Organizing My Time

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I have been oh so busy lately.  Taking on a new teaching position has left me with very little time to craft and surf Pinterest for new ideas that I just have to try ... right .... now!  My days begin at 5:45 with my feet swinging over the side of the bed and they don't stop until they drop back into bed at 8:30 or 9:00 pm.  Some nights earlier, some nights later.  It really depends on how many cups of tea I need that evening.

Halloween has passed, hunting season is upon us and Thanksgiving is on it's way.  Busy, busy, busy.  Hunters need to be fed, Christmas baking needs to begin soon, Christmas cards need to be written, gifts need to be bought and made, the house needs to be decorated.  Where will I find the time to accomplish all I need to do?!  

Am I stressed?  Not really.  I take each day as it comes and I move carefully, purposefully and focused.  I have a plan each morning as I rise. If that dessert doesn't get made or that card written, I let it go.  I have to.  We all have to.  The holidays are not about being the perfect hostess, baker, gift giver, cook, or decorator.  I am far from any of these so there is no stress.  I don't have any expectation to live up to.  I make things simpler each year.  I have cut my cookie list down to two.  Two that MUST be made.  Any others are a bonus.  I have cut down my dessert list.  Another two.  Any more than that are a bonus.

A schedule.  I created a weekly and daily schedule on the computer and I print out one a week that have the basics and daily chores that MUST be done.  Then the other side is my block of free time.  My free time would include cleaning, baking, sewing, crafting, organizing...anything that needs to be done.

I have been using this schedule idea for almost a month now and it seems to be working really well.  I keep on track and do not let time get away from me .... especially when I start playing on the computer.  I just don't know where the time goes once I open the lid of the laptop!

HOME SCHEDULE

DAILY

FREE TIME BLOCKS

5:45 – 6:00 – awake, start coffee, start washing machine	MONDAYS -
6:00 – 6:30 – drink coffee, check email, get walking clothes on, clean litter box	TUESDAYS -
6:30 – 7:30 – go for hike	WEDNESDAYS -
7:30 – 8:00 – coffee, shower, add exercise to MFP	THURSDAYS -
8:00 – 8:30 – finish makeup and dressing, prepare medication for father-in-law, make and serve breakfast	FRIDAYS -
8:30 – 9:00 – start supper, flip laundry, do morning dishes, sweep floors, run the vacuum, start bread, muffins, cookies for the week
9:00 – 12:00 – free block	SATURDAYS -
12:00 – 1:00 – lunch, do lunch dishes, get dressed for work
1:00 – 6:30 – work
6:30 – 7:00 –  make and eat dinner, do dishes, get coffee ready for morning	SUNDAYS –      -    prepare and lay out work outfits for             following week -        make weekly phone calls to family -          make grocery list and cut coupons -          meal plan for following week -     prepare some make-ahead meals for the freezer
7:00 – 9:00 – update blog, fold laundry and put away.   Monthly book club meeting time slot.

_______________  ____ to _______________ ____, 20___

As time goes by, I am sure I will tweak it a bit.  Remove or rearrange time slots and when I complete my daily tasks.  If I don't get a chance to finish something, I circle it in red so in the evening I can finish the chore and don't forget.  

Dinner is usually prepared in the crock pot or is a meal that was made at an earlier date, had been frozen, was thawed during the day and just needs to be re-heated.  I keep things simple during the week and meal planning really helps with that.  I don't have to worry about what is for dinner.  I already know.  It is just a matter of pulling it out of the fridge, freezer or pantry and get it started before I head to work.  If I want a fresh loaf of bread for dinner, I start it in the bread machine before I leave and I return to wonderful aroma and warm bread, fresh from the machine.  

So far, this schedule has been working well.  I would like to add this idea of Cluttered Mama's.  She has a checklist for keeping the house clean in under 30 minutes a day.  I could squeeze those 30 minutes in during my free block of time or in the evening or I could break it up between the two time slots.  This would free up weekend time quite a bit.  Hmmmm.

Do you work with a schedule or do you just let each day develop as it may?  I would love to hear some other ideas and if they have worked for you.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug ..... between everything else!

Getting Some Stitching Done

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I have been working on this table runner which seems like forever but I am finally starting to make some progress on it.  Once the stitching part of it is done, I would then like to add some patchwork to the back and quilt the whole thing.  I think that would add quite a bit of character to the overall look ... but until then, I stitch away.

Hubby wanted to add another couple of coats of varnish to the old, front steps and deck.  It gets a lot of use and was badly banged up this past winter due to scraping off the ice that had accumulated after some ice storms.

The weather was sunny and pleasant so I grabbed my stitching, a bottle of water, sat and enjoyed a little time visiting with him while he worked and I stitched.  See those two black dots in the sky?  Those were two Canadian geese...they are starting to band together for their long flight south.  

Soon we will not be able to sit outside and soak up all the natural Vitamin D that Mother Nature so generously provides.  Soon the days will be dark and gloomy and the clouds heavy with snow.  Soon the winds will blow, the plow truck will need to be primed, gassed up and ready, scarves, mittens and snow pants will be dug out of the back of the closet.  Soon the the television will be permanently tuned to the weather channel so we can keep an eye and ear for storm updates.  Soon candles, the generator, extra blankets, and board games will be placed in Luke's bedroom for easy access in case a storm hits....but for now, just for now, I will enjoy visiting while sitting, stitching and watching my hubby pluck away at his chore list.  

Have a great weekend and remember to give your loved ones a hug!