Updating When I'm Going Nowhere

So I'm off track...big time...there are more projects getting added every day and "things" are piling up.  I decided to try to get back on my blogging schedule this week and so here I am blogging on Month by Month.....but what do you say when you are "stuck"? I decided to take a look at the list I put up last month!  P stands for a partially met goal and the X is accomplished.

[ P] Meet the 1000 words a day challenge for writing my book, The Birthing Tree.

[P ] Add weekly posts to the Soul Musings-52 Weeks book

[  ] Stick to the blogging schedule each week

Home Projects:

[  ] Tear up carpet in hallway and lay tile

[  ] Office Makeover project (this is a huge one)

[  ] Laundry room redo (another biggie)

[X] Finish patio project behind garage (Met except for pea gravel)

[ P] Finish corner garden

[X] Do the garden table(s)

[P] Finish fairy gardens in front beds and pot on front porch

Other

[P] Get creative again....do anything!

 [  ] Write and keep to monthly life goals

Things that weren't on the list that I did....

1. Cleaned linen closet
2. Sorted my jewelry
3. Cleaned front porch
4. Started taking down wallpaper border in kitchen
5. Sort three bins of toys in basement and took to Agape (like Goodwill)
6. Cleaned my closet and dresser drawers (purged stuff)

When I actually look at the list I start to realize that I have made progress. It's not perfect...its sort of messy...but hey I am getting there!  Obviously I am keeping the list for June. Now back to work!

Family Organizer for Computer and Cell Phone

 

I wanted to share with you this app I have started using. It's really an awesome resource.  I currently have the free version and of course you get a few more bells and whistles with the paid one but even the free version is great.

 

Your same calendar is displayed on both your computer and phone so you can check whichever is the easiest for you. Another plus is that if you do the Fly Lady approach to cleaning, you can install the calendar from her site and it will have all the zones and missions listed for the week on your calendar. :)  If you don't want those on yours then register for it on the Cozi site or the app store on your phone.  It will look like the version above without the zones.

 

 

This is a screen shot of my phone showing the daily calendar. I just use the Groceries section for my list of things I want to purchase (soon). You could use it for your grocery list I just don't. When you click on the zones you can see the detailed version of the zone and the daily mission. You can also add appointments and reminders also.

 

 

Here's the weekly view and you can scroll down for the rest of the week.

 

The computer version has a section for menu planning that I don't see on the phone version and that's a pretty nice section too if you want to get away from paper and pencil menu planning. You can share the calendar with family members so they can access it also. Not sure if that is only on the paid version as I just wanted the calendar for myself not everyone in my family!

 

Anyway it's called Cozi and you should check it out at Cozi.com

 

 

The Great Grocery Challenge Week 2

What do you consider a "savings"?  Do you need it to be a dollar or change or at what point do your "saved" amounts to something?  The Great Grocery Challenge is something I've been doing for a few years now. It's my own little "hobby"  Some of my friends think I'm a bit crazy because I get excited about savings and it doesn't have to be a huge amount. Some think that clipping coupons is just too much work for the "savings" that you get. It's a game to me. It's a challenge and I like "beating" the grocery store mega-beast!

This week I added another little weapon to my arsenal. Ibotta. Everyone has been talking about it and I've seen it in ads and on Facebook but I'd never taken the time to investigate it. Well its worth the look.

By the way if you happen to decide to check it out I would love if you would use my referral code when you register for Ibotta. It is lwadxwc  I invite you to join my team and together we can save money. Go to your smart phone apps and type in Ibotta. It's free and if you use my referral code when you register we can be on the same team and as our team saves money we get bonuses and save even more! It's CASH back and you can still use your regular coupons too.

Here's how this weeks savings stacked up:

Justin's employee discount: 11.05
Paper coupons: 19.27
Ibotta rebates: 5.25
Extra Ibotta bonuses: 2.50

Total= 38.07

Now 7.75 of that is actual cash back. After you accumulate 5 dollars on Ibotta you can send it to your Paypal account where it's just like cash! You can also use it to buy gift cards.  When you look at it and there are little "pay offs" like 25 cents or 50 cents you might think why bother but it adds up quickly just like a change jar!

Happy Savings!!

Bikes, Books, and Balance

Let me just tell you technology is a whole lot easier than living life.  I started out yesterday with a 40 minute bike ride which took me 20 minutes to recover from. My goal is to ride my bike every Tuesday and Thursday mornings so I plotted out a course and off I went.

 

Yes this is the bike I received as  gift at my retirement party. I rode it a lot in May but not so much in June what with being gone to Alaska. So anyway....off I went.

 

Let me tell you I am either going to conquer that hill or it's going to kill me. Ok let's be honest, it isn't even a hill, but it is a slow steady LONG incline. And about half way up it on the third round of the course it feels like Mount Everest.

 There are two smaller inclines on the course also. Some asked why I would do the course three times rather than making a longer route. They want to know if I get tired of the same scenery. What scenery?  I'm so busy concentrating on pedaling and breathing I don't have time to be looking at scenery. I will conquer this course and then in  September plot a different one with perhaps some scenery. Maybe I'll be ready for scenery in September I don't know. LOL

We spent part of No Technology Tuesday with my in laws. Evan is doing No Tech with me and so he didn't bring his Kindle, instead he played with his water gun, picked things from the garden with grandpa and worked on a Lego set. After lunch we headed back to Warrenton for the library program. Evan wanted to know if a movie is technology because this weeks program was a movie day at the library. We had already decided NOT to include TV in the No Tech day but rather to try and limit it those days. I browsed though the books and picked out a couple. The movie was an hour and a half long so I read (and let's be honest RESTED) while Evan went into the movie room for the showing.

Like I said No Technology is exhausting me...

What did I miss on No Technology Tuesday?  The thing I missed the most was not Facebook, not my Kindle, not even Google. What I missed most was texting. It's not even that I text that much but just having the phone there as a "life line" to people, to schedule daily plans, to check on things. I called my friend in the evening just to chat and I joked that Facebook was "happening without me and what if I was missing something" Well guess what...whatever I missed is still there today, in my newsfeed, waiting.

While I missed texting the most I think my smart phone is actually the most time consuming "tech" I have. Old phones, not so much, but the new smart phones are phones, cameras, internet, Facebook, games and all sorts of other distracters. When one gets a bit bored, they simply pick up their phone. It's a blessing and a curse. But what if when people got bored that got creative instead? Creative in what they do. Rather than picking up a phone what if they told family stories, painted, journaled, played games, took walks and just "mused".

I just asked Evan what he missed most on No Tech Tuesday and he said he really didn't miss that much and it wasn't that hard to do because he had a Lego set to work with. There were a few times I'm sure he really wanted to get on his Kindle but when that wasn't an option he found something else to do.  I'm actually kind of surprised he didn't whine or complain but he didn't even asked to get on it as he was busy with other things which is the whole point. There are other things to do.  He has agreed to participate again in No Tech Tuesday next week....but he thinks No Tech Thursday is just too much. LOL so we will see.

It's all about balance. Technology itself is neither good nor bad and NO I am not getting rid of my smart phone. However, even when we cease to do No Tech Tuesdays I will continue to strive to have more balance and a little less technology in my day. This will happen naturally for Evan as school starts in a few weeks. But even then his mom has told him he is not going to be on his Kindle all evening at home!

I'd love for you to join me for No Tech Tuesday next week and share your experience with me here at Month by Month or over on Facebook.

Delays, Doctors, and Sideways Days

I thought I better get a quick post up because tomorrow is No Technology Tuesday. Honestly today was VERY little technology Monday. I started out the day with a list, revised it like four times and ended up tired and ready for bed. Like RIGHT NOW but like I said....wanted to get my writing bug out of my system so I'm not tempted tomorrow. My friend Cresia says I'm never going to make it......Cresia.....this is what I'm telling myself.....

 

Any way....updates.....

 

I started out great sticking to blogging and breakfast first thing on Monday morning, although my Great Alaska Adventure post took longer than I thought it would. I started some laundry so still on the right track. Then Cresia texted to say she was at school and so I could bring Evan up to look round Warrior Ridge Elementary (because he's changing buildings this year)

 

 

Since that took us till almost lunch time, Evan and I decided to have lunch with Cresia at Wendy's. Then while we were eating Stacie called and wanted to bring us by a little gift. So I mean who can say no to that?

 

 

Aren't they sweet....she couldn't get the machine to make one with Cresia's name so had to go with her last name... :)

 

Then we started talking about cakes and Evan was full of questions about what the cakes were so then I had to take him by the courthouse to see the Warren County cake.

 

 

Finally back home, Katie picked Evan up for a doctor's appointment so I was thinking maybe I'd get back to working the plan. Nope!  She called and because Evan has been running a fever off and on for the last six weeks the doctor was sending him for more blood tests (already had a round of them a month ago) and Evan wanted me to go with him. So really what else can you do when your grandson needs some reassurance. So off we went to the lab to get blood drawn.

 

 Back home, went to the gym to work out then dinner and then time to pick Evan up from vacation bible school which I'd already "promised" to do.

 

A "sideways day" ...but one well spent. We always have choices about the way we spend our time and sometimes a sideways day...can be no other way.

 

 

 



No Technology Tuesdays or Thursdays

I've been thinking a lot about technology lately. It's great! I love smart phones, and computers and my brand new Kindle HDX but I've also started to question just how much of my life, my relationships, my goals, my brain power are sucked up by technology. We go out with friends and spend time checking messages, posting on Facebook and taking pictures with our phones. Are we spending so much time with technology that we aren't "living life"?  Is it bordering on an addiction?

Last night I went out with friends and I made a conscious decision to "stay off my phone". I only checked and responded once to a text about my grandson being sick. It felt weird, it felt different, it felt liberating!

I've been working my "July Plan" and I am realizing just how much time I waste procrastinating with Facebook, games, and yes even blogging. So that made me decide to go "technology free" on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That includes Facebook, the phone, the computer and the Kindle. I'll check text at lunch and once in the evening. That's it. If someone needs me....I will still answer the phone. I also haven't include TV on my no technology list. Heck TVs been around so long its hardly considered technology any more but I do plan on keeping it off as much as possible on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This is an experiment. I want to see if I can reclaim time to do all those other things I keep saying I want to do, like ride my bike, work out at the gym. read a book, paint, listen to music, work in my flowerbeds, bake bread, make strawberry jam, etc. etc.  I want to see if I actually "listen" to people more.

I encourage you to try the experiment with me. Unplug from technology on Tuedays and/or Thursdays!

PS: You might see blog posts on Tuesdays and Thursdays because I can write and "schedule them" to post even when I am not actually on the computer those days. 

Washing Machines, Weeds, and Why I Get Sidetracked

It's Monday right? So according to my wise and wonderful July plan I should have moved out two bags of trash/donations, worked on paperwork for fifteen minutes and accomplished at least half a dozen other things.  Well........

 

Sideways days.....that's why I always get sidetracked. First of all the washing machine has not been working and today we finally got around to having it looked at. It's DEAD. They hauled it away so now there is a gaping empty spot in the laundry room that needs cleaned and readied for a new machine. (Which of course we will go get tomorrow....which means Tuesday will be a sideways day too!

 

 

Then while they were hauling the machine out and I was standing in my front yard I couldn't bear the sight of the weeds overtaking my front flower bed so I started pulling those, Hey at least it's something off the July plan (listed under seasonal chores).

 

 

I refuse to let those obstacles (that I call sideways days) prevent me from my goal!  So tomorrow will be a new washing machine, paper sorting, and other manner of productive work!

Witches Night Out

October 13th was the Witches Night Out festival in Kimmswick Missouri. I can not believe how many witches showed up for the festival!

Some were VERY creative witches indeed. Here are the Four Seasons witches....


Or this awesome Cardinals witch!

Invitation

Would you like to see the whole set of Summer menu plans?  Would you like to follow along with others as they work the Holiday Grand Plan, Houseworks Holiday Plan or Christmas Countdown?  Would you like to share tips and ideas with others as they declutter and organize?

Here are two ways you can do so:

Join the Magical forums of Magical Holiday Home.

or

Join the Month by Month Facebook group

Wild Card Wednesday: My Memories Suite

My Memories Suite software is a digital scrapbooking product that allows you to create colorful and attractive digital scrapbooks in a snap. The downloadable software includes a variety of papers, premade albums, and a create your own album feature where you can let your creativity run wild!

Here's a screen shot of one of the Christmas albums that are included in the basic software. To the right is the edit and create keys that allow you to manipulate the page, change colors and font, etc. There are five or six basic pages in this particular album but you can make as many of each page as you wish so your album can be any number of pages!

As I am just starting to work with the software there's still a lot to learn about the possibilites. Quite by accident I discovered that you can customize the pages by deleting, adding, or moving the elements on the page. So even though each page contains certain elements, such as the snowflakes in this album, you can move them around, resize, etc to make a variety of "new" pages.

This is the page where I accidently deleted an image and had to re add it and discovered the endless possiblites within My Memories Suite.  I'm still learning all the ins and outs but I will post some additional page shots and tips as I create more!

When I learned about this digital scrapbooking software I wanted to try it out for another purpose besides scrapbooking. My goal is to create party printables!  Theme party printables are all over Pinterest and look so cute. Here are some party printables I created prior to getting My Memories Suite. I'll be posting some ideas for using the software to create party printables in the coming weeks along with pics of what I created so stay tuned!

I mentioned earlier that I will be having a blog giveaway and some lucky reader will WIN a FREE download of the My Memories Suite software.  I'll post the Giveaway post next Wednesday so be sure and check back. In the meantime head over to My Memories Suite and check out their products. Please note my discount code at the top right side of Month by Month. When you use the code to purchase the software you save $10.00. It's simple to use during the checkout process!

I'm super excited to continue to explore my software and see what I can come up with!

Month by Month 2012

As you can see from the 2012 posts so far...decluttering ....is going to be a major focus here at Month by Month. You'll be seeing a weekly post every Monday about decluttering. Sometimes it will be an update on how things are going at my house, sometimes it will be a decluttering tip or idea, sometimes it will be a declutter link party, where I'll share with you blogs and sites that have great ideas and goodies to share about decluttering, Hopefully the Monday post will help us start the week with a bit of declutter motivation!

Wednesdays will be focused primarily on planning, cleaning, and organizing. I'd like to fine tune the Monthly Magic a bit because it seems a tad overwhelming. I think it's a great concept but time for some revision and overhaul! On Wednesdays we will also look at organizing tips, progress monitoring, daily and weekly schedules, and sometimes have a P.C.O. link party! 

Friday's will be Frugal Fridays and they will be posts that include a frugal mindset, repurposing things in your home, flea market finds, budgeting, simple dollar store crafts, simple recipes, and couponing ideas!

At times there may be other posts on other days but my goal for 2012 is to post here ar least three times a week!  I need to keep on track and the best way to do it is to share my plans and ideas with all the Month by Month readers!

I know it's Wednesday so consider this my Declutter Club Monday post....it's all about decluttering my thinking and getting back on track blog wise!!

Declutter Club Update Week One

I managed to get through the first seven things on the declutter calendar this week. Sometimes when I have the time I just do two or three from the week in a row because I know there will be another day where it is difficult to get to them. One of the items was to declutter spices. My spice cabinet is always a mess and I can never find anything without digging. I thought about getting some plastic baskets to sit the spices in but then I rememberd I had a couple of old wooden boxes that might work!

It's too early to tell if this will work well or not but the idea is I can just pull the boxes out and look for a spice, select what I want and then pop them back in the cabinet.  Later on I want to use a black marker on the caps that are not black and write the spice name on the top so I can see it when I look at the tops of them in the box!

I also managed to work on my major focus area this month....the laundry room. I donated one big bag of clothes to AGAPE and threw away one big bag that were just too old and worn to do donate! There's still more to do in the laundry room because I need to catch up on laundry and find some way to store some of the remaining clothing!

So far, 2012 Delcuttering Club is off to a great start!!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Month by Month readers.....spring is here and I'm in the cleaning and blogging mood. But first I pause to celebrate the most amazing day of the year!!

Holiday Grand Plan: Week One

Week One of the Holiday Grand Plan focuses on Lists and the Front Porch. Well I'm a list maker so the list part was pretty much done before the week started. I have a small front porch so I also included my two front flower beds in my Week One plans.

I'm making good progress (yes I know the week is technically over)! I still plan on finishing off about three or four things on the list tomorrow but I am happy with my week one progress. I manged to week and transplant plants, paint a wire basket for pumpkins and gourds, put away some pots and gardening things that had been "hanging out" on the front porch,  and put in some new solar lights. Tomorrow I will finish up by mopping, cleaning cobwebs and washing the siding on the front of the house. I will also look through fall decor for two signs/wreaths or some fall items to hang on the two hooks that are on the front porch!  I still need to find a new door mat.  All in all...a SUCESSFUL WEEK ONE!!

Being Inspired

Work is here ....again but I'm determinjed to keep up my declutter, book purge, and other "projects" that will just make my life easier.

I'm headed out on one last short trip of the summer before really being "grounded". I'm leaving for Houston Saturday and will be gone until Thursday. After that my focus turns almost completely to home, budget, and holiday prep.

I was inspired by looking at some great blogs about turning junk and dollar store finds into home decor and/or gifts. Some of the things were just sweet and are items I would love to display. I have one little project in mind for when I get back from my trip but I also need to remind myself that I'd be able to do more of them....and enjoy displaying them if I can get clutter under control. So the little junk/dollar decor projects are going to be my inspiration. After I make progress.....declutter another shelf of books, take a boxc or bag to Goodwill, clean out a drawer or cabinet. I am going to reward myself with some creative fun. And of course I'll share it all with you here at Month by Month.

So stay tuned for inspiration and housework!!

Writing, Blogging, and Housework

I'm working on too many projects at once! Well, what's new. That seems to be the story of my life. This summer is a great example....trip 1, trip 2, trip 3, and about to go on trip 4. As each trip rolled around, I've enjoyed it very much but for awhile there juggling all the plans and budgeting was a bit crazy...

So it is with writing, blogging, and housework. Today I've spent a great deal of my morning working over at Magical Holiday Home. I have been organizing and adding new materials. One of my goals is to get each of the "special day" pages written into a framework that I can follow each year. So far, I've completed Rudolph Day and Great Pumpkin Day. It was a bit of up front work but I think it will help me a lot. It clears the clutter of all the possibilites from my mind and allows me to see a small piece of the big puzzle.

Next on my "to do list" for Magical Holiday Home is to re-work the Monthly Magic pages. they have been up almost three years now and after working with them I feel like they are a bit cumbersome. So the goal is to get them ready for 2011. I'm not changing them too much but streamlining and simplifying the lists. They will also have a section that goes hand in hand with Rudolph Day and the other "special days" so I can't really finish this item until I finish those pages.

Here on the home front...today is dishes and laundry day....so off the computer and into the real world....it awaits and if I ignore it...it will only become a monster of a mess and take twice as long!

Merry Christmas in July

Hello, Month by Month readers....Today is Christmas in July....after this....the holidays will get here quickly! There's lots to do her at Ginger's House....(lol) but today is my day off. And even as a day off I'll still be doing a few things! But after getting ready for our party yesterday...I am rewarding myself with a little "day off".

My list for today:

1. Grocery Shopping
2. Clean up after party mess...mostly trash and putting stuff away.

That's it!

I hope to hop into the Christmas Chats over at the Merry forums later today. Several of the members of the Merry Network are working on a site called rudolphday.com I hope you will check it out...it is still "evolving" but I think we will follow the year round prep framework from Magical Holiday Home plus others will be posting decor ideas, traditions, recipes, and crafts.

MERRY CHRISTMAS in JULY and HAPPY RUDOLPH DAY!

Not So Funny

So...the frog is loose...somewhere in this house...but I can't find him!

My son said I should loosen the lid because he was thinking he might not have enough air. So I left it sitting on the table in the livingroom with a block on top of the lid. Evidently, our cat Snickers knocked it over and now I can't find him. I suppose she might have eaten him but I would have thought there would have been some evidence of that. She was also looking under the dry sink when I came into the room. I've moved it out and looked but I don't see him. He might be crawled up side the piece of furniture but I don't feel like taking the drawers out to check right now...ugggghhhh!!!

Now I'm afraid to sit down in there....in case he hops out and scares me!!

A Little Funny

So I had put a white trash can out on the patio and decided to bring it inside to use in another spot. It had water in it from the recent rain so I drained the water out and brought the trash inside to empty into an large trash bag I was using.

When I emptied the trash into the bag a piece of trash flew out. When I bent over to pick it up...it hopped away. Oh dear me....a tree frog. I wasn't wearing my glasses so I had just thought he was a piece of trash. I had to quickly find a jar and chase him around the house till I managed to snag him! I'm going to save him until Evan gets here this evening so he can see him and then I'll release him!

Outdoor Living Spaces

This summer has not been kind as far as outdoor living spaces but I'm hoping for a kinder autumn. I did manage to finish weeding the flowerbed behind the garage and worked on the bed in the front....at least it is coming along nicely...it is about half finished...I need lots more plants but I knew when I started that I would need to add plants a few each year. Mulching is also never ending in such a big space but what I have planted...I have mulched. I will just plan to cover with cardboard this fall what I don't get mulched so I won't have to reclaim it from the weeds next spring!

I always have lots of outdoor plans and never quite seem able to pull them off. Time and consistency...and money are the main villians. Working on it a little at a time does make a big difference though. By working about and hour to an hour and a half each morning this week I have made tons of progress. Gardens are ongoing projects and as such I have to keep reminding myself of that!

With work starting back up, I am planning to devote an hour or so on Saturday mornings to the front beds and the same on Sunday mornings to the back beds. The area behind the garage with the bed....I envision using some patio stones to create a little nook for relaxing. We don't have a lot of shade but this area is shaded by the garage and our house for a good part of the morning and some of the evening...so it would be a cute little corner. It would allow me to enjoy the planting I have in that bed also. I have a start with some of the stone work but there's lots more to do. Again it is one of those projects I will have to work on bit by bit.

I am learning more and more to be patient and to rejoice in the little progress I do make. It't tempting to give up or get frustrated when there's lots to do..so I always need pep talks!