October’s Projects

Each week I try to complete a project around the house. It can be a seasonal chore or something that only needs to be done once a month. this month my projects are sorting the playroom toys, cleaning the oven, putting away summer clothes, and shampooing the furniture.

To sort the toys I will use a trash bag a give away box and the dish washer and/or washer. I will pick up ever item and decide which category fits. It go in the trash if it is broken, the give away box if it is still in good shape but no longer enjoyed and to the dish washer or washer if it is staying. Another thing I will do is store seasonal toys.

The reason I do the toys now is because the Ottawa Le Leche League has its Kids Giant Garage Sale This is a great way to to find new homes for items that the children have out grown. The key of course, is to not buy more stuff while you are there! lol

Creating a Home Journal: Step 8 - "Me" Section

n Thursdays I like to schedule "Be Good to Me Time" The idea is to have it be something where I get to relax and de-stress. Let's face it- If mama ain't happy ain't no body happy! lol seriously though, as the mamas we really do set the tone for the home. We have to make a point of taking care of ourselves as we take care of our families. Make a list of things you find pampering and put them in a section of your Home Journal that is just for you. I also use this section to make my wish lists and hobby journals. This section can also be used to track goals and personal projects. Have fun with it! To get you going I have made a list of pamper mission I like to do.

• Arrange for an undisturbed shower or bubble bath
• Girls Night Out/In
• Manicure/pedicure
• Trip to the spa
• Weekly exercise class
• Indulge yourself with a yummy treat and a good book

I hope you get the idea. For more ideas you can visit Flylady's web page.

http://flylady.net/pages/pamper1.asp

Whatever you do, take some time today to do something nice for you!

Thanksgiving Plan 2008 -Part 2

Gathering Week

There are a lot of little things that go into making an extra special Thanksgiving Dinner. Sure there is the meal and really that is all that is required but the extra details can help make the memory even brighter and really that is what life is about isn't it? Making special memories. Putting it all together requires a little planning and that is what I have been doing these last few weeks. I made my plan. Wrote out all the steps I need to take to make it happen. decided the menu, the guest list, the decorations and table setting. One of the important details for me is that all the food right down to the condiments be as fresh as possible and homemade too! I canned pickles, relishes and fruit preserves last week. This week is about gathering any supplies I can. I will get out the linens I want to use, make sure they are clean and in good repair and replace anything that needs it. I will make sure I have all the equipment I need to make the meal and arrange to borrow or buy anything I am missing. I will also gather all the supplies for the center pieces, napkin rings and any other decorations I want to use.

This task is probably the most fun part of the plan because it means the children and I get to go on a walk to gather pine cones, colourful leaves or whatever else strikes our fancy.vI will pack us a lunch to have while we are on out nature walk. We will walk along the Ottawa river where our backdrop will be the gorgeous Gatineau Hills and it is just breath taking! I promise to post pics!

So this is what I am up to this week If any of you are following along with me to I wish a Happy Gathering Week ;)

Thanksgiving Plan 2008 -Part 1

Time to kick off holiday season! In Canada Thanksgiving is the second Monday of October. It is a celebration of the harvest and a time to express ones gratitude. I start preparing 6 weeks a head of time. Each week has a theme assigned to it. They are as follows:

• Week 1:Planning
• Week 2:Canning
• Week 3:Gathering
• Week 4:Decorations
• Week 5:Baking and Cooking
• Week 6:Celebrating

Last week I thought of who I would invite and invited them, planned my menu, made my grocery list and decided how I wanted to set the table. This week is about canning. I actually got a head start because we went Apple picking last weekend. I made apple butter! I must say it turned out very tasty! I made apple pancakes for supper tonight with some of it. I also plan to make some mustard pickles and zucchini relish this week. I use the recipe for my apple butter. from Pick Your Own.org It turned out amazing.

Master Schedule

To help me stay on track with what I need to do in the course of a day I have developed a Master Schedule. I have seen other post about using this and wondered if it would work at out house. It totally does! It is a guide so there will be some days it isn't followed perfectly. This is a typical day for us though by following this schedule I am less inclined to waste time. I keep this schedule in the front of my Home Journal.

	me	7yearold	3yearold	1yearold
Early Morning	Make breakfast After-meal routine* Empty dishwasher Start dinner in Crock Pot (if needed) Get dressed for the day Make beds and tidy room Start laundry	Eat breakfast After-meal routine*	Eat breakfast After-meal routine*	Eat breakfast
Late Morning	Walk 7 year old to school run errands and/or playdates	Walk to school	Walk 7 year old to school	Walk 7 year old to school
Lunch Time	Make and eat lunch After meal routine	@school	Eat lunch	Eat lunch
Early Afternoon	Finish laundry Sort mail Daily chores Take out recycling Pick 7 year old up from school	@school	play help with recycling	Naptime
Late Afternoon	Make snack Read to children Finish dinner	Eat snack Homework or Listen to story Tidy for dinner	Eat snack Listen to story Tidy for dinner	Eat snack Listen to story Tidy for dinner
Dinnertime	Serve dinner After dinner routine	Eat Dinner After Dinner Routine Time with Daddy	Eat Dinner After Dinner Routine Time with Daddy	Eat Dinner After Dinner Routine Time with Daddy
Early Evening	Supervise children’s bedtime routine QuickTidy the house	Wash For bed put on pajamas Lights out	Wash For bed put on pajamas Lights out	Wash For bed put on pajamas
Late Evening	Time with wonderful Husband Shower or bubble bath Brush Teeth Lay out clothes for next day Read a chapter or two from a good book Lights out	Sleeping	Sleeping	Sleeping

Things for which I am greatful...

The health and happiness of my family
That I am loved
That I love
The bounty of tomatoes, zucchini and peppers I have this year
The sweet smell of my baby`s head
Apple pie.

Routine Adjustment for Today

Saturdays are usually Family Fun Day but I needed a day to regroup and reorganise a few areas in the home. So Daddy will have a fun day with the children while I accomplish this.

I am really not happy with my Paper Handling Center so I want to reconstruct it. This is the place where mail and school communication is sorted. To do this I need to decide an appropriate place for it, then put it together. I am going to use a cart beside the computer in the Home Office I have a cart to store everything I need. By everything I mean the in and out boxes, the supply caddy where I keep pens highlighters stamps paperclips, stationary etc., a calender, an address book, a folder for take out menus, a recycle bin, and trash can. I will also store my Home Journal on the cart.

After I finish the project I want to go through the boys clothes to update the inventory list to reflect culled clothes and add the new additions thanks to a friend passing on some wonderful outfits.

Once I am done all of this I home to pamper myself in some way. I think I will go to the mall and enjoy a nice cup of Timothy's and my new Chatelaine magazine.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Back to Routines!

I am feeling so good about this! I seem to thrive on them. I think the children do too. I know the house does! lol. Don't get me wrong- I do like spontaneity but I have found that when the routines are in place and the house is in order spontaneous events are more likely to happen. I can decide to invite a friend over without having to worry about the state of the house. We can take off for the day because I have a meal prepped to go into the crock before we leave. We can decide at a moments notice to go for a swim because I have clean towels and out swim suits are folded and in their drawer for when we need them. Such was not the case in the past. The house was a mess so we couldn't have said friend over, The day trip could not happen because I had to figure out dinner or worse I would blow my budget on the takeout we had to order because I had no dinner when we returned etc, you get the picture. Things are far from perfect but very much improved and getting better everyday. I know I am not the most eloquent of writers but by sharing my journey here I keep myself motivated and maybe inspire others to help themselves too.

Coming Soon:

Thanksgiving Day Planning.

Comfort Food

We all have our favourites! Mac and cheese, tomato soup with homemade bread, hamburger casserole, Roast Chicken/beef/pork Dinner, meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, beef stew chocolate pudding (from scratch) are some of mine. With taters and gravy, it is the velvety feel of the food on my tongue and tomato soup and bread has a fragrance that takes me back to lunchtime in my mothers kitchen, Bread and butter pickles do this too.

As the weather is turning cooler I am finding myself craving these things. I am going to be making some of them and posting about them from time to time. Todays recipe is:

Hamburger casserole.

1/2 box of elbow macaroni
salted boiling water
1 pound lean hamburger
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, crush
1 green pepper, diced
12 sliced mushrooms, sliced
1 19 oz tin of tomatoes or equivalent fresh romas.
1 4 oz can of tomato paste.
italian spices salt and pepper to taste.
1 cup of shredded cheddar (optional)

put pasta on to boil.

fry hamburger, onion garlic, mushrooms and pepper until beef is well cooked and onion is translucent

add tomatoes, paste and spices. cook until pasta is cooked, drain pasta and add sauce. stir to coat.

toss with cheese if using.

I serve this in bowls with a salad and garlic bread.