January {What I Learned}

I wanted to join with Bekah and start sharing what I have learned each month. I hope I can stick with it all throughout the year but we will see. For now, January.

1. Part-time care of chickens is kind of fun. 

Our friends went out of town for a week and had their neighbor to care for their chickens for part of the time but we got to do it for a few days and it was fun. My job was obviously only a part of what goes into caring for chickens but I liked the little creatures. :) Plus, we got to keep the eggs and farm fresh eggs are the best!

2. No matter how hard you try to prevent it, kids still get sick. 

We have worked hard this winter to keep our kids well. Boosting immune systems, probiotics, hand washing etc. You know what? Our kids still got sick. We have had the stomach bug and we have had colds and congestion. Sometimes, it just happens.

3. Routine is good. Heck, routine is GREAT!

We started incorporating a nighttime routine for Mason and then eventually a weekday routine and it's been awesome. We've always had a great schedule at our house but our days at home all look different. Recently, I wrote out a daily routine for Mason and it's done wonders. It's not super stringent but more of a guideline for our days and home. He's responding so well to it and it's only been about a week and a half. Just today he told me, "First read, then show and School." Yep, that's right!

Our night time routine was pretty good until Maddox was born and then it just looked different for many reasons. Now that Maddox is older, our nighttime needed a routine. That has helped all of us in that 6-7 o'clock hour. Yay for routines!

4. Time as a family can't be beat. 

We had two full weeks of Matt off within a month and it was incredible. Some of those days involved sickness but it was still so great to be together. We have also changed my working schedule so I'm working during the week and then we are home as a family Saturday and Sunday. It's been great!

5. Boys will do things that girls will never understand. 

Y'all, I just don't get it and I don't think I ever will. Mason will do things when playing that kind of blow my mind but Matt totally gets it It is amazing and also incredibly funny to me. I love that males and females are so different!

6. Dates are incredible! 

Our goals for 2017 was a date out each month. Well, we didn't make it happen in January. We tried hard. In fact, we had two dates lined up and had to cancel both times because of a sick kiddo. BOOO!! After the second cancellation, we settled for an at home date night. We got a yummy take home meal from Fresh Market and just enjoyed good conversation, yummy food, a Where's Waldo book and a show. It was a fun date and we are REALLY looking forward to our dates out this year!!