Cutting the Chaos, Week 3!!

This one I have been SO excited about, not because it is an original, crafty amazing idea, because frankly its pretty simple :) The reason I am so excited about it is it will help me keep up with something I feel really strongly about doing in a much simpler way than the way I have been.

JOURNALING!! I love it! I am a big believer in keeping a journal. I have found so many blessings in my life from keeping a journal, and even though I go through phases where I am better than others, I would say for the most part I keep a decent record of our life. One thing that has really helped strengthen my testimony of journaling is going back and reading old entries. Something I have been amazed at time and time again is how often the Lord has guided me and my family, even if at the time I didn't realize it. I found a particular entry the other day that was really profound for me. I was writing about before Paul and I had any children, when we were trying to decide if we were ready to take that next step. I wrote something to the effect that I had was worried that I might have a difficult pregnancy or that there would be complications with my baby. I also wrote that I didn't know if I was just being paranoid, or if it was the Lord's way of preparing me. Months later when we had Skylar 8 weeks early I remembered those feelings, and I was very humbled to see that the Lord had never left me, he had slowly been preparing me for one of the most difficult experiences of my life, but one that had brought about a sincere change of heart. The birth of my Skylar completely changed my outlook on life and my faith, and reminded me that I was capable of hearing the Lord when he speaks to me and taught me to trust my ability to feel and recognize the Spirit.

Sorry, that was a little bit off the point, and a lot rambling!! If you are still with me, I'll show you the project! ;)

As much as I enjoy journaling for myself I have always felt strongly about keeping journals for my children. I started with Skylar, and then added one for Kendall when I had her. Then I thought it would be good to have a journal for my personal scripture reading, and of course my own personal journal. Put that all together and this is what I am looking at every night before I go to bed...

Yeah, I think its a little much :) And if you realize, there are only two kids' journals....HELLO!! I have 3 now, have for about a year now :) I feel like so often I feel so overwhelmed at writing in all of these, I instead write in nothing! And come on, I have some hilarious, adorable, charming children here that need to be written about. Fast forward to my new way of journaling for my children, I think I have to give credit to my amazing Aunt Sheri for this idea :) I'm pretty sure it was hers a few years ago, and I am just finally seeing the genius in it.

I simply went to Walmart, found this cute little index card holder and got 3 different colored packs of index cards. Blue for Britton, Pink for Kendall, and Purple for Skylar. I stuck a pen in the holder, and now any time one of the kids says something I never want to forget or reaches a new milestone, I can run over, grab an index card and write a short note. The biggest thing I try to do is make sure I date everything, and I am so excited to be able to look back on all these notecards and remember those moments that you think you will never forget but inevitably do! :) I hope some of you are having your own luck at cutting the chaos. :)