Stay-cation 2010

This is why I love living in Colorado: Staying home on vacation can be just as fulfilling as going away. There is so much to do and see, so close to home. I'm not even talking about all the national parks and forests, museums and so on available to us. I mean seriously close-to-home. Our home.

We are rarely together at home as a family, and even when we are--we're usually exhausted. Before vacation even started my husband announced that this week needed to be more about what we WANTED to do, rather than what we NEEDED to do. I had to agree. I have a pile of projects, books, and things I never have time to do, because work, laundry, and all the kids' needs come first.

We made a list on our bathroom mirror. (Isn't that where you keep all your important notes? It works really well, you should try it.) It included wants, needs, maybes, and musts. Something I added as priority: get into a routine. What?!? That doesn't sound like a vacation. In previous vacation experiences it always stinks to get back to the daily grind. People say, "I need a vacation to recover from my vacation." I didn't want that. Come Monday morning I want to feel rested, accomplished, refreshed and ready to tackle to the world again.

We've already been on two long bike rides, played in the garden, cooked together (ate all our meals together, at the table!!!!), had a breakfast date, and enjoyed some movies at home. Tonight we're taking the kids to the movie theatre for the first time (a steal of a deal, since I found free movie passes in my coupon box).

Tomorrow starts our get-back-into-a-routine plan. Early rise, early bed time. Our day will be more organized and planned, but we always maintain a flexible schedule. Still, we have lots of fun planned: rock climbing, library, and probably more biking, gardening, and sewing.

While staying at home doesn't necessarily have the thrill of visiting a new place or getting away from it all--bringing balance back to our home definitely has its advantages.

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Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

LOVE this.

It's great to be passionate, but let's not pull our hate into that passion.

Pearls of Wisdom::Advice for Dads

Dads,

When you come home from a long weary day, here is a bit of advice:

Scan the scene, attempt to find one thing your wife did today. Maybe the toys are all picked up, laundry is folded, dinner is ready, or the kitchen was swept. It doesn't matter how big or small. Thank your wife for this accomplishment--genuinely.

If you don't immediately see something, DO THIS: Thank your wife for not killing your children today.

A little affirmation and appreciation goes a long way.

Busy Mom's Bible

Recently I discovered moneysavingmom.com. She led me to a giveaway from Zondervan--a free copy of the Busy Mom's Bible.

Growing up in a Christian home--raising my family in a Christian home--we are not lacking in Bibles. We have several sizes, colors, and translations.

So, why would I need another Bible?

I'm stale. I've read through my Bible cover to cover more than a few times. I try to read daily, but it's not always reality. I'll be honest--it's not always a time issue--it just doesn't always seem relevant to where I'm at. Pathetic, I know.

I was so incredibly excited when the box arrived yesterday. I was a kid at Christmas--seriously overwhelmed. I ripped open the box(es), and breathed in the two-tone pink Bible--all for me! It's like I had never read this book before. Like a new release of the much anticipated installment of a certain young wizard's year at wizard school.

It was late when the kids got to bed last night, and I wanted to be alert for my first read. So, today at nap time was my first opportunity. I opened it up to Genesis 1 and started reading with enthusiasm. I got through one chapter, and sighed. Yep, it was pretty much the same as it always has been. Surely, there was more to this Bible. Well, there is.

Zondervan inserted 52 "Thought Starters" within the pages of the Busy Mom's Bible. They're designed to take only minutes, but to draw you deeper into God's Word. It gives you a word for the day and thoughts to mull over. You have the option of going deeper into study & prayer, but even those are quick enough to fit into a busy schedule. The "Reflect & Pray" takes maybe 5 minutes, and I was surprised how quickly I engaged into the thought.

Today's thought was to consider something you been involved in creating. It asked "How do you feel about it? So, what do you think God feels about you? What difference does this make in the way you might respond to him?"

I immediately thought of the sweater I recently knitted for my daughter. It took several months--nearly a year--and I experienced several emotions when it was complete. Relief. Satisfaction. Pride. Elation (when it fit & she liked it). I wanted to show it off.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day." Genesis 1:31

My goal is to do at least one Thought Starter per week, and make every attempt to read through my Bible again this year with a fresh perspective. Maybe this busy mom will even find time to blog about the journey.