Other Goals for the New Year

I have written about a few of my goals for the new year and to stay along those same lines, I have a few more to add.  I am going to be more frugal about what I spend my money on.  I have way too much credit card debt and I really need to stop spending.  I know that we don't need to have a lot of the things that I spend money on, so now it's time to stop buying them.

I am going to very quickly limit the anount of times that we eat out.  I had thought it was a nice treat for the kids, and ok for me too, but I have a feeling it is more than a once in a while treat.  I have a feeling I do it way too much!

I do well with getting hand me downs, or at least getting stuff for cheap for the kids.  We went a little crazy over Christmas and with their birthdays coming with in the next month and then a month and a half later,  really need to think about what we spend our money on.  I really want to make a lot of their gifts, but there is just not always enough time.  I am hoping to use frecycle a lot more and use it for the things that I need so taht I don't have to spend a lot of money and also help the environment by re-using thigs that still have more wear in them.

I have already written about organizing and meal planning and I hope that this will also help with saving money.  I know it will.  It will help with saving time and money.  I will be able to go grocery shopping and know what I need to buy for the week and not buy food that will only go to waste.  I am hoping to eliminate certain foods from my diet and that too will help with saving money.  I will not be buying processed foods.  I will try to make everything from scratch or at least most things. 

My latest 2011 goal is to save money and reduce my debt!

Happy New Year,
Amy

Organizing

With the new year coming, my goal is to start organizing my life!  I need to organize my week so that I know what I am doing with the kids.  I need to have a plan to get housework and laundry done.  I need a plan so that I can enjoy my hobbies and have my supplies where I can get at them.

I have started a paper organizer that I plan to look at every day to figure out what needs to get done that day.  That is what I would do if I were working, so I am going to still run my life as if I were working.  I am going to get a schedule down so that I know what to expect when.  A friend of mine recommended putting all the different events that are available on the calendar so that I can have options on what to do on what ever day.

I am going to meal plan for at least a week and maybe even a month at a time so that grocery shopping gets done quickly and efficiently and we will hopefully save money!  I will make sure that there are things in the freezer to thaw out in case there is a crazy day in my life (and I never have any of those, right?) and I don't get to cook dinner.  We will be eating out a lot less and eating way more healthy foods.  I will hopefully lose weight in the process. 

As much as I hate to admit it, I really need to build in time to exercise.  I think that if my body were more toned, I would look better than I do right now.  Hopefully I can find a way to build in exercise with the kids so that they see it as fun and not as a chore!

My goal is to have a place for everything and always put everything back in it's place so that the house and our lives stay neat and organized!

Amy

Craziness of Life

So, this is the second post between my 2 main blogs that are fairly similar to each other.  Today was just a plain crazy day.  For some reason, I felt extremely stressed, but I have no idea why I felt extra stressed today.  My husband is going back to work Monday after being on Christmas vacation, and my goal is to get a schedule (albeit flexible) in place.  I am hoping that with a litle bit of a schedule, I won't feel so stressed at times.  As much as I hate to admit that I like schedules, I actually lilke to plan out how my day, my week is going to look.  I am not a spontaneous person, but I also know that I don't want to be too rigid.  I absolutely have to plan my meals and my household chores!  I really want to plan my days with the kids so that they don't go crazy, and I don't go crazy trying to figure out how to keep them occupied.  There are a few things that I want to add into our day, like arts/craft projects, dress up, some preschool type activities, some exercise activities to get out some energy, and most definitely some quiet time/nap time.  As much as I know that I should start this schedule now, I am definitely going to wait til after the new year.  I need to get all our EI dates into place and then plan around that and my work schedule.  I am hoping to schedule some play groups so the kids can get together with other kids and maybe I can even get together with some moms! 

I am also starting my gluten free dairy free diet today.  So far, I have done pretty well.  I went to a gluten free bakery nearby in Belmont and I know that there was dairy in what I ate.  I also added butter to my dinner, but I am not going to go crazy over it!  Hopefully this will help me overall, and I will feel better physically and mentally.  I am hoping that I will get a little more energy/desire to do the things that need to get done, like clean the house and cook dinner.  I am hoping that I am not so foggy.  I am hoping that I have less digestive issues.  I may feel worse before I feel better, but here's to a lifelong change to overall health.  I think being more scheduled with help with all of my goals!

If ayone one has some good scheduling ideas for 3 toddlers, please pass them on!

Thanks,
Amy

Newest Projects

So the holidays are over and I can breathe a sigh of relief.  Just a few more days and the new year will begin.  This means New Year's Resolutions, as much as I hate them.  My biggest resolutions this year are:  to eat healthier and to get a routine for my day down so that I can have more productive time to create, plan healthy yummy meals, play with my kids, and have a clean house.  I already have a number of projects to work on.  there are the multiple quilts that I have been planning on making, the doll and doll accessories that I want to make, a couple of car caddies for the boys, scrapbooking that really needs to get done, and I'm sure so much more.  One of the things that I need to do to be able to have time to create is organize my supplies and maybe make a place for the kids to play while I create.  I have a few ideas in my head that i need to put into practice.  I am also working on an organizing system to help me plan my days so that the things that need to get done, get done on time and then hopefully I can have more time to do the things that I love to do!  I am hoping for an ipad soon.  I should say, I am getting an ipad for my Christmas gift as soon as it fits into our budget.  I am hoping that it will help me maintain my organization better than my hand written planner that I am planning in using. 

I can't wait to get started on all the different things that I want to make.  I love to create!

Amy

Christmas Plans

Since Christmas Eve is tomorrow, then Christmas the next day, I'm sure I won't be writing much.  I still ahve some sewing to do for the holidays.  Hopefully it won't be very extensive and go very quickly.  Nothing like waiting to the last minute, as is usual with me.  There's really only 1 thing that I need to finish and that is the blanket for my baby (18 year old) sister.  I have had a fleece panel for a few years now and I have embroidered her name on it, but haven't finished the edging.  That is the first gift that I need to finish.  I have a few winer sacks to finish and they should go quickly, really just short straight seems.  Then the only other thing is the felt bow tie pasta that I want to make for the kids.  Simple enough, just time consuming.  The worst part of all this is that I am sick and I have little to no energy to complete these things as well as the cooking that I need to do.

For the cooking, I need to finish the truffles and hope they came out ok.  I need to make the nuts, which shouldn't be that hard.  Then there is the coffee cake for Saturday that should be baked tomorrow as it says it is better if it sits over night.  Then there is the bean and rice dish, which is really easy, but I made up the spice mixture as I went along and never wrote anything down.  I hope that this time it comes out as tasty as the last time I made it.  Then Saturday morning, I need to make my casserole.  Once the kids are in bed tonight, I don't think it will be bad, I just need to get the energy to complete things.

I have a couple of more gifts to wrap.  I need to order my husband something online.  Other than what I've listed, I think I am in better shape than in the past.  I can't wait to see the kids faces and hear them Christmas morning.  It is going to be so awesome to watch them open their gifts since they get toys now.  And 1 month from today, the twins will be 2 and we will have more gifts.  Maybe that's when I can give my daughter her handmade doll from mommy!  I'll jsut need to figure out something for my son!  Then a month and a half later my older son will be 3.  I can't believe I've been a mom for almost 3 years.  It's carzy to think about.  I'll have to figure out a handmade by mommy gift for him too!

Merry Christmas,
Amy

Food

Food is one of my biggest struggles.  Along with organizing and housework, food is something that I will always have to work on.  I love food!  I love food that is not good for me!  I really want to eat healthy, but I start off good, then it all goes to pot!  I think sometimes my lack of organizing really gets in my way.  I tried to do good this week and did better than I have in a while with meal planning. Today I went to the mall to do some last minute Christmas shopping and by the time I got home, I never made dinner.  I am trying to move toward a more vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, both from a animal rights perspective and a health perspective.  My husband, for various health reasons, is supposed to be eating a more plant based diet.  This is also something I have been wanting to do for sometime now, so when he was told to limit his intake of animal protein, I thought it would help me get to where I need/want to be.  It has and it hasn't.  With this being Christmas week, I haven't really pushed myself to be really good, but I really should be.  I will be doing moer menu planning after Christmas.  I have one for this week, but I just didn't fallow it today.  I don't want to give my self a break, because everytime I do, I feel like i am just giving myself an excuse to be unhealthy.  So, I am going to hold myself accountable!  I am going to start eating correctly.  I am going to make and follow a meal plan every week.  I am going to start following through with my beliefs!

This will not be the last you hear about my food journey.  There will be ups and downs, but hopefully more ups.  I am going to be accountable to myself and I am going to hold myself accountable for following through with mybeliefs and desires to be a healthy eater.  I will be eating more homemade foods and be hopefully trying new vegetariam/vegan recipes and I will be totally eliminating the foods that aer on my allergen list from my blood test.  I really should also meet with the dietician to talk about how I should be eating.  Hopefully my next posts about food will be positve ones with the changes that I want to make!

Merry Christmas!

Amy

Handmade Christmas

As I've written, I had a plan to have a handmade Christmas.  Due to my lack of organizational skills, I have a somewhat handmade Christmas.  I have completed 3 aprons for the kids.  I have 3 wine sacks to sew, which should tak eno time to complete.  I made silhouettes of the kids for my mom and step-father.  I have a couple of handmade faux food items for the kids that I have to complete.  I had wanted to make a doll for my daughter, but I don't think that it is going to happen before Christmas.  I had planned to make a quilt for my husband with pictures of our life together since we got married 3 1/2 years ago, especially since we got engaged on Christmas, but that too may be a work in progress.  I may be able to give him some pieces that I complete, but there is no way that it will be even remotely completed by Christmas.

I think I may be totally running out of time, given that Christmas is a mere 3days a way.  At this point, I am going to complete the wine sacks since they are easy, work on the quilt for my husband, and last but not least, maybe even finish a blanket that was meant for my baby (18 years old) sister many Christmas' ago.  Even this is a little overwhelming to think about given that it is Tuesday and Christmas is Saturday.  I have an errand to do after work, then it is home to sew at least the wine sacks and clean off my bed.  The other problem is that I am starting to get sick, but I just need to push through it and do what needs to be done so that I can have things finished or at least started enough to have something for Christmas. Unfortunately there is also all the cooking that I have to do, but that shouldn't be too bad.  I think I may have actually organized all that.

I continue to work on organizing my life. I may get a subscription to Real Simple, since it was a recommendation in one of the comments.  I'm not exactly sure what I want to use for an organizing tool, but I am researching and using what I have access to at the moment.  maybe next year, if I get organized, I can have a more handmade Christmas.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas,
Amy

Christmas Week

So here we are, the final few days before Christmas.  Am I ready yet?  Let's see.....  I have most of my gifts wrapped.  Most of my cards are mailed out, but there are a few that have not gone out yet.  Again, I need to be little more organized with my list, but I am better.  I still have to get a gift for my husband, maybe 2, one from me and one from the kids.  And then, there is my little 18 year old sister.  I have little to no idea what to get her.  I need to get to the mall, but I'm not sure when.  I am thinking I may try to go later after the kids go to bed either tonight or tomorrow night, depending on when or if my husband needs to go out.

I still need to cook, but I think I have a pretty clear plan for that.  I think I am going to make the spiced nuts Thursday, the coffee cake Friday, as well as the Indian spiced beans Friday.  We have to make lemon cookies for Christmas Eve also and I am not sure if my husband or I will be doing that.  I am thinking that I will bake with the kids Tuesday and Wednesday and pass out some things to the neighbors (just something little).  Then Saturday morning, I will make the egg casserole so that it will be fresh and hot that morning.  Unfortunately, the only healthy food item I am making is the Indian spiced beans and rice, but after Christmas, I need to get on top of my healthy eating.  I am still going to try to be good this wekk, but I am not going to drive myself crazy.  The other thing, is that I need to clean the house for Christmas.  We are having my family over for Christmas breakfast, and if I do things right, I will spend a little time each day cleaning, instead of waiting til the last minute to clean the whole entire house.  May this way too, I will get myself on a good cleaning schedule that will work for the rest of the time, not just when we are having company.

I have gotten a couple of of good suggestionson time management.  I now just need to figure out what is going to work for me.  I have some ideas, but I just can't decide what is the best route to go.  Google calendars seems like a good idea.  I like the idea that I can sync to my husband's calendar if I choose.  I like that I can use it on an ipod, even though I don't have one yet (but would love to get one soon).  I do have to look more into it.  I like having both the technology based organizer as well as the paper, so that would mean that I would probably print out what ever I put on the calendar in the computer.  I just need to fine tune things.

One thing that I want to plan into my day, and I mentioned this to my husband, is time to be creative almost daily, even if it's only for a short time.  My goal is to limit my television watching, or if there are shows that I just can't give up, to find something to do while I am watching them so that I don't just veg out in front of the television.  He and I both enjoy making things, him in his woodshop and me all sorts of things.  I also, like I said in a previous post, want to start making things to donate.  I have enough supplies that I don't think I would even have to spend money.  that way, I could enjoy making things, use up some of the spplies that I have on hand, and donate things to someone in need.

I have a lot of goals for the new year, but they are all things that need to happen.  I'd like to say that they are New Year's resolutions, but I know that often, people end up not following through when they wait until New Year's to make changes.  I am starting to work on these now, and hopefully, things will just start falling into place once I have a plan in place.

Have a great holiday and keep the organizing tips coming.  Also, any tips on meal planning, grocery shopping, and saving money on food are totally welcome. 

Amy

Organization

How was I ever an organized person?  Looking at my life now and looking at my life as a child and a teen, you would never know that I actually strive to be neat and organized.  You would never know that I was once a healthy weight and in shape.

Thinking back to my undergraduate days, I remember being extremely organized to the point of having multiple styles of calendars so that I knew what was happening on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.  When I work at one of my nursing home jobs, I was extremely organized to the point one of my co-workers always knew that I would have copies of required paperwork to give to her.  I also knew exactly where my social work CEU certificates were located and always knew how many I had and need to finish.  There was a time in my life that I had certain clothes in certain drawers.  I had to fold certain clothing items certain ways.  I even had to hang certain items certain ways and in certain places.

Now, if you looked at my life, you would say that I was a mess!  My bedroom looks as if it should be on the show Clean House.  Ok, it's not that bad, but it makes me feel that way.  Lately, I just get so overwhelmed with what I have to do, I just don't do it. 

I need a way of getting my life in order.  I was at Staples the other day, and given that it is almost a new year, I started looking at organizers.  I am trying to decide what kind of organization system is best for a mostly SAHM who works part time and needs a good stategy for getting household tasks completed.  I love the idea of a planner, but is that really all that useful not being in the professional work arena full time?  I did get a comment from a previous post that said to use outlook.  That's an awesome idea, except that I don't have a pc, I have a Mac.  Also, as much as I like technology, I still really like to write things.  Why, I don't know.  There is just somethign about the act of hand writing something that I really like.

My next task is to research planners for SAHM that will help me get organized in the different areas of my life.  I'd love to plan out household chores, weekly meal ideas, crafts that need to be made and completed, birthday cards that need to be sent, etc.  If anyone has ideas, I am more than interested.  Please pass them on.  I will also make sure that I post about any interesting ideas that I find, and what I ultimately plan choose.

Happy Holidays!

Amy

Handmade Christmas

Christmas cards are stuffed and addressed and ready to be mailed.  No, I didn';t make them this year, though I really wanted to!  I already have way too many projects on my to do list, so I gave up on that project.

The projects that I have to complete are many and I have waited way too long to really have this be a handmade Christmas.  I have 3 wine sacks to sew, which shouldn't be that difficult to do, it's more a means of setting up the machine and sewing.  Along with that I want to make 3 wine bottle stoppers to go along with the wine that I buy.  These may be more time consuming as I either need to do polymer clay or turn them on the lathe (which I haven't use since before grad school 4 years ago).  I have a few felt food items to make for the kids as well as some aprons.  I also want to make them some scrubs to go along with the doctor kit that we bought them.  I also want to make a doll for Eva Rose and then I need to decide on projects for the boys.  I may have to put some of these projects on hold as there are definitely ones that I need to finish by Christmas.  I have the patterns to make silhouettes of the kids for my mom and step father's gift.  I just need to get the black paper to cut them out of and then attach them to the frames that I just bought.  I also want to make a simple scrapbook for my grandmother as she is in a nursing home out of state and failing.  She hasn't seen the kids since March of 2009 just after the twins were born (they were 6 weeks old and Michael had just turned 1).

Wow just reading that list is making my head spin.  I really want to have a handmade Christmas, but I have procrastinated way too long and I may have to put a lot of things on hold.  I know that I can get a few more things done, I just have to prioritize what I have and when I have time to complete these projects!

Looking at this list and thinking of everything else that I have to do, makes me go back to my ADD issue.  I really need to get organized and plan my days accordingly.  I start lists, but then never use them.  I make too many lists and really need to just stick to one.  Does anyone have a good system on getting organized with household tasks as well as appointments, as well as a way to keep track of projects that need completing?

Happy Holidays!
Amy

ADD and Getting Things Done!

I am some what wondering if I have a little issue with ADD.  I have never been formally diagnosed and as far as I know, it was never an issue when I was a kid, but then again, I don't think that many people were diagnosed liek they are today.  Thinking back to being a kid, I can definitely see that I may have had some signs of this.  Mainly it was surrounding homework and schoolwork and keeping my room and house clean.

Now as an adult, when I look at some of the signs of adult ADD, I can definitely see myself having some of these issues.  I get easily overwhelmed, I very rarely start and finish a task, my brain always seems to be thinking of something (I can never truly meditate because no matter how hard I try, I can never stop my mind from thinking about all sorts of things that I have going on or that I find interesting), I get easily frustrates and angered, and many others that I can't think of right now.  Even if there is no clinical diagnosis of ADD, I think following some of the suggestions from people who suffer will automatically help me to deal with things.  One thing is my diet.  I am in the process of giving up dairy, wheat/gluten, and I should probably add in there sugar too, as well as trying to eat less meat (which I am doing way better than I thought I would), and definitely less processed foods.  I am having a terrible time sticking with my diet plan completely though.  The other thing that sounds somewhat crazy, is to look through a paper towel tube when I start to clean.  What this does is gives you a small area to focus on instead of looking at the whole room and getting overwhelmed.  I also need to be better at focusing myself when it comes to projects.  Often times, I start a project and then move on to another one because something else seems more interesting.  Because of this, I never seem to get really good at one thing.  I am only average at everything I try and sometimes average is a little strong.  I don't know if list help people with ADD or if it is just one more thing that just makes you feel like you are organized and able to get things done.  That's actually another area that makes me think I have more of an issue than just sheer laziness.  I start making list and trying things to get organized, but I never seem to follow through.  I really need to look up more on how to help deal with adult ADD other than meds.  There is no way that I want to go on meds, and I don't even know if I have ADD, I just can see myself as having some tendancies.

I have some craft projects that I have been working on for the kidlets and other people too.  I will post pictures later.  These are definitely things/reasons why I started this blog.  I wanted to have less involvement with commercial stores and gifts and everyday items.  I wanted to start eating healthy and less processed foods.  I wanted to start using things I make myself for cleaning and beauty products.  Christmas this year will have some store bought items, some hand me down gifts (which I am so thankful that we have gotten from people), and some handmade gifts.  I am really excited for the handmade gifts for people and I am really excited to start working on getting myself out of this funk that I seem to be in!

Happy Holidays!
Amy

Getting Back to Living the Life I Want

I started this blog as a way to talk about a lot of my beliefs in the way I want to live my life.  I think, somehow, I have gotten a little off course.  I have also recently read a fellow bloggers recent post, http://thefragrantmuse.com/, about blogging about our whole selves, not just what the blog is supossed to be about.  I have many blogs, but I think that this blog is one that can encompass the whole me.  It can encompass my family and the craziness (http://thiscrazylife-amy.blogspot.com/), my belief in living a wholsome, natural life and my love of creativity (http://thehandmadeandnaturallife.blogspot.com/, http://thecreativelifeproject.blogspot.com/), and my desire to cook and eat healthy (http://trialsandtribulationsofhealthyeating.blogspot.com/).

Even though I will continue to write on those other blogs, I will try to write about the whole me here.  This blog is about my belief system, and all the other parts of my life help to define my belief system.  My husband has helped me to learn about eating healthy and using natural treatments vs only medical.  Because of him, I have reached out and wanted to learn about so much more.  I am interested in essential oils and how they can benefit us, not just from smelling pretty and nice, but how they can help keep us healthy.  I am interested in using natual cleaners for my home and my body, and for my family.  I am interested in how being creative can help us physically and mentally.  I am interested in learning more about using alternative treatments in my social work practice vs just using traditional talk therapy.  I am interested in healthy eating.  I am interested in how a more plant based diet maybe more beneficial for me vs a more meat based diet.  I am interested I finding out how to cook interesting, tasty, healthy meals that not only satisfy the stomach, but also the soul.

I would love to lilve a life with less tv.  I know I can, I just need to do it.  I have plenty of things that can and will keep me busy.  I never used to watch tv, then all of a sudden, I am totally addicted to certain shows, though a lot of those shows are starting to grate on my nerves and I could very easily give them up.  Fortunately and unfortunately, I have the veria channel that has a bunch of holistic alternative shows that I am so interested in.  Unfortunately, I have seen them often, but still really enjoy watching them.  My newest goal is to watch less tv!

So here, youwill find posts that are about all the different pieces of my life tht make me who I am.  We are all multifaceted humans and should show that off.  You will read about my family.  You will read about my eating difficulties and accomplishments.  You will read about my creative projects.  What you are really reading about is ME!

Amy