shesipscoffee

Weekend Warrior – Grocery Shopping and Meal Planning

Posted on August 31, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

For the past several weeks I have been picking one morning of coffee sipping alone time to plan my weekly menu and make my shopping list. What is great is I have turned my adult son and his girlfriend on to this strategy. As an observer of their process I now find myself inspecting and adapting my own methods.

I have been using my Erin Condren Petite Planner. It is perfect for me because it is simple and fits nicely into my favorite Vera Bradley hipster.

And as you can see it lays nicely in the cart for me to check off as I shop. I have three goals.

Stick to the list.
Stay within budget.
Never buy more than what fits in my allotted shopping bags.

Recently I entertained my local store by testing their Scan and Go concept. Twice.

I was trying to understand what might be in it for me. Here is what I learned:

I was slow (even the second time).
It stressed me to scan and bag and check off my list.
I accidentally put an item or two in without scanning (I did catch myself and was worried I would do it again.)
I missed the check out lane experiences of reading the magazine covers and chatting with people.
You still have to go to self check out. While there, the system couldn’t find my “scanned items”. It took the help of the employee and trying at more than one check out to finish up and get out of the store.

Honestly, I do not see myself doing that again. It was added stress and it did not save me time. And I just am not okay with taking jobs away. I prefer chatting and getting to know the employees. If I didn’t want to talk to folks and be in line I could just order for delivery.

Have you done this? I don’t mind self check out when I only need a couple of things. I do not like it for my regular weekly shopping.

Okay. I digressed a bit on my rant. I really wanted to share how easy meal planning and grocery shopping is for me when I use the right tools. You can acquire your own Erin Condren products through the link.

Happy Friday and Happy Planning!

Planning

Managing Mondays-Back to School Edition

Posted on July 30, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

Last night was a very long planning time. As I sip my coffee this morning, I am feeling a bit more at ease with today as well as the week ahead. It is back to school week. Not just any back to school week either. My youngest is starting her Freshman year in high school and that is a milestone. Makes me a bit sad.

We finished our clothes shopping on Saturday. Yay! That is quite a chore. We took in a final summer movie too: Eighth Grade. It was perfectly appropriate in its timing and its message to me as a parent and to my daughter. See it!

Back to the week at hand…

I spent my evening going through the papers we received from school and instead of inserting all the pages into my planner, I used my Erin Condren Purple color dots to mark all of the important dates for the school year.

Instead of this…

With the support of my fur babies I went from month to month placing purple dots like this…

Why purple? School colors are purple and black so I thought that would be easy to identify.

Did you notice my new planner? Yes. I changed from Happy Planner to Erin Condren. I am just in love with my new Erin Condren. I have been test driving it in July and really have found that I want to use it for my go to master planner. Watch for an upcoming post where I compare and contrast my old and new planning systems.

Am I ready for back to school week? I think so…

See my before the pen pages…

I spent yesterday shopping and sorting meals and am all set with simple fixings for an extremely busy week. I adore my new meal planning petite planner from Erin Condren. I love the smaller handy size because it slips right into my purse.

Wednesday will be a crazy day and in the tradition of every first day of school, the kids and I are going out to breakfast. I have taken the day off from work. I know the morning will be hectic and traffic flow will be annoying. And that evening will be filled with paperwork and syllabi and getting the school supplies from every teacher procured and organized.

My planner is ready. I am ready. My Freshman? Maybe. No matter what… I have planned to be there for her to help her be ready, for the first day and the whole year. I will be present to hear all about her first day as a Freshman. I have planned to spend my time where it matters the most. Now…if I can just manage to get through Monday.

Family

Resetting plans – June Reset, Ready for July

Posted on June 25, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

I know. I know. I haven’t written in a while. I have used the month of June as a mental reset month. It may have seemed like I spent the entire month on vacation. Far from it. June has been a roller coaster. Since coming home from South Carolina, our family has been experiencing highs and lows and everything in between.

One of our three pups hasn’t been feeling well. And as she is “my” dog, I have been feeling a bit fenced in with worry and care to get her back in good health.

Mystery, my girl, is not happy with the cone of shame nor does she like being isolated to one room all day. She is definitely enjoying quality time with me because I have spent nearly all of my time at home in that room being HER faithful companion. I believe she has enjoyed binge watching The Crown and helping me get through my playlists on Hulu and Netflix.

Luckily we have reached the mid-point of her convalescence. Starting tomorrow she can resume a near normal routine but the cone…well, that stays on another 7 days.

The one benefit is that it afforded me time to spend reading and contemplating on my vision board.

I have decided to make a few changes for the balance of the year in how I plan and prioritize. I am still struggling with balance. And need to find a big NO to put on my board. I agree to do too much too often.

How about you?

Resetting – Low Country Makes it So Easy

Image• Posted on June 1, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

Planning

Managing Mondays – Holiday Style

Posted on May 29, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

I am not sipping coffee in my normal spot today and it is not really Monday. Here is my morning quiet place.

What nonsense is This? It is called vacation. I am taking the week off from my weekly spread. (And work.) What? I know. Call me crazy. No planner in sight! I left it at home. Instead of planning the week I left it blank. When I get home I plan to make those pages memories instead. I bet you are wondering how I will survive a week with no planner or no plan, even. Ha! I am not that nuts.

I am in Charleston, South Carolina for the week. We got here yesterday which is why my Monday post is a day late. And while sipping coffee this morning, I have my notebook, pens, stickers, highlighters, and my one pager.

See! I have a loose plan. I left behind the hustle and the structure because I want to relax. So, I have goals. And whatever shape each day takes is what it is. I plan to take lots of photos, videos, and note down in my journal what I saw, felt, and thought about my experiences.

Did I mention my daughter is with me? Oh, yes, she is!

I have my journal page ready and we are heading out to explore in a bit.

I am excited to make lists about today. If you haven’t started following me on Instagram or Twitter find me. I would love to have you along on our adventures.

Planning

Managing Mondays…and A week of one event after another

Posted on May 22, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

Sipping coffee this morning I thought about how busy this week was really going to be and I spent the quiet time focused on meditating instead of making lists. Afterall, I deserve to gift myself a bit. Tuesday is my birthday!

Weeks ago I told my offspring that the only gifts I wanted were ones that included their time working on projects around the house…indoor and outdoor beautification and organization. I am happy to see a little improvement each day as these small to big projects and various phases getting completed. So far so good. The goals are aggressive so the timeline was extended to the first week of June.

I love birthdays.

This week is also the last week of school for my youngest. So early release days and finals make the week hectic. As a working mom I am negotiating pick ups for the early release days. I truly am very blessed to be surrounded by a village of family and friends who help out on crazy weeks like this one.

I have work partners who are in town this week so I have a dinner out with them while they visit. I made sure I batch cooked a few meals yesterday to be easily warmed up for lunch or dinner. Good thing too since I got the invite to dinner on Wednesday very last minute.

Thursday includes an all day meeting and an appointment for my daughter. That day could be ripe with conflicts since it also the last day of school with an early noon release. Did I mention how blessed I am to have a village of support? I just need to note who is who and when so I don’t get confused or set false expectations with anyone. I cannot imagine life without my planner on weeks like this one. How would I ever keep it straight otherwise? And then there is the all day meeting…so of course there will be a lit of notes and action items. Insert a half page for a list and notes.

This coming weekend is Phoenix Comic Fest and as much as we want to attend all four days, we are only attending on Saturday.

Insert Checklist! This is a work in progress. Planning Cosplay and a survival kit for a day long convention requires planning and preparation.

But that’s not all…next week is Vacation so….I need to start making the packing list.

I want to keep it simple so that throughout the week I can add to my list and pack whenever I have a window of time. I know most will be last minute. That’s the beauty of the lists. I have a place to note down whatever I think of whenever it comes to mind. I can worry less and enjoy the busy birthday week.

So, let the list making and note-taking begin. I think I am ready for the week. Just keeping my coffee fresh and my planning time quiet and productive.

Have a great week!

Family

Mother’s Day – A Blessing of Tradition

Posted on May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 by shesipscoffee

It is Mother’s Day. And as a mother I began wondering, “How did this holiday ever come to be?” Why does it seem different now compared to when I was a child? Carnations were given to mothers at church and the focus on family and togetherness seemed so different.

Here I am, the youngest, in my favorite photo. Three generations of Moms (Well I wasn’t a mother yet but it certainly was my destiny.)

And here I am with my sweet and blessed destiny. (We really need an updated one.)

As I sip coffee and reflect, I remember as a child how eager I was for that time at Mass when all the mothers were honored as each of them approached the altar to receive a carnation. It was a symbol to the church family of all of the strength and love surrounding us. One year they let the church children present the flowers and I remember proudly handing one to my grandmother and mother along with so many other mothers.

Why did we do this every year? Why do most churches no longer practice this? Why has this tradition changed? And even more, when did it start?

Well, we can thank Anna Jarvis for this holiday. After her mother died, Anna wanted a day to honor the sacrifice mothers make for their children. And through her efforts she organized the first ever celebration in two locations: A Wanamaker Department store in Philadelphia and a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. Mothers were given a white carnatoon to wear as a badge of recognition and the day was set aside to spend time together as a family honoring moms. Anna continued to champion her cause to gain national support. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure making it an official holiday.

Isn’t it ironic though that within a few years the holiday evolved from a carnation badge, visiting church services and and spending family time together to cards, gifts, and commercialism? In 1920, Anna reacted to this turn of events by denouncing the holiday and actively lobbying until her death in 1948 to have the holiday removed from the American calendar.

Today, over 100 years from the signed measure, we still celebrate moms. I wonder if Anna sees that many families are truer to her intention than she imagined. I so believe we can certainly simplify the day.

Some of my favorite Mother’s Day gifts have been crafts, handmade cards, and just being with my family.

I would really like to see all the carnation badges proudly worn as we celebrate the day. How cool would it be to be sitting at a church service and a restaurant and look around at all of the honor badges on the moms who have spent the majority of life showing up say in and day out for their children? An outward sign of love that is just so simple. Can we bring that back?

Happy Mother’s Day!

Resource for history lesson: History Channel

Family, Reflection

Tully – Hidden Gem of a movie

Posted on May 9, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

As I sip coffee some mornings, it is not unheard of that I might be binging on a really great television series or watching movies, new and old. However, nothing beats watching a movie on the big screen in a theater with popcorn, a soda (or glass of wine), and my two best friends.

This past weekend we met up to see Tully. I regularly go to the theater but I don’t recall seeing trailers for this movie which feels like a gem hidden in the early swell of the summer blockbuster season. It could be that Marvel is overshadowing this a bit. (I saw Avengers too!) Nonetheless, mothers, this movie is for you.

As a fan of Charlize Theron I was eager to see it but I had low expectations. Anything about being a mother, my most important role in my life, gets my attention. And Charlize portrayed a woman, a real woman, a woman I could relate to.

I am not one to publish spoilers, nor am I one to write a review that tells of the plot. (See the link above for the official movie website.)

I want to share how it made me think and feel.

At many points in the movie I relived my own struggles as a mother with all of its challenges. I remembered the days that I put aside self care because taking care of little humans was all that mattered or that I had time for.

Having a child who is “quirky” is probably something every mother can talk about. The quirkiness can be so profoundly challenging that it consumes your every day. My best friends and I all have children with quirks. Our stories are as unique as the quirks as well as our survival tactics when we tackle the challenges. Our common thread and how we connected with the main character, is that we, all three, put our quirky children before ourselves with special diets, routines, doctors, selecting schools, and showering lots of love.

Motherhood bond. Sisterhood bond.

What makes us different than the character is how we move beyond the care of others and remember that we have to make time for self-care in a rational and healthy way.

I walked away from the film remembering the struggles my best friends and I have been through and how we have always tried to be there to lift each other up, encourage, and help with the heavy lifting of motherhood. It takes a village. So find yours and make sure your children know who all their special “Aunts” are so that the support system and relationships are strong and powerful enough to transcend the generations. Be a Tully…in the healthiest and most rational of ways.

And always love one another.

I hope you see this movie. It is surprisingly great. Take a tissue because between the laughter there may be tears just like in real life.

Back to sipping coffee and meditating on how grateful I am for being a mother and for being blessed to have friends who are my Tully during the highs and lows of motherhood.

Planning

Managing Mondays-Busy Days with Lofty Goals Await

Posted on May 7, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

This week is full of fun and I have a lot to do around all of it.

Live Music
Movie
Mother’s Day
Work
Appointments
Writing
Home Organization and Cleaning

Will I get it all done? I have a plan. And I decided to color code my days with Work in pink and Home in Green.

This is a new idea. With so much going on I thought the segregation would help my mind focus and fight the clutter. Let’s see how it works.

If nothing else I love the symmetry it lends to the design. This layout is using 100% Happy Planner brand products. Well, and a pen.

I love busy weeks yet when I start laying out the week I get a bit anxious. The events are non-negotiable. Time with friends at movies or live music shows are Aces to me. I live for moments that make memories. And I am well rested and camera ready. By the time Sunday comes around I will definitely love the fact that Mother’s Day means I get to take the day off. No chores from this Mom! And my son gave me a ticket to the live show on Sunday which will make the day the best ever. Ending a week eating at my favorite restaurant, enjoying live music that I love all on Mother’s Day means my blessings are truly overflowing.

With a week ending in so much joy I already feel motivated to rock this week at home and at work. I know I can get it all done and more.

Back to sipping my coffee before I tackle it all!

Planning

Reset – When Plans Need More Plans

Posted on May 7, 2018May 27, 2019 by shesipscoffee

Some weeks my planner needs more than the weekly spread. Honestly, I take a lot of notes on random pieces of paper. I make time during email blocks or between my many meetings to capture highlights on planner notes pages.

I also like to repurpose daily pages like the one below. Washi tape and stickers are by best planner friends. Truly they are!

My notes aren’t always pretty but I know what they mean when I come back to them later and ideally that’s the purpose they serve.

I have never shared and end of week spread so I thought I would.

I love seeing the check marks showing what I planned and accomplished each week.

But I often end up with notes and thoughts tucked into each week. Sometimes it is a to do list of sorts. Or just random ideas I want to look back at when I have time.

Every week I make some type of cleaning list. This is my latest favorite because it has daily, weekly and a focus area. I also love the cleaning tips and supply list. I delegate these tasks to the family via texts and check it off when I see it is done.

I love these daily pages for very busy days. I don’t always use the time slots unless I feel I need it because I am going from room to call to room to call and it helps me keep track where I am headed next when my laptop is closed to be respectful of the discussions in the rooms.

How about you? Do you have lots of pages in your planner? Any favorite formats or modifications? I love modified pages and would love to see ideas of what’s in between the pages.

Happy planning and many blessings!