I turned around and July was gone. How did that happen? July was cold here, well it is Winter after all. It was also a very sad time with the passing of my brother on July 15th. A sad time especially for his wife and children.
What worked for me this month?
CHRISTMAS/Holidays
July overall had it's ups and downs. I am excited that heading into August I have a lot of 'projects' in my planner. I find that August is a slow month and I will use it to get ahead so that when the busy BER months arrive I will be in a good place.
~Katrina~
Try and make the feelings and actions of Christmas part of everyday life- Sara Henderson
Word for 2011: SIMPLIFY, 2012: ROUTINE, 2013: BASICS, 2014: COMPLETE, 2015: ORGANISE, 2010 & 2016: STRIVE, 2017: RENEW, 2018: BETTER, 2019: AWARE, 2020: APPRECIATE, 2021: IMPROVE, 2022: PREPARE
What worked for me this month?
CHRISTMAS/Holidays
- The focus was to get CIJ posts organised. Also worked on plans for Christmas and holidays for the next few months. Thankfully my CIJ posts were scheduled for the end of the month and I had worked on it pretty consistently so was not stressed at all.
- Continued buying ingredients for baking and for meals around Christmas/Summer. Added some convenience foods to the stockpile for our week at the farm in October. Will need to check what is in the stockpile and compare it to my master list. See where I need to ramp up or if I can slow down a little.
- The stockings seem to be doing OK, in fact I think I could say that I am done. Will set aside a time soon to wrap stocking fillers which will give me time to purchase more if needed.
- This year one of my goals is to stay connected to family and friends. With people being busy I have taken to writing reminders in my diary to contact people.
- July was a quiet one on the entertaining front. Being the middle of Winter it is harder to get together. We did celebrate DS birthday on July 15th and my nanna turned 98 on the 18th July....amazing. I had a lovely CIJ lunch with former CWs on July 25th. We exchanged gifts, wore our Christmas finery and ate a lovely meal. Chatted the afternoon away. The kids, DH and I got together several times through the month, always a nice event.
- Mum and I got together every week, made some plans and had a few shopping days together. DD and I spent a lovely day out shopping and having a nice lunch together. It was wonderful to spend the day just her and I.
- DS is still busy settling in his new job, caught up with him a few times, we shared a lovely meal for his birthday.
- Did some planning for the HGP which I start very late August early September. Ensured that I had all the cleaning products bought and set up my binder so I am ready to go.
- Continued meal planning and my 5 chores a week. This is so beneficial to me. Keeps the house ticking over and means that nothing gets too out of hand
- Started the (hopefully) last stage of renovations on the house, can see a very dim light at the end of the tunnel.
- Finances. Money was OK this month but with costs going up everywhere I worked hard to be as best as I could be when it came to money. I continued with my new shopping plan of what is left over after my main shop I can then use for a top up at another supermarket the following week.
- Did some extra days at work and started doing some work at home for my former boss. I am doing data entry at home to help her finalise some things from her former practice. Enjoying the work and the extra income.
- Kept a tight rein on things and the bank balance looks quite healthy as we enter August.
- What did not work for me?
- This has not changed at all in July. I put on again this month, too much snacking, eating incorrectly and lack of exercise are the reasons. Feeling a little disappointed about it all but started walking again and watching what I eat so hopefully will reverse this. My aim is to fit into the dress I wore to the kids wedding for their first anniversary. I have not put on a lot of weight but know if I do not reel it back in all will be too far gone. Got to find that "frame of mind" again.
- Heating was out in our house for nearly the whole month. The repairman has been here more than my kids!! Hopefully there will be progress in August.
- Procrastination Nothing changed here but I do want to get things started with selling things. I did however decide on my major project for the Winter, I will be sorting through my family history research and tidying it all up but have not started either of these yet LOL Procrastination at its finest.
- Time/Goals now we are halfway through the year I find myself panicking a little about what I have done and still need to do. Need to revisit the goals I set myself at the beginning of the year and check that I am on track to achieve all I set out to do. I am aware of making each day the best that it can be and not wasting a minute.
July overall had it's ups and downs. I am excited that heading into August I have a lot of 'projects' in my planner. I find that August is a slow month and I will use it to get ahead so that when the busy BER months arrive I will be in a good place.
~Katrina~
Try and make the feelings and actions of Christmas part of everyday life- Sara Henderson
Word for 2011: SIMPLIFY, 2012: ROUTINE, 2013: BASICS, 2014: COMPLETE, 2015: ORGANISE, 2010 & 2016: STRIVE, 2017: RENEW, 2018: BETTER, 2019: AWARE, 2020: APPRECIATE, 2021: IMPROVE, 2022: PREPARE
