Mud Pies & Minivans: Setting Your Eyes on the Prize!

A new year is upon us & I could not be more excited! 2013 was a great year, but I am expecting 2014 to be even better.

Christmas was absolutely wonderful. Super J worked Christmas Eve & Day this year, so we just made the most out of it & spread our celebration over the entire month (which the kiddos loved). We enjoyed time with family, friends, had a dance recital, went to Zoolights, exchanged gifts, made gingerbread houses, ate gingerbread houses, had a Christmas show at church, & so much more. All year long is so special, but there is just something about December & the reason for the season!

Now that 2014 is here, most people are setting goals/resolutions for the changes they want to make in the new year. I think goal setting & having vision is a very important thing to show our children & also involve them in. It is good for them to know that we have never "arrived". While we do need to appreciate what we have & acknowledge how far we have come, we should still strive to increase in knowledge & believe for bigger & better in our life & our family's!

From birth I literally begin goal setting with my children. We set short term goals (we strive to achieve these within 3 months) & long term goals (these are things that may require a lil' more time to attain). "From birth" might sound a lil' crazy, but I think its a good habit to start right off the bat. Zye's short term goals for example would be things like "sleep through the entire night" & "learn to roll over independently". Some examples for long term goals we are believing for are "learning to crawl" & "say 'mama'"-lol. Well, you get the idea. We write/type all of the kiddos goals out & place them in an area that they will see every day. Not all of our kiddos can read yet, so we will go over to their list of goals often & remind them of what they are working towards. We definitely involve the older girls in this process & let them add things they would like to learn & accomplish. After each 3 month term ends, we go back to the list & get to cross off the things we did get done. If a goal was not reached yet, we teach them that it is okay & just transfer it to the new goal list. For example, some of the goals the girls & my husband & I have set are "learning more Spanish", "reading", "learning to tie shoe independently", "becoming fully potty trained, & so forth.

I am very thankful that my mom did this with my siblings & I growing up. It helped me to constantly set big dreams/goals & not limit myself, but I also realized that there were steps & hard work involved in getting there. Recently, we added the girls having "vision boards". As they go through stores & so forth they are starting to realize that there are different things they want to have out there. Mommy & daddy are not going to buy them everything. I believe that teaching them they have the power to believe for things & work towards getting the things that they desire is very empowering! It has seriously been amazing watching them receive what they are believing for without my hand in it. For example, Aidy wanted plastic nails....I know, that's what I said...Anyway, that was truly a desire of her heart & she continued to say & believe that those plastic big girl nails would be hers. One day we went to a gift exchange party where everything was completely wrapped. What did that lil' lady end up getting? Yep, those plastic nails she was believing for. After sticking my jaw back in my mouth from absolute shock, I caught myself, & that lil' 5 year old proudly smiled as she said "See, Mom. I believed & so I received!". It was something so small to me, but so huge to her & she got it!

Setting daily goals for your kiddos can be productive as well. Of course schooling is 1 of those things, but if you have noticed a new negative behavior/habit pop up with a particular child it is good to verbally set that goal with your child. "Tommy, today we are going to work on using our words when we get frustrated instead of throwing things". Throughout the day when the child starts to revert back to that negative behavior, you can keep them accountable & remind them. Keeping your significant other in the loop about things is also very important & helpful in achieving success with everyone!

I believe that goal setting is instrumental in the success of yourself, your marriage, & your family! We need to set those goals before our eyes constantly & not grow weary. "Resolutions" should not just be a new year fade, because they can absolutely change lives!

-M&M Momma

Pardon the abnormal amount of pictures, so behind for December-oops.