life lately

Seems blogging has been on the back burner lately as our life is just easy and good. We're actually enjoying these cold days indoors, quiet mornings reading books, drawing on the easel, painting, playing with play dough, dancing to loud music, and making food color potions. Our routine often leaves our kiddos in their PJs until noon, which seems to be just fine with them :)

I am working on getting myself up hours before them to get my workouts in, get laundry started, start my day with devotion, and that seems to just give things a better start in our home. When I have some time to myself first thing opposed to be awaken by a crying toddler or one pulling on my arm at the side of the bed, things are just better. And it seems I'm finally getting that, you know, it just took 12 months or so!

I find myself looking for pre preschool learning activities to fill my one-on-one time with Lily while Preston takes his morning nap, and I'm amazed at the things she knows. Of course I'm particle to thinking my child is a genius but seriously - she knows a lot for a 2 year old! Things like spelling and writing her name, her ABCs, counting to 20, all her colors and most of her shapes - I think she got her daddy's brains! It's unreal to think she's old enough to start preschool this fall, that's still a conversation in our house as to whether or not she's going but that she could is crazy! She loves loves music, dancing, and singing - oh my child, she is a free spirit!

And then there's Preston, be still my heart, seriously. That boy just does something special to this mama's heart. He is pure joy. He literally smiles and it tugs my heart, every time. His sweet little giggles and gentle hugs make me so sad that he's growing so fast! He's learning lots of words, he's starting to play alone with Lily, he carries his blankies everywhere, and he will eat whenever you're offering! He still naps twice a day and is so easy to lay down - he literally walks into his room with a paci and blankie when I tell him it's nap time - Lily was never that easy to get to sleep!

And then there's me. I love my days with these sweet kiddos. They are fun to be with, of course stressful at times but lots of fun, for the most part. I am cautious of the time I spend with them because I hear so many friends that are in that next stage, school age, that tell me how fast it really goes! So I try really hard to leave my phone where I'm not so I'm not tempted to check it all the time, turn the TV off for the majority of the time they're awake, and get on the floor and play with my kids. And then during their nap time I work like a chicken with its head cut off - switching laundry, prepping for dinner, making grocery and to-do lists, and doing things for Twirl!

I have mastered optimizing that 1-2 hours of alone time during the afternoon, that's for sure! And now of course my oldest seems to be phasing out of her naps - ugh! But honestly nap time for me is busy and it's when I get most of my work done. I love sitting at my desk with a cup of coffee and working on my to-do list for a new business! Twirl has been a God send for me and I am so thankful for the opportunity to do it and work with my mom at the same time. It's absolutely fulfilling a dream for me and offering me something to challenge my mind and utilize so many of my skills, I am loving it!

And lastly there's Jimmy. His work has not slowed down much but he seems to be prioritizing differently. This past year was a hard one for us so we made some decisions to do things differently this next year. He's consistently been coming home earlier and communicating with me about when he is leaving or when he may be a little late. We are ending each night together instead of doing our own thing, no matter if we go to bed at the same time or not we are spending time in prayer at the end of the day and I can already tell the difference. He is my #1 and I'm learning how to put him before my kids, and sometimes that's hard for mom's. But he's there, he will always be there, and he's the man that loves loves loves me no matter what.

So my heart is full. My marriage is in a fantastic place with hopes for our best year yet! My kiddos are healthy, happy, and fun! I have a business that is growing and finally figuring out how to have some time to myself, yet enjoying being with my kids every day! Times aren't always like this and that's why I wanted to write a reflection of where I'm at for now. Life and health is a blessing and I am really realizing that it's all about how you look at things or how you choose to change that really reflects the life you will live.

its a new year

I love this time every year. A refreshed outlook on life as one year comes to a close and another new year trails in behind it. Blame it on my corporate work experience but I've always been one that believes in goals. For me its a tangible way to see something, do it, and feel good about accomplishing it. So ever since Jimmy and I have been together we take some time during this week to document our goals for the year. These goals have evolved and changed from our time of singleness to newly married, to new parents, and now a young family.  We create family goals, marriage goals, and individual goals. And this year business goals were added to my list - wahoo!

Now I know that the gyms are bombarded with extra people, the health section of the grocery store is completed wiped out, more people begin each day in prayer, and more families vow to end each day around the dining room table for dinner instead of the living room. And sadly for most this lasts just a few weeks or months, and then things begin to fizzle and we resort back to old habits. But I'd argue that setting goals as a family and posting them in a place that is seen daily offers that extra reminder, and incentive to stay on track. I type out our goals and hang them inside our pantry door, a place that is opened and closed several times a day and seen by everyone. Now granted 2 of the 4 members of our family can't read yet but luckily the 2 that can are the ones that make changes happen anyways :)

So I'd challenge you to really spend some time reflecting on this past year - what was good, what was not so good, what was a struggle, what was a triumph? I make our next year's family calendar during this week as well and I love looking back through all the pictures from the year. It's crazy how quickly you can forget about a little trip you took, or a special day at home together that was just fun, or how quickly your kids change in just a years time! When I reflected on this year it honestly was a year or struggle for me. I felt discontent during the first part of the year having moved to a new place, left my job in the corporate world to stay home full time, had another baby, ate when I was bored, worked out less than ever, felt lonely because my husband worked long hours, bought too many new things, and the list goes on and on. But when I began to look at that list and feel pity I thought about the year differently. I thought about the new business my mom and I started, I thought about all the milestones my son has achieved in the first full year of his life, I thought about the incredible blessing it is to be the one seeing my children's daily lives, and I was quickly reminded that God's blessings always always outweigh the hardships. That life is completely about the attitude you take and so for me this year is going to be a year of change. A change in perspective, attitude, forgiveness, grace, and growth and I can't wait! Cheers to 2014!

Here's some of our family goals and my goals for the year:

• End each day in prayer together.
• Spend more one on one time with each of the kids by taking one child on a special outing, dinner, lunch, etc. each month.
• Take away the pacifiers.
• Be an active family.
• Enjoy our time as a family in the evenings more by not using our phones or iPad during the time between dinner and the kids bedtime.
• Have a kid free weekend away.
• Take 2-3 family weekend getaways.
• Take a family vacation with the Davis family.
• Volunteer in the church nursery at least twice.

Jenna

• Show Jimmy more grace on days when he has to stay late at the office, make home be the place he wants to come home to and me the person he wants to be around most.
• Take a 30th birthday trip with girls.
• Strive to achieve weight loss and fitness goals.
• Focus on my marriage relationship goals to make this the best year of our marriage.
• Start each day with devotion and prayer.