2009 started with a call from daycare telling me that Luke had thrown up twice that day. Although it's nice to not be the only one in my household who is puking, I felt sorry for my poor little man. He had a fever and wasn't really keeping any food down. M and I switched off on sick baby duty for two days and he soon got better. I took him back to daycare today and it turns out that two of his classmates were out because of the same thing. Well, what makes us throw up will ultimately make us stronger, right?
I've been feeling a little scattered lately and I think it's because I've let my life become a sort of disorganized exercise in barely controlled chaos. There are no plans, other than surviving. That's fine in the short term, but ultimately I need some sort of order. I want to start living my life again. I've decided to try to do a few things to help:
1. Plan meals every week. This is mostly for M, since what I feel like eating varies from day to day, but it should help the nightly "I don't know, what do you want?" dinner routine.
2. Have some planned activities on the weekend. Luke is not at the age where he wants to be more interactive with everyone and everything. I'm going to try to plan some outings to museums or just take more walks.
3. Make more lists. This sounds really anal retentive, but I really need something to help me remember that I am completely out of laundry detergent, for instance.
I know that there are a lot of you that have tips for me on this sort of thing. Please, share. Please.
12.14 / before and after, over and over
2 years ago
10 comments:
Some of what you put down I already do. (Its my organizational nature).
Planning the meals it good. Freezing meats and having staples around the house helps too, so that in case, for whatever reason, everyone REALLY doesn't want what is for dinner that night, you can defrost some chicken and do something else with it.
We are members to 2 museums and the zoo. It really does pay off to be members. It makes it easy if you happen to take him and its a bad day for him--you don't feel like you wasted your money--cuz you can always go back, you're a member! (I am proud to say my son went to the museum of fine arts when he was 6 weeks old and has been going ever since--and can pick out Van Gogh from Picasso--his favorites). We also have tons and tons of nature trails to go--and they are free (usually).
Also remember tho, at this age, ANY excursion is great for them--like going to the grocery store or whatever. The whole world is an adventure!
There is a website around here for families which lists activities for families to do each week...check to see if there is a similar type thing.
I always have 2-3 things planned. That way, if everyone is in a high spirits, we can do the complicated thing, but if not--we have a low end thing to do.
If you haven't already, and if you can afford it, hire a maid service. It really really does help to free up time for the more important things in your life.
i just need a personal assistant and a maid. ;)
And I am only working part time. List's are good.
I am going to coe back and read all the wonderful ideas for inspiration.
Glad Luke is feeling better
I have a daily planner, but instead of putting appointments in it (appointments go in my outlook/phone), I make lists each day of the things I need to do (mail bills, email client, renew dog's license etc.). Then I check it off as I've done it, but I've got a record so if I don't do it the day I should, it's still there for me to see, instead of a post-it note that gets lost. It's worked pretty well so far...
And about meal planning, we do the "I don't know, what do you want" daily. So I'll be checking back here for help on that one...
I'll try to not make this too long! I've also been working on getting more organized.
I wrote on someone else's blog lately about keeping cooked meat in the freezer (ground beef and chicken, mainly), and making it easy to throw into something for dinner (tacos, fajitas, hamburger helper, etc). I've also started making triple batches of meals at the beginning of the month, and then spacing them out over the month. Like this month, we'll have White Chili and Chicken Curry 3 times each (or less - if we have company, I can thaw two batches for a quick party meal!) At the beginning of each week, I take 2 or 3 things out of the freezer for the week. (We always seem to have a couple of nights that don't end up as planned - any more than that and it gets wasted).
The cookbooks "Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer" and "Cooking Among Friends" are great for cooking multiple batches of meals.
I'm glad Luke is feeling better!
Thanks for the tips K! I really need to start doing all of the afore mentioned!
Glad to hear Luke is feeling better! Poor little guy!
I'm a list-maker, so can't say enough good things about them. My two primary lists are my major to-do list stored on my computer which generally has bigger projects and stuff that needs to be done in another season. The other is the shopping list which is a pad stuck to the fridge via magnet. As soon as we're out of something it goes onto the list so that I don't have to think about what it was we ran out of while I'm shopping. Pregnancy brain doesn't help that. I have a very casual daily to-do (that's often not a daily list) that I put into my Outlook calendar -- it's something I add to as I think of things and decide when they need to be done. Did that make any sense?
I'm with ya. I'm in the midst of chaos, and it's growing mold.
Sounds like you are on a good track! I kind organized my life when my first one was wee. By the time the second one got here, she just fit right into place! I find that it helps me to keep a planner (like a book, i need something to write on, not type, haha) with all of my chores and what not on it. I scatter my household chores to different days so that I'm not spending a whole half a day doing housework. And the house stays generally clean all the time. :) But, I am at home all the time, so it may be different for you. :) We just found out that I'm expecting our third, so hopefully we'll transition just as easily with this one! Congrats on your second addition. Can't wait to hear if it is a boy or girl. :)
I really do like meal planning, but somehow I have to make my brain remember to actually plan something. Sigh...
It sounds like minus the little guy getting sick, you are off to a great start to the new year!
Good luck with the planning! I couldn't imagine trying to work full time and organize my house!
Good luck!
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