How Does this Happen?

When I was the mom of just two, I remember seeing this picture:

After gasping, then laughing hysterically (because they are not my children), I could not for the life of me figure out how something like that could happen.  I mean, c'mon!  Where was the mother??? 

Then I had two more children.  Who were not like my first two children.  At all.

They do their part to help me understand how things like that happen. Even with me here.

Today, Jace decided that drawing on himself ...

AND our leather sofa

with a PEN 

was a good idea.

While I *thought* he was watching a movie.  The older three were playing Uno at the kitchen table.  And, I was cleaning out the refrigerator.  We weren't even technically out of the room!

Thankfully, we have a family friend who restores leather.  He told me to use alcohol to get the ink out.  I have witch hazel and hydrogen peroxide in my house.  But no alcohol.  Of course.  So, I ran to Walgreens and bought a rather large bottle.

After using nearly half the bottle

My sofa now looks like this:

Well, that's better.  Don't ya think?

Thankfully, Eddie is out of town.  He would have a stroke!  Even more thankfully, the leather-master-family-friend is coming tomorrow to (PLEASE, Lord!) restore the color.  I'm hoping that by the time Ed gets home, this will all be funny.  In the meantime, today would not be the day to check my blog, honey.  :)

Thanks to reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, I somehow moved uncharacteristically quickly from "OH NO! OH MY GOSH! OH NO! I'm gonna throw up" panic-mode

to

"Thank you, Lord, for this little ornery boy. Even with ink on my sofa, I'm thankful for him. I'm thankful to have a sofa.  And a friend who restores leather.  For the ability to run to Walgreens to buy alcohol.  For the elbow grease needed to rub ink out for an hour and a half."  Many gifts in the midst of frustration.  Always.  We just have to see.  Oh, how I want that to become my natural reaction.

If you haven't read that book, you should.  Just don't get your 3 year old to write on the sofa to see if its changed you.  I don't recommend that.

Hopefully, I will have some "just like new" photos to post after tomorrow. {fingers crossed}

Command Central

I posted a picture of our new "command central" on facebook this morning and had no idea how much attention it would get.  I'm glad I'm not the only one who needs this!   As suggested in the fb comments, I'm posting the details here  :)
This past year has not been pretty.  Behaviorally, my kids have fallen apart.  Bad attitudes and disobedience abound.  As the mature, responsible parent that I am, I've responded by nagging, yelling, threatening - all of it in completely unpredictable patterns.  :) 

One of the benefits of having lots of kids (if you consider 4 a lot) is many hands to do the work!  But, when I have to nag and whine and yell just to get them to dress themselves, it doesn't feel much like help.  Our old system wasn't cutting it anymore - mainly because I didn't "inspect what I expect" (love that phrase!), so I had to find a way to build in accountability for me as well.

I've told y'all before I'm not creative.  I have very few original ideas - and this is no different :)  I have been "collecting" ideas from several places (here, here, here, here and here) for the past few weeks and combined them into something that will work for our family.  I've purchased pre-made chore charts and such before.  I didn't want to spend any money this time and I wanted something that would combine chores, behavior, family rules, scheduling, the whole shebang into one system, while being easy for me.  'Cause, at the end of the day, if its not easy it won't last! 

Big picture:

 I glued baseball card protector pages with the side & one end cut off to a poster board so they act as pockets.  The craft sticks have the kids' chores written on them.  Once a week, I place the sticks in the appropriate pocket.  The kids pull the stick(s) for that day, complete the work and leave the stick in the kitchen, so I know the work is ready for inspection (accountability for me!).  Once it passes inspection, they put the stick in their bucket (our kids have been color-coded for some time, so they know which one is theirs - though it would be cute to label it. Target generally sells the buckets in their $1 section).  These are all unpaid chores - work they do to contribute to the family (I really like Dave Ramsey's philosophy on this).  If they complete this work (without reminders, complaining, etc), they are allowed to choose a paid chore from a bucket I keep in the kitchen.  Sundays are pay day.  They receive their weekly "commission" as well as any money they earned from paid chores.  The white bucket contains extra chores (or "trouble chores" as Jadyn calls them) and they are used for behavior issues related to our family rules (below). 

Family Rules:

 I boiled all our rules down to one word:  R.E.S.P.E.C.T.  :)  Respect for parents, siblings, property, others & self.  Each heading has some more detailed examples of what it looks like.  You can download ours here.  If they break a rule, they go to the chart and accept their discipline and read the Bible verse(s) associated with it.  If they break the same rule again that day, they move on to the Motivator (including extra chores).  This has made discipline consistent.  No need for me to yell, nag, threaten, etc ... and no need for them to get angry with me over unfair punishments I'm doling out just because I'm grumpier than the last time the same behavior occurred.  This week has been much calmer and happier for all of us!

Weekly Schedule

 I added a dry erase weekly schedule I found at Target. It has a space for each family member, which I love. Our weeks get really busy, so this will come in very handy in the fall! Its on a magnetic board where I've hung different schedules - like the pool hours and church activities!  Summer stuff for now, but it will hold kids' activity schedules in the fall).  The board is also a dry erase board, so I've listed their weekly "commission" - and the breakdown of giving, saving and keeping. 


Morning Routine:

 This is the same for all of them and for each day, so I wrote it on the poster board.  On Sunday, I will decide if they earned their stick for the week (meaning they did their morning routine without reminders all week).  If they do not earn it, they do not get paid for any paid chores they may have done. 

Evening Routine:

They love to spend time with Ed and me in the evenings - sitting & talking, playing games, reading books, etc.  The sooner they complete their evening routine, the more time they get with us.  We used to do room cleaning in the mornings, but it drives Ed batty to put the kids to bed in a messy room and I like the idea of teaching them to go to bed with their things tidy.  They also have mom and dad time to look forward to which seems to be a much bigger incentive to work quickly than school time.  Lol.  Jake has had his room cleaned before dinner every night this week! *Hmmm .... I wonder which kid's love language is quality time??*  :)

If I was going to do it again, I would write the days of the week at the top of each pocket (as they get covered up by the sticks where I wrote them).  I was planning to use library pockets, but didn't have enough (and didn't want to spend money, remember?).  I think they might look a bit more tidy (and I do like tidy!).  Also, command hooks would hold the buckets better than the giant thumbtacks I used that leave equally giant holes in the wall (but, again, using what I already had).  I would have also used a colored poster board instead of white.  But, all of this is purely cosmetic.  I plan to hang a file holder under the calendar to hold other papers we may need as well.   Oh, the extra bucket up high holds dry erase markers, eraser, etc.  I didn't want to be hunting for those when I need them!

It is working beautifully for us so far!  I hope it helps some other mamas!  If you have some ideas, PLEASE share in the comments!  :)

Organized Mom Series: Part 4: Organized Places

First of all, I want to say that I am blown away by the response from this series! Thank you for the encouragement and I'm so glad it is helping so many of you!   I'm running low on ideas, so if you have some topics you'd like me to talk about, let me know. 

Now, for organizing all the stuff!

I like the things that live in my home to have a home.  A place to be when not in use.  I know people that are far more rigid about this than I am and others that are far more lax about it. Which must make me the "happy medium."  :)  We are all different and just like everything else we've talked about in this series, the important thing is finding what works for your family in a way that lines up with the priorities God has for you. For me, its about teaching my kids to be good stewards of what we own; making things easy to find when we need them, while keeping the clutter to a minimum.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that cleaning out closets or drawers, organizing, creating storage solutions, etc is like pure therapy for me. When I'm stressed, I clean stuff out! I purge, I move things around, I reorganize, I straighten ... and then ... I feel all better. Or at least a little better.  {Guess what I've been doing like crazy the past few months? ahem.}

I recognize its my way of coping with things I can't control.

Like life.

But, I digress.

Generally speaking, I like to keep 'like with like' and store it near where it is used/needed. Say, for example, dishes in the kitchen and toilet paper in the bathroom ... that kind of thing. :)   Its not rocket science, but sometimes it does require some thought. 

I also try to have a purpose in mind for each room.  Obviously, most rooms have an implied purpose, but I try to zoom in on that a bit.  Basically a way for me to evaluate what goes into the room.  For example, in our study, we have a large bookcase that houses most of our books and games as well as my craft supplies and some office supplies.  If it doesn't fit into one of those categories (or isn't pretty to look at it), it has to live somewhere else.   I try to keep my laundry room down to things used for small storage, cleaning, laundry or getting out the door.   Rooms can quickly become dumping grounds if they don't have some "ground rules."

Not only do I like tidy, but I married a man who also prefers it.  He's worse than me.  If he had his rathers, our house would not look like children live in it.  Let's just say he's not a fan of toys-strewn-about.  Or play kitchens in the breakfast room.  Or playdoh on the table.  Or toys out-of-place. 

Fan or not, this is his current reality.  But, in the spirit of happily-ever-after, I try to appease him as much as possible.  We usually do a quick put-everything-away-that-appears-childlike straighten before he comes home in the evening.  And, I've found that as long as the family room is tidy, he endures the rest. 
At the end of the day, I want him to find our home peaceful and relaxing; a haven.  We keep our library books and video games in the family room, but otherwise, child-paraphernalia is housed elsewhere. 

Which I think is sorta funny ... I mean it is called the family room after all!   :) 

And lest he sound like an ogre, Ed is a really fun dad.  He just likes to pretend the kids don't exist after they hit the hay.  :)  Its how he unwinds.  So, even though I may not totally understand his need, I still try to respect it. 
I'm up for sharing room-by-room organization/storage ideas - if anyone is interested.  If there's a particular place you want details on, say the word.  I'm not an expert by any means, but I do enjoy it and I'll happily share what works for me! 

Gettin' Fancy with Downloads!

If you've been reading my Organized Mom Series, you may have noticed that I've done a lot of explaining about my schedules and "worksheets" I've created online. 

I am happy to say that I figured out how to upload my documents so that you can just click a link and see them!  If they are helpful to you, feel free to use them.  You should be able to manipulate the data to make the forms work for you.  Or just use them as a bouncing off point to create your own!

This is my fall homeschool file.  I mentioned that I have several schedules that revolve around our homeschool.  This file contains my schedules & planners for school, plus our Daily Schedule & Chore List!  Even though I call it my "homeschool" file - there are some charts that can be useful to anyone!  (I have Jordan's NACD program and a schedule for her program activities in this file as well, but they are not included in this uploaded version). 
*Disclaimer:  Even though our days are scheduled, it doesn't mean this is what each day really looks like.  We have interruptions, inconveniences and illnesses just like everyone else!  This is just the goal for normal weeks.  {whatever those are}  Mainly, its my way of keeping me focused!  :)

This is another school planner I used a couple years ago ... when we had fewer subjects and fewer students :)  I put it in a 3 ring binder so that when it was open, I could see both pages at once, side by side.
This is my menu planner.  Very basic  :) 
This is the Weekly Overview Chart I created (based on Kat's (at Inspired to Action) - in her e-book, Maximize Your Mornings)



I put my kids' Morning Routine/Chore Charts in a page protector and they use a dry erase marker to check off as they go.  Here are the different ways I do them based on age/reading skills.  When Jordan was younger, I cut out a picture of each item, put Velcro on the back and she had a place to actually move the item to a finished column.  You teacher-y types may know that as a "picture schedule."  At least that's what Jordan's Pre-K teacher called it.  ;) 
Jacob's Morning Routine/Chore Chart

Jadyn's Morning Routine/Chore Chart

I love to create charts and worksheets that work for my family!  Finding organizational systems online or in stores is one thing, but each family is unique in their needs, so many times creating your own gives you a system that works better. 
Let me know if you find these helpful!

Organized Mom Series: Part 3 ~ Meal Planning

Find Part 1 ~ Maximize Your Mornings {here}

 and Part 2 ~ Schedules {here}

This one may seem like a pain in the tush, but it makes life much easier!
I may be an organization-nerd, but it does have its rewards.  This is one of them.  I've long been a menu planner of some sort.  It was rather crude for many years, but worked fine while my family was smaller. Feeding a family of six, however, requires some organization in order to avoid fast food outings and frozen pizzas.  Trying to provide healthy food also requires planning.  Feeding a family of 6 healthy food?  Well, you get the picture.

"She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks."  Proverbs 31: 15-17

I mentioned in the first two posts of this series (about mornings and schedules) that I plan time for planning.  That may sound funny - but our days, homeschooling and meals all require a bit of planning in order for things to run smoothly.  I spend five minutes each morning planning my day.  Since we have schedules in place, its quick and only requires me to think about things outside of our normal routine and things on my (never-ending) to-do list. 

I also spend about an hour each week planning meals. 

There are many blogs that discuss in great detail how and why to plan meals.  Check out my Homemaking Help tab at the top for some good links. 

I'm sure you will be shocked to learn I use a *binder* for meal planning!  {I warned you about the binders}
I keep my most-used recipes in the binder along with weekly meal plan sheets - which are just 'worksheets' I created on the computer that lists each day, a space for the meals (and page # from a cookbook when necessary) as well as a separate column for prep work needed.  So, if I'm making something on Tuesday that requires meat to be thawed, I add "thaw meat" in the "prep" box for Monday.  That way when Tuesday at 5pm rolls around, I don't have to waste time thawing meat or thinking up Plan B!  Because many of the soaked grain foods I make require several days to prepare (when you count making yogurt, soaking the grains and then actually cooking the food), this prep column is a huge 'think-saver' for me! :)
This is the food prep I do in the mornings while preparing/cleaning up breakfast.  I also *try* to prep lunch and snacks then as well.  I've found it saves time, keeps clean-up throughout the day to a minimum and just generally makes the day run smoother. 

The menu isn't set in stone - I frequently move things around based on time, mood, etc.  But, if its planned, I know I have all the necessary ingredients on hand and conveniently, I don't have to think as much.  Which you may have noticed is the driving force for me!  :) {I'm pretty sure that babies suck brain cells - and do so at an increasing rate the further down the birth order they are, so after 5 babies & turning 40 in December, my brain cells are in short supply!!}  It also makes it simple for Ed on the weekends to jump in and help out with meals.  Most Saturdays, he makes breakfast for the kids - 'cause he's dreamy and amazing like that - and our meal plan makes it easy for him to know what to prepare.

As I'm scheduling, I keep my calendar handy and consider our schedule for each day.  We generally go to the 8:30 service at church on Sunday mornings, so Sunday breakfasts are fast & simple.  Tuesdays this fall we won't be home for dinners, due to kids' activities, so I will be planning take-along meals (using Easy Lunch Boxes! These babies are a homeschooler's dream, cause I don't know very many homeschoolers that spend all day at home! Go figure.).  If we are entertaining or going to someone else's house for dinner - that is reflected on my plan.  And you can bet, I schedule snacky lunches!!  I also plan to use left overs.  Once the plan is in place, making a grocery list is a breeze!  {The shopping, on the other hand ... well ... that's a whole 'nother story ...}
All of this planning takes about an hour.  But it saves me much more than that throughout the week by not having to think about what to do for every.single.meal, by streamlining food prep, not spending more time or money than necessary at the store, and by not hitting the drive thru more often than necessary. 

{Funny just how often Chic Fil A is necessary}  

I've found planning a week at a time works best for me - and my meal plan runs from Thursday to Wednesday (because Wednesday is my grocery shopping day). I know some moms that like to plan two weeks at a time or even a month at a time. There are lots of moms who cook once a month and use food from the freezer for meals.  There are whole cookbooks, websites and blogs devoted to that idea!  Some moms double everything they make and freeze the extra for another meal.  Its not double the work, because you are already cooking.  The important thing is finding a streamlined process that makes feeding your family
easier!

Choose a plan and see if it doesn't save you lots of time and energy!  {And by energy, I mean the kind that requires your noggin}

Snacky Lunches

A few months ago, I started giving my kids "snacky" lunches.  These are the easiest lunches on the planet.  Basically, anything goes - and typically its void of food that requires preparation.  Some things we use:  crackers or chips and hummus, tuna salad, veggies, fruit, cheese ... basically snacky or finger foods.  Its a hit!  I usually like to add a smoothie to the mix as well.  Recently, I've seen some moms in blogland doing lunch in muffin pans (complete with themes) - using each muffin cup for a different kind of finger food.  Its a cute idea, especially for the preschool crowd.  But, I'm not washing four muffin pans after lunch.  I'm just lazy like that :)

A few weeks ago, I found these divided trays at HEB for $1 and knew the kids would love them for snacky lunches (especially since they haven't seen the muffin pan idea).  This is all the rage for lunch time around the Sustala house!!

Organized Mom Series: Part 2 ~ Schedules

If you missed Part 1: Maximize Your Mornings - check it out here.

Please keep in mind my heart about this. I want to help - not burden or frustrate. This is not about condemning anyone. Just about helping organize life in a way that works for me ... and can hopefully help someone else!

Does the word "schedule" make you feel secure and confident ... or frustrated and restricted?

I'm sure you can guess where I fall. I've admited, I like systems and routines. I think schedules fit into that. But, schedules only work if they work for you! I look at schedules as a guideline. A routine. A direction to head in. Even a goal to shoot for (in terms of what can be accomplished in a day). I always build in flexibility and "down time." I don't always get everything accomplished, but I get far more done than when I don't have a routine to follow! 

My theory on schedules is a bit like Dave Ramsey's theory on budgets. He says to budget every penny so that you are telling your money where to go. Even without a budget, your money still gets spent. The question is, was it spent wisely? The same can be said of the hours in our days. If we don't "budget" (or schedule) our time, it will still get spent. But, was it spent wisely? Ouch. Even with schedules, I still spend far too much time unwisely!

As moms, we generally have a lot to accomplish. For me, managing a home, raising four children, homeschooling and commitments outside our home can only get accomplished with a schedule. Without one, I'm frustrated and constantly feeling like I can never get it all done.

Sometimes those feelings creep up because I'm doing more than God intends for me. I would encourage you to pray about the priorities God has for you. There are SO many things - many very GOOD things - that our days get filled with. But, if they aren't the things God intends, we will always be frustrated. If this is an area you struggle in, I would encourage you to spend some time working on a mission statement. Being a mom is a position of leadership and as such, we need direction.  I'm a huge believer in being intentional in our roles!  I don't want to spend a lot of time on this, because it could be a post all its own, and there are others who have written about the benefits of having a mission statement and how to write one. If you are interested, go here and here (family mission statement).

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."  Proverbs 19:21

Once you have a handle on what your priorities are, its easy to make a list of all that needs to be accomplished in a week. For my days to be productive, I need things planned out, so that when I've finished one thing, I can move on to the next without getting distracted!!! That doesn't mean I don't stop and play with my kids or read them a book - it just means I don't get distracted by the four gazillion other things that need to be done around here. The work will never be done. So, rather than focusing on trying to do everything, we need to focus on being as productive as we can today.

Since I quite like schedules, I have several! You schedule-haters probably see that as a wee bit OCD, don't you? ;) For me schedules are a way to squeeze more time out of my day, to be more productive than when I try the fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach. I use one schedule for the week, one for the kids' chores and several that revolve around our homeschool.

I'm going to break them down - for those of you who want more detail (Lord, help you!) :)

If I was a fancy blogger, I would download my schedules, but alas, fancy is not a word that describes me in any area of my life, so you'll just have to work with a description. Lucky you :)

My weekly schedule is basically the routine for the kids and me. It is broken down into days: Mon - Fri. I don't include Sat or Sun because those days tend to be less ... {ahem} ... scheduled - or at the very least differently scheduled week to week. I don't change this schedule based on things that comes up - it is just our normal routine for ordinary weeks.  Basically, it keeps me focused on the priorities!

I use an Excel spreadsheet that lists my entire day in time blocks. Notice I didn't say minutes or even hours. Its in chunks, because days with kids rarely go as "scheduled." IthinkyouknowwhatImean. If you schedule every minute, you'll end up with a schedule that's blown by 8am ... and frustrated, blaming it on the schedule when you should, in fact, be blaming the schedulER. Did I just say that out loud? 

My time blocks change as seasons of life change. I list my morning routine (which I shared in Part 1) - but in my 7-8:30am slot, I list not only making breakfast, prepping food for the day and fixing my girls' hair but also my chores for the day. (I'm pretty sure hair fixing will not be listed on boy-mom schedules - consider yourselves 15-20 minutes ahead of us multiple-long-haired-girl moms ;) )

To determine my chores, I figure out what needs to be done each week. Then decide what can be done by children. Cause I'm a big believer in child labor like that. :) I break the remaining things down, making sure to take into consideration what else is going on that day. So, for example, I just finished creating my weekly schedule for the fall. Mondays and Tuesdays are going to be busier than other days with outside activities, so I scheduled fewer chores for those days. 

I schedule in school time and break it down by which kiddo I'm working with one-on-one, even though I have a more detailed school schedule separate from this. The other thing I do (which probably does inch into the OCD catagory) is color code my kids. This started as the easiest way to avoid fights over who-got-what-cup in the toddler years. Jordan has always loved green and Jake, blue. Those became "their" colors years ago. Jadyn has adopted pink (which is really quite fitting for her) and Jace pretty much gets whatever is left over - usually orange or red. Since he's not in my schedule, I haven't nailed down a color for him yet :) Jordan's activities are highlighted in green, Jake's in blue, etc. I use this on their chore lists as well. Everyone in our family can glance at lists and know immediately who has what. That might be over the top for some of you, and that's ok. You can still be organized without color coding your children (even if I don't see how) :)

Speaking of children, let's chat about their schedules.

My oldest 3 each have a "Morning Routine and chore list" hanging on their wall in their rooms. I have the 'master' copy (so to speak) of the chore list hanging on the inside of our pantry door (so I alwasy know what they are supposed to do). For their "morning routine" - they each: Get dressed, make bed, brush teeth and clean room. 

Then, they each have chores to do. Everyone puts their own clothes away and helps fold laundry. Yes, I've had to give up the days of perfectly folded (and neatly placed in drawers) laundry. But, I try to remember that one day there won't be any little kid clothes to fold neatly and I'll be sad about it. At least that's what I hear. In the meantime, I just avoid looking in their drawers. :)

They also take turns being the Kitchen Helper (or 'Sous Chef' as Jakey likes to refer to himself ). This basically means that they are my helper in the kitchen for the day - helping prepare meals, loading/unloading the dishwasher, setting & clearing the table, etc. I find it simpler than trying to schedule turns for all those things individually & it provides them a chance to learn some kitchen/cooking skills. Each one of them has 2 days/week - except Jadyn who has 3 (because she has Saturday and Sunday, which tend to be less-time-in-the-kitchen days).

As for their chores: sweeping, cleaning toilets & sinks (I do tubs & mirrors), dusting and cleaning glass tables, watering plants, trash, cleaning out the car, cleaning up the backyard, etc. These are divided up among them, so none of them have all that many to do. I try really hard to give them chores they don't totally mind. For example, Jake doesn't prefer dusting and the girls actually enjoy it, so I try to balance things out like that. And, we switch them around as necessary and as abilities warrant. Jace has no "official" chores yet - but he's a rockstar when it comes to cleaning his room!! Probably because he's number 4 and wants to be like the big kids. 
My schedule includes time to plan and prep school stuff, quiet time for everyone and free time. All necessities! :) Being a homeschool mom, one thing that is hard to come by is time without children in your face (or on your leg) ... so during Jace's naps, the other kids have quiet time in their rooms. They can play quietly, rest, read - I don't really care. As long as I don't hear or see them :)

School schedules: I shared about a lot of our school stuff in this post. As for scheduling, I have a binder! {*shock*}  I have a wish list and these dividers: Daily Plans, Weekly Plans, Monthly Plans, Annual Plans, Curriculum.

Seems like overkill, I know. But, it gives me a place to jot down ideas - whether its a unit study or lapbook idea, a curriculum I want to research, goals, needs, etc. Having everything in one place keeps things streamlined when it comes to planning. The main sections I use on a regular basis are Daily Plans & Weekly Plans. In my daily plans, I have a list of all the subjects I want each of the kids to cover on each day of the week. This is the routine of schoolwork, not a list that changes daily. I also have a schedule for Jordan that has her NACD program broken down into time chunks.

In my Weekly Plans, I have a copy of my weekly schedule along with a master copy of our weekly lesson planning sheet. So, when its time for me to work 1:1 with one of the kids, I can look at my planning sheet to see what I should be doing with them. It sounds more complicated that it really is. Basically I created a sheet that lists the subjects to cover with each of the kids, then each week, I write in the page #s or lesson #s to complete. This list also includes sections where I write in prep work that is required for the week and library books we'll need. That way, when we start the week, we (ideally!) have everything we need!

For Monthly Plans, I just have a calendar with extra space to write.  I fill in days-off from school and list priorities and goals for the month.  Because things are always changing, this keeps me focused on their individual needs and things that need extra focus.  I also jot down ideas for unit studies, lapbooks and books to read that I think of.
Annual Plans has my calendar for the year with our plan for school days.  Scheduled breaks for holidays, etc are filled in. 
The Curriculum section is where I jot down ideas I want to look into for the next year.
None of the sections are more than a page or two, but it still gives me a place to keep all of our plans and ideas together.
I think that covers the schedules we keep.  Another very long post but I hope it helps!

Shout!

Have you seen the commercials for the Shout Color Catcher sheets?  For moms with a gazillion loads of laundry each week, it looks like a dream come true.  No sorting?  Better yet - no single item load for those new brightly colored clothes that bleed all over everything like crazy?  Call me sold!
I gave the Shout sheets the ultimate test yesterday.
My mother-in-law bought my girls some hot pink jackets.  Nothing says, "Wash me ALONE" like brand new hot pink clothing.
I followed the directions for my front load washer - placed the sheet in a mesh delicates bag and placed that in the back of the drum before loading clothes. I also used 2 sheets, as recommended (and in hopes of better protecting the whites I was bravely tossing in).

The white Shout sheets that went into my washer came out looking like this:

That's a good sign!

Several white socks came out ... white!

But, others came out like this:

And this:

And, the ultimate disappointment:

Pink splotches on Ed's under shirt.  Something tells me he's not really gonna dig that.  :)

Thankfully, its nothing a bleach pen can't take care of, but what a bummer. 

Obviously, the sheets absorb color - and I did include (*gasp!*) one of Ed's pale blue Polo shirts.  I'm telling you, I had faith in these babies!  :)   {Honey, your shirt is splotchless!} 

 

My advice?  If you want to give them a try, and you're washing the brand-new-hot-pink stuff (or red!), maybe skip adding the whites.  But then, that sorta defeats the pupose, doesn't it? 

Organized Mom Series: Part 1 ~ Maximize Your Mornings

Alrighty - here we go!  I thought we'd start with the first part of the day ... mornings!

As I said in this post, I'm sharing what I do to keep my home organized and help things run smoothly {most days :)}.  In hopes that it may help someone else.  Not because I think I've got all the answers.  This isn't about the right or wrong.  Just about what works for me. What works for me right now.  Its ever changing!  My hope is that we can all learn from each other.  If you have tips or ideas that work for you, share them!  I'd love to see some discussion happening in blog-land and/or in the comments! 
As we work through this series, you'll learn that I don't have a lot of original ideas.  Just keepin' it real.  :)  I try to learn as much as I can from other women - so as to not waste time "reinventing the wheel."  Some things I do, came about through trial and error.  Other things just evolved over time.  Many things I've copied from other women and tweaked to work for me :)

This generation of moms has a huge advantage with technology.  We can learn from women we've never met and get inspiration and ideas from friends that are thousands of miles away.  There are a gazillion resources online for women.  So, take advantage of those!  But, be careful as well. Being online can consume an outrageous amount of time.  I know.  I've wasted more hours than I care to confess on the computer.  Find a way to control the time you spend online so that it doesn't take away from the priorities God is leading you in.  For me, getting a blackberry did the trick.  I can still check email (and facebook :) ), but without getting sucked in for hours.  Then, I can use my desktop during planned times.  
Also be mindful of comparing yourself to other women.  Again, we are all different.  On purpose and for a purpose!  Focus on who God wants you to be - using your strengths and gifts.  Measure yourself against what God is calling you to do not against what you see as perfection in the online (or real) world.  I'm reminding myself of this as well.  Its way too easy for us as women to feel like we are falling short if we aren't doing what Suzy is doing.  But, God doesn't call us to be like Suzy.  He calls us to be like Him ... and to do the work He has set before each of us as individuals.  Don't lose sight of that!

The most important aspect of organizing your home, is making sure you are seeking God's will.  Ask Him to align your priorities with His will.  He will be faithful to do so! 

Back to the topic of Mornings.  For some of us, we love mornings.  We get more accomplished before 10 am than other people do all day.  Yes, we are morning people.  Others cringe at the mere mention of morning.  The word should not be included in the English language.  Or any other language, for that matter.  The day should never, ever begin before noon.  :) 

For all of us, I recommend an amazing resource called Maximize Your Mornings by Kat at Inspired to Action.  It is a FREE e-book.  I would encourage you to download it and read it right now!  Whether you are a morning person or a night owl, I think it offers very real benefits to being up in the mornings as well as a very simple plan for making it happen.  She also offers simple planning ideas for Bible study and organizing your day and to do list(s).  I'm a list maker, so I dig that.  :)    Kat has also written a blog series about Maximize Your Mornings that is worth reading as well!  And, just for you night owls, there is another blogger who is hosting a Maximize Your Mornings Challenge!  Check it out if you want some accountability as you get started!

I used to always get up early.  I was showered and dressed before my kids got up.  Due to life events of the last nine months, I got out of the habit.  I developed some undesirable habits.  Like using my children as my alarm clock - only dragging myself out of bed when their begging for breakfast kept me from sleeping any longer.  Like spending whole days without a shower.  Days without ever cracking open my Bible or whispering a prayer.  I wasn't living the priorities God had for me.  I knew it had to change - and Kat's book was the kick in the pants  inspiration I needed! 

The first week, I just made myself get up at 5:30.  I didn't do a bible study or work out.  I just got up.  And sat in a chair.  I was training my body clock.  I made myself do it even after I stayed up late the night before.  I highly recommend going this route.  I tend to be an all-or-nothing person so this went against my grain.  But, I'm glad I did it this way.  I think the habit (there's that word again!) will stick rather than fizzle. 

I have created a binder for my mornings, based on the e-book. {You will find binders to be a recurring theme with me. I *heart* binders!}  I have 5 tabs:  Weekly Overview, To Do, Fitness, Bible Study, and Prayer

My purdy little cover

I used some of Kat's forms and made some of my own.  I included a spiral notebook in the Bible Study section for journaling.  I use a blank calendar to track my fitness/weight loss goals.  I also track the water I drink and my vitamins because I tend to forget both those things!

This is a form I made because I needed more space to write.  Who, me??

I've only been using this system for a few weeks now, but I love it.  It makes my mornings streamlined - and I can get a lot accomplished.  This is what my basic routine looks like:
 

5:00 ~ wake up, get dressed in work out clothes, read email (This may sound strange, but its the easiest way for me to wake up so I'm not yawning through my bible study.  I'm pretty sure my friends don't mind if I yawn through their emails at 5am with half a brain ;) )

5:15-5:45 ~ Bible study, prayer, plan (I wish I was in a life stage where I could pull off a Beth Moore-type study, but I'm just not right now.  If/when God leads me to do something more in-depth, I'll do that - and I'm sure it will require more time.  For now, I'm doing short devotions I got from church.)

5:45 - 6:00 ~ free weights, push ups, etc. at home

6:00 - 6:30 ~ gym (we have a little work out facility in our neighborhood that is "free" for residents, so Ed and I have been taking advantage of that, but I have to be home at 6:30 so he can go to work, so I mainly use it for cardio)

6:30 - 7:00 ~ shower/dress

7:00 - 8:30  ~ Breakfast, clean up, chores (more on that later), prep food for day as needed (more on that later)

8:30 ~ start school (with a big ol' cup of coffee in hand!)

I will cover what my children do during these times in the next post.
I think that covers mornings.  At least the earliest parts of them :)  Read the e-book and see if you aren't inspired to get up a little earlier to include Prayer, Exercise and Planning into your day before it really gets started! 

I'd love to know what you think of the e-book ... and what your morning routine looks like!

A Series? By Me? Oh, This Should Be Good ...

OK, y'all ... here's the deal.
I'm an organizer by nature.  Its just the way God made me.  I consider it my spiritual gift.  Don't laugh.  :)  Sometimes I feel silly thinking (much less saying) it, but it just seems to be the truth for my life.  
I like tidy (notice I didn't say clean...so don't come to my house with any expectations).  I like systems and routines.  Its just ingrained in me.  I'm hard-wired that way.  
Now, mix that in with being a homeschool mom with 4 kids age 9 and under at home.  Yeah ... doesn't really lend itself to tidy and organized.  But, I'm also a competitor, so lest these munchkins get the best of me ... organized and tidy it WILL be!  ;) 

I've noticed the last couple years that some of my friends are intrigued by this.  Interested in how I run my household.  As a woman who loves to help other women - especially when it comes to organization or making things run more smoothly - I dig it.  I've shared some of the things I use for running my home with several friends, but I haven't shared much here because I don't want anyone to think that I'm smug about it or a know-it-all in any way.  Far from it!  I'm constantly tweaking things and trying new systems to find what works best for me and for our family.  And, on THAT point, let me just say that I'm a HUGE believer in every family doing what works best for THEM.  God didn't create us to be the same.  Not in our spiritual journey, not in the way we raise our children, not in the way we run or organize our homes (all within Biblical guidelines, of course).  We are different on purpose and for a purpose.  

All that said, I've decided to do a series of posts about organization, running a household, etc. I feel totally presumptuous and completely ill equipped to be offering this for all the world to see ... but that's how I know its God's prompting.  I also know that there are lots of moms who read my blog and if it can help someone, then by all means, I'm on board.

I don't really know what its all going to look like yet - I just know I feel led to do it.  The "series" may be two posts.  I don't know.  I know I can't sit down and put it all into one post and I know its going to take some thought and a lot of prayer!  I'm just sharing from my heart.  So, take it for what its worth!  :)

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."  Titus 2:3-5

Changes in my Kitchen!

I have a favorite new book ... Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.
Its not for the faint of heart. In fact the subtitle is "The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats." Yeah. Like I said. The subtitle actually had me at hello. Then, I started reading.
This book WILL challenge everything you've always "known" to be true about health, diet, foods, etc. If you don't want to be challenged in that, DO NOT read this book.

Even though its technically a cookbook, much of it reads like a book. Like a research book. And I like research - especially about this topic. It has helped re-invigorate a passion in me for good nutrition and serving my family in that manner.

Many of you know that as a family we made some drastic diet changes back in 2002-2003. We nixed sugar, wheat, corn, cow dairy, soy and others. Then, in Dec 2005, we moved to Iowa. And started homeschooling. And had another baby. And moved again. And again. And, well, I just got lazy in the food department. We still stayed mostly gluten-free and organic at home, but I was very lax when we were out and found myself using more processed foods than I knew I should & I had allowed the sugar to creep back in. Its sort of like exercise. As long as you're in the habit and rhythm, it becomes part of your life. But, when you stop, going back is really hard! Being lazy is just much easier. Or at least it feels that way until you get your butt off the couch and feel the adrenaline rush of regular exercise! (can you tell what I need to do?)

In the last few months, Jordan has developed psoriasis. It took months to even get a diagnosis and now that we have one, we're still not any further ahead. After trying everything in my arsenal of natural remedies, we've resorted to a conventional dermatologist. Anyone that knows me, knows that isn't my preference and certainly not my first choice. But, the biggest part of going the "alternative" route is being responsible for your health. And, frankly, laziness just doesn't jive with that! Besides, there is a time and place for medicine. I don't have a beef with conventional medicine, I have a beef with the OVER-USE of conventional medicine & a beef with anyone being in control of your health except you. But, that's a soapbox for another day.

My point today is that I've decided its worth the effort to take the reigns of my family's health once again. So, what I know to be true is that skin issues=liver issues. I'm not brave enough to try a cleanse on a 9 year old, so that means I need to feed her foods that help the body detox. She's a GREAT eater. But, she ain't THAT great. She is nine, after all. So, we supplement. That's all well and good. But, still, we're not getting ahead of the autoimmune disease.

Then, I get my hands on Nourishing Traditions (NT) and it just rocked my world. I am learning so much! It is overwhelming in many ways, but much of it lines up with what I've been researching lately. Especially with regard to soaked and sprouted grains. I've been grinding my own grain (!!) and while I haven't made soaked or sprouted grain bread yet, I have made soaked pancakes, flatbread and granola bars. All yummy and big hits with the kids. I won't lie. Its really time-consuming. I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen lately. But, I'm quickly figuring out how to plan and streamline it all. Planning is really the key. I've pretty much always had some sort of menu plan, now that plan just requires a little more planning! LOL! For example, to make the soaked flatbread, you have to have yogurt (which takes a full day to make), plus grind wheat & mix with the yogurt and let that soak for 24 hours ... then, you roll out the dough! Even though its basically a 3-day process, it doesn't require any extensive amount of time on any one day. Its just the PLANNING that's important!

NT is not about being gluten or dairy free ... or free of anything necessarily. Its about eating the foods that are good for our bodies in ways that our bodies can use. There are many recipes and most of them are time-consuming. Some of them are downright daunting. I said its not for the faint of heart. Its also not for the time-crunched. I know that probably doesn't "sell" you on the book, but I'm just calling it like I see it. Everything in life is a trade-off and the changes I'm making in my kitchen are worth it for our family in this season. That may or may not be the case for your family.

Here's the irony of this book. About half-way through, I dug out some of the diet stuff I'd gotten from my midwife in Iowa (remember the food-nazi?). Guess the ONE book she recommended? Yup. I just wasn't ready then. Now I am. At the end of the day, that's what it takes. She planted the seed and God watered it in His time. So maybe I've planted the seed for you! :)

Money, money, money ...

One of the things that I've spent a good deal of time on recently, but haven't blogged about is money. Specifically, being a better steward of it. Saving it. Living more simply. More frugally.

I've been working at saving money where I can - mainly by not spending as much (go figure!) and by saving on groceries. I've been amazed at how easily I've been able to use coupons, sales, CVS and a few blogs (a couple of which are listed on the right side of my blog) to cut our grocery bill from $200 per week to about $140 per week. Those of you who know me, know I buy a lot of organic and gluten/wheat free stuff. So, I've started buying fresh goat's milk from the farm and organic/sustainably produced produce from the farmer's market. It is more time consuming. And, I've had to give up some things to make time for it. But, I wasn't willing to sacrifice the quality of food for my family just to spend less money on groceries.
"They" always say that time is money and it is true. You are going to spend one or the other!
I've gone back to making my own yogurt (with my farm-fresh milk, of course!), which I haven't done in years! I'd forgotten how EASY and how much healthier it is!
And, I have a few other goals to tackle in the coming months:
1)Bake and cook from scratch, using soaked or sprouted grains as much as possible and grinding my own flours! My goal is to be able to make all of our baked goods homemade!
2)Make our own cereals, condiments, snack bars, etc
3)Learn canning (I'm starting this week with some peach salsa using the peaches and cilantro we picked up at the farmer's market today) & hope to move on to freezer jam and then to veggies!
4)Making more homemade/handmade gifts ... look out, family! :)
5) Plant a garden and grow some vegetables and herbs
6)Learn to sew and
7)Make our own {natural} household cleaners, soaps, etc.
I still have some half-finished furniture painting projects around here - most noteably, my dining room! So, that's first!!
I'll post some pictures along the way ... I'm sure this will be quite the adventure!

Moving More Furniture

Remember my new school room? Well, a few days later, we decided to separate the girls into their own rooms. Our house has 5 bedrooms, so we have the luxury of letting each of the kids have their own room. And, the girls just weren't sleeping well (or enough) even after sharing a room for 8 months.

Jordan got her full size bed back and we split up the bunkbeds for Jake & Jadyn. Jadyn's room is in serious need of some decorating. I bought a Martha Stewart tissue paper kit a while back (on clearance at WalMart) that will look adorable!

Remember the BEAST of a computer desk that needed to be moved from the school-room-turned-playroom (now Jadyn's room)? Well, I lured my little brothers over with steak. They earned it, for sure!

I was giving Jace a bath while the boys were moving this thing, so Erin's girlfriend Beth took pictures for me. Here's a few extras I was pleasantly surprised to find on my camera! My kids LOVE Beth and so do I. She's beautiful - inside and out.

Special Plate

Do you have one of these?

We've had ours forever and have rarely used it. A few weeks ago I decided the kids would enjoy getting the privilege to use it and feel special. Especially on an ordinary day.

It just so happens that we've been working on attitudes around here. The kids' attitudes when we ask them to do something or toward each other when they are wronged. One of them is able to earn the special plate to use at dinner based on their attitude during the day. I wasn't sure it would be a big deal (or worth working for, for some of them ... ahem, Jadyn), but its a huge hit! Everyone (thankfully!) has earned it multiple times so far and they continue to work towards it each day. I love hearing "Who earned the special plate today?" every night when they see me cooking dinner.

Who knows how long it will stay a big deal, but for now I'm enjoying the benefits of using it!

You may not care ...

But, I'm totally jazzed about finally getting most of my pictures organized, framed and hung on the wall. If you look closely, there's one of Jace. Not bad for #4.

Disclaimer: If you're a decorator-type, I suggest you look away. Now. :-)

New School Room

Anyone that knows me knows I don't generally go very long without moving furniture around in my house. Ed, being the smart husband that he is, no longer complains about it. He just lets me do my thing and helps when I ask. I know it drives him crazy, though!

True to form since we started homeschooling, I got a bug to change our school room up! It just so happened that the bedroom closest to the game room in our house (which was serving as our school room) is also the smallest room in the house. With the most furniture. Plus, my children love to be underfoot. It used to drive me batty, but I've learned to embrace it and create more space around my feet to accommodate them. :-)

Every morning, we gathered in our 10x10 school room with a ridiculous amount of furniture. With five people, it got pretty darn warm! Its no wonder I thought I was having hot flashes!

Then, there's this: upon moving here, I totally purged our toy supply. We got rid of A LOT! My kids had an outrageous number of toys. They still do, actually, but we literally got rid of everything that wasn't something they loved and played with on a regular, consistent basis. Add in the fact that I had the 3 big kids move all their little tiny toys {Polly Pockets, Legos, Littlest Pet Shop, Tech Decks, Barbies - you know, all the little toys that Jace would enjoy eating} to their rooms and we were left with a very large game room that contained surprisingly little! Plus, the game room has a built in desk that was only being used for an occassional puzzle.

You can see where this is going. A few weeks ago, I told {warned} Ed about my plans. He, of course, said, "Whatever you need, babe!" Oh, we've come such a loooong way!

So, one day last week, Jake and I tackled the mess. We cleaned things out as we went and were left with one large bag of items ready for a garage sale and a smaller bag of trash.

We are all loving our new, much cooler school room. The "playroom" that is now in the tiny bedroom is a bit cozy, but should be better once we can move the computer armoir out. See, what my little brothers don't know is the next time they come over, they will be put to work! That thing is a BEAST! And, I'm just too big a weany to heave-ho that sucker down the stairs. It doesn't help that any time I help Ed move something heavy, he makes me bust out in belly laughs that leave my muscles totally useless.

Ok, so anyway, there's actually more to this than just sharing my furniture-moving fetish. I get so many questions and emails about how I set up school/where I do school in my house, etc, so here ya go...this should cover it.

Linen-now-turned-homeschool-supply-closet!

Built-in desk

Other side of the room

The desk in the corner is Jadyn's spot!

The table is where I work with the kids one-on-one

This is a quilt that my great aunt made for Jake when he was born.

We haven't moved it yet, but this big wall will be perfect for our time line.

I kept the entertainment center/TV in here - at least for now

This is Jace's spot/stuff

As a bonus, we have a little nook right outide the kids' bedrooms. I put a small bookshelf and the majority of their books there. Its amazing how much they love that little area!! We keep small stashes of books all over the house, but the majority of their books are there.

Hope you enjoyed your tour! :-)

Soccer, MayFest & More

You might want to grab a tall glass of sweet tea or a cup of coffee before we get started. This is a long one. And should be. Its been a while since I've updated things here. I would say that I'm going to do better, but you've heard that before ...

Anyway, here are the highlights of the past couple months. Enjoy!

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Spring Soccer ended with a bang. The boys played in a tournament - which meant we were at the soccer field from 7:30am until 3 or 4pm. It was a looong day, but loads of fun! We had a canopy and cooler of food and drinks. Ed brought his hammock and horseshoes to enjoy between games. And, the weather even cooperated. It was a beautiful day (by Houston standards, anyway!)


5 of the 8 boys on the team (2 couldn't make it to the tournament & one was injured in the last game)

My proud boy ... AKA "The Scientist" ... showing off another trophy to add to the collection!Proud Sharks!!!Hangin' in the back of the van between games. Jace is crawling around in there. That didn't last long!Ed's first attempt at getting into the hammock didn't work out so well!

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Jadyn also had a fun end-of-the-year event to show off her gymnastics skills - called MayFest. She's made a lot of progress since she started and really loves it. She's moved up with each evaluation and thinks she's hot stuff. I didn't think she would notice or care about the evaluations, but it turns out, she cares very much and makes it her goal to move to the next level each time. Cracks me up. Who would have thought THAT child would have such FOCUS??? We love her gym - and her coaches!!
Balance beam

Backward rollRingsTrampoline (her favorite - go figure!)Forward roll off the springboardHammin' it up for Daddy!Getting her trophy Not that you can tell by her face (this is her camera-smile) - but sooo excited!!
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Jordan will have her end of the year program for ballet next week. I'm sure I'll have a picture or two of that to share! :-)

The rest of the pics are of random stuff of late ...

Fun with Uncle Eric

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Jace's first spaghetti dinner. Think he liked it? I'm sure I've mentioned how much the boy likes to eat!! He eats more than Jadyn most of the time! And better - we haven't found anything he doesn't like! His first birthday is this weekend - so more pix of this cute guy to come!

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Grandma brought Kylie over to play one afternoon and the kids had a blast in the backyard! She loved riding the glider with Jakey!

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Jadyn's booboo. She was running in the house (Despite the fact that I'm certain I say "No running in the house!" about 400 times per day) - and she fell in the entry hall. As she went down, she nailed her head on the front door - right on the edge where the leaded glass insert and door meet. OUCH! As you can tell by her face, she was NOT a happy camper. But, thanks to Arnica, it was almost gone within a couple hours. Good stuff, man!***********************************************************************
My cute boy in a box. You know what they always say ... just give 'em a box to play with! This is the box our new curriculum came in and he had a ball!

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BOTH of my Magnolia trees bloomed!!! We had so many beautiful blooms ... and I wasn't convinced the trees were even going to survive, much less produce these beauties! Right outside our study and dining room windows. Love it!

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A baby bird in our backyard. Jordan chased off the mom before we could stop her! Fortunately, the momma came back and got this cute little thing. Another birdie in our yard was not so lucky after it flew into our window - that one didn't make it.

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After 7 weeks of waiting, we got new curtains in the den. The ceilings are 18 foot and Ed is afraid of heights, so this was no DIY project! They are just side panels, but look beautiful. I said to Ed that they just look like they belong. Well, I must be right, because both our moms came over and neither one of them even noticed the curtains! You can't really see the fabric, so here's a close up. Its not something I would have picked out without help, but I love it!

That's all for now. I have a few more pictures to upload - later.