It's good to see everyone (Becka)

Hey, I want you all to know I love reading all your posts. I still read often even though I haven't posted in a long time.

My goal this year was to home school my kids and which I've done. That is mostly why I haven't posted, not the best excuse but it's my only one. I love home schooling, it has been so much fun. We are continuing during the summer because well, 1) I'm mean and 2) because I hate the idea of summer break. It makes school into the bad guy and doing nothing into the good guy. We do take breaks but they are throughout the year.

My house is still in chaos. If I thought it would get better once I started home schooling I must have been crazy. (I didn't, don't worry) My older two kids are visiting there grandparents in Utah for a couple of weeks and I'm looking forward to getting some stuff done. I've made a list of things I'd like to get done while there gone and I'm hoping to get most of them done. I'll let you know how that goes.

Lastly our finances are, well, they could be better. I need to get a tighter hold on them. Dave is leaving for Poland in a couple of weeks and so much of our money is going to it, it's making me sick. One of the things I really want to do is organize our files this week. I'm hoping that will help to see more of where are money is going and how we could save more of it.

Well, I'm hoping everyone is well. It's great to see all of you doing so well and keeping going. I'm going to try much harder to keep up. I really have no excuse. My kids are bigger, I have a husband who helps when he's home, I don't have to work and I'm not pregnant :) . I need to be more greatful for what I have. I'll write again soon.

Becka

Aloha Seniorita's...!

Sometimes I like to pretend I'm Spanish and Hawaiian all at the same time. It's a fun game. You should try it sometime.... :)

So I know it's been centuries since I've posted, sorry.

I now feel like I have things to post about. I feel super grateful for the blessing in disguise of being let go from Centex. It's allowed me to go outside my comfort zone and start learning the resale side of real estate.

I accepted a position with a real estate team that provides leads. It's a lower commission split but that's okay. My real purpose in accepting a position was to learn all I can about resale, foreclosures, short sales, etc. to take the knowledge with me wherever our journey takes us.

Anywho, it's been a great week and a half. I've already been given about five leads. Below are some of my new goals focused on my career. I'll work on revising my personal goals over the next week and report back.

Here's your thought for the week: "Perseverance is the secret of success. Procrastination is the secret of failure." Milton Levine

Career Goals:
Sharpen the saw:
1. Read real estate updates 3x a week on Mon., Wed., and Fri.
2. Read educational material 20+ minutes week days.
3. Update own website one time a week.
4. Take two real estate classes a month.
Communication:
1. Respond to prospects within 3 hours of calling.

Love you ladies!

Tiff

My cup ran over!

Hi Guys,
O.K. I'll be honest. I am a bit discouraged. Heidi helped me earlier when I told her I went to the doctor and weighed in at 141.7 lbs. It has been 3 month since I stopped sugar (with the exception of a tiny bit of jam or a recipie like a pancake that has a little in it.)

I never ever wanted to go past 139 lbs. Sigh... so... now I am looking at my other eating. I realize that I often overeat on other stuff (bread, mashed potatoes etc.)I guess I will get out the old measuring cup and allow myself only one cup of starchy, bready things... I haven't decided for sure. Just experimenting. I continue to exercise about 4 times per week. hmmm...I could step it up but...hmmm. Any ideas?

Hey, happy fathers day to all of you. You may not be the father but you are great supports to us.
Love,
me

The Power to Change

I read this great article last week "The Power to Change" by James E. Faust. Here are some of my favorite quotes that I think directly relate to this blog and our desire to better ourselves:

"Each new day that dawns can be a new day for us to begin to change. We can change our environment. We can change our lives by substituting new habits for old. We can mold our character and future by purer thoughts and nobler actions. As someone once put it, 'The possibility of change is always there, with its hidden promise of peace, happiness, and a better way of life.'"

“My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27). Let us remember that the power to change is very real, and it is a great spiritual gift from God. "

So, with the optimism that I can change, that even though I have fallen short of many of my goals, it's not too late! Here are my updates:

PROGRESS!
-Scrapbooking: I was able to finish Ireland's birthday book up to the end of May & send everything to be printed. Yay! Now I have to focus on McKinley's book.
-FlyLady Routines: I've been more consistent with my morning & before-bed routine & it's helped me to keep my house clean!
-Temple. Jason & I were able to go to the temple on Thursday. It was really wonderful!
-Seeing as Jesus sees: I have dedicated more quantity and quality time this week to scripture reading, prayer, and study. I have felt closer to my Savior & it's been easier to see myself & others as He sees.
-Service: The other bonus to feeling closer to my Savior is feeling more cheerful about serving. I was able to watch Robyn's kids for a few hours last week on her birthday & it felt so good to serve!
-Media: Again, I feel like I've tried to seek inspirational media -not just avoid the bad stuff. I re-created my inspirational playlist & I love listening to it & being inspired.
-wrote in my journal!
-Had a date night @ the temple w/ my sweetie this week.

WORK ON:
-Taking better care of this earthly temple. This week, I hope to not pop my zits, to focus on caring for my face & healing it.
-Love notes from God: I bought a special notebook just for this reason to do better, so here's to doing better!
-Exercising: for some reason, I haven't been able to get in more than twice a week! I'd like to do so much more this week. Like, EVERY DAY - at least a little bit. I'd like to do some yoga, too. My back has been hurting more.
-Need to do better with my meal planning this week. I did fix a really good chicken tortilla soup yesterday though!
-Taking even more time this week to get closer to my Lord, to be in the right spirit, to find joy in everything I do, to learn the lessons He would have me learn.
-Showing my loved ones how much I care for them.

June progress

Hi ya all,
Thanks for your example and inspriation Heidi.
Here goes...

I have 8 things on my list. I try to check it off each night before bed. I do it about 4-5 times a week.

- Keeping my stress down: I now use outlook for my calendar and "color" my committments. The pink ones mean that it would be a pressure-item. I try to make sure there are not more than 4 pink. Otherwise I reschedule for another week.
- Exercising 4 times a week
- Physical Therapy 5 times
- Loving family moments - 4 times
- Helped with grandkids - 4 times
- no sugar- great (but I do allow myself a bit of jam or yogurt)
- serving someone - I feel good
- Putting in 8 hours of home management - yea! I did it this week. Heidi helped with the budget gosl too! Thanks.
-Thanks to Cindy for helping me with our yard (it looks beautiful)
-Thanks to Tiff for her calls to keep me informed and her love through the phone
-Thanks to Trisha for her enthusiasm with her new business adventure.

I just need to keep working on all of the above.
Love to you all,
mom/sis

Week 23 Update for Heidi

First of all - I miss everyone! I know we're all busy, but let's not give up! I think the minute we stop working toward goals is the minute we let life take over instead of feeling like we have a plan and are doing the best we can.
Overall, I feel like I'm progressing- and that's what it's all about, right?
Here's how I feel like I'm doing & where I'm at for the past week:

Did well last week:
-Flylady. My morning & night routines are getting better & in turn, my house is generally cleaner on the whole, which I am thankful for. I did my home blessing hour and I hope to do some organizing in the coming weeks.
-Jason & I sat down & wrote our temple schedule for the summer & sent it to our neighbors that we switch with. Now we just have to make sure we go!! We are also excited to go to the open house this month for Jason's birthday. Also, we made our summer activity list & have already done a lot!
-Media: I read 2 great books last week - The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis and At the Water's Edge, by Annete Lyon. Both good, inspirational books. The Great Divorce is, wow. Deep.
-At the beginning of the week, I did really good for exercising & even did some jogging & strength exercises. So 2 good days of exercising.
-At the beginning of the week, I did really good with reading my scriptures every day. I think I was about 5 for 7 on this one.
-I have been overall better about taking care of my face & I think I'm 5 for 7 with washing it at least once a day, but I need to do better about doing alternate activities when I feel like popping.
-Making meals. I feel really good for the past few weeks about my meal planning and healthy meal preparation.
-We were on time to church!
-I bore my testimony in church today and it felt really good & I was thankful to be able to do it.

What I want to focus on this week:
-Be consistent EVERY day with praying, reading and pondering the scriptures. If I want to make the relationship with Him the MOST important thing in my life, I need to take the time to put Him first.
-Serving others. Not out of duty. Not out of wanting "brownie points" in heaven. Because I love God and He loves me and I want to let His love for me extend to every other person around me. I want to love & serve others to show my love for Him.
-I have been so much better about eating more fruits & veggies, but at the same time, I have also given in way too much to sugar cravings - LOTS of candy. So, this week my plan is to work on substituting sugary sweet stuff with fruit and drinking more water.
-Get Ireland's birthday book all organized & ready to print up to the date. Get September done for McKinley.
-Being a better mom. Listening more. Cuddling more. Teaching more.
-Getting the hall bathroom drawers organized with bows & everything.

Simplify simplify, simplify

As I continue to move into summer I am amazed at how many things we have planned. When I realized that we have plans every weekend until September I realized I needed to simplify each week and make sure that I didn't have more than 2 big demands besides my 2 working days-- otherwise I would really be negligent on my personal and homemaking goals.

Therefore, here are my re-revived goals:
- Try to keep my big activities to two per week (including my working days)
- Exercise 4 times per week
- physical therapy at home 5-7 times a week
- Loving moments with my family 4 times per week
- Help with the grandkids 3-5 times per week
- continue no sugar program (it will be 3 months on June 6th). I do sometimes have a little jam and if I get a headache I will take pepsi
- serving someone everyday

so there you have it. My simplified version!