Some Jan-Jun Goals for upcoming 2017

Once again dealing with sleep issues, I decided to get up and write out my lofty goals for the next 6 months.

Earlier today, I updated a schedule of mine. I absolutely loved the schedule I created for myself in January of this year, and it worked great for me. As needed, I tweaked it and made changes here and there. Naturally, a very busy time of life came and I became unable to use that schedule. However, I continued to create updated versions from time to time, although I never did get back into the swing of using one again. In the last few weeks, I created a new daily schedule for myself. I kept some of the aspects of the schedule that worked so well for several months at the beginning of this year, but I made a few drastic changes as well. I think it will work better for these busy days with uncommon business and projects and goals to be accomplished many of our days.

What I did today, was to create a second schedule sheet that covers weekly needs as well as less frequent things that need to be done (but in my home, are often forgotten). I want to use the new daily and "general" schedules for a week or two, so I can tweak them with any necessary changes, and then I intend to laminate them back-to-back. I can then either find my dry-erase pens, or purchase another set. I am hoping this serves the purpose of reusing the same sheet over and over, rather than printing a new one every day.

I hope this schedule works as well as last year's did! It was so successful, that I feel it has made a change in our life even after it was no longer in use!

As far as the many goals I listed a few minutes ago, to attempt to cover during the next 6 months, I think I will not announce them... I can only take so much embarrassment if they do not come to pass! LOL. I suppose I will mention, though, that I intend to purge, re-purge, and purge AGAIN my entire household. This is something that is so important to me, that I found myself re-listing it again every two months. (January - Household purge & re-purge. March - Household purge & re-purge.  May - Household purge & re-purge.) I'm not even kidding!

That is another thing that has made a vast difference in my life. Beginning last January, I began to "KonMari" my home. I whizzed through the first 3 categories (out of 5 - but the 4th category is the biggest). I did both my items/belongings, and also the kids'. This was accomplished January-March. It actually seems like we were halfway through January before I began, but I can't recall for sure. In any case, I was so pleased with the results, and it has still made an amazing difference! Although it needs done again (supposedly you are supposed to do it once and never need to repeat. Although that didn't quite work, this is still the best method I've discovered so far!).

My current intention is to just start culling down anything & everything that is no longer useful or desirable, until I've gotten this place under control enough to reKonMari, hopefully in one quick shot. I have a lot of stuff in the basement that is already ear-tagged for donations, but I'm finding myself noticing more and more and ever more items that I want OUT. OF. MY. HOUSE. As of now, it feels hopeless to finish my beautiful KonMari cause. So I'm thinking that if I work hard at everything I already know/guess that I want out, then I'll make enough room and brain-space to be able to do the job properly.

I honestly do not know how this will go. But I'm hoping that January will see this first portion fully accomplished. Then in March, I can do the proper KonMari. And in May, I can re-evaluate, maintain, and work on any possible remaining tidbits of junk. Not sure it'll go down this way, but oh, do I ever hope so!

Pin-teh want nuggle wi- me...

Honey received Cinderella and Ariel dolls in a Play-Doh set from some friends for Christmas. The dolls are made out of that hard plastic, a little bigger than green army guys, but still fairly small. She decided the other night that "My pin-teh want nuggle wi- me." (My princesses want to snuggle with me.)

The first I heard of it was when I came up to say prayers with the kids. Usually they are either waiting at my bedside, or else running back and forth up there. However, I found Honey already in her little bed, whereupon we had our little conversation.

"Mommy, my pin-teh want nuggle wi- me."
"Oh, your princesses want to snuggle with you?"
"Yeah, so I let dem!"
*Chuckles* "Oh, so you're letting them snuggle with you?"
"Yeah!"

We said prayers, then she went to sleep happily with a princess in each hand. About 20 or 30 minutes later, she woke up bawling and bawling. I went to see the problem - one of her princesses was lost. I helped her find it, and she promptly settled down and went back to sleep. Did she come to snuggle with us even one time that night? No.

Last night she fell asleep leaning against me on the couch. But needless to say, I put her princesses in her little hands before I went to sleep, and once again she stayed in her own bed through the night.

What a cutie. And so nice to her princesses, too. :-)

Knitting

I decided to learn to knit, and yesterday evening, my Man was so kind as to go buy me some knitting needles (he was going to the store for something else anyway). Yesterday, I did a practice piece, and today I did a dishcloth... although it ended up rather small. :-) I'll add pictures soon. I took pictures of the practice piece and the dish cloth, but I don't feel like uploading them right now.

By the way, I used Youtube knitting tutorials to learn, along with "Needlecraft Encyclopedia", a gigantic book full of awesome info about all different sorts of needlecraft. :-)

Okay, so I only knitted one practice piece, and one actual item. However, I had so much fun, I thought everybody else should give it a try! LOL

Three Little - Donuts?

There is possibly going to be a talent show after the Christmas Play tonight. If so, our kids will be performing "Three Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed" together.

I just heard the Son & Sissy practicing it over lunch. And all of a sudden I hear Sissy with a new version:

Three little donuts jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head.
The kid called the fry and the fry said -
"No more donuts jumping on the bed!"

I was so amused! :-)

Also, we have taught this version to our kids, and I really like it way better - plus it's more accurate. :-)

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell of and bumped his head.
Mama called Daddy, and Daddy said -
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

They love to say the last line in a "deep" voice, and shaking their finger. It's so cute!

Matching Yoga Skirts

We had fun at the Christmas Play practice tonight. Tomorrow is going to be great!

And my girls will get to wear..... matching yoga skirts that I MADE FOR THEM!!!! I'm so thrilled with my accomplishment today! :-) Actually it wasn't too hard. I was surprised. :-) I used two tutorials I found on Pinterest. Maybe I'll link to them later.

I made the skirts to match a pair of darling matching long-sleeve shirts they were given. Unfortunately, Honey had no skirts, so while she could wear the shirt around the house with her pants, there wasn't really an opportunity for her to match with Sissy when we're out and about. :-) But now they can be totally cute and matching! Yay!

So that's my current news. :-)

A Few Small Christmas Thoughts

I have been reading about Fred Harvey, and it is extremely interesting!

I've also had the opportunity to read two separate blog posts written by homeschool moms, about the spirit of Christmas and avoiding entitlement/consumerism. They both echoed my sentiments very accurately, along with pointing out a couple things I hadn't thought of before. I have been putting more thought into Christmas of this year than any previous years I recall. Each year, I seem to think about it a little more deeply, and for a little longer before Christmas actually rolls around.

My Man and I have always aimed the same direction concerning the entitlement/consumerism of Christmas, and also our limited budget. But we both have trouble coming to a concrete idea of exactly what feels right for our family during the joyous Christmas season. It isn't an argument between him and I, it's an argument between us and the rest of the world - and yet we don't even know where we stand, so our argument isn't firm within our own minds.

I feel like I've personally made a lot of progress this year, in finding what I feel comfortable with. I haven't yet shared with my Man, because without comfortable guidelines, this has (sadly) been a depressing subject for us to talk about in the past. I don't want it to be like that this time, so maybe we'll just concentrate on the spirit of doing our Christmas (e.g. decorating, taking cookies to the police & fire departments, etc), and worry about the finer details later, after the season is over. :-) I think it would be easier for both of us to discuss it then anyway. But we'll see what the flow of life brings us this year. :-)

We have tentatively discussed something drastically different than ever before, for this one year. We only mentioned it once or twice, and it happened to be in front of the children, so we ran the idea by them, too. They are gung-ho for it. It is this: We might, and I repeat, might, as a family, build ourselves a chicken coop this year as a Christmas gift to all of us. I had plans for gifts I wanted to make for the children, and on what I could help them make for each other. I had not discussed those plans with them. It is still up in the air, what we are going to do. However, we would like to get chicks this spring, and will need somewhere to put them. And the one Christmas idea that is already cemented in our mind, and has been ever since our first child was born, is that at least some of our Christmas giving must be homemade. Making a chicken coop together, while untraditional, would also still fit the bill in our tradition... if that makes sense to you. :-) Anyway, it is all still up in the air.

A Little Update

I have accomplished a great deal today. I cleaned the laundry room (our worst catch-all area), which was in horrible condition because I'd been dreading doing it, and putting it off for longer and longer and longer. I cleaned out the refrigerator, which also was in great need. Orange juice had been spilled in there. And I have done regular housework.

My mother-in-law should be in tonight, Lord willing. She would've been here by about 4, but they ran into car trouble. :-( The guest room is all ready and waiting. We are all ready and waiting. My Man went to pick up his deer antlers, which he accidentally left with the friends he went hunting with. So groceries will be bought tomorrow. I should be able to go by myself. That will be nice.