Random thoughts

First of all, forgive me if you came here hoping to see pics of the kiddos. I will try to put more on here soon. I also think I owe this blog some recipes we've been making. It's hard to find time to get everything done that I want to do.
I wanted to share some random thoughts, mostly some things I don't want to forget about.
We are trying something different with meal planning. We chose 20 recipes that we like enough to eat at least once a month. Eight of these are crockpot recipes, and four are recipes that can be easily doubled. Each week, we'll also have something from the Five in a Row cookbook and try one new recipe. That gives us a month worth of recipes. That way we won't have to spend so much time planning all the time. And as long as we keep up with our staples, we should be able to make these easily. We also planned 5 days worth of easy breakfasts to have Monday through Friday every week. On Sunday mornings, we'll do omelets or a breakfast casserole (meatless though). On Saturdays, we'll do pancakes or French toast (the girls help a lot with these).
Two days a week we'll have crockpot oatmeal, which is basically rolled oats, water, dried fruit, ground flaxseed and chopped walnuts. We stir in applesauce after it's in our bowls. We'll try to have at least one fresh fruit and one more processed fruit with each breakfast (canned, applesauce, dried or juice). The oatmeal is good for our cholesterol also. One day a week we'll have morning glory muffins (or some other breakfast bread) with a fruit smoothie. One day a week, we'll have cold cereal, milk, fresh fruit and juice. And one day a week, we'll have scrambled eggs with toast or a biscuit, and fruit.
Our plan (which I am failing at by being up writing this now) is to be in bed by 11 p.m. and up by 6 a.m. We'll get up at 6:00, get dressed, make our beds and have our quiet time. At 6:30, the kids will get up and join us for quiet time and prayers. Afterward, they will unload the dishwasher & set the table while mom & dad work on breakfast. The goal is to sit down to eat no later than 7:15, so we can have a family meal before I have to leave for work. We'll have our short devotion either with breakfast, or after they get dressed, brush teeth & make beds (should be done by 8 a.m. Then, we are considering alternating: every other morning, we'll take a family walk, and every other morning, we'll work in the garden (and if I'm working, they will still do the same things every other day).
We also hope to have supper done, eaten and cleaned up afterward by p.m. so we can spend an hour outside in the evening. We may alternate walking with P.E. activities.
For that long list of "electives" in my previous post, we are going to make a list of what we want done and in what order. Then, as we have 30 minutes here and there in the afternoon, we'll work on those in the order we wrote them out in, and eventually we should be doing them all semi-regularly (every other week is still better than never at all).
Thanks to Alice :waving: here is an idea that I want to try. She came up with this after an outing to Target with a child (need I say more)? ;) She stated the rule one ("We do NOT run in Target.") Then for every time she had to repeat it, the child has to write it that many times when they get home. They have to do it as soon as they get home, before any drinks, snacks, TV, relaxing, etc. I love it!
I've been busy too with list-making. Here's the question though, when am I NOT making lists? I feel like they just help me so much!
List of summer activities:
Nature camp
Vacation Bible School
Library Summer Reading (Elizabeth)
Library Story Hour (Katie & Michael)

List of possible field trip ideas:
blueberry picking
aquarium
insectarium
zoo
beach
bellingrath gardens
Mobile museums?
corn maze
arboretum
history museum at local jr. college
arboretum
Lynn Meadows discovery center

Well, I have to get to bed now. So long!