ever need a reboot?

It happens like clockwork.  About twice I year I lose all domestic motivation.  I feel like I drowning in laundry, dishes, messy closets and dirty bathrooms and I can't keep up. Quite frankly I feel like giving up.  A few weeks ago it snuck up on me and I was once again drowning.  I recognized it right away and honestly went with the flow, let it runs it's course and I'm back to being a domestic and happy mommy once again.  I didn't meal plan, hardly grocery shopped, ate quite a few meals out, and apologized to my husband a lot.  He gets it - I guess.  Honestly I don't always get it, but maybe he knows this too shall pass.  (we have been married almost 15 years after all!) He reminded me over and over, it's okay - no one's house is perfect.  I love that man.  

Last week was just exactly what I needed.  We spend the entire week as a family. Going here, going there, eating out quite a bit, sleeping in, and I finally feel like the nasty domestically depressed month of March is gone. I'm refreshed, rested, and happy to report that you could eat off of my kitchen floor if you so chose, and wouldn't have to sit on clean laundry if you wanted to watch tv on our couch.  I'm back.  I'm soaking in God's Word and taking it a day at a time.  I think a good way to describe it is I've hit "Reboot" and I'm in the game again. Until November - when it rears it's ugly head once again! :)

(I still have lots of closets and bedrooms to clean, but I'm ready!)

Goals for this week

Every week is different.  One week I am in my groove and the house stays super clean, I keep caught up on laundry, and my children behave.  I love those weeks.  Clean house and clean laundry make me happy!  But the reality is, those beautiful weeks can be followed up with a week where I don't have time or make time to clean the toilets or the shower, or even have the motivation to fold the laundry.  These weeks I find myself more irritable, less patient, distracted with internet and computer.  I'm learning I need to prioritize my time better and not get distracted by so many things.  I also get lazy some days.  It all comes down to how I spend my time.  Do I allow myself to sit and peek at facebook or twitter?  Or do I read a book to my 4 year old?  Do I how on my favorite blog?  Or do I fold and put away one basket of laundry?

Here's my time managing goals for this week to get what needs to be done, done - and also, in turn, allow time with my sweet kiddos who need time with Mommy this summer.  It's a day at a time for me.  One list a day.  I can do this!

• Wake up early.  I need my time in the morning.  I need my coffee, Bible, and a notebook and my time with God before everyone rises.
• Plan my day.  I will sit and plan my days this week.  When I plan ahead to do the laundry and clean the bathrooms I find I'm more likely to stay on track
• Take a nap.  With early rising, I've found I MUST rest for 30 minutes.  If not, mommy is GRUMPY by dinner time! :)  
• Stay offline.  I was lazy and lax last week with my 9 - 9 challenge.  I will, a day at a time, work on staying offline between the hours of 9:00am - 9:00pm.  This is hard for me but a true game changer when it comes to being available for my kids and home.
• Play.  My kids need me this summer.  The days and years go fast.  I'm going to try to stick on schedule and keep up with the housework but also create space for just being together.  Playing. For us this week it's going to be early afternoons of playing together, and I've set aside Thursdays as a day of fun as well.  For me this needs to typically be out of the house time.  I get distracted and start mopping when we should be playing or running around!  So bowling, trips to the park, these are Thursday fun.

Up For the Challenge - 31 days to CLEAN

Just over a year ago I discovered some great women who were regularly blogging and had an incredible online presence and ministry. I was quickly sucked into blog world and began following the energetic and inspiring Sara Mae. I've read her great book 31 Days to Clean but I must admit I read it, was inspired, but didn't put much into practice! In preparation for getting her book ready to publish she is doing an online challenge and I am going to join in. Telling you on here keeps me accountable. It's summer - and I need a new challenge! Find out more here on her blog and let me know if you're joining in!

April Goals

April Goals

Just last night I discovered the blog Biblical Homemaking.  I have loved browsing through Mandy's blog today. I was extremely inspired by her monthly goals that she posts and decided to take her lead and do the same.  Here are my April goals.

do: 

·                     Taxes :( 

·                     Reorganize pantry, including the kids art supplies (this scares me!)

·                     Work out 3 time a week (starting slow and trying to make a goal I can stick with)

·                     Accomplish 1 pin on Pinterest

read:

·                     Ministry of Motherhood – Sally Clarkson

·                     Catching Fire (Book 2 of Hunger GamesJ )

learn:

·                     Memorize Romans 8:1-8

be:

·                     A listener: truly listen to my kiddos when they talk to me.  I am ashamed to admit       frequently get distracted with the computer, etc. that I don’t stop to really listen!

School Morning Rush

I have a love/hate relationship with mornings.  One of my favorite times of day is my 5:30 appointment with God.  Everyone is still asleep and it's just me with my Bible and a hot cup of coffee.  This always helps me start my day on the right foot.  After my quiet time and getting myself ready, it's time to wake the troops.  I have a 6th grader and a 2nd grader and two kiddos still at home.  It amazes me how I can go from calm and peaceful to rushed, barely making it out the door, and frustrated words tend to get spoken.  Once my kids and husband head out the door I don't know how we once again survived the rush!

My 12 year old and I sat down and brainstormed.  How can we make the mornings more peaceful?  We started by making a list of all that had to be done before they left in the mornings.

Our list:
Get dressed
Make Bed
Brush Hair
Belt on
Socks and shoes on
Breakfast eaten
Lunches packed
Teeth brushed
Bag packed
Coat on
Devotions/prayer together
Out the door

We made a morning schedule where we wrote down the time they needed to be out the door and worked backwards figuring out what needed to be done when.  Family devotions was a big thing that usually got shoved aside because of running out of time, and I was happy to see when we scheduled every activity we had time for morning devotions and the kids were ready EARLY!  Yes!  This has worked wonders for us, and has made our mornings much more peaceful and calm.

What do you do to get everyone out the door for school on time? I'd love to hear your ideas!

Dinner Hour Time Saver

I don't know about you, but I can have my kitchen spotless in the morning, and once I even start a little bit of work in the kitchen, it can quickly turn into a disaster area!  Once dinner is done I look at the messy kitchen and sigh thinking about how long it may take to get it back the way it was.  Does anyone else know what I'm feeling?

I have started two new concepts when I cook that have completely changed the stressful dinner hour for me.

1. I make sure I empty the dishwasher of the clean dishes right away every morning.  This allows me to immediately put dishes as we use them throughout the day straight into the dishwasher, keeping my counters clean.

2. BEFORE I start cooking dinner, I fill the sink with soapy water.  As I dirty something it will immediately be put in the dishwasher or in the sink of water.

Keeping my kitchen clean as I cook has totally changed cooking for me.  It may seem silly but it has really helped my stress level before, during, and after dinner.  It takes me WAY less time clean up after we are done eating, and gives me time with my family before the crazy bedtime routines!

What do you do to keep on track of the messy kitchen?

How long do those household chores really take?

Have you ever timed your housework chores? I bet it takes less time than you think! I recently timed myself emptying the dishwasher. 5 MINUTES! That's all it took. After that I starting thinking about all the time I've spent complaining and avoiding emptying the dishwasher. FIVE MINUTES? I can afford that.

Another of my dreaded chores is putting away the laundry.  If you are like me, folded baskets of clean clothes sit by the couch, at the base of the stairs, at the top of the stairs, and in my bedroom before I put them away in the dresser!  Well...I timed myself today while I put away 1 basked.  It took me LESS than 5 minutes!  Alright, maybe I DO have time to put away a load of laundry today.