January Hot Happenings

Here are some highlights from our house this month!

We have a cute little boy that is growing like a weed! Just look at those cheeks!

His colic is getting better and better, and he has started sleeping 5-6 hours at a time during the night! *Blessingsfromonhigh* He is about 9 weeks old, and is starting to do very well with his hands. He loves to grab things, "play" with his blue elephant, and has even succeeded in pushing his soother into his mouth - he just didn't know enough to let go!

The rest of the fam is the same as always....

Rachel, Carrie and Justin are busy in school, and have enjoyed playing with a few friends. We all had the privilege of fellowship with two different missionary families this month. That has to be the best part of being a pastor's kid!

We've been having quite the mild winter around here. There has been a few small snow storms, but then right after we get lots of rain. We've even had days where the temps have been in the 50's! NOT your usual January weather!

What I've been reading....

I enjoyed starting a new practice with my siblings, and that is to read a chapter of a book each day as they finish their lunch. All as part of their schooling, of course. :) We finished Little House in the Big Woods this month. Any Little House book is a favorite! My sisters LOVE learning about the lives of Laura and Mary and pretend to be them every day in their play.

We started reading Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald this month as well. This was my book when I was young, and it is such a great kids book! The story is about two orphans that live in a horrid boarding house, and all their escapades and escapes. The girls are loving it!









For my own personal reading (trying to read two books per month this year) I have read:

I read and reviewed The Encounter by Stephen Arterburn here. I am going to try from February on to read 2 books per month besides my Booksneeze books, but for this month, I enjoyed reading this.

Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman was the other book I read, and my oh my. I just don't even know where to start. This book changed.my.life, no doubt about it. I would challenge every girl out there to read this book, especially if you, like me, grew up in a Christian Home, was saved at an early age, has always been "good," labeled as "teacher's pet" and you know what all else. Here is my one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"For me, life was pretty well put together. I did life right. I went to church regularly. I got married and had babies in the appropriate order. I never got arrested. I recycled. I loved Jesus. But sometimes in quiet stillness, I felt an aching that wouldn't go away, a longing to taste and see, to live authentically free. My instinctive impulse was to find my worth in the response of the people around me, and as a result, people became measuring sticks for my goodness rather than unique expressions of God."

I never realized I was hiding behind masks of "good" until I read this book. I just can't say enough good about it. If you need more convincing you can go here to read the first chapter.

My Monthly Goals...

I have so enjoyed starting the practice this month of setting weekly goals and being inspired (by all of you lovely readers) to get 'er done! I have also enjoyed linking up each week to Money Saving Mom and being challenged by all the other goal-setting-peeps over there! Seriously, there are some committed wonder-women out there, I just know it!

I have yet to sit down and finalize my goals for February, but I plan to continue my reading habits, my practice of exercising 3 times a week, and hopefully get a few more projects done as well! I have been stalking Pinterest to decide which thing to tackle from there, and can't wait to get started on something. It is promising to be an exciting month!

I'd love to hear what the rest of you have been up to during the month of January, and what you are looking forward to in February! Any big snowstorms? V-day plans? Anyone on the Pinterest-project bandwagon with me? What good books are you reading? (I love suggestions!) Leave a comment and chime in with your thoughts!