Mark and Christine

Everything about leadership, organization, productivity and goal setting intrigues me. I’ve been fascinated with these topics since college but I’ve mostly thought about them from a business perspective. Since becoming a stay at home mom, though, my point of view has changed. Being productive, organized, and having strategic plans are not just for the workplace. They are necessary, essential even, for the home. So now I’m reading books, scanning blogs, listening to podcasts and creating action plans in a whole new way.

I only know a handful of people who have a specific vision for their life. Those few are very successful. They are winning - not at the superficial things - at the things that matter. They're making their life count. Sure, most people probably have hopes and dreams. But there are few who have deliberate, intentional, written plans.

We all end up somewhere in life but very few people get there on purpose. I don’t know about you, but Mark and I want to get to our destination on purpose.

The major benefit of purposeful goal setting it that it provides a filter for decision making. For example, you may enjoy a certain hobby (e.g. sports, blogging, social media, video games, television, etc.) but you also have a very specific vision for your family. In order to attain that vision, you need to be available for your family, especially during certain hours. Keeping that vision in mind makes the hobby seem much less important. Perhaps you have a financial vision. Maybe you want to be debt free and pay cash for a house. Maybe you want to adopt a child. Maybe you’d like to give away millions of dollars over the course of your life. Having the specific vision at the forefront of your mind will help you make wise choices with your money. Budgeting may become a habit and “keeping up with the Joneses” may become less important. Whatever the goal, knowing your vision will aid in the decision making process.

As preparation for my most recent birthday, I created a life plan. It’s still a work in progress and it’s subject to change. I’ll post more about that process later. For now, though, I want to encourage you to think about creating a vision for your life. It is so easy to go though the motions just to make it through another day and another week. Trust me when I say I know this from experience! There are weeks, months, and even years that I look back on only to realize that no forward progress was made. None. Zippo.

Draft a plan. Mull it over. Fine tune it with with your spouse. Pray about it.

God has created us for a purpose. Let's make it count.

We’ve heard this saying before, but it’s worth repeating: Aim at nothing and you’ll hit it every time.

Do you have a vision for your life? If so, does it affect your decision making process? Have you read any books about goal setting? I'd love to know the titles and your thoughts on them.

October is Mark's favorite month of the year so of course we had to celebrate the Fall season by taking Eli to get his first pumpkin!

We loved seeing him play in the middle of baby-sized pumpkins!




He preferred holding the pumpkins that could actually fit in his hand.




We bought a huge pumpkin with the intention of carving it but within two days it started leaking all over the counter and onto the floor. Oh, well...maybe next year!

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Submitted to 12 Days of Libby on her 1st Birthday. Happy Birthday, Libby!

My sweet husband recently gave me the opportunity to go to a one day intensive cooking class. Little did he know that I've been wanting to take cooking classes and had added the activity to my goals list a few weeks ago. It was so much fun and has possibly changed my mind about cooking. You see, I've never really enjoyed it. Cooking just seems to take so much time! I'm kind of a cook everything on high and whip whatever is available as fast as I can kind of girl. However, my perspective has changed.

Last weekend I was one of twelve students that met in a top of the line kitchen that had every gadget you could imagine available. It was a dream kitchen for sure! The instructor gave us an overview of all of those fancy gadgets. She taught us knife skills and techniques and let us practice dicing an mincing. She gave us tips on how to pick out the best cut of meat. She even showed us how to make chicken stock. Plus we made an amazing meal consisting of:

• Homemade Vegetable Soup
• Sauteed Breast of Chicken Stuffed with Fresh Herbs and Mozzarella
• Asian-Marinated Grilled Fish
• Basmati Rice Pilaf
• Green Beans with Caramelized Shallot Vinaigrette
• Individual Chocolate Souffles

It was surprisingly easy. And of course we enjoyed the foods of our labor at the end of the day! I took a picture of the masterpiece with my phone but the lens was partly shut. Oh, well!

If you are interested in learning more about the skills I mentioned above, you don't need to take a class. I was perusing allrecipes.com and found several instructional videos in their "cooking school" section. That website is choc full of information! I've linked the topics above in case you'd like to review.

Do you have other must read cooking websites? If so, please share!

Happy Cooking!

Have you ever asked a married couple how they met? Or maybe how they got engaged? We have. They usually look at each other with wide eyes, smile, pause, and then begin telling their story. There's something about that brief moment when they think about their history together. It's sweet. Sometimes funny! We absolutely love to hear those trips down memory lane. If you want to share your story, we're all ears -- or eyes if you feel like typing it out.

15 years ago today Mark and I went on our first date. We were in high school and it was school spirit week (I can't remember the exact name of the week but it was something like that). Since I participated in just about everything, he saw me dressed up like a crazy person the entire week. One day it was school colors. Another day I dressed like a clown. I don't remember much about the week, but I do remember thinking he must think this girl is a total wacko! He was this super cool Senior and I was...well, a Sophomore. Our first date was the Fifth Quarter dance after our school football game. It was quite fun but I later found out that all of my friends were laughing at me from the other side of the room (thanks, everyone!!). Anyway, we've been together half my life now and we're still having a blast together!

Happy Anniversary, Mark!

I'm officially in my 30's!

Today has been an absolutely amazing day. I have a wonderful family, great friends, and am thankful for each new day.

One year ago today we surprised our family with the news that we were expecting a new bundle of joy. We still laugh at how long it took them to realize we were serious. But, once it finally sunk in, their faces were priceless!

This year our little one is here and it was so much fun to have him here as I jump into this next decade! Mark took the day off to spend with Eli and me. He surprised me with such a thoughtful card that has photos of our family and words from the heart (not words from Hallmark!). Then, he let me know I get to go to a cooking school in a couple of weeks where I'll learn to "develop the expertise that experienced cooks use to create favorite dishes" (at least that's what the website says). We'll see. Whether or not I gain the skills of a professional chef, I am SO excited about the opportunity!!

We then met some friends for a lunch that went by way to fast! There were always six conversations going on at once so I didn't get to catch up with everyone as much as I would have liked. But, that just gives me an excuse to hang out with them again very soon! Oh, and if any of them look annoyed, it's because I took their picture three times. The huge window let in way too much light. Thanks everyone for putting up with my persistence!

After lunch I was able to enjoy a few hours at the spa. My dad gave me a gift certificate for my first Mother's Day and it was nice to finally be able to use it! My back is feeling great from the massage and my face is glowing from my very first facial. I had no idea what to expect but it was fantastic! The lady was so sweet and gave me her business card in case I had any problems. When I looked at the card, though, I kind of had to hold in my laughter. If you happen to remember the Seinfeld episode where Newman's business card is shown, it only says "NEWMAN" and I think "postal employee". Well, her business card looked almost exactly like Newman's! It had her first name in the middle of the card and "aesthetics" at the bottom with her phone number. I want to take a picture of it so badly but I don't think it's right to have her phone number listed for everyone to see. Trust me though, it's great!

After lots of food, fun and relaxation, I went to have some more food and fun with my family at the Chop House. They totally spoiled me with cards, cake and even a musical candle!

I am blessed beyond measure and thankful for such a fantastic start to my 30's!

When I meet a new person I have to ask their name a zillion times. Remembering dates isn't easy for me either. I’m just not good at memorizing…well, anything! Memorizing scripture is no exception. It’s not that I don’t want to remember. I’ve tried. I know it’s valuable and necessary. My brain just isn’t wired that way.

Or so I thought!

As I’ve been planning goals for the next decade, memorizing more scripture is one thing I want to need to will do. I’m determined. So, I’ve been researching ways to make this task a bit easier and ran across two very helpful websites. Beth Moore has a great video tutorial here using the acrostic R.E.N.E.W. It’s a fairly long video, but well worth the time! If a one page summary is more your style, check out what Dr. Waylon B. Moore writes here. I’ve combined the two into this short outline:

R – Read it. Read it over and over. Read it silently and out loud. Read the entire paragraph or chapter so you can determine the context. “Glue” the reference to the front and end of the scripture as you read it.

E – Examine it. Who is writing it and to whom is it being written? Is it 1^st (I), 2^nd (you), or 3^rd (he/she) person? Look at each phrase separately and memorize the scripture phrase by phrase.

N – Need it. Choose scripture that YOU (I) need. Don’t choose scripture that you think other people (husband, children, etc.) need.

E – Echo it. Review, review, REVIEW. Repeat, repeat, REPEAT. Review and Repeat for at least 100 days. Put the verses on index cards and keep them with you - in your pocket, purse, or (my new favorite accessory) the diaper bag! Once you have the scripture memorized, use your daily free time (driving, standing in line, getting dressed, etc.) to review several verses. Echo it with a friend. Grab a partner and review scripture with each other.

W – Wield it. Utilize the scripture you use effectively. Don’t berate others (friends, family members, etc.) with the scripture.

If you need help choosing a few verses to memorize here are several that are listed categorically. I love the idea of being able to recall several topical verses as certain situations arise.

I’ve been using some of these techniques over the past few weeks and can already tell a difference in how well I can recall scripture. Perhaps my memory isn't that bad. Maybe I just haven't had the correct process and determination.

What about you? Do you have other techniques for memorizing scripture? What are your favorite verses?