Cookie me cookies!

Happiness is coming home from a long day of work to:

• a house bustling with happy kids and husband
• eating yummy tater-tots
• and warm home-made heart shaped sugar cookies
• frosted with melted chocolate chips
• cooked and baked by your teenage daughter
• without your knowledge or request! 

 

A rose by any other name.....

Little man decided he wanted to change his name.  I think all kids do this at one point or another, but this was stinkin' adorable!  His name is written on his backpack and he (or one of his class-mates) crossed it out and wrote in their cute kindergarten penmanship "Fred". 

So little man will now be known as Fred.

One question... why Fred?  What I wouldn't give to read that 5 year old super-hero's mind!

My resolution is not resolute!

Apparently, since it is February, I am not making any new year's resolutions....

Maybe it is because I have an aversion to following ALL the rules, or maybe it's just one of my many quirks.  For example; I hate the word Budget.  I won't call it a budget.  I call it a Spending Plan.  Something about a spending plan written in spreadsheet form makes me happy... a budget makes me think of work.  Which leads me to my newly titled Resolutions:  Living Plan: (yeah, that's better!)

• Live Intentionally.  This includes all those spreadsheets I like (including my calander, which I need to make up with ~ we weren't really on speaking terms the last couple months of 2009.  I may not like writing everything down, but yes, I need to in my crazy home / work / church / overcommitted life).  In other words - plan the plan.
1. Spending Plan:  Hubby and I took a bible study course four years ago called Crown Financial and it changed our lives!  I have been using the spreadsheets created by them since then and we have become better stewards of all we have been blessed with.  I decided to kick it up a notch this year and use their on-line program called Mvelopes.... love it!  Oh, the lovely reports you can generate with the click of a button!  A little slice of spreadsheet heaven!
2. Health Plan: Keep running! I need to keep signing up for races or I will find reasons not to run, which is silly because I feel wonderful when I run and grumpy when I don't.  And yes, log my runs so I can add up the miles!  I need to keep eating heathy, too (no candy ~ boo hoo).  I favor the medeteranian diet, but have a challenge getting four children to all eat without grumping.  So my goal is to make two kids happy for every meal.  The other two can go hungry (yeah, right) till the next meal that I plan for them to like!  Which reminds me, I must remember to post the weekly menu on the fridge.. they all do so much better when they know what is coming for dinner!
3. Reading Plan:  I don't really need a plan for reading, I just love it so much!  I do need to blog about books read, though.  I read tons of classics last year (a big thank you to the library for saving me lots of money with that one!) and wish I would have jotted down my favorite parts, overall thoughts on the book and memorable quotes from each.  So I will start now, better late than never, right?
• Love Intentionally.
1. Speak kindly to others and of others.  Enough said.
2. Give more than I get.
3. Call my friends and family instead of waiting for them to call me.  Facebook has been my lazy way of keeping in touch, but a voice over a phone line would be so much better.  Skype!  I should skype! 
4. Pray without ceasing for those I love, and yes, even those I don't. 

Well, that about does it for now.  I can think of fifty more things I should add (crafting, home improvement, service in the community, volunteering at church......), but my final goal is to KISS!  (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) Although the Love Intentionally goal is getting me thinking, Hubby is in the other room, maybe I should just go kiss him instead!  SWAK!