Not Enough Time in a Day? - Accountability.

Ever feel like there isn't enough time in a day?  

{google images}

I certainly do!  Here (was) my solution:  WAKE UP EARLIER.... great idea in theory, but when it came down to it, I found that it was just too easy to jump out of bed, turn off my alarm, hop back in bed, and go right back to sleep.  

Ever do that?

Some people seem to find it easier to wake up and get going than others, and I used to be one of them!  I'd wake up at 5:30 every morning with no problem, but as I got older, bed just kept getting sweeter :)  

After many days of late starts and super late finishes, I found my solution!   Ready?

It's called:  Accountability

I now have Caelen come and jump on me when I refuse to wake up at a certain time, and it (usually) works. There is something about getting an early start to the day that makes me feel so much more refreshed and ready to go.  

But I've also found that accountability is soo helpful with almost anything that I am having a hard time getting motivated to do by myself.  Caelen keeps me accountable for being consistent in exercising regularly, and I've gotten my cousin to email me weekly to remind me to blog every Tuesday.  -(that's a new thing guys, so stay tuned for a new blog post every Tuesday!)  (Lord willing)  :D  

Now, you may be one of those people who is very self-motivated, and can just plug through and get things done - That's fantastic!  But for those like me, who want to get that one thing done so badly, but are just too busy with everything else to even get around to it - I would strongly suggest that you:

a) Make a schedule with a check list  - (checklists are my best friends!)

{This planner is AWESOME  for that!}

                   

b) Find an accountability partner (or two).....(or three)  :)  Siblings, cousins, friends, parents...

It draws those people closer to you, and helps you to actually get around to ALL the numerous important things on your (mile long) to-do list.  

So, instead of getting to the end of my day and thinking, "where in the world did all of my day go - the only thing I got done was school!" (which used to be the story of my life until more recently)

I've got people from all over, keeping me "in line", and encouraging me to get things done.  

I like that.  

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12 - Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  ... And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Good grief!  The pups are gettin SO BIG!!!  I finally got the chance (in between lots of College Plus and Highschool which is what has kept me away for so long) to get in a few shots of them.  

Early February, we got the chance to adopt most of the others out, ending up with only 2;  Sampson (who we are keeping for my aunt until June) and Toby (my buddy).

Oh, did I ever tell you guys what kind of a mix we found out they were?  It's crazy!.....prepare yourself:

Border Collie

Australian Shepherd

Basset Hound

Dalmatian

Lab??

Crazy, huh?  So they've got the short Basset legs, some of the dalmatian spots, and Toby has the Border Collie coloring.  Some of the other pups definitely had the Aussie markings though.  

They look so weird....in a cute kind of way...

~

Before I took them out for pictures, I had to give em a bath...which they surprisingly LOVED.  Now, whenever I can't find them, It's pretty safe to look in the shower.  These guys are nuts about water!  They sleep beside their water bowl, try to jump in the toilet, play in the shower, and have the biggest webbed feet you ever 'done seen'!  That's what makes us think that they are part lab...

What do ya think?  Water obsessive pups? ....maybe??  :P

Sampson

Toby 

Gotta luv these kids.  

What about you?  Do what kind of dog do you have?  :)

Love, 

          Hannah

Awesome bro's

I really do think that I have the absolute best set of little bros in the whole widest of worlds...actually, there is not a doubt in my mind.

~

So, I go shopping with Mom this afternoon to pick up some ingredients for this AMAZINGLY moist chocolate cake, recipe that I was planning to bake for myself for my birthday (I almost like baking things more than I like eating them nowadays...I do believe that I have gone over to the dark side at last...)
  Well, when I come home, Benj walks out of the house with a majorly long face.  He says,
   
        "Don't, whatever you do, go inside the house."
Me:  "Why not, and what's up with you?"
Ben:  "We have a surprise for you, and I really wanted to light up the tiki lamps for you to come home to for your birthday, but Dad said no."
Me:  "Aww, thanks bud!  I appreciate it, but no worries."  :)

*walks into the house and sees Nate making a happy birthday sign, candles are lit everywhere, and the house is spotless.*

Me:  "Whoa!  Guys, this is sooo sweet!"

Nate:  "It was Ben's idea."

       *Ben is still kinda moping about the tiki lamps...*

Sweet things.....they are the beeest!!

Things I've been enjoying since we talked last...

Wow!  I haven't blogged in almost 2 months!  It seems just like yesterday that I was signing on here to tell you guys that I would see you next year...well, it's almost a whole month into 2013, and so much has happened in that time!  I really did mean to write way before now, but I've been super sick with cold sores all over my mouth (can't even open my mouth right now) and haven't felt up to doing just about anything for a while....you know how that goes...

~

Well, first off, {and probably the thing that made our Christmas so special} Cally had 6 puppies.....6!!!  How so many pups could fit inside that tiny dog; I'll never know...}

We still have yet to find out what kind of mix they are, but most of them are super fluffy.  

Now they are 6 weeks old, and keep me awake all night :)

We decided to keep this guy - Toby  :)  such a chunk!

~

For Christmas, most of the cousins and relatives on Mom's side joined us at our house - 21 people and 10 dogs (including the pups)  -a houseful, but big crowds of family are always awesome.

~Sisters~

~Laughter~

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Dancing to Feliz Navidad before exchanging gifts on Christmas morn - made a great memory

~

Listening to my Grandfather read about Christ's birth - a long standing tradition on both Mom and Dad's side of the family

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Getting awesome gifts like.....M&Ms and snugly blankets!!!

So beautiful  :D

CRAZY cousins

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Oh, and of course all the boys had to wrestle it out on the trampoline later on...

~
Christmas time is always a whirlwind here, but I love it how Christ is at the center of everything that goes on throughout the day.

~

After Christmas, a couple of Caelen's friends came to spend the week with us.... definitely a highlight :D

...{why can't we ever seem to do "normal friendish" things...}

~

Last but not least, I've asked for another little sister for Christmas next year.  Whatcha think?  I personally think she would fit in just swimmingly  :D

Love to you all, and hopefully I'll talk to ya sooooon!

~Hannah

What I'm enjoying this Christmas

I'm sorry to say it, but this is probably going to be the last post that I do in 2012.  ...Gonna catch up on some quality family time for the rest of the month, if you know what I mean :)

BUT!  I do intend to leave the year with a longer-than-usual blog post.  

~

Let me just start out by saying how much I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to Christmas music on Pandora  

There is nothing quite like Bing Crosby singing 'Winter Wonder Land', or Nat King Cole with 'The Christmas Song'.  

I've enjoyed the cozy fires down in the cold basement while watching Christmas movies with the fam (favorites being Polar Express, Rudolph, Narnia, It's a Wonderful Life, and all of the other awesome Christmas movie classics)

It was a total blast Christmas Caroling with some of the kids in our church...you could tell that it really touched a lot of the people who we sang to.

...

Aaakkk!  I can't concentrate on what I'm writing because of the 'Mr. Grinch' song that is playing in the background! ...oh well, I love the song ...hang on a sec, I'm going to finish listening really quickly... :D

~

Ok, I'm back.  Speaking of more music, listening to Michael Bublé's Christmas CD early this morning on my way up to Boone was so nice.  
{Although ...while his Christmas CD is super, I can't speak for the rest of his albums :) }

I had to take a test up at Appalachian State this morning...not the most fun way to spend a Friday in December, but hey!  At least it's over now...and I passed!!!  Yeah!!

Thankfully Caelen was up there taking one at the same time as me (...she passed as well)

Soo happy  :)

The trip up is always a treat just because you get to pass about 10 different Christmas tree farms on the way.   

{getting a decent looking picture out of the window of a fast moving car is kinda difficult..}

It's been so fun seeing Calcium Bicarbonate (our dog...with the ultimate dog name) grow great with pup ;)  Any day now she's gonna have little Christmas puppies!!!

I tried out this cool DIY Christmas decoration project to put on my dresser - so cute!! 

*Just glue miniature Christmas trees to the lid of a clear mason jar (you can the mini trees at craft stores...I stole mine from our miniature Christmas village :)

*Then sprinkle large salt crystals or sugar onto the lid, and screw it onto the jar

Cute, huh?

Cracking up at this Christmas song . . . Nate and I sung it at a talent show one year...very memorable talent show...  :P

Alright, alright . . . I better go now.  Time to finish decorating the Christmas tree... {I just secretly put the first red ball up...it's always a contest between us kids to see who will put the first ornament on the tree :P }

{I won}

Merry Christmas everybody!  I'll see ya next year!

12.12.12

Hey!  Do you know what day it is???  

12.12.12 !!!

Never again will this date role around again in history!  ... {well, I guess you could say that about pretty much any day of the week, but... }

We're makin history people!  :)  

It's neat to think that every moment that I'm living is just a piece of history that can either be remembered forever, or completely forgotten.  

I wanna do something that will leave a lasting impression!

 I have a whole lifetime to make history! ...now whether that lifetime is 5 more days or 70 more years, i'll never know, but I do know that I have a responsibility to use the time that I have right now, - wisely!
...and so do you...

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him"                                                                                           ~John Piper