List's and Schedules Archives - Page 4 of 5

March 8, 2010 · in Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules

Caught Off Balance

Last weekend I went through this moment where I ALMOST wanted to quit my blog all together. Just one of those times where you think, is this really worth my time?

It’s funny, because my blog is all about finding balance, but in fact blogging, has set me completely OFF balance. All my thoughts were centered around my blog, and all these idea’s I wanted to share, and then of course there are the many other things I want to do like read other blogs, read books, watch the shows I like, study up on my German, learn to play the piano, spend time with my kids, work out, keep my house clean and organized, make healthy dinners, run all my errands, have family night, study the scriptures, develop a new talent, teach my children good values, get my visiting teaching done each month, keep up on all the dishes and laundry, take pictures and video tape special moments in my kids lives, find time for service, and of course finding time to SLEEP. If I didn’t need to “sleep” I could probably fit all these things in, but um, I don’t think that would go over well if I cut sleep off my list of things to do 🙂

I guess it’s possible to be TOO ambitious.

So, I’ve just decided to cut back a bit, perhaps only 2 posts a week will be better for my own sanity. There’s just sooo many things I want to do in life, and being a mom doesn’t allow you to follow all those ambitions right away. I need to switch my focus and be happy and content with the success of motherhood. I need to stop adding to my list of things I WANT to do, because it only makes my mind go crazy trying to figure out how on earth I’m going to fit it all into one day or week. I mean seriously, these are all important things to me, but I feel like I need to cut some things out. Should it be my blog?

I was questioning it over the weekend and thought that maybe it was sucking too much of my time.

So I decided to figure out what I can ACTUALLY do, and not expect too much of myself. We “cannot run faster than we have strength”. It will all come in time, and I can’t DO IT ALL. Patience is not one of my strengths. When I want something, I want it NOW!

We are all on our own paths and searching for answers as to what we are supposed to be doing in order to fulfill our plan. How can we be sure that we’re DOING the things God would have us do?

I guess it’s all a matter of trial and error. Being open to letting the spirit guide us in the right direction and recognizing those unsettling feelings that are telling us when we are falling off track.

My friend Crystal (yes, we have the same name), and I were talking the other day and she was telling me about the Duggar Family’s book called 20 and Counting. I’m sure you’re all familiar with them, one of the biggest families ever! So, anyway, I was instantly curious to read this book, went straight home and ordered it on Amazon. I always wondered HOW this mom did it. How can she be pregnant all the time, take care of that many children, homeschooling them all, AND write a book about it??????

So when the book finally arrived I skimmed through and found the chapter I was most

interested in. The one that talks about their daily schedule and organizing tips. Since then have read a lot of the book, and found myself all motivated to be like her. I was like, yah, I’m going to have LOTS of kids, homeschool them all, and have 3 hour scripture study with the family each day. Oh, yes, I was motivated and ready to take on motherhood………………………….

Well, that idea lasted about an hour.

Actually my husband helped me see things a little more clearly. We were on our date night and I was talking about the book and how I wanted to be like Michelle Duggar.

He said, “um, I don’t want to be rude, but……. you could never be like that”.

MEAN, huh!

He’s like, this women doesn’t get her hair done, she doesn’t have a gym membership, she doesn’t do girl’s night outs, and um, yeah, the list went on and on. I was like, okay, okay, I GET IT! I’m just not capable of that, well, maybe capable, but just not willing 🙂

So, I’ve taken some ideas from the book and have formulated my own schedule in hopes to help me manage my time a little better. I’ve already picked someone for this weeks FAB Friday, and she will also be sharing a little about this topic.

My New Schedule

I found this cute idea from Heather’s blog. I have my schedule written down on my notebook, which I have with me at ALL times, can’t live without it. And of course the schedule usually changes each day and I’m seriously not THAT obsessed with sticking to it exact 🙂 Anyway, then I have Lily’s schedule which she has really enjoyed. This helps her know what our plans our for the day, and our schedules coincide.

Lily’s schedule

Getting up
Eating Breakfast, Vitamins
Getting Dressed
Break time/Mommy cleans house
Play with mommy (choose activity)
Lunch time
Play date, gym, school, or run errands
Snack time
Quiet time/Olly’s nap
Do school work with Lily, and let her help make dinner
Eat dinner
Family time
Bath time, brush teeth
Bedtime stories, practice some German words with Lily
Movie
Bedtime

I have extra cards in the bottom right so that we can swap them out on school days. Then I have a stack of cards with different activities on them. She can pick one each week, and that will be our special activity for the week. This week is swimming, and I usually like to invite a couple friends to go with me, that way it’s more enjoyable for us all. Lily has some friends to play with, and I get some adult interaction 🙂

My Schedule

9:00 Breakfast, vitamins, get dressed, brush teeth

10:00 Clean house, catch up on Laundry, dishes, make beds, and pick up a little.

11:00 Play with kids, or do a little craft or activity with Lily.

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Play date/ run errands/ or Go to the gym (I bring my lap top to the gym and spend a little time catching up on emails , and blog reading while the kids or in the kids center before I go work out).

4:00 Lily has quiet time and Olly naps while I work on my list of things I need to do, things around the house, responding to emails, or blog.

5:00 Start dinner and do some school workbooks with Lily

6:00 Dinner and clean up

7:00 Family time

8:00 Baths, Books, German (I’m trying to make use of the language I learned on my mission. By practicing a little with Lily, it also helps me freshen up on it)

9:00 This is my time to work on my blog, read other blogs, and reply to emails, while Lily watches a movie

10:00 Get Kids in Bed, and read my book or watch some of my favorite shows with my hubby.

11:00 Lights out

I’ve been experimenting with this over the past week, and it seems to be working out much better for me. I’ve never been a big fan of sticking to a TIME schedule, I usually just make a list, and go from there. I’ve found that I become obsessed with FINISHING something so I can check it off my list, sometimes ONE thing on my list can take half the day. I’ve been spending WAY to much time online, finishing a blog post, reading emails, responding, and also reading other blogs and leaving comments.

So, now I have time limits.

I’m reading this new book called Magnificent Mind At Any Age. I am seriously LOVING it! I’m learning so much about the brain and how amazing it really is. I plan to share lots more on this book because I have SO many thoughts I’d like to add.

As I was reading last night, this paragraph really stood out to me, and it TOTALLY applies.

“Drowsiness, tiredness, and an increasing inability to focus reached startling levels in the trials of eleven hundred people, who also demonstrated that e-mail in particular have an addictive, drug like quality.

The most damage (to IQ) is done, according to the survey, by almost complete lack of discipline in handling e-mails. Dr. Wilson and his colleagues found a compulsion to reply to each new message, leading to constant changes of direction, which inevitably tired and slowed down the brain.

Constantly checking e-mails, IMs, voice mails, and the Internet is stressful, but it is also addictive as one is always waiting for the next good e-mail, IM, or voice message to hit, like waiting for the next blackjack in the card game 21. The anticipation of something good keeps us checking something routinely. It also distracts us from staying focused on the person or task at hand. Checking these messaging systems is an important way to communicate, but it is better to set aside specific times each day to work on them and leave them alone the rest of the time.”

This book was SO written just for me, haha. Lily is always saying, mom, stop playing on your phone, and grabs it out of my hands. That’s some good feedback right there. My goal is to stick to time limits, and to stop constantly checking my email throughout the day.

I ran into an old friend the other day, and we got to talking. I was wondering why she wasn’t on facebook, twitter, blogger, ect. She was like, I don’t even have Internet at my house.

WHAT?????? That’s absurd!!!!!! Who doesn’t have internet in their home!!!!

Later I was thinking about this, and was almost a little jealous… I said ALMOST.

I was like, WOW, think of all the extra time I would have if I wasn’t spending so much of it online.

Well, I’m not sure that canceling my internet service is the answer for me.

I think this plan will offer the best of both worlds. I still get that fix of connecting with all my online friends, while still enjoying normal REAL life experiences.

February 15, 2010 · in Beauty· Health· List's and Schedules· Weight Loss

My Work Out Routine

The other day as I was getting ready, my daughter comes in and begins playing with the doughy stretched out skin that is now covering the, once upon a time, descent looking abs. She was like, “it’s squishy mom, why is it like that”, hmmm, don’t ya just LOVE kids.

“Well, honey, this is what happens to skin after you have a baby in your tummy”, she was like, “oh, I don’t want my tummy to look like THAT”……ha, well neither do I 🙂

The price we pay. (sigh)

Well, she did bring to my attention that I’ve been neglecting that particular area of my body,

and it’s beginning to show. I gained almost 50 lbs with this baby. I’m now at the weight I want to be (thanks to cleansing), but have not done much to build up my abs since giving birth. I do need to tighten up a bit in other area’s as well. So I’m back to my bootcamp workouts instead of the lazy 30 min. walk on the treadmill I’ve been doing these days. I’m a new fan of Blair’s McFatty Monday’s. So, I thought today would be a great day to talk about my “mcfatty” abs 🙂

I tend to get bored easily when it comes to working out, so here is my routine full of multi-tasking. I’m all about getting as much done as possible, even when I work out.

10 min. run or walk on Treadmill ( I don’t run much anymore these days, so I usually walk fast on an incline) and read one chapter of my book.
Work 2 different muscle groups ( I pick the ones that feel most flabby for me, example, yesterday I started with my glutes and inner thighs) 3 sets of 12-15 on each while listening to my work out music.
10 min. on the Elliptacle ( I try to get the most out of the ten min. so I increase the intensity quite a bit so I get a good sweat on). While doing this I listen to something spiritual, motivation, or educational. I love downloading audiobooks to my ipod.
Work another 2 muscle groups, example: Biceps and triceps 3 sets of 12-15 each./Listen to my work out music
10 min. on the Stair Climber (play around on my phone, texting, emailing, Facebook, Twitter, blogging, planning out my week and adding things into my calender)
Do some MAJOR abs, for now I feel some urgency to get my abs into shape, planning a cruise soon, and would like it if I didn’t have a pot belly. Do it till it burns, so the next day you’re sore 🙂
10 min. on the rower or bike/ listen to my FAVORITE up beat songs. Below are a few of my favorites.

Anything from Lady Gaga

Boom Boom Pow

Technologic Draft Punk

Sandstorm Tunnel Alliance

Jai Ho! Pussycat dolls

This is my way of strengthening MIND, BODY & SOUL, all in about an hour. I LOVE it, goes by fast, and I feel incredible when I’m done.

And I’m not afraid to admit that I wear these body shaper cami’s DAILY.

When people say I look good for just having a baby, I immediately say, “oh, I’m wearing a body shaper”, my husband laughs at me, and say’s, “why do you always feel as though you HAVE to disclose that”? LOL, I don’t know… I guess I just feel like I can’t take credit for it unless it’s real 🙂

Let’s face it, no matter how much weight you lose after baby, you’ll most likely always have that muffin top, and that’s never a pretty sight. I like the feeling of being held in, and not feeling the skin jiggle when I walk. I used to wear SPANX, but they are SO uncomfortable, not to mention, impossible to get in and out of. Found myself NOT drinking water just to avoid having to go to the bathroom.

I really love these cami’s, I get them at Target, or you can find them HERE for $20.

January 27, 2010 · in Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules· Mom Stuff

Multitasking IS a Talent

Time….sigh….. never enough in a day. How do we as moms, find the time for hobbies among all the other daily demands?

Well, first off, since my blog is about BALANCE, I thought I would write a little about how I TRY to balance everything I want to do, on top of all the things I NEED to do. I don’t claim to have the answers, but all I know is that it’s a lifelong quest. The good thing, is that I’m becoming more aware of when I’m NOT in balance. Sometimes I get a little too excited about something, for example, when I have an idea of what I want to blog about, or when I begin making one of my movies, it’s hard for me to stop until it’s finished. I tend to focus all my attention on that, and suddenly realize that I’m neglecting the IMPORTANT things. So, once I recognize it, then I can quickly make a change and make up for the things I failed to attend to, for example the house. All I have to do is go ONE day without picking up, and this is what my house turns into.

I know all you moms can relate 🙂 I’m just really passionate about staying in balance and know how easy it is to fall off the wagon and get lost. That’s when those unsettled feelings come and you realize somethings off. LACK of balance is always the case. Mind Body Soul, it’s that simple right? Not really, there are many subcategories that come with each one of those. I don’t even want to think about them otherwise I get overwhelmed. Inhale…..breathe…….relax

We’re women, multitasking is in our blood. We’re good at killing 2 birds with one stone, or probably more like 3 or 4 :). Like right now, I’m at the gym, on the treadmill, and writing this post at the same time. Gotta love all these cool gadgets we have these days that makes multitasking even easier. Pretty soon we’ll be killing huge flocks of birds with just one tiny pebble.

I find that a lot of my ideas come to me at night as I’m lying in bed, or when I’m at the gym. Peace and quiet, without any interruptions. So it’s nice to be able to email myself with the ideas that pop into my head.

This blog really accomplishes a lot for me, so that’s how I can justify spending the time on it. I feel like I’m fulfilling an important part of life, which is, recording significant events, in other words, this takes the place of journaling 🙂 I’ve decided that it’s much more fun sharing my journal now, rather than after I die, like journals are usually intended. I love the fact that you can turn your blog into a printed book. No more scrap booking for me, I’m not passionate enough about it. I’d rather just print it all off, and spend the time on other things. So anyway, other reasons for my blog is because it’s become a hobby for me, something I really enjoy, and we should ALL have something that we can do as part of our “ME TIME”, aside from all the mommy stuff. It’s easy to lose yourself if you’re not working on or toward something. Also, this has been a fun way for me to connect with fellow mommies.

I have a few weekly and monthly goals I put together to help me balance everything.

Blog 3 times a week. I figured that was a good balanced amount.
Make nice dinners at least 4 times a week.
Spend more time teaching my daughter to help pick up around the house. I tend to just do it myself, which isn’t teaching her anything and only leaves more work for me to do.
Read or listen to something spiritual once a day. Even if it’s just one paragraph.
Spend special quality time with my kids multiple times a day. My daughter and I play a game we call, CLEAN AND PLAY. The timer has become my new friend. I tell her when the timer goes off, then it’s time for mommy to do mommy stuff, like dishes, laundry, ect. I set the timer for everything now, and I seem to get a lot done that way. Thirty minutes here, thirty minutes there keeps me going and focused on what needs to be done, also allowing time to rest and just play with my kids.
Work out 4 times a week. I use to try to do 6 or 7, but realized that it’s rough trying to fit everything into one week when I do that.
Read one chapter of a book each day. I’ve found this to be very doable for me. I used to have a goal to read one book in a week, ha, that idea failed miserably. What was I thinking?
Weekly date night. My favorite day of the week 🙂 It’s so fun, and greatly needed at the end of the week.
I like to have a babysitter come once a week to help me get caught up on things, run errands or just have a little “ME TIME”.
Girls Night Out once a month. It’s always good to get together with your gal pals regularly for some good old fashion GIRL TALK!

December 15, 2009 · in Christmas· Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules· Mom Stuff

3rd Week of December

Last night Lily had her Christmas dance performance. It was adorable!!! I just love seeing her dance, and am grateful that she can be in dance. I always wanted to take dance growing up, but we couldn’t afford it. So I feel blessed to be able to give Lily these opportunities.

Dec. 15th

Today, I’m just going to continue working on my Christmas list, and hopefully can get most everything taken care of.

Dec. 16th

Try a new class at the gym, or check out a video at the library. One thing I’ve learned, is that it’s important to mix up your exercise routine. You don’t want to get stuck doing the same old thing. Not only does it prohibit you from seeing the kinds of results you’d like, but also begins to be drudgery. You want to spice it up, keep it exciting, kind of like marriage 🙂

Dec. 17th

Have a “Spa Day“. Well, wouldn’t that be nice to have an entire day of pampering and relaxation. Unfortunately that isn’t really possible for most of us 🙂 But we can just pretend lol. I’m going to get a babysitter, go get a facial, and run some errands. That’s a Spa Day enough for me. A little quiet time to myself is all I need sometimes to get me through the day, or the week 🙂 Here’s a website my friend told me about that has some awesome jewelry for moms. Maybe I’ll buy myself a little something too. www.smartmomjewelry.com

Teething Bling® was inspired by babies who like to tug on our jewelry. It is the original patent-pending teething jewelry.

Dec. 18th

Today I want to just focus on reading my parenting book throughout the day when possible.

Dec. 19th

Work on organizing and getting rid of toys, making room for the new. Hopefully I can get Lily to help me out with this, and to be excited about giving some of her toys away to kids that don’t have much. I just love being organized, so doing this will help me to not feel so overwhelmed with toys after Christmas. Here is another website my friend told me about. They sell these mom day planners. They look awesome!!! I may have to get myself one of these for the New Year. www.trulymoms.com

Dec. 20th

Just have a relaxing day with the family. No schedules, no “to do” lists. Just enjoy the moments 🙂

December 14, 2009 · in Christmas· Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules

Follow up for the week

This week seemed a little crazy, despite the fact that I said I was going to keep it simple. Monday we planned to go Ice Skating, but due to the FREEZING weather conditions, we had to skip that 🙁 Which is a bummer, because I was really looking forward to it. Perhaps next year we’ll get to experience that together as a family.

Tuesday and Wednesday I did my cleanse!!!! I was really excited about accomplishing that, because it takes some self control 🙂 I posted a video link in my last post of my days on the cleanse.

Thursday I planned to get my Christmas Cards out, and the whole day I was scrambling around, feeling completely overwhelmed with the whole thing. So, I finally just had to throw in the towel, and decided to just skip it this year. I feel like such a scrooge, but I just don’t want to make myself crazy by giving myself more than I can handle. I have to pick and choose where my time is best spent. I’m aloud to skip a year here and there, right? I do plan to send out a Christmas email with our recent family pictures. Hopefully that will be enough this year.

Friday, I wanted to have all my Christmas shopping done, lol, that didn’t exactly happen either. I did get out and get a little shopping done though, and I put together a list of what I have left to do. So, hopefully I can have it all done within the next few days.

Saturday, was my day to plan out some healthy meals for this week. I’ve put a little something together. In my future posts I plan to show you a few tips and tricks I use to make eating healthy, easier, and tastier 🙂 So, since we skipped ice skating, I decided to take Lily to see The Frog Princess to make up for it. It was our little mommy daughter date. It was so much fun to spend some special time with her. She ended up sleeping through half the movie, and is still trying to convince me that she didn’t sleep, lol.

Sunday, we actually made it to almost all 3 hours of church. Olly gets really cranky without his morning nap, so Sean or I usually takes turns bringing him home for a nap. Later we went over to my sisters house to make Ginger Bread houses, and that was a lot of fun. This week I have been more conscious of trying to mention Jesus’s birth, every time Lily brought up Christmas.

So, overall, I’m still proud of the way the week turned out. I’m working on my schedule for this week. I’ll post it later tonight.

December 7, 2009 · in Christmas· Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules

2nd Week of December

This week I’m keeping it simple.

Dec. 8th & 9th

This time I am really cleansing. I plan to video it all for you, and post it as soon as we’ve (my husband is going to cleanse with me) accomplished the full 2 days 🙂

Dec. 10th

Get my Christmas cards out.

Dec. 11th

I want to have all my Christmas shopping done, or at least have an idea of what I am getting for everyone and send out any shipments that need to be made.

Dec. 12th

Plan out healthy meals for the next week include lots of veggies.

Dec. 13th

Spend some time reading Christmas stories, watching Christmas movies, and focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. I want to be sure Lily knows more about Jesus than Santa lol.

Caught Off Balance

My Work Out Routine

Multitasking IS a Talent

3rd Week of December

Follow up for the week

2nd Week of December

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