I was spending a little time perusing some of my favorite blogs, and I came across a great new series: How to Really Live by Kristen @ We are That Family. Much of her list mirrors my goals for the coming year, I look forward to learning with her this year!

My list is as follows:

• How to Really Love God
• How to Really Love Others
• How to Really Love Myself
• How to Really Love Your Life
• How to Really Give
• How to Really Grieve (This will be a tough one . .as it has been since my little sister passed away, this past October.)
• How to Really Laugh
• How to Really Love My Husband
• How to Really Love My Kids
• How to Really Pray for Your Kids
• How to Really Make a Home
• How to Really Admit When You’re Wrong
• How to Really Forgive
• How to Really Calm my Anxious Heart
  
• How to Really Follow Dreams
• How to Really Learn to Live Simply
  

• How to Really…..

Booking It In 2011 Challenge

I love books . . .but I often buy, with little time to read them. So, I am going to join the Booking It In 2011 Challenge, in order to have more accountability! I am not assigning a due date for each book, rather a list of the books I plan to read. After reading each book, I will post a brief review:-)

1. Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl
2. Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment
   
3. Boundaries
4. Reckless Faith: Let Go and Be Led
5. A Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family
6. The Power of a Positive Mom
7. Who Calls Me Beautiful: Finding Our True Image in the Mirror of God
   
8. Desperate Households
9. Facing Every Mom's Fears: A Survival Guide to Balancing Fear with Courage
   
10. Professionalizing Motherhood
11. Finding Your Purpose as a Mom: How to Build Your Home on Holy Ground
12. Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids
    
13. The Five Love Languages of Teenagers
14. The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate
    
15. Honey for a Child's Heart
16. Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul
17. 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
18. Christian Family Guide to Organizing Your Life
19. Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living

From Chaos to Calm: A New Year’s Resolution

A Virtuous Woman is offering a 15 week study based on Proverbs 31. If you have been struggling with your home, your marriage, your children, or just life in general this might be the answer you have been waiting for! Together we will spend 15 weeks working toward a goal for:

• peace in the heart

• peace in the home

• peace with our husbands

• peace with our children

I can not wait to get started!!! For more information, check out A Virtuous Woman

Menu Plan Monday

THIS WEEK'S MENU:

Monday - Crockpot Chicken & Rice w/ French Bread
Tuesday - Chicken Salad w/ Homemade Bread
Wednesday - Baked Spaghetti, Green Beans, Mandarin Oranges
Thursday - Tacos w/ Mexican Rice
Friday - Meatloaf w/ Mashed Potatoes, Corn, Applesauce, Rolls
Saturday - 1st dinner in our Cooking Around the World - Country TBA
Sunday - Steak, Baked Potatoes, Corn, Applesauce

For more menu planning ideas see Menu Planning Monday.

2011 Things to do & Resolutions

PERSONAL GOALS

1. SMILE MORE, LAUGH MORE, PLAY MORE!
   
2. Reduce stress by finding "something" to help me eliminate stress naturally, such as a new hobby, yoga, etc.
3. Take better care of ME! Allow myself to have downtime, even when I "feel" like I can't . .. . remind myself it is OK to turn off technology and just live in the moment sometimes!
   
4. Better time management . . .I need to take a step back and focus better.
5. Allow myself to enjoy more down-time with my family . . .more playtime, more conversations, more un-plugging and turning off technology.
   
6. Lose 20 more pounds.
7. Stop the daily drinking of McD's cokes and sweet tea, aim for a goal of 3 or less per week. Drink more water!!!
8. Start exercising . .REALLY!!
   
9. Enhance the blog, possibly into a mompreneur site.
10. Write a book, or at least an e-book.
11. Read at least 6 books for "fun".
    

FAMILY & HOUSEHOLD GOALS

1. Introduce children to the world around them. We will prepare and enjoy 52 different cultural meals, each from a different country this year, when possible we will listen to the music &/or watch a movie on the chosen country.
2. Enhance our relationships with our kids. We will have regular mommy/daddy dates with our children, as well as a weekly family night with movies or games.
3. Incorporate more field trips and outings into our lives, by aiming for 2 field trips per month and one family weekend outing each month.
   
4. Eliminate the last of the "clutter" in our home, i.e. clean out storage and "never to be worn again" clothes in master closet and few boxes in office.
5. Get back to a structured routine, particularly on the weekdays.
6. Eat healthier by buying more organic products than we currently do, as well as increase our "from scratch meals". Reduce dining out to once per week or less.
7. Menu Planning by getting back to the Menu Plan Mondays, which gave me accountability to have my weeks planned each Sunday.
   
8. Freezer cook 14 meals in a once a month cooking day with the girls.
   
9. Live healthier: In 2010, we switched to 80% organic Health & Beauty products and 50% cleaning products. Our goal for 2011 is to get to nearly 100% for HBA and cleaning products.
10. Take care of our photos by making at least 6 scrapbooks and making photo albums with the rest.
    
11. Freshen up the home's decor on a dime . .. making or recycling at least one item per room.
    

FINANCIAL GOALS

1. Eliminate all debt, except for student loans and 2 auto payments. We currently have little debt, due to conquering it in 2010, but we do have 3 auto payments. The remaining debt will be paid off in early 2011, then we will work on paying off the 3rd vehicle payment.
2. Stick to a budget and get back to a normal routine of couponing and stockpiling.

FUN BLOG-BASED CHALLENGES...THAT WILL ENHANCE OUR LIVES

1. Partake in the P52 Challenge: Take one photo each week to post.
2. Enjoy the Jane Austen Reading Challenge, hopefully reading many to the kids, esp the girls.
   

What about your resolutions? Have you made any goals for 2011? I'd love to hear about them . . let's encourage one another on the journey of the coming year!

Check out Success Your Way for her 111 Resolutions and comments by others!

Educational & Fun 2011 Resolution

Starting this Saturday, we will make a homemade meal from 52 different countries. The kids will learn a little bit about their culture, if I can find music or a movie I will add it in, then we will have the cultural dinner and dessert for the chosen country.

We did this for Christmas Around the World studies, and the kids loved it. So, I think this should be a great way to learn and enjoy the world around us!