It's ALL about Making it FUN

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I'm sure you've been sitting on the edge of your seat just waiting to see my new "to do" lists haven't you? Here's a little peek at it:




This little to-do list prints off postcard size, four to a page of the same day and I cut it on my paper trimmer after printing. I have one list for every day of the week but Saturday. The way I've set up my lists is that I have certain things I do on certain days. Some things need to be done every day (like laundry, cooking, all the FUN stuff). And just to make it all "cutesy" and appealign to me, I had to put some fun little clip art on it.


Essentially, the mini-lists/postcards are summed-up versions to remind myself each day of the things that I wish/hope/pray to accomplish that day. I have room on each card to add additional things that might apply to that day, space to write in that night's meal plan, and space to put extra things for which area of the house I might be focusing on (our bedroom, the kid's rooms, living room, etc..).



This is a copy of my complete weekly plan:

That is the "sum up" version of the weekly stuff that might go on at our house. Of course, things always come up, plans get interrupted and schedules change. It's just nice to have a plan in place for the best-case scenario. :)

Mildly Distracted...

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I mentioned a few posts back that I had given up lists.

And much to my dismay realized that I SHOULDN'T have given them up.

The lists are back. They've been groomed. Revamped. And they are looking pretty (eye-pleasing can be good to get one motivated!!).

Last night I worked on my list for today and added some things that needed to be done. Added a few more things this morning. And then I got started.

- Laundry (3 loads) - check
- Water plants - check
- Dust...yeah, that'll wait...
- Change Kaleb's sheets - check....which led to reorganizing the boy's bedroom...
- Put the boy's laundry away - check...which led to another give-away pile (yippee!!)
- RSVP for kids nite - check
- Go grocery shopping with 4 whiney kids - CHECK
- Redo my schedule - check
- Clean out big freezer for beef coming - check....which led to reorganizing little freezer....and the fridge....which led to the discovery of some frozen Amish batter and blueberries - had to make sweet bread!!
- make regular bread - in process
- plan meals for month - that would be as soon as I get off the computer....and if I can sneak it in before the kids get up from nap.

There are other things on my list of things "to do" but I keep getting sidetracked. It's a snowball effect of sorts. Did those things need to be done - maybe eventually, but it just seemed natural to do them now. I suppose that the other things will have to wait til tomorrow. :)

I will post my cute new little "to do" lists. At some point. Because I think they are pretty fun!! And maybe they might just help you too, right?

But now, I am just loving the smell of some Lemon Blueberry Amish bread...and trying to behave myself and not eat half the loaf. It wasn't on the list, but I am ever-so-glad I cleaned out that freezer and found it hiding in the back!

Seven Wiser Years Later

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When we first found out we were expecting Laurianna (which now seems like an eternity ago), we had much fun running wildly amuck with a little scanner at the baby store. Picturing every little item in our nursery. Thinking about how fun it would be to use that amazing infant bathtub and how useful that portable infant swing would be. We made sure we had all the necessities for our first (and then any subsequent babies).
We were so sure we knew all that we would need for that little child. We laughed at the ridiculous things that some people might register for. Because seriously. Who in the world really needs this?

Surely a regular monitor would do just fine. Why in the world do we need to see our baby 24-7?
Today, seven wiser years later, the mother of an all-too-ambitious 3-year-old, I can say without a doubt that I WISH we had coughed up $100 to get one of these monitors. Laugh at me if you will. It would have been a mere investment of $15 a year. BUT....

...then we would be able to tell when Zachary has taken down the curtain rods (for the upteenth time), popped the end off the rod and used it to poke his little brother, who helplessly sits like a small caged zoo animal, unable to fend off his zoo-keeper brother.

...then we would see him pulling all of the lining out of the diaper genie.

...then we might know why the blinds seem to be permanently stuck in the closed position.

...then we might catch him climbing on top of his tall dresser to reach the highest heights of the closet shelves.

...then we might get more good laughs in a day just watching the non-stop movement of that boy. And there are days that I just need a good laugh when it comes to him.

But then again, knowing my son, it might just be another something for him to play with, try to take apart, and then we would wonder why we spent the $100 to begin with.

A Great Father's Day Idea

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I realize that Father's Day isn't til June, but no sense in waiting to get some ideas! It's a short video clip describing the product, but it looks GREAT!!

Muffin Tin Clean-up

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I try to make muffins (or sweet breads) once a week around here, and cleaning up after making muffins can be such a pain in the...well, it can be a pain. The muffin mix drips all over the edges and then bakes itself on ever-so-nicely.

And trying to get the last little bit of yucks out of the bottom of the tin. Sigh.

So, I tried this little tip last week and it worked like a CHARM. I will so be doing this again. And if it worked for me, I might as well share it with you, right? I even took a picture I was so excited!

It's the little things that get to me. :)

1. Before you pour your muffin batter in, loosely lay a piece of tinfoil over the top of the muffin pan. Make a few slits in the tinfoil where the muffin openings are and then fold the tinfoil down into the muffin tin.

2. Spray the top with non-stick spray.

3. Place a muffin liner in each spot.

4. Pour your muffin mix in.

When you are done, your muffins pop right out and all you have to do is take the tinfoil off and rinse the tin. Yeah for no scrubbin'! :)

It's a Catch 22

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There are some sickies going around our house again. Headaches. Aches. Pains. Coughs. And everyone wants medicine of some sort. Fortunately (or unfortunately) medicine these days tastes so lovely that my children view it as a treat.

And want it constantly.

Laurianna was the secret receiver of Tylenol most of yesterday since she had the valid reason for needing it: a temperature. While we were sitting at the dinner table last night, Zachary tried to weasel his way into some medicine.

Z: I need some medicine.

Me: No you don't.

Z: I have a cough (insert fake cough).

Me: Well, Tylenol isn't for coughs.

Z: I have a tummy ache.

Me: It isn't for tummy aches either.

Z: Well, what is it for?

And you wonder why we have a padlock on our medicine cabinet. The kids would be eating medicine like Pez.

For some more cute kid conversations, head on over to Mary's at Not Before 7, by clicking on the Tiny Talk button below (LOVE the new button, Mary!)