13-going great!
• Declutter all areas of the house using 3-2-1 Stop (as I am inspired by minimalist Lorilee Lippincott's books)!
• Plan meals each weekend for a week or two weeks out so dinner isn't a challenge in evenings.

Career goals

• Let God guide where I am to be at work and continue working hard right where I am.  Be faithful in small things, so then I can be faithful in bigger things.
• Continue learning about the resort business. 
• Blog more consistently and read the blogger books I have on my list.  Continue learning about writing and social media.

Ministry/Friendships/Circle of Influence goals

• Wherever I am be all there, continuous goal.
• Prayer that God will help me be sensitive to who He puts in my path each day to help and to rely on Him to help others.
• Continuous goal, be others focused.
• Remember when I am going through the day that my ministry is to reconcile others to Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18).

p.s.stay tuned...excited to also share a bucket list for 2013...this is gonna be fun!

More later...
Kim :)

My One Word for 2013

To read about my 2012 "one word' click here.  This was an amazing year to LIVE.  I can't believe how it has impacted my life all year to realize when I get halted by something and start trying to figure out or stop living until something is figured out, and then realize, hey I need to live, keep moving, He is here and He will guide me and correct me and direct me, I need not fear.  I have experienced life much more full this year because of my one word.  So thankful for it.  It is something I will continue from now on, LIVE.   Thank you Lord for teaching me!  I am amazed and thankful.

This year I started praying and talking to God about what my One Word for 2013 will be, and the word heavy on my heart is TRUST.  I will be reading this devotional in 2013 that Abba led me to.  I am excited.  At first I thought I am nervous that Trust is my word for this year.  I had questions, God why do I need to trust you more, what is going to happen?  Fear set in and the enemy hurled lies over and over and over.  I say...I trust you Jesus.

The scripture that I feel goes with this that keeps coming to mind is this:

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do,
and He will show you which path to take (or He will direct your path).

I also want to trust Him with my blog.  I used to journal daily, and write and write, and when I started working full time earlier this year, I stopped and it was more like a few times a week or maybe once a week.  I would read back into my journal the past year or two and saw how much I talked about me, and how much I was trying to figure things out.  So I feel like what I am going to start doing is to use my blog as a journal and share my heart as I feel led and also for accountability, and also I want to do something I have read about recently.  A praise journal, or a thankful journal.  And each day write all I am thankful for and all I can praise Him for, so I can continue to renew my mind and have my thoughts not focused on myself, but focused on God. 

What is your one word for 2013?  Have you thought about it?  Pray about it and see what comes up.  Here is the link to explain it a bit more:  http://myoneword.org/

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

More later...
Kim :)

Away With the Schedules

I just don't do schedules well.  I try and try and usually never follow through.  Life happens.  I am back to blogging as I feel led and about what I feel led to do...although Monday will probably be my menus or food ideas.

I will check in later this weekend with some heart lessons or things I feel led to share.  I hope you all have an awesome evening and love those that are around you!

More later...

Kim :)

Weekly Fun at My Heart & Yours

Monday-Menu Plan Monday
Wednesday-Heart Lessons
Saturday-Stick with it Saturday

Monday I will work on my meal planning.  I am so excited to learn more about it!  I want to maximize all that I can in the kitchen and for my family.  One thing that I am really looking forward to is freezer meals and also more crock-pot meals.  Also trying new meals, ones that will be family favorites and nourish our bodies.  Soon I will also be offering the ability for me to help you with a customized meal plan for your family, especially if you have food allergy challenges.

Wednesday Heart Lessons.  This is where I will share what heart lesson God is giving me at that time and sharing my heart in that area, possibly setting some goals or working through what I am learning.

Stick with it Saturday.



Need I say more.  I want exercise to continue being a part of my life and I am excited to have my whole family be more active.  I must start--it just isn't going to happen.  This will be where I share my exercise goals for the week and work on life in this area of taking care of my body.

Learning what the purpose and motive of blogging and what my blog is about.  One thing comes to mind and that is reconciliation.  I hope that in all that I share I can help each reader be reconciled with the giver of Life, the one who helps me in every minute of my day, Jesus.  He loves me and you, reach out to Him each day.

More later...Love to you!
Kim :)

Eliminate & Concentrate

Eliminate and concentrate.  This is a term I learned while reading through Disciplines of a Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund over the past few years.

Being satisfied.  When I am living my daily life and doing things that are not THE BEST for me, then I am stretched and not living as fully as I could be.  I do not want to live more living my life NOT at the best.  But I still sit, and wait...and don't act.  What am I afraid of?

What has to go?

If I eliminate the things in my heart and life that are not clearly THE BEST for me...what would those be...and then after I work on that...what is THE BEST for me and help me concentrate on those things more focused, that is my prayer.  In Jesus Name, Amen

More later...Love to you,
Kim :)

The Cleaning Schedule

If I take a look at my last two posts I see this.

I don't need a cleaning schedule I just need to DO IT.  :)

Anyways needless to say, I did not do my cleaning after I did the bathroom last Sunday.  Amazing how accomplished I felt after doing that that it made me feel good enough to not clean for over a week!  Ha!  So I did do laundry and dishes and pick up, but that is all.

The end.  I am not sure what else to say right now, but I did want to share that I am not perfect and am still trying to figure things out, or again, maybe shouldn't figure things out and just do it.  Maybe I don't need any sort of system, but find what works for me and do it without a big old system along with it.

That sounds good.

More later...Love to you!
Kim :)

Discipline...Me? Check-in

On February 11, 2011 I posted about discipline and I shared some goals I was looking to work on the rest of February.  This is a "check-in" post to see how things are moving and to stay focused on what I was setting my goals towards.

My goals were 1, 2, 3:

1. Wake up at 5:30 when alarm goes off and hit the floor with my feet.  Enjoy exercise quiet time and shower before children wake up.  How am I doing?  Well I have managed instead of snoozing until 7am, I am most consistently up by 6:15am and up before the children.  A few times I have had quiet time, but exercise and shower has not happened yet.  I consider this a great progress!
2. Plan my day in the morning (may I add plan it with asking God what His plans for me are) so that I have a structure throughout the day.  How am I doing?  I just Friday printed a great daily docket list after reading through an ebook I have which I am loving called Organized Simplicity-by www.simplemom.net.  This is planning one day at a time, period.  I like it.
3. Do at least 15 minutes of cleaning task with assigned room for each week.  How am I doing?  Well I changed this.  I don't like having something to do every day like this.  I realized that I want my home clean for the weekend, becasue what has happened normally is that by Saturday I am sick of seeing the house dirty and now have time so I spend Saturday cleaning up as I go all day long.  This is not a relaxing day for me.  So I want my home clean on Friday to prepare for the weekend going into it with a clean home.  So I am going to work on implementing Flylady's Home Blessing Hour.  Picking 6 things in the home and spend 10 minutes on each.  Instead of sticking with the things she says, I will pick what needs most in the home.  This past Friday I chose 6 things and got 5 of them done.  The weekend has been much nicer having everything clean and refreshed.  Then daily I will do my 1, 2, 3's which are 1 load of laundry, dishes and 10 minute declutter.  I have to remember in this season of life I need to have realistic expectations.

Thanks for listening.  Is there anything you have learned in your home that works best for you in keeping it clean but not obsessing over it?

More later...Love to you!

Kim :)

10 Million Things

There are 10 million things I could write about right now it seems.  This morning the battle in my mind I cannot being to explain.  It is amazing how crazy it can be on the inside when on the outside we can appear just fine.  Crazy I say!

So today there are a few things I want to chat about.  One is that Monday is for the kitchen!  So today I plan to set my timer and I will move all things off floor and sweep and mop.  Then I will wipe cabinets with soapy cloth and feel so refreshed because I love a good clean kitchen floor!  You know there are those things in your house, where for you, when it is done it is all good.  It feels like your house is clean.  But if "it" is not done, then it seems so dirty and chaotic.  Well that is my "it"...the kitchen floor.

So if you ever feel overwhelmed about your house and you don't know where to start...search your heart a minute, take a mental walk around your house and find that one thing.  What is it for you that when it is done/clean/organized you feel better and at ease?  Is it your kitchen sink, kitchen floor, ring around that toilet, bathroom counters wiped off, clutter picked off the floors in the house...?

The next thing is this.  When my mind is frazzled and 10 million things are running around...God reminded me this morning to stop, take my focus off of myself and towards Him, and praise Him.  Ask Him for His plans for me in my mind and in my day.  Keeping myself focused on myself is not going to help me at all.  

I made a short list that can be so super infinity long about God and all He is to me and all He is period.  Those things included:  Lover of my soul, my perfect provision, Creator of all things, I'm the apple of His eye, the most awesome sky I saw when I walked out my front door this morning, He made that!  Then I went on and made a list of who I am in Him.  If I get all mixed up in my head and forget who I am in Him, that is wasting time, ack!!!  Remind me so many times that again and again, and I will continue to need reminding.  I am MORE than a conqueror through Him, I am the apple of His eye, I am dead to sin and alive in Christ!!  I am a child of the living God!!  He lives in me!  I am a new creation!  AMAZING.

So now to restart my day and freshen up.  Reminders to myself, I do NOT have to have a perfect day.  This day will not be perfect.  If I try and go by my plans especially, it will not be perfect.  I will always be in His sight and in His hand.

Psalm 139:10 ..."even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me."

Can I pray for you today?  

More later...Love to you!

Kim :)