Routines

One thing I need to work on is having a consistent morning and evening routine. It helps the day to run much smoother. Here is a basic routine that, if followed, helps my days to go well.

Morning Routine

Feed Cats

Quiet Time

Exercise

Shower

Make Bed

Breakfast

Cat box

Start laundry



Evening Routine

Pick up downstairs

Kitchen check & clean if needed

Set up coffee pot

Read

Check calendar & menu

Catch up checkbook

Get to bed by 11 pm

Menu Plan Monday - Jan 19 Edition

One of my goals for the new year is to use my time more wisely. I am hoping that planning menus will help me to accomplish this goal.

Monday: Martin Luther King Jr., Bday – No school/Plan School Day
Jake works 7 – 12
Tuna Noodle Casserole/peas

Tuesday: Inauguration – Take cats to vet
Italian Dressing Chicken, Boiled Potatoes, Carrots

Wednesday: Take mom Shopping
Jake Works 7 – 12?
Spanish Rice/green beans
Life Group

Thursday: Josh/Ben - Dentist
Go visit Grandma
Oven Fried Chicken, baked potatoes, carrots
(Turkey Tetrazzini for dinner @ grandmas)

Friday: Baked Ziti, Salad, Garlic toast

Saturday: Cook Breakfast or have Jake cook
Pancakes, sausage, applesauce

Out with the Old in with the New - 2009

Reading several blogs and chatting with my daughter and friends has caused me to consider my goals for the new year. I have not firmed them up yet, but here is a partial list of what I hope to accomplish in the new year.

- Grow to know Jesus in a deeper fuller way. - Unfortunately this one is hard to measure but I plan to do this by having more consistent bible study and prayer time. I started by reading one of the gospels and am now reading through the gospel accounts as presented in the Chronological Bible - NIV. I hope to gain a new perspective of Jesus through some of the books I read as well. I will also start a new prayer journal to keep track of how my prayers are answered.

-Use my time more productively by establishing a better morning routine and evening routine.

- Read at least 6 worthwhile books this year. The Headmistress of The Common Room is challenging herself to read 12 worthwhile books this year - you can read about her challenge here. I haven't figured out all of the books I would like to read but here are the first few on my list. My list may not measure up as worthwhile in other peoples minds, but I see something worthwhile in them for me:

The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey

The Last Sin Eater by Francine River

Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained by John Milton

Great ExpectionsGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens

- Gain some sense of Health - both Physical and Spiritual

On the physical side I plan to start by moving my body each day and drinking more water each day and I spoke to the Spiritual side on the first goal I listed above.

- I want to declutter my house this year. Coffeemama at Our Blue Castle has blogged about her goal in this area here and I want to come up with a similar plan to divide up my house into bite sized pieces to accomplish this goal.


I actually started this post the first week in January and am just now getting back to it. I have been following through on some of my goals and need to work more on others. I will post on my progress in a later post.