New-ness.

OK, so now I've really been off the blog wagon. Recently we were speaking to a friend about our "diet" and whether or not we were still on the wagon, and we decided we haven't seen the wagon in months now. Its probably in the next town by now! So the blog wagon...yeah, its been gone for a few weeks now.

Life has been full and busy around here, as it always finds the way to be. Being the Mom of a preschooler, the beginning of January seems to bring you back to reality, and it does so, fast. I got to enjoy three blissful weeks of not having to run out the door three times a week. It was lovely. Rob was home for two weeks of that, so I got to sleep in until 9:00am for two weeks straight. Was I spoiled? Absolutely! So Monday the 3rd came as a bit of a shock to the system! We're now at the end of that first week, and we are slowly getting back into the rhythm.

Yet, its not only readjusting to school life just for Abbi, but also for myself. I'm starting 2 new courses, and finding that adjustment also difficult. "Research for Social Change" and "Human Development and the Social Environment within a Global Context" will be occupying my brain for the next 4 months. One teacher is the same from last semester, but with each new course, there is a new course format to get used to, different teaching styles, deadlines, and an entirely new group of people to work with. Phew.

Thankfully, I already have one semester under my belt and have kind of figured out what worked last semester, what didn't, and what I need to work on. First things first, I can no longer plan my life from my computer or my desk, I need some portable planning...hence, the oh-so-beautiful day planner.

And I know, these days they have all sorts of fancy machines that will do this for me, and plan my life, but I'm still a fan of the written. I still do flash cards when I study, because I personally find the writing of the information super helpful in the remembering and retaining of it. So I found this beauty for $10.49. Please, please, do me a favour and never, never buy the next years calendar or planner until Boxing Day. Really! I refuse to, knowing that I can still get my calendar before the new year is upon me (on Boxing Day and beyond), for 50% of the price.

I really wanted to get my "OrganizeHer" wall calendar from last year. I loved it. Big daily squares to fit in all sorts of family busy-ness, but I looked far and wide in Edmonton and couldn't find it. I found it online, but I wasn't about to pay US prices, plus shipping. So I found the little number below and I'm pretty pleased with it. I do prefer coil bound ones (just because they lay flat on the wall), but this seems to do the trick. Plus, there were still a good number of the stickers leftover from last year (each of us had color-coded stickers to keep everyone's activity in order). I'm also a big fan of the business card pockets and the big clear storage pocket on the bottom. Brilliant!

Another thing I'm working on is writing down daily goals and reminders on a little note pad. I don't know about your family, but we somehow seem to be a magnet for all these random little note pads. Like seriously, how many do people really need? Rob gets them through work, I get school ones, I get day planner ones, I get real estate people ones. They just never stop! So I figure this would be a good way to not only remember the gazillion things running around in my mind (at any given time), but also to use them up.

The one I'm using currently has had every page scrawled on. Abbi went through a phase where it was imperative to put a little scribble on EVERY page of a book. Coloring books, note pads, Rob's school work (I'm sure you can imagine how that went over!). Basically any piece of paper she could get her hands on. So I find every morning when I flip the page, it reminds me of the crazy, creativeness of kids.

*And yes, here in Alberta when you shop on the first Tuesday of the month you save usually 10% off your groceries, or at Save-on-Foods you save 15% off (or you can choose to get 25x the points, but I always go for the money savings).

Our shocking note pad stash. I'm feeling a bit like a hoarder here...
I'm finding it very rewarding to go throughout my day, not only remembering what I wanted to do (a big bonus!), but also crossing off tasks when I'm done. Of course, there are days like Wednesday where nothing got done on my list, and oh well, such is life. But thus far, its been highly successful.

And I'm sure I've raved about my shopping list before, but I'll rave again. I do love it. I've seen these handy dandy pads at Chapters/Coles/Indigo. I think they are in the $10 range and so worth it! It sits on the side of our fridge, next to the sink, and I can jot something down the second I think of it, and voila, so few less grocery runs for that "one thing I forgot." Anyway, I still want to do a goals for the year post, and the what goals from 2010 did I actually accomplish post, but for now, these are just some ways I'm trying to get my life in order for 2011. I seriously love New Years. One of my favorite holidays. It really does feel like a fresh new start. I suppose one could make a fresh start in March, but nope, January just makes sense.

This weekend the Neppers are heading to Jasper for the annual Children's Heart Society weekend. This will be our 2nd year in attendance, although I think they've been going there for almost 20 years now. Wow. Should be fun. The kids love staying in a hotel (as do Mommy and Daddy), primarily because there is a pool within walking distance of their bed. We'll also get out to explore the town of Jasper, as well as spend an afternoon schmoozing at Jasper Park Lodge...pretending like we are actually staying there (not the budget hotel across the highway). Shh, don't blow our cover!

Enjoy your weekend dear readers!