I finally have some REGULARITY!!

So, I've recently (ok so not so recently...over the last 2 years) but, even more over the last 6 months I've fallen completly in love with the teachings and writings of Charlotte Mason. She was a master, at figuring out how to make family life and life long learning go from good to GREAT!! Anyway, last night I was listening to a DVD that was discussing some of her writings about habits. It was FANTASTIC...BTW!!! I could go on and on about what I learned...but I won't take time to do that right now. :) However, I did have to clap my hands at one small success I have recently formed in regards to habits. I've developed the habit of 'REGULARITY' as Charlotte calls it.

I'm sure you are either laughing a bit right now...or totally confused. No, I'm not talking about what you're thinking of...I'm talking about living a life that is REGULARILY built around a consistent routine. Its taken me a lifetime to finally achieve just a bit of success with this one...and believe me I could do lots better, BUT at least I'm making progress!!! That's all that matters.

Living a life of REGULARITY is living a life that is slightly eased from making so many decisions each day because you have a 'default' way of living each day. The kids and I finally know, expect, and simply just DO what we know we are suppose to do each day...AND there is POWER in that.

I've had a few of you request that I share what our 'default' routine is for our family. So I will, but please don't judge me...because its not perfect!! (And I'm always tweaking it) But over all we generally do the same thing Monday-Thursdays (Fridays we have a fabulous CoOp that supports what we are learning at home). I guess now I can feel myself itching to create a weekend 'default routine' for Saturday and Sunday. I've wanted to do it for a few months now, but needed to get my weekday routine in order and functioning before I did it...so I'm only a few weeks away from trying to tackle that...WOO-HOO!!

[Our Wednesday Default Routine]
Each day I tweak it a bit to adjust the different activities we have happening that day.

[6:00-8:00] GET MOVING TIME
• get dressed, make your bed, clean up your room
• feed your animals
• eat breakfast
• brush teeth
• pick up the downstairs & clean both bathrooms
[8:00-9:30] MORNING DEVOTIONAL TIME
• Song, Prayer
• Read Scriptures
• Scripture Mastery
• History Lesson
• Science Lesson
• 15-20min personal journal/reading time
[9:30-10:00] Excellence in Writing TIME
[10:00-12:00] Music/Reading TIME (choice time when not with mom)
[12:00-12:40] LUNCH
[12:40-1:40] MATH TIME
[1:40-2:00] Afternoon Break/Clean Up
• get a snack (cheese stick, fruit shake, crackers, fruit)
• join us outside for a game (hopscotch or four square)
[2:00-3:30] STRUCTURE LEARNING TIME (put dinner in)
• CHOICE TIME OPTIONS
[3:30-4:00] House clean up
[4:15-5:45] Karate
[6:15] ARRIVE HOME, eat, and get ready for bed
• pick up house
• teeth brushed by 7
• in rooms by 7:15 for reading time
[8:00] Lights out
6:00

WOW! A week goes by so fast...

{a whole week}
So I can't believe its been a whole week since I've put my thoughts down on paper. What's my problem? Well at least part of my lack of writing this week is the fact that my computer is currently sitting on the floor of our soon to be 'project' room. That is 100% my fault, since I couldn't decide on what color/stain I wanted the new furniture to be so for the last two months the furniture has just been sitting at the store waiting for me to figure that out. (I really need to work on my indecision.) Good news though I bit the bullet and made my decisions this week. So in a week or two my computer will be back on a desk and I'll be rocking and rolling again. I will be so thankful when I have an organized home school project room!!! WAY EXCITING!!

{brain dead mommy}
So its been a crazy week! I feel like I'm half brain dead to be honest. After going on vacation with Jarom and Megan for 10 days I came home with mommy amnesia. I had totally forgotten how to be a happy mom of 6. I kind of freaked out and am relearning how to be a joyful mother to six amazing kids. Its getting better everyday thank goodness, and I've learned a lot about myself and found lots of things I need to work on. I keep reminding myself it's the journey not the destination.

{self-education}
I'm almost done reading Jane Eyre and its been great. The book is AMAZING and so INSPIRING! However, just as powerful has been the journey of reading classics which started in September. If you'd have asked me a year or two ago if I was capable of committing and accomplishing something like 5 Pillars I probably would have laughed and thought you were crazy. I didn't think I was smart enough or capable of learning still. I knew I had a lot of holes in my education, but I thought it was to late to do anything about that. When I broke free of that mind set I remembered what I used to know as a child that its never to late to become who you are capable of becoming. That is an eternal truth...its never to late! Beginning the process of reading and becoming truly educated is amazing. I am still only a few steps from the starting line, but I am just grateful to have started the race. As I look forward to the journey that lays ahead for me its AMAZING!!!!. The possibilities are endless and my ability to live life to the fullest seem more possible than ever. I WANT TO BECOME EDUCATED and my life will change because of the education I choose to give myself.

{I blew the budget again...}
I have a problem sticking to our budget. Its not like I'm spending wads of cash, but I have trouble telling myself NO! So after much reflection I decided to publicly make myself accountable to stick to the budget for November!!!! I promise Scott.

Here are some of the things I am going to do to make sure I stick to our November 2008 budget:
1. NEVER use my debit card!
2. ONLY use cash for expenses (not including bills)
3. NEVER borrow cash from a future week to pay for 'wants' for the current week
4. SAVE SAVE SAVE!!!
5. Hold a weekly budget review meeting with Scott

Plan to teach the kids how to manage money:
1. During FC talk about our family budget.
2. Create a system for the kids to earn money so they can start budgeting and paying for some of their own things.

{my routine}
I've decided that its really important for me to be up and ready before the kids wake up. It is hard to do, but it helps me feel sane so its super important tome. This week has been okay, but I need to do even better. If I can just get myself up and moving before the kids my day goes so much better. Here's to trying to trying to wake up earlier!!

I am still struggling with getting our family routine developed too. I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong and how I can get a better family routine established, because I know that its VERY VERY important. I feel like in order to get our family culture established it is essential to develop a consistent routine. I haven't figured out what is holding me back from really doing this, but I am going to keep trying to figure it out so I can get past my hold up and accomplish my goal!!

{grateful}
I am so grateful for my life and all the blessings the Lord has given me. I feel overwhelmed when I think of all I've been given in this life. I know that prayer works and that when we pray we can feel the Lord's love for us. I am nothing without God.

Did it!

Its been 13 years since I really would say I've consistently exercised. Today I started my new routine and it started with 45 minutes of exercising. Followed by 30 minutes of my 'foundation.' It feels so great to start developing a routine. I've always pretty much flopped when it came to creating a routine for myself or my family. I've always just winged it and not thought much past that. Everything usually got done, but I had a lot more free time to do it in. Now with homeschooling I don't have that luxury and am ready to take control of my life.

I am bound and determined to create what I am going to call my 'default family routine.' Exactly what should be included in my 'default routine' is still coming to me, and it is SO EXCITING to see that routine being created. I don't know if its because I am getting older, wiser, or less lazy, but I 100% prefer the take charge approach to life vs. my old way of kind of just letting things happen. My old way leaves a lot to be desired, and lots of time I didn't get the most important things done because I got distracted by the good things and didn't have a plan. Here is to planning and a new start!