A New Year has arrived…

 

 

Wow, another year has gone… Is it me or does it seem like this year just flew by? I really just can’t fathom how we have come to yet another year.

 

It is time for all those new resolutions.. Did you make one?! I try every year, and every year within a few months I have given up. So instead of making a resolution this year, I’m going to make a list of goals for this year.

 

I want to keep losing the weight that has been slowly coming off for the last 6 months, and try a bit harder to keep my numbers down and be better about my Diabetes's. Its time to admit, its not going anywhere.. can’t pretend and it will just go away.

My next goal is to be more organized, and efficient. I want to keep all areas of my home, life running a bit more smoothly. Then maybe I wouldn’t be as stressed out. I have already started on this one. I finished my home binder yesterday. I can now find the things I am looking for much easier (now to keep up with using it).

I want to spend more down time with my family. Be less driven to have the cleanest house, or stress about the little things. I am wasting far to much time with them, that I will never get back.

Continue with my learning of neat techniques and mastering the things I know on the camera. It is truly one of my favorite passions. I want to get better about scrapbooking, or preserving those memories though.

 

I think that is my biggest goals that I want to accomplish this year. I’m sure there are many little ones though. However, when you put to much on you at one time is when you fail.

 

Have you come up with your resolution for this year yet? Or do you have a list of goals you want to accomplish?

 

I wish you all the best of luck in keeping them all! I know, I will need to reevaluate every once in awhile myself or I will lose track of the reason I made them in the first place.

 

 

Happy New Year!!!!

The Simple Woman’s Daybook:

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR TODAY

December 31, 2012

Outside my window...

Chilly but Sunny…

 

I am thinking...

Wow, can you believe tomorrow will be the

first day of 2013!!!!

Where has the year gone?

I am thankful for...

The opportunities that have come to me in the last year..

The new friends I have made over the year..

 

From the learning rooms...

We are finally getting back on track..

Much needed..

Can’t wait to get back in the swing of things..

Want to see what else we are up to, stop by our blog here.

 

 

From the kitchen...

Today we will be having…

Sloppy Joes, and some snacky foods thru out the day!

 

I am wearing...

My comfy clothes..

Since I don’t plan on going anywhere today.

 

I am creating...

Less clutter, and more organization

As well as prepping for the kids rooms to finally be painted!

 

I am going...

To enjoy another day home with my family today..

games, laughter and food

 

I am reading...

some really good blog posts this week..

Love the year in review things!

 

I am hoping...

That this new year brings some

peace with some things we have been struggling with..

More happiness, laughter, and family time!

 

I am hearing...

My kids quietly playing in their rooms.

 

Around the house...

I have laundry to fold, dishes to wash, floors to wash,

but it will have to wait til tomorrow!

 

One of my favorite things...

My children’s smiles..

They make my whole day!

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Library, School, Doctor Appt, and more playing… You?

 

Here is picture for thought I am sharing..

A look back at last Christmas…
Boy, have they changed!

 

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal:

 

 

 

 

 

• In my life this week…

We rocked Christmas,

Enjoyed our time together,

and prepped for the upcoming week..

 

• In our homeschool this week…

We took most of the week off,

did our reading, and

some science..

 

 

• Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Change it up once and awhile..

then they don’t get as bored.. as well as you!

 

• I am inspired by…

The amazing people I know!

 

• Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This week we get back to normal for the most part..

We have a couple of appts,

Co-op, Library, Piano Lessons..

 

 

• My favorite thing this week was…

Watching the looks on my kids faces when,

they opened their Christmas Presents!

 

• What’s working/not working for us…

Co-op is working awesome for us!
So worth looking into one in your area!

 

• Questions/thoughts I have…

Do you teach a foreign Language?

If so which one?

 

• Things I’m working on…

This week, I’m working on organization

and clean up, purging, and getting back on track!

 

 

• I’m reading…

Nothing!

 

• I’m cooking…

Spaghetti I think..

 

• I’m grateful for…

My family and AMAZING Friends!

 

 

• A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
  
  Kids in their new Christmas Eve Pj’s!!!

Christmas

 

Now that the crazy aftermath of Christmas is done.. I can blog about it! Lol.. It was probably one of the best Christmas’s we have had in awhile (except that I just wasn’t feeling the greatest).

 

For the first time in 5 yrs hubby was off for Christmas Eve.. That made an incredible difference. The day was filled with laughing, playing, eating, and just plain enjoying each others company. We played some board games, toys, and watched a few movies. With true Monkey Tradition we opened our Christmas Eve gift of Pj’s.. and put them on before reading our Christmas Story. We have been doing this tradition since Monkey man was a baby. This year we read “The Christmas Train” by Thomas Monson. It was good, and gave the kids a good thing to think about.

 

Hubby and I had some last minute presents to wrap, that we had lost and then found again! (Does that ever happen to you?)

On Christmas Morning the monkey’s were up way earlier than normal. I usually have to wake them up, I guess this year they were super excited! So we got up at 6am, popped in the French toast bake, I had made the night before into the oven. While it was baking we opened presents..

 

 

I couldn’t wait for Middle Monkey to see her Santa present. She has been asking for it for 3 yrs now. Can you believe she was SPEACHLESS? Oh, and her other favorite gift was the matching outfit for her and her doll. Aren’t they cute?

 

 

 

 

Next up was Little Monkey… She wanted nothing more than Lala Loopsy’s for Christmas this year. I had never heard of them, until a month ago when she started asking for them for Christmas. She got a big one, a Lala Loopsy Little, and a few tiny ones. She was so EXCITED!

 

 

 

 

 

Monkey Man didn’t really know what to ask for this year. His list was very light, so he got some Lego’s, a Lego Game, Lego Wii game (are you sensing a pattern here) and the newest book in the series he was reading. (Books are always at the top of his list)

 

 

 

 

Mommy and Daddy don’t usually have a lot of money left over to get presents for each other… so we just get a small gift from the kids. Then in a month or so when we can save up some money we get something big for each other.

 

 

 

As tradition that we started a few years ago.. (None of us liked being stuck in the kitchen all day to cook and clean… so we couldn’t enjoy Christmas.. That we started having Ham Italians for Christmas Lunch/Dinner) We enjoyed lunch, and played a few games. Then we headed to hubby’s brothers for Christmas Dinner this year. That was nice to catch up with everyone, and enjoy each others company. The kids showed off a few of their presents and had a great time.

 

 

 

We really couldn’t have asked for a better day. Did you enjoy your Christmas? What was your favorite gift?

Dial Foaming Hand Soap Review:

 

 

 

Does liquid soap just disappear in your house? It seems like every time I put a new bottle in the kids bathroom within minutes its magical gone? Not sure if it is the fascination of playing with it? Or if it smells so good, they just can’t help themselves.. Or if a magical elf is just coming along and stealing it. However, I’m really tired of it being gone all the time. Unless I want my kids to smell bad, and have gross hands I can’t just stop buying it. RIGHT?!

Bar soap is even worse, they break it into little pieces, and put water in the soap dish so its all nasty and slimy! I just can’t win. For kids who hate to be clean, they sure do love playing with the soap. Maybe it’s the bubbles? LOL

Craziness I say!

 

 

I recently got the chance to try out Dial Antibacterial Foaming Hand Wash. I was sent two bottles of Dial in their cute little limited holiday design bottles. We got the Santa, and Holiday scene. Which was nice to spice up our bathroom to look a bit more in the holiday season.

 

The Holiday Collection includes:

• Santa
• Snowman
• Holiday Scene
• Candy Cane

 

 

Did you know that Dial is the #1 doctor recommended antibacterial foaming hand wash? It kills 99.99% of germs. Which is great this time of year. I’m sure all you mom’s can agree. The germs are in high supply right now! We have been lucky so far (knock on wood) and bypassed the Flu, Strep, and the common cold.

Guess that means our Dial Foaming Hand wash must be doing its job!

 

Our Opinion:

 

We loved the scents of our two bottles. Somehow, my kids have not gone to crazy with it either. I think they still use a bit more than they need to, but it seems to have lasted longer. I have found that even with my hands covered in dirt, butter, paint, or what ever I have been into at that time it works very well. My hands are squeaky clean, and smell wonderful! With as many little hands as I have needing to be washed all the time, this is a great addition to our Bathroom!

 

You can find Dial on Facebook, or on their webpage here.

 

 

*Disclosure:  Dial provided a free sample of their Holiday Foaming Hand Soap so I could review them as part of the Purex Insiders. However, all of the opinions are 100% mine or my monkeys.

 

 

 

Simple Woman’s Daybook:

 

 

 

 

FOR TODAY

December 24th, 2012

 

Outside my window...

It is very cold, and partially sunny..

 

 

I am thinking...

Is it possible for Christmas Eve to be here already??!

I can’t wait to see what the day holds!

 

I am thankful for...

my hubby having today off for the first time in 5yrs!!!

 

From the learning rooms...

We have been really slacking..

A bit of math, reading, and science here and there..

Lots of Physical Education this week though,

playing in all the snow we got!

 

Want to see what else we are up to, stop by our blog here.

 

From the kitchen...

Tonight we are having left overs.. none of us want to cook!

 

I am wearing...

My Pj’s… Yup, didn’t have to leave the house

so I didn’t get dressed!

 

I am creating...

Nothing today…

 

I am going...

spend the day with my family playing games,

enjoying our time together.. and having fun!

 

I am reading...

Tonight we will read our new Christmas Book

this year’s is
“The Christmas Train” by Thomas Monson

 

I am hoping...

That my kids have a great Christmas and remember the

real meaning and reason for it.

 

I am hearing...

My kids quickly picking up their rooms,

so they are ready for Santa, and they

can play!

 

Around the house...

We are letting it all go today! Have a great Christmas Eve my friends!

 

One of my favorite things...

Watching my kids excitement grow!

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Cleaning, Dinner with family, relaxing, playing, a meeting, and 4H

 

 

Here is picture for thought I am sharing..

Making a editable Christmas Tree

The Homeschool Mother’s Journal:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• In my life this week…

We are finishing up our prepping for Christmas!!

More wrapping to finish…

Cooking to do…

and we threw a Christmas Party yesterday..

 

 

• In our homeschool this week…

Not much to be honest..
I have been so busy with getting our cooking, cleaning,

and shopping done..

I let them have most of the week off.

Plus we had snow storms all week.. So,

they got lots of Physical Education in this week I guess!

 

 

• Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Start looking for next years curriculum now..

I am making a list of things we want to use next year,

so we can be looking for good sales on it..

 

 

• I am inspired by…

The few good people we have left in the world..

that have paid off layaways for people,

or left money anonymously for them to make their day brighter!

 

 

• Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

This week.. we are not really going anywhere..

Hubby is off for Christmas Eve for the first time in 5 yrs…

so we are not leaving the house!

On Christmas we will join my Hubby’s brothers for Christmas dinner…

I have a meeting and 4H this week..

other than that… home we will be!

 

• My favorite thing this week was…

Spending time with my friends at the Christmas Party

I threw… and seeing the faces on the kids when they got presents!

Totally made my Christmas!!!

 

 

• What’s working/not working for us…

Getting back on track..

We are having a rough go of it still for some reason.

Time for me to put my foot down with them and myself.

 

• Questions/thoughts I have…

How much time are you taking off for Christmas?

 

• Things I’m working on…

Finishing off the last Christmas Present (painting) …

 

 

• I’m reading…

Nothing at the moment… but

going to start the 13th day of Christmas very soon!

 

 

• I’m cooking…

A Ham dinner, mashed potatoes, green beans, and carrots! YUM!

 

 

• I’m grateful for…

Being able to have wonderful traditions with my family!

 

 

• A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

“Live like there is no tomorrow”