Project 52:8 | Messy

Project 52:8

Motherhood is:

Messy.

One glance in the opposite direction and 

BAM

an unpleasant surprise most certainly awaits.

Thankfully, most are uncomplicated or

require minimal cleanup.

Just keep your second pair of eyes on alert.

The next innocent mishap lies moments away. 

Some days motherhood is just messy.

 It's just been one of those weeks. You know, the one that's just messy?

Every room I walked into this week looked like a disaster. I never seemed to be able to check anything off my to-do list. Showers were rarer than normal. Something always interrupted nap time and woke up the kids. We ran late for everything . . . except bedtime. HA! Elam's bottles always came out of the dishwasher at feeding time instead of the cabinet. I put off blog work until the very last minute. We ate hot dogs, frozen pizza and mac & cheese more than we should have. I would wake in the middle of the night to look for a text update on my niece in the hospital. Sadie had a hard time listening and Elam's quick grip caught plenty of items just in time for a good spill.

Have you ever had a messy week?

I'm ready for the weekend and a fresh start with renewed motivation. 

Don't get me wrong, there were bright moments in our week. Our struggles and mishaps were minor in comparison to so many. And every evening as I kissed the kids goodnight, my heart smiled, knowing that my blessings truly overflow. 

Weeks like this are bound to happen. I'm just thankful they are few and far between.

Project 52:7 | Motivated

Project 52:7

Motherhood is:

Motivated
by small but powerful moments 
engraved in our memory.
Recollections of impromptu humor, 
unselfish generosity, childlike faith 
or a simple smile to melt the heart.
~ We live for every moment. ~
And from time to time they're captured in a photograph 
for all to enjoy. 

Although these sights tend to occur in sparse intervals at our home, they are cherished moments. It appears the gift of a younger sibling is excellent training for the art of sharing. I am quite certain my almost 3 (going on 10) year old would agree that learning to share is really not very fun. 

Every so often she decides that helping her little brother is more profitable than running away with his toy. In a short time he'll learn to fend for himself. Until then . . . the training continues.

After all, I believe a child's first classroom is the home. And I'm quite certain there were days when managing thirty students was easier than managing two! 

But I wouldn't trade this hands-on, non-stop job for the world. 

One snapshot like that above motivates any mama to keep training .  .  . 

just to catch a glimpse of the next little triumph.

By the way, this photo put a big smile on a proud daddy's face! 

Project 52:6 | Maintaining

Project 52:6

Motherhood is:

Maintaining

consistency in the daily routine. 

It takes discipline . . .

to nurture friendships, marriage & the soul.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy 

to sustain enough energy & sanity. 

Just keep going.

One day we will wish little hands still kept us so busy.

 In the meantime,

 simply maintain. 

This Daily Docket keeps me sane and is probably the most useful tool in my Home Management Notebook. It helps me stay organized and motivated throughout the day. I created my own based off of Tsh Oxenreider's book, Organized Simplicity. You can find Tsh's Daily Docket on her blog (which is packed full of great info). For me, mine didn't need any of the "extras" and I wanted to get as many days possible on one piece of paper. It's not perfect and I may tweak it later, but works great for now. 

In a nutshell, the to-do list is essential. The first three items listed are considered my Most Important Tasks (MITs) for the day and are primary. An additional seven spaces gives me plenty of room to add items that I would like to accomplish. I rarely put more than five ~ they just don't get done. Items left unattended get bumped to the next day. Then I list any appointments we might have and the menu for the evening. This prevents a last minute scramble before dinnertime.   

There have been days I did not complete my Daily Docket. For the most part, it was somewhat relaxing. But at the end of the day I sat and wondered what I had actually accomplished. So on days I plan to rest and catch my breath . . . that's exactly what I put on my to-do list! After a nap and shower, I mark them off and rest knowing I accomplished my goals for the day!

So do you keep a Home Management Notebook or something similar? 

If not, what system helps you keep up with housework and your family's crazy schedule while staying sane at the same time? 

Project 52:5 | Management

Project 52:5

Motherhood is:

Management
at its finest.
Credentials include skilled cleaner, master chef,
expert disciplinarian, budget maker, grocery shopper,
 compassionate medic and loving caregiver.
-with the ability to multitask all of the above-
Motherhood is a business
with mommy as the general manager.
For a well managed home
is a happy home.

Okay, I told you I might get crafty. Most of you are probably thinking, "Where's the craft?". If you know me you know I'm not into scrapbooking. I don't have the patience to print off all of my photos, choose from fifty different paper colors, stickers and embellishments, arrange and glue them - only to decide - I don't like the look of my page. I just can't do it! It stresses me out! Digital photo books via Shutterfly are my preferred photo keepsake method. So the craftiness on the front (and back) of this binder is huge for me. 

And you're thinking the cake pops . . . they are darling and a little crafty. Well, I can't take credit for those tasty creations. My wonderful mother came to visit and the cake pops were just one of her and Sadie's many endeavors. 

So I've started this silly "Home Management Notebook."  I first read about the idea in the book, Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider. (It was a FREE download for the Kindle app on the iPad! Check it out, it's a good read.) I'm sure this notebook idea has been around forever, but it had never crossed my mind. As I was reading through the chapter I thought, "Nope, I don't need a notebook. It's just one more undertaking that will be disregarded in a week or two. Plus, I have cool iPhone apps that will accomplish the same thing." Though I did stay open to the idea - and for some reason - I changed my mind the next day. I got the notebook, made it pretty like she suggested and starting organizing the sections.  

My notebook is fairly simple. I want it to be helpful and not overwhelming. I tend to do better with fewer options. This little notebook is quickly becoming one of my best friends. It contains my daily to-do lists, weekly menus, the monthly budget and a few other odds and ends.  My favorite section is the "Daily Docket." The "Daily Docket" organizes my day and helps me to focus on the most important tasks I want to accomplish, any appointments or scheduled items and the menu for dinner. 

Next week I'll go into greater detail about the "Daily Docket" and how this notebook helps me stay motivated throughout the day and better manage our home. 

For now, I need to load the dryer and taste test one more cake pop 

before the conclusion of nap time. 

Until next week  . . .