???Spring Resolution???

WELCOME SPRING!!!

Springtime is here!!! Soon, flowers will be blooming (if they aren't already), the grass will turn a lovely brilliant green, and in the farming regions you will see new baby animals. The weather is soon to turn warmer, the days are growing longer, and the air is filled with the sweet songs of the birds. I get such a feeling of exhilaration when spring is in the air! I absolutely LOVE spring, the sweet smells, the lovely sounds, and the warm breezes. I also look forward to gardening, and spring cleaning!

This year I am going to try something different...A Spring Resolution. Now many of us make New Year's Resolutions, we try to lose weight, spend more time in the Bible, keep on a better schedule, and so on...BUT, sometimes our resolutions get tossed aside and forgotten. I even find, for myself, that I am more on top of things when the weather is warm, the flowers are blooming, and I am itching to get OUTSIDE! So, I am going to try to create some new habits for my Spring Resolution.

Creating New Habits
If you have been over at Flylady's website you can check out how she manages to create new habits each month. She begins each new year with the same challenges, and reinforces them throughout the month. I encourage you to check out her site, she starts with "baby steps" and builds upon them. If you don't know where to start, you might try the "Flylady" method.

I have already posted some of my goals for March on the right hand side of my blog. They are:

1. Purge house of excess clothing.
2. Clean kitchen floor with magic eraser.
3. Keep up on laundry.
4. Plant lettuce & spinach.

I have planted my lettuce and spinach...then it snowed over top...but I think it will be okay. I have been storing the clothing that I intend to take to goodwill in the guest bedroom...so that goal is in progress. My wonderful husband helped me clean the kitchen floor, but it could still use a good scrubbing with the magic eraser. The laundry is always a mountainous task, but I am working on it!

There are a few things I have learned so far with creating new habits. PACE YOURSELF!!! You must not overwhelm yourself with too many tasks at one time. I posted last Wednesday's goals and I was determined to accomplish them. I was successful, BUT I paid for it physically for the rest of the week. On Thursday and Friday, I was very tired, I had sore muscles, and due to my pregnancy I had "round ligament" pains. (If you haven't had them your are blessed, they are muscle spasms and cramps in the round ligaments in your abdomen, usually on the right and left side of your enlarging belly. The "spasms" can be brought on by laughing, sneezing, twisting and bending, working too hard, or simply moving too quickly.)

On Saturday, I went to a funeral and ended up with a migraine! UGH! Nature's reminder that I did TOO much on Wednesday.

Here are my cleaning habits that I will be working on for my (March-April) Spring Resolution:

1. Keep up with my laundry (that is, 2-4 loads/day).
2. Keep up with my dishes (my children like to help with loading the dishwasher)--that is, keeping the cookies sheets & bread pans washed, & running dishwasher once daily.
   
3. Keep homeschoolers on task.
4. Stay on a weekly menu.

Edited: Thanks Mercy...I do need to be more specific!

I am keeping it simple. I refuse to plan too much, if I have the ability to do more then I will, but that will be on a separate WISH "TO DO" LIST not a must do list. Also my children are responsible to help with other tasks. Here is a list of their responsibilites:

1. Clean living room & kid's living/play room after homeschool.
2. Unload the dishwasher.
3. Cleaning up bedrooms (their own).
4. Clearing their own plates after a meal.
   
5. Sometimes my oldest son get the responsibility of sweeping the kitchen floor.
   

They are responsible to complete these tasks daily. They are not allowed any privileges until they are done with their Afternoon Chore Time. Privileges being going outside to play, playing with legos inside, and so on.

Remember, PACE YOURSELF, I realized one very important thing when I reflected on last Wednesday's goals...that is, I am not superwoman!!! I am not able to do as much as I once did, I must pace myself, rest when needed, and trust that God will help me to accomplish the tasks that I desire to accomplish.

My goal is to create a happy, comfortable home for my family. This can be done by preparing planned homecooked meals, keeping things comfortably clean--not perfectly clean, and making sure that everybody has clean clothes to wear and a clean place to eat. Afterall, we live here! We are home all the time!!! So there will be times when the house will be a little "lived in" and we will need to tidy up. Remember, it's comfortable NOT perfect!

What are your Spring (Cleaning) Resolutions?

Have a blessed day! and HAPPY SPRING!!!
God bless!
Heather