Organization
Organized Chaos: Hair Accessory Organizer
All Brina’s headbands, flowers, decorative hair ornaments organized and in one spot
A few months ago I showed you our Easy DIY Headband Holder. As you can see from the pictures on this post we are still using it. It works very well for our girls. Since they wear more than just headbands I wanted to find a solution that would help organize all the pretty, fluffy, and decorative hair ornaments they have as well.
My qualifications for getting these items organized:
- Must assist in making these items more organized
- Able to be hung in a visible location and still look nice
- Easy to see, reach, and get access to the items when the kids need them
- Reasonably priced organizer because I will need 2 (one in each of the kids room)
- Something that we could hang near to the headbands (which were already hanging on the back of their closet doors).
It took me a little longer to find the perfect organizer for these items. Part of the reason it took longer is I wasn’t really sure what I wanted for the decorative hair accessories. I wasn’t in a rush so I just kept an eye out for ideas while in various stores. One day when I was going through CVS the clearance section happened to catch my eye. I paused for a moment and these little blue and black organizers were in the clearance section marked down to $1.* After looking at them and thinking about them I decided to pick them up and see if I could make them work for the kids hair accessories.
It was exactly the type of item I was looking for and at a great price! The organizer fit all the current hair accessories items I wanted to put in it plus had room for some extra ones too. When I am on top of things (which doesn’t always happen) I will put the kids seasonal hair accessories in the extra pockets on the organizer too (ie. Christmas, July 4th, Halloween, etc… hair accessories during that specific season).
The organizer hangs on the back of the closet door where the kids can easily reach it. It goes right under the Easy DIY Headband Holder so everything is available in one spot. The items are visible and easy to reach. It meets all my qualifications for getting the kids hair accessories organized. These have worked very well for our family!
*I tried to find these on the CVS website, but either they do not carry them online or they are not available. You can look in your local store or I am sure there are other stores that carry a similar item. This one on Amazon or something similar might work well too if you are looking for one.
Looking down on the Easy DIY Headband Holder and Hair Accessory Organizer as it is hanging on the closet door
Organized and ready to go!
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Glad to have the kids out for summer break now! They have been busy and spent a lot of their time outside despite some of the rainy days we have been having lately. They are excited about having some time away from school. We have a lot of fun activities planned, therefore the menu will be pretty simple these next few weeks. Lunches will consist primarily of leftovers or a packed picnic lunch for our days when we are out and about. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Beef Enchiladas, Steamed Brown Rice
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Hamburgers, Fresh Salad
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Special Event – Kids Date Night
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Pasta Casserole, Steamed Vegetables
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Organized Chaos: Jewelry Organizer
Necklace & Jewelry Organizer
Having girls in the house means you are bound to have some jewelry around. As the girls got older they continued to accumulate more necklaces. It slowly became harder to keep the necklaces organized without them getting tangled or putting them in a spot that was hard for them to easily access.
I wanted to find something simple, easy, and reasonably priced. It took awhile of looking around to find one that I liked and could hang on the back of their closet doors. I ended up finding this one at our local Michaels store and bought it using a coupon. At first I only got one because I wanted to make sure I really liked it before getting another one. After a couple weeks I still liked it so I used another coupon and got the second one. It has been nice to having all their necklaces organized and visible.
Our kids are using it mostly for necklaces since they do not have pierced ears yet, but you can use it for earrings, belts, watches, scarves, rings, bracelets, ties, or a multitude of other things. I like that it is simple design, not too big, and yet pretty. It hung on the back of the closet door so it is accessible for the kids to reach when they want to wear one of their special necklaces. All of these necklaces were given to them from family or friends and have special memories so I am happy that they are now displayed well and tangle free.
Brina’s necklaces are organized now!
Organized Chaos: Cleaning Out the Refrigerator
Time to be cleaned
Have you ever reached into the refrigerator for something specific and couldn’t find it because everything is a mess? I have. Every once in awhile our refrigerators need a good cleaning and scrub down. It is best if you do it on a regular basis. I try to do a quick clean and organizational update every week or two, but it still need a thorough cleaning about once a month.
We are usually pretty good about eating up leftovers and not letting them go to waste, but every once in awhile something gets tucked in behind another object or in the back until it starts growing extra crunchies on it. You pull it out thinking what’s this? When you open the lid and take a whiff you are instantly gagging. Yup, been there too many times. The good news is if you clean out your refrigerator regularly you will minimize these fun science experiments with growing mold, mush, and who knows what else. It really doesn’t take long to fully clean out the refrigerator if you take the time to maintain throughout the month.
When I do a thorough cleaning here are some steps I take to make sure it looks good and is organized:
- Start from the top of the refrigerator and work your way down that way any crumbs that fall down you can get on the next level.
- Do one shelf or drawer at a time.
- Take everything off the shelf or out of the drawer. Wipe down the shelf. Check all the items for expiration dates. If they have expired throw them away, if they have not expired wipe them off and put them back on the shelf only if it belongs on that specific shelf. If it doesn’t belong on that shelf wait until you come to the shelf where it belongs to put it away.
- Continue making your way through the refrigerator shelf by shelf until you are at the bottom and have cleaned and organized each shelf and drawer in the refrigerator.
- Do not forget to wipe down the top, sides, and bottom inside the refrigerator as well. These areas can get splattered with food, drinks, or contain finger prints.
- Your refrigerator should now look shining and organized. I LOVE looking into a sparkling clean refrigerator! 🙂 If only I could figure out a way to keep it that way for a longer period of time!
- If your refrigerator is clean, but seems to still have a smell to it (especially if there are no items that are causing it to smell) it may be time to change your air filter in the refrigerator. Also, putting an open box of baking soda inside the fridge will help absorb some of the extra odors.
Condiments need checked for expiration dates
Items facing every which way with some shelves or drawers over loaded while others are empty
Needs some cleaning and organization
All done and so much better! Everything facing the correct way and on the right shelves or drawers so we can easily find items. You need to organize your refrigerator in a way that best suites your family and your needs. Make sure the items you want most accessible are in front or easy to reach. Also, every refrigerator will be slightly different so do your best to make it look good, smell fresh, and organized. Enjoy your sparkly clean fridge!
Nice, shiny, and organized! Now I am ready to start cooking!
Organized Chaos: Keeping Track of Water Bottles
Labeled Water Bottles
Since we have two kids the same age and gender they have several items that are identical. A common identical item that both kids have are their water bottles. Like the blue water bottles with the owls on the outside pictured above. A few months ago we had some issues with everybody using whatever water bottle they wanted (even if it was their sister’s), however, during the course of the school day their sister’s water bottle would get dropped, dented, scratched, broken, or misplaced. The next time that sister wanted to use her water bottle it was gone or had additional marks on it.
I know it seems crazy, but there have been some serious discussions between the two kids in our house over damaged or lost special water bottles. I am pretty sure no other household has these types of discussions in their home, but there were a few times I had to intervene in these conversations. Although, items will get dropped or damaged the more they are used I had to find a solution so that these discussions would not be happening on a regular basis in our house. Prior to this year neither child cared which water bottle they took, but the older they get the more they want their items to look good and last longer. I am happy they they want to take good care of their items we just had to find a method to track which water bottle belonged to who.
My initial solution to the problem super easy, took only a couple seconds, and was very inexpensive. I wrote their names on the special water bottles with a permanent black sharpie. The names were written on the bottoms and / or sides of the water bottles so that each kid could easily see if it was theirs before taking it out of the drawer. It was amazing how quickly the issue was resolved, however, after a several washings the permanent marker would wear off making it harder to tell whose water bottle it was again. Now I use several different methods to identify or keep track of the special water bottles:
- Write the Names on the Water Bottles with Black Permanent Marker (easy and inexpensive, but washes off over time)
- Use a washable Label with their Individual Names Printer on it – My personal favorite are the thin Lovable Labels ones because they stay on through MANY washes (anywhere from a few months to years as long as your kids don’t try peeling them off)
- Purchase water bottles with their Names printed or engraved on them (usually more expensive, but works really well). My favorite place to get printed or engraved names on water bottles is Oriental Trading.
There are several generic water bottles that anybody can use at any time in the drawer, however, the special ones have each child’s name on them. The special water bottles usually have the child’s name written in permanent sharpie on the bottom and a label (or name printed / engraved) on the side of the water bottle. Occasionally someone accidentally picks up the wrong water bottle, but for the most part everyone uses their own or a generic one.
Now if they lose or damage their water bottle then they are the only ones inconvenienced by their actions. One of our kids tends to be a little rougher on water bottles (clipping or tying them to her book bag which is bumped against everything in its path, dropping, or just forgetting it). She has gotten a lot better as she is getting older, but I have to smile when she brings home just the water bottle top because I know that means the water bottle itself did not survive it’s nose dive to the concrete floor at school.
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week was a whirlwind of activity. The girls now only have three more weeks of school. I am looking forward to spending some extra time with them this summer. We are getting closer to finalizing our summer plans. It will be fun to catch up with family and friends over the summer break. I had great intentions last week, but somehow little things took priority over some of the items on my list. Part of the problem is that we haven’t had a full weekend at home to get stuff done in several weeks. I love this time of year with all the celebrations and fun activities, but it does effect productivity. Hoping that I will get some of these ones tackled soon before our upcoming 3 day Memorial Holiday Weekend! Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Boxcar Children’s Blue Bay Mystery (Boxcar Children Series #6) by Gertrude Chandler Warner to the kids – were getting closer to the end, we had a bunch of library books we were trying to finish reading first
Plan one special activity with the family– we went to Hollywild (more on that later this week)Play a Game with the KidsPrepare for Upcoming Spring EventsSpend time Monday –Friday helping the kids with HomeworkAttend After School ActivitiesLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforePrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break – getting closer to getting the details worked out
- Ride Bikes with the Kids – we didn’t get this done with everything going on
Work on special projects with the kidsAttend Cousins Baby ShowerKids glasses fixed– finally fixed after 4 trips to the eye doctorKids orthodontist appointment
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each dayContinue my YouVersion plan(s)– I am doing it every day, but for some reason it won’t update it anymore- Keep up with my FitBit Goals – I was a little short this week, hoping to do better this week!
Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this weekUpdate Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week- Clean House (Focus – All Winter Clothes Pulled out of Closets & Dressers and Put into the Attic) – have a little more to do
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Laundry Room) – I got started….
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Deck Cleaned & Prepped) – hoping to get this completed this weekend
- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food) – some are done, but need Jake’s help on the other vitamin
Repairs – (Focus – Pick Up Replacement Lightbulbs)– few have been replaced, but need to pick up a few more
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsRespond to Inquiry – Business Relation EmailsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention- Work completed for clients – I have 2 more projects to wrap up this week
Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car – working on it
- Payoff Medical Bills – working on it
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt) – working on it
Pay Bills & File PaperworkGo grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Boxcar Children’s Blue Bay Mystery (Boxcar Children Series #6) by Gertrude Chandler Warner to the kids
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Prepare for Upcoming Spring Events
- Spend time Monday –Friday helping the kids with Homework
- Attend After School Activities
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break
- Ride Bikes with the Kids
- Work on special projects with the kids
- Attend Science Fair Project Presentations
- Annual Pest / Termite Inspection Completed
- Kids orthodontist appointment
- STEM Club Meeting
- Spend extra time with the Family over the Memorial Holiday Weekend
- Finish sending out the remaining Graduation Cards
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Clean House (Focus – All Winter Clothes Pulled out of Closets & Dressers and Put into the Attic)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Laundry Room)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Deck Cleaned & Prepped)
- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food)
- Repairs – (Focus – Take Slide Off Jungle Gym)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
- Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
It looks like it is going to be another busy week for us. The kids still have another round of State testing, Jake will be busy at work, and I have a lot that needs to get done and caught up. Going to try to make it a simple menu simple this week so we can stay on top of everything else that is going on with the family. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Spaghetti & Meatballs, Garlic Bread
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Blueberry Pancakes, Bacon
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Mustard Glazed Chicken, Steamed Vegetables
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Cube Pork Steak, Fresh Salad
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week were were somewhat into the normal routine. This past weekend we went with the kids to Columbia, SC for their State STEM Lego Robotics Competition. We spent Friday night at a hotel near the meet because we had to be up early and ready on Saturday morning for the competition. The kids had a blast and did well. There was a lot of competition and with this only being their 2nd year doing STEM Club it was a real honor to be at the event. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Rascal by Sterling North to the kids – it was a busy week but made a little more progress through the book
Plan one special activity with the familyPlay a Game with the KidsPrepare for Upcoming Spring EventsSpend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework– some extra homework with them being gone last weekAttend After School ActivitiesLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforePrep for upcoming Family Adventure– went to the girls STEM State Comprtition this past weekend and spent the night before in a hotelGet the kids caught back up with Homework from missing school last week while in FloridaPrep for upcoming State STEM CompetitionPrep for upcoming Spring BreakTake kids to Eye Dr and Dentist for regular Cleaning– eyes looking good and no one has any cavities just more lose teeth, the last of their baby teeth are starting to fall out…look out tooth fairy
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each dayContinue my YouVersion plan(s)Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – I did it twice this week because we had a couple items that needed washed before the STEM competition on Saturday.
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekUse up food items in our pantry and freezerClean House (Focus – Extra Laundry Done from Traveling)Organize Chaos (Focus – Unpack All Suitcases and Put Items Away from Florida Trip)Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Clean Out the Van from the Florida Trip)Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up Hay for the Goats)
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsRespond to Inquiry – Business Relation EmailsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attentionWork completed for clients
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car – working on it
- Payoff Medical Bills – working on it
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, and other debt) – working on it
Pay Bills & File Paperwork- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – went about $15 over budget this week
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Rascal by Sterling North to the kids
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Prepare for Upcoming Spring Events
- Spend time Monday – Thursday helping the kids with Homework
- Attend After School Activities
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure
- Figure out the kids Science Fair Projects
- STEM Club Event Presentations for Family Night at School
- Prep for upcoming Spring Break
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Clean House (Focus – Unpack Suitcase and Items Away from State STEM Robotics Trip this weekend)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – All pictures downloaded & organized from FL and STEM trips)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Sweep out my side of Garage)
- Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up Mineral Bucket for the Goats)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week our family had the privilege to go to Orlando, Florida with Jake. He had a work conference and the girls and I got to spend some time exploring the area. We found a lot of great activities to keep us busy while Jake was working. Once Jake’s conference was over he was able to spend the rest of the week with us. We had a blast going to the Disney parks and doing other fun activities while in Orlando. The week went by really quickly and we packed a lot into the week. We created a lot of great memories during our stay. Now that we are back into the normal work and school schedule we have a lot to get done around home. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Rascal by Sterling North to the kids – last week we didn’t read much with all the other activities going on in Florida
Plan one special activity with the family– we went to Orlando and explored some of the Disney parks, the kids loved it!Play a Game with the KidsPrepare for Upcoming Winter & Spring Events (Spring is just around the corner)- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure – our Orlando adventure went really well, was a hit, and we created some family memories
Spend Extra Time with the Family– spent time together in Orlando and Jake joined us after his conference ended
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day– drink a lot as it was up to 90 plus degrees a couple days we were in FL- Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – my phone was burning through the battery so I didn’t listen during last week, but was already caught up before leaving on the trip thankfully
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week– the kids and I made and ate our dinners at the hotel while Jake was at the conference and he joined after the conference had ended. The hotpot worked really well for easy prep items.Clean House (Focus – Basic House Clean Up)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts – some ideas were bouncing around, but for the most part I enjoyed my time with the kids
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention – some items got pushed back but hoping to get back up to speed this week
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
Pay Bills & File Paperwork
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Rascal by Sterling North to the kids
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Prepare for Upcoming Spring Events
- Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
- Attend After School Activities
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure
- Get the kids caught back up with Homework from missing school last week while in Florida
- Prep for upcoming State STEM Competition
- Prep for upcoming Spring Break
- Take kids to Eye Dr and Dentist for regular Cleaning
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Use up food items in our pantry and freezer
- Clean House (Focus – Extra Laundry Done from Traveling)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Unpack All Suitcases and Put Items Away from Florida Trip)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Clean Out the Van from the Florida Trip)
- Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up Hay for the Goats)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
Love It – Scrub Daddy
I got a Scrub Daddy for Christmas. It has been a big help when washing dishes. When I first got it I wasn’t sure how well it would work, but I love it.
It feels pretty hard when you first take it out of the box. As soon as you run a little warm water over it the Scrub Daddy becomes more pliable. It works awesome on our smoothie cups because it gets all the way down in the cups and around the edges really well. While it is soft like a sponge in warm water it is firm when you use it in cool water.
It is safe to use on wood, plastic, stainless steel, non-stick coatings, glass, counter tops and more! The Scrub Daddy works great on spoons, spatulas, straws, and more kitchen items. The kids think it’s neat because it has a smiley face! It has been nice having around when it is time to wash the dishes! You can pick up a Scrub Daddy at a local store or on Amazon!
“Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love! There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun. I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list. It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!
