A crispy start to the day

It was just 11.1 in here this morning at 5.45am! Almost half an hour later I've managed to get that up by 3 degrees so it's still chilly but feels warmer in here than the passage way. Makes me chuckle to think that in a few months it will be too warm for me on a regular basis :)

I'm nutting through how to best manage the summer heat, at the moment. Heat = stress on the body = an MS trigger. I know I can't solve it, but I sure can plan and work towards doing my best with it.

In the mean time, I need to work out how to best use TODAY! Normally I spend my Wednesday's at my sister's, caring for her 2 boys along with my own children. Today I'm not because my back still isn't good enough. It's quite a different feeling from last week when my sister and her family were away and I knew in advance that I was having the Wednesday off... it really was like a day off... but the last minute thing like this - not quite the same, is it?

I have a looong list of things I'd like to be doing here but I've been around long enough to know that in between caring for a baby, directing the children and resting & exercising my back, that I won't be getting a looong list done.

So instead my list for today looks like this:
1. The basics of food/clothing/sleep for the family
2. Back rest and exercises for me
3. Make and bake pasties

and that my friends, will make today a success :)

(ooh - it's 14.8 in here now!!)

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One day at a time

seems to have been the best way for me in the recent months of summer.
There have been so many things I would have liked to blog about, and hopefully, I'll still get around to some of them. Not having even the head space to start a draft or make notes for them it will certainly be some time before they pop up here LOL

So, where am I now?

Content. Content that I've prioritised my family when choices have had to be made. This has not been without cost. Blogging has had to be left - a low cost when on scale. Friendships have changed - those that either don't understand or accept the effect of MS on our family life have distanced themselves and easily taken offense by my limitations.

This does hurt as I am very much a 'my yes is my yes, my no is my no' person, and if there's any variation to this you can be sure it is with great cause and much grief at my end of not being able to live to my standards and values for that time, for whatever reason!

All up, I know it is just a reflection on themselves and their insecurities, and quite probably just highlighting a lack of genuine friendship.

Thankfully life does go on.

I've still kept up reading many blogs, though have rarely been able to leave a comment. I've celebrated baby births of blogging friends with joy - though again usually without comment... I'm still wondering what colour towels Erin's new baby will have LOL... and have a few Treasured Moments to add in.

I'm currently spending some time in England thanks to Cassie... it brings back memories I have from a trip as a child... maybe one day I'll get back there?

And I'm preparing for OUR baby's arrival. I am soooo excited and looking forward to meeting this little one. We feel so blessed that God has chosen to give us another and even now wonder if God has more in store for us - only time will tell. Having chosen to not find out the sex of the baby, I'm really looking forward to finding out when the time comes... though having chosen this path means we are super low on baby clothes. We have 2 outfits in green and yellow so hubby will be taking me for a quick shopping trip super soon after birth! I don't want bubs in neutral colours for months, which is why we're waiting. I want a girl to look like a girl and a boy to look like a boy, so waiting on clothing preparations is a must.

Home schooling has continued and adjusted - does anyone ever keep to the same plan for long? Lovely books have been arriving by post - I love this way of shopping... packages are such fun! Organisation is continuing to happen - the bulk of decluttering happened over the Christmas break, and now we're down to the fine tuning... there is much fine tuning to be done... if bubs doesn't arrive before the Easter break, I'll get a bunch done. Otherwise it will have to be in baby steps!

Last but not least, I'm still amused  at my reaction to a recent statistic that I read... 'only' 70% of people on incomes averaging $90/pa use dishwashers... sometimes I feel like I'm almost all alone in washing dishes by hand so it's nice to know that I'm doing the same thing as about 30% of much higher income earners :o) 

I can be sure though, that their kitchens look nothing like mine ;o)

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Hoping for an early cool change

This heat has me so worn out - on good days I have about 3 hours of 'productive energy'... this heat and humidity drops it down to about 1 hour so I am very much keen for the cooler weather to return - Please Lord!

Last night it was 24 inside (in the room with the air con that is, and it had been up to 29 in that room!) when we went to bed and 26 outside. Well it did get a few degrees cooler an hour or so after we went to bed... but by morning, we're back up to over 27 degrees! Can I say Yuk?!

Ah well, I can't change it and this house needs some attention so that will be my focus this morning. This afternoon will be busy but 'self driven'... I've to drive 45 minutes to collect 100kg grass fed, chemical free, freshly butchered beef... and then bring it home again. Hoping the butchering schedule is all on track so there's not too much waiting involved! Once I return, I need to get 65kg of it into MY fridge and freezers and then I have 3 others coming to collect smaller portions - one friend and her 7 kids are coming from a couple of hours away to collect theirs (and do a few other things in Melbourne with their day)... I don't see this lovely lady nearly often enough so I am very much looking forward to this. Around about the same time as pick ups and dinners I also have a friend setting up a camper trailer in the driveway for about a week, for another friend and her 2 kids to stay in while the renovations on the house are being finished off.... it was going to be a couple of nights ago but the heat at night has made it better for them to borrow someone's cooler lounge room floor - ours is not cool and we're up from 5am daily and often using the lounge LOL. Summary: there will be a few people coming and going tonight!!!

So, in my couple of weeks of 'this weather is yuk, I can barely function let alone blog.... what has been happening?
Pumpkins (who ever knew vegie gardening could be so much fun!), tomatoes, children, piano, preserving, holiday planning, Treasured Moments and more - how great that so much of life happens by itself LOL

Stay tuned for those updates - but first, with it being almost 7am... I need to get the day happening!
There is a kitchen to be cleaned, rooms to be tidied and a busy day to organise (yes, not much happened here in yesterday's heat and now it's catch up time)

Have a wonderful day where ever you are!

When life doesn't happen as planned

...even the smallest amount of organisation pays off!

I pushed myself too hard in the heat on Saturday and it took me all day Sunday to recover, including 2 serious naps... hopefully I will pick up the warning signs a little earlier next time.

What I did learn though is that I will keep on with menu planning - saves serious $$ when I'm not up to thinking about food... doesn't take much effort to cook something already thought out.

I also showed myself, once again, that the Out of Routine Recovery Plan is a life saver - or at least, a sanity saver! It doesn't even have to be me that does it - hubby's and kids can pitch in for sure!!!

By Monday morning it doesn't look like my weekend ended up with me in bed for hours, and I credit that to the above. (validation is a good thing!)

Now onwards with a productive week, and hopefully me pacing myself a bit better while knowing the improved weather will also help towards that.

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Surprise Party

One of the children's friends turned 7 on the weekend... we invited them to come for lunch today but made no mention of a birthday surprise **grin**
Melinda and I worked out a menu and planned a cake, Nathaniel helped with balloons and setting the table.
She was sooo surprised and thrilled - it was such fun to do this!

The Cake

Opening Gifts

Enjoying a different kind of lunch than usual!

Laughter at the speed and success of blowing out the candles

A happy day.

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Random Thoughts

 

Much is going on.

These last couple of weeks have been sooo busy

I'm LOVING the vegie patch

I'm a little overwhelmed with all the fruit in the back yard that will be good for picking over the next couple of months

My kids are just being painful while they fold the washing right now as I type

Hubby has 2.5 weeks off work starting tonight

Fish n chips for dinner - was going to be in a park but now it's pouring so it'll be here at the table

I am soo looking forward to 2.5weeks that fit a bit better with my preferred hours - usually we need to be in bed at 9pm to be able to get up at 5am!! Wake up time of somewhere between 6 & 7am will be so much nicer

We have so much to get done over the next couple of weeks but want to balance it out with family fun. Must keep that in mind.

Lots of fun was had at my sisters place last weekend when we did (my side) family Christmas there

There are so many nutrimetics orders coming in at the moment, which is great - must continue to track and write them down so I don't forget anything

I have received a whole bunch of curriculum stuff in the last week and a bit but have yet to sit down and go through them. I am REALLY looking forward to making & taking time to do this.

I love the sound of rain on the roof

I'm wondering if Pete got to the train dry or got caught in the rain.

There is nothing in the diary for tomorrow = bliss

Pete just called ~ he's wet... I no longer need to wonder

I wish weeding didn't make my hands so dirty

I have so many blog posts I want to finish writing.... and a whole bunch of blogs I need to go back and comment on from when I've only had a few minutes to read

I need long gardening gloves, the zucchini plants give my arms a rash

I need to publish this so I can get Pete from the train!

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A Week in Review

 The days go by so fast - but this week especially so! It's not usual or even desirable, for us to be this busy on a regular basis but it all just fell into this week for a variety of reasons.

We started off with the 'perfect' day of schooling on Monday... (that should have given me a clue about the end of the week LOL) and in the afternoon we went visiting and spent a delightful couple of hours with some dear friends who live about 45min away... coming home in time to pick up Pete from work and then to drop Melinda at Girl's Brigade.

Tuesday another busy day - we didn't get through as much bookwork as I would have liked... everyone needed a nap which does tend to get in the way of productivity. We need to learn to manage this a bit better. Again in the afternoon we spent a couple of hours at a friend's home - this one lives only about 15min away... and I had a lovely cuddle of their 10 week old baby - a boy after 2 girls and a baby that was soooo longed for. God is good!

Wednesday the children and I went to my sisters house for 2/3 of the day and looked after her boys... we did our bible session together which is a start, but no other work than that.

See, very social this week!!!

THURSDAY... a few errands in the morning (I'm thinking I should have deferred this??) and then my sister arrived with her boys... Pete had today off work, so he looked after all 5 children while I took my sister out for a long leisurely lunch at the Pancake Parlour for her birthday. We've both voted it to be an annual event from now on. An absolutely WONDERFUL day!
Schooling on Thursday - Ha!!

Friday started at 2am with gastro... ugh. Thankfully Pete dealt with most of it... Nj first, me by 5am and then Pete by the end of Friday. So far Melinda and Timothy seem to have escaped it. I pray it stays so!

So this made Friday a waste of a day... as Nj said to me 'Mum, you've been on the couch ALL DAY!!'. Pete did take the car to get the air conditioning fixed and re-gassed, so that is one thing that was good.
Schooling on Friday? Ha!

So sad to say, with the arrival of gastro... we needed to cancel our big 'almost summer BBQ' that was to be happening this afternoon from 3pm.... I certainly couldn't be here blogging if it was happening. We had about 24 adults and 46 children of all ages coming and God even gave us perfect weather for it! Much fun was planned - bubbles, slippery mat, face painting, paper planes and more... oh yes - a 5 metre long ice cream sundae!! Yes, we will be rescheduling in the new year!!!!!!!!!!

2010 will be remembered as 'the year my life was cancelled' for sure!

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My Laundry

I was working in my laundry for the first time today and I must say...
although rather odd... I do love it!

Can you see it? It's on the right hand side of the house (but not the garage and workshop which is the separate building)
This is the view from about 2m in front of the back fence.

This is taken from just in front of my laundry - loving the huge yard and the kids are too!

This next one is taken from the same spot and is to the right of the above photograph.
The path on the right of the above photo is the same as the path on the left in the photo below

and here's a close up of my laundry *grin*

That's right... it's outside LOL and what a view I have! Was pretty nice to be able to pull the towels out of the machine, spin around and hang them up

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Pulling it all back together

For the last 9 weeks life has been very much upside down... we found out we were 'being asked/told' to move out of where we were renting. It took us a week over that and then we gave 4 weeks notice... they'd given us the 120 days they were legally required to. We chose to leave earlier so we could stop paying rent and thus be able to pay for the move!
So then 4 weeks were spent packing, cleaning etc. Down to the very last minute too.
Then 3 weeks 'floating'.... 2 weeks house sitting in the city at my BIL & SIL's house while they were in Europe and then another week with friends here locally in Knox and then yippee of all yippee's, we were accepted for a house and we've been here for almost a week.

And as of today, I have full internet access!! This is important as I am a rare one that gets more done with the internet being a part of my day :o)

We only have about 1/2 of our things here... many boxes to come... and a cat

I soooo need to get everything back on track. As you'd imagine, little formal education has taken place over this period. Much learning of course, just not the things we class as 'bookwork'.

We have had some fun. Learning to live with less. A trip to the museum. The loss of an old friend - and the children finally getting through this happening, what a 'bad day' actually is... the loss of a young friend through drowning and many more tears... lessons in decluttering.... many many kilometres on the road... city traffic at 6.30am... sausages in bread becoming 'cooking from scratch'... getting over takeaway... an art sale and crafting workshop... a tupperware party... learning from one of the most relaxed mothers I have ever seen... learning how much 'being unsettled' the children can cope with... getting sick, all of us; I believe as a result of the poor 'on the go' diet we were on... more time to play with friends...

So now almost back into real life!
This weekend will be church, a meeting at church, Pete helping a friend move house, heading to Geelong to collect our dear Minty (cat) and picking up my NEW DEHYDRATOR... and some more unpacking :o)

I am soooo loving being in my own kitchen again.... loving the cooking... even better will be when the big fridge arrives!

I had also just started M.O.T.H. before the moving saga began, I am really looking forward to getting back into it... and getting into M.O.T.Chores

I think of you from time to time

as I go about my every day life, because of the practical impact you've had. Little things, maybe 'duh' things, but sweet none the less!

When I use my food processor/blender I think of Marion who has hers on the bench and since I've copied this life is simpler!
I think of Viv when I order and receive books purchased by our library - wow what a resource :o)
Cassie, you are thought of each time I sew something - you inspired me and give me courage to 'have a go'
Michelle, I think of you each time I am able to help someone. Matthew 25v43-45
I think of the home school mums group every time I use my date stamp... such a simple thing, such an impact! Who would have thought LOL

I think of my friends and I know I am blessed

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Sick Day Plans

I'm a mum. A SAHM. Who's going to give me a sick day?!

Ha! Not likely you say?

I rarely ever get sick but was thinking about this after a Face Book friend commented on her hubby being sick and that him being unwell was as unpleasant as being ill herself! I'd say this goes for most men. Some won't ever take a day off when 'sick' but it's a rare man who won't let you know about it!

Well, no one covers my work load if I get sick right? I don't have a mum or MIL that just pop in to help out as many of my friends do, So I've figured I need to get prepared myself! In fact the one time I've had kids and asked a family member to come and feed my toddler her dinner I was asked 'is it really needed?'. Can I tell you how much that HURT! (When a woman asks for help - she NEEDS it!!!! Most can't ask by the time they're desperate!! When someone asks you for help, please trust they need it unless you see a pattern that says otherwise) So yeah, not much by way of help around here.

Anyway, things I am going to get ready...
-Casserole in the freezer for this purpose only so dinner will be done with about 2 minutes effort.
-DVD kept back from the kids, ready for them to watch when I need to rest (a long one!)
-Print out some puzzle pages, cut & paste and colouring sheets for the kids
-Make a note of Audio CD's we have on standby so I'm not doing a read-a-loud
-Keep some healthy instant snacks on hand so I'm not caught out needing to bake
-Get a loaf or two of home made bread in the freezer also for the above reason

I know some mums are organised like this for the first couple of days of their period each month; I'm blessed not to need that but every now and then I'll be unwell or am just plain exhausted and the above will help keep the family running.
I already keep up on the washing so we're never more than a load behind and I'm working on that with the ironing!

What do you do when you're not well enough to carry on as usual?

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Catching Up

Busy Busy Busy! Wow, more than 10 days since I've posted!

and I'm not sure where much of that time has gone LOL... we have had a couple of GREAT days schooling... so much so that the day is over before we know it and not much else was done.

Let me see if I can catch you up with real life at our place.

In the last 12 days
-Melinda has 'graduated' and can now hang a full load of washing on the line, just the way I would and of course, remove it and fold it!
-We went to Ballarat for a wonderful 2 days. Staying with friends for one day, camping out at their place overnight and then to Sovereign Hill the next day before returning home. Will post a couple of photo's soon!
-Nathaniel participated in the annual Boys Brigade athletics not knowing athletics actually existed till now, and ran both the 400 & 800m!!!! If only I still had the ability to do that LOL
-We were blessed with tickets to an indoor circus type thing... juggling, magic tricks and all that. Pete took the children and one of Melinda's friends and I enjoyed almost 4 hours home alone. Yes, I tidied and cleaned during that time - but oh so nice to do it alone!
-We had our back yard inspection for the Puppy Walkers program through Customs and were APPROVED... just a couple more steps and we'll have a lively Labrador pup for approx. 12mo
-Our monthly Home Ed meeting was here and once again it was WONDERFUL. Just a joy to be able to have that time JUST with other women. Conversation changed dramatically when you remove men and children and it's sooo important that this is done from time to time in our lives. There are topics raised that otherwise would not be. Women can be ministered to when otherwise many of those needs would not be met. A woman who doesn't do this is missing out and also making others miss out on fully knowing her! Everyone has some great things to share and other women miss out when we won't make time for 'girls only' events. I know myself, there are some women I'd love to spend some more time with and they just 'won't'. You may not need other women, but regardless, other women need YOU!
-Pete and I started to celebrate our 10th Anniversary - I say 'started' because there's more to come and we won't be done till the end of April!! (Getting babysitters takes that long around here!)
-We went to the cinema for the first time in a LONG time and saw 'Blind Side'... well worth the rare evening out! (Our initial anniversary event, 6 days after the actual date!!)
-Just before posting this I've enjoyed a delicious Sabbath rest and the day has practically disappeared. All too soon, I'll be preparing for the week ahead.

I think that's about it - consider yourselves caught up :o)

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My housekeeping skills are just fine, Thank You Very Much!!

Ever been offended by something your husband has done? Most of you will have experienced this, I am sure.
I'm now learning that the best way to solve the offense, is for me to chill out and put my rose coloured glasses right back on! The ones I wore when we were dating - if you know what I mean. The days when we excused them almost anything :o)

For months, maybe even years and I've just not thought about it till now... I've been driven nutty (note I'm not saying he's driven me nutty, please), by hubby asking 'when is the last time the towels were washed?'
My internal dialogue... "who cares when, just trust that I'm doing my job, they're clean and you're not going to catch anything!" (btw, I know some wash towels daily, here it's a weekly-ish thing... and that's quite normal among people I know). My external dialogue was rather grumpy too... you know how it sounds when we assume we're being criticised (eek)

I was taking his straight forward, simple question as an inference that I wasn't washing them often enough.

Can you see how ego centric this was of me? Nuts I tell you, NUTS!

Then one day last week, the light bulb went off.... hubby was not criticising my work. It was a genuine question, based on me doing my job 'too well', if you will. He just wanted his towel to be clean.
Most of our towels are the same colour. So if I wash, dry, fold and return it to his to towel rail - is it going to look like I've cleaned it??? *NO*!!!!

I've solved the problem.

I've changed my thinking, and my approach.

I decided I could just lovingly answer his question when asked, or I could remove his need to ask.

I did the latter.

Now, I wash his towel, and replace it with one of a different colour. Instead of hanging on his towel rail, I place the fresh towel, folded on his side of the bed.

What about you? Anything come to mind? Pray that God will show you any innocent situations where you need a new attitude so you can get those rose coloured glasses back on and instead work on you... he's really not out to annoy you!

Gloomy Days

We're in the midst of a bunch of gloomy days here, and with summer on it's way out there will only be more. This zaps my energy and my moods... not good for anyone living here LOL

I need ideas to help combat this!

I've only come up with 3 things so far - would love to know what you do
-fresh citrus oils in the oil burner
-loads of lighting on
-keep fully hydrated

I don't want to feel cozy (that comes all to easily) I want energy!!

Edited to add: Getting ourdoors on a daily basis is now also a goal that I think will help. I tend to avoid the outdoors when gloomy days are here but I think I need to push myself. Will see how much this can help over the coming months.

What a week!

This new 'life' is taking some getting used to and there are most certainly adjustments that need to be made. I need more strategies in place to keep from being overwhelmed. This last week has been so so busy, thus no new blog posts since Monday - and the week ahead is looking to be even more busy as we have 3 extra appointments in the week!!

I've pulled out my Fly lady book again and am re-reading as I can snatch moments to do so. It's got some good reminders in there for me and I think this next week I am going to spend more time planning my days before they happen and am going to keep my timer glued to me!


Amongst the busyness we've had some great times this week...
**Thursday evening, 3 girlfriends came over for a fun game and conversation evening. Times like this keep me sane. So good to be able to share, encourage and grow through time spent like this.
**Car day was very productive with Woolworths, Aldi, Green Grocer, Raw milk collection and a visit to the GP for Melinda who was most relieved to find out her mole can be left on her back i.e. does not need to be chopped out!
**Pete is settling in to his new role, though the change is very tiring for him
**We finished up looking at South America/Brazil this week - looking forward to starting 'Australia' on Monday
**Harvested 3 zucchini's and 3 tomatoes from our vegie patch
**Tried a new zucchini recipe with great results
**Taught the children how to play Mancala (I Love this game!)
**Success with organising meals in advance!
**The children and I have enjoyed listening to The Adventures of Jonathan Park as we've driven in the car or sat waiting for Pete to come out from work. Learning is so much fun this way - I highly recommend this series and it can be bought from Heart and Home. Worth every cent spent - yes, every cent!! I know we will keep our series for at least a decade and I suspect it will get passed onto the grandchildren :o)

Potty Training Success

Success! On the potty though, too small for the toilet yet. Will wait till he can do his pants by himself for that :o)
21mo today and potty trained. No accidents in 3 days and can go out for at least 2.5 hours without needing the potty... haven't tried longer because haven't needed to yet.
We've been to church, to the park and market and to somewhere else but I can't remember where it was at this moment lol
We're still in cloth nappies for sleeps and I imagine we'll be using nappies for another 6mo-ish

So far as day time goes - couldn't be happier!

(Photo is April 2009)

'Interesting' Days Ahead

'Interesting'... such a nothing word, gives no indication of how one feels about something LOL
So let's say I'm feeling a tad apprehensive?

Pete starts work today.

For the last 2.5 years I have had him home with us, working on our business. Well, life changes; God calls, and the path of life turns a corner.

We are continuing with our home business but due to my health, I am unable to deal with the pressure of my major role in it. So my part continues, on an 'as I can do/feel like it' basis and Pete will continue is admin responsibilities in the evenings and Saturdays. Yes all up, we're going to lose out time-wise but it will stabilise our income and remove a load of stress from me.
Long term, Pete's side of the business will financially support us.

Having said that though, my physical responsibilities around the home and with the children are on the increase. God has clearly directed this though so I know He will see us through.

Prayer would be great though!

Yesterday I realised that I will be the one taking the children to their school holiday swim sessions 4 days in a row
Then this morning I realised it will be me taking Melinda to her optometrist and Timothy to his health centre appointments - and the list continues on and on and on LOL

New things bring new challenges. Like the need for a car at least one month before we will have $$ to pay for it.

Yes, 'interesting' days ahead - I know it will sort out, but in the meantime I am very very aware of my new responsibilities and limitations

Last Evening

Last evening I spent a lovely hour with Melinda, getting things done around the house. We baked bread, hung washing and put Timothy back to bed a few times. I aim to keep these times happening with her. There is and will be so much value in maintaining our times of conversation with each other.

I've been using a clothes rack to dry most of our washing since moving in here 9months ago
Not so great for sheets or outside in the wind!

Today Pete strung up a clothes line for me - Yippee!!
and, as you can see, I put it to good use right away. Melinda passed me clothes and we chatted as we worked. The photo is a little dark as the sun has already gone to bed :o)

Here is the bread we baked - It's called Cuban bread and I reckon it's a foolproof recipe. I don't have a mixer or a bread maker, it's all by hand here so foolproof is good.

Fresh and warm, ready to eat


and some Anzac biscuits I made during the afternoon

Chatting till 2am

Remember the days when you could do that all the time? I've loved it my whole life I think. Many memories as a child are of talking... dad telling my sister and I to stop talking and sleep, a friend's mum sitting outside the bedroom door at 1am when at about 7 years of age we were still talking at a 'sleep over', one night as a teenager not sleeping at all because my friends and I chatted all night, yes, ALL night, at a post youth group sleepover. Oh the fun. Even in my Dad's last 2 years of life we talked many hours a week - not late at night, but through the day as we were both on the road a lot for work and 'hands free' mobiles made it possible. That's what I miss most about Dad. Being able to discuss life, church, God and all of those combined.

Well, last night was a lovely night which asides from being very pleasant in itself, reminded me of good memories of days gone by.

Days I had assumed were gone.

Not so! God is good!!

The children and I stayed with one of my friends and her family - well, everyone is friends with each other which is great - and once everyone was settled for the night, we chatted. and chatted. and chatted. About good stuff. Challenging stuff. Real life Christian living stuff. I don't quite get how nutting things through and opening your eyes to things you need to work on can give a buzz of energy but it does.

I'm not sure what I talked of as a child and as a teenager but I'm sure it's greatly deepened and I love the challenge of these deeper conversations. I love really getting to know the other person, having someone to bounce thoughts off and be challenged by. I love the companionship as I continue to grow as Christian and seek to live a more godly life.

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Earlier in the day we spent some hours with my old friends from school, including my oldest friend (the one whose mum stayed outside the door when we were talking). We've come and gone from each others life and it's such a joy to know her again now as an adult and to see what an enthusiastic Christian she is. Her faith is more than family traditions, it's real and living. LOVE this and am looking forward to when she and I can get together and talk the night away. I know she's as keen as I for a girls weekend, so we should get it organised!

Aah, just remembered that when Pete and I first started our relationship we talked till sun up the first night and then about 3am the next. Nuts huh.

More Planning Required

We've been back at our bookwork for a week now, which has been great as it's showing me the 'holes' I need to work on! Well, one actually. I need to do more planning. On a daily basis.

See the picture above? Guess which day was more productive and smooth and the least stressful? Yes - the one with more planning done first!
The left hand column is the most important. That's where I estimate our time usage for the day and it keeps us on track but is loose enough that we're not rushed as we go about the day. Sooo much time is wasted when I don't do this. Some may be able to function productively without this sort of planning, but I am NOT one of them!

So from now, I commit to planning daily, preferably the night before. This will increase our productivity and decrease stress. Not to forget of course, that it's also good stewardship of the time my Lord has given me!

What about you? I'd love to hear how you manage time - are you one of the lucky ones who just manages to fulfill all responsibilities each day or do you need to list and/or schedule? What works best for you?