Mission Accomplished!

I must say, I have surprised even myself today! As you know (see previous post), we started out pretty rough this morning, but I have managed to update my budget, do school with JR, take the kids for a walk to the bank, help M work on her computer phonics, vacuum and mop, get my kitchen clean, do 3 loads of laundry, tidy up most areas of the house, have Bible reading time with the kids, read my Bible, and even taken a quick nap to make up for my lack of sleep last night! I cannot explain to you the sense of accomplishment I feel right now. I have accomplished everything on my list of daily chores, and most major items on my schedule. I would never have guessed today would have turned out so wonderfully. As tired as I was, I was dreading waking up tomorrow, far behind in my "to do list." But, today is a perfect example of and a testimony to God's rich blessing. He promises to give strength when we need it most, and He can always be counted on. Trivial as it may seem, any wife/mom knows the emotional relief felt by knowing you have accomplished tasks that will benefit your family, set an example for your children, and please your husband. Thanks to the strength and focus that God has provided me today, I know I will be able to go to bed tonight, fulfilled and encouraged, rather than dismayed and regretful.

Now, as scheduled, I am going to take the kids outside to check on our strawberries and water the other plants. Then I will come back in, start dinner, and bake my loving husband's favorite dessert....homemade cheesecake! What a treat for us all!

Kids and chores

A, age 10 months

Do you ever find yourself trying to bribe your kids to do their chores? Do you have to nag in order to get the chores done correctly? Do your kids enjoy doing chores? Do you have young children who need lots of assistance with chores? Do you tend to try to distract young children so they aren't "in the way" at chore time?

"Chores" is a label that can be given to any number of tasks. Anything from laundry, bathrooms, and washing dishes, to brushing teeth, dressing, and cleaning the car can be classified as a chore. As many of you know, I recently read a book called "Managers of Their Homes" and began a daily schedule that has proven very successful. I also started a new chore system thanks to the book "Managers of their Chores." It is AWESOME. In fact, it has solved so many issues around here, I think I love it more than the schedule by itself. It uses an author-invented idea called a "ChorePack," that has been tested and approved by large families around the nation. Basically, you divide chores up into different parts of the day, and assign them to a member of the family (for simplicity, I will focus on children here). You then assemble a set of chore cards, specifically tailored for that child and time of day. Then, at the given chore time, you give the assembled chore pack to the child to wear as they complete their chores. When they are finished, they return the pack to you for inspection.

This system truly works wonders. I cannot testify to older children, although I have heard good things. However, in my family of younger children, who have a desire to help, but are still too young to do much, this has been a wonderful addition to our routine. I used to wake in the morning and spend 20 minutes helping/reminding the kids to dress, tidy their room (they played every morning before coming to breakfast), and despite the reminders, I gave up on requiring bed-making. I was also finding things my 4 year old would forget to do EVERY morning. As we went through the day, I would nag a bit to ensure toys were periodically picked up and tried to keep things tidy around the house--not always an easy task. No more.

Now, before I go to bed at night, I put the children's morning ChorePacks in their room in a designated spot. When they awake the next morning, rather than play, they eagerly put on their pack and set to the assigned tasks. Their tasks include things like dressing, putting away PJ's, brushing teeth and hair, tidying room, making beds, etc. Some tasks are assigned to both children, while others are given to only one child or the other. When necessary, M will come to me for help in dressing and switching to the next task, but JR works completely independently. He feels like such a big boy, I don't have to nag him at all, and he doesn't forget anything. When he is finished, he brings me his ChorePack and I go inspect his work. Their room is not messy in the morning because their tasks keep them busy. Having started our day off on the right foot, we can then start our schedule for the day. After lunch, I pass out their lunchtime ChorePacks, and they spend about 10-20 minutes performing those tasks. In the mean time, I am able to tend to the babies, clean the kitchen up, and do other odds and ends. When finished, I inspect their work. As the day progresses, we have a very small ChorePack for before dinner, a small one for after dinner, and a bedtime one. The hardest part is just remembering to hand them out at the given time. Our schedule helps here.

S has commented on how everyone seems happier somehow these days, the house is much cleaner at any given time, I do not feel as overwhelmed or lost, the kids love being useful and having jobs, and things are getting accomplished. We spent the first few days with the idea of "training" the kids to use them, but they caught on very quickly. M was actually the most difficult on day 1, due to her strong-willed nature. But with a little encouragement using "natural consequences" from another book I love (How to Make Children Mind Without Losing Yours), by day 2, she became a full and willing participant. I highly recommend this system for anyone who is even remotely chore-challenged, or if you just want a better way to do things. By using a system, you/the kids are kept busy, but you are all doing things that you enjoy.

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I have to finish with just one example of what we have encountered this week. As I mentioned, on Day 1, M chose to be less-than-cooperative at first. When it came time to make her bed, she adamantly refused. While I don't expect a 2 yr. old to create a masterpiece, I did expect her to do her best to at least pull the covers up over her pillow. Despite the instruction, she still refused. I calmly explained that there would be consequences. Our schedule said that at x:xx time, we had to do (whatever), and if her bed wasn't made, she would not be able to participate. She chose to sit on her bed while the rest of the family went on with our day. About an hour later, she finally allowed me to help her make her bed. Done. At 7:00 a.m. on Day 2, M came running into my room, already wearing her ChorePack. She wanted some help flipping to the next card. I helped her and told her the next assignment was to go make her bed. She exclaimed, "But I already did!" Not believing her, I went to her room, and sure enough! Let me tell you, the quickest way to set a Mom's day right from the beginning is to allow her to walk in to her children's bedroom, and the two of them be standing there dressed, with teeth brushed, hair combed, beds made, floor tidy, and everyone in a good mood! Oh, if only I could capture that type of moment on camera!

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"Make it your amibition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

--1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Time for Important Things

Time seems to fly these days, seemingly at the speed of light sometimes. Whole days would pass and I would feel like I was truly missing out on important things. I haven't stuck to my detailed schedule perfectly yet, but I see so many benefits already. This schedule has really helped me make time for the rewarding, and the important things in life that truly count.

I have read my Bible and had a designated prayer time every day. Equally important, I have been more faithful at having designated Bible reading time with the children.

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Earlier this week, we tackled a much-anticipated goal of getting some vegetables started for our first attempt at growing fresh produce.
On Thursday, we took a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's. I have found it to be a relatively inexpensive way to give the kids a thrill. For less than $5, all of us can play for about an hour and a half, the kids get as much stimulation as they can handle, and we all have a great time. This week, my schedule allowed me to plan it in such a way that S was able to share in our fun.

Last night, I found time to try out a new recipe for natural, extra healthy, granola bars. I surprised the kids with them for snack this morning. They love them, but I think they taste a bit like a health-food bar! I will let S be the final judge, and based on his opinion, I will decide whether to post my recipe.

And last, but far from least, I have allowed myself to become more aware of moments like the one below:

When we allow life to get too hectic, it is far to easy to forget to enjoy the things in life that count. Our relationship with Christ, our relationships with others--particularly our spouse and children, ensuring our personal (and family's) health--the temple of Christ, and caring for the things with which God has entrusted us are the things we should truly value.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God."

--Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

Schedules are a wonderful thing!

About a year ago, before little A was placed with us, we were concerned about how I would cope with 3 kids. I knew it was possible, the question was how sane I would remain. So, I talked to a friend, a homeschooling mom of 5 kids, who had scheduled her days. I wasn't genuinely interested, as I had never used a schedule in my life. Between having a naturally lazy human nature, and ingrained weaknesses of procrastination, "flexibility," and a general lack of self-discipline or know-how, I was very nervous about even trying. Nonetheless, she gave me a few tips, S encouraged me, and I put together my first daily schedule. I had some success with it, but between the addition of 2 new babies, a cross-country move, deciding to homeschool, and general life circumstances, I gradually drifted away from it. Much to my (and my family's) dismay.

I decided it was not only time to get back on a schedule, but to develop a really good one. I decided to use a tested format and scheduling system called "Managers of Their Home." As I read this book, I realized a couple of things.

• First, starting this schedule did not mean changing everything as we knew it, but improving on what we already did during our day. My original schedule was a very good starting point, as some of it had become habitual, and the older kids were already familiar with it.
• Secondly, a couple of Bible verses got my attention. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, "God is not a God of disorder, but of peace." Along those same lines, 1 Corinthians 14:40 states, "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." I realized through these verses, that order is a Biblical thing, and is, in fact, expected of us as Christians. Order brings peace in our lives.
• Thirdly, I realized how beneficial it is for a child to have scheduled order in their lives. A routine is predictable, and children thrive on predictability. Such predictability eliminates many potential discplinary issues with children. If they know what to expect, they are better able to mentally prepare for it. This fact was emphasized to me recently when I had to very suddenly leave my children for almost 2 full weeks, and many loving people, who were otherwise unaquainted with our routines, stepped in to care for them. It was so wonderful to know how well my children not only coped, but also helped direct their caretakers in their daily lives. They knew where to find needed items, JR was able to help them discover the "rules" of the house, and M was able to help ensure things were done "normally." In addition, a predictable schedule can truly help a child in many ways as he matures.
• Fourthly, having my habitually valued "me-time" is not a Biblical principle, but a secular one. In fact, scripture reminds us time and again, "They get into the habit of being idle....And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to." 1 Timothy 5:13

That all being said, I also learned that this type of schedule does NOT mean rigid, structured, and inflexible. Rather, it should be a guide, or tool, to help you, as a mother, accomplish everything you need to do in the time you have allowed. If set up correctly, the schedule allows plenty of flexibility. In addition, unexpected interruptions are to be expected. James 1:2-4 provides comfort in this fact; "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." This helped me stop stressing over issues I had dealt with in my 1st attempt. If I managed to get the whole house cleaned, and turned to find the kids had messed something, I used to get irritated. If I was in the middle of baking and had to stop to change a diaper, I could get frustrated. I have since realized this is to be expected. Relationships with your children, and with others, are much more important than a "spotless" house. I once heard a statement to the effect of, "When your child is off in college and decides to invite a friend home for Thanksgiving dinner, do you want him to say, 'oh, my mom does such a great job of keeping a clean house and you will even find all the table linens perfectly folded!'? Or would you prefer he say, 'I can't wait for you to meet my family! They are the most loving, accepting people I know!'?" If you think about it, this has a good message. Furthermore, "order" does not have to mean a spotless house. It means an orderly house. There is a big difference.

So, we are well into our first week with the new schedule. As you can see, each person (except S) has a schedule that corresponds with everyone else's, and it is color-coded for quick reference.

The day is basically divided into 30 minute increments (or a combination of several 30-minute increments). This allows plenty of time slots for needed accomplishments, while also allowing a few minutes of "flex" when you finish something early or have an interruption. To allow a little more flex, I have scheduled items in the late morning hours that I can sacrifice, which allows us to do big things on some mornings. For example, Wednesday is a baking day, and Thursday is a field-trip fun day. When we return, we pick up at the current time, and I don't feel like the whole day is lost. I scheduled things for myself during their nap that gave some flexibility based on my desires that day, and scheduled some things for the kids immediately after nap that I won't mind being missed if the kids need a little extra sleep. Some moms prefer to wake the kids at a designated time, but I prefer they get the sleep they need. They may need more on a field trip day than a day at home.

This type of schedule is "busy" in one sense, but I can honestly say it is very rewarding. Unlike days where I feel like I have been"busy" but have nothing to show, I have lots to show with a schedule. If I miss something, I just pick it up the next day. It is, at times, exhausting, but I have been sleeping much better (waking at night to feed the baby helps in that area too!). The kids' bickering has been significantly reduced because they are kept busy. I wake up feeling like I have a "plan" and direction for the day, and feeling in control. It does take self-discipline, which I continue to struggle with, but teaching my children to be self-disciplined, orderly, and obedient is much preferred to many other popular, more secular upbringings today.

Paul counsels the young widows in 1 Timothy 5:14, "...to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander." (emphasis mine) Having an orderly home involves dedication, commitment, hard-work, and perseverance, but is Biblical and rewarding on so many levels.

Winter Dinner Schedule

My last monthly dinner schedule seemed quite popular, so I have updated with my winter schedule below. A few meals are the same as the summer schedule, but for the most part, the winter meals are good for cooler weather. Like last time, if you decide to try this type of organizing, just replace my dinners with your favorites. I don't always follow precisely day to day, but I generally stick with having the scheduled meals at some point during the scheduled week. This allows me some flexibility if, for example, I have some produce about to go bad, I can use it in a recipe or if we eat out one evening. I can't tell how much it helps, though, having a plan, even if you can't stick to it completely! "FREE" nights are generally for cleaning up leftovers or experimenting with new recipes. If there are any dinners on my sheet that you would like recipes for, just ask, and I will post them when I can!

Click on the image for a larger view. Enjoy!

*Edited to add: I can't get pic to expand, although the file is plenty big enough. I have uploaded it as large as I can. If any of you can offer advice as to how I might fix this, I am all ears!

Summer Dinner Schedule

Due to a direct request for a sample of my monthly dinner schedule, I have uploaded it below. If you decide to try this type of organizing, just replace my dinners with your favorites. I don't always follow precisely day to day, but I generally stick with having the scheduled meals at some point during the scheduled week. This allows me some flexibility if, for example, I have some produce about to go bad, I can use it in a recipe or if we eat out one evening. I can't tell how much it helps, though, having a plan, even if you can't stick to it completely! "FREE" nights are generally for cleaning up leftovers or experimenting with new recipes. If there are any dinners on my sheet that you would like recipes for, just ask, and I will post them when I can!


To see a larger format, just click on the picture. Enjoy!

Some organization secrets, part 2

I recently typed a small list of some of my cleaning secrets, and figured I would offer a few more here.

--After creating a monthly menu (as discussed previously), use the menu to write out a monthly Grocery list. Break it down by week, so you have all the ingredients needed for each meal during Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, and Week 4. Then add another section where you list items that should be kept in stock (I call it my "Standing List)--i.e. pet food, bread, cereal, fruit, milk, eggs, sauces, toilet paper, detergents, etc. Each week, take inventory of that week's list and the standing list. Mark off anything you don't need, then pick a day of the week to shop each week. You can take it a step farther by buying all your non-perishables in your first trip each month, so every week thereafter, you only have to buy perishables (produce, dairy, etc.) and replace items on your standing list. You save money by buying only what you need, and not wasting produce. You also save time by having a ready-made grocery list each week and reducing the number of last-minute trips to the grocery store for a missing dinner ingredient.

--Learn to use your freezer. If you have the space, you can freeze all kinds of things like milk, bread, extra dinner, etc. It can help save money if you do a major shopping trip at the beginning of the month, and then you will have bread/milk/etc. all month.

--Store bread and fruit in the fridge. Bread won't mold nearly as fast, and is usually down to room temperature by the time you prepare your lunch. Fruit won't ripen as quickly, so it will last longer. Again, it can save money and prevent waste by not having to throw it out!

--BASKETS! I LOVE baskets! With our somewhat transient lifestyle, we never know how much storage space our next house will have. Since our homes are usually rentals, we can't modify space either. Whether you have those odds and ends that just don't seem to have a place, want to reduce clutter and bulk, want to organize drawers and cabinets better, whatever--there is a size basket to help. Baskets are aesthetically pleasing. I try to buy them in various sizes but complimentary or matching colors since I never know where they will be in the next house. I use them as clothes hampers in each of the kids rooms to reduce clutter by not having bulky hampers, one holds all those miscellaneous cords and wires in the office, one has all my extra candles and candle holders that don't have a place in this house, one is in my closet for my purses, hats, and shawls, and we have several in our playroom for the toys. They are so versatile, just use your imagination!

--This tip should probably be before the "baskets" tip, but, if you haven't used it within a year, get rid of it! This is probably one of the most liberating, clutter-preventing tips I ever learned. I will admit there are exceptions. I have a couple of formal dresses, for example, that I may not use every year--it just depends on the year. However, in MOST cases, the one year rule applies. If it doesn't, a two or three year rule should apply. This clutter-reducing tip saves so much time and effort in routine cleaning, and helps you stay so much more organized, that I HIGHLY recommend it! If you move frequently like we do, just make a point to go through your things each time you move so you don't move unneccessary items. If you are pretty stationary, then pick one time every year or so to go through your house and eliminate clutter--face it, if you don't use it, it is clutter! It doesn't matter how expensive it was, how sentimental it is, or that you might fit into it again one day. If you happen to be the sentimental type, then here is a tip I used: Pick a box or storage container of a manageable size. Allow yourself to fill that box and ONLY that box. It will force you to weed through things that you can part with if necessary. Otherwise, yard sale it, consign it, or just give it away, but get it out of your house.

Good luck and stay tuned for more!

Some cleaning and organizing secrets

I occasionally get into discussions with fellow moms about house cleaning and organizing, and we wind up comparing techniques and offering up our " secrets." Since I happened to be doing a lot of cleaning today, I thought I would offer a few of the "secrets" I have learned over the last few years that have made my life MUCH easier (and cleaner!)

--Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are AWESOME!! They easily remove not only grime and dirt on walls, but soap scum from shower doors and bathtubs, grime from floor tiles, grime from around drains, and even the smelly goop that seems to collect on the rubber going into the garbage disposal. About the only place I don't like to use them is on mirrors and windows, as they leave streaks really bad.

--Monthly menu: Many women talk about creating a weekly menu, and I have heard many versions of this. After some trial and error, I decided to develop a menu for the whole month. Each week has 2 "FREE" days for either date night or leftover cleanup. This allows me several advantages: we only eat the same meal once a month, so we never tire of it; I rarely have one of those "I haven't even thought about what to make for dinner" nights; I am able to save a lot of money by shopping more efficiently and using what I buy. Since we have gone organic, I actually shop at 2 different stores. I go to the the base commissary (cheaper prices on a pretty good selection of organics) and buy all my staples and non-perishables for the whole month. This includes things like bread (I hope to start making my own eventually) which can be frozen. Then, once a week, I go to the organic store for dairy and produce supplies. Since I have started this routine, I rarely throw any food out. Some additional tips are to buy one or two extra "quick" meals like spaghetti for an evening when something unexpected comes up and you don't have much dinner prep time. Also, I have now progressed to having 2 monthly menus, one for warmer weather and one for cooler weather (has more soup nights). When we first started using the menus, I think I cut my grocery budget by about 35%. We then turned around and put that 35% back into the food so we could go organic. So we eat healthier, feel better, and waste less.

--Wipes: My latest discovery was something I read on a forum and decided to give it a shot. I LOVE it!! I put a container of Lysol cleaning wipes in each bathroom, and one in the kitchen. Everytime I see a mess, I grab a wipe and clean it up. I have always despised cleaning bathrooms, hated using papertowels or washcloths without gloves (especially on the toilets!), and procastinated way too long between cleanings. Now, it is so convenient that my bathrooms stay relatively clean.--even the kids' bathroom, which used to get gunked up pretty quickly. Then once a week or so, I give a quick scrub with the toilet brush, wipe down everything, and move on. I can now clean all 3 bathrooms in my periodic "thorough" cleaning in about 15 minutes (not counting tubs, which take a bit longer). Plus, they always smell fresh without the fake perfume smell of other chemicals (yeah, I tried the Febreeze route for a while).

Those are my 3 favorite tips. If you have any you would like to add, feel free. I love hearing about anything that could make my life easier and cleaner!