Category Archives: Lessons

List making goes Techno!!

OK.  I am a list maker.  And I LOVE to check things OFF my list….it makes me feel so accomplished!  I’ve been making them forever and like Kate Wicker, I remember putting “shower” on my list when my kids were small so that I could remind myself that I DID actually DO a lot during the day.  I still make lists, however, with 4 kids getting older and into more activities, additional schedules to juggle, school and sport fees to pay, work schedules, things to be done around the house, etc, etc, etc….(I’m sure you have a similar “list-issue” in your house) it gets quite boggled and I’ve lost SEVERAL lists which does NADA as far as list-productivity goes, so it was with great curiosity I read Dorian Speed‘s article on Catholicmom.com regarding EVERNOTE.  At first, I didn’t quite “get it” and how I would or could use this app.  However, I downloaded it to my MacBook and my phone and let me just say, Holy!!!  Cow!!!  This thing rocks.  Here are a few examples why I find it incredibly useful, maybe you’ll be a convert, too!

  • The app communicates between your PC/Mac/phone, whatev…..if you make a list or tag an article on your home computer and you are away from home, it’s on your phone!  And vice versa.  Ask yourself how many times you’ve “left it at home”.  Too many times to count for me.
  • You can make a list and edit it….
  • You can take a picture and that can be your list
  • You can make folders of lists…..disclaimer here…..I haven’t used this YET, but feel certain I will….Each kid needs their own folder as well as Hubby and I!
  • There’s a cutie little app called Skitch that can be used as well with it…a photo app for screen savers, however, I’ve yet to give it the patience it needs to figure it out…it’s a fun thing, not as much a productivity thing…plus I don’t do a ton of screen savers anyhoo..

A few of the things that have come in handy FOR ME on Evernote that have helped me tremendously:

  • Putting in each boy’s class schedule and teacher for quick access if I need to communicate with the school as well as their Alpha codes
  • A picture of the school calendar to keep track of days off, holidays and early release days….I know, I know, just put it in the calendar…which I do, but I always seem to MISS something somewhere…it’s a cross-check
  • Pictures of freezer recipes for the week.  This made making the grocery list WAAAY quicker  since I didn’t have to flip through the mag to find them, but could just scroll through and find my recipes and ingredients!
  • Soccer schedule and fee calendar, getting those checks in on time….
  • Cheer schedule and snack list—-don’t want to forget MY day for frozen grapes—(next game), lest those cheerleaders be snack-less.

I haven’t convinced my Hubby to use it yet, however, he’s more of a touch it once and deal with it kind of person and I’m a write it down, ponder it, get back to it kind of person.  On the plus side, I’m losing FAR less lists and on Day 2 of school when our sweet 7th grader couldn’t quite remember his class schedule, I just copied it and texted it to him.  Sweeeeeeeet!!!

Ch-ch-ch-changes….

Our fluffy, fatty learned to climb and jump and last night he decided to pull an all-nighter. Cats. Dirty little stay-out!!

Back-to-school always brings a new routine with it and, try as we might, it ALWAYS takes a couple of weeks of tweaking and a TON of patience as we all get in to our new groove.  I’m a structured person and change is rarely easy on me, however, God’s grace can carry us through…..if we let it and so far……so far…..a fairly successful week.  We only have a few binders to purchase and some extra loose leaf paper…not bad, not bad…

1.  Oldest son started high school.  New faces, new classes, taking the bus for the first time EVER and so far….so far…..he only got on the wrong bus the first day (coming home).  Aside from that, it appears his transition–especially the waking @ 5:30 a.m. change, has gone pretty well.

2.  Youngest son’s academic brilliance overshines his common sense on occasion and had a little lapse of such during a rainy afternoon resulting in major miscommunication with Dad.  All ended well, its times like these that I have to keep repeating to myself……he’s only 13, he isn’t using his full brain yet…he’s only 13….it’s painful though.

3.  Oldest daughter forgot her backpack one day BUT remembered her lunch.  Dad to the rescue which meant getting snagged in morning school traffic….GRRRRr…..tweak, tweak, tweak….must get in the habit of remembering all that’s to be remembered…

4.  With rain ALL week long the girls FINALLY had practices last night, so we’ve had mostly all family dinners this week!  Which I love.  And which will also be the biggest challenge for me with these evening practices messing up our dinner schedules, but see how good God is??….he eased me into it this week.  How often do YOU have family dinners??

This puppy is on sale now and has some GREAT dinner ideas….a lovely addition for our weeknight dinners…save money….save time…eat well….I like it, I like it!!

5.  Hubby has taken on the coupon challenge and is in the researching phase (and accumulation phase) of coupons and how to work the sales.  He is a detail guy and has infinitely more patience than I in these matters and I look forward to him steering this ship AND saving us some cash!!!  We’ve reigned in our grocery bill for our family of 6 (2 teen boys included) to roughly $600/mo…but I know we can go lower.  What’s your average??

6.  I finally broke down and bought new sneakers.  My work ones are shot, so I’ll swap out my walking ones for work (not my favorites) and use my new ones for walking.  Broke them in on the track at practice last night….3 miles!!  Nice.  Add to that 2 days at the gym (3 today) and I’m feeling pretty good about this week.  Woop woop!!  Definitely helps to manage the stress level!!

My feet liked these….on sale@ Kohl’s…

7.  Having dinner and a night out with one of my oldest girlfriends tonight and several other high school friends. She’s in town from California and it’s going to be a min-high school reunion!  She and I have been friends since 7th grade!!  It will be fun…but with an early game tomorrow morning this Mama will be home early-ish so I’m not so grumpy tomorrow.  That leaves Hubby on practice drop off/pick up, etc, etc….he’s the Bomb and a Blessing.  Balance.  All Balance.  A constant work in motion, isn’t it??  Have  a great weekend!!

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Parents everywhere breathe a sigh of relief….

Here we go, here we go, here we go…..first day of school pictures!!!

Back to school for us in our neck of the woods…I know some areas wait until after Labor Day but here in the South we like to just barely dip our toes in the school waters and then…..have a little break.  Kinda ease into it…nice and easy like.

Whether you home school or work full-time and farm out the learnin’ to the public and private sector schools, back-to-school time is a grand time indeed.  Don’t get me wrong, I love me some summer-time….and I don’t even GET a summer break.  However, all good things must come to an end and now is the time…..so bring on the paper, pencils, 1-inch binders and glue sticks.  We are ready to get back into the routine of things.  Not as much fun, yet it’s a part of life and we’ll just keep movin’ on and looking back and wondering, “How in the HECK are we back in school ALREADY!?!?”.

 

Summertime and the living is easy….for those who have off that is!

My view from the track for the next few months…BUT….it’s guaranteed cardio, so there’s that!

‘Tis the last week of summer for us and I’m taking off Wed-Fri to chill and occupy the children.  Except that I panicked at the thought of the next 4 months being utterly sucked up by soccer and cheer practice/games and any opportunity of any travel outside of games is POOF, gone, so I decided to make an somewhat-impromptu visit to see my girlfriend in Atlanta.  Taking my girls, of course.  (the boys aren’t interested…they are too cool for that, besides her boys won’t be there…)

what bored soccer players do at cheer practice…

It will be a busy few days, because that’s how I roll….all busy and hectic and such…it’s black and white with me sometimes–ok mostly.  Balls to the wall busy or slug.

Anyway, possibly a day trip to Gainesville to see my pregnant friend before she enters the world of 4 kiddos, birthday skateboard shopping for our almost 15-year-old!  WHhAaTt?!??!?!  Meet the teachers.  Pick up middle schooler’s schedule/locker/etc.

But first….let me get my arse off the chair and get ready to GO VOTE!

Have a great day and hopefully will have some fun stuff for you at the end of the week!

Ciao!