Command Center

Let's just pretend it hasn't been TWO YEARS since I last posted to this blog.  Let's just pretend that I haven't had a new baby, graduated an oldest child, moved to a new home, and a world of other major life changes in that amount of time that are fully blog-worthy but have not made it to the pages of my dear, sweet blog.

Let's also pretend that I haven't been suffering for the lack of therapeutic healing that comes from running my fingertips over the keys as I use up all the words flowing in my brain to process, remember, decompress, relive, cherish, ponder, evaluate, and just *pin* bits and pieces of life in one little place so they stay there in my otherwise fluid and ever shifting chaos of life.

Let's just all agree to pretend, Mmm-kay?

Okay, so now that we are on the same page, literally, let's talk Command Centers!!

I spent the entire summer dreading the Back to School reality that was mine.  So many details I'm going to leave out here, but suffice to say, it's been an emotional heap taller than any stack of laundry I've ever seen my family create.

Huge.

While in prep mode, while nestling into our new home, while dreaming of "smooth and easy days" as Charlotte Mason would chide me to chase after, I landed in Pin-land looking over all those fancy Command Centers and thinking...oh, yeah. I totally need THAT.  Just having that on my wall is going to make everything all Smooth and Easy and Masony.

Just let me live the delusion. It makes me happy.

So began my Command Center, Wall One:

This wall holds a Family Message board, key rings and shelf for husband's personal things, clip boards for each child and myself to hold chore lists, weekly assignment charts, school binders, mail, and other paper trails, and room in the corner for a map of our area. I've got new drivers and we all need to learn the roads in our new area. 

Command Center, Wall Two:

This wall holds, from left to right, a chalkboard frame for posting weekly memory verse, metal trays to hold weekly and daily cleaning chart, weekly menu with kitchen clean up chart, inspirational posters, and our daily "chunking" routine. (I'll explain that below) Far right is another metal tray holding a two-month calendar spread. 

 

 

Okay, now that you've got the big picture, I'll break down the Chunking routine that is a New Thang for me this year.  I'm loving it.

But, really, there's post-it notes involved...what's not to love?? 

I started my planning making the usual color-coded, 30 minute increment, multi-columned spreadsheet for a daily schedule.  Once I got up to a full 9 hour day BEFORE the dinner time routine, I was scared out of my ever-lovin' mind.  No joke. 

A friend gently talked me off the ledge by talking about how she just focuses on sections and subjects in her day. I needed to think on that. And, well, being me, I needed to see it too.

That's when I went hunting and found a helpful article (along with great downloads for some awesome printables) from Kim at notconsumed.com.  She used words like creative, flexible, throw-the-clock-out-the-window, and chunks.  

I was smitten. 

So I took her ideas and grabbed my all-time-favorite-ever-little-bits-of-happiness and went to town creating magic. 

I thought about our days. I thought about how I work. I thought about how I think. I like to box things up. (Well, I DID just move 11 people from one house to another, right?? And I HAVE done that, oh...about 13ish times so far, right??)  

My brain works well putting everything in it's place and as many things in one place as will look tidy and uncluttered.  So, I did that with our day. 

I now have chunks of time that hold like things together.  And because these chunks hold all they need to hold, they are easily moved to one place or another during the day.

"This is genius!" she declared.

Once I saw all those pretty little pieces of life sitting nicely together, not fighting, not fussing, not arguing over who gets the attention first, well, my heart just melted into a puddle of, "Yes, please!" and "Thank you!"

I grabbed the laminator and the magnetic strips (actually, I assigned that fun little task to a very willing 10 and 12 year old duo) and created the cutest little chunks of life you could imagine. 

Yep. There they are all shiny and clean.  They are perfectly movable. They are perfectly willing to shift, take a new place, be set aside, move the front, and even make room for more (which actually happened when I added another Brain Chunk to the day after our first week of school).  

For each chunk there's a corresponding chart, list, or set of instructions so everyone knows how to fill that chunk and where they should be. The system is brilliant!! Getting everyone to USE the system, well, that's the life-long battle, right?

I'm still a scattered mom of many each day. I'm still up to my graying temple hairs with math facts, diapers, laundry, latin tests, piano lessons, kale chopping, permission slips, phonics rules, and piles of read alouds, but..well, the chunking makes it all seem doable.

And if I can just BELIEVE it...SEE it in pretty little squares...FEEL the power of control by just shifting a box, well...that's some percentage of the battle right there.  

At least for now it is.  Talk to me again when the February slump sets in.

And now, back to that regularly scheduled pile of laundry I mentioned.

Yep.

Huge. 

Baby Nesting

About 6 weeks or so prior to my due date, my nesting urge started kicking in.  I sat down to list out the projects that needed done or I simply *wanted* done before this baby arrived.  I broke the list down into priority levels so I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed just by the sheer size of the list. 

1's
Find and establish as patients family doc/ped for this baby to see after birth - DONE!
Find and set up with doc/mohel for circ - DONE!
Pick and process garden produce (this is ongoing but needs done badly this week) - DONE!

2's
Birthkit set up/ordered - DONE!
Post partum supplies ready - DONE!
Laundry room shelves reorganized (included diapers sorted) DONE!
Master bedroom closet shelf repurposed for baby clothes and needful items - DONE!
Organize my recipe binder - DONE!
Whirlpool tub and jets deep cleaned - DONE!
Set up appts. for prenatal chiro care - DONE!
Set up appts. for eye exams for at least 2 children - DONE!
Set up appt. for hair cut for me - Done!
Set up dental appts for children - DONE!
Plan and schedule Freezer Meal Shower with ladies from church - Done!

3's
Order new prefolds - bought some at used sale and another friend is giving me some of hers that she doesn't need anymore, so I'm waiting on ordering. - DONE!
Buy new towels for baby - Gifted - DONE!
Order/Buy nursing bras
Freezer meals (this is ongoing each week, but I want a good supply ready a month or so before baby comes) - DONE!
Organize/sort newborn items (dipes, blankets, clothes, shoes, socks, etc.) - DONE!
Sort, cull, and organize five youngest (girls') clothes - all seasons - winter gear- DONE!
Deep clean/shampoo van, seats, and car seats. Put in extra van seat and rearrange car seats. Set up organization of some fashion.

4'sOrganize and clean out kitchen cabinets/fridges/freezers
Get rid of boxes of books/clothes/curriculum for donation/sell - DONE!
Resort shelves in school room

As the days and weeks rolled on, I enlisted helpers and plugged away at the list, breaking it down week by week and tackling the heavy duty stuff first.  UGH!!

 Sorting and culling clothing and storage spaces...

 

Tackling the garden produce....

 

Conquering the laundry room...

 

 

Happily sorting and laundering baby clothes and gifties...

 

 

Setting up baby's little nest in our bedroom.  Clothes sorted into dollar store bins on the closet shelf, hanging clothes tucked into the little space at the end of the closet rod....

 

 

And a sweet little nest for nursing and swaddling.

 



I have to say, there is some great feeling of accomplishment to see some of these projects getting done.  See what a blessing babies are? What else would motivate me with such fervor?

 
Along with getting some deep cleaning and organizing done, I needed to be sure I had all my supplies on hand and set up for our home birth.  Because I’ve been able to win the battle over gestational diabetes and no other risk factors have come up, we are, once again, planning for a home birth to welcome this sweet baby.  This will be our fourth baby born at home, if all goes as planned, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the blessing that this is to us.  Welcoming babies into our arms in the safety of our own home surrounded by the most amazing midwives and helpers is one of the best gifts I’ve known as a mother.

Once the supplies, baby clothes, and baby gear were all set and ready, it was time to get busy on filling our freezer with yummy, nutritional meals.  The children and I have been working to double meals here and there throughout the weeks.  My neighbor graciously came a few times to help me with meal preparations.  These have both been a great help. 

Then, we had our Big Finale.  My two oldest girls hosted a Freezer Meal Baby Shower for me just this past week.  I have to say, it was A.m.a.z.i.n.g.

The girls sent out invitations to the guests, most of which were ladies from our church family.  With the invitation they sent a list of ingredients and supplies the guests could bring to contribute to the meals and preparation of them.

Baby Shower Supplies List:

onions

mushrooms

spinach

celery

raw cashews

raw sunflower seeds

unsweetened applesauce

canned chickpeas

whole wheat lasagna noodles

potatoes

whole wheat pastry flour

canned cannellini beans

Here are a few non-perishable items if you would like to bring any:

quart Ziploc bags

foil pans

aluminum foil

Also, if you have cutting boards, knives, a blender, and/or a food processor please bring them so we will have enough tools to work with.

Thank you so much for all your help and willingness to help. I pray that this will continue to be a blessing to my mom and that, above all, our Lord would be glorified, even in our getting together to prepare food! Thank you again!

While they were busy contacting people, I got busy making a list of meals that we would work on preparing together that day. 

Soup & Stir-fry Starter Bags (gallon sized bags filled with diced onion, mushrooms, celery, carrots, and chopped greens)
Bean Bags (quart sized bags filled with diced onion, mushrooms, and chopped greens. We add these to cooked legumes)

Stuffed Shells (with cashew ricotta)

Pasta Broccoli Alfredo (with vegan alfredo sauce)

Pasties (a family favorite: ground venison, potatoes, onion, mushroom filing in a whole wheat pocket crust)

Falafel Nuggets (great for lunches on the go)

Scalloped Potatoes (with added mushrooms)

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

Ranch Dressing

Bean Burgers (a friend made these ahead and brought them ready to freeze)

I was so blessed to have seven ladies plus their very eager and willing children fill my kitchen on a Saturday morning.  Before they arrived, I set up work stations designated for specific meal preparations.  I had my recipes (in plastic sleeves) at each station to direct the teams there in what needed to be done.

Everyone got busy washing, chopping, rolling, blending, processing, cooking, and laughing as we worked to pack away 12 complete meals, about 12 Soup Bags, nearly 20 Bean Bags, and a batch of salad dressing in the freezer.  What an accomplishment!!

After enjoying a well-earned lunch of Sweet Corn Chowder, Venison Chili, Salad with roasted chickpeas, homemade breads, bean burgers, gingerbread spice cake with date caramel sauce, and Peanut Butter Munchy Squares, they all started back up again making my kitchen *magically* clean.  I’m telling you, I haven’t felt this loved on in a long while!



So now, the Nesting is just about finished.  We are just 3 days until my due date and my body is ready to do some RESTING for a bit. 

As I looked back over my list and the amount that I was able to accomplish, I’m rather impressed.  Yet, I have this nagging thought in the back of my mind.  I know what’s coming with the challenge of labor and birth.  I know the battle I’ve been trying to ignore in my mind and heart as the months of this pregnancy have progressed.  I know that I’ve been in overdrive to accomplish tasks because the work of that keeps me from the reality of what lies ahead.  It’s time for me to set aside the busy-work and get down to the real work of preparing my heart for the work of labor. 

This week I’ve chosen to let my body rest while my soul does the hard work of repentance, cleansing, meditating, reflecting, searching, seeking, and restoring itself to the One who knows of the unknowns that cause me to fear.  As I work in my journal copying scripture, quotes, lyrics, and just writing out my thoughts, the Lord is doing His work in me. 

My lesson right now is to learn the meaning of what it is to be steadfast in the Lord, following His example, learning and trusting in His promises, and relying on this time of study to change me that I might better reflect Him in the trials so as to be stronger in the victories.  Please pray for me in the coming days, that I would embrace this birth fully and grow closer to the Lord because of it.

 

 

    "If you would direct your heart right And spread out your hand to Him, if iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, And you would be steadfast and not fear. For you would forget your trouble, As waters that have passed by, you would remember it.  Your life would be brighter than noonday; Darkness would be like the morning. Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely. " Job 11:13-18 



Our Welcome Baby Tradition

It's time for a little break from all the Baby Prep we've been working on the last few weeks.   We've made some good progress, but, I think we're all a little tired from the hard work that's been happening around here.  With only 5 days until my due date it was time for a little fun.

We have a tradition that started when I was pregnant with our third baby.  We headed over to the *new* store at the mall, Build-A-Bear, and made a cute little teddy bear for him to snuggle.  Ever since then, we've done the same for each new baby joining our family.  Sometimes we've made them before baby arrives, sometimes shortly after. But, each person in the family has a special "Stuffty" to snuggle that we made for them as a family.  It has become a fun way for us to build up the excitement and anticipation of welcoming a new little one.

We loaded up after church and headed down to the mall for another visit to the *not so new anymore* store, Build-A-Bear.  This time we were hoping they'd have a monkey for us to stuff.  For some reason, Monkeys are The Thing for us and this new little boy.  I was so happy to see a cute little monkey waiting to greet us!

 

The little girls were very excited to help stuff the bear and we all had fun putting our hearts into him.  This little monkey has TEN hearts inside!!

 

 

 

 

 

The boys picked out a Captain America costume for the monkey to wear.  Because of Kindred's obsession and love for Curious George and the boys' love for Captain America, we settled on the name, Captain Curious for this little stuffed friend.  I'm thinking that will likely be a good description of his owner as the years move on.

 

 

Here we are ready and waiting for our little monkey to make his appearance.  Everyone is excited and eager to meet the Little Captain.