October Goals

 Welcome to October!  Hasn't this been the longest year?  On one hand, it's nice.  It felt like years were zooming by and it has been nice to slow down and enjoy the everyday.  On the other hand, I feel like we've had 72 months in this one year HA!  Oh well.  Along with that, I feel like I accomplished a lot of things AND Darryl also accomplished most of his "Covid" list before returning to work BUT I also feel like I could have gotten more done!  Oh well.  We are creeping towards the end of 2020 and I still have goals to meet! 

1. Scrapbooking - This is my most fun goal yet it is the one that I usually accomplish the least on each month.  Here's my goals: 1) Finish my nieces book.   I just got a new printer so I can finish printing letters and get the book to her.  2) Order April Photos - 2011, 2017, 2018, 2020.  3) File the photos I ordered last month by date so they are ready to scrapbook 4) I'm working on shifting some albums a little based on album color to make them work better.  So, my goal this month is to start with 2001 (the year we got married) and put albums into the correct colors (this is hard to explain).  I also want to make sure that page protectors are on everything and, depending on the year, add the memorabilia to those albums.  Plus, order imprinted spines for at least 5 albums.  This goal is one of those where I'm just going to go one or two yers at a time as I organize so lets see how far I get this month. 

2. Reading - I truly love to read.  I love curling up with a good book and a foo foo coffee (I need to put a kurieg on my Christmas list so I can enjoy my foo foo coffee again!) and reading the afternoon away!  Anyway, I used to be much better and setting my reading list goal for the year and for the month and actually accomplishing it!  Well, that's the 1st part of the goal 1) Set my reading goal for 2021 - How many books I want to read, what non-fiction books to read, etc. which means doing some research on some topics I want to study/learn more about.  2) Read - read every day.  This really isn't a hard goal because I usually kick back after my extra kids leave and read for 30 minutes or so until it's time to make dinner  3)Read 1 non-fiction book this month!!

3) Cleaning - Last month I created a great calendar to follow to accomplish my goals and it did work - it at least helped me focus.  It broke down the living room and basement into 20 minute (or so) tasks each day.  This month the room of choice is Josh and Nate's bedroom.  It is crowded since we took the bunk beds apart. It's time to be "mean" (ha - not really, I am so not that mom!) and go through all the bins, games, boxes, etc. and clear stuff out.  I'd love to be able to get even a shelf or two out of the room to open it up.  I actually have high hopes of cleaning off a plastic storage shelf and being able to move it back to the basement!  

4) Family - This month is Josh's birthday so we will focus on that this month.  Darryl and I also have a weekend away planned.  I also need to go through the boys clothes with them and clean out anything they don't want or have outgrown.  (this kind of goes along with cleaning their room).  Once done with that, I will need to get them some pants/long sleeves.  

5) Homeschool - My only goal in October is to get into our schedule and to finish the month on schedule or ahead of schedule.  Nate has a month portfolio that is due by January - we've set a goal to finish it in October so it's done.  

6) Holiday Journal/Planning - It's REALLY time to get this journal out and look at Thanksgiving plans.  I'm hosting this year so I want to start grocery shopping for some things early.  It's also time to start thinking about Christmas.  I actually just ordered a few stocking stuffers.  I need Christmas lists from both Josh and Nate.  I'd like to be at least started by the end of the month.  Finally, I just ordered Nate's Halloween Costume but Josh is undecided so I still need to get his.  Finally, I want to make a plan for taking the boys shopping for their people.  I feel like that is always a rushed pressure and I would instead like that to be done early this year. 

7) The Basement - I'm continuing on with my calendar plan - 20 minutes a day or organizing.  I'm transferring everything into see through containers and also transferring everything into easier to carry containers instead of HUGE heavy containers!  

8) Piano - This kind of goes with homeschooling - Josh and Nate will start having "seatwork" time which will include piano practice.  I also want to get the piano tuned this month.  

9) Photography - Time to read my new book once section at a time and practice :-) 

10) Spiritual - Read my daily devotional 

11) Misc - 1) Clean up the yard and fill in the holes 2) Have Josh finish his artwork from last semester 3) Get new tires on Darryl's vehicle 4) Take the AC units out of the windows (I'm glad I put this off - I was still running them at the end of September!) 5) Pick out camping dates for next year so I'm ready to reserve them on time  6) Organize the bathroom cupboard - it just needs to be done and can't wait for the month I deep clean the bathroom! 7) I have an idea brewing for a vacation next summer but in order for it to happen I have to plan now and begin saving so my goal is to get it all planned so I can start saving for it :-)  8) Clean out the vehicles and set up my new organizing bins in each one (for lysol, wipes, extra bags, etc) 9) Make sure my October flag is hung up :-)  10) I cleaned the garage last month but there are 4 bins of "donations" that I put out there like 5 years ago HA!  While pulling them down to decide what to do with them, I found a basket and two bins I had been looking for for quite awhile so I've decided I need to go through those bins before I donate them!  

September Goal Overview

 As I expected, September slowed us way down as school started.  After having lots of freedom since basically March, my days are taken up again with lots of schooling and trying to come up with a schedule that works for both Josh and Nate (oh,  and me too!)  Throw in a surgery and we still aren't anywhere close to a routine yet!  (Plus our friends JUST went back to school!)  

Thankfully, I can mark a few things off my list though! 

1. Scrapbooking - 1) This month I have a weekend scrapbook "retreat" planned.  It is a Creative Memories Virtual Crop and I have marked it off to participate as much as possible.  I even purchased the "secret bundle" to open "live" together online.  2) Finish my nieces graduation book - still trying to get those last letters.  3) Order all March photos for 2011, 2017, 2018, and 2020.  I'm just really working towards getting them all printed so I have them.  Still want to finish 2019 before I pick my next "year" to work on.1) Well, the "retreat" fell on a busy weekend so I didn't make it a priority so I didn't do anything.  I did open my box, which was fun.  2) I'm still trying to wrap up my nieces book - which includes needing a new printer to finish printing things  3) The March photos are ordered and actually already delivered. 

2. Reading - 1) Read for fun every single day.  2) Read  A Longing for Paris.  I decided to try and focus on one book this month my goal word - Peace.  And this is the book! 1) I didn't get to read every day but I tried to read as many as possible.  The weather is cooler so I have even enjoyed sitting outside on my swing again for 30 minutes and reading.  2) I have not started "A Longing for Paris".  

3) Cleaning - Besides doing my weekly home blessing hour (Flylady!) I'm focused this month on the living room.  As we pick up with school I feel like I need to focus on the room we spend the most time in and deep clean it (Also Flylady - deep cleaning!)  Who knows, I might even steam clean my carpet :-) At the beginning of the month, I wrote a task for each day in order to deep clean the LR. They were 20-60 minute tasks but, I can say that I'm on schedule!  I'm hopeful to finish up the last few things on the list this week so I can start October on schedule. 

4)  Family - Get Josh running shoes.  Go camping. We camped.  No shoes.  HA!  Actually, In October I'll have cleaning out Josh and Nate's clothes on my list so when I take Josh to the store to pick out a few things, I'll see about shoes.  

5)  Homeschool - We are ready to go and will have our first day on Friday, September 11th right after returning from camping.  My main goal in September is to have Josh finish on schedule for September; Nate - it will depend on how many days (up to two weeks) he is down after surgery. We are on schedule! 

6) Holiday Journal - It's time to get that thing out and remind myself of everything I've forgotten about our holidays! Haven't even looked at this yet. 

7) The Basement - 20 minutes a day.  That's my goal.  Going through boxes and bins and reorganizing things, cleaning things out and setting things up on the shelves so that all is organized. I'm making progress finally!  Sometimes I think it will take longer so I don't start but amazingly, Flylady is right, just set a timer for 15 minutes (ok, I do 20) and stop when it goes off.  I got through 6 bins - sorted them, and put them away in that time frame.  One box at a time, right? 

8) Piano - 1) Get the piano tuned 2) Start our at home lessons once again. This is part of the "schedule" that hasn't happened yet. 

9) Photography - I got my new book and my goal is to just start on page one, read it and do it. Need to get busy on this one! 

10) Spiritual - 1) Read my daily devotional. Nope! 

11) Misc Goals:  Gather cameras/video cameras and make sure they all work/are charged etc.  2) Continue work on cleaning up the yard 3) Clean the garage now that the door is fixed!!  4) Fill the holes in the yard 5) Clean out both vehicles 6) Get a new flag pole for the front of the house and keep my flags up to date 7) Decorate for fall (I usually do this right at the end of September so I'm adding it to this months goals)  8) Put up outside Halloween Decor (also right at the end of September)  1) Not done 2) Working on it 3) Done 4) Working on it 5) Not done - I just ordered a couple of bags to help organize the vehicles so this is moving to October.  6) Not done 7 and 8) These aren't done yet but will be done this week.  The indoor bins are already upstairs to work on this week and I plan on decorating outside by the weekend. 

Weekly Worship Elevation Worship - The Blessing (Lyrics) ft. Kari Jobe & Cody Carnes

I've heard this song quite a few times this past week so I thought I'd share!  

2020 Week in Photos #37

 Well, it's bound to happen.  What?  A week without any photos!  Looking back, this is what our week "looked like":

Saturday - We worked on cleaning the garage but it is not done yet so I have no photos. 

Sunday - We watched football.  It was fun and relaxing but no photos!

Monday - School

Tuesday - School

Wednesday - School

Thursday - School

Friday - I went to the grocery store HA!

Josh did school every day.  Nate did not - he had a little bit of a rough week with not feeling well related to his surgery.  I "think" that as of last night he "might" be making a turn to feeling better.  I hope so!  

Sorry for a boring post - but sometimes, it's just real life (boring HA!) 

Weekly Menu

Now that school has started (and we aren't even into full swing as Nate is still off of school for his surgery) I think I might have to stop scheduling my posts HA!  You may have noticed a few blank ones pop up because I forgot to go in and add the info!  I like to schedule them so I don't forget what I want to post but then don't always have time to go back and write them!   

I did not follow last weeks plan very well. I made something new for dinner on Saturday (Hawaiian Chicken Sliders) and they were just ok.  Then, on Sunday we ended up having sandwiches for dinner because I didn't feel like cooking and on Monday, when I actually read the recipe, I realized that the Dan Dan Pork was a peanut butter sauce and we hate that HA!  Oh well.  I took what I had and made things we actually liked.  This week I'm sticking to some of the tried and true recipes that we love. 

Friday - We order out :-)  (or is it - we order in?)  

Saturday - BBQ Cups and Fries

Sunday - One of two things - I'm hoping to make my favorite enchilada recipe - Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas BUT it requires a certain soup that I'm not sure is back in the stores - if not, I'll just do Tacos.  

Monday - Chick-Fil-A Nuggets (homemade) and fries

Tuesday - Baked Ziti and Garlic Bread

Wednesday - Amish Baked Chicken, Noodles, and Broccoli

Thursday - Grammy's Swiss Steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans

Birch Box #2

 I received my second "Birch Box" recently.  Yes, it was close to when I got the other one and the reason why is that they ship one when you first sign up and then beginning shipping around the 1st of the month no matter when you signed up.  

This months box is a super cute "drawer".  I'm trying to find a way to use this because it is just so awesome.  

It's always fun to open the little box and see what is inside. 

In this months box:

Starting in the back: 

1. Eyeko Brow Liner - I seldom use brow liner but tried this anyway.  It went on smooth and lasted all day.  It's not something I would specifically buy but I'll use it till it's gone. 

2. NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Clarifying Scalp Scrub -- I wasn't really impressed with this scrub.  I found it hard to work into my thick hair and feel it was really just a glorified shampoo.  I'll stick with my inexpensive shampoo. 

In the front:

3. Pai Love and Haight Avocado and Jojoba Hydrating Moisturizer - This I do not like at all.  I have pretty sensitive skin and it made my skin red and feel a little burn.  I also did  not like the smell.  

4. Oribe Matte Waves Texture Lotion -- I didn't think I would like this hair styling cream BUT, I was wrong.  It gave my curls lots of texture and made them more like ringlets then my normal curls.  I'm going to keep using it to see how it holds up.  Not sure I can justify the cost once it is gone but it might be nice to have for "dress up" HA! Plus, it smells amazing! 

5. Benefit Cosmetic's They're Real Lengthening Mascara -- To me, Mascara is Mascara.  This actually gets a "con" from me because it takes way to long to dry.  I ended up with eyelash prints under my eyes because it took so long.  I wouldn't buy it but it's nice getting a mascara in every box - it means I won't have to buy mascara for a while! 

6. Arrow Nourishing Lip Oil - This I absolutely love.  I put it on before bed and wake up with non-dry lips.  I am still debating whether I would buy more when this one is gone - but think that this one should last quite awhile. 

I also wanted to mention that from the last box - I finally tried everything. 

1.  I actually ordered a full size of the Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle.  I have found that this has done wonders for my hair/curls.  I spray it on my wet hair before brushing and I no longer feel like I'm ripping my hair out!  Plus it smells amazing and seems to really condition my hair. 

2. I really like the mascara but I probably wouldn't pay the price for it ($15.00) when I can get decent mascara at the store for $5.00

3.  I also really liked the perfume.  I found it for a better price on Amazon and am saving up my "fun" money to pick up a bottle. 

The other three things in the box are nice but not anything I would pay the price for but it is nice to have them as a "treat". 

Weekly Worship Tenth Avenue North - Worn (with lyrics)

I'm not sure if this is going to work . .. .I'll have to try and remember to check.  But it is a great song!