It's always wonderful to visit friends and family.  We had a wonderful time in the states reconnecting with so many of our friends, especially all the ones in NY, which we haven't seen in five long years.  However, there is alot to be said about coming home.

After traveling for a month with the kids, I must admit we were all tired and anxious to be home, in our own space.  I have taken this time to reflect on how I can make our house a more loving and inviting home. 

My first project is to clean out and get rid of some junk.  Unfortunately, our housing is pretty small and we have a lot crammed in here and with three kids and another on the way, its hard to get rid of some things.

Secondly, I have been putting off doing any sort of decorating other than pictures up and some curtains to keep out the cold.  I'm going to refocus to make our home more inviting.

Thirdly,  I have been neglect in the kitchen.  I imagine that it was major burn out, but not having to cook for a month has given me a renewed vigor for the kitchen.  I used to make cookies and breads all the time, but have not done it much since we arrived in Japan. 

Fourthly, I need to organize my homeschooling stuff and really work on and dedicate time to the scheduling and lesson planning.  I also believe I was burned out there.  I didn't focus and pray every night like I had been and the second half of our year suffered.

Lastly, I'm going to focus some mommy time on my favorite hobbies.  Unfortunately, I have many-reading, quilting, scrapbooking, and genealogy research.  I plan on working on those things periodically through the week to give myself some refreshment.

We'll see how it goes.

What are your favorite hobbies?  How do you find time for them?