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Featured Posts From “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays” Link Party

I held my first “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays” link party here at New Nostalgia last week.  It was really fun reading through the posts, they were so motivating and full of many great ideas!  Thank you to those who participated, my hope is that it will continue to grow in the coming weeks.
I know I personally got a lot done this week, thanks to our “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays” together.  When I don’t feel like doing anything, I think “gotta have something to post on tuesday” which is enough to get me up to check what is next on my doozie-of-a-list.

Here are a few featured posts from last week:

Power Of 3
 Hoosier Mama Liz, over at Hoosier Homemade, wrote a brilliant post.  This one really stood out to me, and has caused me to start thinking about how I can incorporate her great idea into our family.
I love how simple it is!  She calls it the “Power Of 3”  Here is more from Liz:

“I simply give each of the boys (18,16 & 12) and my husband 3 things each day to do. Simple…huh? Not quite sure why I didn’t think of it before.

I typed up a form that has each of their names and 3 lines, I use a different sheet for each day. And if a chore on their list doesn’t get done (gasp) it gets added to the next day, if they have a chore listed more than…you guessed it…3 days, they are grounded for…you guessed it…3 days!”

 I love it.  The rest of the post is well worth reading, so head on over there and say hi to Liz for me.  

Laurie, over at Domestic Productions linked a post whose title caught my eye.  “Procrastination-The Lock To Healthy Eating”-how true is that?  Here is more from her post:

I said earlier that The Key to Healthy Eating is Planning. Well, that makes Procrastination the Lock to Healthy Eating. When we procrastinate it leaves us in a state of emotional eating and held hostage to convenience food.

So true.  Laurie used our “Anti-Procrastination Tuesday” as motivation to make healthy bread.  Don’t they look delish?  The recipe is on her post.

Image via The Land Of Nod

Cutting Through The Clutter Of Toys–
Destri at The Mother Huddle is one of those women who just continue to amaze me with her ideas and writing.  I have loved getting to know her through twitter, email and her blog.  Her blog is a must visit, it is as lovely as she is.
The post she linked is invaluable to anyone who has toys!  It is full of a bunch of great ideas.

Framed-My First Anti-Procrastination Project
I just wrote a post about Laurie and her new blog, she happens to be my lil’ sis so the post is pretty much big sister braggin’ on lil’ sister. Her blog is great, much to brag about!  I was super happy she participated in my link party.  She finally got around to framing and hanging her wedding pics, don’t they look great?

Come join us on tuesdays!  We’d love to hear about what you are (or are not) getting done!  Click here for more information.

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FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Simplifying

Thank You Note Tote

Sending out thank you notes regularly=FAIL!

I know, it is not something I am proud of.  I really AM a thankful person, so I thought it was time to start showing it, and to teach my girls the importance of a thank you note…better late than never, right?

My girls actually do a great job of writing thank you notes, in fact, there is one sitting here on my computer desk as I type, that was written by my 6 year old to her Aunt Kathy.  It says…

“thank you for the Hershey’s bar
I love it.
Love you!
Love, (her name)
to. ant Kathy”

Aww!  Love the misspelled “ant.”   She wrote that without any prompting from me, which is really the case a lot of the time.  I can’t tell you how many notes my girls made that just sat here, unsent.  

I know, thank you notes diligently made by little hands but unsent=FAIL!

Obviously, the problem is me, not them.  I stopped to think about what is keeping me from sending them, and came up with  4 excuses obstacles:

1. Finding the right sized envelope
2. Stamps
3. Addresses in a handy place
4. Lack of decent mailbox (we just have a slot in our door, one that the cover has broken off of.  We used to stick our- out going mail right under the cover. Guess I  better put that on my Anti-Procrastination- Doozy- Of- A- List)

Well, I found some solutions that I think are going to work!

Solution to obstacle #1:
I went to Office Max and found some postcards for our printer.  They were blank, perforated, and came 4 to a sheet, 120 sheets!  That’s a lot of postcards!  I paid $15.00, which in my mind is not too bad considering what one pays for a “stationary set of 8 cards” now- a- days!
My thinking with the postcards-there is no need for an envelope, and my girls can get creative with what they would like the front of the postcard to say/look like.  

Solution to obstacle #2:
Buy the girls their own stamps! Doing this meant that they would need to have their own place to keep them, so I proceeded to make them a little thank you note tote!  

Solution to obstacle #3

Addresses.  Ugh.  One of these days every last address of every last person I know will be beautifully organized in my imac address book.  Until that day, when I am 80 which should be soon, because it is on the Doozy List and you are holding me accountable on tuesdays,  I decided to make the girls their own little “Addresses On A Ring.”  I wrote the addresses of people they write thank you cards to most often, (or should be writing thank you cards to, or are writing thank you cards to but their mom doesn’t send them out-FAIL), and put them on a little ring.  I like that they will hand write the addresses, because it is something every child will need to learn how to do.  I thought about making handy little address labels, which would work well for younger kids, but I decided my kids were old enough to fill the address in themselves.  

Solution(sorta) to obstacle #4
Well, because it would be up to me (or entail begging my very kind, handy dad) to get a new mailbox put on the house, I resorted to my handy dandy wooden clips that I use for everything.  I love them so much they got their very own post!  When we have outgoing mail, I will just clip it on to our open slot and hope it doesn’t rain!:)

I put this little Thank You Note Tote together while the girls were at school.  I told them about it in the car and they all 3 were pretty excited and quite impressed.  The first thing they did when we got home was write a thank you!  

There can be variations to this idea.  If you have a younger child who has a bunch of thank yous to write, you could have them draw one picture, scan it, then print it on the front of the post cards.  You could also print “Thank You” or whatever else you want to say onto the postcards, just like I added the lines and address on the back with my computer.  I kept the front of ours blank so they would have lots of space to get creative, and also because I want them to have the freedom to write any type of note, not just a Thank You note.

I didn’t add too much to the tote for them to get creative with.  We have a sticker drawer that they regularly use and will go to if they want a sticker for their card, and they can grab their Art Bags if they need anything else.





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ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ FAMILY/ HOME

“Anti-procrastination Tuesdays” Link Party!

Welcome to our first weekly “Anti-Procrastination Tuesday” link party!  I am so excited to kick my procrastination habit to the curb with your help!  You can read about the challenge here.  You can also read an ongoing list of my personal goals here.

I’d like this to be a place where we can:
 *share and encourage one another
 *get stuff done, no matter big or small
 *feel safe to “get-real” with our junk
 *share with one another something we have accomplished, past or present
 *share conquered goals or lists of goals we would like to conquer
 *share before and after pictures of our accomplishments
 *learn tips from each other

Here are the guidelines:
1. On Tuesdays each week, I’ll host the link party here at New Nostalgia.  You’ll come over and enter the permalink to your Anti-Procrastination post in my MckLinky List.


2. Be sure to insert a link in your post that directs others back here.  It could be my button at the side bar, or something like “This post is linked to “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays” at New Nostaglia. 

3. Be sure to link your posts url, not your blog url!

4. Link as many posts as you would like, as long as they have to do with this subject

5. Visit as many other links as you can for ideas, inspiration and to offer encouragement.

6. Leave comments for the links you visit just to let them know you are there (and so we can know there really ARE people out there committed to getting things done together, support matters!)

7. Come back each tuesday, post more of your accomplishments, and see some of the links featured from the week before.  You could be one of them!

Don’t forget to grab a button to place at the top or bottom of your post to show you are participating in “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays.”  Simply copy the code below in the box and paste where you can edit the html in your blog post.  


And now, onto today’s “Anti-Procrastination Tuesday’s” Link Party! Be inspired, be encouraged, and get something done!


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ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ FAMILY/ HOME/ Organizing

Crossing Off My To-Do List

ahhhh…it feel so good to GET THINGS DONE! 

Tomorrow is “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays” link party here at New Nostalgia. 

I REALLY hope that having this link party each week will continue to motivate me!  I wrote a master “wanna get done” list 5 days ago, and IT IS ACTUALLY WORKING, I’m getting things done!!  It is because I know I will have to write a post every week about what I have done, so thanks to you readers, I will no longer procrastinate.

Here are a few of the things on my to do list that I have crossed off:

~pay $2.10 to school for forgotten school lunch
ok, I know this sounds like a really easy one, and it was, but can you believe it took me over 2 months to “just do it”??  I didn’t use my personal goal of “when I think about it, just do it.”  Thanks to tomorrow’s party, I did get it done.  It took me all of 63 seconds to put some money in an envelope, mark it, and stick it in my daughters backpack for her to take to school.

~clean out trunk
My husband did this, sort of.  Our car had a flat tire last week, so before he took it into the shop, he brought all the junk from the trunk into our sunroom.  There was already a pile of stuff sitting there to be taken to goodwill, so our sunroom looked horrendous.  That was enough to get me to deal with it and put it all away.

my sunroom last fall 

~stuff to Goodwill
I’ve have had a pile of bags and a bin in my sunroom since Christmas.  No joke.  That stuff stared at me every time I left and every time I came back into my home.  Our sunroom is the first impression that guests have of our home, and they have been greeted by a pile of stuff for 3 months now!  The kicker…there is a Goodwill just blocks from our house-it took me less than 5 minutes to load it, drop it off, unload it and drive home.  Why do I put this stuff off??

~ants in basement
Easy fix.  I bought poison.  I rarely do this, I hate pesticides!  There are little discs you can buy that the ants will crawl in, get the “food,” take it back home, share it with their friends, and after their feast they all die.:(  I needed to just do something, especially since I don’t know if these are carpenter ants we are dealing with!  Next time, I am going to try my homemade laundry detergent.  Seriously!  I got a tip from a reader that sprinkling it around wards off pests, and since the ants were in the laundry room, it seems fitting?!?

~make homemade laundry detergent
Did it.  I have a how- to post coming in the very near future!

~boogie study closet
“Boogie” is a term stolen from Flylady.  It just means to move as quickly as you can and get it done, taking a quick break if needed, then right back into it.  It was just a few months ago I did a whole study clean up, so it was a quick boogie and now it is back to being organized again!

~yearly physical appointment made
Done!  I put the number into my online contacts so next time I have no excuse to procrastinate!

~organize papers in sorters on desk
This was the most helpful of all the “To-Do’s” that I did!  I keep papers that need attention in these, so a week or so of no attention can really get me in trouble!  Having this done made me feel so on top of things, I literally felt lighter when I was done.  Guess I need to keep that one up every week, I may live longer..

~create Amazon store for the blog
I have wanted to do this for awhile.  There are many times I talk about a product or ingredient, and a reader will ask where I got it or what I use.  Now I can just put the product in my Amazon store.  I can link up things I love and use, in case you would like to purchase them, too.  The blessing of it is, if you purchase through my link, I will get a small percentage (this does not cost you any more) from Amazon, which in time might add up.  I would love to be able to contribute financially to our family’s budget through this little love of mine called blog.  You will be able to access the store in a week or two, I need to continue to add products I love to it..

~organize stickies
This is an online application that allows virtual, post- it- type notes on a computer desktop.  I use it all the time to quickly type a thought or copy a link.  The problem, they over took my desktop because I didn’t delete them!  They are now organized, problem solved.

Not bad for 5 days!  It barely made a dent in my list, but I’m not stressing. Baby steps.

  I hope to see you all on tuesdays where we can chip away on our to-do’s together!  Next time I may just highlight one thing and write about it, we’ll see.  Come on by tomorrow!  If you are a blogger, link up, if you are a reader, come check it out and feel free to leave a comment, I’d love to hear what you have been getting done or want to get done!


Thank YOU, my readers.  Without you, I would be getting nothing done!:)

This post is linked to:
 “Works For Me Wednesdays”
“Show and Tell” @ Blue Cricket Designs

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Frugal/ HEALTH/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Natural Products

Homemade Household Cleaners

These are CHEAP, biodegradable, and easy to make!  I love that the ingredients are not harsh, and I can put my girls to work without worrying about them coming into contact with harsh chemicals.

I’ve already posted on this basic cleaner, here, but here it is again:

Basic Cleaner

1 part vinegar

2 parts water

Put in spray bottle, shake.  I use this for almost everything…glass tables, counters, microwave, sinks, etc. (some times I do 1 part water to 1 part vinegar for more strength)

Scrub Cleaner

Baking Soda

Splash of vinegar

Good for grout, showers, tubs, ovens, stoves, sinks…

Disinfectant Cleaner

Hydrogen peroxide

Put into a dark colored spray bottle (light breaks it down) and use it to disinfect cutting boards, toilets, whatever..

Floor Cleaner

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup vinegar

2 gallons hot water

1 tablespoon dish soap

 *Can add 1/2 cup borax to make it a disinfectant 



This post is linked to:
Thrifty Thursday @Tales From Bloggeritaville


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ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ FAMILY/ HOME/ Organizing/ Simplifying

My Anti-Procrastination List-It’s A Doozie!

As most of you know, I tend to procrastinate on things.  I’ve had some success in this area, but I want more!  I have found in the past that lists and accountability both work for me, which makes me very excited about “Anti-procrastination Tuesdays.” If you read my “Anti-procrastination Tuesdays” post, you know that I will be doing a weekly link party (starting this tuesday, March 9th) where we can all share what we tend to procrastinate on, and what we have accomplished each week.

 I have been thinking about what I want to accomplish, and have been jotting things down as they come to my mind.  I have come up with quite a list, which honestly is quite overwhelming to see how long it is!  I have to keep reminding myself that one step at a time is the way to go, and that I won’t be alone, because I am hoping you will join me on tuesdays to GET THINGS DONE!

 Below is the list I have together so far. I’m sure there is more that I am missing, but this is more than enough of a start! I thought sharing it with you would be a great way to be held accountable, and very convenient for me to have a running list of goals I want to reach on our tuesdays together.  I will cross things off as I accomplish them and also add new things, then share the highlights at “Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays” party.

Parenting:
chore charts for the girls, remade
make a master chore list 
print and hang a list of ideas kids can do when I hear “I’m bored!”
faith box for family prayer requests
continue ongoing birds and bees conversation with my girls:)
girls to write thank- you’s more regularly
discuss allowance with Todd
year round Joshua Tree 
new ideas for family devotions
“power of 3 chart”
routine charts made
People:
“get in touch with regularly” list
have grandparents for brunch
have women’s Bible study group social in our home
keep up on emails, twitter, facebook, texts and phone messages-get a strategy
General:
find lost library book
pay school $2.10 for forgotten lunch 
whiten teeth
workout
clean out trunk
buy bolt for bike
go through family wardrobe
bring out spring/ summer clothes
pack up winter clothes
get rid of ants in basement-ew
put pics in frames and hang them up
decorate for spring
make laundry detergent
read a book a month (ongoing)
white board hung up
mirrors hung up
laundry under control
sort my clothes
take stuff to goodwill
make exercise a regular part of my week-ugh.
plan lil’ ones bday party
Reorganize:
storage area in basement
 craft closet
‘boogie’ study closet



Appointments:
dentist
yearly physical
allergist
eye doctor
Papers and Lists:
organize paper in sorters on desk
reorganize filing cabinet
Binders:
print recipes used regularly, put in binder
revamp emergency numbers/instructions binder
menu plans
print organized addresses; put in binder
make binder for magazine articles
Computer:
computer safety family contract.
delete unwanted facebook emails
organize bookmarks on computer
organize stickies
add to kid sites
put addresses in mac online address book
learn how to make an imovie
birthdays into ical
groups and smart groups in address book
organize itunes
explore smart playlist, make some new ones
order guinea pig food and hay online to have delivered regularly
videos to dvds

organize reader, make “daily reads”folder
organize starred items in reader
organize my tweet deck
get more familiar with twitter
Cleaning:
wash windows
clean grout on tile floor
clean behind stove/refrig
clean all ceiling fans
clean all light fixtures
clean mini blinds
clean shutters/windowsills
vacuum furniture
Blogging:
create Amazon store 
review some products
do a give-away

Projects:
paint laundry room

paint bathroom
Photos:
delete unwanted photos
back up photos onto cds
print photos
label photos



Outside:
read up on gardening
call community gardens to reserve spot
In The Kitchen:
make homemade tortillas
try making homemade yogurt
make/freeze some make ahead meals
Circus Ponies Online Notebook: (it is an online, virtual binder)
make craft notebook
make recipe notebook
organize poetry notebook
make hairstylist notebook
make womens ministry notebook
list of books to read
make inspirational journal on notebook for blog ideas

Whew!!  Good thing there is no deadline to most of these things (ok.. maybe the ants:))

Do you plan on joining in on “Anti-procrastination” Tuesdays?  I’d love to have ya!
If so and you are a blogger, feel free to get my button from the sidebar to invite others to come.
This post is linked to:
Works For Me Wednesdays @Rocks In My Dryer


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ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ FAMILY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

“Anti-procrastination Tuesdays” Link Party

I’m always thinking about topics to blog about, and usually I just share what I am doing in life.  If I am making a certain recipe, I share it, if we are doing holiday crafts, I let you know which ones, etc. 
 I’ve been trying to think of a way to motivate myself to take care of things that I have been putting off, and this brilliant:) thought popped in my mind “I should do a weekly post on anti-procrastination, so I will be forced to do something each week to share with my readers!”  

Not only will I be held accountable to deal my tendency to procrastinate, but here is the best part–ready?  WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER!  Hence, my very first weekly”link party!”  I am so excited!
As most bloggers know, a link party is where other bloggers can link up  posts on a similar subject, all in the same place (in this case, my blog since I will be the host). Then we can “visit” each others blogs, and get inspiration and MOTIVATION!  Not a blogger?  No worries, you can join in by sharing about your anti-procrastination of the week in the comments section, or you could just click through list of links, to read up on what other people have done, and hopefully become inspired!  
You may be one who does not struggle with procrastination, (Flylady & I call you people BO’s-“born organizers.” I also call you “lucky dawgs” and “people I’m really jealous of”) if you fall in this category, I WANT TO LEARN FROM YOU! It would be great if you could leave a blog post or comment with a tip or two of what DOES works for you!
If you are one who struggles with procrastination, you are not alone!  Please come back each week on tuesdays and link up! Tell us your thoughts, show us pictures of what you’ve accomplished or want to accomplish…it could even be a post showing us what you have been putting off, so that we can give each other tips or encouragement.  It could be big or small, from making a dr’s appt to tackling that overflowing storage room. 
I think this is a GREAT opportunity for me to get real with you!  I’ve joked with my sister that the pics of my cobwebs and dust don’t quite make it onto the blog.  We both agreed a “let’s get real” post was in order.  Now with Anti-procrastination Tuesdays, you will see and hear about my junk and hopefully that will motivate me to GET BUSY!

So Let’s Recap:

–Anti-Procrastination Link Party @ New Nostalgia on Tuesdays, starting March 9th.
-If you are not a blogger, join in by commenting!  Share with us what you have accomplished or would like to accomplish, or just enjoy visiting the different blogs that link up.
-If you are a blogger, share any post you have written about procrastination. It could be sharing about something you’ve accomplished, sharing tips on how to get motivated, or sharing different goals you would like to eventually get to.  Any post on something that you have accomplished, past or present, works!  I want to see those before and after pics– I’ll show you my junky gunk if you show me yours!
-Can be big or small…finishing a report, taking a load of stuff to goodwill, working on a project with a child, signing yourself up for jujitsu (why not?), cleaning the car, cleaning the shower head (on my list), etc..
Here is a button if you would like to pass the word along (ohh, that button.  You don’t want to know how long it took me to make that ^%#%$@! button!  It is not a perfect button, but it is two o’clock in the morning right now and I won the battle, er, sort of, and I’m feeling quite proud).  The button will also stay in my sidebar for future need.

Bloggers, if you have continued to read this far,  if this is something that excites you, or if you know others whom it may excite, I would be honored if you would help get the word out.  Feel free to grab and share my button, or even just give the post a little “tweet” by hitting the retweet button.  I am still pretty new at this blogging thing, so I for sure need my blogging community to spread the news.  
Readers, I’m humbly asking you for help, too!  If you know anyone who you think would get into something like this, feel free to share this post via facebook, twitter or email.  
It may take awhile to get people to participate, but that is ok!  I am pumped!  You don’t know how badly I need some motivation to get stuff done!  Spring is a comin’ and I got stuff to do!!

So what do you think?  Leave a comment and let me know..

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