There were all sorts of great suggestions for ways to make dinner on
my post about trying to cook more at home a few weeks ago (and Obernon shared what sounds like a
yummy recipe on her blog last week). I'm starting to believe I can make family dinner a priority and get some healthy meals on the table most nights. I've already got a few recipes in mind to share in the next few weeks (though I could always use more!) I'm really looking forward to putting those posts together.
I'm trying to come up with a way that works for me to plan meals ahead of time and to stay organized with groceries. I can order my groceries online and pick them up at my local grocery store, but I need to pick a day to do that routinely, and then have the next week's menu planned in advance so I can do just one grocery run a week.
This has led me to realize that this is going to be a central theme for my life over the next few years: being organized. It's not something I'm naturally good at, but I'm going to have to do it. This past year was just crazy and stressful and often miserable, and while I won't have the perfect storm of events piling up together all at once like I did this year, I will have two kids to deal with instead of one. And I want to be sure I enjoy them. The only way I can see that happening is if I schedule my days of the week - laundry days, blog days, catch up on work days, meal planning days and grocery days are going to become a necessity. As is picking out my clothes for the week ahead of time (I waste so much time in the morning picking out clothes, because invariably something I thought was clean isn't).
I've tried to do this before, with variable success at sticking to it. But it's pretty clear I don't have a choice now, not if I want to find a way to enjoy myself while juggling the roles of mommy and doctor. The problem is, I have yet to find an organizing method that works for me - I need something simple that is easy to reference. Should I go the old fashioned route and use a daily planner? Is there an app you use that you find works well? Suggestions are welcome!
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Here are the week's pictures - you'll notice there are less sleeping pictures this time! I'd like to also mention that in the past week, while being more awake during the day, Zachary has also given me several nights of 4 straight hours of sleep, and even one night of 5 hours. Unfortunately, that was followed by a night of every 2 hour feedings, but at least there's progress!
Almost forgot! We saw the GI doctor last week, and he's not too worried about Zachary's liver. He did want to draw some labs, but the lab couldn't get any blood from him. It's on my list of things to do this week, to call the doctor back and find out if he really wants those labs, or if we can just let it go.
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| 4/16/14: all smiles at his GI appointment |
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| 4/17/14: this picture just melts my heart. I hope they still like each other this much in a few years! |
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| 4/18/14: "I have more aunts than you!" |
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| 4/19/14: happy baby, just hanging out |
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| 4/20/14: Happy Easter! His big brother wore this bib for his first Easter, too. |
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| 4/21/14: imagine world peeps (big brother and I have matching shirts) |
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| 4/22/14: second time this month I've taken a picture of him asleep on my bed in these pjs. |
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No fair, you got way more than your fair share of baby cheeks!
ReplyDeleteI'm finding two things helping me stay organized: dry erase board with meals written in (helps me, lets me give suggestions to nanny for lunch/snacks, and its where nanny and I write notes to each other). 2nd is a simple google calendar. I used to have separate work and personal calendars so i could "share" the work calendar with coworkers but can display them together. And I've been using the "tasks" part of the calendar and find it really helpful because you can move them among days. If it is a weekly task, as soon as I finish it this week I just move the same task to the next week. It's pretty convenient. I've heard good things about grocery shopping apps but don't use them. Good luck - but also just embrace the chaos, I haven't found a way around some degree of it.
Perhaps you'll find some useful cooking ideas on comments/post here, http://claireandfiona.blogspot.com/2012/09/cooking-through-chaos.html
ReplyDeleteI have certain days devoted to certain things and another list that I keep just for the days of the week. There's a section for each important thing to take care of for the week (household/personals/errands/nap time to dos/emails and calls). It's easy to pick a section and focus on it so if the only thing I take care of that day is one section and whatever is scheduled that day, then I'm good. I'm also a big fan of my household binder and syncing my phone to everything. The Cozi app is a good one too.
ReplyDeleteI use my google calendar a lot - and the notes app where I keep a weekly to-do list, a monthly to-do list, my grocery lists with everything I intend to cook that week, and lists for my business. I swear I wouldn't survive without those lists, which I refer to constantly!
ReplyDeleteThere is a grocery app that my friend swears by. We're big planners. We do the weekly menu and then do one shopping trip. We cook maybe twice a week and do leftovers quite a bit. I just did a bunch of cooking and freezing in preparation of the baby. I found a lot of inspiration on Pinterest. I pick out my clothes mentally while in the shower, but that does assume that the clothes fit and are clean. If I pick them out ahead of time, I find I'm not in the mood to wear them the next day and it throws off my entire mental state.
ReplyDeleteLove that Easter picture. That face!
If you figure out a good organizational system, PLEASE share!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the pics, as always. What cuties your boys are, and yes, that one with Finn's hand on Zachary's face... love, love, love!
Two thoughts for you. If my boys are any indication (almost 6 and 21m) their love will continue to grow. My older is soooo into his little brother. And it is mutual. Surprisingly little fighting. While I'm fortunate that I work from home about 75% of the time, my stressful days are when I need to get us all out of the house and me to the office looking decent. What about taking a selfie every time you put an outfit together that you love. Then get prints of those and make a collage board in your closet? I might do this myself I like this idea so much!
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine how you manage with two kids and being a Dr!! I work from home and have the flexibility of doing laundry, or running errands and I still feel I am ALWAYS behind. I love the idea of designated days. I end up having days when laundry and shopping and cooking are to be done (plus work) which is exhausting. I am being able to plan 2-3 meals and do one shopping trip and eat leftovers the rest of the week.
ReplyDeleteI got the link to your site from a comment on mine. I'm so glad I found your blog and can't wait to read all you have documented here in your journey. I'm way at the beginning of mine but I am trying to soak up any and all I can.
ReplyDeleteI am married, have three boys, and work full time as a professor. Our family goes through a LOT of food and I do all the grocery shopping and cooking. I also abhor uber-organization, so I feel your pain. I can tell you what I do, perhaps it can help.
ReplyDelete- I shop for groceries on Sunday morning. On Sunday I cook Sunday dinner (it's pasta with homemade meat sauce, like Bolognese, only not with the 3-hour cooking), because that's what everyone likes.
- Mon, Tue: On Sunday I also cook a large pot of something that can be classified as a thick soup or stew, e.g. peas with beef, cabbage with beef, beans with sausages, something soupy that we eat on Monday and Tuesday. That way I cook on Sundays, and then don't have to cook until Tuesday night or more commonly Wednesday.
- Wed is usually a rice with stir-fry day, it's quick and I can make quickly it after I come back from work at 6. And many different kinds of meat and vegetables work.
- On Thursday, I try to make something meat free -- I have a version of savory corn bread with cheese that I make, or roasted eggplant or something like that.
(alternatively, I make a roast for 2 days on Tue night and we eat that Wed and Thu).
- Friday is a treat, we go to Food Court after one of my kid's swimming.
- Saturday we laze about in pajamas and do laundry and light chores. I can't make myself shop on Saturday, the crowd is just too much. Saturday I cook something elaborate if we have guests or I feel particularly energetic (or something I bought last week would go bad) , but usually we eat leftovers or it's just a soup-and-salad kinda day.
Scheduling is a very good idea...what is always my downfall is the inevitable wrenches thrown in like a surprise visitor on laundry day or the car breaks down on grocery day, etc...I miss 1 thing & I'm scrambling to catch up.
ReplyDeleteHow can you not love that photo of your 2 boys...so precious!
Your boys are so cute. I thought I was organized but having a child has proven that I wasn't really...lol.
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of Finn touching Zachary's face. Beautiful! The problem with choosing clothes at night is the weather forecast and being a teacher with outside recess duty. I find I always have to wait for the "school-day forecast" to know the weather for each part of the school day. Even while on mat leave I like to see so I know what SR should wear.
ReplyDeleteI am a SMC (only one almost 2 yr old) and an internist like you. I couldnt survive without my nanny, freezer, and lots and lots of underwear, socks, hosiery etc. When I am on service at the hospital (2 weeks at a time) I work up to 14 days straight. I do massive piles of laundry every 1 to 2 weeks, set out everything I need the night before, do massive shoppings and freeze stuff in advance, and rotate menus. We only do shopping every 2 weeks (my nanny and I go together and plan meals) and supplement with milk and vegie runs. I think you are already tremendously organized compared to me! Waiting to hear what system you work out...
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