2011 Resolutions/Goals

Last year I made one New Year’s Resolution.  No fast food.  In 2009 I kept track of all our spending using Quicken.  We had spent over $300 just at McDonalds!  So, I figured that if we skipped the fast food we’d be richer and most likely healthier in 2010.  We made it until December when we caved on our way to Rockville for Christmas.  I still consider it a resolution success. Truthfully, it tasted totally yuck after not having it for so long.  Of course we are not really richer because the money was spent somewhere else but we did learn that we could live without something we thought we couldn’t and we are all still alive!!  Success!

This year I decided that I am due for a makeover.  While I’d love to get rid of my stretch marks, wrinkles and the veins in my legs, what I really need is an internal makeover.  I feel like for the past 10-15 years I’ve struggled with the same issues/strongholds and it’s time to break free.    I’ve also determined that to be the best mom I can be for my kiddos especially my two with special needs, this mom needs to be able to keep it together.  Physically and Emotionally.  First on my “to tackle” list is to get my priorities straight.  God says, Him first, my husband second, kids then me.  So here are my goals for this year. 

1. Grow Spiritually – I’ve made a goal of checking in with God first by reading his word and praying BEFORE I check in with the rest of the world via email, Facebook or phone.
2. Make my relationship with Matt a priority.
3. Be the mom I know God desires me to be (lots of subcategories under this one)
4. Get healthy
   1. Lose the 30 pounds once and for all.
   2. Develop a better relationship with food.
   3. Run the Borgess 1/2 marathon in May

I’ve set some small everyday goals for myself to attain these larger goals.  So now it’s out there.  All the things I need to work on.  Feel free to pray for any or all of these things for me and please ask me how I’m doing.  I’m going to try to hold myself accountable by writing about them in my blog.  So, here’s to 2011 and my Extreme Home Makeover. 

My official before picture.

J is for Jesus

December seems like so long ago that I actually had to look at the pictures to remember what we had done during the month.  The four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas were so crazy busy that next year I am just planning on taking the month off of homeschool so that I can just focus on Christmas and all of the fun activity that goes with it.  Even if it means we do some extra work during the summer.   I moved Bens workboxes upstairs to the dining room and we worked on “activities” as we had time and as he had interest. 

This year I really wanted to be more purposeful doing Christmas activities with the kids.  I’ve always had some sort of paper Advent calendar but never really did anything with it.  This year I took an idea from another blog and tweaked it to suit me and this is what I came up with.  I typed up ideas and put an activity in each stocking/day.  This helped a ton with keeping me accountable, especially when I have an autistic boy that can read and wouldn’t let me forget that we’re supposed to have hot chocolate that day!  I didn’t get to all of the activities, this is real life, but I did a lot more than last year so I consider it a success. 

We made Christmas playdoh.  Ben read the recipe (which counted for his reading, right?) Then he and Jacob made playdoh cookies. 

 

 

They were really bummed they couldn’t eat them. It was edible playdoh but not Gluten Free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boys put together a gingerbread train that was honestly a huge pain in the rear!  The frosting didn’t set fast enough and someone cut the hole too big in the tip of the bag so it just globbed everywhere.  The boys enjoyed it though and I was glad when we checked that one off our list.  Rachel stayed on top of the paper chain.  Can you believe my oldest is 12 and this is the first year I made a paper chain to count down till Christmas? 

During break Rachel acted as guest teacher for Ben.  He enjoyed doing his work with her and she was a very good teacher.  Good practice for her!

 

 

 

Other Christmas activities/traditions

• Caroling to our favorite babysitter Stacie and her family
• Band concerts
• Christmas program at church (adult, not kids)
• Read books in front of the fire
• Matt read “A Certain Small Shepherd”, a book from his childhood, to the kids
• Advent wreath
• Watched classic Christmas movies
• Of course, lots of cookie baking and eating
• made a birthday cake for Jesus.

We had a wonderful Christmas and we’re thankful for the family we got to spend it with and for all the many blessings that God has provided us.

T is for Thanksgiving and a Tooth

Ben lost his first front tooth this week!  Which was totally appropriate for our Letter T week.  We also got ready for Thanksgiving!  Ben was so excited that “all the Bonenfant’s” were coming.  I had so much more planned than we actually did.  We did at least read some books about the Pilgrims and Indians.  I was glad that by the end of the week he could at least tell me why we celebrate Thanksgiving and how it all started. 

 

Ben loves starting out the week putting the letter on the chicka chicka boom boom tree.  On the right, a little adding practice. 

 

Jacob got in on the action.  Both boys really struggle with handwriting.  I found these great printable that I laminated so they can reuse them over and over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally Thanksgiving was here!  We had a wonderful day with family. And of course a ton of good food!

 

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Rachel’s Birthday

Rachel is eleven!!  She requested a sleepover with some friends and a fun night at Pirate’s Island.  The girls had a blast and it was nice for them to get in the water inside since it’s so cold outside.  A fun time was has by all.

 

Hannah went to her first all nighter called Zero Hour.  WMU’s Youth for Christ put it on. She had so much fun and loved sleeping the day away with Fifi.

 

More pics from the week

Hangin with the big boys

So talented!

Beautiful boy

H is for Hippo and Happy

This week we learned all about our emotions(which explains the happy part).  We made a very cute feelings lapbook.  I didn’t get many pictures of this week.  It was a busy week and we had company for a couple days so we got done what we could and we’ll catch up next week. 

 

 

This week we:

• Reviewed addition facts 0-4
• Read a lot of books about emotions
• Bible Verse “Honor your father and your mother” Exodus 20:12
• Spent time with cousins
• Worked a lot on Honoring mom and dad by obeying

 

I have a Steve Green CD that has verses put to song and it had our verse of the week on it.  Ben grabbed the verse and sang along pointing out the words as he sang. It was super sweet. *sniff*sniff* 

M is for Monkeys, Me and Batman!

Of course I know Batman doesn’t start with an M but I found this awesome Lapbook kit at www.1+1+1=1.blogspot.com (the link is at the right) and knew I had to let Ben do it.  He has been huge into Batman for the last few months.  Academically it was a little easy for him but it sure motivated him to get through his less favorite subjects to get to do the Batman activities.  We concentrated more on the Me than the Monkeys.  The Monkeys were a part of the letter of the week curriculum that I’m using to work on his fine motor skills.

Things we worked on this week:

• Adding 4’s
• Learning what organs, bones, and muscles are
• Learning about staying healthy and food groups
• Baby Moses
• Five senses
• Bible verse “I will praise thee, For I am Fearfully and Wonderfully made.
• All about me Lapbook

 

 

Cute Quote:  When Ben was showing me where his organs were on his body I asked him “What does your heart say?” He answered “The Pledge of Allegiance.” and he put his hand over his heart. 

P cont’d

The last two weeks have been crazy.  Jacob and Rachel were both home for 4 days from school with fevers and bad colds.  I’m so glad that I took pictures of stuff I did with Ben to reassure myself that we did get some school accomplished.  It really threw Ben off that the other two were home and his attention span was very short. 

                                        

 

 

 

 

 

   I made some orange playdoh and put some pumpkin spice in it to make it smell good.  He made cookies and leaves.  He sorted quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies into pumpkins.  We worked on adding 3’s. 

 

Rachel was home and took some pictures of us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Rachel got to join in during craft time. 

For family time this week we read the Pumpkin Patch Parable and talked about how Jesus takes away all the yucky stuff inside us so we can shine for him. 

Our pumpkins. (Joe wasn’t happy with his)

 

We made a poster with our knuckle and thumbprints.   The kids loved that Matt and I put our prints on there too. Jesus is the vine that holds our family together and apart from him we can do nothing.  You can check out my facebook page for all the Halloween costume pictures.  Ben and Jacob did great this year.  Ben’s only issue was that he wanted to “explore” through everyone’s  landscaping.  Luckily it’s fall and all the flowers are dead already.  October was a very busy month and there were a lot more things I wanted to do with Ben than got done. Every day is a new day and I’m learning to let go of the little things and thankful for the things that do get accomplished.