March is Reading Month!

Since March is the official Reading Month in the USA, picking the goal for this month was a no-brainer.

Read with your child(ren) everyday, and let them see you read for yourself often.

Some of you might be thinking, “That’s not much of a goal, I read with my kids everyday,” but do you?  I know some days with all the hustle and bustle I sometimes sit back and think, “Man, did I teach Cee ANYTHING today?”

Also, let your kids see you read for yourself – setting an example of life long reading and learning is one of the best examples that we can set for our kids.

Ideas for completing the goal:

• Read, read, read to those little ones that can’t read for themselves.  Ask them to point at objects, or tell you sounds from the pages.  The earlier you start on reading together the more apart of their lives books will become.
• Set goals for the older kids that can read – everyone that reads 2, 4, 6, whatever number of books gets a prize at the end of the month.
• Read a book as a family or in smaller groups – action packed books work great for this type of setting.
• For moms – reading blogs (even a fabulous one like this), or flipping through magazines isn’t good enough.  Show your kids your passion for reading or learning by reading something of worth in front of your kids.  Books, old journals, scriptures, educational/self-help books, etc.

Good luck Mamas and if anyone would like to share what they’re reading, I’d be happy to post it for everyone else.

Mommy Goal: February 2010

February, the month of love.

I’m feeling the love – how about you, mamas?

Okay, okay, that might have been a little over the top, but why not use February as a chance to show the all-grown-up men in our lives how we feel about them?

Mommy Goal of the Month: With your child(ren), plan a special surprise for Daddy.

Ideas for completing the goal:

1. Make a 3 course meal for him with only his favorites for appetizers, main meal, and dessert.  Have your children show off what they did to contribute to the meal (what they made, peeled, how they set the table, etc).
2. Print off some updated pics of you and your brood for him to have at work so he can always see who loves him best.
3. Write a letter to an imaginary Board of Daddies that tells why your hubby deserves to be Daddy of the Year.  Have the kiddos write their own letters, or if they’re too young for writing have them give you ideas as you write the letter.

I’d love to hear your ideas for completing the goal or your results when it’s completed!

Good luck Mamas!

Goal for January 2010

This is the month for setting personal goals, resolving to change, altering habits and lifestyles….

Eeek!  That’s a lot of pressure!

I don’t want to throw something else really hard into that mix, so the goal of this month is very simple and is meant to be a fun family goal:

Goal for Jan 2010: Discover a new animal together.

Kids and adults love animals so this month, amid the craziness of New Year resolutions let’s just take a minute to admire the little cuties together.  This can be as elaborate, expensive, cheap, or simple as you want.

Ideas for completing the goal:

1. Go to a zoo, aquarium, or animal park.  Make a game of finding the most exotic, unique, or foreign (the animal from the furthest away) animal.
2. Do some research and talk with your kids about the dangerous bugs/animals in your area.  Make sure to clearly identify the creepers that your kids need to avoid.
3. Get a book of animals or an exotic location from the library.  Plan an imaginary trip there or take an imaginary safari.
4. Watch Animal Planet!  The show that counts down the Most Extreme animals always has one or two surprises that you wouldn’t expect.

Enjoy Mamas!  If you have any other ideas for completing the goal, or would like to report on your results just send an email my way.  I always love hearing back from you!

Goal Results Dec 09

Dear Mommas,

I hope this Christmas season is filling your children with imagination and wonder.

I hope that it’s filling you with your own childhood.

I hope that as a family you’re coming closer to each other and closer to the One this holiday is really all about (no, that doesn’t mean cozying up to Santa at the mall).

I hope that you’ve found ways to bring peace to your home through my little goal to be forgiving, humble, generous and cheerful.

Some of the results of this goal are be too personal to share, but here’s a shot of us spreading good cheer by going caroling to our friends who have been particularly kind and helpful to us since we moved down here and far from the caring reaches of our families.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Mommas!

Loves, kisses, and hugs to all the babes out there.