I, like many of you, am a huge believer in a routine. I have many each day.....I make breakfast the same way (although each day differs in the choices for J & C), I have a routine for my weekly chores, and I am trying hard to get the boys in a good bedtime and morning routine on school days.
While I read many BLOGS each day, I do find reading others routines helpful and get ideas on how the make routines easier for all of us. Today, while reading my favorite Blog EVER, I came across her morning routine printable (which is FREE and that makes it even better) to assist my boys! I have her bedtime routine printable already hanging on the boys doors, the new morning routine will soon join it for the boys to use as a guide.
Routines are apart of everyone's lives even if we do not really know about it. I think setting the right routines in my kids at an early age will be helpful as they grow into the big people too....
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Freedom....sort of
Finally C has started school and I am learning to enjoy my 2.5 hours of quiet time, alone. With that said, I am making lists of things I can tackle "sans kids". The list is long, but easy projects that can be done in the amount of time I have.
The list continues as will my clean out areas...I am tackling the basement currently. A dear childhood friend and her hubby are visiting us next weekend and staying with us. We do not have a guest room (boo!) so they will be taking over the basement and I want to make it clean and private for them to have a place to relax "sans kids". I am deep cleaning this weekend, then adding finishing touches to the quick decorating I have done.
Our family room and the boys playroom are down there so there is plenty to clean out. The toys need to be gone through (without them) to add batteries where needed, ditch any things that have snuck into bins and art work needs to be hung (there is a pile!!) The family room side is quite clean and organized so there is little to be done but add some things for our guests to make them comfortable. It is kind of exciting to have guests coming!!!
Next on the list is painting a bathroom, and then I will start to tackle our master bedroom. Since I have limited alone time it will take some time, but I can do it. One wall at a time! The budget is ZERO so I need to re-purpose items and get crafty. I am now addicted (honestly!) to Pinterest and cannot believe the ideas I am finding there for so many things!! I love it! I have made boards to organize them on the site and can mindlessly look at things, and "pin" them to a board. It is so easy!! Kids crafts, fashion, food, decorating...All the things I love to get ideas for!
Off to take C to school and then get back here to work in the playroom...Its a rainy day here, but we have plans with our dearest friends here in town. Pizza nights are back now that school is out. This is our family time with them and we love our monthly dinners together. Happily our kids love pizza night as much and M and I do!
The list continues as will my clean out areas...I am tackling the basement currently. A dear childhood friend and her hubby are visiting us next weekend and staying with us. We do not have a guest room (boo!) so they will be taking over the basement and I want to make it clean and private for them to have a place to relax "sans kids". I am deep cleaning this weekend, then adding finishing touches to the quick decorating I have done.
Our family room and the boys playroom are down there so there is plenty to clean out. The toys need to be gone through (without them) to add batteries where needed, ditch any things that have snuck into bins and art work needs to be hung (there is a pile!!) The family room side is quite clean and organized so there is little to be done but add some things for our guests to make them comfortable. It is kind of exciting to have guests coming!!!
Next on the list is painting a bathroom, and then I will start to tackle our master bedroom. Since I have limited alone time it will take some time, but I can do it. One wall at a time! The budget is ZERO so I need to re-purpose items and get crafty. I am now addicted (honestly!) to Pinterest and cannot believe the ideas I am finding there for so many things!! I love it! I have made boards to organize them on the site and can mindlessly look at things, and "pin" them to a board. It is so easy!! Kids crafts, fashion, food, decorating...All the things I love to get ideas for!
Off to take C to school and then get back here to work in the playroom...Its a rainy day here, but we have plans with our dearest friends here in town. Pizza nights are back now that school is out. This is our family time with them and we love our monthly dinners together. Happily our kids love pizza night as much and M and I do!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Oh me oh my!! I just found a fun craft for me AND the kids can help (maybe!)
I found a new blog from an old favorite that I check often.....This new blogger gave a tutorial on how to make frosted jars for floral arrangements.....I have an idea brewing in my head for my mantel and I think this could be the perfect (and cheap) way to do it!!
Had to share, now off the to grocery store before the rain starts and I am not motivated to leave the house with the boys!
I found a new blog from an old favorite that I check often.....This new blogger gave a tutorial on how to make frosted jars for floral arrangements.....I have an idea brewing in my head for my mantel and I think this could be the perfect (and cheap) way to do it!!
Had to share, now off the to grocery store before the rain starts and I am not motivated to leave the house with the boys!
Just can't get enough
Of Mel's Kichen Cafe blog! Daily ideas for amazing meals!!
Tonight's meal is a favorite of mine, but I am going with her version instead! Quick-and-tasty-cheesesteak-subs
I love cheese steaks...I should have been born in Philly, but in Chicago we change the toppings, use less juice etc. I am sticking to her recipe 100% tonight......We will have to compare later!
While I was searching her site (again) I came across this too....Menu's! And not just for one week but FIVE!!! Oh my, the meals and the NOT repeating meals! I gotta work on this. Sure, we have our ol' standards that I whip out for the kids (or when mommy is not motivated) but for a set 5 weeks of meals, the ease!
How far out to do you plan your meals? One week? Two? FIVE WEEKS??
Tonight's meal is a favorite of mine, but I am going with her version instead! Quick-and-tasty-cheesesteak-subs
I love cheese steaks...I should have been born in Philly, but in Chicago we change the toppings, use less juice etc. I am sticking to her recipe 100% tonight......We will have to compare later!
While I was searching her site (again) I came across this too....Menu's! And not just for one week but FIVE!!! Oh my, the meals and the NOT repeating meals! I gotta work on this. Sure, we have our ol' standards that I whip out for the kids (or when mommy is not motivated) but for a set 5 weeks of meals, the ease!
How far out to do you plan your meals? One week? Two? FIVE WEEKS??
Monday, August 22, 2011
Meet Your Teacher Day
Today J gets to find out his 2nd grade teacher. Little does he know I know! I accidentally found out last week while adding money to his lunch account. I decided to keep it a secret from him. He likes surprises and the day is so fun for the kids! They all line up outside the gym until the doors open and rush the lists on the walls to see the teacher they got and who is in the class...Some of my friends told their kids, but I kindly asked them to not mention it to J. They agreed and he is still in the dark.
It is also the last time I will be going to Meet Your Teacher alone with him. In the past my parents have taken C so J and I could do this solo, but it donned on me this morning, that next year C will be at the same school for kindergarten. How did that happen?
My babies are growing up....I am happy about that. I am thrilled to watch them as they become the boys they are. It will also give me to opportunities to do some things I have wanted to do outside the house.......Stay tuned....
It is also the last time I will be going to Meet Your Teacher alone with him. In the past my parents have taken C so J and I could do this solo, but it donned on me this morning, that next year C will be at the same school for kindergarten. How did that happen?
My babies are growing up....I am happy about that. I am thrilled to watch them as they become the boys they are. It will also give me to opportunities to do some things I have wanted to do outside the house.......Stay tuned....
Friday, August 19, 2011
Always looking!
I love to look at blogs that help me organize my life, my family, my house etc.
I am a huge believer and fan of Cozi and the amazing online calendar, list maker and articles! We live by it and weekly, if not more, I reference it for something. We have it on our phones, we print out the monthly calendars, I make lists on it, I text M reminders from it. It has truly made our family commitments so much easier to handle.
I am also a huge fanstalker of iheartorganizing. Jen is amazing and inspirational and there is not a week that has gone by that I have not found SOMETHING on her site that has not motivated me to better our home, or lives. While I might be a silent fan, I still read all of her articles and then plan to do them on my Cozi calendar! Hello, organized???!!!!???
Jen's latest post on getting lunches ready for school has be ready to tackle a new lunch making routine. I have made out 30 minutes each Sunday on the calendar to prep for lunches! I have some bins ready, I have shopped, I have lists of lunch ideas prepped and I am ready to roll out yet another genius organized routine for this family!
How or what keeps you organized?
I am a huge believer and fan of Cozi and the amazing online calendar, list maker and articles! We live by it and weekly, if not more, I reference it for something. We have it on our phones, we print out the monthly calendars, I make lists on it, I text M reminders from it. It has truly made our family commitments so much easier to handle.
I am also a huge fan
Jen's latest post on getting lunches ready for school has be ready to tackle a new lunch making routine. I have made out 30 minutes each Sunday on the calendar to prep for lunches! I have some bins ready, I have shopped, I have lists of lunch ideas prepped and I am ready to roll out yet another genius organized routine for this family!
How or what keeps you organized?
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Knee Deep
School has not even started and the PTO is already making me busy! As the VP of Fundraising for just one more year,(yea!) I need to get moving (since I basically took the entire summer off!) Making fliers, planning events and hoping people help the school out. How I would love for someone to just write a big Ol check so my job would be easier!
J goes back in 6 days, (not that we are counting!). We are trying hard to get ourselves out of bed earlier each day so the shock of a 6:45am wake up call does not leave us all crabby on the first day. It is not going well. The alarm goes off, but mommy is having a hard time getting out of bed. I am hardly a good role model if I keep hitting snooze!!
C does not go back until after Labor Day, but he will be on the same morning routine because he has to. He is not my worry! J and I are the worries. I need to get serious!
J goes back in 6 days, (not that we are counting!). We are trying hard to get ourselves out of bed earlier each day so the shock of a 6:45am wake up call does not leave us all crabby on the first day. It is not going well. The alarm goes off, but mommy is having a hard time getting out of bed. I am hardly a good role model if I keep hitting snooze!!
C does not go back until after Labor Day, but he will be on the same morning routine because he has to. He is not my worry! J and I are the worries. I need to get serious!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)