Thursday, January 20, 2011

Scheduling Again


With hubby now finished his shift work for awhile and back onto a regular day schedule I once again had to revisit my daily schedule.  Sometimes I think I can get by without it, I mean by now you would think I should have mastered what needs to get done, when and how long it takes.  Well, I have discovered that without my schedule firmly in hand very little seems to get accomplished.  I really do not know what happens to the time but it seems to evaporate with nothing to show for it.  So today I sat back and revisited our daily schedule and once again revised it to loosely fit our ever changing lives.


There are many different ways to lay out the daily schedule.  I know some people who have a general list of things that need to get done each day.  I have tried this and it just does not work for me.  I tend to be overly ambitious with my list of things and never even get halfway through before I'm burned out and discouraged. 



So I have found that what works best for me is my day planned out in half hour segments.  It helps me keep my schedule realistic in what I can do.  I still have the tendency to overbook my days and not leave myself enough "down" time but I am learning.  The one consistancy I have found is that every time I revise our schedule I always wish there were more hours in my day.


"Time is free, but it's priceless.
You can't own it, but you can use it.
You can't keep it, but you can spend it.
Once you've lost it you can never get it back."
~Harvey MacKay~

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Hearts for Home


Today I am joining in with Gae from Cherished Hearts at Home . She has a weekly post called Hearts for Home which is open for others to link up with and share some thoughts on home-centred ways. She encourages us to think of 4-6 things to commit to each week to make homelife special and to bless us as keepers at home.

Last week hubby and I had our "at-home getaway" which was so nice and refreshing.  Now it's time to get back into the routine of things and catch up on some things that got put aside last week.

Here are a few things I would like to focus on this week.

1.  Bookwork and paperwork for school.  I hate doing this stuff and severely procrastinate on doing it so this week I need to just set aside the time, focus, and get it done.

2.  Catch up on laundry.

3.  Tidy up our bedroom.  It seems to have been collecting stuff again so it needs to be put away.

4.  Start thinking about what I will do for Valentine's Day followed by hubby's birthday and then our anniversary.


~Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest~
(Maricar Macalincag)


Monday, January 17, 2011

The Simple Woman's Daybook



For today... Monday, January 17, 2011


Outside my window... It is dark - no moon or stars because it is clouded over and we are expected to get more snow overnight - sigh.


I am thinking...  Of the many things I need to get done tomorrow, the weather forecast for the week which means I may have to drive my daughter to work due to bad roads - again, of the nice time hubby and I had these past few days.


I am thankful for... A warm home and working vehicles.


From the learning rooms... Studying for a Bio exam.


From the kitchen... I have a fridge full of leftovers so I don't think I will be actually doing much cooking this week.


I am wearing... Dark denim jeans and a black/grey sweater


I am creating... I finished my pillowcases and will be starting on another set.


I am going... To start planning my day for tomorrow and the upcoming week.


I am reading... The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien


I am praying for... My daughter as she is narrowing down her college search.


Pondering these words... "God's plan for making us holy is not an event but a process that involves daily choices in every area of life." (Leroy Eims)


I am STILL hoping... That the weather will warm up.


I am hearing... The computer and the furnace.


Around the house... Lots of housework and laundry after spending a few days away.


One of my favorite things... Vanilla Caramel creamer by CoffeeMate


A few plans for the rest of the week...  Monday - errands, grocery shopping and working at the church library, Tuesday - housework and baking, Wednesday - daughters grad dress fitting, schoolwork, housework, Thursday - possibly have to drive daughter to work and if I do I will stay in the city and do some work at the church library, if I'm at home more housework and baking, Friday - schoolwork, housework, family movie night, Saturday - date with hubby, odds and ends, Sunday - church


Here is a picture thought I am sharing...




Thank you Peggy for the The Simple Woman's Daybook {follow links to read more}.


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Hearts for Home


Today I am joining in with Gae from Cherished Hearts at Home . She has a weekly post called Hearts for Home which is open for others to link up with and share some thoughts on home-centred ways. She encourages us to think of 4-6 things to commit to each week to make homelife special and to bless us as keepers at home.

Last week I was fairly successful with my list.  I'm not sure we are completly back into the routine of things but we are getting there.  I did get the cleaning done that I wanted to and it is nice to have it done.  Grad dress shopping with my daughter was a lot of fun and very successful.  We not only found the perfect dress but it fits her beautifully and by the time we had included all accessories we were still at the low-end of our budget.  It's also nice that we now have the dress and don't have to worry about finding one.

This week is a little different here.  Our daughter is leaving for a college tour tonight and will be gone until late Saturday.  Hubby took some time off and we are considering going away for a few days, weather permitting.  If we don't go away we will be spending "away" time at home together.  Either way I am looking forward to just relaxing for a couple of days.

Here are a few things I would like to focus on this week.

1.  Relaxing while we take some time away as a couple instead of thinking about all the things that I need to do or could be doing.

2.  Making sure there are meals ready for our son while we are gone.

3.  Making sure my daughter finishes up her school work that needs doing before she leaves.

4.  Finish up some laundry and tidying up before we leave.


~Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest~
(Maricar Macalincag)


Friday, January 7, 2011

Doing Something Special



 Before Christmas I was focusing on doing something special for my hubby each day.  When I began I had my plan all laid out.  Day 1 I would do this, Day 2 I would do that, etc.  Each day I  would complete my "task",  check it off my list and move on with my day.  Then, one morning, I woke up and realized that I didn't have anything special on my list for hubby and I didn't want to just repeat what I had recently done.  That was the day I quit thinking and planning (a good thing in this case) and began listening.

Because I didn't have my plan and I still wanted to do something special for hubby I really began to listen to what he was saying and asking myself, "how can I help him?"  And, as I started to listen I found plenty of opportunities to do special things for him.  Taking a couple of minutes to sweep up the basement while he was trying to finish it up, making him a honey-lemon tea when he mentioned his throat was a little scratchy, making a fresh cake so it was still warm when he got home from work at 9 pm, and the list goes on and on.
As I began to listen I didn't stop after one thing in a day.  It became my own challenge to myself to see what else I could find as I listened - my own personal treasure hunt.


As I watched and listened I began to appreciate hubby so much more.  Instead of taking for granted the things he does I became more aware of all the little things he does for me and the family and I began to value him more.  So, what began as doing something nice for hubby so he'd appreciate me more became an eye-opener for me and changed my attitude toward him. 


"The best portion of a good man's life - his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."
~William Woodsworth~

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Hearts for Home


Today I am joining in with Gae from Cherished Hearts at Home . She has a weekly post called Hearts for Home which is open for others to link up with and share some thoughts on home-centred ways. She encourages us to think of 4-6 things to commit to each week to make homelife special and to bless us as keepers at home.

Here are a few things I would like to focus on this week.

1.  I need to get back into the routine of things.  Hubby has done his shifts for now and is back on a regular day schedule so that should help make things a bit easier.

2.  Deep clean the bathroom, kitchen and floors.

3.  Clean the fridge.

4.  Take my daughter Grad Dress shopping (I promised her I would take her first thing in the new year)

5.  Get back into regular meal preparation.  With being away and the special holiday food its been a little tough getting back into regular, healthier meals.

                                      ~Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer,
sweeter spot than all the rest~
                                                                                    (Maricar Macalincag)


Monday, January 3, 2011

The Simple Woman's Daybook


For today... Monday, January 3, 2011


Outside my window... The sun is shining brightly, the sky is clear and blue and it is hovering right around the freezing mark.


I am thinking...  Of how I need to tidy up the house and get some things put away, how glad I am that I am feeling better after being sick yesterday, how I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine after the holiday season.

I am thankful for... A wonderful Christmas season that we had as a family.

From the learning rooms... Back at it this week after a long break - finish up some English.

From the kitchen... Tonight will be roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, salad and I will probably bake a chocolate cake for dessert.


I am wearing... Still in my housecoat.

I am creating... Working on x-stitching some pillowcases.


I am going... To pay some bills and tidy up the house.

I am reading... The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

I am praying for... Our family in the new year as I know it will hold many challenges and changes.

Pondering these words... Discipline.


I am STILL hoping... A trip to the mountains???


I am hearing... My computer running and nothing else as everyone else is still sleeping.


Around the house... Getting back into routine.


One of my favorite things... Sitting around with the family at the end of the day chatting.


A few plans for the rest of the week...  Next few days focus on housework and some school, Thursday I will be out most of the day, Friday will be a full day of school and Saturday my daughter & I are going grad dress shopping.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...



A winter view.

 
Thank you Peggy for the The Simple Woman's Daybook {follow links to read more}.