Anti-Procrastination starts. . . NOW

Before Christmas, our house was being slowly consumed by CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome).  Which was ironic, because at the same time we were having someone over every day:  DH's carpool buddy and his wife (friends from church we have known for years) hired me to watch/homeschool their 6 yr. old daughter for two weeks while the mom was visiting family overseas.  It worked out so well for everyone--they knew us and trusted us with their daughter; they are a homeschool family and even part of the same charter we use (we even have the same Educational Specialist, the wonderful Terry); it was so convenient for the dad to drop off his daughter and pick her up, since that's what he does half the time anyway just carpooling for DH; and they paid me for my time and care of their daughter, which of course was so helpful to have around the holidays.  So, all in all, a win-win situation. 

But as you can imagine, it was a little more stressful and busy to have one extra child to feed and mind and help and school in the two weeks before Christmas.  Even the fact that she was in my care until Friday and then we left Saturday to drive up to DH's parents' for Christmas meant I was trying to do laundry, finish shopping and wrapping gifts, pack for the trip, etc. all with schooling everyone and the extra attention needed for the extra child. 

I could have just told the kids we wouldn't have school those last two weeks before Christmas--or even just the final week. But I had three reasons for wanting to keep formally schooling: first, we were trying to get a real good finish to our math before the end of the year. And it worked!  All three girls finished their math books/levels before the holiday. That was a great way to wrap up the year, academically.

Second, I figured half a day of school and then half a day of play would keep little hands and minds occupied and happy better than a two-week-long free-for-all.  I purposefully chose fun school stuff to do (we had field trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a local ice-cream factory, and we watched an animated movie about sea turtles, and we made paper snowflakes and she made her own Jesse Tree with us, etc.--that's all learning too!) so the kids would  have fun and I would not have too-high expectations of myself (given everything else I was trying to do too). 

Third, since the mom was a little stressed about leaving her daughter, esp. when it was still technically part of the school year, I really wanted to give her the gift of knowing her daughter had learned things during those two weeks--and in particular be able to hand her a folder with things that could be used as samples in every learning area (which the State collects as "proof" that our kids are learning).  So we made art of ocean creatures in their habitats, and labeled maps and colored flags of the nations the mom was visiting on her travels, and practiced reading and writing, etc.  I think I also wanted our friends to feel like their were really getting their money's worth. ; ) 

Oh, and I hosted a homeschool Christmas party at church in there too.  As well as taking the kids to their normal martial arts classes and recitals and things.  Oh, and I started purging, getting rid of anything I could to make room for things I knew were coming.

So, it was a fun and productive couple of weeks before Christmas!  But all the while boxes and padded envelopes were arriving daily (secondhand Barbies and GMO-free candy-canes and things for DH and clothes for me--I basically did all my shopping via the internet this year) and things were starting to pile up on and under furniture, and visible dirt was starting to show under beds and in corners, and I was so embarassed when DH's carpool buddy would show up to pick up his daughter and the kitchen counters would be full of dishes I had not attended to all day. . . .  I don't like living like that, but it happens all too easily.  I get busy, and the housekeeping is the first to slide.  Understandable, but not livable. At least not pleasantly, or for long.

After Christmas, I thankfully had one day after arriving back home so I could at least unpack and do laundry and get grocceries and all that necessary stuff, and half-way clean up the kitchen, in preparation for First Christmas.   Fortunately, I had done a lot of the shopping and preparation ahead of time--even venturing once to Whole Foods with all five kids in tow!  But even with my best efforts, the house was still pretty messy and dirty, and so First Christmas Day I did a really good job of not looking at the corners and just choosing to focus on the things that really mattered, like enjoying my family and having a heart full of love.

But then, in the week after Christmas. . . the long supressed urges to PURGE and CLEAN started building, and I happily began.

And then the seasonal allergies hit--I always forget about them, until suddenly I am in their grip and can't wear eye makeup for the puffiness and have an itchy palate and am never far from a handkerchief.  And they sap my energy really well--but I still persevered and was making lists and planning. 

And then on Monday I ate something or I don't know what and ended up with such a horrible stomache ache it felt like I had food poisioning, and the pain lasted over 24 hours and then the abdominal tenderness lasted a full day after that--but without any other sign of anything wrong with me.  And both Merry and Happy at different times before me had complained of their tummies hurting, but were otherwise normal.  So, maybe we did have some kind of virus go through our house--but if that was as bad as it got, I'm thankful!  But now you know why my eagerly anticipated Anti-Procrastination Week has gotten such a poor start--and why I am trying to figure out now, on Thurs, how to reclaim that original will for positive change that was so motivating me.

So, I figure what better way to be inspired than to see if any of you want to join me!  And to post my list of things I've been procrastinating on here, so I'm held accountable!

Since Christmas I have:
--put away all the Christmas stuff
--cleaned out my closet
--created a new storage solution for wrapping paper and packing materials
--cleaned off our desk
--gone through the big pile of mail that accumulated before Xmas
--updated the new calendar so I am on top of school events, deadlines, etc.
--gone through the school cupboard, sorting and dusting and organizing
--taken all the books off one big bookshelf, sorting, dusting and organizing
--gone through the kids closet and drawers again, creating three paper bags of things to put on eBay or give away
--made one run to Goodwill to drop off donations, and one run to The UPS Store to drop off packing peanuts for recycling
--cleaned off the kitchen hutch (I had not seen the back of it for at least a month)
--Deep cleaned under and behind my bed
--Washed all my bedding (including feather duvet)
--Washed all children's bedding
--researched new rugs for bedroom, am working on special order with an Etsy seller

I think that's it.  But I'm so glad for it all!  I'll post the whole list tomorrow.  (That's not procrasination, that's being wise with my blogging time! ; ) But in the meantime, here are the goals I want to achieve today:
--Get Sunny to complete her annual state-required writing assignment. 
--Start the kids on their Big Book About California unit studies
--clean or declutter something--there is so much that needs it, I'm not sure what is calling me the most. . . .

So, if you would like to join me in this Anti-Procrasination movement, please start thinking of your goals.  I would love to hear you share some--and then share when you have victory! : )

Much love to you all this week!