Easy Cinnamon Rolls

I read in Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Table, Volume I that her favorite comfort food is a cinnamon roll.  Many of her breakfast recipes focus on cinnamon roll-type of pastries.  I have heavily modified her Easy Orange Sweet Rolls recipe to be something I can whip up in just a few minutes.  When I saw that it uses crescent rolls as the base, I was in!  I'm all about easy recipes I can throw together for my kiddos on a weekday morning!

I was only using one pack of crescent rolls, so I cut Joanna's recipe in half. 

What You'll Need:

1 package crescent rolls (I try to get the dough sheet that doesn't have perforations, but if it did have perforations, just press them together until it's one full sheet)

1/4 c plus 1 Tablespoon brown sugar

6 T softened butter

1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze:

1 c powdered sugar

1 T vanilla extract

Milk (enough to create the consistency of a glaze that you like best)

9" round cake tin

What You'll Do:

Preheat Oven to 375*.  Spray cake tin with non-stick cooking spray. 

Lay out the crescent dough sheet (press together the perforations if needed)

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon together with a fork until it forms a paste.

Spread this sugar mixture on the crescent dough.

Roll the dough starting on the long edge.

Cut into sections (I get about 12 small sections from one rolled up dough sheet).

Place rolls into sprayed cake tin.  I put them close together, but not touching. 

Bake for nearly 25 minutes. 

While my rolls were baking, I got my glaze ingredients ready in a small bowl. 

When the rolls were cooling, I added vanilla to my powdered sugar.  I don't really measure vanilla extract and probably added about 3 tablespoons, which it why my glaze looks tinted slightly brown.

I drizzle in some milk to the bowl while I'm stirring it.  Once I reach desired glaze consistency, I stop adding milk. 

I actually added too much this time around since I was trying to take a picture while I was pouring in the milk. 

Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.

You really can't mess this up, so even though my glaze was runny, it just ended up covering the rolls and adding a layer of glaze to the bottom of the pan.  Not the end of the world. :)

Serve warm!


Here's the recipe re-written without pictures in between.

What You'll Need:

1 package crescent rolls (I try to get the dough sheet that doesn't have perforations, but if it did have perforations, just press them together until it's one full sheet)

1/4 c plus 1 Tablespoon brown sugar

6 T softened butter

1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze:

1 c powdered sugar

1 T vanilla extract

Milk (enough to create the consistency of a glaze that you like best)

9" round cake tin

What You'll Do:

Preheat Oven to 375*.  Spray cake tin with non-stick cooking spray. 

Lay out the crescent dough sheet (press together the perforations if needed)

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon together with a fork until it forms a paste. 

Spread this sugar mixture on the crescent dough. 

Roll the dough starting on the long edge. 

Cut into sections (I get about 12 small sections from one rolled up dough sheet). 

Place rolls into sprayed cake tin.  I put them close together, but not touching. 

Bake for nearly 25 minutes. 

While my rolls were baking, I got my glaze ingredients ready in a small bowl.  When the rolls were cooling, I added vanilla to my powdered sugar.  I don't really measure vanilla extract and probably added about 3 tablespoons, which it why my glaze looks tinted slightly brown.  I drizzle in some milk to the bowl while I'm stirring it.  Once I reach desired glaze consistency, I stop adding milk.  I actually added too much this time around since I was trying to take a picture while I was pouring in the milk.  You really can't mess this up though, so even though my glaze was runny, it just ended up covering the rolls and adding a layer of glaze to the bottom of the pan.  Not the end of the world. :) Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.

These are fantastic while they're hot, but they also do well heated up.  I can't say how long you could store them because they never make it past a day over here.  Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

DIY Cleaners

My all-purpose cleaner and my glass cleaner both ran out at the same time, which has never happened before.  Since they both needed a refill, I decided to do a quick tutorial on how we make both of these cleaners.

I bought my 16 oz. glass bottles on Amazon, and the labels are from Etsy (Farmhouse Vinyl Co.).  I use Thieves ultra-concentrated Household Cleaner, which means I only have to add less than a capful per glass bottle.  I add in a few drops off essential oil (this time I chose Thieves, Purification, and Citrus Fresh).  The white vinegar is for the glass cleaner to add a little extra oomph for windows, mirrors, and glass.

For the all-purpose cleaner, I use half a capful of cleaner.

I added in a few drops of Purification oil and Thieves oil.  Purification helps eliminate odors in the air and it's one of my favorite scents. I also added in a few drops of Thieves oil to provide some extra cleaning burst. 

There's really not a whole lot of liquid in the bottle before filling it up with water.  That's okay!  The cleaner is super concentrated, so it needs a lot of water to bring it to proper dilution for cleaning.

For the glass cleaner, I used only 1/4 capful of cleaner and a few drops of Citrus Fresh oil.

I add in a 1/4 cup of white vinegar, which makes this bottle look slightly fuller than the all-purpose cleaner before adding in water.

Adding water makes the cleaner form bubbles in the bottle, so I have to add a little water, then wait, then add some more.

I shake each bottle well after adding water to nearly the top.  The cleaners are instantly ready to go.  I am always impressed by how well they clean surfaces, and it's a relief to know that the cleaner itself is plant-based and not full of harsh chemicals.  If you need links to anything mentioned, let me know!

Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

Avery's Painted Room

A couple of weeks ago, my mother-in-law and I painted Avery's room over the course of a morning.  I had chosen the color "Arid Plains" by Behr Premium Marquee and we only had to do one coat!  The brand is more expensive initially, but it comes out cheaper in the end instead of buying other brands and having to buy extra gallons when the first can doesn't provide enough coverage.  After seeing how well this brand did in the boys' room, the hall bathroom, and Avery's room, I doubt I'll buy any other brand in the future.

I chose a neutral gray and was hoping it carried a tiny hint of green in it.  I think the green tint is present (in person) but I almost think the shade is too dark for her room size.  I'm contemplating repainting it, but I'm still on the fence.

Here's the room right after we put the furniture back in place.  

I have been conscious of how much furniture I was squeezing into Avery's room, so I had imagined different pieces of furniture I could eliminate after we finished painting.  My mother-in-law asked to have the changing table as a Cricut table in her home and I was so ready to have it out of Avery's space.  For the moment, that means her books and overnight diapers are in a corner of her room, but they won't always stay there.  One day I'll get organized enough to find other storage means in her room.  I took a small wooden table from the boys' room to use as a nightstand for Avery.  With the boys having bunkbeds now, they no longer have a need for a nightstand.  The table is small but it fits a lamp and a diffuser, which is all we need at the moment.

Here is her room after we hung things back on the walls.  Yes, I am aware that her single letter "A" painting looks small on her wall, but she is proud of it because she made it and she refuses to let me hang up a larger beach scene painting.  She and my mother-in-law are working on painting a K and a P to add to the monogram.  Once those pieces are finished, it'll be more like a small gallery wall which will complement the space in a better way.

Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

Making Time for Friends

While reading through some Friday Favorites posts last week, I came across another blogger talking about her link-up for today about being more than a mom.  I was intrigued and decided to participate, so today I'm linking up with Adventures with Ella Marie for the Not Just a Mom monthly topic!  Today is all about how we do girl time.

College was where I met my best friends.  Although our jobs have now removed us across the eastern seaboard from each other, we still stay connected.  Covid can certainly put a damper on actually meeting up together, but we have learned to embrace it and now have weekly (or sometimes bi-weekly) Zoom calls with each other.  These are so much fun!  I would show a screenshot, but it hasn't occurred to me to take one before, and our next call is tonight.  Five of us meet up-- one in Florida, one in New Jersey, two in Indiana, and myself in Alabama.

Three of us are moms, so we include little quips about our kids every now and then.  All five of us work full-time outside of the home (pre-Covid) and have experienced the ups and downs of employment and all the criterion that comes with it.  It's such a release to be able to talk to my friends every week.  Sometimes, of course, life is busy and I debate whether or not to join the call because vegging out sounds easier.  HOWEVER, I am never not glad that I joined in.  I ALWAYS feel better, lighter, and more relaxed after every call. 

Pieces of our group try to get together at least once a year.  Last May, I drove down to Orlando and met up with my friend who lives in Florida.  Then in September, my friend in New Jersey flew down and spent the weekend with me.  The friend in New Jersey and the twins in Indiana met up in Tennessee this June, and we have tentative plans to meet up in Tampa this September (pending Covid cases in the state of course).

When we moved into our current house four years ago, I knew I needed to find a group of women who lived close by so that I could have a place to find solidarity in the journey of being a wife and mom.  I researched and called a few different local churches and actually found a Bible study made up of women in their late '20s and '30s.  This group met once a week and sometimes they'd just have nights where we'd all bring a dish or dessert to share and we'd just chat the whole hour.  Other times, we'd meet up outside of the standard night and we'd go to the local tea room on Saturdays, etc.  We've done baby showers for each other and kept in touch over these years.  One of my very best local friends is the leader of that group and it's been so much fun to get to know her over these past four years.  Like everything else in our lives, Covid has altered how we meet.  We did some Zoom meetings over several weeks until the church where these ladies meet agreed to let them start meeting again on a non-busy night.  They have been meeting on Tuesdays nights now for about 4 weeks.  Tomorrow will be my first time actually getting to go back since March or February and I'm super pumped!

It's so critical that we ladies find a group of women whom we can confide in, consult with, and vent.  Whether these friends are in person or if we're meeting old friends on Zoom calls, finding this group and connecting with them is key.  I wish I had more photos for you, but I felt it was important to participate anyway.


Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

Friday Favorites 7.10.20

I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika to share some Friday Favorites!

I'm using Narci's template of writing prompts for a basic summary of the week.  

What I'm Watching:

While my kids have been perfectly happy watching Booba and Chico Bon Bon on Netflix, I've been rewatching Gilmore Girls.  I've seen it all the way through about 5 times over the past 10 years, but I never mind watching it again because it makes me happy.  I think deep down, a lot of us wished there was actually a Stars Hollow we could live in.


What I'm Reading:

I checked out "Evvie Drake Starts Over" from our library's curbside pick-up last week and I finished it in 2 days.  It's so cute and I'd totally read it again.  It's light and airy, and that's what I needed after reading more historical books prior to that.  I tried to get into "The Other" but every time I thought I was really far into the story line, I'd check to see what page I was on and it was page 32 or page 47.  I knew the book was over 200 pages, so I kept thinking "Holy smokes, how much more in depth is this person going to get?"  So I just returned it when I took Evvie Drake back.


What I'm Eating:

We order most of our meats through Butcher Box, so we'll be eating some salmon tonight for dinner.  We get the custom box where we can pick our meats each month.  It's not enough meat to last us the entire month, but we purposely get the smaller of the box order choices.  I just supplement with meatless meals (spaghetti, breakfast-for-dinner, etc.) or I pick up meat when it's on sale at Publix.

Yesterday, we whipped up this no-bake peanut butter pie for a special treat while my nephew came over to play with my kiddos.  We tweak it a little bit each time, (read: I don't always follow the same recipe), but yesterday we tried out The Pioneer Woman's take on the pie (except we didn't use a chocolate crust, we used a regular graham cracker crust).


What Am I Buying:

Just this morning, I placed a big Amazon order for school supplies for my kids.  What?!  Yes.  It's that time again here in the South.  Their school just posted the current supply lists by grade level, so I took inventory of the school supplies I have leftover from last year and only bought the things I couldn't piece together from my stash.  My kids are old enough now and have been in school enough years now that I've learned not to buy everything on the list, and I've also learned that some teachers are going to have their own list when it gets closer to the actual starting date of school.  So I buy the general items they'd need (binders, paper, folders, dry-erase markers, etc.) and I don't stress over the exact quantities of everything.


What I Am Thinking About:

I'm thinking about a job I applied for that was not planned.  I was browsing jobs at a dream job location and saw a posting that I could fit, so I thought it over for several days and prayed about it and felt led to apply so I did.  The job deadline was extended, though, so now I'm waiting til the job actually closes before I get my hopes up too high as to whether or not I'll be contacted.  Aaron tells me not to worry about it, but it's hard not to think about it often throughout the day!  I am totally happy where I currently work, but it would be awesome to get this position.


Other Favorites This Week: (Note that only one of my children will willingly take pictures).


"Look! I'm Dada!" (pretending to be Aaron when he wears his headphones for work calls).

All three of my kiddos, plus my nephew, enjoying kinetic sand!  This kept all 4 of them entertained for nearly an hour, and then my nephew and one of my sons played with it again twice during the day for over 30 minutes each time.

She's reading a puppy book to her puppy.

Avery is at the fun age of thinking if she can't see me, then I can't see her.  This is when she was hiding after she had taken her popcorn bowl to the couch and I had caught her.

I bought bananas at the grocery store so we could make smoothies at home, but the kids much preferred to just eat the bananas as snacks.

Our shower has a sliding glass door, and all three kids like to pretend they're in jail (why?!).

Have an awesome weekend!  We plan to fit in lots of family time and low-cost adventures!

Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

Preparing for School

I gave myself the month of June off of school mode.  This was not a 100% abstinence since I checked my school email during this time, but didn't spend any time actively planning or adjusting lesson plans.  I knew I'd wait til July to really get started with the whole "preparing for school" thing.  Now that it's July, I'm gearing myself up for spending a couple evenings (possibly a couple evenings each week) reviewing and tweaking my lesson plans.  Working in the evenings is better for me.  That way, I don't feel like my morning with a cup of coffee is ruined by having to exert mental energy.  Also, trying to do any type of lesson planning while my kiddos are awake is a difficult feat.  If I wait til the evening, Aaron can oversee everyone while I retreat to the office and have a few minutes of quiet and structured mental tasks.

In getting myself ready for school, I thought I'd share a few things that will make the start of school just a bit easier.

My Bogg Bag:

I have the Baby Bogg in the blush color and I love love love it!  It's the perfect teacher bag.  I bought it last fall when it was half-off and if I ever catch a half-off sale again, I'm going to stock up for all of my sons' teachers, aides, and nurses.  The bag almost has like a tire-tread pattern on the bottom, which provides grip.  It also stands up on its own.  It's made of material that can be hosed down if dirty.  This was great for our Memorial Day Beach trip-- I used the bag to carry our supplies to the sand and I could just wipe everything down once we were finished!  I love anything blush colored, so this bag is perfect on so many levels.  I can fit my school planner, a clipboard, extra spiral notebooks, a drink,  my lunch box, a pencil bag, and my purse in the bag and carry it all into my classroom from the car each morning.

My Flair Pens:

These pens are great for planning out lessons in my calendar planner.  They're like fine point markers but they don't bleed through the pages.  I like to designate a color for each class type (Honors, Standard, etc.) and then I like to have a color for my own personal To-Do list items, and a color for things my kiddos have going on.  Right now on Amazon, it looks like the pack is $10 which is about half off!

Academic Planner:

For planners, I like having one that I can see the whole month at a glance, and then I like to have a weekly view too.  For the weekly view, I prefer to have all of the days of the week listed down the left side of the left-hand page, with the whole right page left to leave notes for myself (and to jot down the To-Do list for my kids and myself).   The page styles that I like are the ones shown in the link above, but the outer cover is the bicycle cover shown here.  Usually, I take a ruler and draw a few vertical lines down the page showing the days of the week.  That way, I can create columns for each class that I teach.  Having the days of the week down the side and the headings of the classes at the top, allows me to quickly see what each week is supposed to look like at a glance.  I also absolutely prefer white pages so that I can use White Out tape for any scheduling changes that need to take place.

Lunch Bag:

Again, blush makes an appearance in my school supplies! :)  I like this lunch bag because it's tall and narrow rather than wide and bulky.  This type of bag fits into my Bogg bag easily, which is a definite plus.  It also has an expandable zipper to accommodate those days where my leftovers container is a bigger size, etc. I buy slim freezer packs, and with the insulation of the bag I have never had my lunch not be cold by the time I'm ready to eat.

Jump Drive:

I'm not exactly sure what size file my jump drive can hold, but it's similar to the one listed above, except mine is blue.  I save all of my lesson plans and PowerPoints, etc. to the jump drive, then I'm easily able to transfer these files between my desk computer and the computer at the front of my classroom which is hooked up to the projector.  I also bring the jump drive home with me everyday so I can add things to my lessons at home if I need to.

That is a basic overview of things that I keep handy for the beginning of the school year and getting myself mentally prepared to go back to a full-time away-from-home type of job starting up in the next few weeks. When I have things planned out and ready to use, I feel more at ease.  With all of the uncertainty about schools starting back despite the continuation of Covid, I know I'll rest better once I have my lessons ready and my supplies gathered in one place.

Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

4th of July Desserts

It's summertime, which always screams "red, white, and blue" to me for the entire season.  I leave 4th of July decorations up all summer long, and I do not tire of looking up red, white, and blue desserts. My kids are all about a theme over here and it's relatively simple to find an easy summertime dessert to make.

It helps that we have blueberry bushes in our backyard, but ours aren't constant producers, so we get about one good bucket full and the bushes take a break for a year. Therefore, I do buy blueberries when we run out of what our bushes make.  This year I'll get even fewer berries since a wasp couple decided that the third blueberry bush looked like prime real estate to build a nest.  This annoys me and I now feel very skeptical about my berry bushes since I'm concerned I'll be pelted while walking around my backyard.  So... if you do not have your own blueberry bushes, don't worry.  I'll be buying berries along side you. 

We made 2 red, white, and blue desserts this weekend, and one just blue desserts.  Our Costco was carrying a 2lb container of strawberries, and a 1lb container of raspberries for a good deal so I indulged.  Buying them in bulk was cheaper than buying them in the store, but raspberries go bad so gosh darn fast that it was almost a waste to buy them at all. That being said, we used them in just one recipe and then the kids ate the rest of them plain. The recipes we made were trifle cups, firework cheesecake brownies, and blueberry pie. 

Trifle Cups:  (I did not get a picture of these, but trust me when I say they were super festive and my kids swooned over them!)

Things to Gather:
6 short glass cups
1 cup of blueberries (washed and dried)
1 cup of strawberries (washed, dried, and quartered)
1/2 cup raspberries (washed and dried)
Cream Cheese Custard Frosting (recipe follows)

Things to Do:
Layer some blueberries in the bottom of each cup. Spoon some cream cheese frosting over the blueberries (I spread it out to make a full layer).  Add strawberries and raspberries on top of cream cheese mixture in each cup.  Add a final layer of cream cheese frosting on top.  (If you want, you can add a few blueberries on top to make it look extra festive.)  Refrigerate for at least an hour until the cream cheese frosting sets.

Cream Cheese Custard Frosting
1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk (or heavy cream)
Splash of vanilla extract (I never measure this)

With a hand mixer, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.  Add in milk (or cream) and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

***

Firework Cheesecake Brownies

Things to Gather:
Brownies
Cream Cheese Custard Frosting (recipe above)
Blueberries (washed and dried)
Strawberries (washed and dried)

Things to Do:
Make brownies on a cookie sheet (I lined mine with foil, but I should have used parchment paper because the brownies stuck to the foil terribly, even though I sprayed it with non-stick spray).  I always make my own brownies (I use this recipe and just add everything in a bowl instead of making it in bags), but you can definitely use a box mix if you'd like.  Make sure you make the recipe for a 13x9 batch, but pour the batter onto the lined cookie sheet to bake.  Watch your time closely because brownies made on a cookie sheet won't cook in the same time frame as brownies made in a pan.  Note: If you follow the homemade recipe using the link above, make sure you double the ingredients.  I did not do so, and ended up with brownies that were only 1/4 inch thick which is code for: pointless.

Make a batch of the cream cheese custard frosting while brownies are cooling.  Once brownies are cooled, spread the frosting over the top of the brownies.  You'll want to add your berries while the frosting is soft so that the berries can stick. We made kind of a firework pattern.  Once you've decorated the brownies, stick the sheet in the fridge for everything to set.  I had extra berries, so I used some strawberry halves and stuck 3 blueberries on a line of frosting down the middle of the berries and used these to decorate the blank space on my platter.  My kids actually thought these berries were the best part and didn't too much care for the brownies themselves, but it looked festive!

***

Blueberry Pie

Things to Gather:

Blueberry Filling:
4 c. fresh blueberries (washed and dried)
1/2 c sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
1/2 c AP flour
1/4 c lemon juice

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 c AP flour
1 1/4 t salt
6 T chilled and cubed butter
3/4 c chilled vegetable shortening

Things to Do:

Crust:
Mix the 2 1/2 c flour and salt together in a large bowl.  Add butter and shortening.  Use a pastry cutter to combine the butter and shortening into the flour until it resembles coarse meal (pea sized crumbs).  Measure 1/2 c ice water and drizzle it in 1 tablespoon at a time while stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  Stop adding water when dough begins to form large crumbs (Note: can add extra 1/4 c ice water in dry winter months).  Combine dough into a ball (I use clean hands and just combine it in the bowl but you can transfer dough to a floured work surface if easier to combine out of the bowl).  Divide dough in half.  Flatten each half into a one-inch-thick disc and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes minimum (2 hours is better-- or up to 5 days).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  When rolling each disc, use gentle force with rolling pin.  Start in center and work your way out in all directions, turning dough with your hands as you go.  Carefully ease one rolled out crust onto 9" pie plate, careful not to stretch the dough. Cut or pinch excess dough off edges of pie plate.

Filling:
Mix blueberries, 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 c flour and lemon juice in large bowl.  Spoon this mixture into the pie dough, scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula.

Carefully roll and ease the 2nd rolled dough disc onto the top of blueberry mixture and pinch dough layers together and edge of pie plate.  Cut 3 slits for steam to escape.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Place pie plate on lined baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes til top is golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

This was the first time using this pie crust recipe (adapted from here), and we LOVE how this pie turned out!  I'd make another one but 4 cups of blueberries is a lot of berries to acquire. :)

Avery approved!

***


It was fun to put together festive holiday-themed snacks and my kids loved every minute of it.  Michael was insistent of having a blueberry pie, and he helped make the crust.  Both boys chose the berry trifle as their snack twice in a day, and I'm always happy for anything that makes them willingly choose fruit to eat.  I'll definitely be making the trifles again (probably without raspberries) and they'd make such a pretty presentation at a family dinner over the summer!

Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

15 Questions

I pinned something on Pinterest about "50 Questions for Your Best Self" or something like that.  Mainly, I pinned it because it looked like a good prompt for a blog post when I don't have something else to write about, but want to write something.  After reading through most of the questions, I didn't feel the need to answer all 50, so I've chosen 15 for now.

1. What do I love about my life?

I love being a wife and a mother.  I am learning to really curate my home to be a place of coziness and welcoming, and in the process, I'm honing my personal style and finding that I'm able to get rid of things that do not bring peace.  Therefore, being able to structure my home to provide peace to my family is one external way that I can show them how much I love them and how much I want home to be a refuge for them.

2. Where do I want to be in 5 years? 

In 5 years, I'd like to be well on my way to being a college professor.  I know I have to have a few years of teaching under my belt before I can proceed to the doctoral program, which I'll have to take in order to become a faculty member at a university.  In 5 years, I hope to have recuperated the amount I spent on this recent home renovation and I hope I have continued to dwindle how much I spend on superfluous purchases.  (Alternate answer: I would really love to have paid off our home in 5 years.   It would take extreme sacrifice and living off of solely one income but I do wish we could do this.)

3. What am I afraid to do?

I am afraid to try new things.  I am afraid to tell Aaron to get his dream job because it means that I'd have to carry the insurance for the family, and his insurance plan is so much better than mine when it comes to diabetes supplies. 

4. Can I improve on any of my daily habits?

I could actually eat the produce that I buy at the grocery store.

5. What makes me upset?

Thinking about burden that my son will one day carry as he grows up with Type One Diabetes, and red-tape.  These things are unrelated to each other.

6. What are 3 negative mindsets that I need to let go of?

"That opportunity is not made for shy people like you." "If you try, you will fail and people will judge you."  "You are not kind."

7. What will I accomplish next year?

I will tweak my lesson plans to include more hands-on activities for my students.  Even though I hated those types of activities when I was in school, I am finding that my students love them, so I feel the need to incorporate more group work and games into my lessons (pending a coronavirus vaccine of course). 

8. How can I improve my daily routines?

I could set aside more time for reading.  This will include reading aloud to my children more-- storybooks, and also fun chapter books.  It would be nice if Aaron and I revived our former routine of choosing one night a week to just sit on the couch and both of us read our own book.

9. How can I show others more love and compassion each day?

More hugs!  I read somewhere that 12 hugs a day begins to cause positive change in children.  I would like to make sure that I give each of my kids at least 12 hugs a day.  I also want to put a pause in between their behavior and my reaction.  I think if I took time to decipher why they were acting a certain way, I could more easily fix the problem rather than exacerbating it with my own frustration.

10.  If I could relive one moment, what would it be? 

Being the mom to babies and toddlers again.  I'd LOVE to be able to hold each of my babies again and to really relish the moments in time where they learned how to do simple things like smiling, toddling, laughing, running, etc.  I missed out on so much due to fear and anxiety. 

11. If I could be anything in the world, what would I be?

A manager of my own real estate properties.  I'd love to have properties scattered throughout some of my favorite towns so that I could visit these places when I wanted, but also so I could rent them out and make an income from these and essentially be my own boss and spend my time how I'd like.

12. Who inspires me the most and why?

My mom.  She's perpetually kind and compassionate.  She's the perfect example of a godly wife and a mother.

13.  Is there something I need to change that might be holding me back?

I speak negatively to myself and I need to stop that. I also need to stop worrying about what other people say or think.  (Can also be read:  I need to stop worrying.)

14. What is a goal I have for this month?

Start a prayer journal, even if just in a spiral notebook.  Do more fun activities with my kids like reading knock-knock jokes and playing charades, etc.

15.  What am I grateful for?

So so much.  Being a wife to my best friend. Being a mom to two boys and a girl. Living in America.  Choosing my career path.  Having family close by.  This list could really just go on and on and maybe that's the point.  Maybe I should read this list and add to it everyday.  Reminding myself of what I have to be grateful for really puts things back into perspective.


Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba