Planning

I feel like we are still not back into the swing of things since the Christmas break. Reagan still has not had a full week back at school. Last week was a two day week and now, due to the snow this week will be a two day week as well. (She only goes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) And even Gene has had some time off. Both of these are messing up my schedule. Well, maybe that sounds harsh...they are negatively affecting my motivation to get anything done.

And I found out today that little Gracen has the flu...so we might not return to normalcy for a while.

While I have had a little time at home, I have been doing a little planning...trying to be a little more organized for 2011.

I created a schedule for this new year, or at least until May when Reagan gets out of school for the summer. I am going to do my best to blog every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday...exercise every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday...and I have divided up cleaning tasks by the day of the week, in a different way than I did last year. If anyone is interested in my schedule, just let me know. I am happy to share.

I also came up with a neat little way to menu plan that takes the guess work off of me. I have meals planned out for all of January and that makes me feel good. Now if I can just follow the plan. Just last night, I had taco salad planned...soft tacos for the girls...and when supper time came around, I just wasn't that into cooking. I really just wanted a bowl of cereal and then some couch time. I had everything I needed and the meat was thawed out and ready to go, plus I had 3 hungry faces looking at me that probably wouldn't have been as eager as I was to eat cereal. I pushed through the laziness. We all ate together and I glad that we did.


Speaking of planning, Reagan's birthday is next week. She will be five....FIVE! Crazy, right? Anyway, I have been planning her party. This year, she wants to have just girls come to her birthday party. This is actually the first year that she has really cared who I invited or what I planned. She named the girls specifically, and the list never changes. I bet I have asked her for two months to "list who she wants to come to her party" and it is always the same. She wants a Pinkilicious party, based on the book Pinkalicious, one of the cutest book ever. It is about a little girl named Pinkalicious who loves all things pink. One rainy day, she makes pink cupcakes with her mother. She eats way too many of them and she turns pink...and starts to call herself Pinkerbelle and Pinkerella, dressing up like a pink princess, complete with a crown and a wand. The story tells about her journey to becoming her regular color once again.

Anyway, here is what I have planned for the party so far...

• The girls that were invited were asked to wear something pink.


• When they arrive, I have a few little activity sheets for them to do as we wait on everyone to arrive.


• I will read the book to everyone so they are all familiar with the story.


• We are going to play "Pin the Cherry on the Cupcake"...from the story.


• We are going to decorate our own crowns and wands. I ordered all this from Oriental Trading..


• We are going to decorate our own cupcakes...from the story.


• We will eat our cupcakes, along with a large cupcake cake, pink ice cream, pink drinks, and some other pink foods.


• If we need some more "fillers", I have two more games we can play, plus a funny way to read the book again that I think the kids will love.

All the decorations will be pink with cupcakes on them. And I will be giving out things like pink boas for prizes. Doesn't that sound fun! I will definitely have to post some pictures. It is going to look like someone threw up pink...hopefully no one will with all the pink food. Reagan is sooo excited. Now I just pray that all her little friends will be able to come.

Continuing the theme of "planning"...I am also still trying to decide what Bible study to really focus on. I have 3 going. I am reading Colossians in the mornings, reading the book Made to Crave while watching the weekly web-casts, and reading One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer. I also want to start the James study with the Women Living Well blog that I told you about. It begins next week. I know, I know...it's too much. But, it is all good and instead of just focusing on one, I wanted to hit a little bit of each. Not a method I suggest to anyone.

I am also helping Gene plan the LIFE groups...of course he is doing most of the planning...like 99%, but listening takes work too.

I am just about planned out...I know my brain is pooped!

Oh, and we are also redoing Reagan's room for her birthday...yep, more planning.

Until next time...