Memorial Day weekend, days 149, 150, and 151

149, 150 & 151

Happy Memorial Day weekend! I’m not going to post on Monday, and will be turning the laptop off and putting it away until Tuesday morning. How about you? Any way you can unplug for a few days?

We’re in total gearing-up-for-summer mode around here, even though yesterday it stormed terribly and I needed to run the heater. Totally weird. The sun is supposed to be out in full force from now on, and I’m looking forward to packing away the winter sweaters.

Have a wonderful few days off. Enjoy your family, and hug your little ones tight.

try your hardest to keep up with the Daily 7 if you’re home. It stinks to have to catch up on laundry after a long weekend.(but don’t be obsessive. it’s still vacation time.)

If you’re leaving town, load everything into the dishwasher and run it, and do a super quick run through the house while everyone else is buckled safely in the car.  Straighten the pillows on the couch, pull up the bedding, and pick up strewed toys and items left in disaray after packing. It’s much nicer to come home after a long weekend to a somewhat-tidy house, and you can actually get an awful lot done in 2 minutes when you’re all alone!

remember the sunscreen!

xoxo

For travel to be delightful, one must have a good place to leave and return to.
– Frederick B. Wilcox

May 28–last friday of the month

148

Happy Friday! My family seems to all have some sort of creeping crud, so I hope you are feeling better than we are. Lots of schools are out already, but we’ve got another two weeks. I’m as mentally checked out as the kids are—we all are in desperate need for a break. I’m looking forward to the long weekend.

Today:

daily 7

disinfect all doorknobs, remote controls, computer keyboards, and telephones. Don’t forget to clorox wipe the car keys and your cell phone, while you’re at it.

Breathe deeply and remind yourself how terribly lucky you are. Life is good. Hug your kids.

and? totally want one of these for the baby for our summer camping trip. I didn’t know they existed until Kristy posted a picture!

147–Thursday!

147

super quick today—I’ve got too much to do before the long weekend!

If anyone has ever dreamed of having his or her (to be polite. I’m pretty sure no men read here, lol) own TV show, Oprah is hosting a contest. Sounds like a fun opportunity!

Today:

finish those icky spots

plan a family meeting and some fun for the long weekend

make sure you have enough food in the house for snacks and lunches so you don’t end up in the drive-through

daily 7

day 146–Wednesday–speed dust, vacuum, and mop

146

Good morning to you!

I hope you got a good night’s sleep, and are feeling well. We’ve been battling an end-of-the-season cold in our house, and my fingers are crossed that it’s completely gone before the long weekend.

Are you ready for school to let out? Have you purchased or made gifts for the teachers in your life?

My friend Yvonne posted this cute idea for a homemade planter yesterday. it’s adorable.

Today:

wrap up cleaning the icky spots

speed dust, vacuum, and mop.

daily 7

call a relative you’ve been meaning to call, but haven’t in a long while. It’ll only take 15 minutes—stop whining and get it done. It’s the right thing to do.

Families are like fudge: mostly sweet with a few nuts. –Author unknown

day 145–Tuesday, May 25

145

Good morning! We’ve got about a month to go until this year is half-over. Things are going pretty well in our house—how about yours?

I’ve got some tweaking I need to do for some work-related goals, and I realized yesterday that I’ve got to repaint the door jams in the hallway. And I should really do some more running.

probably.

I spent about an hour yesterday trying to track down a mystery smell, and realized that one of our weekend playdate friends must have had a little accident. The good news is that now the play room carpet has been scrubbed, so I can cross that off the punch list!

it’s all about perspective…

or something.

Today:

run errands

buy all birthday and anniversary gifts/cards for the upcoming month

work on the icky spots

enter to win $125 Visa gift card for your child’s favorite sport or activity!

A little perspective, like a little humor, goes a long way. — Allen Klein

day 144–dust the icky parts

144

Hello, Monday!

We’ve got one more work week until the Memorial Day weekend, which (for most people) indicates the beginning of summer. Are you ready?

This week we’re going to clean and dust the icky up-high areas in your home that are regularly ignored. These areas only need attention about once a year, unless you live in a very dusty area (such as in a brand-new development still under construction).

Grab a handful of dust rags and a squirt bottle of watered-down all-purpose cleanser, a can of Clorox wipes, or a tub of baby wipes, and a step ladder.

These are the usually forgotten icky spots:

–top of the refrigerator

–top of kitchen cabinets

–top of book shelves

–top of high-hanging picture frames

–top of door jams

–top of doors (you’d be surprised at how much dust sits on top of an open door!)

You’ve got all week to tackle this project. If you have a large home, break it up into easily-managed areas, and by all means: DELEGATE!

Today:

dust the icky spots

daily 7

weekend recovery

142 & 143 the weekend

142 & 143

guess what? There isn’t anything listed on the calendar I’ve got hanging behind the kitchen for this weekend. NOTHING. We do have softball practice, and a bowling date with grandma for sunday, but that doesn’t really count. This is a free weekend.

WOW!

How about you? big plans?

This weekend:

spend time with the family

garden–plant your summer veggies if you haven’t already (I haven’t!)

play

sleep in

read

watch girly movies on Lifetime

daily 7

Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered to this country and to mankind is to bring up a family. –George Bernard Shaw

Friday, May 21: day 141

141

Another week has bitten the dust. Congratulate yourself on all your accomplishments, and cut yourself some slack about the things that you just weren’t able to complete. It’s okay. Write it all down, and make it happen for next week.

I hung out at the library today, in the business aisle (it looks like according to the Dewey system, the business books are between 650-658). I ended up taking home a stroller-basket full of reading material. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for (and I still don’t), but I’m drawn towards time management and “make! it! happen!” books like a moth to a flame (which is ironic, because I came home pumped from my library visit and then read an article on BlogHer on how you shouldn’t use cliches in your writing).

or LOLs.

whatever.

LOL.

and then I wasn’t quite as pumped.

Which leads me to something that I’ve meant to write for quite a while: sometimes, you just need to step away from the computer. Turn it off. If what you’re reading or who you’re talking/chatting to isn’t leaving you feeling better than  you did before you sat down to read or chat, then it’s not worth your time. Seriously. Time is SUCH a precious commodity—and YOU are the only person in charge of it.

Don’t get distracted by the new tweet or email alert. Give your family your full attention when it’s family time, and try your hardest to limit work time to work time. I consider the computer work. I’d much rather socialize on the phone or in person, but I realize that I’m not in the norm in feeling this way. I wrote a bit about social networking and time management more than a year ago. I still feel floundery about the whole thing, since my job pretty much means that I’m on the computer all day long, but the feeling I get at the end of the day when I power down and put the lap top completely away is priceless.

Today:

go over personal goals. are you on track for June?

count your blessings

daily 7

Thursday, family meeting day

140

Good morning to another brand new day. The slate is clean. It’s up to you how today goes!

Today:

family meeting: go over the calendar, and plan out the weekend. Make sure you have birthday presents if needed, plan meals (make sure you have food in the house so you don’t end up getting unnecessary fast food), dole out punch list projects

daily 7

clean out the car

yesterday: check list mania

“I’d like to be the ideal mother, but I’m too busy raising my kids.” – Unknown

Wednesday: day 139

139

It’s Wednesday! You better hurry up and get the stuff done you were supposed to on Monday and Tuesday..

oh wait. Maybe that’s just me.

I made it to my coffee date yesterday, and it was wonderful. I’m super glad I was able to go. Super glad. Friends are important, and grown up conversation is important.

But.  I came home to 116 emails I’ve been ignoring, unfolded laundry, phone calls I needed to return, and a cranky baby who missed her morning nap.

So today is super crunch day for me. How about you? Write it all down, so then you can cross it off. Write down the stuff you’ve already done, too, just so you can cross it off.

it feels good to see the check marks!

Today:

speed dust, mop, vacuum

daily 7

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