By Sun and Candlelight

Some Thoughts on the Weekly Routine

Some from me, and some from Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House (one of my favorite domestic how-to books). I must admit I've not read the whole book - which is exceedingly thorough - but I have a special fondness for the first chapter in particular. It's entitled, "Easing into a Routine," and I've read and re-read this section so many times, my book is now falling apart ...

"For at least a hundred years and probably much longer, the heart of housework was a weekly routine that assigned each of the major housekeeping chores to one day of the week. You see variants of the routine, but in my childhood people did washing (laundering) on Monday, ironing on Tuesday, sewing on Wednesday, marketing on Thursday, cleaning on Friday, and baking on Saturday. Sunday was the day of rest. For those of us who can remember the universality with which this system was followed through the mid-1960s, or even later in some areas, the speed and totality of its disappearance are breathtaking."

I do start my laundries on Monday (I say start, because I never finish in one day) but I neither iron nor sew. (At least, not with any regularity or skill.) Bill takes his work clothes to an environmentally-friendly dry cleaner and if we need something sewn ... well, I go to my mum, lol. I do do my major marketing on the weekend (when I can go sans children) but I'm starting to really dislike my whole Saturday "running errands" routine. It just takes up too much of our family weekend time, and by the time I get home I'm exhausted. I'd like to change things up a bit and do my marketing mid-week if possible.

As for Friday cleaning, this makes sense because I like to get the house ready for the weekend - for potential/spontaneous entertaining and hopefully lots of family relaxation. (Though in reality, I spread my cleaning out because A. we're home much of the week so I actually can clean a little each day and B. we're home much of the week so we do tend to make messes each day!) Saturday baking is a wonderful idea - you'll have something lovely to serve with Sunday Dinner of perhaps after church, and hopefully there will be some nice baked goods for breakfasts and lunches through the upcoming week. I bet if I give up my Saturday errands I'd have more energy for baking!

Ms. Mendelson goes on to further discuss the weekly routines ...

"But there is still room in the home for a weekly housekeeping routine, and I strongly recommend you devise one for yourself. This is the main thing you can do to make your home work well. Your list of weekly chores will still include marketing, house-cleaning, laundering, and sometimes, ironing. However, in place of a sewing day, you might have a day for doing odd jobs, such as mending, sewing on buttons or hemming, cooking ahead food for freezing, paying bills or balancing your checkbook. You may also want a "minicleaning day," or a day on which you do an abbreviated version of your regular housecleaning. This is a particularly good idea for households that are very active or in which there are children, pets, allergies, or other situations that might make extra cleaning desirable."

(Not to mention, necessary!)

Ok, so there's some food for thought! I thought I might post quotes from favorite housekeeping books every so often. I happen to love reading these books, and often find myself inspired and invigorated after soaking in these little nuggets of wisdom. :)

I'd love to know what your favorite homekeeping resources are ... please leave a comment below, if you have the time!

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Well, my friends, we've got a busy day ahead of us, but I'll try to pop back in again later today. Till then, have a good one!

See you again very soon ...

❤

Kitchen Cabinets & Pantry Shelves

Wednesdays are my usual "kitchen days," but I actually worked a little on my pantry yesterday. I was looking for the nutmeg (for a soup I was starting in the crockpot), and not only could I not find it, but things just kept falling out or tipping over and then I noticed the oregano had spilled everywhere ...

So I decided it was time to do a little sorting!

First, I took everything out and grouped things in general piles, and then I vacuumed out the cabinet thoroughly. Next, I turned my attention to the piles ...

Old things went out (and oh my goodness there were some very old things), and overstock got moved downstairs the the big pantry. The rest of the stuff I moved back into the cabinet, as neatly as possible. Now this particular cabinet is situated to the left of our stove and it's what I'd call our "main" cabinet, housing the items we use everyday: coffee and tea supplies, baking goods and pasta-related things.

So here's a little tour ...

First up, bottom left shelf - baking goods:

Decorative toppings and chocolate chips, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and other most commonly used spices. The pull-out drawer seen at the very top of this photo holds seasoning packets and decorating supplies like food dye and gels.

Next shelf up, savory spices:

Whole things like nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, and star anise, etc. Then, in back of the savory spices I have all the flavored extracts, save vanilla. The vanilla is up front in the lower right shelf - I use it so often I need it quite handy. 

This shelf also holds our salt/pepper, cocoa, instant coffee (for baking), honey and favorite tinned teas. In the roll-out rack just above, there are two containers of frequently used tea (black, regular).

Just above that shelf, we have prepared foods, jarred sauces and pastas ...

As well as the cooking spray and coffee beans.

The top shelves are for less frequently used items ...

Extra pasta, sauce-making things, pickling spices and preserves.

And to the left, bottled things like Worcestershire, sesame oil, rose water, molasses, minced garlic, etc. 

And since I was moving all this stuff downstairs, I figured it was a good time to neaten the "big" pantry ... which is really just a hodgepodge of shelving at the bottom of our stairs.

The lighting isn't great, so these photos are dark ...

On top of these cabinets, I have two open bins - one holds energy bars and hot cereal packets and the other contains an assortment of herb teas. These are easy to reach from the steps and so handy when someone needs to grab a power bar or if I have people over and want to offer a variety of tea.

This is just an old bookcase fitted into a space where a freezer used to be. I really want to replace that old freezer and move the shelves just around the corner. If we get a stand up, that is, rather than a chest freezer. (Still debating that point ...)

Collected here are also random kitchen appliances like the bread machine, foodsaver, ice cream maker, etc. And for some reason, a folding tray, lol.

So there you have it! It's not as organized as it should be, but at least now it's a bit neater!

***

Well, my friends, I hope you're having a good week! Thanks for stopping by today ... I'll be back here again very soon!

:)

How Many Tools Do You Use?

When it comes to managing your time, household and family?

You all know it's no secret I love planners. I'm forever talking about them, tweaking them ... tempting myself with new ones. And I'm always curious about other people's planners - specifically, what they look like, and how they use them. And this is what I've been thinking about recently ... about the tools I use and the methods I follow. My "domestic management system" if you will. :)

{tools + methods = system}

But most of all, I'm thinking about how I can simplify it all!

It would be super convenient to have ONE THING that manages EVERYTHING, but I just can't make that happen. That "thing," whatever shape it took, would just be too big and unwieldly. That said, I feel like I may have too many tools currently in use.

I'm wondering then, as my title suggest, how many tools do you use? What do you use to keep up with - and track of - your domestic duties?

 The tools I have "in play" right now are as follows:

Homekeeping Binder

Yearbook Binder

Months @ a Glance Calendar Binder

Weekly File Folders

(a MomAgenda - which is kind of on standby)

Daybook/Homekeeping Blog

Daily Chore Cards

Marketing Binder

Curriculum Binder

Clippings Journal

In-Basket

Reading Basket

Financial Drawer

Correspondence Drawer

Recipe File Drawer

Household File Drawer

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(Am I forgetting anything? I probably am. I'm looking all around my home office right now, reminding myself what's what ...)

Now, I highlighted the "weekly file folders" in magenta because these are my favorite tools of all. (And the color matches my new banner, lol.) I'll pin most of my planning onto these folders once I figure out how.

Well friends, I'm going to end this post here because A. it's all I have time for, and B. this is more or less, step one, and, C. I'm trying to make my posts a little more manageable these days. (In other words, not so wordy!)

So have a great Wednesday night ... we're keeping things simple here on the supper front, as I just noted in my homekeeping blog. As I was cleaning out the fridge today I realized we had a LOT of leftovers to use up ... so the chicken pesto pasta will have to wait for tomorrow and tonight will be a little mix of this and that. :)

See you all again very soon!

❤

Tuesday Tidbit: On Housekeeping

Good afternoon, everyone!

Wow, has my day ever been busy so far! I feel like I've barely had a minute to think. Well, that's not entirely true ... I did have my chance. Crackerjack had an orthodontist appointment this morning, which went rather long (as these things tend to do) and so I got to sit (SIT!) and just relax. So I perused their extensive magazine selection, and once I'd exhausted that, I dug into the book I had stuck in my bag ... The Apron Book, which I mentioned to you all yesterday. And as I really enjoyed this particular quote, I thought I'd share it today with my readers:

Everything in Its Place

You can say what you want about housework - dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and so forth - but besides having dinner together every night, there's nothing more valuable to a household than order. A tidy home provides structure for family life and an oasis from the chaos of daily living. And these sorts of household chores keep us in touch with our possessions, ideally in a constant state of measuring their value in our lives. Housekeeping chores are made for divvying up among family members - cleaning gets done more quickly, everyone is invested in the care of the home, and good habits are established and shared all the way around.

That said, white-glove tests and the like have no place in busy, happy homes. Schedule top-to-bottom, inside-out housecleaning for twice a year, in springtime, and then again in the fall. And in the meantime, just be systematic and efficient, addressing a small handful of straightforward chores every day (say, kitchen and bathroom cleanup, and a daily sweep for surface clutter) and keeping larger chores few and simple and less frequent (dusting, vacuuming, or laundry, for example). 

I love reading such a positive, practical attitude toward housekeeping! Especially when it's expressed so eloquently. We all have to do it - keep house that is, in some form or another - so we might as well try to appreciate its value. (And think of ways to make it easier!)

Well my friends, the afternoon's ticking on, and I must be off ... but I want to thank you all for sharing your "apron thoughts" with me in yesterday's post. I'm having such fun reading through them. :)

See you all again very soon!

❤

Stressed over Dinner?

So here's a headline that caught my eye in the Boston Globe today:

What's for Dinner, Mom?

"It sounds like the most benign question, doesn’t it? But figuring out what the heck to make, day in and day out, that will satisfy all those at the table—the carnivores, the vegetarians, the pasta-tarians, —is an enormous stressor for many mothers. If you want to really make mom happy this Sunday, forget the flowers and agree to eat something other than chicken fingers—without complaining."

*

So dear readers, I'm curious ...

Are you stressed over the whole dinner thing?

And if so, what about it stresses you out?

About a week ago I started another little blog - Daily Bits of Domestic Bliss - in an effort to keep track of my everyday housekeeping tasks. I'm really having fun with it, and I do find it helpful - it serves as a nice reminder and record - but I have to admit, about a day after I started it I had myself a little panic:

Gah, the pressure! My menus are open for public scrutiny!

But so far I think it's been good - this pressure - because it's given me a little nudge to be a bit more creative with our family diet. And goodness knows I needed it!

Because I'm a busy mom, "creative meal planning" can often get pushed aside for other more pressing domestic matters ... things like hygiene, sanity and good sleep. I'm also a creature of habit, which means it's very easy for me to fall into a comfortable rut ... and find myself making pizzas, pasta, burgers and grilled cheese pretty much night after night.

Sure my kids love all that easy stuff, but I want to expose them to a wider varety of foods. I'd like them to enjoy more vegetables and protein choices beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets. I really want them to appreciate the value of a homemade meal. And I love making meals that please my husband, who works hard all day and truly savors satisfying food at the end of that long day. And by "satisfying" I mean food that fuels both body and soul. It's healthy and balanced - it smells and tastes good - and best of all, it makes us all feel good ... maybe even great!

It's human nature, isn't it? This desire to eat not just for survival, but pleasure? To enjoy what we eat, and how we eat it?

So now that I'm "reporting in" - not only to myself, but my readers as well - I feel all the more motivated to create a week of balanced, nutritious, satsfying meals. I don't want anyone to think I have always been so creative or accomplished in the culinary arts! (Oh my gosh, hardly.) I'm pretty much making this up as I go along.

Of course, not everyone has a blog where they can kick their dinner-planning into gear, but how about teaming up with a friend, or a few friends with whom you can share dinner ideas and support? Get together to exchange recipes and menu plans, etc. Set up email prompts and reminders ... that could be fun!

Or how about posting your menu plan on the fridge and getting the family involved? If you've got it all figured out - they can answer their own question (that inevitable, everyday question) simply by taking a look at the plan. Or if you're stumped for dinner ideas ... put up the empty menu planner and ask for suggestions. Maybe assign each family member their own night to plan (and/or prepare)?

I'm all for finding ways to make dinner less stressful because really, dinner should be a good thing in the shared life of a family. It's not fair if one person's doing all the work, especially if she's also harboring all the stress. 

I mean, I'm a full-time mom, so I do handle most of the dinner details myself. I do ask for help though ... I ask for input and ideas. I ask for time (quiet and space) with which to work on my menus, clip my coupons and write out my lists. That may seem silly, but honestly, if I don't seek out that time and tell everyone I'm "working" I don't get it done. I also ask Bill to handle some of the meals (i.e. pizzas or any that involve grilling) and I ask the boys to help with the prep when I need them. And I always ask that those who did not cook, help with the cleanup. I love that time of day when I sit down, maybe with a glass of wine, and watch the table get cleared, the leftovers get put away and the dishwasher get started. That's a really nice "wrap" to my day.

:)

So my final question for you all, because I'm curious and can really use the inspiration:

What are THREE dinners you make for your family?

They can be old favorites or new, whatever you'd like ... and if you have a recipe to share, I'd love that too! (And if I use it on my blog, I'll give credit to you.)

So for now I'm working on what we eat ... soon I'll turn a thoughtful eye on how we eat. As in ~ involving the kids, setting the family table, creating a certain environment and the ritual of dinner itself. More on all that in a bit.

Well, thank you all for stopping by and considering my rambles and questions. Until next time, please take care of yourselves and your loved ones ...

I'll be back again very soon!

❤

Holy Week Cleaning

I like to spend the start of Holy Week doing a bit of "spring" cleaning around the house. For one thing, it's part of our Catholic tradition, but for another, it's a very practical routine. We host Easter dinner here, so the house does need to be cleaned ... but the nearer we get to Sunday, the more I want to focus on things other than cleaning. To have a clean house (and quiet mind) when entering the latter half of the week is, to me, a true blessing!
 

So I set up a little schedule for myself:

Monday: de-clutter

Tuesday: dust and vacuum

Wednesday: wipe and wash

Of course, I'm already behind schedule, lol ... yesterday was a bit busier than planned ... but that's ok. I will continue de-cluttering this morning (i.e. "putting out fires," as FlyLady says) and then I'll move on to dusting and vacuuming this afternoon. I have my rags all ready and my vacuum "volunteers" all lined up. ;)

And tomorrow I'll mix up a little bucket of herbal wash and give everything a good once over. The day will be mild, so I'll open the windows and let all that fresh spring air move through the house ... 

 And that will feel very nice.

❤

Wherever I am in my schedule, I do hope to sit down for "Tuesday Tea" this afternoon ... I'll take a short pause and see where I'm at ... and then I'll be back here to share it with you all.

Have a lovely Tuesday, my friends!

Housekeeping Routines (Daily & Weekly)

Well, first of all, Happy Weekend, everyone! I had hoped to get this post up last night, but alas, it was not meant to be. (I like to think I have a good grip on time management, but sometimes I'm overly optimistic, lol.) Also, I do not mean to ignore all your lovely comments ... I will be catching up with them this weekend, and I thank you for your time and kind attention! :)

So, a few people have asked if I would share what my housekeeping routines look like, and though I've posted about them before, I thought it would be fun to revisit the subject. (It's one of my favorite subjects!) And I do tend to update my lists now and again, - for instance, when I spy Crackerjack's filthy fingernails at Sunday Mass, I -- well, first I cringe -- and then I make a mental note: "Add nail check to Saturday's routine." ;)

Now, first off, Kristie asked me to list my own "6 Things to Do Everyday," so I'll cover those first. I don't think they're all that different from Martha's (in fact, I commented on "her things" in this post), but here are what I consider six daily tasks helpful in keeping a bit of order in the house:

1. Make beds every morning.

2. Keep kitchen sink empty/counters clear.

3. Sweep floors (edges/corners).

4. Put toys (etc.) in their place at end of day.

5. Neaten mail/newspaper pile and kids' work/books.

6. Clean up towels and bathroom surfaces.

I'm sure you all have a similar list - but I'd love to hear what you consider "must-do's" in any given day. I'm always looking for new ideas and perspective! And for a look at our daily rhythm (what gets done when), read this post here.

:)

As for weekly chores, I generally divide the overall housekeeping by rooms/themes. And please bear in mind, I don't do all this myself! I am very good at delegating. ;) Also, we don't always get all these things done ... some week's it's just a "lick and a promise." :)

Monday: Bedrooms & Laundry

* clean bedrooms (boys do their own - mostly)

* air out beds (open windows if possible)

* start laundries

* change bedding

Tuesday: Bathrooms & Laundry

* clean bathrooms (sink/toilet/tub/counters, etc.)

{Note: The downstairs bathroom is currently under construction so I only have one bathroom to worry about at this time.}

* put out fresh towels

* sweep/mop floor (actually, Bill usually mops for me and he does that on the weekends)

* empty bathroom trash

* continue laundries

* organize library bag

Wednesday: Kitchen & Trash/Recycling

* clean kitchen - wipe down surfaces

* weed out fridge/freezer and kitchen cupboards (toss/compost old stuff)

* scrub sink

* sweep/mop floor (see above mopping note :))

* organize trash & recycling

* start marketing list

* pick up/return library books

* get milk, meat and pizza dough (quick shop with EB)

* finish - maybe? - laundries

Thursday: Dining Room & Family Room

* put out trash & recycling

* clean off dining table/wipe down

* sweep/vacuum dining room

* dust/wipe bay window and front doorway

* neaten "stuff" in family room (books/videos/toys)

* vacuum family room

* wipe down tables, desk, lamps

* look over store flyers

* organize coupons

* start next week's file folder

* think about next week: faith/nature activities

* think about next week: dinner menu

* update marketing/errands list

Friday: Learning/Sitting Room

* neaten "stuff" in learning/sitting room (books/magazines/desk items)

* sweep/vacuum

* wipe down tables, desk, lamps

* refresh library corner

* refresh nature shelf

* finalize menu/marketing list

* prepare newspaper payment

* organize pocketbook/tote bag

* homemade pizza and family movie night

Saturday: Playroom, Marketing & H/G/A Maintenance

* put out newspaper payment envelope

* run errands/food shopping

* neaten "man cave" aka downstairs playroom

* organize receipts

* go over budget and bills

* prepare parish collection envelopes

* boys: hair trims (if necessary), fingernail check!

* misc. (seasonal) home/garden maintenance

* auto maintenance (gas, other)

* date-night for mom and dad ❤

Sunday: Family & Faith Day

* family breakfast after Mass

* lesson plan/look at week ahead

* sort through in-boxes

* switch up file folders (move contents/retire folder)

* read Sunday papers

* clip coupons

* work in (have fun with) clippings journal

* catch up on correspondence/blog comments

* brainstorm blog posts for week ahead

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Keeping a busy household in balance means having some routines in place. I know this is not necessarily true for everyone, but familiar routines are very helpful to me! I know my family is not as large as some - though I think having all boys AND a special needs child "ups" my challenge factor a bit, lol! But any size family can benefit from some established routines, because it's all stuff that needs to get done at some point, one way or another. By assigning set times to these tasks I find it easier to keep up with it all. It doesn't always mean things get done according to schedule (if done at all!), but it does help me keep things somwhat in balance.

Aside from thoughtful routines I also find having help of utmost importance - thankfully, Bill and the boys are pretty good about pitching in. (And having this all written down is really helpful for those times when I'm down and out - due to illness, surgery, etc.)

Also helpful? Good energy and a very positive attitude! You really can't beat those things at all.

:)

Well friends, this post has gone on long enough, so I will do another post about monthly, seasonal and annual routines sometime soon. I hope this post was helpful or interesting to some folks ... I know I love to read about other people's housekeeping methods, so please do share what works for you! Here in my comments box or via a link to your blog. It's a big job we're handling, being in charge of all these people and the place they live and the things they need to do. But it's the best job on earth, in my (humble) opinion!

Ok, so I'll be off for a bit, but I hope you all have a great weekend ... take care of yourselves and your loved ones! I'll be back here again very soon ...

❤

Spring Cleaning Lists

Good morning, my friends! I wanted to share with you all these great cleaning checklists I spotted over at Martha Stewart's website. I don't follow them to a tee, but I think they're very helpful in honing one's own housekeeping routines ...

6 Things to Do Everyday

Weekly Cleaning

Monthly Cleaning

Seasonal Cleaning

Spring Cleaning

Do you have set of cleaning routines you follow? How do you keep track of what needs to be done when? I have my routines written down in my big household binder and I also have them written out on multi-colored index cards. I keep the day's card posted near my kitchen counter "command center."

And before you ask ... no, I don't get it all done all the time! Lol. But having the tasks written down and assigning them a specific timeframe does bring me one step closer to getting them done. :)

Also, by posting this card somewhere "public" the rest of the family can help me get through those chores. (Theoretically speaking, of course. ;))

Ok, I'm going to pop off for now and get my day going, as my fellas are now all awake. ("What's for breakfast, Mom?") But I plan to be back later this afternoon (closer to evening, I'd guess) with a little tea post to share ... in the meantime, I hope you all have a nice day!

❤

Shaking things up ...

I simply had to sneak in one of these before Lent begins ...

So Bill picked one up for me on his way home from buying one of these:

(And yes, this means Bill is feeling much better!)

We bought this new vac, because our old vac finally went kaput last week. We'd had it 10 years and it served us very well - it was worth every penny! (We're the type of multi-boy, multi-cat family that needs a serious vac, lol!) So yes, I'll miss that big ole purple thing ... but this new one seems to work even better. (EB ate popcorn this afternoon - I gave it a good test.)

But what is it with us and appliances lately? Our coffeemaker fell apart over Christmas, and our dishwasher seems to be calling it quits, too. Poor Ollie, we haven't broken the news to him yet ~ if you recall, he's rather attached to our dishwasher.

Now, after all the milkshake/new vacuum excitement, I put the finishing touches on my little Lenten binder ...

It's nothing fancy at all, just a place in which to keep track of our Lenten journey and some of my ideas for the season. I also have a section in the back for the Stations of the Cross - it's my hope we'll do them together each Friday afternoon through Lent. :)

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Well, I hope you all had a nice Monday, and to those of us in the US, I say a "Happy Presidents' Day!" Are your kids on vacation this week? Much to my kids' disappointment we do not take this week off - mostly because there's really no need to, but also because I like to take time off when it's good for us. So for example, we take time off around Thanksgiving, and we also take off Holy Week, as well as a few days after Easter. It all evens out in the end. :)

Now, for supper tonight I'm making "American Chop Suey" (a wonderful recipe from my friend, Debbie) and I'm serving it with crusty rolls and a simple tossed salad. For dessert ~ "Patriotic Sundaes" which are just scoops of vanilla ice cream, topped with homemade raspberry sauce, whipped cream and a shake of red-white-and-blue sprinkles.

Fun!

So have a good night, folks ... and sincere thanks to everyone who participates in the Downton Abbey discussion. It's just so much fun to compare our thoughts and opinions, and I really don't know what we'll do now that Downton is done ... we need another show to discuss!

(Any ideas?)

Well, thanks for stopping in today, my friends ... I will see you all again very soon!

Six Things Every Day

I receive these neat "Organizing Tip of the Day" emails from Martha Stewart. (Well, I'm sure they're from someone who works for Martha Stewart, but you know what I mean.) These tips arrive in my inbox every morning.

Well, yesterday's tip was a checklist of "6 Things to Do Every Day" ~ daily habits that promise to keep one's household "chaos" at bay. I found the checklist quite interesting and it inspired me to think about my own daily housekeeping habits. And once I did that, I found myself wondering what other people find helpful and/or necessary to do in a given day ...

But before I get to all that, here are Martha's 6 Things to Do Every Day. (The blue text is Martha's - the brown notes are mine.)

1. Make the Bed: Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely you'll let other things - such as paper and clothes - pile up around it.

This sentiment is very true! Though a challenge to maintain. And I think the same can be said for the sink. I find if the sink is clean (including the surrounding counter area) I feel motivated to keep things clean. Also, I feel motivated to cook!

As for the bed, I like to air it out for a while each morning (this is a tip from Home Comforts). But after a bit I get it all buttoned up: sheet, comforter, fleecy blanket, pillows and shams. :)

(As for the rest of the bedroom, well - bed made or not - bureau tops are real "hot spots" for me, as are clean laundry baskets. I have a tendency to let clean laundry - i.e. needs-to-be -folded laundry - pile up. And this is because A. we have too many clothes and B. our drawers and closets are not well organized ... but that is a post for another day!)

2. Manage Clutter: Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn't where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.

Well, this is a good idea in theory, but in my household this would be like shoveling during a snowstorm! I do have a "tidy time" each day - roundabouts 4 p.m. (And another "mini tidy" around 7:30, just after EB goes to bed and right before we sit down to watch TV with the older boys.) But, as a homeschooling family, clutter is something we constantly struggle with. I say "we" meaning Bill and I ~ the boys don't seem to have the same need for order that we do, lol.

3. Sort the Mail: Take a few minutes to open, read and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs and filing.

This is such a standard tip - you read it all the time - and it does make perfect sense. Our mail arrives in the afternoon, and I place it on top of the day's papers at the end of the kitchen island. That pile is for Bill to look through when he gets home. I do take out my own things - letters, magazines, catalogs, etc. I leave all the rest - bills and junk mail, etc. for him to look at.

We keep a recycling "center" by our front door - a basket for paper, a bag for broken down boxes and cardboard, and a bag for plastic and glass. So any junk mail goes directly into the paper basket. Bill also has his own "inbox" on the counter by the stove for things he's not quite ready to "process" yet.

4. Clean as you Cook: Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.

Both my grandmother and mother lived by this rule - clean as you go - but I often have five other things going on as I cook, so I struggle with this. I think a key to this habit is having an empty (or mostly empty) dishwasher! To that end, I like to have the boys unload the dishwasher early in the day so I can keep the sink and counters clear.

(In a perfect world, I have the dishwasher filled after supper and it runs in the evening - ready to be unloaded in the morning. This is not always how it plays out, though.)

5. Wipe Up Spills While They're Fresh: Whether it's tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.

Well, spills are fairly common around here - but a lot of them happen when I'm not looking, lol! I have trained the boys, though, to grab a dish towel (or rag) as soon as a spill happens and wipe things up. They're pretty good about it. 

I do find myself wiping down the kitchen island and counters every day with a wet, warm dish rag. (Once a week I use a gentle cleaning spray.) The island gets very 'smudgey' with pencil, newsprint and ink (this is where the older boys do their seatwork), while the counters are plagued by beverage spills (the boys) and coffee rings (me).

6. Sweep the Kitchen Floor: Every evening, once you've finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.

Weekly mopping??

Lol. 

But seriously, this is something I do almost everyday - though I do it in the afternoon rather than the evening. You see, there's a certain time of day when natural light floods the kitchen side of the house and I can very clearly see where all the dust and criminy has collected. This reminds me it's time to get out that broom and sweep!

(And I usually heed that reminder, but not always.)

~*❤*~

Well my friends, I hope this checklist from Martha was as interesting to you as it was to me! And before I go, I'd love to ask ~ What are your daily must do's? And how do you remind yourself of them? Do you have a checklist for handy reference or do you just find these habits ingrained?

And ... on top of (or in place of) these proposed "6 things" would there be other tasks you'd add to the daily checklist? What keeps your "household chaos" at bay? 

Have a great Tuesday, everyone ... and thanks for stopping by! I will see you again very soon ... in fact, I hope you''ll join me again later today, for our weekly Wintertime Tea!

:)

Household Files and Binder Tabs

Hello, and Good Morning, my friends!

I've had a couple of requests to share what categories I keep in my (new) household file drawer, as well as in my (old) home management binder.

And so that's just what this post will address. :)

In my household file drawer I have the following categories ...

warranties

instructions

taxes

insurance

career

auto

soccer

college

special needs

health

cats

travel

church

community

miscellaneous

{I also have recipe storage in this drawer; I can do a separate post on that later.}

*

And in my home management binder I have the following tabs ...

1. cover page/contact information

2. current season planning page

3. month @ a glance calendars

4. seasonal planning pages

5. home management:

routines/cleaning notes

emergency information

room by room notes

gardening notes

entertaining notes

6. menus and marketing:

master grocery list

family dinner menus

in season overview/local sources

holiday/seasonal baking notes

idea lists: snacks, desserts, breakfast, lunch

pantry checklist

7. budgetkeeping:

monthly budget

family financial information

spending diary

upcoming expenses

8. phone and addresses:

a-z

soccer team list

businesses/services

take-out

passwords & pin numbers

9. faith at home:

liturgical seasons/yearly overview

feast day celebrations

patron saints

family Sacraments

our parish

"Sundays are Special"

 family goals/mission

10. learning with nature:

weekly themes

activities list

supplies list

nature shelf

places to visit/explore

seasons/elements

newsletter project

11. family facts:

family tree

info. for each family member 

12. personal pursuits:

blog

file crate system

planner

book

baking

craft storage/supplies list

books to read list

health/diet/grooming

13. family jaunts:

day trips/excursions

vacation plans

14. And in the very back I have a pocket for miscellaneous things - future tabs, etc.

*

Well, I hope this post was helpful, or maybe interesting to some! :)

But either way, thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you also, to those who joined in with the Downton discussion - what fun it is to follow this show all together! I love reading all your thoughts and theories on what happened this time ... and what might happen next. But the season is really flying by, isn't it? What on earth will we do when it's over, lol?

(So glad to hear a Season 3 is in the works - and how fantastic that Shirley MacLaine will be playing Cora's mother! I'm guessing a wedding brings the American grandmother overseas ...?)

Well, I'm off! But have a great day, everyone ... I'll be back later today with my weekly Teatime post. Until then, take care and be well ... I'll see you again very soon!

❤

A Few Quick Q & A's ...

Happy Monday, my friends! I hope your week's off to a great start!

First of all, I'd like to say thank you for all the "happy anniversary" wishes! It was a very nice day - then and now - and I'm glad you all enjoyed seeing a few of our wedding photos. As many of you remarked, we were (are) indeed blessed - and I try to remember and give thanks for that every day!

Now, currently we're in the midst of our "crazy" day here - "Mad Mondays" we like to call them, lol. It's two minutes to four, and my kitchen's a MESS! - but I wanted to take a moment to finish up this post, addressing a few recent questions.

Tammy asked about housekeeping lists ...

By any chance, did you post the seasonal housekeeping besides October anywhere? I'm looking for Spring, Summer, Winter ones too.

Tammy, please check out this archive in which you'll find my collection of monthly "Themes & Plans" posts. I include a housekeeping list for each month of the year (as well as garden, nature, faith and food lists).

Here are direct links to each monthly post:

November Housekeeping

December Housekeeping

January Housekeeping

February Housekeeping

March Housekeeping

April Housekeeping

May Housekeeping

June Housekeeping

July Housekeeping

August Housekeeping

September Housekeeping

October Housekeeping

You know, I wrote these lists over four years ago, but except for the movable dates (i.e. holidays and such) I find them pretty timeless. In fact, I refer to them every year as I plan a month or a season ahead! For easy reference, I printed out all the posts and filed them in my homekeeping binder, under my "Living" tab. :)

***

Teresa inquired about pens ...

Dawn, What is the brand of your favorite pen??

Teresa, I can be quite (ridiculously) obsessive about pencils and pens! (And don't get me started on paper, lol!) Currently my favorite pens are made by Uni-ball and they are called Jetstream pens. I like the blue ink best, but I always keep a few black and reds handy.

 

In the background are shown a few of my Crackerjack's favorite pens ... the Papermate "Flair" (medium tip). He seems to have inherited his mama's finickiness when it comes to writing instruments! (He uses his for drawing however, whereas I use mine primarily for writing.) Also, for labeling things (like file folders and binder tabs) I like a Sharpie Ultra Fine Point marker (not shown). 

***

And finally, Kristie asked about the notepad shown in this post ...

Where did you find the notepad with the date and list on the left? Looks like a very useful tool!

Kristie, I buy these notepads at Target - they have quite an array of office supplies! These pads are made by a company called "greenroom," and they come in a soft ecru with aqua or avocado accents. They are indeed a very useful stye of notepad! Perfect for to-do lists or project planning pages. I also love "greenroom" notebooks - I use a small one for my weekly shopping diary and a larger one for my weekly planning sheets. 

Here's a close-up ...

(This is a page from my holiday planner - post under way!) 

***

Well, that's all I have time for today, but I hope these bits and bobs of information were helpful to you! Thanks so much for stopping by ...

I'll see you all again very soon!

:)

October Housekeeping

Start shopping (online) for Christmas cards.

Prepare materials for this year's Grateful Tree.

Walk around yard ~ make gardening notes for next year.

Plant spring bulbs.

Order Thanksgiving turkey at farmstand.

Brainstorm homemade gift ideas with the boys.

Launder all under-bedding and flannel sheets.

Turn and flip mattresses. Vacuum bed frame.

Clean out baking pantry; list items that need replacing.

Keep birdfeeders filled!

Clean carpets on a dry, breezy day.

Put away summer clothes. Sort through fall/winter clothes.

Purchase new slippers for all.

Make "autumnsauce," a spiced pear sauce. (EB can't have apples.)

Order natural Halloween candy early in month.

Organize Halloween costumes.

Plan Anniversary Brunch.

Prepare storm windows to go up November 1st.

Clean out gutters.

Rake. Rake. Rake.

(Jump in leaves and have hot cider after!)

Compost garden remains at end of month.

Have one last chiminea fire.

Drain garden hose; store away till spring.

Turn on gas fireplace.

Bring in rosemary, mint and thyme for the winter.

Visit pumpkin patch ~ make jack-o-lantern.

Watch It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

:)

Thoughtful Thursday ...

On Domestic Management and Systems:

"Housekeeping of today takes its place among the professions. The modern woman plans, directs, and guides the work of the home. She grasps the responsibility of her position, puts forth all her energy and ability in directing the home life as a business. Housekeeping is becoming more and more a matter of science, and the laurels are bound to fall to the woman who conducts her household in a business-like way.

Good home management includes the selection and care of all materials used in the home and the keeping of accurate household accounts. If one is ignorant of the right kind of food to eat, of the proper clothing to wear, of the best kind of sanitary conditions of one's house, of the laws of health, of simple pleasures and the ways of right living, how can one spend wisely the necessary money for these things in order to make the home a happy, healthful place?

One of the most important features of good home management is a system. Another is a budget."

From Home Economics: Vintage Advice and Practical Science for the 21st Century Household (a neat little book I'm enjoying right now). 

***

A few random notes while I'm here ...

* Saturday is National Strawberries and Cream Day! I know just what I'm baking and what I'm going to splurge on while I run my Saturday errands. :)

* The first week of May was National Herb Week - so I'm late (we were in Disney that week) - but I'm currently working on my herb list for the year. Our lavender bed is coming back nicely, but the myriad herb pots on our deck are in need of much attention. Speaking of herbs, "Herb of the Year" for 2011 is horseradish. I don't know much about horseradish other than it's a hot/spicy flavoring for dressings, sauces and mustard. Next year's HotY will be Rose. Now that will be a much easier herb to work with! ;)

* Tomorrow, the 20th, is Endangered Species Day. A fun family activity would be to choose a species to "adopt." The kids could spend time learning about the species - doing research, writing reports, making art projects, and brainstorming ways to help. An awareness/fundraising event (such as a bake sale) could be planned for collecting contributions. 

* Also, Memorial Day is right around the corner - and that means a trip to the nursery is in order! This weekend I plan to take stock of the yard and see what's what. Next weekend, weather willing, will be planting time.

Well, that's all for now. Have a great Thursday, my friends ... see you again very soon!

:)

Friday Odds and Ends

Well, my posting plans went completely awry this week! Busy-ness got the best of me, I guess. It was my turn to host Book Group, so I found myself reading every spare minute I got - taking notes, preparing questions, etc. Our clubs met yesterday afternoon; in Crackerjack's group we discussed Hoot, while Bookworm's teen group chatted about the Maximum Ride series ...

(By the way, speaking of books - don't forget another Barnes & Noble Educator Discount Week begins tomorrow! Anything new on your can't-wait-to-read-list?)

We also had a late night Wednesday - I was a chaperone for a "Night Hike," that the older boys participated in. Really fun night! Pizza first, then as the sun set (beautifully, I might add) we headed into the woods where we hiked for an hour - with 17 kids, 5 adults and plenty of flashlights to see by. Kind of spooky, a little treacherous in spots - but so very cool. The waterfall was my favorite part. :)

And soccer started this week - our first game's tomorrow! Bill's coaching Crackerjack's team again this year (with my brother as co-coach and Bookworm as coach's assistant). I'm team "secretary," lol - photocopying schedules, field maps and fielding messages from players who need rides, etc. The weekend weather looks to be beautiful so it should be a great season kick-off!

***

Now, unfortunately, with all this running around, Earlybird and I didn't get to do many of the "Eggs and Nests" activities I had planned. So I'll stretch that theme into next week (which is tentatively our "Spring Cleaning" week). I know I've said this before, but "more on all that soon." :)

***

While I'm here I'd like to post the delicious Penuche Frosting my mum used for the Rose Sunday cake. This is for Jennifer. :)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

1 cup confectionary sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt vanilla in saucepan. Add brown sugar and stir until blended. Slowly add milk, mix well and bring to boil. Cool 10 minutes. Add confectionary sugar and beat until smooth.

This frosting - atop whatever cakey vehicle you choose - tastes especially divine with a cup of coffee. The flavors together remind me of a caramel latte. Yum.

***

My mum brought over some small picture frames for me yesterday, and among them was this - my 2nd grade school picture! The boys got a kick out of seeing such a "young" Mama, but Earlybird was insisting it was a picture of Crackerjack, lol! (Which, understandably, didn't please CJ too much.)

(I had long hair for most of my childhood, but this was that "Dorothy Hamill" so very popular in those days. And just look at those teeth, lol! This was pre-braces, obviously.)

***

Now, both Mary and Lynette have recently left comments about planners ... this is the time of year when the academic planners start showing up in the shops. Blue Sky was my favorite month-at-a-glance planner for years - and I'm always tempted to jump ship (new planners are like my kryptonite, lol) - but for now I'll stick with my homemade binder. It's working well for me so I'll keep plugging on. :) I do need to pick up new file folders for the crate, however - I do the change up next season (May-June) so I'll be needing fresh supplies very soon!

***

And before I go, I'd like to report in for Elizabeth (and anyone else who suffers from fruit flies as we do) that "Petey," our Venus fly trap, is not doing too much for the situation. Not yet, anyways. At last count - and to our best knowledge - he's eaten only one fruit fly so far. I'll cut him some slack, though - he is only one plant after all - and the fruit flies number in the dozens at least! I will say, Bookworm has found fair success using a handheld vacuum to chase the little buggers down, and I'm considering trying something like this. I really must get these flies out of here before Easter - they are completely obnoxious in general, but especially when it comes to dinner parties!

***

Oh, and one more thing! I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you all about this ...

Last week, Erin left me a comment and linked me to an Etsy shop featuring lovely wooden saint dolls: Saint Anne's Pixies. You simply must take a look. The tiny dolls are beautifully hand-painted and there are so many to choose from! Something for everyone, very reasonably priced and a portion of the shop's profits go to Food for the Poor. I ordered a "Saint Francis" for our nature table and (shhhh ...) a "Saint Emily" for my cousin's daughter who'll make her First Holy Communion at the end of the month ...

***

Ok, so there are my "odds and ends" for this Friday. Rambling and random, but there you go. I hope your week has been a good one, busy or quiet, or somewhere in between. Thanks so much for stopping by ... I'll see you again very soon!

:)

Spring Cleaning: First things First

After writing last Thursday's post - and reading all your great comments so far - I'm determined we will do Spring Cleaning this year!

First thing I did was to inform Bill of my decision. Lol, he just never knows what I'm going to throw at him next. I "sprung" this latest idea on him as he left for work Friday morning - backpack slung over his shoulder, one foot out the door. In response to my announcement I received a pair of raised eyebrows ... but an easy acceptance as well. I also asked for his suggestions for the to-do list, to which he immediately replied: "Gutters." Ah yes, the gutters. Tragic victims of those darn ice dams, they definitely deserve a spot on the list!

The second thing I did was to look at our calendar to see where we might fit in all this proposed cleaning. This will perhaps be our greatest challenge - finding the TIME to clean - and therefore this aspect of the project is still under review. ;)

The third thing I did was to look online for spring cleaning tips. Very simply, I googled "spring cleaning" and found all kinds of links. Here are a few that caught my eye:

Martha Stewart Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring Cleaning: A Complete Checklist

Organized Home: Five Easy Ways to Welcome Warm Weather

How to Organize Spring Cleaning

A Fresh Start: Natural Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning by Mountain Rose Herbs

And as much as I itched to make up a new notebook, I decided instead, in the spirit of "keeping everything in one place," to keep my spring cleaning notes in my planner. So the fourth thing I did was to add a "Spring Cleaning" tab and some loose-leaf paper to the front "current projects" section of my planner.

So what comes next? Well, most likely reading over those above links, and finding some days (a whole weekend?) to schedule with chores. And then of course, working on the list itself. I'll post more as soon as I can!

Thanks so much for stopping by today ... see you all again very soon. 

:)

Now, about those index cards ...

Several readers left questions about the weekly index cards I mentioned in Wednesday's post so I thought I'd talk a little about how I use them ... as well as how I've used them in the past ... and how I might use them again in the future. Lol, confused yet?

So, you all know how much I love planners and planning systems, but have I ever confessed how addicted I am to office supplies? I think I probably have - which leads me to believe I've blogged about index cards before - but I can't locate the exact post, so I decided to write up something new ...

I first read about an index card-based chore system years ago in Sidetracked Home Executives. ("We change lives with 3x5's!") This book (originally published in 1977) is a real gem - wonderfully funny and filled with great ideas and plenty of helpful lists. It was after reading the S.H.E. book that I went out and purchased my first few packages of multicolored index cards, tabbed dividers and a small plastic file box. I got it all set up ... tried it for a couple of days (maybe a week) ... and then decided it didn't quite work for me. All the same, I kept the supplies on hand.

(Side note ~ I think a post on office supplies would be fun, don't you?)

Then, a couple of years ago I read a reader tip in Family Fun magazine about using multicolored index cards as a sort of daily to-do planner. I thought it was a fantastic idea so I tried something along those lines (using those stowed away supplies), and again - it worked for about a week - but then I fizzled out.

The bottom line is, I really do like (need) to have some form of daily planning in my life, but it's hard to find a product and/or system that feels right. I'm running a home not an office, so I don't need to plan in 15 minute increments - but I do need a place to write down things to keep in mind on any given day. Lately I've been using a spiral-bound page a day planner (seen in this post) but I remain intrigued by those colorful cards and their possible uses.

(Spoken like a true office-supply junkie, lol!)

For now, I'm using index cards as a means of displaying my weekly routines. On multicolored cards (as shown below) I wrote down my weekly household chores - one card per day of the week - and I posted them near where I work ("command central," as we've discussed). They're a great visual reminder of what to do each day.

Now, we moms tend to keep our household routines somewhat straight in our heads, but I personally find reminders very helpful. Some days my head is in so many places, it's easier to look at a list than it is to pick my brain for my next thought or action. These cards (which can be laminated for longer life) are also helpful when a mom gets ill - or is away from home for one reason or another. 

My own weekly routine is as follows:

Monday: clean bedrooms*, start laundries

Tuesday: clean bathroom*, continue laundries

Wednesday: clean kitchen*, start menu/marketing list, finish laundries, organize recycling

Thursday: put out trash/recycling, clean living room and family room*, look at grocery store circular, organize coupons, prepare next week's file folder

Friday: clean learning room*, finalize menu/marketing list, prepare newspaper payment, clean out pocketbook, gather library returns

Saturday: put out newspaper payment, food shopping/errands, library run, clean playroom, home/garden maintenance, begin lesson/week plan

Sunday: bake, clip coupons, finish lesson/week plan, organize materials, work in journal, organize DVR

(*These tasks are further broken down into individual steps on the card - i.e. dust/wipe surfaces, vacuum, strip beds, etc.)

(Now please let me stress that it's rare - so rare - that I keep up with all the tasks on my cards! My household is hardly a model of efficiency! Still, everything I write down does need to be done, ideally. Some tasks are more pressing than others - the food shopping must happen, whether I prepare for it or not. Do I need to go through the pantry? Look at the circular? Organize the coupons? Write out a dinner plan? Not necessarily, but when I do, the whole process goes more smoothly - from the shopping itself to getting wholesome dinners on the table all week. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but sometimes it's nice just to acknowledge that what we do really does matter. Even the little things add up to make life run more smoothly for our families.)

So I use just the one set of weekly routine cards at present, but in the interest of this post, I set up the file box in the top photo as if I was following a daily card system. The weekly routine cards are propped up in the lid (the current day facing front), and the main portion of the box is filled with cards for each day of the year, separated by monthly tab dividers.

When a task or appointment comes up, I can quickly find the corresponding card, jot down the information, and re-file it in my box. The "dummy" card I made up yesterday for the sole purpose of this post, shows how I would use it, showing notes like:

11:00 dentist appointment

send blurbs to newsletter editor

check Crackerjack's cleats 

remember to have the boys look at the full moon

These tasks were all time-sensitive - specific to this particular Friday - and this is why I find a daily planner helpful.

The system is not really portable as a whole, but the day's card can come with you when you are out and about; you could simply slip it in your pocket or purse. I've also seen card keepers and cases (I may even have *ahem* bought one once) that can hold dozens of cards at a time. 

Well, I guess I'd better wrap things up since this has now become a monster of a post, lol! I'm pretty happy with the planning system I'm using now, but I do think index cards can be a wonderful tool for planning your days and keeping your housekeeping on track. I'll keep you all posted on how things are working (or not) for me and in the meantime, I'd LOVE to hear from readers who use index cards in one way or another. Or better yet - whatever your system - how do you keep yourself on track during the day?

My thanks, as always, for stopping by - I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. I probably won't post again until Monday (tomorrow is a super busy day) so until then, stay safe and be well! :)

Wednesday in the Kitchen

First of all I want to thank everyone for the many thoughtful comments left in yesterday's crockpot post. I appreciate your input very much! I will be reading through the advice and checking out the links over the next couple of days ... and I also warned Bill we might be buying a new slowcooker this weekend!

The picture above I took yesterday in preparation for a planner post I'm working on, but I figured it would be fun to post a kitchen shot this morning. According to my daily routine, Wednesday is my kitchen cleaning day. Weekly kitchen chores include:

Sweeping and spot cleaning the kitchen floor.

Wiping down appliances.

Washing countertops.

Scrubbing in and around the sink.

Shaking baking soda down the disposal, letting it sit, then running with boiling water.

Going through the refrigerator and freezer - tossing/composting old food.

Going through the cabinets - tossing old food.

Starting a menu plan/marketing list for next week.

(I will also pull out all my spices and miscellaneous baking supplies today and make a list of what needs to be replenished this Fall.)

By the way, I keep a set of index cards at my work area (one color for each day of the week) that outline routine household tasks. Wednesday's card happens to be yellow. :)

Oh, and one last thing, on tonight's dinner menu: homemade whole wheat pizzas, tossed salad and leftover apple crisp. A homey, humble Autumn meal.

 So that's a peek into my kitchen today ... how are things in your neck of the woods?

Crockpot Concerns?

Good Tuesday Morning, everyone ... 

I wanted to share this comment from Stacy and see what my readers might know about this troubling subject. This is the first I've heard of it ...

Dawn, I recently read a post on another blog regarding crockpots. Supposedly, some crockpots contain lead! EEK!! I didn't know that! I've had my crockpot for YEARS. It was a wedding gift. I noticed a long hairline crack in it the last time I used it a few weeks ago. I'm thinking about retiring that one since it's smaller than I'd like and then buying a new one that's guaranteed to be lead free. Do you know if your crockpot is lead free and if so, what brand/style is it? Can you buy stainless steel crockpots? I love cooking with stainless steel products. I look forward to your reply. Have a great week :-) ~ Stacy

Hi Stacy, and thank you for your comment. I've had my Rival slowcooker for a few years now, but I have no idea if it is lead-free. It's not something I had worried about (till now)! But I use my slowcooker A LOT (especially through the colder months) so I'd like to find out more about the issue if I could.

A quick google search provided me with conflicting information and a quick stop at Amazon showed lots of "stainless steel" slow cookers but from what I could tell they still have ceramic inserts.

Dear readers, do you know anything about this concern? And/or do you have any suggestions for a lead-free slow cooker?

Thanks for any insight ... 

~ Dawn

Here at Ground Control ...

I found this post interesting.

(I find the whole blog quite interesting, actually!) 

Do you have a "command central" and if so, where is it? (I'd love to hear about it in the comments box below.) I'm standing at mine at the moment ...

I have my laptop in front of me, a calendar to my left, a clipboard hanging beside me and a file crate to my right, a couple of "in" baskets under the window, and a worktable directly behind me.

And, of course, I have a hot cup of coffee in my hand ...

All systems go.

Have a good day, my friends! :)