New Year’s Resolutions 2012

What? You may think I’ve lost my mind with the title of this post. I assure you that I am fully aware that it is almost March (and by the way, hallelujah for that) but as you may also have noticed, I haven’t posted for several weeks…but I am going to try to catch up!

Why? You ask? (because I know you have definitely missed my ramblings…). I have been working on myself. And because children have zapped every multitasking cell out of my body, it seems that I can only focus on one extra thing (besides raising my boys) at a time. I try to muster up enough energy to write (because really I have got some great and not so great things to talk about!), but when I sit down to do so, there is just a flat-line in my brain capabilities.

I don’t do resolutions, per say. Have you seen the statistic about resolutions? It’s like 75% of people fail at their resolutions the first 2 weeks of the year, or something like that. But this year, I decided to try something new. Each week, I would set some goals. So I guess I did make a resolution by deciding to make weekly goals. I’m already rambling…

Anyhoo, in December I found a few things on Pinterest that I thought would be great to try. Because here is a little secret, ready?

I am the most disorganized, messy, paper pile-er, laundry pile-er, absent minded person on this Earth.

Okay so if you know me, that really isn’t a secret, and I don’t try to hide it from anyone. Although, I do try my best to disguise it by frantically cleaning like a mad woman if I know you are coming over, and then just pretend that my house always looks like that. But for those unexpected visits, I am totally screwed!

I’ve always thrived on procrastinating and non-organization. It just has always worked out for me in the end. But having kids made these not-so-great qualities exponentially grow.

So this year, now that the boys are getting older and more independent, I really wanted to try to work on these not-so-pretty qualities that I bear.

As I was searching for ideas to help me get organized, I admit, I felt a little shameful and embarrassed. Because really, do I need to write myself hundreds of notes and place them around the house? And do I really need someone to tell me to do that? Well, apparently I am definitely NOT alone, because the amount of calendars and reminder ideas that I found on Pinterest (hundreds of different ideas) gave way to me feeling comforted by the fact that many moms need simple and silly reminders. And when you see what I have done, laugh if you want, because I certainly did! But it works for me!

So after searching and searching, I decided that I would try having daily calendars. These schedules would be broken up into 15 minutes increments and INCLUDE EVERYTHING I needed to get done. I mean everything – and this is where you will think that I am a complete moron – down to getting dressed, working out, devotional time, lunch etc. Because that is what I am having the HARDEST time with. I know I have this and this and this to get done during the day, but as soon as I get up and drink my coffee, most of those things have been long forgotten, amongst the “mom I need this” and “mom Evan’s picking on me” and “mom, mom, MOM, mom”.

Okay, so before I continue with my weekly goals, I had 3 continuous goals that I needed to work on.

1. Get up at 6 each morning during the week. No more getting up when the kids do. I have used them as an excuse long enough. And I realized that when the boys woke me up raring to go in the mornings, I was so crabby and tired and grumpy, that the mornings were being started off in such a negative way. I need to ease into my mornings and take some time to wake up. And Evan (who is exactly like his father), once his eyes crack open for the first time in the morning he is wide awake and ready for the day to start. And I found myself upset and disgruntled with him immediately, first thing in the morning. And that is FULLY my fault. I know how he is, and as his mom, I need to adapt because at his age (and personality), he cannot do the adapting. Sheesh, I hate being the adult!
2. Getting my time with God in, FIRST thing in the morning. I used to be a morning person before kids. But after kids, I have found that I am neither a morning person or a night owl. By the end of the day, I am too drained to think. I just want to sit and veg out. So for me, this had to be a priority, first thing in the morning or it wouldn’t happen.
3. Get my workouts in! I made a decision to be more healthy and active for my boys! I must achieve this one! My boys need me to be healthy!

I can say, as of today, I have been faithful in all 3 of these areas! And it has been amazing to see just by getting up before the kids has changed the dynamic of the relationship between us. I am ready for their needs when they wake up. I am not irritable when they ask for juice first thing, I am not argumentative when Evan is drilling me with thousands of random thoughts, needs and requests, and I get some great snuggle time on the couch which is a bonus. I am able to get my devotions in also, before the mad rush of little feet coming tearing out of the room. I ease into my day with my cup of coffee, darkness and quiet. Then spend some time with my Father before the chaos of the day.

Has it been easy getting up at 6 every morning? HECK NO! I am so beat by 3, I can’t hardly stand it. But it is definitely a work in progress and something I want to keep working on. Baby steps, people, baby steps!

So here is what my calendar looks like…drumroll please…

So I created a binder that sits on my counter, not that I have so much counter space to use have you seen my kitchen? But I know that I NEED to have it staring at me at all times, so I can see it and read it! In the binder I have a daily calendar section, a month calendar section, a budget/money section, grocery list section and a sleeve for coupons. I used to have a binder for my coupons but for this stage of life I am in, time is more important than sitting down doing hours of coupons. So now I clip only the coupons for products that I WILL use.

My daily calendar:

Notice my little post-its. Yeah I haven’t really came up with a good idea on how to remind myself of the cleaning chores for the day. Because to me, it just makes my calendar look too crazy if I add them to it. So right now, they are on a post-it that I can check off when I’m done.

Yes, I needed to schedule in basic things like “getting dressed” and remember I already called myself a moron. It’s cool.

As you can see, my kitchen is the size of a show box, so my binder literally takes up half of my counter space.

But because I actually made myself sit down and write a post, and believe me it took all morning to do so, I’m done for the day. So this post is kinda incomplete and doesn’t have a true ending because there is much more to this story. But that is for another day when I can muster up a few extra brain cells to finish it! Yeah, I warned you I am a basket case lately! But stick with me, okay .

How are your resolutions going so far this year?