I Blinked!

I can not believe I missed posting for three days!  I feel like I blinked and it was Sunday:)  Tres finished up Dance Camp last week and her showcase was Friday night.  She did fabulous and it was SO much fun to watch her. Her smile can light up a room.

I feel pretty good about reaching short term goals but it is my long term goals and what that list would look like that is on my mind here lately.

I remember making a "bucket list" of sorts and one of my goals was to have seven children.  Unfortunately, that was a goal hubby and I did not agree on so four children will have to do.  I also have had the goal of "write a book" for a while now but beyond those, my long term goals have been vague at best.  Being part of a small group studying the book, "I Was Broke Now I'm Not" has really caused me and my man to look at our long term goals together.  Couple that discussion with my reading "The Millionaire Next Door" and I am doing a lot of self examination of my habits.  I'm telling ya, I believe if I would get my weight under control, it would open a whole new world to me simply because of the self-discipline factor. 

What are some of your long term goals?

Grocery Day

For the past several months my mother and I have been going every other week to Publix.  As I've stated in previous posts, Publix is my favorite grocery store.  I feel like it is very user friendly whereas Kroger still intimidates me.  I believe I feel that way because I'm not really sure of their coupon policy.  My mom is learning how to coupon and I am able to get a 5% discount with her at Publix on Wednesdays.

I have been seriously couponing for a couple of years now.  Although I have been couponing I would not classify myself as an "extreme couponer".  I would like to know the details of how those couponers can get such major deals!  However, we did save more than we spent today:)

My grocery list is created on southern savers and I base what my purchases will be by what is on sale for that week.  Only buying items that are on sale is on the 10 Commandments list of couponers. After my list is created through southern savers, I copy and paste my list into a word document then add all of my "needed" items.  "Needed" items are items such as milk, bread, eggs.  I do get my bread from the local bread thrift store. 

Once I have my grocery list created then I make my menu plan.  The Project Girl has some cool menu planner graphics.  My menu plan is for two weeks at a time.  I am always looking for easy and frugal dinner ideas.  Two websites that I am using as of late are: 5dollardinners and Food Network's Sandra's Money Saving Meals. What are some tried and true menus in your household?  What do you cook when you're in a pinch?

It goes without saying that on Wednesdays, I'm tired!

When the Cat's Away...

Structure.  I'm the girl that needs it.  Truth be told, I enjoy it.  I like knowing a schedule and for as long as I can remember I always have.  In fact, I found a journal from when I was in middle school and I had my list written out with the time frame to complete each task to the right just like I do now. 

When I do not have a "To Do" list I am a complete and total bum.  NOTHING gets accomplished.

This week Tres has dance camp and I'm loving it.  I know exactly where we need to be from 3:00 - 6:30 each day and I know what all needs to be completed before and after those times.  Having to be on this type of schedule has me already thinking about our school schedule.  What needs to be accomplished daily.  This year the kids are going to a new school system and school will start 20 minutes earlier than last year's school.  This translates into me needing to get up earlier and out the door earlier. 

Here are the tasks that will need to be accomplished daily:
1.  Kids chores completed.
2.  Lunches and snacks packed.
3.  Leave the house by 7:30 a.m.
4.  Kids homework completed.
5.  Violin practice completed.
6.  Homework finished.
7.  Supper fixed by 6:00 (no later than 7:00).
8.  Clothes ironed and laid out for the following day.
9.  In bed, lights out by 8:30 (for the kids).

So, I'm thinking I may need to have a set time for homework, reading, and violin so the kids know what to expect and there doesn't have to be any time wasted on arguing.  What do you think? 

Right now we have the chore chart on the side of the fridge and I have a family dry erase calendar posted on the laundry room wall so all can see it as they enter the house.  I refer to the calendar as my "work of art".  It's a thing of beauty really.  I also have a personal planner that I can carry with me but since I got an iPhone for Christmas last year I really depend on it a lot to organize my family events. What kind of graphic organizers do you use in your home?  What seems to work best for your family when the school year is in full swing? 

For me, when the cat's (structure) away, the mice (me) will play.  And I'm usually not happy with the results:)

Ready for Bed

As stated before, my bedtime routine could really benefit the success of my following morning.  My problem is that by the time I get my kids in bed I want to sit and do NOTHING. Now as far as a plan, I have one.
Nightly Routine:
1.  Place all dishes in the dishwasher and turn it on.
2.  Pick up out of place items.
3.  Lay out clothes for tomorrow.
4.  Wash face and/or take a bath.

Now as far as accomplishing this routine...I'm thinking maybe I could do it during the commercials of the show I'm watching.  I don't know.  All in all I think it would take me about 30 minutes.  I should time myself but right now I'm not moving.  I'm sitting on my rear waiting for 10:00 so I can pump then go to bed. 

What are your night time routines?  Any suggestions for me?

Kids Routines

For a year now the kids (ages 6 and 5) have been completing chores in order to earn money plus build responsibility.  The logistics of the chore chart have evolved over the last year and surprisingly last month the kids approached me about ADDING more chores (not money).  I was excited.  They had seen their cousins completing more challenging tasks and they wanted the opportunity to do more.  I'm very proud of them.
My kids chores still include basic hygiene because I want that to be habit and right now it needs to be practiced over and over.  My kids chores include:
1. Putting away dishes after meals.
2. Making their beds.
3. Brushing their teeth.
4. Getting dressed.
5. Watering the plants.
6. Feeding and watering the animals.
7. Washing the windows.
8. Picking the garden.

Accounting for chores being finished was problematic.  We started with paper charts then moved to magnetic charts because I would forget to print off the charts.  The magnetic chart was easier because it was always there but the kids were unmotivated to move their magnets to show chores completed.  A friend of mine sent me an email with a how-to of creating a chore chart with red and green cards.  Green meaning "finished" and red meaning "not finished".  We have been using the chart for a couple of days and my kids want to reset the chart at the end of each day.  I'm super pumped about that!

To complete the chart, I used the frame of my magnetic chart and simply looked in my scrapbook bag for fun paper.  I made the pockets from scrapbook paper as well. Like I said, the kids really like it.

Come and Get It!

I like to observe, read about, and listen to others in areas they are good at.  I get my kicks from seeing something new to me and trying to implement it in my life if I believe it will be a benefit. 
Supper.  The one meal I'm always trying to work on. I have come to the understanding that the grandma's of this world that are amazing cooks were in all probability not born with this ability to whip something together but I gotta tell ya, if I'm gonna be one of those grandma's I've got a ways to go.
I really believe there should be some award out there for the amount of effort I put in to creating a good tasting meal and still coming up with "blah".  While tasting tonight's bland meal, an idea hit me.  I need to get a recipe box and start listing out the meals that I know I can cook and that my family enjoys.  Then I can look at branching out from there. 

When the Sun Goes Down...

Technically I've messed up on my 30 days of blogging since it is after midnight; however, due to me not having gone to bed this still counts as day 3:)  Post number four will come later when the sun is actually up.
There are certain tasks that I would like to have completed every day. Reading a book from the Five in a Row book list to the kids, having the kids read to me, violin practice, kids chores completed - not to mention household tasks I would like marked off.  And everyday starts out much the same: morning cleaning routine, concentrated task on one specific area of the house, a nitty gritty task in another area of the house, laundry, etc.  However, it never fails that as the sun fades in the sky so does my willingness and determination to lay the groundwork for a successful tomorrow.  Now I don't mean that figuratively.  I mean that literally.  There are things that I could be doing at night to prepare for the next day or would help to keep the house clean.  Instead the couch calls my name or I'm on my last patient Mommy Moment before I explode and so I just stop and veg out. 
 Grant it tonight all but the clean laundry is good to go.  The house is clean. The dishes are washing in the dishwasher and it actually looks like a presentable house.  Normally, when the sun goes down so do I.  I have had numerous conversations with myself as to what amount of time would make my nightly routine successful.  You know what that number is?  30 minutes.  Thirty minutes would have my tomorrow in order.  Heck, I could do that on commercial breaks if I had to.  Thirty minutes to pick up what is lying around, lay out my clothes, decide what will be for supper tomorrow.  No big deal and yet 95% of the time I do nothing.  Well, I can count the one task of pumping breast milk one last time before bed.  I feel any woman worth her salt would celebrate that accomplishment.  I mean how many men would really hook a machine up to their chest for thirty minutes at a time?  Maybe that question shouldn't be answered:)

Violin

Being the Duggar groupie that I am it will come as no surprise that I have wanted my kiddos to play the violin.  Therefore this year, Dos started violin lessons with an amazing teacher.  He adores her and she is SO good with him.  He enjoys the lessons.  Practicing, well...practicing is another issue entirely.

I have read and reread all the Suzuki materials that emphasize practice should not be negative or dreaded.  And I get the concept; however, I do not get how to have a successful practice.  Some days are great but others Dos wants to do minimal and call it quits.  Does he want to quit violin?  No, (I've asked him) he just doesn't want to put the time in to practice.  Any pointers?  How do you engage a six year old into practicing pieces over and over? 

Summer Reading

Numero Uno and I have joined a summer small group (which is a group from church that meets to discuss a book, like a book club).  In this group we have fostered the discussion of hopes and dreams.  One of my dreams is to write a book; however, I will be the first to let you in on the secret that I have no clue what I will one day write about.  Nevertheless, one day I will write a book...maybe.
One of my possible themes for composure - consistency.  To see how far this baby goes I'm going to blog for 30 days.  That's it.  That's all. Thirty days of blogging.  Today is day 1.
For the past couple of summers I have taken the book lists from the program "Five In A Row" and read them to Dos and Tres.  We are doing this again this summer but in addition they are reading from beginner readers to me daily.  I am really concerned about making sure Dos is right on track for first grade.  How much reading skills should a potential first grader possess?  I hope the daily reading will put him on the right track for when school begins.  As always, I welcome input.