When your washing machine malfunctions twice in a week and floods the very room that is full of stuff you have been needing to go through for a long time, you are motivated to go through it to prevent a major mold problem.
Our laundry room/family closet (all one room) is completely clean and all of our clothes have been sorted and culled and washed at the laundromat. The dumpster has been filled to overflowing twice with stuff that was once in the laundry room.
It is functioning properly and everything has a place. Lets hope we can keep everything in it's place.
Now that is controlling some serious chaos.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Chaos Control, Step 3
Original post
Chaos Control Step Three: Meals
For weeks, months really, we have been eating "whatever with-in reason" when we realize it is too late to start cooking or we have been eating in stages rather than meals and we sure haven't been eating as healthy as we should be. There isn't even enough room at our table for everyone to sit at once. We have another table. It is big and would seat us all but we don't have space for it where our table is now. We have to lose the school-room and turn it into the living room and then turn the living room into a dining room but I think it is worth it. We will just be doing schooling the living room rather than having a whole room dedicated to nothing but school.
I am not starting step 3 yet but I am trying to get into position to start step 3. I am trying to make menus and shopping lists. I am trying to clean out the schoolroom so and get it ready to become the new living room.
My goal for tomorrow is to get 3 days worth of meals planned and get the family to all work 2 solid hours on the schoolroom.
Step One
Step Two
Chaos Control Step Three: Meals
For weeks, months really, we have been eating "whatever with-in reason" when we realize it is too late to start cooking or we have been eating in stages rather than meals and we sure haven't been eating as healthy as we should be. There isn't even enough room at our table for everyone to sit at once. We have another table. It is big and would seat us all but we don't have space for it where our table is now. We have to lose the school-room and turn it into the living room and then turn the living room into a dining room but I think it is worth it. We will just be doing schooling the living room rather than having a whole room dedicated to nothing but school.
I am not starting step 3 yet but I am trying to get into position to start step 3. I am trying to make menus and shopping lists. I am trying to clean out the schoolroom so and get it ready to become the new living room.
My goal for tomorrow is to get 3 days worth of meals planned and get the family to all work 2 solid hours on the schoolroom.
Step One
Step Two
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Chaos Control, Step 2, revised
Because of the vastness of the chaos in our house,step 2 isn't working as I had planned so I am revising it.
Step Two: Personal time with God.
I will make sure I spend much needed time in prayer and in the word and preparing my heart for training my children. I will encourage them to have personal prayer/bible reading time also but leading them in prayer time and devotional time will have to wait till another step.
Step Two: Personal time with God.
I will make sure I spend much needed time in prayer and in the word and preparing my heart for training my children. I will encourage them to have personal prayer/bible reading time also but leading them in prayer time and devotional time will have to wait till another step.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Chaos Control, Step 2
Chaos Control, Step two.
(see original post here)
Step One.
We have been going to bed consistently within a very short time of my goal now for a few days. I still haven't gotten the boy's naps straightened out yet but we do get sleep at night and I have managed 2 naps since we started. Naps are not a must but when I have long sleepless nights with baby girl, I need them on occasion and it is good if I have the ability to get them when needed. It is amazing what gets accomplished and how people relate to each other when everyone has more sleep. We will continue to work on step one but we do have it to a point where I am comfortable moving on to step two.
Chaos Control Step two is Prayer.
We have been negligent in our prayer time and time with God and time reading the bible. I couldn't tell you the last time we prayed together as a family. We haven't even been praying together before meals in a while. That ends now with step two.
Our spiritual healthy and well being depends upon it and highly effects every other aspect of our lives.
We are starting slow but we are starting consistent. If we spend 15 minutes with God tomorrow and we pray before every meal and the kids are in bed by 10 and I am in bed by 11, I will consider tomorrow a success.
If we can also add in that the boys take a nap at the same time, I will consider it a bonus. The good news tonight is that both boys went to bed at 9 and went to sleep right away. Another good news is a by product of going to bed earlier; we are getting up earlier and getting more accomplished during the day.
These steps do not mean that we don't work on other things. It does mean, however, that I refuse to fret or panic over what doesn't get done and attempted and that while we can get other things accomplished, the steps remain our priorities. So if I have to choose between a clean kitchen and bed by 10, I choose bed by ten. If I have to choose morning stuff done and everyone dressed or a morning devotion even if it means we will be eating lunch in our jammies, I will choose the devotion. The clean kitchen and the jammies will be addressed in a later step.
(see original post here)
Step One.
We have been going to bed consistently within a very short time of my goal now for a few days. I still haven't gotten the boy's naps straightened out yet but we do get sleep at night and I have managed 2 naps since we started. Naps are not a must but when I have long sleepless nights with baby girl, I need them on occasion and it is good if I have the ability to get them when needed. It is amazing what gets accomplished and how people relate to each other when everyone has more sleep. We will continue to work on step one but we do have it to a point where I am comfortable moving on to step two.
Chaos Control Step two is Prayer.
We have been negligent in our prayer time and time with God and time reading the bible. I couldn't tell you the last time we prayed together as a family. We haven't even been praying together before meals in a while. That ends now with step two.
Our spiritual healthy and well being depends upon it and highly effects every other aspect of our lives.
We are starting slow but we are starting consistent. If we spend 15 minutes with God tomorrow and we pray before every meal and the kids are in bed by 10 and I am in bed by 11, I will consider tomorrow a success.
If we can also add in that the boys take a nap at the same time, I will consider it a bonus. The good news tonight is that both boys went to bed at 9 and went to sleep right away. Another good news is a by product of going to bed earlier; we are getting up earlier and getting more accomplished during the day.
These steps do not mean that we don't work on other things. It does mean, however, that I refuse to fret or panic over what doesn't get done and attempted and that while we can get other things accomplished, the steps remain our priorities. So if I have to choose between a clean kitchen and bed by 10, I choose bed by ten. If I have to choose morning stuff done and everyone dressed or a morning devotion even if it means we will be eating lunch in our jammies, I will choose the devotion. The clean kitchen and the jammies will be addressed in a later step.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Chaos Control, Step 1
Chaos Control, Step One.
(see original post here)
Step one for Chaos Contol is SLEEP.
It has happened on more than one occasion that I have looked up and realized that it is one o'clock in the morning and everyone is still up and the stuff we were trying to get accomplished before bed is not even close to done. I have no concept of time. Unless someone points out what time it is or I remember to look at the clock I have no clue what time it may be. Not many of us have gotten very many full night's sleep in the last 3 months. We have been up many times with atleast one sick/crying/puking/coughing/whiney kid most nights. When I finally do get the kids to bed and all is quite. I like to unwind some.
Sleep is important!!No one can think clearly without it.
Sleep is more important than the things that won't get finished anyway. Sleep is more important than unwinding. Today, sleep is more important than quality time playing, even if it is really nice weather at midnight and kids want to play outside just a few more minutes with their marshmallow shooters they got for Christmas. Today sleep is a priority.
If the kids are in bed by 10, If I am in bed by 11, If both boys nap at the same time and allow me an hour of quite time and rest during the middle of the day, I will consider it a success.
Everyone will be better prepared for all of the responsibilities that get thrown at them during the day if they are well rested.
Remember the point is chaos contol. Chaos control step one. SLEEP.
(see original post here)
Step one for Chaos Contol is SLEEP.
It has happened on more than one occasion that I have looked up and realized that it is one o'clock in the morning and everyone is still up and the stuff we were trying to get accomplished before bed is not even close to done. I have no concept of time. Unless someone points out what time it is or I remember to look at the clock I have no clue what time it may be. Not many of us have gotten very many full night's sleep in the last 3 months. We have been up many times with atleast one sick/crying/puking/coughing/whiney kid most nights. When I finally do get the kids to bed and all is quite. I like to unwind some.
Sleep is important!!No one can think clearly without it.
Sleep is more important than the things that won't get finished anyway. Sleep is more important than unwinding. Today, sleep is more important than quality time playing, even if it is really nice weather at midnight and kids want to play outside just a few more minutes with their marshmallow shooters they got for Christmas. Today sleep is a priority.
If the kids are in bed by 10, If I am in bed by 11, If both boys nap at the same time and allow me an hour of quite time and rest during the middle of the day, I will consider it a success.
Everyone will be better prepared for all of the responsibilities that get thrown at them during the day if they are well rested.
Remember the point is chaos contol. Chaos control step one. SLEEP.
Beyond overwhelmed & Chaos Control
Ok so for the last three months we have had 3 babies one and younger. That isn't the problem. That just magnified the problem. The problem is really my own and it can be summed up in one word. LACK.
Lack of time management
Lack of consistency
Lack of follow through
Lack of a routine or schedule
Lack of direction
Lack of sleep
Lack of commitment to priorities
I have always struggled with these things but we had all just gotten used to the problem and learned to deal. Then when we got extra kids that require so much use of time and resources, it became very evident that we are in dire need of an overhaul.
I didn't know what to do. We worked for a full month on sheer survival mode. And for the next 2 months we were in a place where we were surviving but would welcome the thought of being "just overwhelmed".
I have being feeling so defeated and feeling like I am drowning in the to-do-s and the not-yet-done-s and the no-time-for-that-s and a major abyss of chaos that every time I try to buckle down attack those things I just wind up crying and pulling more of my hair out.
So that is just a little background of where I am coming from, now let me tell you where I am headed.
God showed me a way out of this abyss of chaos. It starts with one step at a time.
I will be posting these steps one at a time as I get to them.
I am optimistic and hopeful.
One of the major changes is that this multi-step process allows me to not worry or fret about the things I can't control or accomplish right now. Those things will be addressed in a different step. For now, I just need to focus on mastering one step at a time.
Lack of time management
Lack of consistency
Lack of follow through
Lack of a routine or schedule
Lack of direction
Lack of sleep
Lack of commitment to priorities
I have always struggled with these things but we had all just gotten used to the problem and learned to deal. Then when we got extra kids that require so much use of time and resources, it became very evident that we are in dire need of an overhaul.
I didn't know what to do. We worked for a full month on sheer survival mode. And for the next 2 months we were in a place where we were surviving but would welcome the thought of being "just overwhelmed".
I have being feeling so defeated and feeling like I am drowning in the to-do-s and the not-yet-done-s and the no-time-for-that-s and a major abyss of chaos that every time I try to buckle down attack those things I just wind up crying and pulling more of my hair out.
So that is just a little background of where I am coming from, now let me tell you where I am headed.
God showed me a way out of this abyss of chaos. It starts with one step at a time.
I will be posting these steps one at a time as I get to them.
I am optimistic and hopeful.
One of the major changes is that this multi-step process allows me to not worry or fret about the things I can't control or accomplish right now. Those things will be addressed in a different step. For now, I just need to focus on mastering one step at a time.
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