October got away from me and instead of writing goals, I just had some "hopes". I accomplished a few but October was just plane busy. Our routine got thrown out of whack with Camping, I fought a migraine for 3 days and then Josh's birthday fun. We started this past week with one main goal in mind- get back into our routine . . well actually tweak it some more so we get more school work done each day. . . and with my own goal of, well, sticking to my very specific goals for November. This time, as I write my goals, I'm more focused on what I can truly get done each week - thinking about what I'd like done by the end of the month and divide those items into weekly "bites". This is also the time of year where there are some fun things that need to be in our personally and family schedule so making time for those things is so important!
Scrapbooking
This is top on the list only because I just came home from a retreat and it's top on my mind! It would be easy to say "I want to be current by . . ." but in reality, with the holidays coming trying to find time to scrapbook at home is hard. I'm trying to steer the goals a little more toward being ready to start scrapping in January.
1) Totally organize the photos on my hard drive. They are in about 4-5 different places so I need to do a few key things
a) Sort each years (by month) photos into their own folder. Sort and delete photos at this time.
b) Upload the photos into snapfish
c) Make a written of plan of how to order all the photos I need starting in January. I need to finish 2014, 2015 and then do 2016 and 2017 while staying current in 2018 WHEW!
2) Take time to put any page protectors I have on albums that miss them and then count to see what else I need to order starting in 2018. Also, figure out how many album covers I need to get all of my current pages into albums. Then, figure out approx how many I need to do all years until I'm current.
3) Gather up my digital pages that I've printed so I know where I need to pick up. This is a HUGE priority for 2018 - to get the pages printed and in an album so that those first few years of Nate's life are finally in an album :-)
4) BONUS: Yes, I have one bonus item. I'm planning my own "weekend retreat" at home where I'd like to be able to scrapbook. I'm hoping that I use Thanksgiving weekend to finish all of the photos I currently have printed and get them on pages.
The House
I'm serving up Thanksgiving at our house. With that in mind there are a few things I'd like to accomplish over the coming weeks.
1. Decorate - I have some fun fall decorations (I totally missed Halloween) that I'd like to put out just to make it a little more festive. I might try to make some paper banners to use as some simple decor but only if I feel like it. I'd also love to have the boys make some fun crafts (maybe one each Saturday until Thanksgiving) IF I can find ideas I like and we have the time to do it.
2) The Desks - The boys desks and my desk have blown up since the start of the school year so it is time to do some cleaning up, cleaning out, and setting up a little better. This was on my list last month and I never got it done.
3) A Room a Week - This is the idea that I work in a room a week following the whole flylady concept - 15 minutes at a time. (I usually do 30 just because when I'm trying to declutter, 15 just isn't enough!)
a) The bathroom - week 1
b) The Master - week 2
c) The dining room - week 3
d) The living room - week 4
I know what I want to get done in each area and don't feel the need to list it all here :-)
4) The basement - my goal is small. To spend 30 minutes a week cleaning up and cleaning out. In reality, as I clean some stuff out, it will get easy to organize and then easier to clean. There are few larger projects like re-sealing the floors that will wait until the cleaning is all done.
Thanksgiving
I figured that since I'm hosting and this is part of my November, I might as well add it to the plan!
1. Plan the menu which includes the week of Thanksgiving meals (I try to keep them simple), breakfast on Thanksgiving morning (easy for everyone just to grab as they wake up), and, of course, the main meal.
2. Put the leaf in the table the third week of the month so it's ready to hold all of the good food :-)
3) Put together the plan so food is made prior to the day off Thanksgiving (i.e. - there are some things that can be made the week before or even a few days before and frozen or sit ready in the fridge
School Related
1. Fall Semester Co-Op - The semester wraps up in two weeks but I have some huge organizational tasks to do before the end related to all of the work the kids have done this semester. So, I need to have all of the kids folders and projects ready to hand out on the last week. (Originally there was a presentation night scheduled that I was holding onto things for but it was cancelled)
2. End November totally current with the boys. We got behind in October a little which is not a big deal. I want to work towards having all of the monthly journals, math assignments and just regular work current (or even better ahead!)
3. Sign up for next Semester Friday School. Registration is at the end of November and this is top priority to make sure I stick the funds aside to pay for their classes (it's minimal).
4. Plan one of my two classes I'm teaching - I signed up to teach two classes again. One of them I already have the book for so I'd like to copy all of the pages I need and plan a true lesson plan for that first class.
5. Plan December activities. I love having fun crafts and Christmas related activities to do in December but in order to get those done, I have to plan in November. I'd love one craft to do each week/weekend as well as some fun gifts for the grandparents.
6. Do some research on different options for next year - Darryl and I are not as happy with the online program as we were in years past. Darryl has also recognized that teaching two kids seperatly takes up more hours than we have - verses being able to teach them together in subjects like Bible, History, Science and other basics.
Nate's Birthday/Christmas
Every year at Christmas, I start out planning to stay in budget but then I start to see more and more fun things and blow the budget. This year I'm really focused on staying on plan! Plus Nate's birthday is important too!
1) Nate's birthday
a) Order is birthday shirt by the third week in November to ensure it is here on time
b) Help him decide the two things he wants to do on his "day" as well as his choice for lunch and
dinner
c) Pick out and order/buy his birthday gifts this month. Also, stick aside the $ for Josh to shop for Nate's birthday when it is closer (it's a small amount but I just want it in an envelope, put away)
2) Christmas
a) Set up our Suess Countdown door hanger. I need to pick up a few small (key word) items each week so that I have at least the first 10 days prepared. I can do the rest in December each week.
b) Plan our Christmas activities such as tree cutting, attending a live nativity, seeing the huge Christmas light display, driving around our town to see what we can find in decorations,
and more.
c) Plan the Christmas shopping list which includes us shopping for the boys but also the boys shopping. Budget, budget, budget!
Planning Ahead
I love the plan ahead. To think about ideas and plans for the future - in the case most are for the following year.
1. Research
a) There are some memberships at local places that I'd like to research. I've heard that our public museum membership and zoo membership both offer reciprocal monthly memberships which means that if you have membership, each month there is some place else to visit for free. I think that's something we could benefit from
b) Plan my own "private" scrapbook retreat. My consultant couldn't get our normal place for our late winter retreat. I "live" for those two weekends away a year. So, I already have some ideas so I'd like to put it on paper and budget for it just to see if I can make it happen.
c) Plan what I want to do for Darryl's birthday in February.
d) Plan camping trips and so we can start reserving them as the dates come up
e) Darryl and I would like to possibly plan a vacation with the boys down to Tennessee with the boys this next summer/fall. I'd like to put it on paper so we can budget and start saving for it.
f) We'd also love to hit up Mackinaw and Chicago with the kids since they ask to go to both places. I'd like to figure out how inexpensively we could do both and try to make it happen.
g) PLan our "spring break" trip - we started this last year by taking a trip during spring break to the other side of the state where we also celebrate our anniversary of our engagement. It was a great little getaway.
h) Plan some field trips with the kids - I'd like to try and plan something once a month with the kids as a family . Some things happen naturally but there are some places I'd like to visit too.
2) New Year's Eve/New Year's Day - I'd like to plan some fun for the change of the year. We tend to do a lot of sitting and fighting to stay awake HA!
There's the plan. Now, I can take this list and divide it up by week and hopefully finish at least half of it!
