Menu Madness

If you read my "Back in the Saddle" post you already know we're going to use the next few weeks to build a strong "organizational" foundation to get us through the rest of the year. With the back to school buzies upon us and the holidays approaching, the steps we take now will make the difference between calm and chaos!

Since it is MENU MONDAY today - we are going to start off our "wild ride" by getting our menu's in shape. Taking the stress out of dinnertime will be a huge factor in creating peace in our homes the next few months.

Step 1: Develop a "skeleton" menu plan to make menu planning a breeze:

Here's my new and improved skeleton plan:

Monday: Sunday Leftovers
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (sometimes enchildada, sometimes burritos or taco salad...)
Wednesday: Soup, Sandwich or Salad Night (depending no the weather and the mood)
Thursday: BBQ night - (Dad loves to BBQ? Why not give him a night!)
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Crock Pot Meal (usually some kind of roast and veggies)

Step 2: Create a September to December Monthly Calender with your skeleton plan as headers.

Click HERE to view mine

Step 3: Now just fill in your dinners ... one step at time.

Today's Daily Do: Create your Menu Plan for get-ahead menu planning!

Lost!

It can be overwhelming when coming back after you've been in survival mode! SO many things TO DO whirring around in your head makes it sooooo HARD to figure out where to start!

But before you climb back in bed and put the covers over your head... GRAB a pencil and a pad of paper and start jotting down those "whirring" thoughts. Don't sort them, don't sensor them, don't solve them - just get them down on paper.

My list goes something like this:

ask Austin to mow lawn

put laundry away

primary program practice tomorrow- gotta get ready

A.J. needs to clean his room - DISASTER!

i wish Abe would finish grouting bathroom tile (the grouts been sitting in our room all summer)

quick tidy kitchen/family room

exercise (lost three pounds last wee- yeah!)

next month Christmas countdown talk at Super Saturday - can't wait to start this!

visiting teaching - monday is the last day of the month - panic!

call Cherilyn to get together

Cynthia out to lunch

finish garage

wish i could be a minimalist (where did that come from?)

study conference talk

read scriptures

Halloween costumes (simplify this year)

help at the book fair

go to Beverly's

finish sewing bags

write mom and dad

get ahead with posts

plan a Free-day Friday give-away

family activity today

finish Christmas early

thanksgiving

can't wait to start Food Storage Friday again

need to inventory 3-month supply

Aaaaah! That feels a little better!

Next comes the sorting!

Here's what mine looks like now:

HAVE-TO’s TODAY
put laundry away
quick tidy kitchen/family room
prep for primary program practice
get Sunday clothes out
visiting teaching call
read scriptures

family activity tonight
exercise

NICE -if-I-could-do-TODAY
go to Beverly’s
finish sewing bags
plan a Free-day Friday give-away

TOMMORROW
study conference talk
write mom and dad

NEXT WEEK
Austin mow lawn
AJ – big room cleaning /sorting/trashing

call Cherilyn to get together
Cynthia out to lunch
help at the book fair on on Thursday
get ahead with blog posts
plan Christmas countdown talk at Super Saturday -find files from last year
Food Storage Friday - inventory 3-month supply
finish organizing garage

TO SCHEDULE
Halloween costumes
Thanksgiving
Finish Christmas early
Abe finish grouting bathroom tile
Wish I could be a minimalist (hee hee)

Okay - now that's do-able... now I'm off to get my HAVE-TO's done! You too?

DAILY DO: Get your brain down on PAPER!

Back in the Saddle Again!

Howdy Y'all!

Thanks for your sweet comments about missing me - I've missed you too. The summer has beat me up a bit, but now I'm ready to ride!

It's time to look forward to the next few months. We all know FALL is a busy time: school clothes, supplies, pictures, homework... and then the HOLIDAYS!

During the next few weeks, we'll be doing some "routine checks" and "daily do's" to make certain we have a firm "organizational" foundation to get us through this busy season. If we work hard now and create effective systems we'll be able to enjoy our families and have peace in our hearts and in our homes.

So lets put on our cowgirl hat and saddle up -It's going to be a wild ride!