Top Ten Ways to Get Skinny

These are things that I am doing to lose weight.

1. I make a weekly menu before I shop. That really helps! 

2. Bring lots of fruits, veggies, and egg whites into the house. 

3. Make a weekly date with a couple of girlfriends to go to the park (while hubby takes kids to karate). (I learn new exercises to teach the ladies, which forces me to learn proper form.)

4. Make a weekly date with hubby to walk at the local park while the kids play on the playground.  (I also work out 30 minutes a day, but these weekly dates keep me on track.)

5. Have a standard menu of 200 - 300 calories breakfasts and 400 - 500 calories quick lunches that I can eat anytime that I don't have time to count calories. Same with 100 - 200 calorie snacks. 

6. Have a list of no calorie to 20 calorie snacks for when I am over budget (like my coffee with 20 cals of fat free half/half, sugar free jello, carrots, or lettuce/cucumbers with balsamic vinegar). 

7. Learn one new under 500 calorie recipe a month, usually using a crockpot, a quick stir fry, or slow roasting in the oven, so I don't have to do much work. 

8. Freeze leftovers in under 500 calorie servings so I can pop in a "frozen dinner" anytime and note the calories on the ziploc bag. 

9. Freeze fruits and veggies that are about to go bad with an idea for their use on the bag. Extra peppers? I add some onions and garlic clove, freeze, and label it for fajitas (just add chicken or pork). 

10. Get on a free calorie counting website everyday and log my calories.

What do you do to stay organized and on track with weight loss?

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Back to School Update

Task List:

DONE - 1. Buy two backpacks.
2. Sign up for extended day by July 31st.
3. Buy school and casual shoes for both boys.
4. Clean water bottles.
5. Write cafe' check and add cafe' to calendar each month.
6. Add checking on-line Edline to weekly calendar.
7. Clean out homework supply boxes.
DONE - 8. Create a place for keeping samples of school work for the year. (Thinking about old cereal boxes???)
DONE - 9. Go through uniforms and determine needs.
DONE - 10. Buy new uniforms.
11. Inventory socks and buy as needed.
DONE (not needed) - 12. Buy Loki a belt IF needed.
OFF LIST (we are going to take our chances) 13. Write to the school and find out if the BLACK and BLUE jackets the boys own from last year (when any overcoats were allowed) are acceptable for the Black OR Blue coat new uniform guidelines.
DONE (they were gross and had broken zippers, so we bought new ones) 14. Dig out a couple of old lunch boxes to use as Breakfast-in-the Car and Afterschool Snack boxes.
15. Create morning and afternoon routines and start practicing BEFORE school starts.
16. Aug. 1, start modifying sleep and wakeup schedule.

I also improved the launchpads by added a box for the favorite paper the boys bring home each week.  The box is a cheapo kitchen basket that costs less the three bucks.  It is big enough to hold thirty six sheets of paper (the number of weeks in the school year) and 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of paper.  The labels are color coded (green for Ander and orange for Loki) and the launchpads are in the linen closet between the boys' rooms.  Loki is younger and shorter, so his stuff is on the lower shelf.

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Uncertainties

I went on a really promising job interview.  IF offered the job, I would have to arrange about two weeks of childcare, have my dressy clothes ready, and totally change our schedules.  IF not offered the job, summer goes on as usual.

I find myself paralyzed with the uncertainty.  Should I clean out the old suits from my closet?  Cook a ton of freezer meals?  Look up phone numbers for the housekeeper and other household help?  Get suits taken in where they are too big?  If I do that stuff, and don't get the job, will I be more sad about not getting it?  If I do get it, and don't do the stuff, how overwhelming will it be?

No day planner is going to solve this problem.  Boo.

Etcetera.

Back to School

My Back-to-School Task List:

1. Buy two backpacks.

2. Sign up for extended day by July 31st.

3. Buy school and casual shoes for both boys.

4. Clean water bottles.

5. Write cafe' check and add cafe' to calendar each month.

6. Add checking on-line Edline to weekly calendar.

7. Clean out homework supply boxes.

8. Create a place for keeping samples of school work for the year. (Thinking about old cereal boxes???)

9. Go through uniforms and determine needs.

10. Buy new uniforms.

11. Inventory socks and buy as needed.

12. Buy Loki a belt IF needed.

13. Write to the school and find out if the BLACK and BLUE jackets the boys own from last year (when any overcoats were allowed) are acceptable for the Black OR Blue coat new uniform guidelines.

14. Dig out a couple of old lunch boxes to use as Breakfast-in-the Car and Afterschool Snack boxes.

15. Create morning and afternoon routines and start practicing BEFORE school starts.

16. Aug. 1, start modifying sleep and wakeup schedule.

Things I've already done:

1. Created an area for shoes, a reward system (Harry Potter House Cup points ;)), and a place for mislaid toys (so the boys can pick them up and put them away themselves).

2. Created a launch pad for each boy.

3. Created a bath supplies drawer for each boy.

Hmmm.  I am a little overwhelmed.

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Little Organizing Tips and Tricks

1. Don't pick up the kids' toys and just put them away.  They will never learn that way.  Instead, designate a bench, basket, bucket, or something else for their toys.  If a stray toy is bothering you, have the kid pick it up.  (We pick up before all transitions - before lunch, before nap, before bed.)  But if they aren't around (like my 3 year old, currently in the bathtub, while his daddy oversees the bath...and that darn stuffed kitty named Pepper is mocking me from the living room floor and driving me crazy and ugh and I really need counseling for this problem), simply pick up the toy and put it on the bench, in the bucket, in the laundry basket, whatever.  Next pickup time, have them empty the designated place as well as cleaning everything else up.

2. Rumor has it such practices work for husbands, too.  *Cough*  I do not guarantee that advice!

3. When you walk from one room to another, grab and item that needs to be put away and bring it with you to its home.

4. When you receive an invitation, deal with it immediately.  Write "buy gift" on your errand list.  Write RSVP deadline and phone number on your task list.  Write party date and address, along with a note to bring a wrapped gift, on your calendar.

5. Talking on your cell?  Walk around and put random crap away.

6. Watching tv?  Grab that backload of laundry and fold it.  Have the KIDS put it away.

7. Stop putting away that blanket that you use every single day.  Find a pretty one that matches the living room and make it's home your spot on the couch.

8.  Don't hide fruits and veggies.  Put them on your counter where you will see them, as natural decor.

9. Erase the evidence of anything that you do.  Take a bath?  Put soap and shampoo away and hang up your towel and robe.  You will be a good example for the rest of the family, and, when you complain about THEIR mess, they won't be able to point out yours!

10. Don't worry about things looking perfect, even for your mother or mother-in-law!  Just make sure the house is functional for your families' needs.

Etcetera.

How We Handle Chores

I wrote this on my facebook Order in the Court message board, but thought it was worth sharing.

I'm (surprising) not a huge fan of chore charts. We do chores that are naturally tied to events and everyone has an assignment or two, plus we do family clean-ups all together (so everyone is working). They get tv credits or computer credits for working.

For example, when we get up, every must brush teeth and hair, take meds, get dressed, make bed. (Okay, I have a chart for that one - just a little dry erase board where we list the stuff, since mornings are crazy.) Before bed, we brush teeth, do jammies, meds, say prayer. Before meals, the boys set out the silverware. After meals, their plates go in the sink. When we get out of the car, they pick up trash and toys.

Loki (age 3, if your stepkids try to protest):
-picks up own toys
-puts all shoes that have escaped in closets or under the bench daily, before he can play after nap
-gathers all laundry from all hampers and puts in one room (about twice a week, when asked by mom)
-brings sorted laundry into washer and transfers to dryer when it dings
-puts his own clothes in his dresser each time I fold clothes
-on trash day, gathers all trashcans from around the house and brings them to the kitchen trash can...and returns them after I reline the cans

Ander (age 6):
-picks up own toys
-sorts all socks and underwear and puts them away for everyone
-folds towels
-puts his own clothes in his dresser each time I fold clothes
-unloads the dishwasher completely, except knives, daily
-supervises and assists brother with toy pickup
-brings empty boxes out on trash day
-mops the floor once per week

Family clean-ups happen when needed. Basically, we all work together. I try to give specific instructions, like "Loki, put all the toys away" and "Ander, find all mommy's purses and put them away."

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Couch Potato

I spend way too much time in my little corner of the couch.  Watching tv, blogging, and playing on facebook happens there.  I eat snacks and sip coffee and cuddle under my favorite blanket in that special little corner.  All day long, I find I need my planner nearby - when a friend messages a time for a play date, when I find a great recipe and want to add it to next week's menu, or when I suddenly remember that the school uniform sale is next week.  I need to grab my purse to write a quick check or put on lip gloss.  So it made really good sense to dedicate a side table to my personal items.

You can see where my heels wear out the couch.  Clearly, I need to spend LESS time on the couch.

I store my purse and planner right under the side table.  You can see that the basket holds the planner and my "errand" planner.

On top of the side table, I have a basket to capture everything.  Right now, it holds my cell phone, remotes (which go back and forth between here and hubby's side table), and the tape measure for checking my weight loss progress.  I also keep the camera there so I can snap pictures or videos of the children at whim.  My mouse pad?  The cover for my net book.  Finally, that water bottle is the right size to shove in my purse or the cup holders in my car.  I never have to buy bottled water now.  Save money and save the planet!

If you have a bunch of items that you use in a particular spot, why not make a home for them so that you are comfortable?

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