THE ROOM!!!

So over the last year and a half I've been working on creating a really great 'learning environment' in my entire home and ALSO in my 'school' room. For the last two months I've been gathering books, trying to sort them out, and evaluate the 'school' room space I have. However, what's really happened is that each day I've entered the totally messy room, been completely overwhelmed, and realized that the mess has gotten bigger and bigger right before my eyes.

About 4 weeks ago it finally hit me...I realized I didn't have enough places for all my things. I needed to either put some things away in storage, get more book cases, or perhaps do a combination of them both. I set out to figure out how to make or purchase a bookcase that was within my budget, and yesterday I FINALLY found it...WOO-HOO!! Today the bookcase arrived, and my mess became bigger and bigger as I began to tackle the HUGE project. I'm finally making some progress, and I'm just kicking myself I didn't take some before pictures. I think a before picture would make me feel a bit better about what I've done so far.

I'm hoping tomorrow I can finally establish some sort of system of organization that will help make my room not only functional, but inviting for my family to really engage in learning!!! This is getting me so stinking excited about getting back 100% into school/learning mode!!

Finally feeling it again!!!

[I'm back]
So I guess you could say I've been a bit delinquent in my blogging for the last 3 months or so. For some reason I felt like I needed to disconnect from a lot of the electronics I'd been engaged in, and refocus my energy a bit on some other things. (I'm starting to call it my 'Summer Season' I just enjoyed my kids, tried to read and study more, and spend more time thinking. I love how we all experience different 'seasons' in our lives!!! Figuring that one little concept out has really effected my outlook on life.)

However, now I'm finally feeling it again, and I'm getting organized, working hard planning and cleaning, and getting really excited to get my family back on our wonderful schedule!!! I'm also super excited to start sharing my thoughts, feelings, and okay just the plain reality of how my life is going these days...which to be quite honest is a bit CRAZY!!! It's not really all that crazy overall, but my two and three year old little adorable girls are just a totally different dynamic than I've ever experienced before. I think its probably almost what twins would be like. Some days I think I'm starting to figure it out, but then sometimes I feel totally like a clueless mother and just can't figure out how to make them stop screaming at each other. All that being said, I'm happy to have this extremely small challenge in my life, and I am learning SO MUCH!!! Being a mother is such a blessing and I'm grateful every day for my sweet little family.


[BIG NEWS]
So the latest news in our family is that Meg was baptized on the 10th, and it was amazing!! She is such a wonderful girl and I can't believe how smart, mature, and spiritual she is. Megan was so excited to make the commitment to be baptized and has talked and thought a lot about it for the last few weeks. Today was her first activity day for the 8 and 9 year olds at our church and she was in heaven to be able to go hang out with her friends and learn a little too!!

SWAGGER WAGON

I just have to share this hilarious video!!

Summer break in April? Only in Arizona!

A few weeks before April I decided, (after fighting with the kids for weeks to 'study' inside) that we were going to ENJOY the amazing Arizona spring weather, and embrace our season. I figured what the heck...we're taking our summer break in April. I am the teacher after all...aren't I?!

Shortly after that I deemed April 'project' month, and I began to fill it with every project I'd been putting off for the last 6 months. The BIGGIE was what I hated most. However, knowing myself all too well I realized I knew I would go crazy if my house got any dirty, unorganized, or just plain BLAH!!! I HAD to get to work doing the BIGGEST, and hopefully the BEST 6 month purge EVER . This was to be the purge of all purges. I was tackling some stinking big messy issues, that I just had to figure out how to fix. I knew the first step involved a major re-organizational experience, which would create a super duper messy house. However, it was time, and I was ready...(at least I was trying to get myself excited) about tearing my house apart.

[Step ONE] CREATE CARDS

(I'll talk more and more about how this concept of cards has evolved into something really really great over this last month, but let me start at the beginning.)

Not knowing where to begin, I found some old blue 3x5 cards, that never got used for a flash card project last year. I started writing down the areas of the house I needed to start organizing first. I divided my 10 cards into two days, and assumed I'd get through the house in 2 days...LOL!! Oh well!! I'm actually glad I didn't realize it would actually take me working at it on and off for a whole month, to tackle the many issues I was facing in my home. I may not have started if I knew this reality.

I prioritized my cards, and started by tackling the first card on the pile...my refrigerator, pantry, and laundry room. This was going to be a life changing journey!! Weird, but true. All I can say is sometimes when you don't know where to begin, you just have to start somewhere...and that is exactly what I was doing.

The BK Jar

[What's going on?!]
I've noticed over the past few weeks our level of criticism, saying unkind things, and generally being short with each other has climbed a bit. SO...today as I enjoyed another wonderful Arizona afternoon I sat outside under a tree which is my self appointed 'inspiration' spot. I thought about the problem, and at first wanted to just have a firm (unkind) confrontation with the lot of them, and lay into them how unkind they'd all been to each other lately. However, after about a second of that I realized that this was a TERRIBLE plan and tried to lay my frustration aside so I could actually receive a little inspiration.

[Trying to Be Intentional + Pure Inspiration = A FABULOUS Plan]
Nothing came until finally right as we were beginning our family meeting and ready to address the issue it hit me, and I enthusiastically started telling them all about the new systems we were going to start implementing in our family.

1. Person of the Day: Each day we'd have one special family member who'd be recognized as the honored one of the day. They'd be able to pick their seat first for meals, choose who says some of the days family prayers, pick their chores first, choose the plate/cup they wanted, and be served first at breakfast and lunch. (We tried to include all the situations that typically turn into family fight and let the person of the day always get their 'way.')
2. Chore Cards: Starting next week when we are back to our 'normal' routine we're going to start a chore card system. This allows everyone to pick a certain number of chores each day (not knowing what the chore is) and put back one or two of the cards they choose. This will help everyone know what to expect at chores, and eliminate the complaining that comes when mom assigns chores.
   
3. Assigned seating in the car: FINALLY (I've been thinking about doing this for years) we decided to implement assigned seating in the car that will be rotated weekly. We already have next week figured out. WOO-HOO!!! Just doing this one thing will resolve a lot of the drama!!
4. Posted Schedules: I'm recommitting myself to type up a schedule for each day. I did this really well for a few months earlier this year, and then for some reason stopped being so diligent at it. I can tell a HUGE difference in the kids when they know what is expected of them, and how the day is going to flow. I think we can all appreciate the sense of comfort that comes when we know what others expect of us.
5. The BK Jar: Ever since last conference I've been trying to figure out how to get our family to do a 'Warm Fuzzy' jar. I tried to do one months ago, and it never really took off. Well, tonight during our family meeting it hit me. Now was the time. It all started when I we were talking about our goal to be kinder and say kind things to each other. This conversation transitioned into a talk about coming up with a key word we could say to help someone who was caught in the act of saying or doing something unkind that would help them recognize what they were doing and get them to stop. Jarom and Megan said what about saying 'BK' for Be Kind. I loved it and so did Scott so I said what about starting a warm fuzzy jar around this goal we have for our family. We finally decided that anytime you were 'BK'ed' (caught in the act of not being kind) and were able to stop right away you could put in a warm fuzzy. We also decided if you stopped in the act yourself you should put in a warm fuzzy. And finally we said if you were kind to someone you were being kind and should put a warm fuzzy in. Then, we discussed what the reward should be when the jar get's full. Someone laughed and said...since its a BK Jar we should all go to Burger King (aka BK) and get whatever we want off the menu. The kids were thrilled, and I was too!!!

So many great ideas out there...

Okay...its late, and I'm up reading, and having fun getting caught up on some of my favorite blogs. I just found this great idea, and have to share it. Its called a Friday Group, and think I want to start one...anyone interested? Here's the link to read all about it, but basically its a group of four women who spend 2-3 hours together each week and help each other out with whatever the host needs help with...LOVE IT!!!

I also LOVE this idea. This gal covered these homemade boxes with fabric...SO FUN!!!


And isn't this a stinking cute clock?! I'm trying to liven up my craft/sewing room a bit, so these are great cheap ideas!! Okay now I need to find time to do it...LOL!!

Loving Life!!

Its kind of funny because this week has been a week of extremes. Emotionally...I went from totally losing it on Monday...to feeling this almost of out of body sensation of joy and peace today. Part of me wishes I could have skipped Monday all together, I mean it was just a terribly miserable day. Then, I think of the joy and peace I feel today, and wondered, if it isn't in part a result of the journey I went through this week (including Monday). Hitting a low helped me work towards, and really embrace the high I feel today.

Tonight at a book discussion I attended, we discussed Great Expectations, and at some point in the night we talked about the power of life's experiences, and the growth and perspective that can come from these times in our life IF we choose it. WOW!! What a great lesson to remember yet again. This life is about BECOMING not achieving or checking off a list of items, or getting through a day, or purchasing an item, or anything else that simply helps us climb another rung on the latter. NO!!! Its about changing, learning, loving, and BECOMING!!

So even though on Monday I lost it, today I am BECOMING something maybe even as a result of that experience on Monday. Tonight as I type this I'm LOVING LIFE, and excited about the unlimited possibilities that lay before me. I'm saying goodbye (yet again) to a life of mediocrity and HELLO to a life of INTENTION!! I'm going to intentionally choose to love, intentionally choose to grow, intentionally choose to conquer my fears, and intentionally choose to...fill in the blank, which will hopefully allow me to intentionally choose to become who I am suppose to become...this is so exciting!!!

In general conference they described this process so perfectly when one of the general authorities quoted President Monson saying:

"LEARN what you need to LEARN...DO what you need to DO...BE who you need to BE!!"

I think I'm going to put that up on my wall. What a great motto to live by. During conference they didn't call it TJed, but that doesn't matter. Over and over the leaders preached the principles of relationships, learning, growing, and BECOMING!!! These are the principles of the gospel, the principle of The Thomas Jefferson Education, the principles of freedom (for country and self), but most importantly to me they are the principles of truth and happiness. We weren't just sent here to make it through...we were sent here to BECOME GREAT!!!

Life is good, and I'm loving every second of it.