Well, That's Done!

Hello there! My house is currently basking in post-holiday chaos, and I am okay with it. The tree is still up because I love the lights at night; some decorations are currently residing on the dining room table, waiting to be packed away until next year, but the pile of empty boxes in the garage is making it impossible to get to the Christmas tubs, so there's that. These sunny days allow me to see the previously hidden layers of dust on things and tiny pieces of wrapping paper litter the floor under the couch. And, honestly, I am okay with it. 

I have relaxed over the years. It could be my realization that my body has limits or the desire to hang onto the cozy of Christmas a bit longer. My midlife mantra has become, "It will get done when it gets done." And until that time, I can live with it. Now, that being said, I did tackle a project yesterday. This was out of necessity. I have woken up with a stuffy nose for the past few weeks? Months? Anyway, it has been an extended period since I washed my mattress pad and pillow covers. And since I swept under my bed. And since I wiped down the bedframe. You get the idea. Yesterday, I did it. Not all at once like my thirty-year-old self did. I did it gradually throughout the day. And I got it done. I got nothing else done, but I got it done. I packed away the Christmas quilt and returned things to normal. I dusted, vacuumed, wiped, and fluffed. And today, I woke up sniffle free!!!

Today, I may do the guest room. Or I may take a day to recover.

Have a cozy Wednesday, my friends!

Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

 

Good Monday morning, my friends! Welcome to a new week. Is your upcoming week busy? Full of appointments or activities? Or is it quiet, with a few commitments here and there? Mine is the latter, thankfully. I cherish these empty days, free to fill with whatever I choose. My favorite ones are those we enjoy now, these early autumn days. 

Once these cozy September days roll around, I am ready for a more structured schedule. I enjoy the long, carefree days of summer. I do. But autumn brings that need for routine. My daily routine has changed many times, but some aspects remain the same. I am always the first one awake and the first one downstairs. I start the coffee, unload the dishwasher, and light the candle in the kitchen. Depending on the season, I go around and plug in any lights I have around the downstairs, adding to the cozy feel, of course! Then I pour my coffee and sit in my spot on the couch. I say my prayers and look through my planner. Then I read your blogs and work on my own. This is my special time, the quiet time I have to set the tone for the upcoming day. 

After dinner, I begin my evening routine. I clean the kitchen, pack the leftovers for lunches, load the dishwasher, and wipe the counters. ( With help from the family, not all on my own! ) Then I settle in for a quiet evening with my family for a program or two or to read a chapter in the current book I keep on my end table. We usually end the night with an episode or two of Seinfeld, the show I will never tire of watching. Then, I fold the blankets, pick up the dog toys, tidy the tv room, blow out the candles, and turn off the lights. Those few minutes in the evening make my mornings that much easier. 

Now in between my morning and evening routines, I do daily life. Showers, cleaning, schooling, calling my momma, writing out bills, and other activities we do daily as home keepers. This is the life I dreamed of, and I know how blessed I am to be able to live it every single day. 

Oh. I forgot to add that I take a little ride in the Jeep and treat myself every now and then.  We need to take care of ourselves if we are to care for others, right? At least that is what I tell myself! 

Happy Monday, my friends!

Thanks for visiting!

Billie Jo

Meal Planning And Prepping Mondays

A Newer Approach To Preparing For Christmas

Christmas comes every December. We wait for it, dream about it, and prepare for it. Recently I realized that although Christmas comes every year, I don't have to prepare our family to celebrate it the exact same way. We grow and change. Our lives and family circumstances evolve. It is alright to change the way we choose to enjoy this most special time of year, while still keeping our focus on what is important to us.

When I was a young mother of little children, I found it necessary to schedule our December in a very detailed way. I planned the shopping, wrapping, baking, Santa visiting, and picture taking well in advance. I even made a handwritten schedule complete with dates and events and little festive stickers. And that worked for us. Then.

Now, I am an older mother of older children, and our focus remains the same: Keeping December centered on our family and the cozy time we spend together preparing for the most blessed Christmas Day. My approach, however, has changed. Gone are the detailed lists and scheduled events. Now we are much more relaxed about what we do and when it happens. We are still focused on our little family and spending these precious days together.

So what will these December days look like around here? Well, because these days seem to pass so quickly, I plan on spending them here in our cozy home sipping coffee and cocoa from Santa mugs, playing Christmas games, listening to classic Christmas music and watching our favorite Christmas movies. We will venture out to do some local Christmas shopping and to Mass, and we do have a special wedding shower for a special bride to be! Other than that, we will be right here. Safe and sound. Together.

How about you, my friends?

What season of life are you in?

And how will you spend your December days?

Thanks for visiting!

Weekly Specials

Weekly Specials are written on the kitchen chalkboard every Monday. : )

So...I'm a meal planner. There. I said it. I have to have my meals planned at least two weeks in advance. That is just the way my mind works. That...and the fact that we drive forty minutes to the nearest grocery store, so I need to plan ahead. It can seem like a daunting task, but after many attempts, I have finally arrived at a system that works for us. It may or may not work for you. The key is just that. Finding what works for you. : ) We talked it over as a family and came up with this schedule:

Monday: Mexican

Tuesday: Asian

Wednesday: Pizza Night

Thursday: Pasta

Friday: Fish

Saturday: Soup and Sandwich or Take Out

Sunday: Meat Dish

I also separated my recipe binder into those sections. That makes planning even easier. And that makes this mamma happy!



Back To Normal

I am a hold out on packing Christmas away. The last thing I always do is put away my Christmas bedding. Although it makes me sad, I am also happy to see my bedroom all back to normal. The cozy quilt with the tear in the corner, cleverly covered by a throw blanket, the matching throw on the chair, a stack of books waiting to be read...This is my normal. And it is good. There is goodness to be found in every season. This I have learned.

Enjoy your normal, my friends.

Stay warm and cozy. : )

Behind The Scenes

My dear, sweet Bloggy friend Tara, who blogs about her beautiful family with her own amazing photographs here, left a comment on a recent post asking me to share "how I do it all." And I am glad she did. Before I respond, however, I need to offer a disclaimer of sorts...These things work for me. My family, circumstances, situations, blessings, and challenges are just that...my own. Yours will be different. What works for me at this point in time may not work for you. When I first began reading blogs, I felt compelled to print out cleaning schedules and meal plans and set out to follow them step by step. Epic fail. I find it much more helpful now to pick and choose ideas and plans from these awesome women and adjust them to fit our family, while adding in my own ideas as well. So, with that in mind...I offer a glimpse at the behind the scenes workings of my home and school by answering some of the questions Tara and others have asked me. : )

As far as Flynn's crafts and schooling... First off, my older children are cyberschooled, which is different from traditional homeschooling. They are enrolled in an actual school with certified teachers. They receive and submit assignments using provided laptops. For this reason, I  am essentially a facilitator for them when they need it. Also, I have been amazed at the way the three of them work together to help each other. Flynn is the only child I homeschool, and as a certified early childhood teacher, I am able to create a curriculum for her. (Although, being a certified teacher is in no way necessary to homeschool! Just knowing your child, and wanting to teach them yourself is about all you need. )

Before school began, I wrote out a few months worth of plans for Flynn, keeping in mind the actual time spent on structured activities at home is quite a bit less than if she were to attend an outside preschool. As the year progressed, I found it easy to plan one month in advance. I planned for table time activities Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, crafts on Wednesday, and religion on Friday. It works really well. Once I had that planned out, I sat down with the materials I had and penciled in lessons for each day. The crafts I do with her are ones I did years ago with my students and also ones I find on Pinterest. Sometimes, I create crafts of my own. But I must tell you, an artist I am not! Fortunately, Madison is very crafty, and Peyton always lends a hand in the implementation of my ideas. : ) I ordered all of my supplies from Amazon at one time and stocked my cabinet. I ordered construction paper, paint, brushes, white poster board, glue, glue sticks, glitter, cotton balls, tissue paper, and popsicle sticks. With those materials, Flynn is able to create any craft I plan for her. We do crafts on Wednesday, so Tuesday afternoon I prep. I double check all materials, cut or draw anything necessary, and set it all out. That way, Wednesday morning, we were set to go. : )

My planner for Flynn's first year of preschool. Love. : )

 

And a peek at the inside...

 

 

and the well stocked supply cupboard nearby. : )

 

As for the fun snacks...We all start schooling at the same time every morning. Obviously, Flynn is done well before the other three. In an effort to keep her occupied, I started very early in the year asking her help to prep a morning snack. I found it easier to finish her work, and go straight to the kitchen to prepare something healthy, and sometimes not, for the older kids. That way, they would have a set snack time and wouldn't be grazing all morning, disrupting school work. Thus began Flynn's "surprise" snacks! At least once a week we make brownies or muffins. We also do fresh fruit plates, pepperoni, crackers and cheese, graham crackers with apple slices and peanut butter, and sometimes homemade cookies. All these things I keep in the fridge and pantry and am sure to restock them as needed.

Ok...meal planning...my favorite. Really. : ) I am a meal planner. It is just how my brain works. I also believe it keeps us eating healthier by not eating out as much. Every Thursday, I sit down with my recipe binder, calendar, and Madison's work schedule. Peyton always helps me with this. : ) I make a copy of the blank menu that I keep in my monthly folder. I fill in meals for each night of the week based on activities or work schedules. For example, if Madison goes into work at around 5:00, I plan a meal I can make in the afternoon before she goes. I also plan with the weather in mind. No one wants to eat soup if it is 85 degrees! I usually use my crockpot one night a week, and also plan leftovers for school lunches. After we have the menu written out, I make the grocery list. Peyton checks the pantry for any ingredients we need for the meals and desserts and then we add the items fom our list we keep in the pantry. We grocery shop on Friday, and then have a well stocked house for the weekend with meals planned for the week. This makes it easy to see when I need thaw out meat too. I try to go to the store once a week only, except for the extra trip for milk or strawberries!

The blank menu plan for May. I found these online at a wonderful website right here.

Now...Tara asked if I am as calm as I appear to be here on the blog. In a word...yes. Have I always been? Probably not. I think age brings a sense of peace and contentment...of perspective. Things that used to make me crazy now make me shrug my shoulders. I mean, so what if my spring cleaning takes until June to complete? What if I skip it entirely this year? Will the world end?

I am as calm as I appear. I think this comes from loving what I do. I am a very simple person. I love to be home. I enjoy creating a place for my family to come home to, or relax in. I am content to be here with my family, washing clothes and baking brownies. That isn't the case for everyone, I know. Some peope prefer to be out and about, sharing time with friends. Some people take comfort in completing a task well at work. So do what makes you happy. And peace will come from that. If being home makes you crazy, go out more. If being out too much makes you frazzled, limit activities and spend more time at home. Just don't be afraid to be you. To do what you want, without worrying about pleasing others or conforming to standards you don't share.

One more thing...I would be being completely dishonest if I wrote this entire post and left you with the impression that I DO do it all. I do...but with a great deal of help. My husband and my children...we work as a team and that is the only way we operate! My husband supports everything I do here, and my children pitch in as well. We work together with one goal in mind... establishing a happy, healthy, home in which we share our lives and create wonderful memories. Thank you for sharing your lives and ideas with me here. I learn from you all everyday. : )

Weekend Plans...Spring Cleaning 2013

Spring is finally here! And with these warm temperatures and sunny days comes the itch to organize, declutter, wipe down and polish. It is time to clean up this cozy home which has been our comfy fortress against the cold and snow that was our winter. I have been doing a bit here and there for an hour or so in the mornings, but this weekend we will roll up our sleeves and freshen this place up!

Friday evening I am planning on a simple dinner of my mom's macaroni and cheese with green beans and applesauce. I will probably get a head start by doing a smaller project like the laundry room or the rarely used dining room. I think I will make some muffins for an easy breakfast Saturday morning.

Saturday we will get to work. We will take sheets and mattress pads off the beds, wash and remake. Then the kids take everything off the shelves and bookcases in their rooms and we wipe everything down and sort out things we can live without. Steve is in charge of mini blinds( ugh! ) and I do windows (inside only). We move furniture and vacuum underneath and behind...I am sorta scared of that...and scrub bathrooms until they shine. Once we call it a day, our home is fresh and clean and ready for spring and summer! We are changing up our Mass plans this week, because Madison works on Saturday and will be unable to go. Steve is attending the late Mass on Saturday, and I will go with Madison Sunday morning. Saturday will be a pizza night to reward us for all that hard work. That and the fact that I will want to admire my sparkling kitchen for at least one day before I yuck it all up.

Sunday after Mass, I plan on having brunch complete with waffles, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and sausage. Madison has work in the late afternoon, and I plan on finishing up anything that we missed on Saturday. Sunday night we will collapse relax on the sofa and prepare for a brand new week. Well, that is what we will be up to this weekend. I hope yours is happy, and spring-y and bright, whatever your plans may be!

I am loving my new faucet...Easter Sunday found a puddle of water beneath my kitchen sink. Upon further investigation it was decided that I wash way too many dishes and I need to stop! No, really the hose on the sprayer thingy was cracked and proceeded to spray water under my sink. You'd think I would have noticed?

 

 

All ready for Mass last Saturday. She calls this her "princess" dress...

 

 

and new spring sandals too!

 

 

I realized when I took this picture that I had made

 

 

cranberry orange muffins while burning my...

 

 

cranberry orange candle!

 

 

Look who is enjoying the sun shining through the windows! : )

 

 

Me and my baby... : )

 

 

 

Weekly And Monthly Planning

One of the things I like to do to keep my family organized is to make a weekly menu and activity schedule. Although it sounds complicated, it really just involves me, the school calendar, the sports calendar, Madison's work schedule (during the months she is working), my desk calendar, my recipe book, and some markers and stickers. Those last two are optional, by the way. Just the former teacher in me! : )

Every Thursday morning, I sit down with these items and make the schedule for the upcoming week. I simply write down the activities and appointments for each day and then, based on that, I plan the meal accordingly. If we are very busy on a certain night, I know to plan a simple supper. Once that is done, I make my grocery list for the week based on the meals we will be having. Then I am all set for my shopping trip on Friday morning.

Here is what this week's schedule/menu plan looks like. Fancy, I know.

            

Once I am all done with the activity list and menu, I put it in the basket on my desk until I hang it on the bulletin board in the kitchen Sunday night. The kids always enjoy seeing what is on the menu for the week! Every morning, I write the day's dinner menu on the chalk board in the kitchen. If I ever forget, they are sure to remind me!

Here is our bulletin board. It hangs behind the kitchen table.

And this is our chalkboard. It hangs behind the table too.

Here is the basket I keep on my desk in the kitchen.

                                             

I have a folder for each month, and I keep several things inside. I have a simple, handwritten list of things to do each month. For example, the October list has things like look for costumes, clean furnace filters, and wash Halloween clothing. I keep special recipes tucked inside as well. This is where I keep our candy corn pizza and pumpkin coffee cake recipes! These folders help me to remember all the fun food, activities, and plans that are specific to each month. They make my life much easier!  Well, that is a quick look at how I organize my weeks and months. Happy planning!



Routine

If you have read my blog before, you may have realized that I am a bit of a scheduled person. Shocker, I know. I was an organized child, an organized teen, and now I am proud to say, an organized adult. Sometimes I wish that were not the case, but I can't stress over things I can't control. And I can't help the fact that I thrive on routine and schedule. That is just the way my brain works. My daughter Madison is quite the opposite. I often wish I could be more like her. Nothing bothers her and nothing rushes her...we say she lives in Madison World and runs on Madison Time! What a boring place the world would be if we were all alike. I think each person should embrace whatever works to create peace in his or her own mind and heart. For me, that is routine.

Through the years, my routine and schedule have changed many times based on how many children I had at home and how many ( or few! ) activities we had. Now I have a daily and weekly routine that works quite well for our whole family. And isn't that the goal of us mothers? : )

Lucky for me, I am an earlier riser. I get up and get showered and dressed before the rest of the house. I do get the girls up shortly after and then I head downstairs to start breakfast and say hello to my friend the Keurig Coffee Maker. Once everyone is fed and dressed and happy, they are off to school. Currently, Steve and Flynn take the kids to school. They actually make two trips each morning, because the girls need to be at school earlier than Rhett. As soon as they are on their way, I am up the stairs to start my day. You can read more about this here.

In addition to making beds, I also have certain things I try to do each day during this block of time. I give my self two hours every morning to accomplish these daily tasks. This works well because Flynn likes this morning time to snuggle on the couch and watch Nick Jr. Once she gets home from "school" with Steve, she makes herself comfy with her blankie and a cup of milk. She will play by herself and keep herself busy doing her "work", just like me. She actually does enjoy some jobs, like dusting. For real... she loves to dust!

My current schedule looks like this:

• Monday       vacuum upstairs, quick clean bathrooms, dust bedrooms, empty garbage
• Tuesday       vacuum downstairs, quick clean kitchen and powder room, start soup in the crockpot 
• Wednesday  dust downstairs, go over bills and mail on my desk
• Thursday      make weekly menu and activity chart for next week, make a grocery list
• Friday          grocery shop

You may notice I don't have laundry listed. That is because I do laundry every day. With six of us and all of the school, work and play clothes, I find it necessary to do a few loads each day. Fortunately, I love doing laundry. That is a topic for a whole different post! Once all the morning tasks are done, Flynn and I are free to enjoy our day. We take our walk first and then play a bit. She isn't a big lunch eater, but I try to get her to eat some soup or waffles before her nap. Little Bear is on at noon( is he the best or what? ) and then we go up for her nap. She has been falling asleep fairly quickly, so I usually have an hour to rest and relax. I do this every day. I need this time to recharge for the second half of the day! Here is where the "afternoon coffee" part of my blog title comes in! I sit down and have a cup of coffee at around 1:30 every day. It is just a quick chance for me to take care of me. I think it is very important for the one who cares for others to make sure to care for herself as well.

Around 2:00, we leave to pick up the kids. This part of the day varies greatly based on Madison's work and all the activity schedules. Once we are home, snacks and homework come next. I am usually getting dinner ready, so the kids do homework at the kitchen table. I try very hard to have dinner at 6:00 every night. I have tried other times, but this just works for us. I like to have us all sit down together as much as possible. And we do. On the nights Steve and Rhett have soccer practice, or Madison has work, we still eat at the regular time and I make up plates for them. That way, I can still serve a good meal and have the kitchen all cleaned up and organized at a decent time.

 After dinner we spend some time outside, as long as the weather cooperates. Then it's baths and jammies. As the days grow shorter and the darkness comes sooner, you may find me in my jammies at 5:00! Ahhh thinking of that just makes me smile. : )  Most nights we do watch some television together as a family. Then Steve puts Flynn to bed . This is a special time for them every night. The older kids and I actually go to bed at the same time. I try to be in bed by 10:00 most nights. It depends on which one of our regular shows is on. Priorities, right?  And that is my current routine. That is how we spend our days here in our country home. Thanks for hanging in there! Hope it didn't put YOU to sleep! : )

Flynn doing her work while I was cleaning. And yes, those are Halloween jammies. I just couldn't wait!

Making Beds

I have a confession to make. I love making beds. Really. There is just something about freshly made beds that makes me happy. It goes way back to when I was a young, newly married elementary school teacher. Every morning on my way to school, I drove past the house of a woman I knew. Sometimes in the darkness of the early morning, I saw lights on upstairs. I knew she was busy in there, getting her young children ready for school, packing backpacks, and making beds.

As much as I enjoyed teaching, I wanted that to be me. I wanted to be the mom at home, pouring cereal, brushing hair, and making beds. Thankfully, that is exactly what I am blessed to do every day. Steve and I have a good system going. He takes the kids to school, and I pick them up. Flynn loves to ride along with Steve in the morning, so as soon as they leave, I head upstairs to make beds. I open the blinds to let the sunlight in. I smooth comforters and plump pillows. And I think about how blessed I am.

I know some may say, "Can't they make their own beds?" Yes. Yes, they can. And they do. Mostly. They make their own beds on weekends and during summer. On school days, however, my two oldest need to be out the door by 7:15. It is just easier for me to do it. I make my own bed every day, and I certainly don't mind. As the school years fly by, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have 4 children's beds to make. ( Yes, I even fold the blanket in Flynn's crib!) I know someday these beds won't be slept in. They won't be covered in stuffed animals. I am reminded of the woman whose house I passed all those years ago. Her children are all grown now. But she has something else to do. She became a teacher... : )