Looking Ahead

Back in October I realized we had SO many activities and exciting events coming up on our calendar, that we needed a visual. We keep a calendar of the current month up in our dining room with important events on it. We also use our calendars on our computers and the four oldest people in our family are all linked up to the calendar so they can always check what's going on when.

But the visual I decided to make was a paper chain. For the remaining days of October, I used orange and black construction paper. For events in November, I used brown and orange. And for December, I did a pattern in red, green, and white. I ended the chain on Christmas day and when we first hung it up, it stretched across and around part of our dining room.

The girls have taken turns tearing a chain link off each evening. They can't believe how short the chain has gotten already. It has really helped with a visual of "How much longer until....." questions.

This month the main things we have are of course Christmas....and we have a house guest coming next week. Towards that end, we have been cleaning a lot lately. Our regular cleaning is not enough when you have someone coming to stay and not just over for a few hours.

And the Christmas shopping has begun in earnest. I'm taking my mom this afternoon to get a few things as well. I'm also working on Christmas cards, which need to be mailed out soon.

This month we are also doing a lot of planning. We have wrapped up the first "season" of our podcast. Now we just need to plan for next year's episodes. Also, husband is thinking ahead to what he will preach about next year. And we are making plans for our finances in 2019 and what we can do to help out in that area.

It doesn't matter what you are planning though---a fun event like a camping trip, or how to improve your life in the new year--those plans all need to be prayed over. Honoring God with our plans is the most important thing.

This fall is passing so quickly!

I don't believe that I can pray, "God, should I...?" and He will answer me. That is not how God operates today. (See Hebrews 1:1-2). But I DO believe that God will give us wisdom if we ask for it in faith. (See James 1:5-6). I also believe scripture addresses many things that we can apply to our own lives with common sense.

And that is the really important thing in all of this. We may plan, and prepare, and work hard on our future. We may fill our calendar up with events both fun and important. But if we are not seeking the Lord's guidance, our plans are in vain.

What are you preparing for?

Signing off,

Getting Ready

I'm ready to not be getting ready for something every day. What I mean is, we've been preparing for back to school for awhile, and this week I'm preparing for back-to-co-op, and also a birthday party.

After that, it will be fall holidays and a camping trip, and Christmas, etc. I think I'm ready for a week of not getting ready for something.

But it is exciting getting ready for that birthday. Our oldest daughter is turning 19.

Our beautiful oldest daughter. It's weird she's turning 19 since we are still in our 20s. Right?

She says she isn't ready to be 19, but as you know, it happens anyway. Since she didn't have any ideas for what she wanted to do or what kind of birthday party she wanted, I made executive decisions. She shall find out on Saturday. (I love surprises)

The main problem on all of that is getting the house clean. Sheesh. Why is it so hard to keep the house picked up?

Getting ready for co-op is another thing. I teach the preschool class and I already wrote the lesson plans a few years ago so it's really just a matter of prepping the first 2 weeks' lessons. That means making copies, cutting things out of construction paper, gathering things, etc. I have a new laminator that the co-op purchased and I'm so excited to preserve the things I make this year for circle time. One day I will have less work to do each week to prepare for my classes.

Well, it also means making sure we (me and my 2 younger daughters) all have clean clothes to wear, names on all belongings, all belongings packed, and snacks and lunch made.

And since we went to the beach yesterday, where I managed to hurt my ankle, we didn't unpack the car yet. And of course there is the sand to deal with. BEFORE we go to co-op tomorrow.

Actual photo of the floor of my car.
I'm kidding. A little. 

My ankle is fine, by the way. I guess I sprained it. I was in SO MUCH pain yesterday evening! I could not believe how much it hurt! It was a several-hours-long delay of pain and it was weird. It swelled up on one side but this morning, it feels fine. And I'm glad.

I have a lot of things to get ready for, after all.

Signing off,

The Seat of My Pants

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I used to be pretty good at flying by it--the seat of my pants, that is.

I first discovered this when I became a teacher. If something happened and a part of my lesson plans weren't going to pan out, I was pretty good at coming up with a last minute activity. Sometimes they were really good! Like, really, really good. Kind of scared me, actually.

And something happening out of the ordinary--such as an assembly--did not throw my day off. Boy some teachers would be upset. They liked their schedule and their routine. Me? I liked the occasional "different" day. It kept things interesting.

The older I've gotten, the more I like planning. I still like to think of myself as flexible, but I do like to have stuff planned out.

I make a menu plan every week before I grocery shop. Otherwise we spend $150 at the store and have nothing that makes an actual meal.

I plan out expenses each month and we make a budget. Otherwise we spend all the money and have nothing to actually live on.

I plan field trips. I plan errands. I plan parties.

I try to plan lessons every week. I'm really trying to relax that this year. I have spent too many Sunday afternoons to count planning lessons or at least writing out which lessons I wanted my daughters to do over the years. This year, I really tried to be a "just-do-the-next-thing-open-and-go" kind of homeschool mom. But I realized after the first week that I couldn't do it. The girls both had laminated checklists of what they were supposed to do, but *I* didn't know what we were doing!

So I made a little form and filled in some information. I don't like it just yet. It needs some tweaking. And this last weekend I didn't get any planning in anyway. I hate opening a book and finding out there are materials we need and I haven't gathered them or we don't have them. It's been a frustrating week on that end and it's only Tuesday. Hopefully next week I'll be more together.

My husband is kind of a planner too. He likes to use technology. He uses nearly every feature on his phone. He uses apps. If there is technology out there to help plan something, he uses it.

I think I nearly killed him earlier this month when I went to buy a 5 subject spiral notebook. I'm too low-tech for him.

Of course, he also uses these. So...just whatever. My notebook is bigger, that's all.

I guess what I've learned is....I CAN fly by the seat of my pants. But life works a lot better when I plan.

Adulthood. It sneaks up on you.

Signing off,