This month flew by. I can’t believe June is nearly here. We are gearing up for the end of the school year, end of dance, and the end of Brownies. There will be lots of fun events this month but I am looking forward to a quieter July. This month wasn’t great but I got rid of a lot of stuff and didn’t have a lot of time so I feel pretty good about it. Here we go:
Objective 1: To create a home which contains only things we need and love.
A load for Goodwill and e-recycling
What I accomplished: A LOT of work in the garage! Two carloads for Goodwill. One pickup of multiple boxes and bags. Lots of stuff for bulk garbage, some which was rescued. I’ve parted with many beloved knick-knacks, but I don’t miss them at all. I went back and organized all the holiday and seasonal decorations. Bob went through and disposed of five bags of old bank statements and similar papers, which we took to a shredding fundraiser. Even Emma got in on the action, filling a box with toys she no longer wanted, and she gave me even more this weekend.
Grade: A-
Comment: The time since my last post has been hectic, and there was a point last week where the house looked like a strong wind blew through it. My 15-minute plan also fell by the wayside. So I wasn’t feeling very optimistic when I started thinking about the past month. But when I looked back at my posts from last month, I realized I did get a lot done. It helped to end on a strong note. I do regret not taking closer photos of the garage, because it’s harder to see the progress. From these photos, you can’t really see much of an impact but it’s definitely there in person.
You can’t see a big difference, but it’s there!
Objective 2: To implement routines and habits to help us manage our time, our house and our health.
What I accomplished: I think I need to let of the idea of living life by a checklist. And I liked the plan-is-that-there-is-no-plan approach. As long as my kid is at the bus on time, clean, with her lunch, I’m not going to make myself too crazy right now. Most of the time, I get up, clean the bathroom, make the bed and empty the dishwasher. Even if it’s a day when I’m working from home, I’m nearly always showered and dressed before Emma leaves for the bus. I’m fine with ‘most of the time.’
Grade: B
Comment: The only real priority as far as routines go is trying to get in a walk at least a few times a week. We are going camping next month at a place with a rugged trail with about 800 stone steps. I need to start getting in shape for it. I’m otherwise content with what I’m doing. And, laundry. I nearly forgot about that. Another clothing purge is in order.
Objective 3: To improve the quality of family mealtimes through better planning and organization.
What I accomplished: This has been my Waterloo. I am good at defrosting stuff. I know how to open a bag of salad. I know where the take-out menus are. On a positive note, when I had some down time I made and froze extra sauce and taco chicken so we did have some decent meals. A good planning routine has yet to really take hold.
Grade: C-
Comment: I’m glad it’s grilling season, because it’s so easy to throw something on the grill, get some good bread and fix a salad. It’s occurred to me that a meal cooked indoors can follow the same strategy but for some reason it’s hard to make that mental transfer.
Objective 4: To utilize free time more mindfully, individually and as a family.
What I accomplished: Does getting a dog count? Even though the adjustment has been time-consuming, I like that we entered into the process of getting Pixie as a family, going to visit her together and getting to know her, and then bringing her home. Otherwise, there wasn’t a lot of free time to be had this month. Next weekend we’re going on a canoe trip, which I’m excited about, and I had some nice ‘girl time’ with Emma. I miss my friends, though. I could use a night out and a mango margarita.
Basking in the sunshine.
Grade: Incomplete
Comment: I think this will be something that resolves itself, as the school year and my volunteer commitments end. As of now there is very little on the summer calendar, and something has to be really amazing for me to change that. I’m planning to read, hang out at the lake, read some more, maybe visit the zoo and do a couple other small day trips, but that’s about all.
I’ve been really enjoying Simplicity Parenting, and I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on Friday.