Whew...well time for supper break.  Busy day of paperwork today.  I did schedule all my home visits for January, which feels good.  My calendar is filling up very quickly!  It is my birthday this weekend and I am suppose to go out with my SIL's.  It is getting hard to schedule that as I have to work at church on Saturday and Sunday is my actual birthday and I should be home with the family.   Hopefully we can go out on Sunday night to a movie and I don't have to work on Monday as it is a holiday.  YEAH!!!  A girl's night out sounds very nice. 

Now to finish my resolutions.....

4.  Friends/Family - I am doing better on this.  I was asked to join a book discussion group last year and am still attending it.  It is a great group of ladies.  We have such a fun time.  I would like to continue to make an extra efffort  to maintain my adult friendships.  I rarely write letters, only a Christmas Newsletter.  I hope to write a short card or note maybe once a month, to close friends that live out of state.   My hubby and children are always a priority for me and I would rather be with them all the time.  Someday my children will be grown and I need to have friends then especially.

GOALS:

• Send Birthday cards to Family and Friends
  
• Write a letter once a month
  
• At least Monthly activity with friends

5.  Marriage - this is my year to focus on my marriage.  Tommy is starting to grow up a bit and occassionally even sleeps in his own bed.  Sometimes he really surprises us and goes to bed before 10:30.   All my attention and energy has been focused on my children, it always has been.  I need to make a point of letting my hubby know how wonderful he is to me.  He often does very sweet things for me.  He will often put a small chocolate on my pillow with a sweet note.  He tells me he loves me at least 10 times a day.  I am not as good with showing my love daily.  I did not group up in a home like he did.    My hubby is not the type of hubby that leaves us every weekend to go golfing or goes out with the boys.  He would never dream of taking a trip with just the boys.  He is very dedicated to us and especially me.  He spends much time with us and shows us his love for us numerous times a day. 

GOALS:

• Go out with hubby alone at least once a month (might be unrealistic)
  
• Spend time with hubby doing things he likes to do (garden in the summer, go for walks and bike rides)

Ok...those are my goals for the year!  I will have to make a post with them all together in one place.  Now back to work, I have finished my salad and have a stack of paper calling my name on my desk. 

Well guess what......Tommy has pink eye in his other eye now!!  Argh!!  My hubby was so overwhelmed by staying home with Tommy when he had other things he needed to do, that my SIL (she is a gift) is staying at my house again today to take care of Tommy.  So hubby can get his project for church done and Tommy will be at home.  Men, they sure are not very good at multi-tasking.  

I will be working until about 8:00 tonight, so I should get all my things caught up at work.  I will call around 4 and check on Tommy.  Hope everyone is having a great Monday!!

MONDAY TO DO:

• water plants


• repot plant


• clean out medicine cabinet


• evening routine

Tommy woke at some point during the night and came into bed with us.  He accidently head butted me and split open my cold sore on my lip.  OUCH!!  I said some naughty words over that!  He has to snuggle so close to me he oftens hits me in the face.  The joys of having my baby sleep in my bed. 

Well my little man is up and about now, so time for us to get ready for school.  Tommy's has Early Childhood Fmaily Education from 9:15 to 11:15, then I go to work.  I work late on Monday's.  Later!

It has been a busy, but good day.  The dishes are done, a dent made in the laundry and the dining room table cleaned off.   My SIL came over today to do laundry so Tommy and Kristen played alot today.  They did very well.  Tommy would not take a nap today at all, but fell asleep on the couch early.  Luckily I had given  bath earlier.  I hope he sleeps through the night!!!

Hubby made supper, chili.  It was a bit spicy for me, but he liked it!  I jsut love it when he cooks.  Nice to have a day off!   I did pay bills and did the checkbook always a depressing adventure. 

Which Brings me to my next resolution.....

2.  Financial Responsiblity -  I handle all the household bills and accounts.  But I must say my hubby has gotten 100% better about not freely spending money.   We sit down and look at the week, what bills are left and what money we have.  It tends to be tight, but we make a huge commitment to live within our means.  Which means if we don't have the money, we don't do it!  I found that credit and credit cards do nothing but inable you to learn to live within your means.  Unless their is an emergecny you have to live on what you make yearly.  I also think it is very important to teach your children about finances and credit, etc. 

Goals:

• Pay every Credit Card off at end of each month
  
• Pay extra towards principle on loans -EACH MONTH
  
• Save up for larger expenses (DON"T Charge!)
  
• Complete our Wills
  
• Begin second Deferred Compensations account for retirement
  
• Begin more indepth financial education for Joshua
  
• Read a couple more financial/investing books

I did not have a financial goal last year as my hubby was unemplyed for the third year and it was all we could do to just maintain.  Now with a second income it is time to work towards the goal of being "debt free". 

3.  Homemaking -  I pride myself in being a good homemaker and still work full time.  I will get back into Flylady and continue with routines.  I am not doing bad with this area of my life.

GOALS:

• Do my Zones Each month
  
• Finish Decluttering main floor of house
  
• Declutter the basement
  
• Make a menu weekly
  
• Follow routines

More on my last two areas of self-improvement another day.  Got to take care of myself and get to bed!!  Night!!

4.  Friends/Family

5.  Marriage

Morning...I was up about 3 times with Tommy last night so I am a bit tired this morning and we overslept for church.   Tommy kicked my in the ribs last night while sleeping in our bed so that is sore.  That little stinker.  

The soup turned out great last night.  I will share the recipe a bit later.  I hope to make something else tonight.  HMMM....something in the crockpot I think.   I plan on doing some laundry today and cleaning up around the house.  I have been a bit lacking since feeling under the weather. 

TOmmy's pink eye is almost gone.  I think today might be the last day of medicine.  We will see.   I will do a To Do list a bit later.  Time for me to hit hte shower and get going ......................Later!

I am having one of those "I don't feel like doing anything" days.  I did start some laundry, did most of the dishes, went to library and grocery store.

I am going to make some Timber Lodge Wild Rice Soup again tonight.  I made it earlier in the week, but messed it up.  I discovered my error too late and the soup was WAY too salty.   The recipe calls for 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of chicken base.  That does not mean put that much of the powdered chicken base in.   It mean to mix the chicken base according to the can to come up with 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of chicken base, which only requires about 2 teaspoons of the powdered base!    Needless to say it was too salty to even eat.  I am making it correctly tonight and will post recipe if it is a winner like I think it will be!

I plan on going to bed early tonight and reading.   Off to swtich the laundry around and get my wild rice cooking.  Later!  No to Do List today..................

A few things that make this cold Minnesota weather bearable????

• My new truck has heated seats!!  Warm butt!!  Hubby spoils me!


• Paying for Gas at the Pump


• Simon Delivers - Hubby hasn't let me try this yet, but all my co-workers use it.  You order your groceries online and they deliver to your house.  AAAH.....I so want this!


• Tanning Booths - gotta love them - nothing lifts my spirits more than some rays.

TGIF!!!!  I am working a full day today as Tommy is back in daycare today.  I had an early school meeting this morning so I will be able to leave early today.  YEAH!!  I need to stop at the bank and pick up Tommy. 

Let's see....yesterday I saw my gyn for my annual physical.  He said everything is fine and I can continue taking my depo shots for another year.  Yeah.   I was concerned about continuing them since I am taking them every 60 days instead of 90.  He said there was no risk in doing so, that actually the depo decreases your risk for ovarian and uterian cancer.  And the reason I love it???  Haven't had my cycle in 2 years!! 

Last night was a pretty mellow night.  I went to bed when Tommy did and fell asleep before him.  He slept through the night.  I got up at 5:30 this morning and he was still asleep.  Yeah!   Maybe we are getting back into our routine.  The holidays get things out of whack.  Plus we are all receovering from illness of course. 

***********************************************************

***New Years Resolutions 2004!***

I have been meaning to write about my New Year's Resolutions....but you know how that goes.  I have a couple and they are all the same as last year for the most part.  So I will chat about one today....

1.  Take Care of Self - 

This is always a goal for me.  Being in the helping profession and having a family, I am forever giving to others.  I need to know when to say "no" and say it.  I take care of every, but myself.  I am a bit of a workaholic as well and have a terrible time relaxing.  A day to relax without a To Do List???  What would I do with unstructured time???

• Work out 3 times a week
  
• Take my medications regularly to keep asthma under control. 
  
• Lose 12# by 6-1-04 and be at goal weight of 125.  
  
• Go to Bed at a decent hour each night. 

Read My Resolutions from 2003!!