Anyone out there wondering how I keep our calendar(s) organized?
Trying to keep up with all my little (and big) A's is a wonder at times! I don't know what happens, but all the sudden when your kids get older, like teens and preteens, they have calendars all their own! They have activities and clubs and all the sudden they think they need playdates again!! LOL!!
So here's how I handle my life of organized chaos. I love that saying :) It really is how I feel our life is!
First I have a paper planner. There's just something about writing that I love. I jot notes, and thoughts and such on there. I also write all our plans, and calendar events there. I love, love, love paper planners. I've tried to delete it from my life, but I always miss it!
However what I don't like about paper planners, is carrying it around everywhere. My paper planner is HUGE! I have everything in it. I currently love the Mormon Mom Planners, Mothers who Know. (they do offer one that's non-denominational too) I LOVE the layout of it. I purchased the downloadable one last year, and printed it out just the way I wanted it. I use these to also schedule our homeschool, and do a weekly family and weekly homeschool schedule. This planner speaks to my organized, OCD heart. I love the set up, the layout, and all the extra's included. I love that it has space for me to "think out loud" (or write out loud!) I also love that it has space for Sunday Thoughts, and FHE, along with a place for me to focus on a topic, scripture, or thought that week.
I typically spend some time on Sunday Evenings, planning our weekly devotional, and take alittle time for me, to plan our week and spend some time with my Heavenly Father, in prayer to plan our week. I attended a conference years ago. (I bet it was the first real homeschool conference I ever attended!!) and the speaker, spoke of taking time to spiritually plan your week. Time to focus on what is not just needed to be done, but also time to focus on what He wants you to do this week, too.
I have really enjoyed having it all in one. If you purchased a regular planner and didn't have school and live all mixed up in one, then I'm sure it wouldn't be so annoying to take with you everywhere.
So to help, I also use Cozi on my IPhone. I love the layout of Cozi. I typically just add calendar events to cozi. Just the classes, outings and such. That way if I am at a park day, and we want to plan a future activity, I can. Then I come home and update the written planner.
I love the extra's you get with it too. These are just the free extra's too!! I love that I can save recipes in the recipe box, and then add them to my calendar as meals. This is a new feature, and it's been so nice. Once the recipe is on my calendar, I can click on it and it will take me to the website to see the recipe. I can also add my own recipes. One day I will take the time to set up a blog of all our favorite recipes, and then I can just link to that! I have a friend who has a family recipe book blog, and then she always has all her recipes in one place, and can "see" them even when she's shopping!
I also love that I can have my shopping list on there too. How many times do you run off and forget your list!! I use to keep my list on my fridge, and write on it whenever needed, worked great, until I left without grabbing it!!! Then I'd call one of my teens, and ask them to text me a picture of my list!! :) However, I can't cross off the items like I can on paper! Yes, that bothers me!
Cozi, speaks to my OCD organized life too. It's color coded. I've used that feature for color coding my kids, but also at busy times in our life, I color coded my activity. So school was one color, church another, life another and maybe the active kids. The possibilities are endless, once you open the box to a new idea.
So 2 calendars, yes! But it keeps me up to date, and up to speed wherever I am!
I also take time in my Sunday Planning, to update both calendars. Making sure both state the same activites. Sometimes I think yes, I am going to one planner, but there's always a reason, a pull for both. So far I haven't overscheduled myself or planned 2 activites.
and that my friends is how I keep life organized in all this organized chaos!
Trying to keep up with all my little (and big) A's is a wonder at times! I don't know what happens, but all the sudden when your kids get older, like teens and preteens, they have calendars all their own! They have activities and clubs and all the sudden they think they need playdates again!! LOL!!
So here's how I handle my life of organized chaos. I love that saying :) It really is how I feel our life is!
First I have a paper planner. There's just something about writing that I love. I jot notes, and thoughts and such on there. I also write all our plans, and calendar events there. I love, love, love paper planners. I've tried to delete it from my life, but I always miss it!
However what I don't like about paper planners, is carrying it around everywhere. My paper planner is HUGE! I have everything in it. I currently love the Mormon Mom Planners, Mothers who Know. (they do offer one that's non-denominational too) I LOVE the layout of it. I purchased the downloadable one last year, and printed it out just the way I wanted it. I use these to also schedule our homeschool, and do a weekly family and weekly homeschool schedule. This planner speaks to my organized, OCD heart. I love the set up, the layout, and all the extra's included. I love that it has space for me to "think out loud" (or write out loud!) I also love that it has space for Sunday Thoughts, and FHE, along with a place for me to focus on a topic, scripture, or thought that week.
I typically spend some time on Sunday Evenings, planning our weekly devotional, and take alittle time for me, to plan our week and spend some time with my Heavenly Father, in prayer to plan our week. I attended a conference years ago. (I bet it was the first real homeschool conference I ever attended!!) and the speaker, spoke of taking time to spiritually plan your week. Time to focus on what is not just needed to be done, but also time to focus on what He wants you to do this week, too.
I have really enjoyed having it all in one. If you purchased a regular planner and didn't have school and live all mixed up in one, then I'm sure it wouldn't be so annoying to take with you everywhere.
So to help, I also use Cozi on my IPhone. I love the layout of Cozi. I typically just add calendar events to cozi. Just the classes, outings and such. That way if I am at a park day, and we want to plan a future activity, I can. Then I come home and update the written planner.
I love the extra's you get with it too. These are just the free extra's too!! I love that I can save recipes in the recipe box, and then add them to my calendar as meals. This is a new feature, and it's been so nice. Once the recipe is on my calendar, I can click on it and it will take me to the website to see the recipe. I can also add my own recipes. One day I will take the time to set up a blog of all our favorite recipes, and then I can just link to that! I have a friend who has a family recipe book blog, and then she always has all her recipes in one place, and can "see" them even when she's shopping!
I also love that I can have my shopping list on there too. How many times do you run off and forget your list!! I use to keep my list on my fridge, and write on it whenever needed, worked great, until I left without grabbing it!!! Then I'd call one of my teens, and ask them to text me a picture of my list!! :) However, I can't cross off the items like I can on paper! Yes, that bothers me!
Cozi, speaks to my OCD organized life too. It's color coded. I've used that feature for color coding my kids, but also at busy times in our life, I color coded my activity. So school was one color, church another, life another and maybe the active kids. The possibilities are endless, once you open the box to a new idea.
So 2 calendars, yes! But it keeps me up to date, and up to speed wherever I am!
I also take time in my Sunday Planning, to update both calendars. Making sure both state the same activites. Sometimes I think yes, I am going to one planner, but there's always a reason, a pull for both. So far I haven't overscheduled myself or planned 2 activites.
and that my friends is how I keep life organized in all this organized chaos!
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