I've been promising this post for weeks, but it turns out I'm not that organized. I have realized, though, that I don't spend much time actually creating a blog post--this one has probably taken all of an hour to pull together and I haven't found the time to work on this for--as I mentioned--weeks.
Excuses aside, I promised, so here goes!
I've had a few people ask how I manage/organize my days, and although I'm obviously no expert, I have found a few things that are working for us, and I love sharing. I'll just share everything I can think of, and you can let me know what's helpful. I would so love to hear from you all (there are lots of you out there, sweet friends!) about what is working for you, and what resources you're really using. If you leave a comment, I'll get it (and respond!) and so will all the other folks who check in here...
On a daily basis, I've been using this daily docket sheet to organize the day for a couple of months now, and it has been supremely helpful. Tsh explains why it's so helpful and how to use it here. I keep it on the island in our kitchen so that Matt can check our exact daily schedule and what's on my plate. I usually make it the night before so I'm feeling ready in the morning. This is part of a binder where I also keep school papers (menus, schedules) and directories and clippings and stuff like that.
I also keep a notebook with all kinds of things in it--thank you lists, ideas, more ideas, even more ideas, long-term projects to work on, ideas for things to do with the kids, blog notes, menus, etc. Did I mention ideas?!
Here in the kitchen we have file drawers (which is such a treat) in which I keep files for each person of things to save and expandable files for their journals.
When I get up in the morning (usually pretty early), I try to do whatever I'm doing (workout, spend time with the Lord) and be dressed and ready for the day by 7, when kids start coming downstairs. I try to read through this Manifesto of Joy, out loud, to get myself going in the right direction before they come down. I started this past fall trying to carve out a specific and special space in the mornings for a peaceful breakfast gathering. This has been awesome. We all love it and look forward to it. What this means is that I try to have breakfast going (which requires planning it for the week when I do my menu), candle(s) lit on the table, and places set. Sometimes I even do this the night before. This allows me time to be present with the kids before the day really starts. We have time for a devotional and to practice our Bible verse and sometimes even time for me to read a chapter of our Little House book before Asa goes to school! This is the most consistent and peaceful time of our day and I think we all just love it. I do--the extra work is worth it! I mentioned the candles to a friend and we've discussed how much we both think it especially sets apart that time and helps us to gather well.
I also started this 100 days exercise, and it's been fun so far. It only took me a week or two to lick one of my bad habits (soda!), and so I'm feeling encouraged to keep at it.
As far as budgeting is concerned, I've been using i xpenseit to budget on my iphone--obviously if you don't have an iphone, this isn't for you, but for the rest of you, I think it's really helpful. I set up a two-week budget and put each expense in, and I watch the little hourglass empty. :) When I use this consistently, it's been great, and my most effective way to keep track of everything. I do my best to put expenses into the app before I leave the parking lot of wherever I am.
I have tried to set the "baby book" bar pretty low, considering I've got a few of them to work on. We have a leather-bound journal for each little one that I keep right beside my Bible and notebook. Matt and I have committed to writing them each a letter twice a year--kind of on their birthday and at Christmastime. We add things here and there, but I try not to worry about that too much. I'm hoping that I've got enough photos to document most things that happen in their lives!
I love reading blogs, but as everyone knows, there isn't enough time in the day, or space in my brain, to read all of them. I do use an aggregator that pulls from all the blogs I've subscribed to and puts them into one place--when I get a few minutes, then I sit down with a cup of tea and go through a whole bunch of posts. It's so much easier this way than checking each blog I'm interested in for new posts. I really recommend this for some of you! I use Netnewswire, but there are other options. It helps me to save time and be purposeful about the time I do spend looking at blogs.
If you've never checked out the Flylady, I'd probably recommend it. I don't do her whole routine, but I have gleaned a few great cleaning tips from her (dressed to shoes, clean as you go, keep the sink clean...).
I'm hoping to add a section on this blog for books I'm reading and blogs I follow, but here's the list of books I've got stacked by my bed, besides my Bible:
The Book of the King (I'm reading this one with Phin John)
Living More With Less
More-With-Less Cookbook
Radical Homemakers
I Like You (a valentine's present from a sweet friend!)
Riding The Bus With My Sister
and the one that I'm eagerly waiting to borrow:
One Thousand Gifts
Yes, I like to read a lot at once! What've you got?
It feels like there are so many more details I'd like to keep track of here, to share and to refer to, but I'm going to stop here. Let me know if any of this is helpful to you, or if you need encouragement to set up your blog aggregator! :)