Weekly Challenge: August 30 - September 3, 2010

Set a basic Fall Schedule.

For almost everyone, fall brings schedule changes.  Whether you have children in school, are going to school yourself or it is just the changing length of days, some changes are required.  Think about those now, if you haven't already, and plan accordingly. 

With school starting this week, I need to get my children to bed earlier and have supper on the table earlier. The cooler weather means I need to have heartier food for my husband's lunches and make him a thermos of tea in the morning. 

I have written the food items on my basic grocery list and penciled in the other items on my calendar.

Monday, Monday

Monday.  It is one of those days that you either love or hate.  I have never met someone who is neutral about the day, but like it or not, it comes once a week.

I think the reason it is either loved or hated is because it is a day of transition.  A day of change.  A day to get up early and pick up the pace.  I know for me, it is time to clean up from all the weekend adventures, restore order, and pick up the slack of last week.  That's a tall order, for one day!  But the results are so worth it.  By getting things back on track today, I will have the rest of the week to live normally and focus on projects.  It will give a sense of peace to the entire week.  I know from experience that if I put off restoring order, then the whole week will be an unproductive mess.  I will feel presumed upon by any little thing that goes wrong.  The kids will be crabby and behave in a spoiled brat manner.  My husband will feel unloved, and like he is the only one who ever does any work. I hate those moods in this house, especially in me!

So, if you are like me, and really need to use Monday to get back into the swing of thing, what are you going to do today?  What do you know to do?

I know to grab my box of cards, organize them by what is most needed and to make a short list of other things that need to be done today.  I know to keep a good attitude, and not expect the kids to share it.  I know to be realistic about what I can accomplish in a day and to leave room for interruptions.  I also know to take time for some fun.  *Ahem*  Make that schedule some fun into the day.  If it is not on my list, it is unlikely that it will happen today, because I tend to be either project or people focused.  Rarely both.

Remember, do what you know first.  Get it out of the way, and then, the rest will be easy.

* * * * *

If you are one of the many that hate Monday, but you have no clue why, take some time today to write down everything you dislike about the day.  No, I mean Everything!  I don't care if it is a little bother or a big 'I want to scream at it' moment. 

When you have a list, look it over and ask yourself how you could either avoid those situations or make them easier to handle. 

I ran into this type of situation yesterday morning.  We were getting ready for church, and one child comes out of his room wearing his only clean pair of jeans.  They had holes in the knees, big enough for a semi truck to drive through, and holes in the butt too.  Let's just say, I was not happy.  I know that he had had clean, hole free jeans just two days before.  I had washed, dried, folded and put them aways myself!  So where were they? 

In the hamper. 

Why?

Because he had decided to play in the mud with them, and when they got wet, he changed and hid them in the hamper.  Grrrrrrrrr!

So what am I going to do about it?  (Since this is not the first time we have found out the kids clean clothes were not available on Sunday morning?)  I am going to hang a pair of hole free jeans in the closet, just for Sunday!  Friday is the day I am going to make sure each child has a pair of hole free jeans ready and waiting, because that gives two days to correct it, if there are not.  I am also going to use this for anytime we are planning a day trip somewhere. 

Don't get me wrong.  I love kids in play clothes, but they are not needed in airports and sporting goods shops.

My Cards

Daily Tasks:

• Make bed -- change pillow cases every other day Feed and water dog
• Make Breakfast
• 1st load of laundry -- our room, clothing, bedding, towels.
• 2nd load of laundry -- kids clothing, bedding, towels.
• 3rd load of laundry -- diapers, bedding or rags Pack husband's lunch.
• Fill his water bottles. Sweep and scrub entryway
• Clean main bathroom.
• Wash dishes
• Clear Kitchen counters completely
• Sweep kitchen and dining room
• Plan supper and next day's breakfast.Knit -- 15 minutes minimum
• Make Supper
• Take all trash out -Garbage pickup is Tuesday!
• Update Blogs
• Fold and put away large basket load of laundry
• (seasonally) Shovel walks
• (seasonally) Work in garden for 20 minutes

Twice a Week Tasks:

• Scrub kitchen and dining room
• Vacuum upstairs
• Re-tuck slip cover on couch
• Clean Laundry room
• Dust up and down stairs rooms
• Water plants, as needed
• Clean master bathroom

Weekly Tasks:

• Check and recharge batteries, as needed.
• Clean all toilets, showers and sinks with cleanser.
• Wash windows and mirrors
• Balance check book
• Pay bills and update books
• Dust fans and walls
• Polish appliances with Fuller wax spray
• Clean out refrigerator
• Update grocery list

Once a Month Tasks:

• Iron clothing
• Wash walls
• Vacuum furniture
• Review sewing and writing goals. Set new ones.

For Me:

• Bathe &brush teeth
• Get dressed -- clothes, hair and makeup
• brush and floss teeth
• Write for Hubpages, 1-5 articles/ week
• Rate articles at Helium -- 30/ month

Other:

• A grocery list of the things we always buy, staples, and sale items to look for. Once a week I add in items needed to make specific meals that we want to make.
• A list of writing goals for that month.
• A list of sewing goals for that month.
• List of clothing needed for each person.
• List of gift ideas for each person.
• A 'books, movies and music' wish list -- no fail ideas when some one asks, "So what so you want for your birthday?"