organized new year!

Well its officially the waiting game. Patience is a virtue, right? Those last weeks are always the hardest in pregnancy...you want the baby here, you don't want to go through labor, you want to have it over...AH the confusion.

So, to ease my mind...I'm thinking of how to organize the new year.

Who's with me?

In between working for North Hills Admissions, being a mama, and being a wife, I plan to do a few things differently this year.

Though none of us have to wait until the "new year" to change, I think its more fun that way.. :)

Last year my new year's goal was to "simplify" our life.  For the first time ever, I believe I SUCCEEDED in a new year's goal!  I went part-time (major simplification...and not a choice for everyone I know), I de-cluttered our newly built house, finished many projects along the way, cooked more meals at home, transitioned us to eating at the table together each night, and simplified our health by finding a great natural alternative in essential oils. The only part of my house that isn't organized now is the office and garage, next on the list don't worry!

When I look back and think of everything we went through last year, its amazing.  The Lord was so gracious to me as a new mom and a fairly new wife.  We have raised a toddler together and now have an anointed God-sent little boy coming into the world.

So, what about this year? Well...I have two goals for our family.  Because you all know, and understand, MOM RUNS the family...right? :)

GOAL 1~
Organize our "office" side of life.

I am driven this year to form a family budget, and keep EVERYTHING paperwork in order.  After all, being home more, it really should be more of my responsibility to do this.

I found a great lady who has free budget binder templates.  That is what I plan to get ready this week. Here is her link- http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/  She really has great ideas with organizing your life in binders.  Some of them are a little unnecessary in my opinion, but hey....someone might need them!



In this goal, I plan to make our office in tip top organization to help promote this habit.  If you have a cluttered space it doesn't help you get motivated at all.  No more organized chaos! Anything that hasn't been used or needed in the last year will be tossed or donated.

I purchased, from Walmart, this (well, one like it but for only $5) letter holder to go by our door.  It will hold things to mail, and important documents that need to go out with us when we run errands.  NO more leaving it on the counter top to accidentaly get scooped up.

One other project in the "office organization" is a file box for each of my kids. ^^(picture above) These were found on pinterest via a lady's blog, here- http://destinationofdomestication.blogspot.com/2011/08/baby-boxes.html.

What a great way to start organizing all of that crazy paperwork and keepsakes! This is at the top of my list to start for Luke and Emma this year.  I'll be glad I started it in 18 years. ;)

GOAL 2~
 More Bible Study

With the "3 gift" Christmas, (which was really neat by the way) I purchased Garrett his own study Bible, since our dog decided to use his as a bathroom a few years ago.  He's been surviving on a little travel ESV Bible since... so I purchased him the Ryrie Study Bible (Found here-ESV Study Bible ) It is great, and we love the quality of it.

My parents, being the "sweetness" that they are, found me the journaling ESV Bible ( Journaling ESV ) along with a book on how to do annotations to connect with God in Scripture (Writing In The Margains).  PLUS highlighters and a pen to kick off the year of study.  With a new baby, Garrett and I have fallen into trying to sleep/rest more than studying the Word together.  We both hope to make it more of a priority this year.  I can't wait to see what kind of things God teaches us!

So what are your new years dreams for making life better this year?

-Kay





Recap on our Christmas- 
For those of you who were wanting to know about the 3 gift Christmas, see my last post about the meaning behind it.  This year, Garrett and I gave each other a new rocking chair for Luke's room to make those sleepless nights a little more comfy.  ;) But below are the other gifts we gave in our little family-

Emma-
Want- Bitty Baby Doll (from my childhood) with diaper bag
Need- Melissa and Doug latch board (Link-latch board...don't tell her, but this was free with old Huggies points I stashed away..lol)
Spiritual- Kidkraft Noah's Ark, which she loves! (Link-Ark Sorter)

Garrett-
Want- rocking chair
Need- A really nice pancake griddle with a warming tray for our pancake cookin' Daddy, he was so excited to make them for us Xmas morning!
Spiritual- Ryerie Study Bible

Me-
Want- rocking chair
Need- Much needed PJs ;)
Spiritual- Moravian Star for the top of our tree...I nearly cried, its so beautiful.

CHRISTmas not GIFTmas :)

Don't get me wrong...I love gifts, and I love giving them.  But oh MY how America has transformed Christmas into what you will GET rather than what we have already been GIVEN by our Lord.

 While Garrett and I have been prepping for the Live Nativity here at our house (sponsored by our church for ...over 20 years now?) ...we are reminded of the beautiful gift God gave us.  It warms my heart to know that my kids will always take part in making this Nativity reminder for the community.   It isn't flashy, it isn't fancy.
Its in an old barn with mason jar luminaries leading the way.
An old Moravian star is hung in the barn just like it is every year.
The costumes were made by the ladies of the church years ago with old underwear bands and sheets.

But its beautiful.
Its serene and peaceful.

If you haven't had the chance to come see it, I invite you to do so...with your family.  Sunday at 6:30-8 pm.

It put me to thinking... we are having two kids this year.  We have traditions to set for them, and expectations to set before them.  As a child, I loved Christmas...it was a magical time where my parents poured their heart out to give to us.  We normally didn't have much at all, and Christmas was a time of giving to each other.  And the funny thing is...Santa wasn't really ever a part of it.  GASP! I know... a magical Christmas without Santa? ...or in my case it wasn't without Santa...I only got one thing from him and he just was never a big deal.  And they stopped mentioning Santa when Matt came along (7 years later) I don't think I ever remember him asking if Santa was real.  He still had the same magic in his eyes that I did.  He'd barrel down the hallway and nearly slip and slide to get to the living room after Dad read the Christmas story from the book of Luke.  Christmas was about family and love.

I want my kids to experience this feeling.

Christ's innocent, peaceful love.

So.. I've heard a lot about the "Three Gifts" Christmas tradition and I think I'm hooked.  If you haven't heard what that is, here's a short summary.

The three gifts Christmas is a reminder of the three gifts brought to Jesus.  Gold, Myrrh, and Frankincense.  Gold symbolizes a "want", Myrrh symbolizes a "need" and Frankincense symbolizes a "spiritual" gift.  So, your focus on Christmas is to gift each other with these three things.  This keeps it simple, focused, and not excessive.  And what a great reminder of the REAL meaning of Christmas.  We say that, but... how much do we attempt to REALLY remind ourselves that Christ is the only reason you are celebrating Christmas anyway?

So this year I think I've come up with some really good ideas for both of the sweeties in my life.  Can't wait to share what they are...but for now...they are a secret. :)

And what about Santa?

Well...I've thrown around the idea of how to still bring a tiny bit of the Santa magic to my kids lives....and I really like the idea of Santa filling their stockings.  It keeps some mystery and magic (believing when you don't see) without getting out of hand.  We shall see!

What does your family do?