I'm rebelling against my own 'tradition' and putting a kibosh on the Year in Review in Photos.

I don't really know why. I just don't feel up to it this year. If I review the year, do I include the good, the bad and the ugly? How do you review a year where you've grown in many ways, through photos? How do you review a year in which you had many people in your life, fall out of it, and then back in again, friends and family alike, in photos? How do you review a year where you went through a life attitude change because of a 'near death' experience, through photos? How do you review through photos, a decision to move clear accross the country?  It just can't be done, so I won't even try.

Instead, I look forward to a better year. Not that the last one was all bad, but it was different, very different for me. I don't think I've had so many ups and downs in one year since I was a teenager! I don't care to review it right now. Instead, I choose to look forward to the future!

There is much to look forward to this year. I began 'preparing' for this year at the beginning of December. Some things I really wanted to change about the new year was to spend MUCH more one on one time with God, much more QUALITY time with my husband and children AND use my time more wisely in my business.

Since the first week of December, I begun re-reading the Power of Prayer books. Today I finished reading all 30 chapters of Power of a Praying Wife, and Power of a Praying Parent. It felt SO good to get back into starting EVERY day in prayer! Out of 32 days, I only missed 2 mornings. This has made a HUGE difference in my attitude, my outlook on life and in my countenance. And please believe me when I say that I don't share this to 'brag', but rather to encourage! To encourage anyone who thinks they don't have 'time' to MAKE the time! This is one decision, one change, you will NEVER regret making in your life, and you know that.

So, for the past 32 days (except for the 2 days I missed) I have woken up each morning and read one chapter of Power of a Praying Wife, and one chapter of Power of a Praying Parent. After I read each one, and said the prayers out loud, I went on to write at least one page in my written prayer journal. In that journal I can simply share my thoughts with my Abba Father, whether I want to talk to Him about what I learned in the books, or share with him what I am needing help with, ask Him to forgive me for my poor behaviour/attitude/whatever I need help with that day. It's just a great way to start the day.

As for spending more QUALITY time with my husband and children.
As you all know, I homeschool, and my husband has his own business which means he works his own hours. As a family, we choose for those hours to be no more then 4 days a week, whenever possible. So I do get to spend a LOT of time with my husband and children, but just because we are always together doesn't mean it's ALWAYS quality time. So early in Dec., I had decided to go out of my way to spend more time with each family member in a way that THEY would like. That can mean anything from just spending more time listening to each one babble on about things that don't really interest me too much, to crafting or working alongside each one in whatever they are doing. Whether it's playing dolls with the girls, or laying a hardwood floor right alongside hubby, to helping the children with their chores even if mine have to wait. It's simply a concious effort of putting them first, and me second. I don't want anyone thinking thoughts like, "Oh but mothers put so much of themselves out there for their family, I'm sure you were doing enough already!" This is not true. I am VERY spoiled. My children do their share of the chores around here, AND they help me out in my business. EVERYONE in this family puts a lot of themselves into each other, so no pitying the mother here!

So, onto using my time more wisely in my business.
My business has really flourished. Again, I don't say that to brag because I really don't know how this has happened. Each month since HomemadeMama.com first opened, sales have increased. Every single month. I stand amazed. That's all I can say about it. I certainly can't take credit for it! It's got to be a God thing.

So, through this flourishing, of course management has to be at it's top performance! Orders need to be handled quickly, yet carefully. Customers need to be given care and attention, yet without allowing myself to become completely burdened by their needs. That may sound 'weird' but believe it or not, in my business, a personal level seems to come about quite easily between myself and the customer. There are questions to answer, concerns to care for, etc., yet I have to be careful to not allow myself to spend too much time on the computer! So it's a balancing act at times!

To make things just a little more complicated (but it seems I like life to be complicated!)...
My eldest dd and I will be caring for 3 children starting next Monday. Twin girls who are 4, and their little brother who just turned 2! They will be joining us Mon-Friday, so of course time management will truly be important this year, at least for this first quarter! The child care brings along one extra thing. I will be meeting their mama 25 mins away from home each morning, and 15 mins away from home each afternoon. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't venture from home too often, so this will be a change for me. lol I'm looking forward to it though. Change can be good. I plan to use this time in the car for a few things. Some days I can go by myself and listen to books on tape or worship music on the way to pick the kids up. Other days I can take just one of my children with me and use that time to focus on them when it's just the two of us in the car. I think it can be a great thing. Plus, it will get all of us up and going first thing in the morning!

Anways, that's the plans for the New Year in a nutshell (although a LARGE nutshell).