Goodbye 2011....Hello 2012

I am so excited about the new year ahead! I am one of those people that LOVES resolutions and the new year represents starting fresh for me. Craig thinks resolutions are kinda lame because no one keeps them. Maybe not, but at least it is nice to always be trying right?

For the past few years I have picked one word to encompass everything I want to concentrate on for the year...a main focus word. Mine for last year was "home" and wanting to make our home a safe and happy place filled with lots of love. This year, I thought and thought about how CRAZY and stressful  life was last year and what I could do to make things better for me and my kids and I came up with my word...

I know that doesn't seem like the most fun and inspirational word, but for me is speaks WONDERS. Things were insane last year with so many photo shoots, moving, being a single mom every 2 weeks! Not much will change this year in those regards, but I am realizing that will all that craziness, I lost my routine and schedule that we so desperately needed. I have VERY yellow personality, so I REALLY hate repetition, but I have realized that kids thrive with a routine. So, my goal this year is to try and stick more to a schedule and have my home things all laid out and planned better, not just my work things. Here are a few other goals I want to try and I think some of them fit into my "structure" word.

As part of structuring our world, the kids and I came up with some family rules together and wrote them down on our big chalkboard. We also talked about the consequences for breaking the rules. It was nice to do them together because then I don't just feel like a dictator and they seem to be following them better and griping less about the consequences. 

Not only did I want to talk about rules and consequences, I wanted to add something positive and reward them for their good behavior. So, I came up with the reward bin. I went to the dollar store and picked out a TON of things they would love and put them in a basket.  When they do things I ask without complaining or I see them doing good things, I give them a red ticket. 

The items in the bin cost different amounts. The smallest is 2 tickets for a "fruit roll-up". There are some things in there that are up to 20 tickets. They can save their tickets up for the things they want. Some examples are: 

coloring books: 8 tickets

play dough: 10 tickets

ring pop: 4 tickets

Date to a movie: 20 tickets

bouncy ball: 6 tickets.

There are about 60 fun different things in there for them to "purchase"

I think it teaches them to save and helps me reward them for positive behavior :)

Another thing we started this new year is the, "Dinner Questions Jar"  I got the idea from pinterest. I came up with a bunch of questions myself and got some good ones from HERE and HERE too. It's been really fun getting to know my kids a little bit better and having different things to talk about at the dinner table. And mostly to take time and actually sit at the table and talk instead of just trying to chow through my food and get on to the next thing.

So, to sum it up, I am excited to change and try and make my kids and I have a more organized and happy life :) Wish me luck!!!