Few Days In

    I am absolutely loving the online group of women as we read through the Bible together. I've read ahead some and I'm up to Chapter 21 of Genesis. I'm afraid once school starts I'll slip behind so reading ahead, then taking time to review when I'm buried in school work might be helpful in the coming weeks.
    One thing in reading this week that caught my attention, was the detailed account of Noah's descendants, their languages, the nations & land that they covered. (ch. 10) And in Chapter 11 there is the account of the Tower of Babel where the nations were dispersed and languages separated. This had me seriously thinking about the order that this was written. I had to ask (the group & my pastor) and got very helpful responses.
For one the details in the history & genealogies in Chapter 10 help clarify history versus myth. And having them listed prior to the Tower of Babel is similar to "listing the presidents, then going back and talking about Kennedy" (thanks to Tricia), filling in the details after the overview.
Our online group also discussed the ages of those listed in the readings and Tricia also posted this helpful link that I found to be a neat visual. Patriarchs in Genesis, also gives an "overlap" of when everyone lived.

I haven't read much other than this the last couple days, have been trying to maintain a somewhat "clean" house with the kids still home. Almost ridiculous. The only productive thing I managed was washing all the antique Mason jars so I can start organizing the kitchen & bathrooms.  Looking forward to ordering next semester's books tomorrow and praying that the kids' school is on with the below 0 temps & questionable snow totals we're expecting. Tomorrow's book advance will also get some basic bills paid & my savings started.
                      We've had a good break of sleeping in, playing, and generally doing nothing.

Jon as Norwhal

For one of T-roo's teachers

Jojo prefers alternate play

Rainbow looms...constantly

Jon sleeping until 1pm. Schedule re-adjustment in our near future

Sitting on a block of ice after seeing Frozen at Newport on the Levee

T-roo with the guinea pigs that her & Jojo got on Christmas Eve.
Sophie & Butterscotch joined the family. 

Off to a good start

Today I started off my Bible reading and read all the way to Genesis 12. I also read through the first sections of the study guide as well as the coordinating chapter for the first week's reading.

I started A Quest for More which I found to coincide with today's reading in Genesis. 

I'm DVR'ing Steel Magnolias as I write this, it will be my first 2014 "I've lived under a rock" movie.

My calendar is also ready for the new year now that each week has been labeled and amount to be saved clearly marked. If I can get through the first month that will be great.

New Year Thoughts

The other day I posted these thoughts on Facebook:
For 2014 I have a couple things on my mind- not so much "resolutions" but goals/bucket list type things to look forward to, not layer myself in guilt with. 
1. Read the Bible completely through (joined a fun group of ladies today)
2. 26 fun, non-school related books and keeping a list
3. Start a weekly savings- something even if it's not much
4. 8 OCC boxes compiled throughout year, depending on deals (doubling our normal 4 OCC boxes.
5. Get my kitchen changed out, after having all but the countertop in my garage for 6+ months
6. Find a small group that meets regularly
7. 5 great campings weekends (at least)
8. PURGE- self-explanatory It needs to be the YEAR of SIMPLIFYING
9. Organize garage (post purge) For some reason the garage is my happy place-if it's clean I'm good, second only to my bedroom.
10. Watch one movie a weekend that I somehow missed by living under a rock...think classic, cultural references. For example...I just watched Thelma & Louise last weekend.

And I'd like to really follow through with all this. So I thought I would create a little timeline of all this exceptional action...and of course I don't do anything without my little army tagging along.

Here's where I am starting with several of these items. 

1. I joined an online Facebook group started by the author, Tricia Goyer. The group will be going through A Woman's Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year, by Diane Stortz that I downloaded on my Nook for only $1.99.  In addition to the big group, we'll be in smaller accountability groups as well. I downloaded a copy of HCSB on the Nook as well, in addition to my print copies of HCSB & ESV that I use on a regular basis. I'd welcome any of my real life friends joining me too. 

2. I figure I read way more than 26 books a year, but wanted a reasonable "goal" that would be suitable with my course load. First up is A Quest for More, Living for Something Bigger than You by Paul David Tripp that I downloaded free thanks to a post by my pastor, Shawn Dobbins. I'll post a short review when I'm finished.

3. For the savings goal I've seen those "Save so much a week...", usually starting with a $1 the first week of the year and adding a $ to the amount each week. I found this one that does the same thing in reverse at stretchingabuckblog. Which I really liked...gets the hard part out of the way first and if I can follow through I'll have $1000 in June. 

And for #8 I stumbled across Kathi Lipp's post a few short minutes after mine. I'm going to purge, simplify and purge some more. I've said I'm ALL IN for 2014 items out of my house. You can check out more on Kathi's purge-fest here 2014 Things Challenge

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but a good start considering it's still technically 2013. 

I'll give more info on some of the other items soon, until then me & the army are going to go celebrate.