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A New Start

A new start

This year I decided that I was going to choose a word.  I know it is something a lot of people do at the start of a year.  I gave it some thought and really kept thinking that I want to make some changes this year.  So CHANGE is the word.  I have some major goals that I want to accomplish. 

For one I want to start blogging and maybe even start putting up YouTube videos. The thought of doing YouTube has been a thought for over a year.  I am an avid addict to YouTube.  I usually have something going while I am working around the house.  I just could not come up with something that would be different, and that people would want to watch.  This last week I am really starting to get a good grasp on what I want to do.  Now there are a few more hurdles I need to over come, and then I will be able to get started.  

The next thing I wanted to change as my Weight.  Ok, yes everyone has that as a goal.  And yes, it is something that is tough and repetitive for me too.  I have been a roller coaster for years now with my weight.  I lost about 60 pounds and kept it off for over 5 years.  Well mostly off.  I seemed to gain some slowly for the last couple years.  Now it is all back. UGH.  It is so frustrating.  So this year I am getting back to what I know so I can feel better again.  I have been suffering through heart burn and just feeling terrible for the last 6 months.  It is now January 20th and I am feeling so much better. I started Trim Healthy Mama on January 1st and can really tell the difference.  

The next big goal I have is to really focus on our family and marriage.  We are trying to be so much more intentional about our dates and being connected.  I love to listen to podcasts.  This year I discovered the podcast One Extraordinary Marriage and it has been so eye opening.  We also have realized that our youngest daughter is going to be leaving us before we know it, and we need to make the most of what time we have left.  So we are trying to make more time for her.  One way I have been doing that is taking her on mini dates.  Most of them are just at McDonalds having a cup of coffee or ice tea and talking.  

What I am also trying to do is be more intentional with our grocery budget.  I am trying to save $100 out of my food/clothing budget a month.  With this money we are trying to save up for a cruise to take as a family when Emma (our youngest) graduates from high school.  This is two years out.  So we are trying to look ahead and be prepared.  This will be such an amazing trip to take together.  

Now when it comes to spiritually I am trying to get through the entire Bible this year.  I am following a reading program.  At first I was trying to read it, but I would get bogged down by the names.  So I started to listen to each days assignment, and that really made a difference.  I actually feel like I am going to be able to get this done.  I have never read the Bible from start to finish.  Also this year I am hoping to memorize two verses a month.  I have not started this goal yet.  I really struggle with memorizing.  So this is something I really will have to work at.  I have downloaded the app rememberMe.  It has worked well for me in the past.  Hopefully this can help me.  

The last major goal I have is to read 52 books.  I did accomplish this last year, and really never thought I could.  It amazed me that I stuck with it and was able to get it done.  So this year I thought about increasing the number, and then quickly realized that I may be pushing it.  So I just thought it would be good to keep the same goal.  It is still amazing to get that many books read in one year.  I did count some of the audio books that I listened to.  I have been keeping track of my books on goodreads.  It is a great app for recording books you have read and would like to read.  

This is the year of some changes for me.  Oh and I didn't mention that I am becoming a grandma this year.  Now I don't plan to be called Grandma.  Not that it is a bad name, but just to formal for me.  I think Nana might be the name of choice.  We will see.  This week we will get to find out what the baby is.  I just can't wait.  June can't get here soon enough.  

Until Next time

Jenni

Haven't wrote anything in a long time

Life has changed dramatically in the time since I last blogged.  Well we moved twice now since my last entry.  At the current time we are living in my parents basement.  Let's just say that life is very interesting here.  All four of us live in the basement.  My parents and my two nieces live upstairs.  We are making it work, but at times it can be difficult.  We are trying to find a house and currently that has not happened.   We are waiting for the Lord to open some doors. 

On that note, I feel like the Lord is trying to teach us something through all of this.  We are not sure what but are trying to figure that out.  At times it does get discouraging.  We would like to have our privacy again.  There is something to be said for having your own place.  You know if you want to have a lazy day you can.  Here I feel like I really am disappointing a lot of people if I am not doing something all the time.  

The up side of living here is that someone is always available to cook dinner.  Also not a lot to take care of.  Although that has felt very strange.  

So the projects I have been working on is an afghan.  I haven't crocheted much since I was a kid, but I have really enjoyed it. I am almost done.  I only have two more rows to go.  I am also sewing some projects for Christmas.  I have two more pajama bottoms to do and then they I am pretty much done.   We almost have all our Christmas shopping done.  I love it when we are done with the hustle and bustle.  

One of the things I want to work on this year is slowing down.  I have really noticed that life is constantly about hurrying up to the next thing.  I hate that.  I really want to seriously stop and smell the roses.  My husband and I go for a walk every night when he gets home from work. Yes in the cold and snow of Michigan.  One thing that I have stopped to notice is the sky at night.  There is a section of our walk where we walk passed two fields that are wide open spaces.  If feels like you are in a planetarium.  It is just amazing.  I have made my husband stop and enjoy it.  I know I need to do this more often.  I also want to stop and smile at the things going on around me.  My kids are hilarious if I just stop and listen.  

I plan to start documenting our lives.  Thank you for reading. 

Jenni

The second book is better

I just finished reading Bending Towards the Sun.  It is the 2nd book in the Quilted Heart series by Mona Hodgson.  It is a very quick read, but I really did enjoy the story.  I read the first book in the story, and I did not find it as enjoyable as the second. 

The story continues on some of the characters from the first book, but they are not the main character.  I always appreciate that, then you know what happened to those characters.  This book mostly focuses on Emilee and Quaid.  They have known each other since they were kids.  Quaid was off fighting the war and has returned back.  He works for his father who is an Irish freight deliverer.  Emilee is German who is going to school and works at her dad's store. 

Quaid and Emilee meet up again where Quaid is coming to pick up apples from a farm that Emilee is helping to bring in the harvest.  They both hit it off and are very comfortable with each other.  The problem is that Emilee's dad is not very happy to see her have an interest in Quaid because he is Irish and he doesn't really have the career that he would like his daughter to be married too. 

The story really keeps you wanting to find out if they will end up together.  Will they go behind her dad's back? 

I definitely give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.  I was given this book as a free copy from Waterbrook Multnomah publishing.  I have not been compensated for my opinion. 

Decent, quick read - Dandelions on the wind

I just recently finished reading Dandelions on the Wind by Mona Hodgson.  It was a really easy read.  I found the book to be somewhat interesting but not a lot of depth to it.  This is the second book I have read by this author and so far neither have been my absolutely favorite. 

The book is about a girl that was brought to America as a mail order bride.  When she gets to America her sight starts to fail and the man she is suppose to marry leaves.  He doesn't want to deal with a bride that is going to be blind.  So, she is taken in by a women who is widowed taking care of her granddaughter.  To find out her granddaughter's dad left when his wife died in childbirth.  He returns in the book. 

I love the fact that their is a love story and that she looks like she is going to find happiness.  It just seemed like the story need more to it.  It was very basic.  I was halfway through the book and still felt like I was getting to know the characters.  I plan to try and read the second book only because I am curious to see what happens. 

I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.  I was given a digital copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah.   I was not paid for this review. 

Though my heart is torn

This is a great book.  I absolutely loved it.  I have to start by saying that I did not realize that it was #2 in the series, but I still loved it.  There were some parts that I was a little confused but all in all it was great. 

The story is about a man named Gideon and his wife Lonnie.  They are living this perfect little life with their son.  They receive a letter from Lonnie's dad that her mom is sick.  So they take the long trip home hoping they will make it before she passes.  When they get there they find out it really is a trap.  Her husband was married before, and she didn't know.  Her husband thought that he was divorced......  There are some twists to this story that make you want to yell at the pages. 

You would not expect to have this type of outcome in a story rewritten in our current time period.  The church decides who Gideon should be married to.  It isn't who you would think.  He also goes along with it, which really surprised me.  You are biting your nails until the end and the author still leaves you hanging then.  I can't wait to see what happens next.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.  I was given a copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for free.  I was not paid for my opinion.