Weekly Goals

I think one of the most common things I hear from fellow mamas is how much we all struggle with the un-ending to do list that comes with the territory of motherhood and kids underfoot. I have often described it as feeling like I am living out the plot of Groundhog Day - you know, where the same day starts over and over. Same tasks. Same snacks. Same dishes. Same chores. Same fights. Same. Same. Same.

It just is what it is. I don't think we can escape it. We will have a lot of mundane tasks, and we will probably end each day feeling like we did not really complete any one of them.

I saw this post over at Under the Sycamore and immediately thought, "AHA! That is a great tool for me." The whole idea of having weekly goals is brilliant! Because I have my daily grind goals that seem to suck up the time, and the name of the game in this season of life seems to be INTENTIONALITY. I have to be intentional with everything I want to do. My husband and I may really want to carve out some solo time, but if we are not intentional about it, it ain't gonna happen. Kristen and I have been talking a lot lately about how easy it is to all of the sudden realize that you aren't really connected to your peeps anymore. Life can sweep through and all of the sudden it has been a month or so since you have really connected with friends or other families that you care about.

The same thing is true for my goals that I would certainly like to accomplish. When Ashley Anne was writing about her goals I felt some serious mama solidarity.

So, I have put together a little Weekly Goals template for myself. Feel free to use. I loved the 4 categories so much that Ashely shared that I copied them. They are Home Organization (I'll be tackling my pesky linen cupboard this week), Project Completion (finishing my daughter's preschool scrapbook seems like a good one, since she is now in 1st grade), Something for Someone Else (love this idea of weekly planning how we can love on someone else), and Each Kid (this one makes my heart sigh because I desperately need to be intentional with doing something with or for each kiddo of mine every week. This week I am taking my girlie on a date, and my hubby is taking my son on a date.)

I know that there will be weeks (probably more than not) where I will not accomplish these goals. But, at least I am starting my week with them on my mind and working at that intentionality piece to the equation.

There is a lot to be learned about surrenduring to the beauty that is found in the mundane.

I continue to push forward.

10 on 10

I love when other bloggers post their 10 on 10. I have intended to begin doing it many times. Just like I intend to make photo books for every year of our marriage. Today was a good day to start.

What is "10 on 10"? Heather Mattos, from Cookie Mondays, summarized it beautifully:

Take a photo every hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month. Document a day of your life and find beauty among the ordinary moments!

Typically, the idea here is to document a whole day's worth of photos in one post. Inspiration to remember to capture simple, everyday moments and record them, as well!

Today at Mama Manifesto we took on a collaborative 10 on 10. Kind of a view into the moments of many mamas days. Visit and check it out. And, link up your own 10 on 10, if you do it.

Here is my 10 on 10 ...

9 am: Morning cuddles on the couch, as we consider good name choices for his stuffed animals. "Owlie" is pictured here. Owlie has a lot of questions, most of which are: "Who?"

10 am: Returning decor items from a fundraising event for Nuru International to IKEA. There was ice cream. We were happy.


11 am: A quick errand at Paper Source, paper heaven. I love this place. I could spend hours looking at every little thing here. I got some japanese masking tape for a craft project. Callen and I played "I Spy" to keep him from juggling the fun Christmas goodies.


12 pm: Enjoying a smoothie on my way to Balboa Island for a walk (alone!). I rarely get a moment to walk by myself, as I usually have my trusty sidekick on his razor or bike. This was an amazing treat with ipod loaded with great tunes, and time to pray and walk in the sunshine

These ladies just had to be included. I love watching them paint the beauty of balboa. I was reminded of how we are wired to create.

1 pm: The end of my walk. Oh, how I love this place and I am so thankful that it is now only about 10 minutes from my home. I came home a much different mama than when I left. Feeling more peaceful and with a fresh perspective on loving my family in the mundane (something I was struggling with in the morning).

2 pm: Starting a craft project in my daughter's room. I gathered stuff that has been lurking in the garage to create some much-needed (FREE!!) wall art in her new room.



3 pm: Done! Love it. Love that it was free. (I will share more about this craft project tomorrow.)

4 pm: Homework time with my sweet girlie.


5 pm: Dinner prep. Taco Tuesday. Everything was ready for our return from soccer.

6 pm: Soccer practice. Not pictured here - the invisible icicles hanging from my body. It was so cold! Fall has definitely arrived. We played "how hot can it get" in the car on the way home with the heater blasting.

It was a lovely day of ordinary moments.

Sidenote: All photos from today were taken on my iphone using the instagram app. It is pretty awesome. A fun way to play with different effects and offers immediate sharing to facebook, flickr, etc. And its free!

sigh.

I have a lot of love for the book, Jesus Calling. It has been such a gift to my days in a busy season. It feels as though each day has not only been written for me, but that it truly has been written for THAT day.

This was what I read a few days ago.

I love that phrase so much - "instead of grasping and controlling, you are learning to release and receive."

It is funny - I have been so sensitive lately to the "grasping and controlling" that I see in my children. It is like needles on a chalkboard when I see them walking through life with a posture of entitlement. It is painful for me.

I had a moment this week where I caught a glimpse of myself modeling that same posture that makes me completely crazy when I see it in my children. God gently reminding me how far I have to come. And, reminding me at the same time that I should have a lot more grace for my kids.

Ouch.

Sigh.

So, today, I am thankful for this simple little devotional book that daily gives me some really good food for thought.