I is for Intense {Blogging through the Alphabet}

Intense

~extreme force, degree, or strength; having or showing strong feelings or opinions; extremely earnest or serious

So. I chose "Intense" for my I is for... Blogging through the Alphabet post and now I'm not sure it's the correct word. You see, I want to write about the Charlotte Mason Institute's 2014 Charlotte Mason Education Conference. We were able to go this year. It was held June 11-14, 2014. I took my kiddos with me; we attended the 11-13, leaving after lunch Friday. 

"Intense" is what I felt it would be, the months and weeks and days leading up to the conference. I was wound up tight with anticipation! We had never been to a homeschool convention, and never to an "education conference".

Northern Mockingbird gracing us with a territorial dance. Loved the blue sky.

Intense would fully describe the drive down there and back, and how the days were crammed full with things to do and attend. It could also describe the call put forth by the speakers at the conference. But all the while, it really was calm and relaxing. 

Perhaps another way that it was intense was the way it seems to have lit a fire in both of my kids. Each day they were deep in thought and we had good discussions about education, habits, future plans. Lee especially is an all-or-nothing type person; this definitely planted some seeds for getting things done! Fox also, whose been somewhat nonchalant about his education and future, has come away with a new sense of commitment to both.

Personally, it was intense because of all the externals {the long drive, the lack of sleep, the meeting of new people in a new place} but also the internal. It really made me stop and think about what I am doing. What I do with my kids as we homeschool, and what I want to do in public education later.

I will revisit the Charlotte Mason Institute 2014 Education Conference often, but honestly, I'm not sure it'll make here on the blog. But for now, this is my I is for... post in Blogging through the Alphabet. Visit Ben and Me for more I entries. Or search abcblogging. 

Book Review: Urban Watercolor Sketching {Blogging for Books}

This post contains *affiliate links. See Disclosure/Policies.

Urban Watercolor Sketching by Felix Schienberger*

ISBN: 978-0770435219

Paperback, 160 pages

Publisher: Watson-Guptill ("preeminent publisher of how-to books in the arts: drawing, painting, sculpture, design, collage and mixed media, comics, sequential art, cartooning, manga, and animation.")

Retail: $22.99

About the book:

A guide that shows painters, drawers, doodlers, and urban sketchers how to bring their drawings to life with colorful, bold, yet accessible painting methods.

COLOR YOUR LIFE

Bring new energy to your sketches of urban scenes with this fresh and simple approach to watercolor painting. Whether you’re an amateur artist, drawer, doodler, or sketcher, watercolor is a versatile sketching medium that’s perfect for people on the go—much like pen or pencil. Accomplished designer and illustrator Felix Scheinberger offers a solid foundation in color theory and countless lessons on all aspects of watercolor sketching, including:

Fundamentals like wet-on-wet, glazes, and washes

Materials and supplies to bring on your travels

Little-known tips and tricks, like painting when water 

isn’t handy and seeking out inspiration

Vibrant watercolor paintings grace each page, and light-hearted anecdotes (why do fish make great subjects to paint, you may be wondering...) make this a lively guide to the medium. With an open mind and sketchbook, you will be ready to capture the moments around you in luminous color with confidence, creativity, and ease—no matter what your skill level may be.

Read a short excerpt here: 
http://www.randomhouse.com/book/234394/urban-watercolor-sketching-by-felix-scheinberger#excerpt

About the author:

FELIX SCHEINBERGER is an illustrator, artist, and designer. He is the author and illustrator of two other books on watercolors and has illustrated more than fifty children’s books in the last decade. His work has appeared in magazines including Harvard Business Manager and Psychology Today. He lives in Berlin, Germany.

My thoughts:

This is definitely not your typical watercolor book! Or rather this is not what I would expect from a watercolor book. I don't know exactly what I was expecting actually. 

I do not know how to watercolor even though I would like to. I chose this book to review in hopes it would help me in this endeavor. One thing I like about the book is the images given, done by Felix Scheinberger, are not realistic interpretations, but instead are impressionistic (?). This makes it seem like my own work doesn't have to be 'perfect'. 

Watercolor involves techniques that require some time to fine-tune. It does not, however, take much time to actually paint with watercolor; it is a very fast, immediate medium. Nevertheless, no matter how little time it takes to paint, it's important to take the time to practice and get the hang of the techniques. ~p. 8

The book is separated into seven parts:

1. Introduction- this explains briefly where the components of watercolor come from (gum arabic, pigments) and tips for the pigments.
2. First Attempts- talks about designs, glazes, washes, mixing techniques.
3. Excursion in Color Theory- pretty much ALL about color.
4. Your Own Style- suggestions, tips, nudges to help find own style.
5. Basics/Tools- paintboxes, pencils, paints, brushes, paper, etc.
6. Out & About- painting in all sorts of places and settings.
7.  Tips & Tricks- exactly that.

The writing style is very easy to follow and what I would imagine an artist to speak like. In colors, textures, and, all the while, senses. Some sections have more words than others but the whole book is full of color. 

Pigments are the true soul of the paints. ~ p. 13

What you feel while you paint a picture is far more important than what is commonly thought. ~ p. 89 

Something I noticed about this book as compared to another book on drawing or painting is that while Felix does talk about paints, where they come from and how they are concocted, he waits until near the end to suggest different paints to buy. I like that. It gets the reader, the artist, to think about the process before putting the tools in their hands. That's how I saw it anyway.

I like this book and plan on using it to get started in my own watercolor journey. I think it would be good for middle/high school students as well. Some of the images are strange but none are inappropriate. 

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review. See Disclosure/Policies.

H is for Happiness {Blogging through the Alphabet}

Happiness
~a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

Psalm 144:15
"Happy is that people, that is in such a case:
yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD." (KJV)

Happiness. Ah, happiness. Sometimes it is elusive. Sometimes it is downright not happening. Especially during difficult times in life. I don't wish to brag but I have a very good life. I have been blessed so very much. I have fairly good health as do all of the members of my family. All of our needs are met on a daily basis, and many many of our wants. 

I by no means wish to disregard those who are going through trials, of whatever kind, who are finding it difficult to have happiness. Sometimes though having so much good can lead to unhappiness. We become so used to what we have that we are no longer content. It happens. 

But there is something that is true no matter what kind of situation one goes through: happiness is internal. It is a choice we make. No person or thing can make us happy. We make that choice to be happy with a person or thing(s). 

I choose happiness. No matter what comes to me in life. I choose to be happy.

This is my short H is for... Blogging through the Alphabet post. You can see more H entries at Ben and Me, or simply search abcblogging. 

G is for Gardening in a Greenhouse {Blogging through the Alphabet}

Gardening in a greenhouse
~practice of growing and cultivating plants as part of horticulture {art, science, technology, and business involved in plant cultivation} in a building or complex

This post may contain *affiliate links. See Disclosure/Policies.

Well, that's a bit longer definition that I would have personally come up with. I had to look up horticulture as it is {no laughing}, and that one was a little drawn out as well. Anyway, gardening in a greenhouse is my alliteration for this blogging through the alphabet post. I should have put in 'gladly' at the end {wink}.

I've had a garden every year, with the exception of once or twice, since 2005. It seems we spend a boatload of money on the soil, the plants, and water to keep it alive. A couple places we lived just weren't the best for growing a garden. I tried anyway; me with my black-thumb. Thankfully my hubby knows the fruits {and veggies!} from successful gardening are worth it. Here is a post from 2010; one from 2012, and another; last year's garden woes success. 

We have planted a garden in our current location twice. The first year it started great but was mediocre and the deer and rabbits enjoyed it too much. The second year, things wouldn't grow right. And the deer and rabbits enjoyed it too much. 

This year The Warden decided to keep the animals out, a greenhouse would be the best option. After doing a lot of thinking and research he decided that a 'some assembly required' would be the best way to go; as opposed to completely building it ourselves. Here is the one he decided on:

*Amazon affiliate linked image.

No, ours doesn't look so fancy.

The previous year he had purchased a tumbling compost barrel so we could try to make our own good compost. This is the same brand he decided to buy, but I do think he got ours from Home Depot:

*Amazon affiliate linked image.

It has worked very well. And one of the best things, it doesn't smell. A good one should not. 

And now some photos of the inside of our greenhouse, from April 2014.

And here are some from this past weekend {June 2014}.

Some things are doing really well, such as the spearmint, blueberry, tomatoes, and the garden beans. Others are not so great, such as the spinach, broccoli, and peas {which I apparently didn't capture in the photo}. The coffee containers are temporary pots. I need more larger containers to replant. 

We have so far been able to get some radishes from the greenhouse. Nice and flavorful, too. We are all looking forward to more 'fruits' of our labor! 

That is my G is for... post in the Blogging through the Alphabet series. See more G entries at Ben and Me, or just search abcblogging. 

Monday Menu Planning {on a Tuesday} 06.02.14

I went grocery shopping late in the day on Monday so it was a fend for yourself day in terms of the menu. 

06.03 Tuesday

B- Eggs {S}

L- Tuna Tortillas {S/CO}

D- Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry {E} 

06.04 Wednesday

B- Cereal {CO}/ Smoothie of some sort {?}

L- Leftovers

D- Crockpot Cabbage Rolls {S}

06.05 Thursday

B- Granola {CO}/ Oatmeal {E}

L- Hot dogs {just bad lol}

D- Tacos {CO/S}

06.06 Friday

B- Cereal {CO}/ Chocomocho shake {S}

L- Salad {S}

D- Hamburgers and bbq {S/CO}

06.07 Saturday

B- Cereal {CO}/ Eggs {S}

L- Meat sandwiches {CO}/wraps {S}

D- BBQ....?

06.08 Sunday

B- Eggs {S}

L- Leftovers

D- Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas {CO}

That's the week's menu. Lots of variety unless you count the mornings with cereal. It's hot; we have no a/c. This morning {Tuesday} when I had my coffee, it was iced. 

F is for Fractions {Blogging through the Alphabet}

Fraction
~a part of a whole or, more generally, any number of equal parts.

Math. I'm talking about math. I should have chosen a different word for this letter but we were just struggling through some fraction work so it seemed fitting. 

I am not a math whiz by any means and algebra is low on my list of favorites. I enjoy math when I can understand it. Fractions have always presented a challenge to me. And simplifying them is torture. 

Here are some sites for fraction "fun" {yes, yes I did just use 'fun' in the same sentence as 'fraction'}. These all pertain to basic fractions: 

• Math Is Fun
• IXL
• AAA Math
• Cool Math 4 Kids
• Khan Academy
• Purple Math
• Visual Fractions
• Fun Brain
• The Math Page
• Sheppard's Software

Now, the fractions we were just struggling with are algebraic fractions. The two areas that I dread most. When there is a problem that looks like this, I start to sweat a little. 

x + 3 x − 2

=

____?____ x2 + x − 6

That's just an example of course. I haven't even attempted to see how to solve that one. I got that from themathpage.com btw. Great site. 

We, my ds and I -lol him more than me, are attempting to get through Life of Fred: Beginning Algebra (LoF). My dd went through it and struggled in a few places as well. Looking through her work has sometimes helped us...not so much with the most recent problems! Apparently she couldn't figure them out either! 

We use The Math Page's algebraic fractions lessons when we get stuck in LoF; it seems to be a lot lately. Khan Academy is helpful sometimes, if you know where to find the right video. That hyperlink will take you to multiplying and simplifying rational expressions; aka: algebraic fractions.  

Here's what that looks like:

Fun, huh? Eh heehee. 

Anyway, that is my F is for ... submission to this week's Blogging through the Alphabet. It's summer time for us though so I don't think we'll be seeing too much of this {thankfully!}. See more F entries at Ben and Me, or search #abcblogging.

Edited to add a great post over at The Canadian Homeschooler: Teach Your Kids About Fractions. There are a lot of links to help with fractions; at least the elementary fractions. But hey, get that down and the rest should follow!

10% off in June Sale at Mi Lossolleff Etsy Shop

See listing.

This is a shameless post about our Etsy shop, Mi Lossolleff. I have often felt silly about posting about our 'outside' endeavors here on the blog. As if the blog is only for homeschool and book reviews. The title is North Laurel Home & School. There is more to life than just school and books- oh, really there is {wink}.

When I'm not slaving away at one of those things, I've been making things for the shop. Last night I finished the journal featured at the top of this post. If I could just spend my days making them, I think I might be happy {for awhile lol}.

Some other paper items in the shop:

See listing.

See listing.

See listing.

See listing.

See listing

See listing.

For the month of June {and a few days before} we are running a 10% off sale in our shop. There is a minimum of $5 to apply the discount and it does not count shipping or any tax. 

Menu Plan Monday- 05.26.14

Menus are my friend. Without a menu there is chaos. Without a menu there are too man "every man for himself!" days. Here's the menu for the week, and some of my food ramblings.  

05.26 Monday 

B- Eggs & bacon with coffee or hot tea {S}

L- Lettuce wrap/meat sandwich with water or iced tea {FP or S/CO}

D- Turkey burgers and kabobs with water or tea {CO}

05.27 Tuesday

B- Savory Skillet Oatmeal with hot tea {E}

L- Quesadilla with GGMS or iced tea {S/CO}

D- Lean turkey sausage with kale over noodles with water, GGMS or iced tea {E}

05.28 Wednesday

B- Refrigerator Oatmeal {E}

L- BLT Sandwich/Salad with iced tea {CO/S}

D- Crockpot chicken- Italian with water or iced tea {E}

05.29 Thursday

B- Breakfast burrito with coffee {S/CO}

L- Sweet potato and salmon with veggies with GGMS {E}

D- Cheeseburger pie {S}

05.30 Friday

B- Cereal/ChocoMocho Shake {CO/S}

L- Leftovers 

D- Undecided BBQ OR chicken wraps {S or E/S or CO}

05.31 Saturday

B- Cereal/Eggs with coffee {CO/S}

L- Lettuce wrap/meat sandwich with water, GGMS or iced tea {FP or S/CO}

D- Undecided Something and potato salad {CO}

06.01 Sunday

B- Eggs with coffee {S}

L- Tuna tortillas with iced tea {S or CO}

D- Undecided

If you've read this far... just a clarification: some of the {designations} have more than one. If it has a "/" then it means at least one of the peoples in the family is having a crossover. And most likely it isn't going to be me. If it says "... or ..." then it means it can be either way depending on what's in it. 

Anywhere it says tortilla or something with a tortilla, that means 1/2 to 3/4 of the family will have store bought flour tortillas with who knows what in them, while 1/4 to 1/2 of the family will have a flax tortilla that I make in the microwave. Sandwiches have wheat bread for most of the family while I have lettuce to wrap mine. 

And I'm trying to make myself drink more water. Not just coffee morning, noon and night {wink}. I linked to the GGMS but I don't quite make it the same as the recipe. It's simple to make and, once you get used to it, it's quite refreshing. Here's what I do if I want it 'ginger':

• Prepare one cup of water for hot tea. Place lemon ginger tea bag in cup and let steep until the water is cold. I think the brand I have is Stash.
• Fill a tall cup with ice {I have nifty plastic cups with lids and a hole for a straw}. 
• Add 1/4 teaspoon Sweet Blend, or one packet stevia, over ice. 
• Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon ACV {this time around I have Bragg's; usually I have Heinz "with the mother"}. 
• Finally, pour cold tea over ice until the cup is 1/2 full. Fill the rest with water. 
• Or I will pour all the tea in the cup and add water as I drink it down. 

If I don't want the 'ginger', I simply forget the tea step and do the rest the same.

I recommend the THMamas Pinterest boards for ideas. I've been stuck in a rut for awhile now.

I read an article the other day, let's see if I can find it, about those with gluten 'sensitivity' but not celiac, are fairly imagining it. It's psychological. The article really made sense because it said that there probably is a sensitivity to something but it's most likely not gluten. The hype with gluten nowadays has programmed some of us to think that is the culprit. 

Gluten wasn’t the culprit; the cause was likely psychological. Participants expected the diets to make them sick, and so they did.- Steven Ross Pomeroy

I went gluten free (gf) for a year, with only an occasional mess up here and there. I have many 'symptoms' that went away when I was gf. However, some of those were coming back even though I was primarily gf. Now I'm not perfect {scoff} and there are times now- perhaps even a week- when I do indulge in stuff I feel I shouldn't have and then 'suffer' for it. It has just got me thinking...

E is for Etsy {Blogging through the Alphabet}

Etsy
~a marketplace where people around the world connect to buy and sell unique goods.

I won't say I came up blank when the letter E presented itself. "Energy," "everything," and "excitement" were some words that came to mind but then "Etsy" won out over them all. 

My mom started me on Etsy back in 2007, when she opened her shop, LinderCroft. Her shop sells handmade hairsticks, crochet hooks and "more". I've personally had a few shops on Etsy, but only Mi Lossolleff is still open for business. Mi Lossolleff is a shop "co-owned" by me and my kids. Honestly though most of the items in the shop at the moment were created by me. 

What is it about Etsy that appeals to me? I like that it is about handmade items, not simply put together items. For example on Etsy you cannot put together a gift basket that is simply items you've purchased at the store or from someone else made and call it 'handmade' and offer it for sale. There are other places that allow for that; not Etsy*. 

Vintage items can be sold on Etsy and that's a big thing there. They've recently allowed digital downloads for sale in shops and soon I hope that we will have some to put in our shop. But not quite yet...

Another thing is that you don't have to have a month by month charge to use Etsy as a seller or buyer. I suppose, although I have not looked too much into it, that they might offer a monthly fee service. Each listing costs $.20 and can have 5 photos included. There is the option of having your bill paid automatically each month otherwise it is payable manually. Etsy does charge a 3.5% fee when items are sold and that goes on the "bill". If there are a lot of items in a shop I can imagine the cost can build up quickly. Our's has not gone more than just a few dollars.

*Have a look at what is and isn't allowed at Etsy. Check out the FAQs also.

Of course, when I look at some things on Etsy, I wonder how the seller figured their price. Here's a good way to figure out the method behind the madness {and really, doesn't it seem like madness sometimes?}. Not everyone uses this method {our shop is included in the "do not"s}. Here's another Etsy article about pricing. 

It does take a while to get a name out to interested people, and I will be honest and say that I don't think a casual hobbyist would do wonderful on Etsy. There are some that possibly do. Our little shop, Mi Lossolleff, may fit in that category but I do believe it helps the kids learn about entrepreneurship and other skills that will be beneficial. I know I'm having a good time with it {smile}. 

That is my "E" contribution for Blogging through the Alphabet. Have a look at other E entries at Ben and Me {or just search abcblogging}. 

D is for Determination {Blogging through the Alphabet}

DETERMINATION
~firmness of purpose; resoluteness (very determined)~

Most of the time I am quite determined. It's the follow-through that gets me. In the A is for ... post I talked about aspirations, things I would like to do, who I'd like to become. The problem with aspirations is how much determination do we have to follow through. It's not so much a problem with aspirations, rather a problem for those with aspirations but not so much stick-to-it-iveness.

Being determined to follow-through is what I've determined. That sounds silly, perhaps, but sometimes we just have to get that stick-to-it attitude grounded before we can truly accomplish what we need to accomplish. 

There are some things I have had determination to follow-through with: 

• college degree (it took way too long but I did get the BA in 2011)
• homeschooling (I do slide here and there but we are in our 5th year)
• keeping a clean house (there was a point in my life when I'd say I let it get quite disgusting. Never again. I've recently become even more determined about this.)

Some things I am in need of better follow-through:

• keeping focused on Christ (I have such a difficult time with this)
• bridling my tongue and being less selfish (it's a daily thing)
• doing things when they need done and not procrastinating (I spent much of Sunday evening last week catching up on things I should have done earlier in the week.)
• eating healthy (I started eating gluten and no-no foods again... consequences of that are quite evident and a good motivator to be better at follow-through!)

Some things I would like am going to put on my "determination" list:

• looking well to the ways of my household (this entails so much!)
• eating not of the bread of idleness
• being worthy of blessings and praise (not for the blessings or praise but to be worthy of it, whether they come or not)
• finishing books I start 

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” -Proverbs 31:10, 27-28 (KJV)

This is my Blogging through the Alphabet post for "D is for ..." See other D entries at Ben and Me.

C is for Clay {Blogging through the Alphabet}

This post contains *affiliate links. See Disclosure/Policies.



CLAY (polymer clay, that is)

~hardenable modeling clay based on the polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC)~

I had my word all picked out and then wouldn't ya know, something else came along that I thought would be much better. Polymer clay*. 

I've been fascinated with porcelain dolls for a very long time, and thought wouldn't it be neat to be able to make some. Well, I do not have the resources to make porcelain dolls so perhaps the next best thing: miniature clay dolls. 

Recently the kids and I decided to reopen an old Etsy shop we had a few years ago. When brainstorming what to include, what to make, Lee suggested making things with clay. Great idea! But what kind of clay? 

We checked out books from the library, searched the web, and asked friends. Here are some books we found*:

         
And some websites:

• Custom Dolls, Houses & Miniatures
• Polymer Clay Central
• and last so that you don't get stuck there first- Pinterest search of "polymer clay" and Pinterest search of "polymer clay tutorial"

So far the kids have made quite a few mosaic tiles, a few assorted things, and I made...a head. Yes, it's a little creepy, but I'm not done with it yet. 

We don't have a large selection of clay or tools right now but I have a feeling that will change {wink}. The tiles the kids made were from Sculpey III clay*; the head I made is Kato Polyclay*. What a difference in these clays!

C is for Clay... see other "C is for..." entries at Ben and Me Blogging Through the Alphabet.

Oh, and here's an updated photo of the head I made. A little less creepy?

B is for Blogging {Blogging through the Alphabet}

BLOGGING
~ a website containing a writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites ~

Way back in 2009 {okay, so it wasn't really that long ago} my mom started a blog. She got me into it and I've been obsessed ever since! *wink*

I chose 'blogging' for my word for this week's Blogging through the Alphabet because it is a rather large part of my life. Good and bad. 

I do book reviews, occasional product reviews, and food posts, but mostly weekly wrap-ups of our homeschool and life. I blog for myself but also am conscious that others could read what I have to write. I try to be honest and open {to a point} and not purposely offensive {again to a point}. 

I did a post of Me and My Blog back in 2011 and while the look may have changed on the blog, the purpose is still the same. In October 2012 I did some more thinking about how I blog. 

Basically, I still feel the same. I might not have as many 'sponsors' or affiliates but I've never really made money on my blog before anyway. That's not why it's here. This is my little corner.

That's my "B is for..." post for Blogging through the Alphabet. Meet up with Marcy at Ben and Me for more "B" entries.

How My Organizing is Going- Starting with Cleaning

It is going, really. I am getting organized. My first plan was to get my blogging on a schedule and organized but then I thought I'd like to have my physical, real life more organized first. My life is why I blog; not the other way around.

This is linked up with Hearts for Home Blog Hop

To start with, I wanted to get my cleaning schedule in order because our house, although not filthy, is beyond 'lived in', if you know what I mean. I would not really want someone to happen by with the way the cobwebs are hanging in the corners of the ceiling. Um yeah...

But I need a simple schedule or I won't follow through. Plain and simple. 

You'd think {okay I would think} that it's easy to just sit down and come up with a cleaning routine. I know what needs cleaned and I know that it should be done every so often. Or do I? Apparently not because I can't recall the last time I cleaned the baseboards {and they are looking pretty sad} or a lot of other commonsense places in our house. 

I sound lame to myself for telling this but I had to do some research of just what I should clean- and when. I used to have a cheat sheet for helping me know when/what to clean. It's been years since it's been seen. It was in a binder and last I looked, it was one of the only pages missing. Of course.

I looked online for some help. Here is where I started: Pinterest. Here are the top sites I went to and saved printables to help me get organized with my cleaning:

• Upside Down Homeschooling- Cleanup Blitz Cards
• At the End of the Drive- Cleaning Box
• Joyful Mothering- Cleaning Schedule Daily, Weekly, Monthly
• Money Saving Mom- Free Customizable Cleaning Lists {it's the third on the page}
• The Time-Warp Wife- Housekeeping Schedule
• Freebie Finding Mom- All Inclusive Spring Cleaning Checklist by Room

After all of those, and many more I don't have linked, I decided to go with the very simple customizable Monthly/Semi-Annual Cleaning List from Money Saving Mom {fourth on the page}. They are half sheets, customizable to specific cleaning schedules. I really like the simplicity of them. 

I started my cleaning 'routine' on Thursday and have accomplished much. Since I've got a few days under my belt I feel confident I can move on to another aspect of organizing. Over at Organized Home, there are printables for a Household Notebook.  I might not use very many of the printables because I'm sure I can use plain lined paper for many of the sections. I probably won't have as much as they have listed either. 

That's my next project.