The start of a new week

I admit it. I'm a geek. I love the beginning of new weeks, new months, new years, new school years. I just love new beginnings. This week is the start of several new things. I'm starting a new, improved daily schedule for me. The kids are working on their chore charts, and doing mighty well with them I might add. I'm starting a new phase in my business - we're transitioning from craft show based to Internet and wholesale based. And, John and I are working on a new project. I can't share that one yet. We're also looking for a new church. The kids really want us to go to one of the churches that their classmates go to - Colonial Woods or another one along those lines. Some of the parents have invited me to visit too. We'll see what happens. I really really really miss the AG church. I know that the one I attended was different than most AG churches, but I loved the activities, fellowship and all my friends. Now, we're all scattered around and the kids haven't really connected with the church we were attending. There just aren't kids' activities there for them.

So, my schedule is going to look something like this. It's a work in progress, and is going to be changing as I get into it more.

6am - up, Bible reading, shower and dress
6:45 - make sure both kids are up
7:15 - breakfast
7:35 - leave for school
8-9 - stuff that needs doing around the house
9-2:30pm - work
2:30-3:30 - pick up kids
3:30-5 - kids do homework and chores, I finish up work
5-6:30 - make dinner and clean up around the house
6:30-9 - dinner and family time - Michael shower at 8:30 - once the garden is in, we'll be using this time to maintain it as a family.
9-10 - Michael in bed, Katelyn get ready for bed, bed at 10 for Katelyn and me

Fridays are totally different. I don't work, and I do my errands and grocery shopping. My Saturdays, when not at shows, are going to be work 9-5 also, but more flexible. Sundays will be the Sabbath. Church and family time.

Now, I know there are some glaring holes in this. When do I blog? That is actually part of my work. I see it as ministry and work related. When do John and I get some alone time? Well, we have no kids on the weekends during the school year, so we get lots of time then. This will be especially true as I move the business away from craft shows and more into the wholesale part. Plus, Katelyn has soccer that we're working into the schedule. The thing is, the schedule for that is so crazy that it is pointless to put it in the schedule. We just have to work it out as it comes.

My schedule has been so crazy lately that something had to give. John and I talked, and my schedule is what has to change. I couldn't get more flexible without breaking something. I've been forgetting stuff and missing appointments - totally not me. My planner is back out and in full effect now. I also have to start treating the business as a business, not like something I get to when everything else is done. Things are never completely done! lol

Well, I have to get moving now. This is the last Sunday where I'll be doing stuff instead of keeping the Sabbath. I have to use this time to prepare for this week coming up. Plus, I have to make sure I can schedule in everything to be ready for next Sunday. I want minimal cooking and cleaning for Sunday. It's time to reorganize my priorities.

Coming up this week on the blog:
Monday - Bible Study
Tuesday - How the schedule is working so far
Wednesday - A look at my meals/cooking with allergies. Plus, announce the prize winners!
Thursday - Revisit the $3000 challenge (we have $500 of it sold.)
Friday - Menu Planning
Saturday - Organization update
Sunday - Nothing planned - just whatever God puts on my heart, if anything

That's the plan! Let's see how it all works out this week.

The coming week

This week, we're starting our spring cleaning and purge. I'm also starting a grand reorganization for the home, our schedules, and our goals. Things have been so out of control that it is starting to wear on all of us. There is no small part of our lives that God doesn't want to help us with. The Bible says

Proverbs 16:3 (New International Version)
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.

The word whatever is the key here. Not, what you think He's interested in, what you think is a BIG plan, not if it's only ministry or God related. Whatever! That means the plans for dinner, the plans for your child's chores. The plans to cut your hair even! WHATEVER! So, here goes our plans for this week. Keep in mind that if God tells us that we need to switch up our plans, then we will do so, without any doubt.


Our goals for this week:

Living room cleaned and organized, especially the bookshelves
Dining room reorganized, including computer desk and everything on it (once my bedroom is put back together)
Kitchen cleaned up, and maybe reorganized. Depends on a few other projects ongoing in there
My bedroom emptied out and carpets cleaned then everything out
Bathroom reorganized and cleaned
Katelyn's room completely cleaned
House hospitality ready by Wednesday night

New daily schedule in place for me
New chore chart in place for Katelyn and Michael
Start garden plans as a family
Make goals for the rest of the year with John
Start planning a tea for as yet undecided guests (part of our larger goal of practicing more hospitality)
Learn how to use convection oven to buy us some time to find the right oven to replace ours that died a horrible violent death (yes, my friends and family are cracking up at this. It's not the first - or last - mechanical thing I've killed. Recently.)

Work on Michael's room and organize what's left of downstairs. Will have to do production down there for a while.

Business goals for this week:

Revamp business plan
Redo cost analysis for our new business goals
Finish putting pictures up on website for everything
Send out email announcing launch of website
Post giveaway on blog
Make production schedule for this week and next week
Find at least one show for March that isn't canceled to get into.
Start getting together marketing and networking opportunities.

That's it for short term goals. We're going to look at long term goals probably next week. Oh wait! What's going on this week with the blog!

Monday - goals for the week, menu
Tuesday - Chapter 3 of The Vision of His Glory - Part one
Wednesday - The Great News Fast
Thursday - check in for goal list
Friday - Chapter 3 of The Vision of His Glory - Part two
Saturday - Giveaway announced