Luv'N Lambert Life

A blog about living with Epilepsy, IBHS, Homeschooling and so much more

planning

Purposeful Planning {Review}

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Purposeful Planningby Phyllis Sather

I’m not a planner by any means.  I’m generally a fly-by-my-pants type of girl, who doesn’t do a lot of work ahead prep.  I generally do my planning that month of the event and hope to get it all done by the day the event happens.  I’ve been like this my entire life.
When I’ve thought of planning in the past, I’ve often wished for a weekend away where I could focus on what I needed to and really dig in and plan whatever we needed to at the time.  I’ve had this vision of that in my head for many years but no idea of where to begin.  Purposeful Planning by Phyllis Sather was a great help with that.  Honestly, this eBook was just what I was looking for.
I loved this eBook so much that I actually purchased the Purposeful Planning Handbook to go along with it.  I wanted the extra handbook to really focus in on what I was needing help to plan for in our lives.  It is such a wonderful addition to the eBook itself.
Purposeful Planning isn’t a planner at all.  It is an encouraging eBook that guides you into better planning for your family.  It focuses on just what the title states: Purposeful Planning which means to plan for your future with a purpose.
Phyllis and her husband began to purposefully plan their lives together many years ago, including their children in those plans as they grew and developed them.  They’d plan a weekend, which eventually led to a week, of just planning and being together as a family.  They used this time (and still use it from my understanding) to plan for their family’s future.  They set goals together for each individual in the family, as well as for the family as a whole.  Goals to develop character, financial goals, family unity goals, church goals: whatever goals they needed were set at this time, and even some they didn’t know they needed at that time.
Each year, they’d reflect on their past goals and set new ones.  They’d add to previous goals or develop a plan for new ones as they saw fit.  Planning led them to meet the goals they wished to complete for their lives and for the lives of their children.
I was so completely impressed by the simple, yet encouraging ideals shared throughout Purposeful Planning.  As I mentioned above, I purchased the Purposeful Planning Handbook and immediately began going through it.  I set aside a weekend with my husband and we began to discuss some of the topics suggested in the eBook and handbook alike.  It’s a work in progress but it was definitely a start.   It’s my hope in the next month or two to plan for another weekend where we can complete our discussion and add to it as we see fit, using the Purposeful Planning system as a guide.
Purposeful Planning touches on everything: home life, children, finances, character development and much more.  It helps you to find focus for your family and get a better vision of where you’d like to be in life.  It’s designed to be used by an adult but shows ways to include your children so they also learn how to develop better planning skills for their own futures.  The methods are simple, yet you gain so much.

You can purchase Purposeful Planning as a bundle package which includes the eBook, the Handbook and the MP3 for $17.95 as an instant download.  You can also purchase each of these items separately.  Purposeful Planning is also available on Kindle for $3.99.
You can find Phyllis Sather online at https://phyllis-sather.com/.

June 2017 Update {Thoughts From Me}

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I admit it.  I’ve been slacking.  Last week I didn’t post my Wordless Wednesday or my Thoughts from Me or my Simple Woman’s Daybook posts.  Honestly, I’ve just been super busy.

My Mom is here clearing our some of her stuff.  We’re putting it in storage until she has a place of her own and that often takes time.  She’s getting it done though and our house is getting less cluttered.

It’s time for a change.  I’ve been going through the kids clothes.  Man they are growing so much.  Laycie had to have new outfits because she’s gotten so tall and I’m heading to get Win some new shorts because he too is growing larger.

Everybody needed new shoes too.  There feet have all gone up a size and nothing fit.  Thank goodness for flip flops and cheap tennis shoes at Walmart.

We’ve got some family plans for the weekend so I look forward to next week’s Wordless Wednesday.  I’m sure we’ll have some great photos to share from our adventures and fun.

For now though, I’ve got to get back to working on the house.

Dana

Halloween Prep {Thoughts From Me}

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This week has been spent on Halloween preparations.  The kids absolutely LOVE Halloween.  Not so much the scary stuff but just dressing up and pretending to be something else.  It’s all in fun for us.

This year the costumes are:

Dark Pumpkin Man 
Good Witch 
Princess Fairy Witch 
Dinosaur 
and Black Cat.

I’ll post pics for them once the date is past.

Each costume takes on it’s own unique personality, designed for the wearer.  Each was chosen by the wearer to fit their interests and style.  After all, costumes are fun!!!

Now I know not everyone cares for Halloween or dressing up on the day.  For our family, it’s the beginning of our Holiday season and we enjoy dressing up, bonding with each other as a family.  We simply enjoy our time together.

And that’s what it’s all about: being together as a family.  Bonding, sharing and loving each other.  Just as it should be.

Five Becomes Six: Happy Birthday to my Laycie Bug, the Kid {Thoughts From Me}

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Tonight I put my five year old to bed.  Tomorrow when she wakes she will be six.  It doesn’t seem possible and yet it is.

Laycie Elizabeth has brought so much joy to our lives.  Her sister, my Emmalee, dubbed her our Angel on the day she was born and she has truly been just that to us all.  She brings happiness and joy to our days that was unimaginable before she was born.

I could never have imagined being a Momma to four beautiful children.  I never expected to find so much happiness in my life as they bring me.  I am blessed and I am thankful every day for the love I receive from each of them.

This weekend we are having a Grand Birthday Bash and Oyster Roast.  It’s Laycie’s birthday party and a raincheck party for our older kids who didn’t get to have a party because of all the cold weather we had this past Winter.  Spring has finally shown her beautiful self and we will be taking full advantage!

I’m not sure what our weekend will bring, except that it will bring together so many that we love.  It will bring our eight beautiful children home together (I hope).  It will bring our friends here to celebrate and enjoy each other once again, both new and old friends.

It is a celebration for me, their Momma, who loves them dearly and could not imagine this great Earth without them, even though I never imagined I’d have been blessed by the eight of them.  My loves, my heart carried in eight separate pieces outside my chest, these beautiful children who make me whole.  This weekend will be wonderful and I look forward to enjoying every moment of it along with them.

So Happy Birthday to my Laycie Bug, the Kid and Happy Belated Birthday to my Win and Emma. Here’s to many more years together, growing and loving each other forever.  God bless you for the love you give me.  I am thankful every single day.

Still Planning {Homeschooling}

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This is my sixth year homeschooling.  Somehow it feels like my first.  Each year is just as exciting as the first one.  Planning always brings it’s own challenges.  Then there is the changing of curriculum because what you used is no longer available or simply did not work for your child(ren). 

So this, my sixth year homeschooling is just as challenging for me as my first year was.  Actually, I think my first year may have been much easier! LOL

As I’ve mentioned before, this year I have decided to switch up curriculum and basically at the last minute.  We normally school year round in an unschooling manner, using bits and pieces of this and that for curriculum.  This year we will be switching to Tapestry of Grace for our core curriculum.  I am having to learn to plan around this study, add to it where needed and build upon what I already have.  Sounds simple, should be simple but somehow for me, it’s just not that simple.

Then to throw another loop in the rope, my usual Grammar curriculum, those wonderful FREE workbooks from Scott Foresman, are no longer available.  So now I must find something equally wonderful to use for our Grammar lessons.  I have several ideas in mind but haven’t quite nailed the right one.  After all, I just found out yesterday our original workbooks were no longer available.

So as you’ve probably guessed, I’m still planning out our school year, taking it one step at a time.  I’ve not had quite as much time as I’d like to do it because life has thrown various stops in my path but I’m getting there slowly but surely.  I’m hoping to be ready to start our school year on September 5 or there about.  Guess we will see what happens.

Planning for my Future {Thoughts From Me}

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I’m doing a lot of reviewing in my life.  I sometimes get a little sidetracked due to Life but I’m trying to stay focused.  Often it’s hard to do.  I blame it on being a Gemini but I’m sure there are more contributors too.

Somethings I need to change in life are:
1. Going to bed late.
2. Getting up late (due to going to bed late).
3. Eating healthier.
4. Home management aka cleaning house.
5. Educational development.
6. Reading for blog reviews.
7. Researching information for more structured blog posts.
8. Last but NEVER least, reading encouraging Christian things that strengthing my relationship with God.  This includes reading my Bible, which I don’t dread nearly as much as I once did.

Next step is figuring out where to start. 

At this time I feel a good place is to instill a decent bedtime and wake up time.  And also work on reading encouraging things that bring me closer in my relationship with God.  I want to be a blessing to the Lord, to do His work, as He intends and to help other’s with His divine guidance. 

This week I will work on these things.  I will also work on setting out a plan for home management and education, as well as reviews and blog research and posting. 

I feel that if I can establish a decent sleep pattern my days will flow better.  I also feel that having a strong relationship with God is the most important thing I can do for my children and myself.  After managing these things the rest should fall into place.  I suppose with time we will see what happens.