lists, lists, and more lists

I have this crazy love for books, binders, and worksheets that pertain to lists and organization.  I love filling them out, dreaming of the wonderful "fix" they are going to do for my household.  I love searching through the clever ideas others have created for home organization.  I so desperately want my house to run organized and smoothly, but it seems we get so busy with our going and doing that we often push aside our routines.  I will say that things have been so much better since the implementation of our household binder, but we still have some areas of improvement.  I guess we probably alway will. 

I found this website today through an email I receive from Organized Mom.  It has M.A.N.Y. lists to help organize your household, AND mine.  I haven't actually purchased any of them, but I am strongly considering it.  I just don't know which area I want to purchase first.  At first glance, I like the Family Matters and Home Management.  With Spring Break right around the corner, I could stand to do a little spring cleaning. I did notice that I could pay an annual fee of $20 and print all I want.  I don't know!!!  I am still thinking.

It made my heart flutter this Monday morning, and I thought I would pass it on to you!!!

Have a blessed Monday!!

moving right along

I haven't forgotten my 2010 goals.  I think about them many times, but I just haven't sat down and blogged about it.  Here it goes.  As always, I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

This 5 week period I am focusing on the nutrition of our family.  It is not at all that our family doesn't eat well, or that I don't cook for them.  I just believe that if I focused on more nutritious meals, I could improve the overall health of our family.

As I read many of your blogs, I am in awe of the healthy food choices that you put on your table.  I want to be that mom.  I want their bodies to be well nourished because they are so active with their daily activities and sports.

This past weekend I was in the health food store searching for things for myself.  As I was talking to one of the ladies that obviously knew much more than I do about healthy eating, she said to me...
If your kids aren't getting enough fat in their diets, their bodies begin to crave sugar.  Actually, she made me feel like a failure as a mother because I am not properly nourishing them.  Whatever!!!

But, it was like a lightbulb went off for me.  I have tried and tried to cut back on the sugar intake of my kids, but it is a struggle.  They fight tooth and nail.  But it made sense...it is more than just not eating sugar.  Their bodies are craving the sugar, and they can't fight it.  Our biggest struggle is at the end of the school day when they haven't had anything to eat since they had lunch at 11:00 that morning.  So by 3:30, they are starving!!!  The first thing their body craves is sugar, sugar, sugar!!!

Although I have heard that simple sugars can suppress the immune system, causing one to suffer from sickness.  I have not found any research that proves this theory, but it just makes me think.  What is sugar doing to our bodies????  I did find this site and this one too that provided a lot of scary information.  I know that I have to take it with a grain of salt.  We can't totally cut sugar.  We can't completely quit living.

Our household binder includes a section for meal planning.  Some weeks, I have done very good at this.  Others, not so much!!!  One of my other problems is coming up with new, fresh ideas for meals in our house.  I feel like I cook the same things over and over.  It is things we like, but eat repeatedly.  I found this blog that posts weekly meal plans.  I love the varying foods that she prepares for her family.  I can't help but notice the amount of money she spends on groceries a week.  WOW, what an amazing thing.

With all this being said...I am focusing on these few things in our nutrition.

• healthy meal choices that vary more
• lowering grocery cost
• carefully evaluating the intake of sugar
• regularly taking vitamins to benefit our health
• trying to include the needed fat and protein in my children's diet

This is going to be a lot of planning and preparation.  Something I am worried about, because I have very little time to actually include this in my day.  However, I think this is something I really have to take the time to plan.  One thing is for sure, if I don't plan it, we will go back to the same thing we are currently doing that isn't working like I want it to.

Hope your 2010 goals are moving right along as well.

Be blessed, 

organization update

As of 7:39 this morning my answer would have been dismal failure...in some areas that is.  What is it that research says...it takes doing something like 27 times before it becomes a habit.  I don't know if I will make it 27 days!!

Our weekly plan has been successful.  Neither of the kids argued about their particular responsibilities for that day.  They got in there and did them and all were happy, including mom.  Yeah!!!

The family schedule is another story.  Did I mention how laid back and S.L.O.W. my husband and children are?  Well they are.  One morning this week, Carson was still in pajamas at 7:20...we need to leave at 7:30. You can imagine the response I gave when I realized this.  Not one of my better mom  moments.  I just don't understand how the kids and I can get up at the same time...I take a bath, fix hair, make-up and get Cydney ready in the same amount of time it takes them to eat breakfast, get dressed, and feed their animals.  Someone please help me understand this!! So, yes, our schedule is still a work in progress.  I am determined to make mornings happier at our house, and continuing to improve on our schedule is a way to do it.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God 

has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:14

Now, I don't believe that the calling God has placed on me is to completely organize my home, but I do believe that we will be rewarded with happy hearts when our home and schedule are more organized.

So press on we will.  

grocery list

I have a wonderful IN REAL LIFE friend that also reads my blog and sent me this grocery list last week.  I didn't want to post it to my blog until I had the chance to use it myself.  And oh my goodness, let me tell how much I loved it.

I am the type of grocery shopper that makes a list, but not in any real organized fashion.  I guess I am lucky to just get to the grocery store with the list.  My typical grocery shopping experience is starting on one side of the store and working my way to the other.  By the time I get close to the end of my shopping experience, I have forgotten something on the other side of the store, so I drag my crew back to the other side of the store.  Grocery shopping is an exhausting experience and you can see why.  I almost never go to the city to buy groceries because I just hate it.

Yesterday was the contrary.  I took my new grocery list and tackled the grocery store.  I was able to manage each section easily.  It was really quit easy.  I was in and out of the grocery store in no time at all.  That could have had something to do with the fact that I had none of my children in tow, but I would rather believe that it is because this grocery list is so fabulously wonderful and easy to use.

Hope the grocery list can be of use to you too!!  Have a great evening.

plan in action

When the new year sprung up on us, I was determined to take the opportunity to get our family organized and on track for a wonderful year.  My family is pretty much a go with the flow type of family, but me, not so much!!  I try to be, but find myself frustrated and aggravated.

Much of the past two weeks has been in the planning stages of our plan.  Whatever I decided we were going to try, I wanted it to be well thought out and the plan to work well for us.  When I make a plan, I want to stick to the plan as closely as possible.  I have a very hard time with flexibility and change.  This is definitely one of my down falls.  One would think after being married to my husband for almost 15 years, I would have learned that plans are going to change and I need to be flexible.  But I have not.  I still get mad when they do.  I even pout a little.  Ok, maybe a lot.

But, one thing I have realized this week is that no matter how much planning I do or how inflexible I am, things ARE going to happen that cause our plan to fail.  For example, on Monday I had to make an unavoidable trip to town.  Due to the fact that we live 30 miles from the city, this puts a serious kink in my well thought out, evening plan.  Dinner became fast food and bed times got pushed back...a lot.  Not in the plan!!!  Evening ends in rushing around and unhappy, impatient mom.

So here is the plan.  I know everyone has to adapt to their own family, but I wanted to share with you our plan of action.  This plan is probably going to change as we use it more, but it is a starting point.

Kirkland Household Binder contents...
     Weekly Plan
     Yearly Calendar
     Menu
     Weekly List
     Shopping List
     Family Schedule
     Family/Household Rules
     Budget

As my precious son was wondering around the house this morning at 7:20, still in his pajamas. I knew I could plan no longer, and must implement the plan immediately.  Before I lose what is left of my mind.  So today tomorrow it is.  Business dinner tonight with Robby.  It's a sorta like a date, so no complaints here.

Please Lord, bless this mother's endeavor to get her family and house organized.