Hello Flylady! Step one-shine your sink!

I have made a decision-I am returning to the Flylady way of cleaning our house. It's a new year and I have some new goals to attain-like decluttering and reorganizing this house!!! A few years ago I found this web site: http://www.flylady.net/ and it really did change the look of our home. There are really easy baby steps to get you headed in the direction of a clean, organized, and peaceful home. So tomorrow morning I am taking step number one: shine your sink. I am going to ease my way back into the program-the online "get started" program takes 31 days to complete but it is worth making it a routine. So here I go.....flying towards a cleaner more organized space for our family!

Our 2009 Bucket List

As we kick off the new year (3 of the kids are back to school today) we made a list of things that we wanted to do during 2009 as a family. We'll try to do something each month to make our family time special. I have learned that being intentional makes for some awesome memories!!

1. What is something you would like to do that is FREE?- go to the pool (we get a pass), go camping (yikes), have a friend over, go to the museum, walk on the trail, go sledding.

2. What is something you would like to do that requires money?-go to the zoo, get a Wii game, go see a movie at the Galaxy theatre (this costs us a small fortune), get Dilly Bars from DQ, spend a weekend with Derek-ALONE.

3. If you could go out for dinner where would you go?- Steak and Shake (Ella), Chili's (Michael), Cracker Barrel (Peris), McDonalds (Fiona), "The Piggy Place"-Famous Dave's (Emmy).

We are also enrolling Henry in the PAWS (Pets Are Walking Saints) program through Wesley United Methodist church. He will go through 5 weeks of training to earn his Good Citizen Award and if he passes he will be eligible to be taken to nursing homes or other places in the community for others to enjoy him. We are doing this as a family and are really excited.

First Menu Plan Monday of 2009

Well our New Year is off to a good start. Emmy is almost over her sickness, my throat feels somewhat better, school starts tomorrow for the girls and then Michael goes back on Tuesday. We have really enjoyed a break from homework and school commitments-well at least the van driver has!! Not spending a huge block of time in my van has been a luxury!!

This past week was a bit crazy so the menu wasn't adhered to-we didn't have smoked sausage so that will carry over to this week and we also didn't have breakfast night due to PaPa and Grandma Pat treating us to Monicals Pizza-yummo!!

So here is our Menu for this first week of January:

Monday: Smoked Sausage and hashbrowns

Tuesday: Manicotti, bread, salad

Wednesday: One pan chicken bake with rice

Thursday: Italien beef sandwiches

Friday: Tacos

Saturday: Bagel pizzas

Sunday: Crockpot chili and grilled cheese

For more great recipes check out www.orgjunkie.com

It's Official

Okay, it's official. I'm obsessed with the dog. Emmy put this New Year's hat on him and it was just too cute not to share!!!!!

Hey, I've wanted a dog for a VERY long time!!!!

Henry, meet Rusty

Henry, Rusty, and Uncle Tim (the unofficial dog whisperer)
Rusty minds a little bit better...well, a lot better!

Henry officially was introduced to his cousin Rusty at our house last night. Both boys enjoyed the New Years festivities with the rest of us. Thankfully they interacted beautifully!! We are excited as Rusty is very special to us! We didn't realize how gi-normous Henry was until we saw him standing next to Rusty-wow he is big!!!

Happy New Year!

Aunt Christine and Michael watching Disney's Countdown to midnight

The girls watching Disney (minus Emmy who went to bed at 5:30pm-she is now sick)

Good riddance to 2008!! I don't know about you, but I am thrilled to have a fresh start with 2009!!! 2008 was a very rough year for our family! With prolonged illness, job changes, school schedules, etc. it was difficult to juggle the day to day activities that our family was faced with. Even though we did face many difficult circumstances, God provided us with so many blessings to report: Emmy was accepted into Metcalf's preschool (yes it is a typical setting where she is not typecast as the special needs little girl-hooray! She has gotten a fresh start and is doing fantastic), Peris has spread her wings and has chosen to become involved in activities at school, Michaels IEP has been reduced to consultation (he will be returning to his home school, Hoose, next year), Ella has "the best teacher ever" for first grade (she is what ALL teachers should strive to emulate!!), Fiona also has "awesome Mrs. Nevius and Ms. Hatch-they have cool fish Mom!"(also two of the finest women I have EVER met!). Derek was blessed with a promotion at ISU and also received a second appointment to teach COMM 110 at ISU again in the Spring. He is such a good teacher-those kids are really fortunate to have such a caring teacher!! As for me, I have to say that I have a new appreciation for being healthy. Being ill for many months has given me a renewed appreciation for the little things: cooking a meal, doing the laundry, taking care of my kids, sleep, laughter, and shopping at Walmart. 2009 holds so much promise for our family!! I do think this is going to be our year!!

Happy New Year!

Announcing...MRR second book pick

Announcing the second pick for Moms Rocking Readers.....

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

We threw out different choices but decided that we wanted to continue on with the series as it is awesome!!! If you are interested in joining us pick up a copy and let me know-I'll update our progress as we do read pretty slowly. I can promise that the second book is even better than the first-you won't be disappointed!!!!