The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook and Cooking through My Grief

Taking it one recipe at a time. 2013 will be mainly focused on "The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook," by Dinah Bucholz, and how doing what I love, cooking, being with my family and reading Harry Potter will help me process my grief associated with loosing my 3 week old daughter, Ruby, on November 18th, 2011.
Join me for a "culinary magical masterpiece" throughout 2013!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

A house of Learning/Order

In my last post I made reference that we are starting some new schedules in our home. It is working BEAUTIFULLY!!! So I thought I would share it with you. First off, it has taken me 4 years of trial and error until I have finally come upon this wonderful schedule that works within our lifestyle! It also has taken me 4 years to realize that I cannot be a "last second" Mom any more. I need order, but more importantly Rose and Clark need order. So, if you are looking for a new "order" of things perhaps this will be your magical ticket...also don't think you need kids to make this work! If you just need order and a schedule for you give it a try! I found myself frustrated at Rose, Clark and Brian the majority of the time because they were taking up ALL of my time-lets face it, even Moms need a few moments to themselves. This has helped me out tremendously because I feel that everyone's time needs are met, for the most part. The biggest change has been that I have been so much more patient, loving, and kind to Rose because she no longer is an energy sucker from me-and in turn she is so much more patient, loving and kind to me, because she knows what we are doing and how the order of her day will play out! It is now a beautiful dance of life! Thank you schedule!!!
Here is our daily plan-weekends are a bit messed up, but I still try to stick to this as much as possible and honestly the routine snack time seems to be the most wonderful, ingenious thing I have done yet for my daughter!
8 a.m ish.-(I don't wake my kids up in the morning so typically we aren't up and going til around 9, unless Rose has preschool)
       Potty
       Breakfast
       Dress, hair, brush teeth
       Straighten room
       Scripture power(we read a story or two from the friend, or watch a spiritual video on-line)
       Alone Play time
10:30-Morning Tea (that just sounds cool, we don't really drink tea, but this is a planned out snack, morning snack is usually fruit based, canned or fresh)
       Chore Card-See below for details on how I attempt to make this a fun part of the day:)   
       Structured craft, cooking, computer time etc...this is time with Mommy
12:30-Lunch
1-3 -Story time
       Imagination time a.k.a. nap time-This can be mommy nap time or used as time for my checklist of things to do. I typically try to get dinner prepared at this time as things seem to get crazy once the kiddo's wake up.
3:30-Afternoon Tea (typically a veggie snack)
4 pm-Gym time (I go to the gym to work out, kids play in the child center)
       Educational t.v time
       Get table set for dinner
5:30-6:00-Dinner Time
       Clean up dinner, do dishes
7 pm-Bath time
       Pajama's
       Night time snack
       Family Sweep-walk through the house and pick up things/organize before bed
       Brush teeth
       Family scriptures/prayer
8 pm-Bed time-Yay, we all made it through another day!!!

       I also have different day activities. We haven't done these yet because my baby is sick and we haven't been going out, but when he decides to get better these are some of our goals:
       Tues-Stay home day! Cook with Rose (we make fresh homemade bread weekly, so this is a cooking day.
       Thurs.-Zoo or museum day/Morning field trip
       Fri-Swim @ the gym-most of the morning

Things to remember about schedules: They are fantastic to have but be flexible. For example I have a little baby who doesn't understand that I have a 3 year old who also needs attention. Sometimes his feeding schedule interfere's with my time with Rosie, but if this happens we work around it. Clark is on a fantastic schedule though, so most times I know when I need to feed him and when he is ready for his naps so I get good, quality time with my Rose. (if you have a baby and are in need of a schedule, try the "baby wise" plan-I adapted the 3 hour schedule, my own style and it has been a baby life saver for me!)

"You've Got Mail"-Chore Cards
 

Please don't judge me too harshly, I am somewhat computer illiterate and don't have time or patience to create a beautiful chore card system. So, yes, what you see is hand drawn, and you will notice very quickly that my artistic talent is slim to none! But it truly doesn't matter what a stick figure looks like, right? Besides Rose has not looked at me and said "Mother, (she really does call me Mother, so cute!) Why did you not create these pictures using some cool method on the computer." I'm sure some day she will be excited to teach me how to do that though!
   So the system is: I created 7 chore cards-things that are doable for a 3-4 year old with my help of course-but that is how she learns. One of the chore cards is "Play a game with Mother"-I added this to add an element of fun to the cards, but I am also teaching her how to follow rules and how to have a good time, even if she looses. The problem is she has won every game we have played so far! This girl is AMAZING at chutes and ladders! I cannot stay away from those darn chutes!
A few other chore cards are: mop floor, sweep floor, vacuum floor, wash dishes, clean bathroom, and dust.
I found an ADORABLE little mailbox at target last weekend that was on clearance in the dollar section! Didn't know they clearanced their dollar section, but know I do. I got it for .30 cents! Its perfect! In the morning I have the mailbox filled with her chore cards and the little red flag up. She LOVES to put the flag down and pull out a card. I let her pull out 3 cards and she gets to choose which one she wants to do. Sometimes they get tweaked a bit. Like yesterday she pulled out dusting, but she wanted to wash my sliding door window instead-so I of course let her do that and I dusted. Once the card is picked for the week I put it to the side, so eventually everything in the mailbox gets done. I didn't realize how amazingly helpful this little chore mailbox would be, but I now feel like I'm getting the little things done that never get done and am not neglecting my children-we do it togther!
Here is my picture, seriously, don't judge the simplicity! ;)
 

Happy Scheduling!!!



Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a bhouse, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” D&C 88:119





1 comment:

  1. Fun Amber. Your house sounds like a fun place to be! Actually- it is!

    ReplyDelete