Tuesday, December 30, 2008
2009
A new year is looming right around the corner. I can hardly believe it!! I have decided that 2009 will be the year of "me". Not in a bad selfish way, but in the way that I want to take better care of myself. I have 20 pounds to lose, I need to spend more time with devotions/meditation, I need to exercise (I think I can count the number of work-outs in 2008 on one hand, when it used to be that many a WEEK), and I need to just check in with myself more often.
I am working on a loose schedule for each week, to help both me and Nat. She is at an age where she would really enjoy planned arts and crafts. I need to figure out a schedule for work, so that it's just set times and the rest of the week I can do housework/play with Nat/spend more time relaxing.
I also want to get more into the money-saving game. It's time consuming, which is why that comes and goes. But using the Grocery Game, coupons, and learning more about the whole CVS program would really help us financially. Every penny counts!! I am pondering starting a blog that is just for money-saving endeavors. This isn't a novel idea, there are a lot of those blogs out there, but I learn from others, and maybe I can help others too! In this economy (and I don't think 2009 is going to get much better) we all need to work together and help each other out. I'll post a link to that blog if/when I start it.
A look back at 2008 -- my goal in 2008 was to focus more on the positive aspects of relationships in my life instead of obsessing over the negative. Done! I opened myself up to make friends, and I have finally made some friends here in the desert. I have also grown closer to the friends/family that I have in my life. It's amazing what can happen when you let go of the bad and open yourself up to the good.
I also broke my Starbucks addiction! I now make my chai at home each morning, which saves me about $20/week!! Not too shabby.
In the environmental aspect of things, I did join the community supported agriculture, but did not like it so much. It took over an hour to get down to pick up the veggies each week, and the selection wasn't great. There were lots of weird green leafy veggies that I wasn't sure what to do with. So I am not doing that again. Instead, in 2009 I want to plant a vegetable garden in my backyard. I need to map out a plan for that.
Happy New Year to anybody who is reading this! :) I will post later with a new blog address with all my adventures in saving money, planting a garden, etc.
I am working on a loose schedule for each week, to help both me and Nat. She is at an age where she would really enjoy planned arts and crafts. I need to figure out a schedule for work, so that it's just set times and the rest of the week I can do housework/play with Nat/spend more time relaxing.
I also want to get more into the money-saving game. It's time consuming, which is why that comes and goes. But using the Grocery Game, coupons, and learning more about the whole CVS program would really help us financially. Every penny counts!! I am pondering starting a blog that is just for money-saving endeavors. This isn't a novel idea, there are a lot of those blogs out there, but I learn from others, and maybe I can help others too! In this economy (and I don't think 2009 is going to get much better) we all need to work together and help each other out. I'll post a link to that blog if/when I start it.
A look back at 2008 -- my goal in 2008 was to focus more on the positive aspects of relationships in my life instead of obsessing over the negative. Done! I opened myself up to make friends, and I have finally made some friends here in the desert. I have also grown closer to the friends/family that I have in my life. It's amazing what can happen when you let go of the bad and open yourself up to the good.
I also broke my Starbucks addiction! I now make my chai at home each morning, which saves me about $20/week!! Not too shabby.
In the environmental aspect of things, I did join the community supported agriculture, but did not like it so much. It took over an hour to get down to pick up the veggies each week, and the selection wasn't great. There were lots of weird green leafy veggies that I wasn't sure what to do with. So I am not doing that again. Instead, in 2009 I want to plant a vegetable garden in my backyard. I need to map out a plan for that.
Happy New Year to anybody who is reading this! :) I will post later with a new blog address with all my adventures in saving money, planting a garden, etc.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Mother guilt...
Why do we women feel like we have to prove that we can handle anything and everything? I have been struggling with this lately. I have so many hats that I am wearing right now, and instead of focusing on the joy of being involved with the things I like, I have been focusing on where I might be not doing well enough. I know that I am doing the best I can, and that I am not perfect. Logically I know that giving my best is enough, and that's really all I can do. But I feel like if I don't EXCEL or stand out in every area, then I'm a failure.
I think that's partly my personality, but it's also just part of being a woman/mom. We, for some reason, feel like we need to make everyone happy.
I'm glad I figured out that was going on, and nipped it in the bud, because I was getting *very* drained!!
Back to enjoying the holiday season and all that entails...
On a parenting note - I am looking for preschool-type activities or ideas to do with Nat in the new year. Any ideas? I am off of Waldorf, although I do like some of the concepts inherent in that school of thought. But I think I have decided why it didn't feel like a good fit to me - there is something unnatural about the extent Waldorf goes to be natural. Yeah, wrap your head around that for a moment! :) It should feel organic, and it didn't to me. I'm glad it works for some people, but going so far out of the way to re-create a "natural" atmosphere felt... unnatural! I'm all for more time spent outdoors, but we don't really have woods around here to traipse through. We have a sand and water table out back - and that works! And a slide. Both of which are plastic, but that's what we have, and time spent outdoors is time spent outdoors. Also, my daughter loves to read. She looks at books on her own, and if hubby or I sit down to read her one book, she wants us to read 50. I am not going to stifle that b/c Waldorf thinks reading shouldn't start until 6. Every child is different, and to be truly "natural", you have to do what is right for you and your child. Anything else feels forced. Again, just my opinion. :)
So I am going to incorporate some of the Montessori and Waldorf stuff into the house, but need some activity ideas as well. I guess you could say I'm homeschooling for a semester :) but it's really just giving some structure to our day and more activities for Nat.
I think that's partly my personality, but it's also just part of being a woman/mom. We, for some reason, feel like we need to make everyone happy.
I'm glad I figured out that was going on, and nipped it in the bud, because I was getting *very* drained!!
Back to enjoying the holiday season and all that entails...
On a parenting note - I am looking for preschool-type activities or ideas to do with Nat in the new year. Any ideas? I am off of Waldorf, although I do like some of the concepts inherent in that school of thought. But I think I have decided why it didn't feel like a good fit to me - there is something unnatural about the extent Waldorf goes to be natural. Yeah, wrap your head around that for a moment! :) It should feel organic, and it didn't to me. I'm glad it works for some people, but going so far out of the way to re-create a "natural" atmosphere felt... unnatural! I'm all for more time spent outdoors, but we don't really have woods around here to traipse through. We have a sand and water table out back - and that works! And a slide. Both of which are plastic, but that's what we have, and time spent outdoors is time spent outdoors. Also, my daughter loves to read. She looks at books on her own, and if hubby or I sit down to read her one book, she wants us to read 50. I am not going to stifle that b/c Waldorf thinks reading shouldn't start until 6. Every child is different, and to be truly "natural", you have to do what is right for you and your child. Anything else feels forced. Again, just my opinion. :)
So I am going to incorporate some of the Montessori and Waldorf stuff into the house, but need some activity ideas as well. I guess you could say I'm homeschooling for a semester :) but it's really just giving some structure to our day and more activities for Nat.
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