~Free 2012 Printable Calendar~

    I LOVE FREEBIES!!!!  Especially pretty freebies that help me with my goal of staying organized.  I have calendars absolutely everywhere.  In my purse, on the refrigerator, in the pantry, on the ipad, in my family binder..... and I use them all.  The one on the fridge is mainly for meals and events that might require me to think ahead for the meal, but otherwise they will have the kids' schedules.  I can't seem to keep up with everything, or I tend to forget when someone gets picked up or dropped off.  It's just good for me to have a calendar readily available at all times.

I found this website last year after googling free calendars.  It is perfect for my computer nook.  It is pretty and yet has a fair amount of room to write stuff for each day.  I have mine framed in a dollar tree frame and I use a wet erase marker on it so I can add and take events off easily.



She just posted this years free calendar!!  Enjoy, and thanks 505 Five O' Five Design + Paper!!

~New Year Resolutions: Week One~

    Well, week one of 2012 is almost over and I have completed one, of however many weeks there are in a year, of my new year resolutions.  Mission Organization.  Actually it's just one step in the process, but a HUGE one and a very important one to me. 
    I showed you my family binder here and it has not left my side this entire week.  I spent a day last weekend, filling in some of the freebie forms that I had printed out, including the daily to do's.  I only put chores on the days and then I have a daily to do that I fill out every evening with places I need to go, things I need to get, what's for supper and what I need to do for the following day.  It's a great form where I can gather all of my information into one place and I actually leave my binder open on the table all day long so I can check things off my list.  I love making those check marks.
 
So my cleaning schedule that I have created consists of this:

Monday:  Clean hardwood floors

                 Clean master bath

                 Vacuum upstairs

Tuesday:  Dust upstairs

                 Clean kids bath

                 Vacuum Main level

Wednesday:  Clean half bath

                      Dust Main level

                      Vacuum downstairs

Thursday:  Dust downstairs

                  Clean downstairs bath

                  Wash bedding

                          Week 1 and 3- master and E's

                          Week 2 and 4- boys

Friday:  Grocery shopping (yes, that is considered a chore in my world)

              Wash windows

                           Week 1- upstairs

                           Week 2 - main level

                           Week 3- downstairs

                            Week 4- off

Saturday and Sunday have been left open to have fun with the family or do other projects that don't need to be done weekly.  I also do laundry and dishes every day.  OH... and sweep my hardwood floors.  I hate crumbs.

I just finished my chores for today,  my daily to do has everything checked off and I am ready to relax and enjoy an "at home date night" with my husband. 
This is just a beginning draft of my chores.  I know that there is a possibility that I will have to add something, move something, take a day off... and I am OK with that.  Having a guide will hopefully keep me motivated and help me not to forget things.  There were a couple of times today that I thought I could just skip something.  The basement bath wasn't bad, the windows could wait for another time, but I kept going and pushing myself and the reward of a clean house (it was clean until the kids came home from school;)  is well worth the work and effort.

So.... I'm curious.  Do you have a cleaning schedule?  How long have you had it and have you kept up with it?  Am I missing something on my list?  I would love to hear your responses!!!

~Double Chocolate Brownies~

Can't eat just one.  Trust me.... I tried.....and failed......miserably.  Elizabeth actually named these herself and since she is the one who makes them, I let her name them, and lick the spoon, and the bowl, and take the first taste test, because that is what the cooks get to do:)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C sugar

3/4 C flour

3/4 C cocoa powder

3 eggs

3/4 C butter, melted

3/4 C chocolate chips

Directions:  Mix everything but the chocolate chips

Add the chocolate chips

Mix again

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan

Lick the spoon

Bake in 350* preheated oven for 20-30 minutes

Then lick some more!!!

The finished product was eaten before a picture could be taken.  YES, they are THAT good!

~Mission Organization~

    It's almost the new year...can you believe it????  I am still stuck back on Halloween.  Seriously, that was yesterday, right?  Christmas was such a blur.  That could be because our entire family had the flu, including our extended family who we so graciously shared it with.  What's Christmas without sharing, right!? 
    I've been working on my new years resolutions.  My husband and I do this every year.  We write down personal, financial and family goals and then compare our lists.  Our financial and family we talk about and then make a final list of importance for each one.  We worked really hard on them last year and got quite a few accomplished.  It helps to have the list readily available so you can continually look at it and keep yourself accountable. 
    One of my personal goals for this year is to become more organized.  With four kids and numerous activities going on at all times, I need to be organized more than ever.  Being organized means less chaos, less stress and that means..... a happy mom!!
    My first step in this process is making a "family binder".  I have seen these all over the web and think they are a great way to keep important reminders, daily chores, meal plans and so fourth in one place that I can always turn to.  I also keep a "babysitter note" that I reuse, emergency numbers, important dates to remember, seasonal cleaning chore list and of course a folder for each child to keep those all important school papers.  They no longer are piling up on my kitchen counter....they are neatly stored in the appropriate folder until they can be thrown away.  Here are a few pics of my folder and links to some amazing websites for printables and organizing ideas.  ENJOY!!!

Find these free printables at: Miss Poppins

There are TONS of amazing free printables at:Organized Home

OR...find ones that you like and create something similar

where you can personalize it to fit your needs

HAPPY ORGANIZING!!!

and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!