PodcastsKinder und FamilieFinding Joy in Your Home

Finding Joy in Your Home

Jami Balmet
Finding Joy in Your Home
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  • Finding Joy in Your Home

    How We Built a Simple Food System That Taught Our Kids Real Skills (and Took Pressure Off Me) - BLOG

    16.1.2026 | 6 Min.
    We've started a new system in our home the last couple of years and it's been one of those changes that quietly ends up touching everything.
    It's not flashy.
    It's not complicated.
    But it's steady, practical, and surprisingly life-giving.
    Each of our kids is now trained on one special food that they're fully responsible for making each week.
    They are not helping me make it.
    They are not reminding me to get around to it.
    They make it.
    Here's what that looks like in our house right now:
    Malachi (13) makes 2 gallons of kombucha each week
    Micah (13) makes a huge batch of crockpot granola
    Remington (10) makes 1–2 gallons of yogurt each week
    Ryder (10) makes 1–2 sandwich loaves in the breadmaker
    Magnolia (almost 9) keeps us stocked with muffins, brownies, cookies, and other healthy treats that supplement meals
    Mom (36) makes ½ gallon of kefir daily and is slowly working toward a full gallon
    It's become this beautiful rhythm where food is coming from many hands instead of just one  and everyone feels invested in what they're making.
    But this didn't start as some grand household system or perfectly thought-out plan.
    It started with kombucha.

    The Lightbulb Moment
    Malachi kept begging me every week to make a fresh batch of kombucha.
    The problem was… kombucha can easily sit and ferment away, and with everything else going on in our house, I was usually only getting to it every couple of weeks. He loved it so much and honestly, it's so good for you that I wanted the whole family drinking it more consistently.
    One day it finally clicked.
    This kid was highly motivated to drink it. He had already helped me make it plenty of times. He understood the process.
    So I turned to him and said,
    "What if I train you how to make it completely by yourself? Then you can just make it every week and it doesn't depend on me."
    His face lit up. He thought that was a brilliant idea. So we trained together. I slowly stepped back. And before long, he owned it.
    The very next day, Micah wandered in asking when we were going to make more granola.
    And I had another lightbulb moment.
    BOOM. Now he has a weekly task too and he's thrilled because granola magically appears whenever he wants it. Once that door opened, it just kept unfolding naturally.

    Why This System Has Worked So Well for Our Family
    1. Motivation is built in.
    Each child is responsible for something they genuinely love to eat.
    They're not being assigned random chores that feel disconnected from their life (although they are assigned plenty of those as well)! They're contributing in a way that directly blesses them and the whole family.
    Ownership changes everything.
    When kids care about the outcome, they're willing to practice, troubleshoot, and keep improving.
    2. Training once saves energy forever.
    Yes — training takes time upfront.
    There are messes.
    There are mistakes.
    There are moments where it would absolutely be faster to just do it yourself.
    But once the skill is learned, it multiplies.
    Instead of me personally making all of these foods week after week for years, the responsibility now lives in the household.
    That's not just helpful today. That's shaping capable adults.
    3. It supports how we actually eat.
    We eat a lot of simple, from-scratch foods. My daily focus is often on getting beans cooking, managing dinner in the Instant Pot, and keeping the core meals moving forward.
    We love having things like granola, yogurt, bread, kombucha, and baked treats, but realistically, I couldn't keep up with making all of it myself every single week.
    This system allows everyone to enjoy the foods they love without piling more work onto one person.
    It's truly a win-win-win:
    The kids get ownership and pride in their work.
    Our home stays well-fed with nourishing food.
    My mental and physical workload is lighter.

    4. Skills compound faster than you expect.
    Once kids learn how to measure, follow steps, manage time, clean up after themselves, and problem-solve when something doesn't turn out quite right,  everything else becomes easier to teach. And in turn, the siblings can then teach eachother!
    Cooking stops feeling intimidating and starts feeling familiar.
    Confidence grows quietly, one batch at a time.
    What Training Actually Looks Like in Real Life
    Training isn't formal lessons or rigid systems in our house.
    It looks like:
    Cooking alongside them at first
    Talking through each step
    Explaining why we do things a certain way
    Letting them try
    Letting them mess up
    Slowly stepping back
    At first I'm very hands-on. Then I'm coaching from the side. Eventually, I'm just nearby if questions pop up. And then one day you realize… they've got it.
    If This Feels Intimidating — You're Not Alone
    If the idea of teaching your kids to cook feels overwhelming, I understand that deeply.
    Many of us didn't grow up learning these skills ourselves. We're figuring it out as we go. Sometimes the kitchen already feels like survival mode.
    So start small. It might be just one food, one child, one new skill! Let confidence build naturally. You don't need perfection, you need consistency and patience.

    Why This Matters Beyond Food
    This isn't really about kombucha or bread or muffins.
    It's about:
    Raising capable kids
    Sharing responsibility inside the home
    Teaching stewardship
    Building rhythms that support family life instead of draining it
    Giving children meaningful ways to contribute
    These small systems shape a household culture over time.
    If you've ever wished your kids could help more in the kitchen, this is your invitation to start.
    Small steps.
    Real skills.
    Big payoff over time.
  • Finding Joy in Your Home

    Kids in the Kitchen: What I Teach at Each Age (and Why It Matters So Much to Me) - BLOG

    15.1.2026 | 7 Min.
    I grew up in the 90s with divorced parents who both worked full time and did their best to provide in two separate households.
    My mom was a rockstar. Our house was always clean, and she never failed to have dinner on the table, even when it was simple. But in the 90s and early 2000s, it just wasn't on anyone's radar, at least not ours, that kids should be learning homemaking skills along the way. I was busy with high school, working, and getting into a good college on scholarship. It honestly never crossed my mind that there were important home skills I was missing.
    Fast forward to getting married… and I had zero cooking or kitchen management skills.
    I didn't know how to grocery shop well. I didn't know how to plan meals. I didn't know how to cook anything. It was a steep uphill learning curve.
    Over the years, though, something shifted. I absolutely fell in love with cooking. And now, somehow,  I've written five cookbooks (something newlywed Jami never could have dreamed of).
    But here's the thing: I want something different for my kids.
    I don't want food to feel like a constant uphill battle when they become adults. I want them to be confident in the kitchen. I want them to know how to feed themselves and others well. And honestly? The kids have a TON of fun doing it.
    If you're ever looking for ways to keep kids busy without screens, teach them how to cook and let them whip up treats whenever they like. It's one of the best investments you can make.
    Why Kids Have Always Been in My Kitchen
    Inviting my children into the kitchen has always felt very natural to me.
    I love being in the kitchen experimenting, baking, and creating. So what do you do when you've got a 1-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a 5-year-old who just want to be wherever you are?
    You hand them a spatula, a spoon, a few chocolate chips and let them "cook" right alongside you.
    You invite them into the good work set before you.
    Whenever I post about cooking with my kids or them learning new kitchen skills, I get asked, without fail, "How do you actually do this?"
    What's age-appropriate?
    How do you manage the mess?
    Is it safe?
    So let me share what this has looked like in our home, age by age.

    👶 Toddlers (1–3 years old)
    At this age, the goal is simple: invite them into the work.
    Yes, it's messier.
    Yes, it takes longer.
    No, I don't say yes every single time.
    But whenever possible, I invite them into the kitchen with me.
    I'll hand them a measuring cup and gently guide their hands as they dump flour into the bowl. They throw berries into batter. They hold the salt until it's time to pour. They stir and sample far more than they help. 😉
    And here's my secret trick for the days when you really just need dinner done:
    Set them up next to you with their own little station. A small bowl. A spoon. A little flour. A few chocolate chips. Let them mix up their own delightful creation while you get the real cooking done.
    Everyone feels included — and you still get dinner on the table.
    [caption id="attachment_24076" align="alignnone" width="700"] I looked away for a moment too long and this guy poured flour all over himself. Oh well![/caption]
    🧒 Preschool / Early Elementary (4–7 years old)
    This is where the real fun begins.
    When you invite toddlers into the kitchen consistently, they pick up far more than you realize. By ages 4–5, kids are genuinely capable helpers.
    They can:
    Run to the fridge to grab eggs
    Measure out oil or water
    Mix ingredients
    Help pour
    Roll out dough
    They will still make messes, probably a lot of them, but little by little the spills decrease and their confidence grows.
    My son Maverick (age 5) has been helping me in the kitchen since he was about one. Just this past week, I started teaching him how to make his own eggs on the stove. He did about 95% of it himself while I instructed. The second time, I stayed nearby while he led the steps. In another week or so, he'll likely be able to make his own eggs start to finish.
    This age is perfect for learning how to crack eggs, measure, pour, stir, and roll out dough. They won't be making full meals on their own yet — but you are laying the groundwork for lifelong skills.
    And as a homeschool mom, I'll just say this: one of the best ways to learn fractions is by measuring ingredients.

    👦 Older Elementary (8–11 years old)
    This is when kids can start taking ownership of full recipes.
    My daughter (almost 9) makes a recipe completely on her own at least 3–4 times a week. Yesterday she made snickerdoodles. Today she made brownies.
    When she was 6–7, she cooked alongside me. I explained why we did certain steps. Slowly, I let her start reading recipes, gathering ingredients, and thinking through the process. Over time, she needed less and less help.
    Now she mostly comes to me only if she has questions or needs clarification, but she's capable of making a lot on her own.
    Her older brothers (10–13) can also make quite a bit independently. Their training now focuses on more advanced skills like cheesecake, apple pie, soup stock, and all the bread.
    This isn't formal "lessons." It's simply teaching as we cook together.
    If you have kids over 8–9 years old — start teaching them full recipes. They truly can do it.

    🧑‍🍳 Teens
    My next step with our older boys will be teaching them how to:
    Plan full menus
    Build grocery lists
    Manage multiple dishes at once
    Think through timing and budgeting
    They'll take the foundation they've built and begin managing the full process of feeding a household. This is real life preparation.

    🔥 Safety (Because Everyone Asks)
    Kids absolutely need to learn how to handle real kitchen tools, appropriately and gradually.
    My toddlers are watched constantly and never near knives or hot stoves.
    But my 5-year-old is learning basic knife skills and how to cook eggs on a skillet with supervision.
    Could he nick a finger or get a small burn? Possibly. We minimize risk as much as we reasonably can — but learning always involves some risk, just like riding bikes or rollerblading.
    A small mistake often teaches caution faster than a lecture ever could.
    Use wisdom.
    Supervise closely.
    Build skills slowly.
    Trust your instincts.
    Why This Matters So Much to Me
    I didn't grow up learning these skills. I had to learn them as an adult, the hard way.
    I want my kids to step into adulthood confident, capable, and joyful in the kitchen. I want them to bless their future families and communities through hospitality and practical skill.
    And honestly? I just love watching their confidence grow.
    Mess fades.
    Skills remain.
    Memories multiply.

    If You're Nervous to Start
    Start small.
    Let them stir.
    Let them pour.
    Let them crack eggs.
    Let them "cook" beside you.
    It will be slower at first.
    It will be messier at first.
    It will be imperfect at first.
    But it will be worth it.
    You're not just making food — you're forming capable humans.
  • Finding Joy in Your Home

    Sword in One Hand, Spatula in the Other: Homemaking Isn't Small - BLOG

    14.1.2026 | 6 Min.
    Homemaking Isn't Cute. It's Holy.
    I woke up to wicked laughter coming from the living room.
    Not the sweet kind of laughter.
    The suspicious kind.
    The kind that makes your eyes fly open and your stomach immediately drop.
    The two-year-old twins had clearly escaped their beds and were up to something.
    I groaned and dragged my very pregnant body out of bed. I was 38 weeks along with our second set of twin boys, my feet already swollen before the day had even begun, contractions rolling in and out like background noise. I knew before my feet even hit the floor that this was going to be a long day.
    I rounded the corner into the living room and just stood there.
    Flour. Everywhere.
    The boys were deliriously happy, covered head to toe in white powder. The dining room was coated. The kitchen counters were coated. The floor looked like it had snowed indoors overnight.
    I snapped a picture to send to Jason and laughed — and then promptly cried.
    It was barely 6am.
    How could the day already be this off the rails?

    You don't need to have twins back-to-back while nine months pregnant to understand this part: making a home is hard sometimes. It's exhausting. It's discouraging. It's often thankless. There are days where it feels like everything you just cleaned gets undone in five minutes flat and no one even notices the effort.
    And yet… when I look back on that day now, I feel something very different.
    The labor pains are long gone.
    The swollen feet are back to normal.
    The boys wipe their own bottoms now.
    (I truly never thought I'd miss those early years… but here we are.)
    I wouldn't necessarily want to relive that exact morning again 😅  but with a little perspective, I can see the joy in it. The life in it. The sweetness hidden inside the mess and exhaustion.
    That day wasn't wasted.
    It was building something.

    The World Says This Work Is Small
    The world has a lot of opinions about homemaking.
    It tells us it's outdated.
    That it's small.
    That it's soft.
    That it's a fallback plan instead of a calling.
    We're told the real heroes are the ones climbing ladders, collecting titles, stacking promotions, building something that can be measured and applauded and posted online.
    If you stay home, don't you know that's risky?
    Don't you know you should protect yourself more?
    Don't you know you could be doing something "bigger"?
    What we rarely talk about is the sacrifice it takes to care deeply for a home. The emotional energy. The physical labor. The constant decision-making. The invisible leadership. The way your heart is constantly poured out in tiny, daily ways.
    And we almost never talk about the joy and quiet accomplishment that lives here too.

    We've stopped seeing the glory in the ordinary.
    The beat-up minivan.
    The hand-me-down clothes.
    The frugal meals.
    The sticky counters.
    The tired evenings.
    The repetitive rhythms.
    But there is something sacred happening inside all of it.

    This Isn't Soft Work
    Homemaking isn't cute.
    It isn't always aesthetic.
    It isn't slow mornings and perfect sourdough and filtered sunlight, at least, not always!
    Sometimes it's sanctifying.
    Sometimes it takes grit.
    Sometimes it takes a lot of grace on repeat.
    Every time you choose patience instead of snapping.
    Every time you choose prayer instead of panic.
    Every time you choose faithfulness when no one is clapping.
    Every time you clean the same mess again and still choose joy.
    Every time you train a heart instead of just managing behavior.
    You are pushing back darkness.
    You are shaping souls.
    You are guarding the tone of your home.
    You are cultivating peace and order and truth in a world that desperately lacks it.
    That is not small work.
    That is Kingdom work.


    Sword in One Hand, Spatula in the Other
     
    There's this beautiful picture in Scripture of builders working with a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other: building while staying alert, grounded, and ready.
    I think about that often in homemaking.
    We're wiping counters while praying for hearts.
    We're folding laundry while teaching obedience and gratitude.
    We're breaking up sibling fights while modeling forgiveness.
    We're feeding bodies while nurturing souls.
    It looks ordinary on the outside.
    But spiritually? It's deeply significant.
    You are not "just" a mom.
    You are not "just" a homemaker.
    You are guarding the gates of your home.

    Rooted, Not Perfect
    You don't need to be Pinterest-perfect.
    You don't need the cleanest house, the prettiest meals, or the most impressive routines.
    You need to be rooted in Christ.
    That's what makes your work powerful.
    That's what steadies you when the work feels unseen.
    That's what anchors you when the days blur together.
    That's what keeps your joy from being dependent on circumstances.
    When the enemy whispers, "This doesn't matter," you get to whisper back:
    "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."


    So Sister, Keep Building
    If you're tired today…
    If you feel unseen…
    If the work feels repetitive or overwhelming…
    If you're wondering whether it's really making a difference…
    Let me remind you:
    You are doing holy work.
    Don't quit.
    Don't shrink back.
    Pick up your sword — and your spatula — and keep building.
    The fruit of faithful homemaking often grows quietly.
    But it grows deep.
  • Finding Joy in Your Home

    Our Family & Personal Goals for 2026 - BLOG

    10.1.2026 | 9 Min.
    Last week, Jason and I sat down for our annual planning and goal-setting meeting. This has become a long-standing tradition for us, and it has made such a difference in keeping us on the same page and making sure our top priorities truly stay our top priorities.
    If you'd like to peek behind the scenes, you can read about how we do our annual planning session here — and how we do a year-end review (which is honestly one of the most important steps in the whole process).
    Today, though, I wanted to share a few encouragements for those of you who are newer to planning or goal setting and then I'll share our family's goals for 2026.

    Start Small (Really Small)
    If you're just getting started, I highly recommend choosing only a couple of small goals. When we try to pile on too much at once, it quickly becomes overwhelming, and overwhelm almost always leads to quitting.
    Big change rarely happens all at once. It happens through small, steady habits built over time.
    For example, rebuilding my reading habit has been more than a decade in the making. I was always a big reader as a kid, but something about college knocked reading right out of my everyday rhythms. Years later, Jason and I decided to intentionally pick it back up again, and I was thrilled when I managed to read 20 books that first year.
    Eventually, that became 45 books… then 60… and now my slightly insane goal of 104 books (which breaks down to two books a week). That goal feels challenging but realistic for me now, because the habit has been built slowly over many years. And just to keep things honest: in 2025, I absolutely did not hit that goal. And that's okay.
    But exercise? That's a completely different story for me.
    That's a habit I'm still actively trying to cultivate. I'm working on rebuilding strength, finding workouts I actually enjoy, protecting my body from injury, and strengthening my pelvic floor again. Some days it feels like a victory just to fit in a short walk or stretch. This is not the season for me to sign up for a marathon. This is the season for small, steady consistency.
    And that's exactly how goal setting should work.
    There's No One "Right" Way to Set Goals
    If you're a goal-setting olympian who loves mapping out big dreams across lots of areas, have fun and go for it.
    If you're brand new to planning, maybe start with just one or two small goals this month and gently build from there as the year allows.
    There truly is no one right way to do this. In fact, one of my friends, Crystal (who is an absolute mega-planner), isn't setting any formal goals at all this year. Her season simply calls for margin and flexibility instead of targets and benchmarks. And that's wise.

    Honor the Season You're In
    The most important thing is this: do what is right for your family in the season you're currently in.
    Some seasons are for building and stretching. Some seasons are for healing and stabilizing. Some seasons are for dreaming big. Some seasons are for simplifying and catching your breath.
    All of them are valuable. Planning isn't about pressure or performance, it's about stewardship, clarity, and making small intentional choices that support the life God has placed in front of you. Start where you are. Take the next small step. And trust that steady faithfulness adds up more than you realize.
    Our Family Goals for 2026:
    READING:
    Jason and Jami both set the goal of reading 104 books this year
    J&J both set an additional goal of reading 35,000 pages overall
    Jami wants to read both The Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as The Wheel of Time series this year
    Jason has set a goal of reading 50% fiction and 50% non-fiction this year
    BIBLE READING:
    Jason is doing the Bible in a Year via the Bible App
    Jason has timers set throughout his day that remind him to stop and pray for various things
    Jami is reading the Bible in a Year by reading through the ESV Reader's Bible. A special version of the Bible that contains no chapter or verse titles or references. So it looks and reads like a regular book.
    Jami does her devotional time after Bible reading by praying through the Psalms and writing in her prayer journal.
    For family worship, Jason's goal is 5 nights a week. He reads a chapter of his current devotional book, reads a Proverb per day, practices catechisms, and sings a hymn.
    HEALTH:
    Jami's goal is to lose 30lbs
    Jami will be starting off the year following the Trim Healthy Mama diet and will reevaluate as needed
    Jami's exercise plan is to do the Nourish Move Love 30 Day Beginner Workout plan in January. Then to repeat it in February with heavier weights.
    Jami's goal is to start weight lifting at some point this year.
    Jason's health goals include losing weight, eating Carnivore diet, and weight lifting at the gym 3 times per week.
    Jami's goal is for the whole family to eat 3-5 probitoic rich foods a day like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, fermented veggies, etc.

    FAMILY GOALS:
    Restart monthly date nights with individual kids
    Weekly family worship
    Better schedules for kids bedtimes
    No sugar January to reset after sickness
    MORNING ROUTINES:
    Jami's goal is up by 6am during weekdays: coffee, Bible reading & prayer, workout, shower and dress
    Jason's goal is out the door by 5am, 3 times per week to do the gym. Otherwise out the door by 6:15am
    Kids up by 7:30am, school starts by 8:10am!
    JAMI'S PERSONAL GOALS:
    Start a garden at their new house
    Grow 3 new things
    Start beekeeping by catching a wild swarm
    Start meat rabbits
    Finish setting up her office/craft room
    Finish the punch needle stockings
    Make a rug for the little kids room
    If this list feels inspiring — wonderful. If it feels overwhelming — please hear this with grace: these are our goals for our season, not a template for anyone else to copy.
    Your season, your capacity, your family rhythms, and your energy levels may look completely different, and that's exactly as it should be.
    The point of sharing this isn't comparison. It's simply to show what intentionality can look like when two people sit down, dream together, and commit to small faithful steps over time.
    You don't need a perfect plan or a packed goal list to move forward. You just need one small step in the right direction.
    So maybe today that looks like jotting down one thing you'd love to grow in this year. Maybe it's having a simple conversation with your spouse over coffee. Maybe it's choosing one tiny habit to practice consistently for the next month.
    Start where you are. Stay faithful in the small things. And trust that God will multiply your steady obedience in ways you can't yet see.

    Want more hands-on help planning this year?
    If you'd like hands-on help with planning and goal setting, I'm hosting live trainings January 12–16 inside our Planning & Goal Setting course.
    Each day we'll meet live, I'll teach you how to:
    set realistic goals

    break them into action steps

    plan in a way that works with your life (not against it)

    You'll also receive all of my planning worksheets so you can take immediate action.
    If you've struggled to make goals that stick—and you want 2026 to be different—join me for our 3rd annual planning retreat. We'll do it together.
    Sign up here!
  • Finding Joy in Your Home

    How Jason and I Plan Our Family Goals Each Year - BLOG

    09.1.2026 | 7 Min.
    There's something about a fresh notebook, a warm cup of coffee, and a quiet conversation with your husband that makes you believe anything is possible.
    Once a year, Jason and I carve out intentional time to sit down together and talk through our family — what worked, what didn't, what God might be inviting us into next, and what needs to gently be laid down. It's not fancy. There's no color-coded planner system or perfect spreadsheet. Just two tired parents, a lot of dreaming, and a deep desire to steward our family well.
    Every time I share a glimpse of these planning days online, I get flooded with messages asking how we actually do it. So today, I'm pulling back the curtain and sharing exactly how Jason and I plan our family goals  and why this rhythm has become one of the most grounding practices in our home.
    1. Jason was not always a big planner.
    For years, I did this planning mostly on my own. I would ask for his input or run ideas by him, but he just wasn't a natural planner in the same way I was.
    I hear this often from wives who wish their husbands were into planning like Jason is now. But don't push it. Everyone's personalities are different, and some people naturally find more value in planning than others. Eventually your husband may come around and get on board,  but invite him into it gently, and don't be upset if he doesn't want to jump in right away. You can absolutly plan and goal set by yourself!

    2. The timing doesn't matter.
    We do a big meeting every New Year, but we also do "big picture" check-ins throughout the year as needed. Don't fret if this doesn't happen on January 1st, or even February 1st. It is never a bad time to pause, plan, and be intentional with your time and your family.
    3. Grab a notebook, a pen, and some coffee.
    Your planning session doesn't need to be fancy or follow any sort of curriculum. We've slowly developed a system that works well for us simply through trial and error.
    We sit down together and just start chatting about our year. We take turns sharing what worked really well in the previous year that we want to carry forward and what didn't work so well and needs a new solution (like eating out less, getting more consistent with school rhythms, etc.).
    At this stage, we're not looking for all the answers yet. We're simply opening the conversation and getting ideas flowing. It can sometimes take us a while to hit our groove with planning.
    4. Review last year's goals.
    From there, Jason pulls up our goals from the previous year on his phone, and we go through them one by one.
    This year, there were several goals I never even started. 2025 ended up looking very different than we anticipated, and some of those goals just didn't fit anymore and that's okay. Release those goals and move on… or carry them into the new year if they still feel worth pursuing.
    We break our goals down into categories, so we review them category by category and decide what we want to adjust or set fresh. For example, we always set reading goals. So we talk through how we did last year, which books we loved, what didn't work, and what we want to change moving forward. As we talk, we write down the new goals for the year.

    5. Every goal and idea gets written down.
    You think you'll remember everything you talked about… but you won't. Write it all down so your goals are actually usable and not just floating around in your head.
    We keep our goals in shared notes so we can easily pull them up throughout the year and review them together. It's actually really fun to look back and see several years of goals listed out — you can see growth, patterns, answered prayers, and seasons of change.
    Why Planning Has Become a Must for Our Family
    As we enter 2026, life feels full and busy in the very real sense of the word. We have eight kids ranging from 13 down to 1. We're juggling doctor's appointments, more surgeries for Radley, eye appointments, everyday life, and school. We also run our business together, which tends to fill any spare moments we thought we had. And oh yeah — we also want to prioritize our marriage, exercise, eating well…you get it.
    Life moves at a breakneck speed. And those of us who are parents know how quickly the years fly by. There's no room to drift through life unintentionally.
    A few years ago, we realized we were saying yes to almost everything,  opportunities, commitments, projects, and quietly wondering why we felt so exhausted and disconnected. When we finally slowed down and really talked through our priorities, it became clear that some good things were crowding out the best things. That one planning conversation reshaped our entire year.
    Slowing down to plan together helps us stay on the same page, which is huge for our marriage and our family. It also helps us clearly see what we need to say yes to…and what we need to lovingly say no to. In a full schedule, there are so many good things that simply don't fit the season we're in. Planning helps us recognize that with clarity and peace.
    Ultimately, our planning isn't about productivity. It's about stewardship. These years with our children are precious and fleeting, and we want to walk through them awake, grateful, and aligned, trusting God to guide our steps even when the plan changes.
    Tomorrow, I'll be sharing what our family goals are for 2026 as well as my personal goals for the year.

    Want to Try This With Your Family?
    If you've never done a planning conversation with your spouse before, start simple.
    Pick a quiet evening or weekend morning.

    Make coffee or tea.

    Grab a notebook and pen.

    Ask each other:
    What worked well this past year?

    What felt heavy or stressful?

    What rhythms do we want to protect?

    What is one area we want to grow in as a family?

    What new skill do you want to learn this year?
    What are you currently excited about for the year ahead?

    You don't need a perfect system. You just need a willingness to start the conversation.
    Want more hands-on help planning this year?
    If you'd like hands-on help with planning and goal setting, I'm hosting live trainings January 12–16 inside our Planning & Goal Setting course.
    Each day we'll meet live, I'll teach you how to:
    set realistic goals

    break them into action steps

    plan in a way that works with your life (not against it)

    You'll also receive all of my planning worksheets so you can take immediate action.
    If you've struggled to make goals that stick—and you want 2026 to be different—join me for our 3rd annual planning retreat. We'll do it together.
    Sign up at: FindingJoyinYourHome.com/Planning

Weitere Kinder und Familie Podcasts

Über Finding Joy in Your Home

The Finding Joy in Your Home podcast exists to give you the tools, inspiration, and encouragement that you need to craft a Gospel-Centered Home (formerly called the Homemaking Foundations Podcast)! Join Jami, creator behind FindingJoyinYourHome.com, as we explore various aspects of homemaking including biblical womanhood, marriage, healthy living, organizing, cooking, and so much more! If you feel like your home is out of control - or if you ever feel overwhelmed in your role as homemaker - then join Jami each week as she stands firm on God's Word as our path to bringing glory to God and finding true joy and peace in the everyday.
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