i'm lost.
i've gone to look for myself.
if you should find me before i return,
please tell me to wait right here until i come back.

or something like that. i think that's how the t-shirt saying goes. anyway, what i do know is that my role of homemaker has been woefully neglected. the procrastinaholic in me blames it on the sinus issues i've fought for almost a week. the honest person in me knows it's more like 80% laziness and 20% other factors.

so, i am grounding myself from posting on my blog until further notice. and after i check my e-mail and facebook, i will be grounded from initiating any new wall posts, pokes, sending mystery seeds, (fluff) friend petting or feeding.

i've decided that posting my to-do list on the blog will only give me reason to get back on here and procrastinate some more, therefore i will not post it this time.

see you when i've found myself, my bathroom counter, my kitchen cabinet, etc....

Finding Focus/Tackle It Tuesday



If Baby Bear and I are going to make it to the zoo on Wednesday, I've got a LOT to do tonight and tomorrow. Please bear with me as my Tackle is Pretty much the same as last week's. Yes, I am THAT domestically challenged and/or lazy. (If I'm truly being honest, I'd say it's the latter.)

Fold & PUT AWAY Mt. St. Laundry-It's already washed, at least!
Sweep kitchen floor
Clean Master bathroom
Pick up living room/hannah's room/Hall spaces
Vacuum living room/hannah's room/hall spaces
clean out fridge... it's starting to stink, it's that bad.
Load/Unload/reload dishwasher as needed
Hand-Wash/Put away dishes
Water flowerbed and pots(like I really need to be reminded of that-if I spent half the time inside as I have outside lately, things would be looking a little better around here! )
Clean off countertop
change & wash sheets from our bedAnd somewhere in between....
Go for a walk with Baby Bear...
Read books with Baby Bear...
Cuddle with Baby Bear...
(Not that I need to be reminded of those things, either, but hey....)

My goal? To have the house in reasonable-enough condition so that when we return from our trip next week, I'll not be overwhelmed by complete chaos. I want a fresh start!

It feels good to have a start on this list before I go to sleep tonight.
Green= Done;
Yellow= In progress
Red= Top Priority, regardless of my motivation level

WHAT'S YOUR TACKLE?

Last edit, 10:12 p.m. Tuesday

I think I'm going to call my Tackle Complete, at least the picture-posting-portion. Baby Bear awoke from her LONG morning nap, and quite frankly, I hate cleaning. I'm going to have to learn to spread out my tackles... i.e. QUIT PROCRASTINATING ! We still might have to cancel our zoo plans with neighbors, as I don't see myself pushing hard enough to get everything ready for our trip tonight and tomorrow afternoon. Sigh.

Before photos:






Tackle It.... This Week

ARgh.. Yesterday afternoon, I typed out my list of things to tackle, lost my internet connection, and Baby Bear awoke from her nap at the same time. So here I am, in my nightgown, listening to Baby Bear bang wooden puzzle pieces together like cymbals, and trying to re-focus.

My house needs a makeover. Not in the Extreme Makeover sense, where they come in and tear it down and start all over. No, it's only 4 years old. It neets an Organization Makeover. In my usual form, I sit here overwhelmed by the multitude of areas which need tackling and freeze. Once upon a time, I thought a project called the Finding Focus Project sounded like a good idea. It still sounds good. And then there was the Large-Family-Logistics inspired weekly "routine", with a focus area for each day. Again, it still sounds good. There's a big difference between liking the sound of something and taking action.

Anyway, here's a list of things I need to tackle. I am ashamed to post pictures of every area that needs tackling, so the ones above are just a few. It will take more than today to turn every area around... and keep it organized. But it's a start...

• load dishwasher/wash dishes/put away dishes (never-ending chore)
  
• sweep & wash kitchen floor
• wash bathroom floors
• wash & fold laundry & put away
  
• sort baby clothes: organize nursery dresser
• read and play with baby bear
• pick up living room- Baby Bear dumped her blocks out again before I had the chance to take an AFTER pic. At least I KNOW the carpet is clean under the new mess.
  
• pick up bonus room
• vacuum living room/hall/nursery
• vacuum bonus room
• change sheets
• vaccum stairs
• put soil into empty pot & transplant tomato plants into it
  

This is just the tip of the iceberg... here I go!

Green= done (though some may be done at several points, such as reading with baby bear)
Yellow= in progress

For more tackles which humble, motivate,
make you feel good or guilty, visit
5minutesformom

last edit 3:43 p.m. Friday

I stalled a little bit, actually I got distracted playing a few good rounds of "boo" (hide and seek/peek-a-boo combo) with Baby-Bear. And I actually cooked dinner and had it ready when hubby got home from work and finished his toned-down workout upstairs. (well, the crock pot and the stove cooked, I kept an eye on things.) we went for a walk after I transplanted my tomato seedlings, and I had to watch American Idol. After photos? Later this week...

i accept orgjunkie's challenge.

here's the text of a comment i posted on her blog. you see, although i posted about her 30-day organizational challenge, i had not thoroughly read it. i was too scared. of what? i dunno. after all, this is the blog of the self-proclaimed queen of procrastination. could it be that i am afraid of change, even if it is for the better?

i procrastinated 90% of the weekend. consequently, the main living area and kitchen are acceptable for company. the guest bathroom is acceptable for company. our master bedroom just might be locked when 11:00 a.m. comes and my lunch guests begin to arrive. i mean, just because i am able to be honest with these women in our message board doesn't mean i am ready to reveal just how unkempt i am, does it? nope. unless there's an emergency and the bathroom is taken, then i might unlock the master suite so someone can use the master bath.

oh, to have been born with just a little bit of that type "A" personality that my younger sister apparently got in her genes. and hubby's younger sister.

anyway, the kitchen floor is mopped, and the house smells like murphy's oil soap. the toys are picked up, the living room has been dusted. a quick run of the vacuum.

and now, it's time to get into "editor" mode and read something hubby has been working on all weekend. so, i leave you for tonight, with the text of that comment that i said i'd post (for those of you who don't feel like clicking over to orgjunkie's blog and reading it there):

"As I lay here in my bed and look around my unkempt bedroom, I need look no further for the project to tackle. I could enter both categories, if it were allowed... the dresser or the whole room. (ok, so the dresser is part of the whole room.. i get it now.) Anyway, I remember once upon a time, a not-so very long time ago, when dh and I moved into our first apartment. I actually kept our bedroom fairly clean, the dresser top organized enough so lighting candles would not be a fire hazard. Yes, it's time for me to accept your challenge."

9:33 PM

Come April, my pet project (along with scrapbooking) will be to do something about the chaotic mess in our bedroom. Good thing I don't scrap in here.

Do I dare?????

I mean, my little Finding Focus Project
hasn't exactly led to a catharsis in my organizational habits.

I noticed Kimberley is daring and had to go see what the picture was about.

We'll see... (don't hold your breath, but feel free to go check out OrgJunkie's blog.)

Finding Focus... still

As you have most likely figured out, I keep reverting to my procrastinatory ways. Well, tonight I spent 2 hours, yes you read that correctly, working on my life management "Finding Focus Project" spreadsheet. There's a verse that says: "Where there is no vision, the people perish." In my life, that translates to: "where there is no plan, little gets done." I'm becoming increasingly aware of the fact that I need to be intentional in how I live my life. Not just to do chores, because while they are important, I am blessed with two far more important things: my hubby and my daughter. I've focused on my weaknesses and struggles for far too long, and made excuses for them. I always struggled with unit plans as a teacher... to be honest, I usually made them up after the fact, to look good for my evaluations. I realized they could be very helpful, but I was overwhelmed with the day to day struggles and just didn't quite get "there". My kids managed to learn, but oh, how much more all of us could have learned had I been a little more efficient in my planning. Anyway, bygones are bygones, and I'm starting fresh...

So far, my spreadsheet for my personal FFP has 3 worksheets.
1)Brainstorming/Master List-
Divided into 5 categories: Personal, Spiritual, family, household, hobbies
2)Chore Chart-
Divided into room/area and frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, occasionally, projects)
3) Weekly Plan Template- days of the week across top, 5 categories along the side

largefamilylogistics suggests assigning a specific room or area to each day. That may be common sense to some of you, but this organizationally challenged lass trembled at the thought of that type of commitment. (It really is amazing I ever got married. At least I don't have a fear of committing to my hubby!!!)

These are the daily "focus areas" I have come up with so far:
Monday- Kitchen/Meal Planning Day
Tuesday-Laundry Day (That's what I've been working on today, though it's not going to be limited to Tuesday)
Wednesday- Bathroom Day
Thursday- Cleaning Day
Friday- Shopping Day
Saturday- Miscellany Day
Sunday- Church/Family Day


So there you have it... I am developing a "Unit Plan" for my day-to-day life. I suppose it's not really anyone else's business, and I risk showing those of you who don't really know me just how undisciplined I am, but so be it. Perhaps someone who reads this will be encouraged by something in this post. Maybe someone will jump on board and refocus alongside me. Or maybe you'll just pray for me, that the step that just took me 2 1/4 hours to take will lead to action. If I post less frequently, hopefully it means I am accomplishing something apart from the blogosphere.

Good night, friends. Hope all is well in your page of the blogosphere!

today's methods of procrastination...

blogging & checking e-mail, of course
going grocery shopping (for food that hubby will most likely deem unnecessary, since it includes spinach and asparagus and strawberries) prediction was correct... not quite WWIII, but not a good experience. we managed to call a truce before we fell asleep, following the advice we received in pre-marital counseling: NEVER go to bed angry at one another. (We weren't really angry at eachother, just mutually frustrated about mars/venus/money issues.) We tried, neither of us could sleep, so we talked it out and then slept soundly until 6-ish.
taking baby bear to the playground
taking baby bear outside to play with her new trike that was handed down to her (with handle for me to steer her with--- she can't quite ride it herself yet. she can ring the bell on it, though)

what i've accomplished so far today...
switched laundry loads
took a shower-
played with baby bear- read a few books, watched some of her signing video, etc...
changed a bunch of diapers.... i've been feeding her more fruit this week.
helped baby bear put away the groceries (she put away the pop cans; i put away the rest... btw, anyone with publix- coke product 6 packs are 99 cents. includes diet dr pepper, caffeine free stuff, you name it.)


still to do...
put away clean dishes, re-load dishwasher: a never ending cycle
sweep kitchen-done!
cook dinner (Salmon, asparagus, rice)- would have cost $30+ tip for both of us in a restaurant, tasted just as good, if not better than many places
fold laundry pile on guest bedroom- done and put away!
vacuum everywhere- clear floor required to do this!
change sheets on all beds- done in guest room
Re-focus on my Finding Focus Project... make a list of things to do this week and do them...
play with baby bear some more

i'll stop there for now....


Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!
Color updates- current as of 9:13 am CST Tuesday.

Roadblock: laziness

Bulldozer: Just do It

Must do this week:
laundry- put away!
change guest room sheets
mop kitchen
clean bathrooms
clean science projects out of fridge
decide on a valentine's meal

There's more, but I'll start with these.

one BIG thing crossed of the list

OUR TAXES ARE DONE!!! WOO HOO!

It took us about 3 hours tonight, but all's well that ends well!

Finding Focus Assignment #4

a) Choose 3 things to do this weekend to prep for next week:
1-laundry
2-meal plan (haven't even adapted grace's yet)
3-draft of weekly chore list

b)pick 2-3 and chart a 3 month plan to get started toward these goals
1-more frequent date nights with hubby- tickets for symphony arrived, sis agreed to babysit!
2-teach baby-bear- see her blog for things she's done lately; a couple of books bought to get my lazy brain moving into more intentional play ideas
3-beach vacation prep- need to list things we'll need to buy so we don't have to spend all that money at the last minute; look into 1 or 2 kid friendly activities for the girls (besides building sand castles & swimming, of course)

c) choose 1 thing and devote 15 minutes daily
1-quiet time
2-planning time
*****
making lists is an accomplishment for me... now lets see if i can actually follow through... ignore the fact that it's almost Tuesday.

Finding Focus Project... Assignment #4 (from Dana on W@H Message Board)

"* Choose three things to do this weekend that will be of help in the week ahead (just like last weekend) Share them with us and then tell us when you have succeeded! You will be SO HAPPY YOU DID IT!

*Look at your list of aspirations for the year. Pick 2-3 and chart a 3 month plan to get you started on those goals. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FINISH THEM IN 90 DAYS! you just have to implement a plan to get them STARTED! remember --any forward progress is SUCCESS.

*Choose one thing from your list OR from the thing you chose in the last assignment and devote either 15 min OR 15 more minutes than you already were to it every day. You CAN find 15 minutes. If you truly look and can't find 15, then do 10, if not ten 5. But spend some time CONSISTENTLY on one of your goals!
*****
Ok, I've spent more time blogging than on my finding focus project. But I am posting this reminder here, so the next time I blog-in, I may hold myself accountable or give myself a pack on the back. The carpet is still damp, so we'll move the table back into place tomorrow. Guess baby bear will have to play downstairs until mommy cleans up her mess in the morning. I'm not staying up waiting for it to dry....

3 posts is the charm. Good night, folks!

ESV Bible Daily Devotional Plans ... straight to your inbox...

Procratinaholic Weekender

Ok, so I'm getting a little behind on my finding focus list. the counter is still messy, meal plan is not made, and laundry not caught up. But I went to the gym for the 2nd day in a row! Woo hoo! We signed a contract with them 2 years ago, just before I found out I was pregnant with Baby Bear. I haven't been diligent in my working out, though I can't imagine why. ;-) Well, when I weighed myself yesterday, I was pleased to discover that in spite of only finding 2 things out of about 15 that I tried on that I liked well enough to buy when I last went shopping, my weight is back to what it was when I first got pregnant. Alas, weight might be the same, but my body's not quite hanging the same. You know, the whole post baby body syndrome. That disheartening shopping trip motivated me to use what's left of our gym membership. We don't care for how the company runs things, and hubby's work got a contract enabling him to work out for free elsewhere. Still, 2 days in a row. I'm gonna be sore tomorrow....

Otherwise, we took it easy today. We skipped church, choosing not to subject people to baby bear's runny nose and fever (which is dropping), slept in, and relaxed.

Finding Focus Weekender

What are three things you can do this weekend that will help next week run more smoothly?
LITTLE THINGS? WHAT are you going to do this weekend FOR YOU!?!?!?!

1) Clean off the kitchen counter- throw out junk mail, make sure address book is updated and throw away envelopes from Christmas cards (I tried to keep up, but got behind).
2) Finish laundry catch-up, including sheets
3) Plan meal ideas
*****
For me: blog... maybe read more of The Mommy Manual by Barbara Curtis

Finding Focus, Assignment #3

from Dana on W@H: "Ok ladies. We have shared our plans. We have encouraged each other. We have brainstormed on attitudes and road blocks. We are going to start making changes to our lives and our habits that will move us towards our goal. Take time Friday and Saturday to brainstorm a few small changes. Use the plan you shared in Assmt 1. Pick your 2-3 top priorities and plan three SMALL but important steps to move you forward. I do not recommend you do something for each and every area. YOU STILL HAVE 51 WEEKS to accomplish your goal.
When you have decided what you are going to do and how and WHEN tell us about it. Make it POSSIBLE and make room for it in your schedule NOW"
****
to be continued....

home "improvement"

we have a laundry room that is larger than a closet, but not huge. maybe 8 feet deep by 6 feet wide. well, there is a wall about a foot to the right of the door that cuts into some of the entry width, and that is where i normally lean my brooms, mop and dustpan. for the past several months, i've become increasingly irritated when one of the said items would fall over across my path to the washer and dryer, or worse- block the door from opening all the way. we went to superstore today, and found a simple metal bar with spring-clips to hold broom handles. unfortunately, the width of the holes did not line up with the wall studs, so hubby had to get creative and drill another hole in the bar. but for less than $4 in the home improvement deparment (not by brooms, that holder was more expensive and only held 4 handles), we got 5 things out of the way, hanging decently and in order. and i can check one of my items off my Finding Focus list! he hung them high enough so we can set the vacuum underneath them and still get to the brooms... i also proceeded to sweep and mop the kitchen floor, something which it desperately needed.

during another leg of our errand run, hubby bought something in which he can conveniently yet safely store his "personal security system" with some of his Christmas gift cards and money. baby bear watched him program the passcode, and had fun trying to figure out how to get cookie monster out. (she didn't succeed). now it's successfully mounted in an undisclosed location, and hubby is quite proud of himself for being a handyman this evening. i am, too. plus, when monarch, purple princess, or any other kids are playing hide and seek, they will not accidentally stumble upon certain dangerous items.

oh, and at our first stop, he used another gift card to buy a new shredder, since our old one died. so now he is shredding papers with sensitive personal info on them during commercial breaks. (he used to burn such paper, when we lived with tech mom and tech dad. but our gas-log fireplace is not so equipped, as it has no chimney.) we have a box full of junk that needs to be shredded, so this could take weeks.

a reminder from my crt, computer guy, and my nieces....

you can do anything you want to do

thanks, crt!

Finding Focus Project- Assignment #2
Identify your roadblock

From Dana at W@H: "I don't know about you all but it seems like there has always been "just one thing" where if I could get it done then "everything else would fall into place" I know that isn't the way it is, but that's how it FEELS. And I know it's not just me because I've watched other people tackle that mountain and feel SO MUCH BETTER about themselves when it was over. So tell me, what's your roadblock? What's the one thing that you feel like if i could just do...... then everything would be GREAT! and it doesn't have to be housework, it could be weight, a project, a broken relationship, your marriage WHATEVER what is it-----and what are some concrete steps you can start taking to get past it? it's time to CHUNK that old baggage and MOVE AHEAD."
*****************
Procrastination and laziness are mine. If I would quit procrastinating, I'd get a lot more done.

What are the roadblocks that keep you from reaching YOUR goals?

Here's my list for Finding Focus Assignment #1:

(Remember, the prompt said the sky is the limit and now is not the time to be reasonable.)

Personal
-Become more self-disciplined
-Make fewer excuses
-Procrastinate less
-Balance my time more wisely; limit online time when necessary
-Connect with close friends on a more regular basis (in addition to online)
-Have date-nights with hubby more than once this year
-Continue to seek wise guidance re: medical issues
-Revamp wardrobe

Spiritual
-Read through the Bible
-Consistent time with the Lord
-Personal Reconciliation in area I've been wrestling with

Family
-Be hubby's helpmeet; take more initiative with certain things at home
-Be baby-bear's Teacher as well as Mommy: Set a good example for her,
spend lots of quality time with her, step out of my comfort zone to
make our daily routine more fun and educational
-Beach Vacation!
-Visit cousin's family on Sapelo Island
-Visit Brother and his wife at seminary
-Send pictures to Gramma monthly, since she doesn't have internet access
-Visit Gramma in WI
-Get all birthdays on wall calendar

Household
-Establish daily task/goal list
-Establish weekly routine for chores
-Plan meals more effectively/cook more frequently
-Save more money on groceries to help stay within our budget
-Declutter bedrooms:master, guest, nursery
-Deep clean kitchen & bathroom cabinets
-Hang broom rack in utility room
-Add shelves to kitchen dish and glass cabinets (1 each)
-Add shelves or cabinets in utility room
-Get rid of my clothes that aren't being used
-Organize old baby clothes
-Get bookshelf for our bedroom

Hobbies
-Have piano tuned by a professional
-learn at least 2 new arrangements or songs
-polish up old arrangements
-organize desk
-read 6 new books this year (or more)
-Organize/inventory scrapbooking supplies
-Finish Hannah's 1st year scrapbook (I'm on page 3)
-Go on a (short) family hike in Smokies, Fall Creek Falls or another park
-organize old photos- already printed
-organize digital photos- and print those needed for scrapbook and sharing

Finding Focus Project-Assignment #1

Ok, gang. Here it goes. I've decided to jump on board the W@H (women at home) ministry's Finding Focus Project. It's supposed to be something to help with home organization, something anyone who know me really well knows I need very desperately. For added accountability, I'm listing it here. Here's the assignment:

"let's say you have all the time in the world and the resources to do what you want with yourself, your space, your hobbies, your time this year. The sky is the limit. WHAT do you want to do this year?
Don't be reasonable right now--write it ALL down, big and small. you aren't committing to DOING it, you are simply saying you desire TO do it. Priorities come later. For now, we're just talking."

Wish me luck. I'll post my list soon.