so, one of my favorite blogs (moneysavingmom.com) has been a real inspiration to me. I started going to her site to get tips on my CVS shopping trips and ended up reading page after page, finding inspiration for kid crafts (called Busy Bags) and freezer cooking (which I love) and on budgeting (which I need) and so much more.
And one area that, after reading her goal setting listed in her blog, has been a new 'ah ha!' moment for me is realizing that I don't read enough! It's been very inspiring and I've really felt God lead me to be more disciplined in this area! I've just picked up her ebook called 21 Days To A More Disciplined Life....so I'm hoping this will kill two birds with one stone, at least for now. :)
I think I lost a bit of discipline from working full-time and having a baby at home....I had to be so structured at work so all I wanted to do when I got home was love on my hubby and little one. Now that I am a full time, stay at home mommy, with THREE little boys, there are many days that I know I don't realize or embrace the joy of being with my kids (yet I remember that heartache brought on by dropping them off at daycare)...I'm not sure yet that I have fully comprehended how meaningful it is for me to be here with them...at least I don't get the full picture yet. But my hubby is so gracious with me and our messy house. :)
I've spent the last several weeks planning out some timelines for my days with my boys as well as adding in ideas for activities. Since my parents weren't stay-at-home parents and, growing up my friends' parents weren't stay-at-home-parents, and now as an adult, all of my close friends aren't stay-at-home-parents, I have found it to be a very odd, lonely feeling to have preschoolers running around and not knowing what to do with them for the 14 hours they are awake (minus nap time).
I know, I know...they learn just by being around me. My mom has shown me great examples of this in her care for our oldest over the past 3 years by just spending time with him on the days she kept him while we worked. And once I started working at home and had my kids more full time about 2 yrs ago, my dad released me from the 'sentence' I had placed on myself by saying that my kids didn't NEED a scholastic structure to our days...just be with them and they'll learn. But I've also found that, especially as our oldest has grown in his awareness of schedules and routines, I find that I've lost the structure that creates good habits and have also lost a bit of my love for crafts that bring learning.
So I've made sure to do some planning during my 'spare time' (aka, that's "mom talk" for really meaning that I've lost sleep). I've also realized that I LOVE planning but am not good at finishing what I start. And maybe that's an important first step....to realize that I am not disciplined at even being disciplined. hum...ponder that one for awhile!
Anyway, I have several action plans started and have spent LOTS of time praying over my own motivations. And...
...drum roll please...
...I am excited to announce that I started phase 1 of my new disciplined life because...
I got up early today.
(okay, quit laughing now......really, stop giggling. When I told my hubby this AM what time I got up, his eyes popped open and he stared at me like, "who are u and what did u do with my wife?!?")
This is big.
I got so much accomplished today! It started with coffee and filing at 6:30am. (okay, seriously stop giggling b/c filing at 6:30 is never pretty for anyone.)
Then it was on to couponing, breakfast once the boys were up and doing a project with koolaid and then lunch! Then we were off to my eye doc checkup followed by 4 hours of very fun shopping...some of the most fun I've had out on the town with my little boys!
And the shopping aspect wasn't even that enjoyable because spending money is hard right now due to extremely tight budgets now that I lost my income.
But really, God gave me lots of joy (and second winds) in my time with them today. ...maybe because I knew it is a start. Maybe because I was focused on my kids and enjoyed them for who they are. Maybe it's because, for a change, my 2 yr old only threw only a handful of fits and my baby was very happy-go-lucky today. Maybe it's because, when I felt overwhelmed with 3 boys and budgets and busyiness, I prayed for God to lead me (for the two zillionth time). Who knows.
But I'm excited to see what God does with this!
okay, i am off to bed now (at 12:30am). I'll put off being disciplined at early bedtimes until next month. *wink*
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