Our Word of the Year + 2014 Goals

source

FAMILY. 

Family is our word of the year. And, honestly, I only came up with it last weekend after our game night and popcorn for dinner night.

We had a great time playing together, acting silly, just talking, etc. There was no TV on, there were no phones/iPads being messed with (except the occasional picture), and it was great. The boys are counting down the days until the next game night and have even picked out what we are playing. It will be Andrew's turn to pick out the movie for Saturday and he said that he is "still thinking about it." Cutie.

Anyway, we are clearly becoming a busier family each day it seems. Making sure that 2 days are marked off as FAMILY time helps with the chaos (hopefully). Also, once the weather starts being nicer to us in the South, we can enjoy the outdoors again with fun outings/picnics.

If you want to catch a glimpse of our family nights, follow me on Pinterest! I have 2 new boards just for the occasion:

Family Game Night 

Popcorn for Dinner

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2014 GOALS

Read some classics --> I've started reading Pride and Prejudice as I joined the "Motherhood and Jane Austen Book Club" this month. Actually for the year. We are reading 6 of Jane Austen's novels over the next 12 months.

Grow in my faith...again --> I got myself into...maybe out of... Whatever it is. I am not as strong in my faith as I was last year. But, no worries. This week has been a great jump start in this area. I've been getting up in the mornings again (yes, Austin is in to a great sleeping routine now!). I've been enjoying my coffee, praying the Rosary, and just enjoying the peace (most of the time) before it is time for the House to rise and shine. And, I must say...my patience level is MUCH better now. Amazing.

Mothering --> This I have yet to begin. I'm getting my crew back into their routines again after being used to the many extravaganzas we have experienced over the past 2 months. But, here's what I plan on doing:

1. Read The Boxcar Children and/or The Magic Treehouse books aloud to the boys. They love trains and are, apparently, into mysteries... For the past few weeks, they have been trying to "solve mysteries" around the house. What mysteries, I'm not sure. Maybe that's the mystery... It is so cute though. I'm not entirely sure where they got it, but I'm loving it.
2. Prayer -> They have been doing really well in learning their prayers (and remember them after falling out of routine...many times). They know the Glory Be and Grace before meals pretty well. Andrew knows almost all of the Our Father, too. So, we just need to work on the Our Father and Hail Mary...then, before you know it, they will be able to say a decade of the Rosary with us!

Marriage --> We have an amazing babysitter, but I am waiting just a few more months before leaving Austin at home. So, this one is tricky in the sense that we really can't do much in the "date night" department. But, luckily The Dating Divas have some pretty awesome ideas that I may just try out in the coming weeks. So, I can't exactly write down those ideas here at the moment, but I promise to share as I go!

Home --> I have GOT to find a better way to get the house into order. All I have been really caring about lately are the kitchen and the guest bathroom (and, really, that's only when I know I will have guests...). And, yes, I know...I "just had a baby" but that can't be my excuse forever. I mean, he is "sleeping through the night" most nights and is a pretty laid back little man. So, keeping the house in order shouldn't be hard. I just need to figure out the right routine. Also, I have 2 little helpers who are getting back into doing their jobs after breakfast. I plan on sharing my housekeeping routine once I figure it out. Maybe that will help answer part of that age-old question... "How do you do it?"

Get healthy! Isn't that a given? I mean New Year's Resolutions and getting into shape just pair up this time of the year, right? Well, it is a MUST for me. I am 1/2 way to my first goal. I'm rather annoyed at the - ahem - shape of things right now. So, I'll share this portion when I get to my first goal. But, overall, the House is eating much better and we are staying as active as possible. When the temp decides to stop being -2 degrees in the morning (NOT even kidding...Ok, fine. That was the feels like temp. It was 9 degrees on Tuesday morning. Whatever.) then I can get back to walking around the neighborhood/parks with Austin.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you have a word of the year?
What are your goals?

If you've made any changes for the new year, share in the comment or on Facebook! I would love to know. Everyone needs a bit of motivation and encouragement! Happy 2014!!