My project for this week.

Sorry this wasn't posted yesterday. I took the pictures yesterday but didn't get a chance to upload them. I have been coming up with a plan of attack but haven't actually started cleaning yet... but I won't let you down! I'll post my success by the end of the week.

I'm quite embarassed to share these pictures with you. It looks much worse than I thought. I've always ignored this area of the house and considered it David's area -- after all, hes the computer guy. But, we both use it, and most of the crap under the desk is mine. And, David isn't a "file" guy, I am a "file" girl. So, I think its only fair to set up the file system and help him file the bills and paperwork after he takes care of his end.

So you see, there is more to this project than just cleaning up. There are file systems to be created, papers to be filed, statues to sell on ebay, and junk to find homes for (or throw away).

Check back on Sunday (or it may be Monday before I post the finished picture -- Sunday looks like its going to be a busy day!).

To do list

As you know, I've been working on keeping my house a little bit cleaner. I still have a lot of improving to do!

Well, I am going to give myself a week to accomplish some tasks that I've been putting off. I have lots of excuses. My most used excuse is that this apartment is temporary, we will buy a house "soon" either in Greenville (God willing!) or around Atlanta. So, I haven't allowed myself to get settled in my temporary housing. What that means is I have a lot of stuff out and about that doesn't have a real home.

So, on Monday's I'm going to take a photo of a spot in my house I want to work on, I'll give myself the week and then post another picture to show you how I did. Hopefully I'll stick to this better than I did my Fitness Friday's. Although, my sister did give me a weight loss idea the other day... I may tell you all about it later, I'm still thinking it through right now.

Anyway, some of the areas I need to tackle are our computer station area, the hutch/dresser/sideboard thingey in our eating area, our bedroom (the junk catch-all) and, I may actually finish the girls room. I LOVE their room, but never finished their walls -- I wanted to paint on their walls and just can't bring myself to do something so permanent to something so temporary.

Most of this stuff will need to be done regardless of where we live. I need to de-junk the computer area anyway, no sense in moving my paystubs from my job 8 years ago again, right?

Ok, so this Monday, be prepared for a SCARY picture of some area in my house.

Giveaway

Check it out!

Fitness Friday

I'm going to start a new challenge, to myself and anyone else that wants to join. Fitness Friday. I need to challenge myself to get in shape. I've only been in good shape for about a year out of my 28 years -- and even then I did it the wrong way (pills). I've always struggled with my weight. I'm always on a diet. I'm always feeling guilty for what I just ate. Its time to break this cycle!

I don't want to do a weekly weigh in because for the first time in my life I don't want it to be about weight only. I want it to be about fitness and being active. I will weigh in on Friday mornings, but I'll be keeping that number to myself (duh!). I'll post about how my week went, if I did in fact lose weight, and most importantly, how active I was!

My parents are brining me some of my old exercise videos. I hope to do one of those a day, even if its broken up through out my day (I rarely get a full hour without some baby related interruption!). I would also like to get out and walk/run with the girlies once and a while. We did just buy a pretty cool jogging stroller just for that purpose.

So how about you? Want to join me?? If you're in, just comment on this post and tell me what your goals are. Even if you don't need to lose any weight but just want to be more active, join me! On Fridays, post your progress.

Its the little things...

Yesterday I heard that our local Christian radio station 104.7 The Fish has a promotion on Fridays for local restaurants. You can buy a gift certificate for half of its value. I've heard of these before, I think I've even bought one or two. But todays restaurant is J Christopher's , my favorite Atlanta brunch spot.

When I heard about it yesterday I didn't get to excited because I would still have to remember to actually purchase the certificates, I have a horrible memory! Which sometimes work in my favor, I never see a movie or read a book twice or remember the bad stuff! Anyway, this morning I remembered! I hoped online and sure enough, there was the link to purchase a $50 gift certificate for only $25! I immediately grabbed my debit card and was all ready to make my purchase. Then I see the note that says the certificates are open for purchase at 11:46am. I was going to have to remember a second time!

Well, I went about my morning routine, I got the girls up, fed them, played with them and then we went down for our first nap. Yes, I said "our", I take their first nap with them, it is my favorite time of day! Sometimes I don't sleep, I just lay there breathing in their scent, praying for them, thinking about our futures or memorizing everything about them. This morning I slept. We woke up at about 11:45, it took me a minute to remember what I had to remember, I jumped up, ran to the computer and lo and behold -- 18 certificates remained!! I purchased mine and it should be earriving in 7 - 10 days. I'm so excited!

Money has been very tight in our home lately, what with me becoming a stay-at-home-mom and our income being cut in half -- not that I'm complaining! So I started thinking, there must be other restaurants offering these deals. I did some google searching and found that Creative Loafing offers a whole slew of these deals to some of the best restaurants in Atlanta!! It has made my day!

Date nights... here we come!!

My [growing] clean heart

Well, week 2 and so far so good! I haven't let the laundry pile up, which for me, is HUGE! I even have all the guest towels, and sheets clean!

This week the devotional talks about how God is the author of peace, not confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). He doesn't want us to be surrounded by clutter and chaos. He wants us to live a peaceful life -- and its through Him that I can achieve that! For me, its only with His help, I've tried it on my own, it doesn't work.

Create in me a CLEAN HEART!

We have company coming to visit tomorrow so I have been cleaning the house like mad. I hate housework! I love being a stay-at-home-mom and I love being a home maker, but I hate the housekeeping part of it all. Why can't I just care for my babes, cook the meals, sew cute outfits for the girlies (not that I actually do this, but I want to!), bake cookies and come up with creative ways to make each day special for my family. Why do I also have to clean the bathrooms, clean up after I cook or bake, do laundry (my most hated chore!), vacuum, mop, change the sheets, etc.

Because I don't always have a neat and tidy home, it makes me feel like I don't have a solid foundation. Since my "core" feels disorganized, that feeling flows into other areas of my life. I feel like if I can't start something and finish it to completion and do it perfectly, why try?? Like cleaning. I've really been struggling with this since I've become a stay-at-home-mom, my dream job. I thought once I started staying home, all of this would come naturally. I was wrong.

I've been praying about this lately but couldn't put my finger on what was making me feel and act this way. Well, I came across a weekly devotional called Create in me a Clean Heart and it hits the nail on the head! I've only just started the devotional, and my transformation, but Amy says the reason we have this problem is becasue we're selfish! I think that is true of me, I'm more worried about how I feel and if I'll complete the task at hand than I am about how my messiness affects my family. Amy gives weekly memory verses and this weeks (week 1 -- like I said, I JUST started) is Proverebs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight".

I learned this verse years ago, it was on our Steve Green children's CD (geez, if I remember a verse from that 15+ years later, thats pretty awesome, I have to get that CD for my girlies!). But the verse never spoke to me like it does now. Amy advises us to make that verse our daily prayer, ask God to direct our paths throughout the day. I've done that this week and feel like I've accomplished more this week than I have in months! Even days that have been filled with taking care of the girls, I still feel a sense of accomplishment because God IS directing my paths, sometimes I'm lead to clean and sometimes I'm lead to care for and spend time with my girls.

If you're in the same boat I am, take a look at Amy's website and download, for free, her devotional. Its as simple as they come, a very short (less than one page) weekly devotional, prayer and memory verse. I'm thrilled she has memory verses, I want more of God's word hidden in my heart. I've wanted that for a long time but haven't spent time on it. Its one of my new focuses.

If you download it and are going to read through it with me, let me know by commenting below!

~jct

My first post

Hi, I'm Joelle. I've recently become a Mommy. A role I feel I was born for! God has blessed my husband, David and I with beautiful twin daughters. They were born on leap day 2008. I have a separate blog dedicated to sharing the life of my babes, but wanted to have my own blog to share my thoughts. Hopefully my posts will encourage you and be therapeutic for me. I also hope they will be fun and entertaining! I plan to blog about about what God is currently teaching me, how I feel about my newest haircut and everything in between! Please feel free to comment often, your comments will help make my blog come alive!

~jct