Category Archives: Organization Tips

Chore Charts/Menu Planning Take Two

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Gretchen's Menu Planning

Entrust your efforts to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 (GW)

By: Gretchen Speer

Is it just me or is time FLYING by these days! We moved into a new house last fall. (For a funny little story about settling in click here ) While I have had time to get us unpacked and somewhat settled, we are still a little out of whack where our routines are concerned. After months of chasing my tail trying to keep our house clean it finally dawned on me that I had not done new chore charts for the kids since the summer. I knew I wanted to try something a little different that I had done before, and after looking through my office this is what I came up with:

Frames I found on clearance at hobby lobby for $2.99 a piece, card stock, stickers from the dollar isle at target, dry erase markers, and of course, a sharpie.

These came together in just a few minutes since I knew what chores I wanted each kid to have. For some ideas on what chores work best for what aged, and how to implement them here is my chore charts post from last year.

Since I had four of these frames I decided to make a menu board too.(Eventually my littlest will need one, but not yet!) My kids, and my husband, are always asking me what’s for supper. It drives me a little bit crazy, so I was hoping this would remedy that. For the most part they refer to the menu board now, and if they ask me I just point to it:) I still like to plan my menus two weeks to a month at a time, but I do like having this weekly one up to remind me daily what I’m fixing.

For some more detailed help on menu planning and grocery shopping, click here. For a more in-depth menu planner click here.

If you are wanting a quick easy chore chart and menu board these are definitely worth a try. My kids have done really well with them. Actually, they have done better with these than they did with the ones I was making before. I think simple is better for now.

Morning Routine

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I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 34:1b NKJV

One thing I hear a lot of moms say is that they have an excuse to be late because they have kids. While it does make it understandable at times, I myself can’t stand to be late. I feel like I’ve missed out on something. If I’m late to a practice or a meeting, I feel like I need to apologize over and over…and over.

When I first became a mom I struggled to get it together in the morning especially. After I had my second baby I had an even harder time. Because I wanted to be considerate of other people’s time I decided to make a plan. It has evolved quite a bit, and now that my kids are in school it is essential! Here are a few things that have a permanent place in my routine and are imperative to making our morning routine both time efficient and less stressful.

1.) Get your ducks in a row.

Check the weather the night before. Just a couple days ago we walked out to leave just to find that it had reached freezing the night before. We were running right on time, but scraping the windows definitely put us behind!

Have your kids put every single thing they need for the next day by the door you will leave from. (I usually check my youngers bags to be sure they did it.)

I pick my kids’ outfits out for the week (or more) as I’m putting their laundry away. I put socks and underwear with them, so all they have to do is grab matching shoes. Because I’ve had several mornings where kids can’t find shoes, I now have them pick the outfit they will wear the next day and put the shoes with it.

2.) Know more than just time you are supposed to be somewhere. Here is how I determine the time I need to get up in the morning:

Time I need to arrive at 7:15

Now take away the time it takes to:

- Get to kids’ school -10 minutes

- Load kids in car-5 minutes

- Do morning chores-10 minutes

- Fix and eat breakfast/Fix Lunches-20 minutes

- Get kids up and dressed head to toe-20 minutes

- Have morning coffee by myself-10 minutes

- Shower and get dressed-30 minutes

1 Hour and 45 minutes

Wakeup time= 5:30

This is my routine on school mornings. It varies a little bit depending on what else we have going on that morning.

3.) Do as much as possible the night before. If I’m wanting to wake up later (and who wouldn’t?!!) I take things from the morning list and do them the night before. For example, if I want 30 extra minutes of sleep in the morning I will take a shower, fix lunches the night before. I would also skip my morning coffee time, and possibly choose a quicker breakfast option for my kids.

Here are a few things I prefer to do the night before:

: Note the ipod dock in the background. We like to turn up the tunes in the morning! Nothing like a dance party to wake you up:)

Sit out everything you need for the next morning

Fix Lunches

Make breakfast ahead of time

Fill up all clean sippy cups

Pack diaper bag

Lay out my outfit

Everybody has days when no matter how much they have prepared they end up running late. It happens! I hope these suggestions will help it happen less often.

Leave us a comment and let us know how you make it out the door on time!

Keep me Abiding

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Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:4 (NAS)

By: Gretchen Speer

In my post on Monday, I talked about how time spent with God is nourshing versus how idle time holds no “nutritional” value. You can read that here.

Like many of you, I am in the season of mothering young children, four to be exact.:) I am completely aware that quiet times can be few and far between. So how, in our busy exhausting day can we find the time to dig into the Word? Here are three things that have helped me a lot, and that I am still working to keep a part of my daily walk. I hope you find this helpful, and please leave us a comment and let us know how you make your time with God intentional.

1) Memorize Scripture.

I put the verses I’m memorizing above my stove, since that’s where I am several times a day.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.Psalm 119:11

In the middle of the night when you are nursing a newborn, during a busy day potty training your toddler, having His word written on your heart is the greatest gift you can give yourself during this season. Even on days when there are no spare moments, you can still think on His promises for you.

This month I’m memorizing these verses, care to join me? Psalm 51:1-15

2) Keep the conversation going.

pray continually; 1 Thessalonians 5:17

and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5

This is as simple as having a conversation with God throughout your day. Think on your blessings and praise Him for them. Whenever you feel worry, fear or anger creeping in-tell Him about it. Ask for His wisdom in discipling your children.

3) Keep your bible out.

to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word

Ephesians 5:26

Several years ago when my oldest was a toddler and I was pregnant with our number two, I was struggling a lot spiritually. During this time a friend of mine (who was in the exact situation I was in) was telling me how she was able to have time in the Word. She said that she just kept her bible open on the kitchen table all day. Whenever she had a spare two minutes she would sit down and read several verses. Simple as that, but it made all the difference for her.

Not only did that have an impact on her spiritual growth, but her ever present audience (her sweet little girl) saw her Mom sitting down several times a day to read the bible. I don’t know about you, but if there is anything I want my kids to remember me doing-it’s reading God’s Word!

I want to be sure to say that I don’t think some tv or facebook time is all bad! What we have to be mindful of is the times when we replace our time with the Lord with it. Or, when we are watching things that aren’t honorable and that keep us from setting our minds things above.(Phillipians 4:8, Colossians 3:2, Romans 8:5)

I will leave you today with the words to one of my current favorite worship songs. Let this be your prayer today!