May, June... and The To-Do List Saga

For those of you who are absolutely nuts about lists (like me), you can check out my previous posts for 2009 in the list department. They are at the bottom. If you are just tuning in, you may get the impression I'm crazy. You would be right. Lists are my thing. I love them. It's a love-hate thing, though. I've heard that if you set your expectations too high, it only leads to depression when you can't accomplish your goals. This doesn't seem to stop me. I do it anyway. The baby has helped me to be a bit more realistic, however. I gave up hoping to be perfect at least. Now I just struggle to get as much done as possible. Like everybody else, I suppose...

...except I can't be at peace unless my house is clean and I have at least accomplished three things on my list. No matter what. I kid you not. It's a sickness.

So... since I gave up grading my progress after the baby arrived, I won't be doing that in this post, either. Just letting you know up front. Our school year suffered a serious blow after St. Patrick's Day... which is why we'll be starting this coming year in July! We took off most of the time since mid-March... with exception of maybe 2.5 weeks of school spread out within April, May and June. I call that a "fizzle-out". In came baby, out went the school year. I know some homeschool moms can rebound and get back to the books in a matter of weeks. I'm just not one of them.

Here’s what I got done in May and June (remember, I need to get 12 things done each month to finish by Dec. '09):

2. pay off another credit card (only one more to go, for next year)
5. get my blog redesigned (thanks Darcy!)
9. get Photoshop (still need to learn how to use it)
37. organize the bookshelves (a never-ending project, but we made progress)
38. organize the school supply closet
39. eat out less (could use a little more work on keeping up the menus, though)
75. buy another must-have book for our homeschool library
78. give away a baby carrier and a book on The Homeschool Post
93. make progress in cleaning email boxes out
97. have someone over for dinner in June (mmmm... mesquite grilled tilapia and salmon)
113. declutter once a month (bookshelves, paperwork, supply cabinet)
115. put past school papers in binders (portfolios - still have this year's to do)
117. Morgan makes cookies and brownies by herself, both kids help with cooking dinners/lunches
118. Cook and freeze meals (chicken & rice, broccoli cheese rice, sweet potato casserole)
121. get a new phone (oh, how I love my iPhone)
132. install cat door - move litter to garage! (yipeeeeee!)
136. get a rocking chair (Craig's List rocks)
140. work some on indexing blog
145. make a mock Thanksgiving meal (I heart stuffing and cranberry)
149. decorate M & baby's room (wish my room was so pretty)
150. paint a mural (oh, how cute it is - and I'm just a few moments from being finished)
152. clean off my desk again (and again)

Not numbered:
thank you cards sent out
attend two homeschool conventions
start prayer project: Power of a Praying Wife
open a 'Page' on facebook for The Homeschool Post
find friends from high school on facebook
meet up with another blogger in real life
attend an online conference (AWI)
dad and son start shooting range lessons and gun safety lessons
take wedding pictures for my husband's cousin (for free)
purge the baby's drawers and give away all his newborn & 0-3 mo. clothes

OK, so even if it feels like I'm drowning and floating back towards the sea, I really am going upstream some. Hallelujah. The only problem is that many of my accomplishments are items that are every-month items and not just one-time, cross-it-off stuff. I only got 6 items crossed off my original list this month that won't repeat. Not so hot.

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Below are my plans for July (some of these may be carried over from above if they aren't done yet):

7. work more on organizing kids' closets and rooms/toys-storage, etc.
8. eat at the Melting Pot
10. read with the kids
13. more photos of baby's feet
15. completely caught up with grading, paperwork, portfolios
18. organize filing cabinets and handles replaced
19. for heaven's sake, write down and type up Ammie's recipes! I keep doing this half way and forgetting to finish!
20. start a postcard project
21. earn some money selling used books/curriculum
23. find good homeschool groove
25. blog about a procrastination project that I complete
27. work on bedtimes/getting up earlier (this is hard with baby in the house!)
28. start every day with the Lord
30. finish GeeArt
32. birth announcements
33. finish reading camera manual
45. work on eating less sweets!
47. get school schedule written down and re-vamped
48. standardized tests
49. highlights or colorwash my hair
53. read homeschool books for mom
58. have a homeschool planning day
60. family and baby portraits
65. keeping regular menus and eating at home more
69. use video camera more, learn how to use it for blogging
73. go swimming
78. do a give away on my blog
79. post recipes on my food blog (check the link on the right!)
82. school first - housework second
84. start back up with our nature journals
85. start family devo and reading time
86. start reading book with hubby about marriage
94. finish printing 2009 calendar pages, make annual letter
97. have someone over for dinner
102. measure/weigh kids
107. read TO kids every school day
112. make dolmas
113. declutter somewhere
114. help the kids blog
117. set up a meal for each kid to cook without help for July
118. cook and freeze meals
130. get rid of old xbox (sell)
133. kid's book list
140. work on blog indexing
150. finish baby's mural
152. clean off my desk again (because I'm sure it will pile up like the laundry!)

Not numbered:
more thank you cards sent out
finish prayer project: Power of a Praying Wife
take lots of pictures
get school binder organized
get plans, goals and assignments entered in to Tracker for the year
begin Photoshop and photo lessons for me and kids
Morgan to enter homeschool photo contest
back to school breakfast

The good thing is, I am aware that I won't get to everything on my list and am not even going to fret about it. Me and the Viking are going to do our best and let that be ENOUGH. I love this advice: "Do the next thing." And another favorite quote: "Rome wasn't built in a day." I raise my ice cold glass of water and toast my progress so far in 2009 despite all the setbacks. Here's to taking it one thing at a time and savoring the relationships and life that happens in-between.

How are you doing on your list for 2009?

Quick Links
2009 LIST
Monthly BREAKDOWN of goals for January
Progress report for January
Progress report for February
March and April Goals

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