So many goals, so little time!

It's time to report on my goals, I'm not doing great so far, but I will do better now that my home business has shut down.  I have more time on my hands for things like scrapbooking and cross stitching and reading.

• Add $399 to each of my children's bank accounts We added $500 to each account at the end of 2010.
• Archive old film and prints on memory stick I need to buy a film scanner
• Attend 3 cultural events Not yet
• Compile a Family Favorites Recipe Book Haven't worked on this yet
• Complete a free on-line class signed up for the class, but haven't worked on it much
• Do my visiting teaching monthly Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, March, April all good, hope to go this week for May
• Do not yell in anger ever again I'm working on this, still :)
• Fast correctly 1 time a month I'll start fresh in June, it's hard since Mitchell isn't weaned yet.
• Finish cross-stitch for Mitchell I have worked on this some, but it will take a while.
• Finish scrapbooks for Adin and Mitchell Finished Adin's and I am now working on Mitchell's
• Get a manicure at least 9 times 2x
• Get my hair cut every 3 months 2x
• Get my weight to 139 lbs I'm down to 146! Haven't made any progress here yet.
• Go on 3 camping trips with my family 1x to Catalina State Park
• Go on a date with Stuart 2 times a month This has been hard with his Boy Scout calling, but we'll work on it more.
• Go to the temple 9 times 2x
• Have a professional family portrait taken Took a non-pro one, and need to set an appointment for a pro
• Help Greg earn his Arrow of Light Finished his Webelo award, still working toward AOL
• Help Jake earn his Eagle Scout Award Project set to work on May 28!, Chad should get his this summer too!
• Keep a blog of my 39 goals :) Here it is!
• Make 39 humanitarian kits 12 completed
• Only spend $275/week on groceries Put together a budget and will be keeping close tabs on it now.
• Organize a "Friends in the Park" Day A friend beat me to this one, and I have attended once.
• Read 39 books Finished 6, but am reading 2 more right now.
• Read the Book of Mormon I'm in Alma.
• Read the New Testament
• Read to my children every day Will be more consistent over the summer, I promise
• Sew/Make 3 projects or crafts Made Easter Bunnies from water bottles (see post below)
• Spend 30 hours doing community service  Will volunteer at the school in the fall, I think.
• Take cookies/brownies to 9 people We took 10 plates of Christmas cookies to people.
• Take each of my children on a 1 on 1 "date" Jacob and Diane are done.  Chad wants to go rock climbing
• Take my children to the zoo 9 times 3x (to 3 zoo's !)
• Take my family to 9 local attractions.  1
  
• Try 1 new recipe each month Been trying the free sample recipes from EMealz.com, love them.
  
• Write 1 letter a month to a family member or friend I have written my parents and in-laws,
• Write in a journal weekly (my own or one of my children's)I I have written in all the younger children's journal's at least once, more with Mitchell's.  I need to write in my own though.

Another Happy Mother's Day Morning

Mitchell, Mommy and Elijah

My  Heaven 7

What does Mother's Day look like at your house?  For  me, it's waking up early to change the baby, then handing him over to my wonderful husband. He takes the baby and wakes the other kids, while I try to go back to sleep.  Actually, I'm secretly listening to the noises and conversation in the kitchen as they work together to make a "surprise" breakfast in bed for me.  I love to hear them talk and whisper and tell each other to sign the card and how to cut the strawberries just so.  Then, they quietly stampede up the stairs, burst into my room singing "Mother, I Love You" and wake me up.  How I love it when the children all climb into bed with me to watch me open my cards and smell my flowers.  After a while, they all go downstairs to get their own breakfast, while I eat mine.  Today, Elijah cuddled in bed with me as I ate.  He reread all the cards.  Now that he can read, it is so interesting to watch him choose things to read and ask me questions about what he is learning.  I thing the beginning reader is one of the best "stages" of childhood, as their curiosity is peeked over and over again. Jacob was just sent up to bring down the breakfast tray and the baby was brought up to play with toys in my room.  Some of the boys are outside playing on the trampoline and Stuart and the others are cleaning up breakfast, while I finally am blessed with a few moments to myself, to record how full my heart feels when I look into the eyes of my children and see their love and affection for me.  I'm not sure what I've done to deserve that love, but I'm grateful for it and grateful that God has sent each one of these precious children to my home for me to love and learn from and be a mommy to.