WFMW: How to never forget a birthday card again

This year one of my New Year's resolutions was to take advantage of greeting cards to stay in touch with family and friends. I wanted to never again realize that it was one of my nephew's birthdays and that I hadn't remembered to send a card. It's such a SIMPLE thing, but something that can mean so much. We're always saying, "It's the thought that counts." Well, forgetting until AFTER a birthday or never sending a "congratulations on your new baby" card to a college friend is not the way to build strong bonds and keep long distance friendships.

So this year, I vowed to do better. And so far, I'm on target 100%.

I'll tell you my little secret. Come closer...here's a peek

(I just covered the address with a sticky note. I thought they might not appreciate me blabbing their address to whomever might read this blog!)

I have an index card for each month with all the important "greeting card" dates. The last week of each month, on errand day I make a trip to the Dollar Tree where you can get cards on the cheap. They have a great selection too! With index card in hand, I can choose a greeting card for each occasion.

When I get home, I go ahead and sign and address all the cards at once. Then, I put them in my bill folder which is divided up into weeks. Each Friday, when I do bills, I can mail the appropriate card for the following week, so that I will never have to call my nephew again and tell him, "hey kiddo, sorry I didn't get your card in the mail, but..."

Before I devised this system there were many times that I had remembered to buy the card, but never mailed it because I put it somewhere and forgot. I've even put it in my purse and then been out somewhere, actually REMEMBERED to mail it but with my address book at home I would have to call my brother for the address. This way, things like addresses, stamps or location are never a problem. The whole process takes maybe ten minutes out of the day and I'm done for another month.

Preparing cards once a month...it sure works for me. What works for you?

To see more Works For Me Wednesday, visit We Are That Family.

Tackling To-Do's on Tuesday

I love the new way I've started doing my to-do list. Lisa over at Crazy Adventures in Parenting gave a link for html help regarding just these kinds of posts. So now when Blogger is cooperating, I can update my progress daily as I get around to it.

It really helped last week to see how much I'd accomplished and how much I still had left to go. Also, the public display factor helps to motivate me, and keeps me accountable. Even my kids read this blog sometimes, so I can't check it unless I've actually done it!

So this week, I'm tackling another to-do list to work on throughout the week. Even if I don't get through it all, I've got a good jumping off point for NEXT week, right? Here goes!


Daily Items
Continue daily bible study/prayer
Read/Respond/Clean Out emails
Read/Clean Out Reader
Do item from Office Organization list

Tuesday: Already off to a bad start. I had some last minute plans and was gone until 8:00 tonight for an important meeting, so I accomplished pretty much nothing today. Oh well, maybe tomorrow!
Weds: Kept up, but didn't do any catchup
Thurs: Getting alot accomplished today. Caught up some of the items from Tues.
Fri: Getting a late start on the list. This week has been full of sideroads (necessary sideroads but sideroads nonetheless!)

Weekly Items
Laundry Catch Up
Pay Bills/Paperwork
Plan/preparation of Blog Posts
Kitchen Prep
breakfast sandwiches
cookies
church pot-luck cancelled this, not going to the pot luck this time (something came up)


Spring Cleaning Items
Porch
Entryway
Dining Room
Declutter books from book shelves
Change clocks on Sunday (time change)
Check batteries in smoke alarm

Reunion Items
Mail out surveys/bios to new addresses
Research more banquet venues-delegated this item out but I'm adding new ones :)
Try to make calls on the short list
Update my spreadsheets and email them to the boys by next week
Get with H. and see if she can use a hand getting started on her list or with making a website

Other To-Do Items
Boxes from Storage
Prepare Garden Beds

Phewww!!

That's a pretty long and ambitious list. I know though, that it can be done if I will make good use of my time, and be like the Nike commercial..."Just Do It!"


Be sure to check back throughout the week as I'll be marking these off as I do them! And if you're interested in seeing what others in the blogosphere are tackling this week, be sure to visit Tackle It Tuesday @ 5 Minutes for Mom and To-Do Tuesday @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting.

To Do List

I try to follow a basic weekly plan and then have a set of to-do's for each week that I can fit into my days. Here is my to-do list this week. I will come back and edit it as the week goes by and let you know how I finished up with the list.

Monday: Shopping day
lunch with my dear friend Cindy (actually just drinks and visiting...lunch will be for Abby, we're meeting at McDonalds to visit while she plays!)
straighten pantry and fridge as needed when putting groceries away


Tuesday: Focused Cleaning day (this week it's the bedrooms)
Do a basic overall cleaning of the house
focus on the bedrooms/closets upstairs


Wednesday: Free day to read/learn/etc
Work on current project
Work on blog preps
finish any work not done yesterday with the bedrooms
Prep work in kitchen that needs done if any

Thursday: Laundry/Catch up day
Interview with job I've applied for (pretty much all day with tests, etc)
Work on the laundry and the photo project while watching my tv night

Friday: Desk/Bill day
pay all bills of course
make any adjustments to budget and make next months
send in any extra money for snowball
write/send correspondance
plan errand day for next monday (get it ready if errands need run)


Saturday: free day for family
Kitchen prep/baking for the week
overall pickup/quick clean of house for weekend
Do something with the kids

Sunday: Day of Thanksgiving and Preparation
Sunday school and church
pick up paper
Go to Scotts for any good deals there
clip coupons
plan menu
plan shopping strategy
Blog preps

Starting on the right foot and feeling a little froggy

Crystal at Biblical Womanhood had a great post today about the importance of staying on a routine. I have noticed, since I'm not working right now, that on the days in which I get up with Jason when the alarm goes off that the day goes much more smoothly. The temptation for me, while I'm not working, is take advantage of "not needing to go anywhere". I am able to wake up with the alarm, get up see everyone else off to work and school and then just snuggle back into bed with the sleeping Abigail.

I have been pretty good about not doing that however. Most days I do get on with the day after everyone else leaves. But I don't have an actual written out schedule of the things that are the most vital to be done in the mornings. I decided since Crystal threw out the challenge, this is a good opportunity for me to do so.

The directive is to list the five most important things we need to have done first thing in the morning. I found six (of course I have to be different!)
So I'll make number five a two-fer because when I'm really on top of things there might not be one or the other!

1. Get up and make bed
2. Shower and get dressed
3. Get Abby up, dressed and fed
4. Start any dinner prep, if any, while Abby is eating
5. Start a load of laundry and eat that frog (put away dishes, start breakfast dishes)

Crystal from Biblical Womanhood inspired the schedule, but this post from Simple Mom inspired the accompanying rules...which in my particular case is the crux of making the plan work.

I, Lisa aka The Owl, solemnly swear (ok...I'm trying not to do that...so how about I just pinky promise!) That I WILL NOT get on the internet until the morning routine and three items from my to-do list are done. Period.

I really think that will make an enormous impact on my productivity in a day. I can get online to check email and then bounce over to Living like No One Else forum, and before you know it, I'm checking (just for a second) the Google Blogger and then I'm lost in blogs for hours, learning all kinds of wonderful information and not using the time to do anything that I know I could or should.

This time between jobs is a blessing. I am able to spend extra time with Abby and get my household into the best shape it will ever be in before I have to go back to work. I can use this time to streamline things and make things easier for me when I go back to work, or I can waste it all by a lack of self control. Like I said, I've done "the right thing" most days. This schedule (and rule) is for the days when it doesn't come easy and the "right thing" is something I have to talk myself into.