I must preface this post by admitting that I am aware that I am not normal! A combination of many things over the last couple of years have brought me to this crazy state of existence in which I now find myself.
So - for my household organization and life organization, I am working on two items that are helping. One is a table that I have stuck to my fridge that has five columns: 1) phone calls to make 2) grocery and store lists 3) paperwork that need to be done (bills, taxes, etc) 4) high priority projects 5) 'it would be nice if this got done' projects. Whenever anything in any of these categories occurs to me that needs to be done, I simply write it on my piece of paper and know that it will be taken care of during my weekly scheduled time (oh Emily, I can hear the giggling now ... )
Because I am in the process of creating my master weekly schedule. There are some components that do not vary: Monday - Friday I get up at 4:30, Saturday and Sunday I get up at 5. I have three hours per week day to study Spanish - one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one at night. (this coming week is my first to implement the evening study hour - I so hope that I am awake enough to do it!).
Why Spanish? Good question. I've been really trying to get out of it the last couple of weeks. Even been fasting about this and a couple of other key issues this weekend. Add this onto the list of things I haven't wanted to do, but feel like it's in the cards. So - hablo un poco espanol a veces.
I have learned over the last couple of weeks that two things are critical for me to be able to do all the things I want to do: 1) I must get a minimum of five hours of sleep at night and 2) I HAVE to have 'quiet time' for one hour in the afternoon that involves a power nap. If either of these two components are not met, then I become someone that no one, including and especially myself, wants to be around. (So my phone is off from 1 pm - 3 pm every weekday afternoon when I have my rest time and then study Spanish. It is necessary.)
So my weekly schedule includes preparing for and teaching seminary, exercising, housecleaning, taking the kids to the library, playgroup 2x a month - my own outings with the kids on the other days, family time, FHE, grocery shopping, projects, phone calls, 'paperwork,' and other stuff.
One of my favorite things I started doing is Thursday mornings. Every other weekday morning will find Jaiden and I at the Y while the other two are at school. But Thursdays I stay home and do 'paper work' which last Thursday involved FINALLY sending in William's application for US citizenship and filing our taxes. You know how all that crappy stuff just piles up? Having 2 - 3 hours each week set aside for that type of things is awesome for me.
The other day I also sat down and wrote down a list of character traits I want my children to develop and activities we can do that will help foster those activities. My current list is: a testimony of God, Jesus Christ and gospel principles; responsible and a good work ethic; appreciation for the value of money and good money management skills; being caring, compassionate and aware of others' needs; how to be respectful, honest and to have integrity; how to make friends and be a good friend; cooking and housework competencies. I have identified ways to (hopefully) work on these traits in my weekly schedule. This is a HUGE work in progress.
I've also written down things that bring happiness to my life so that when times get crazy hopefully I can draw from this list and remember some things that will help me get grounded again.
Things on this list: prayer and scriptures, spending fun time with William, and with William and the kids, having the house clean, exercise, healthy home cooked meals, guilt free indulgence in unhealthy foods - sparingly and at the right times, routine and something different to look forward to each day, music, writing, candles and yummy smells of all kinds - lotions, plug-ins, soaps, etc; being social when I am feeling social, helping others, taking care of my family the way that I want to (clean, organized home, meals that I cook each day, spending one-on-one time with each child, enough sleep!, good dear fantastic friends, taking advantage of teaching moments), one of the biggest: seeing my children happy and loved.
I am compiling a list of My Rules for Happy Living that is not even ready for a blog post. But they exist.
Like I said at the beginning - I know I am not normal!!! Just trying to take advantage of every moment I have at home with my sweet family.
