New Year, New Schedule

The best way to summarize my goals for 2011 would be that I want to work on getting into new routines given that I will be without a laptop computer, cleaning service, or job for at least the first 6 months of the year. Here's the rough idea I have in my mind of what that might look like:

6:00 - I get up and exercise, shower and get dressed. This will only happen if the kids have slept through the night - if I am up during the night then I won't be getting up until they do. When the weather permits us to walk to the park, I won't excercise at home.

7:00 - Earliest the kids get up, have breakfast, get the kids dressed, calendar time, music time

9:00ish - Ian's morning nap. While Ian sleeps, I'd like Nadia to play in her room for 30 minutes while I have time for Bible study and prayer. Then if Ian sleeps longer than 30 minutes I'll have some one-on-one time with Nadia.

12:00 - lunch with the kids and then reading time

1:00 - nap time for the kids - I'll have one-on-one time with Ian after he wakes up since his naps are shorter than Nadia's. During the time they're both napping I will have 30 minutes on the computer (editing photos, reading blogs, Facebook, email, shopping, and writing posts for this blog). If Ian takes a long nap then I'll be able to get some housework done as well.

Sometime in between naptime and dinner I will let Nadia watch a DVD (such as VeggieTales). During this time I'll prepare dinner, set the table, and/or do dishes. For the last several months we've allowed her to watch a DVD after dinner if she has eaten what we've asked her to eat. She's also been watching one 30 minute tv show in the morning (such as Curious George) while I've nursed or fed Ian a bottle. In 2011 I only want her to watch at the most 30 minutes a day on average. Exceptions will be made such as when she's sick. Ian watches a little and plays a little and watches a little when she's watching a DVD. I imagine over the course of the year he'll watch more of it.

5:45 - a healthy dinner for all 4 of us - I want Nadia to start learning to eat whatever is served (including vegetables). Hopefully sometime in 2011 Ian will also start eating table foods. After dinner the four of us can have family time together. I plan to start making pizza from scratch for the first time to save us money.

7:15 - bedtime for Ian - Paul can have one-on-one time with Nadia for 30 minutes, and I'll have 30 minutes on the computer.

7:45 - I'll do Bible story and prayer time with Nadia and put her to bed at 8:00.

8:00-10:00 - I'll spend time with Paul, read (what a concept!), scrapbook, etc. Not having a laptop the past couple of weeks has meant that I've made 4 scrapbooks in the past 2 weeks (something I hadn't worked on at all in 2010). Yesterday I purchased the first book I want to read in 2011, Treasuring God in our Traditions by Noel Piper. I plan to resume checking books out at the library when we go for preschool story time on Fridays. I didn't check out any books in 2010. I think all of these "resolutions" are very achievable. Time will tell!

10:00 (or earlier) - I go to bed. Although I used to always prefer 9 hours of sleep, it seems 8 is enough.

During the times not listed when the kids are wake I'll be playing with them, reading to them, doing puzzles with them, playing games, coloring, playing with Playdoh, going to the playground, etc. Sounds like fun!

The "housework" tasks which need to be completed each week might be accomplished in this fashion. I'm not including tasks which are done every day such as making the bed, doing the dishes, putting away the toys, and sweeping the kitchen floor.

Sunday: church and planning out the learning activities for the week to do with the kids
Monday: 1 load of laundry and clean the 3 bathrooms
Tuesday: ladies Bible study at 9am and vacuuming
Wednesday: 1 load of laundry, gymnastics at 10:45am, and choir rehearsal at 7pm (and AWANA for Nadia starting in September)
Thursday: dusting and grocery shopping
Friday: 1 load of laundry, library at 11am, and mopping
Saturday: shop at CVS after dinner every other week, do some freezer cooking once a month

Of course this schedule isn't set in stone. It will need tweaking and will change over the course of the year such as when Ian goes from two naps to one nap a day. My goal is that whatever schedule I settle into involves us having a clean house, all of us eating a healthy dinner together, and me getting enough sleep, exercise, and time with the Lord each day. Happy New Year, everyone!