I am going to do something that is the equivalent to goal setting suicide. I’m about to tell you my summer plans.
We all know that the worst thing a person can do is talk about what they want to achieve. Hey, if I never say it out loud then who cares if I do it or not? Besides, that way the Devil won’t know what I’ve got up my sleeve and therefore cannot thwart me at every turn.
But, on the flip side, my mother always says, “When you write things down, you open doors for angels to help you.” Just in case there is any truth to this, I’m posting my otherwise private plans right here, for the world to see and judge me by.
1. Go to bed at nine pm every night. I did this last night and woke up before my kids, read my scriptures for the first time in seven years, and ate the last two chocolate chip cookies before anyone else could get to them.
2. Moderate the television. My plan is to have it off by ten am, with one movie after three in the afternoon. I have no idea what my children and I will do with each other in the meantime, but it will probably include biting and clawing.
3. Summer school. Every day at ten, we’re going to sit at the dining room table, as a family, and do our daily devotional/Be Attitude, plus summer school. I am planning to sit also. No, I will not blog, read, clean or yell at this time. I will help my children further their education through previously purchased workbooks and duct tape (if necessary).
4. We will leave the house. I have every intention of taking them on regular outings to places that require no supervision, like the park or other people’s houses. I also don’t want to spend any money on them if I can help it, so I hope my friends have plenty of food handy.
5. We will eat dinner as a family. With the exception of the six weeks this sumer where Jason is gone (I KNOW), we will sit at the table and break pizza together. While Jason is gone, I will fill the freezer with Lean Cuisines and frozen fried food for the children, because that’s what all smart pregnant husbandless women do.
So go ahead and hold me to it, it can’t hurt. I’m also planning on spending as much time on the couch with a stack of books to read as I possibly can. Anything to avoid swelling and housework. (Notice the condition of my home was never mentioned? That was on purpose.)
sounds like a good plan to me – except the going to bed at 9 part – I am too much of a night owl! Good luck – can’t wait to hear how the summer school part goes – my kids would boycott!
You go girl. I hope lots of angels show up to help you. And don’t worry about the house. Seriously. Way overrated.
Every time Superman reveals a “master plan,” it gets thwarted. Goes completely to pot. I’ve told him he needs to stop calling it a “master plan.” But I hope your master plan works out. If we didn’t live two hours away we could let our kids play.
This sounds like the worst summer ever. 9 PM and TV in moderation?!?! Your poor children.
My goals are somewhat similar, although not pregnant, but still brandishing an extra 15, I think the lean cuisines could work for me! I love the daily devotional idea, and I need to get on board with the Be attitudes (on a side note, every time I hear about the Be attitudes, I think of that part in Aladin where the Genie turns himself into a Bee and tells Aladin to Bee yourself, maybe I could incorporate that in somehow) Anywho, good plan Annie, I will have to pass on the 9:00 bed hour, because that is when all of my cable smut tv comes on, and where would I be without Keeping Up with the Kardashians??!!
What an awesome list! The goals sound great! Thanks for always inspiring me. My girls have school until next week, so I have a few more days until the craziness arrives.
I’ve been tentatively making summer plans, but I really need to sit down and figure out a real plan. I like your plan. Can I just give you my kids and you can use your plan on them as well?! Hey look, there’s my plan.
ok this is a little boring. You are much more creative than that, sure these are all practical and stuff, so keep them but let’s add on…fun does not have to kick Dave Ramsey to the curb either. There are more important goals like keeping your toenails painted all summer, doing something spontaneous every day, have a dance off with your kids, make a big mess at least once a week cooking or playing…hmmm I’m trying to keep in mind the pregnancy factor so bungy jumping is out, but now you’ve got the good mother goals, what’s on your fun list? I want to know, plus if you are coming to WA, bring J and the kids for a Seattle day…we have food.
Here’s my list:
1. Do not kill the children
2. Survive
Did you steal my list? Really. But I only have 5 more weeks of summer because the twins start year-round kindergarten on July 9. (Don’t ask how many more day. Ask how many more hours.)
And . . . housework actually causes swelling. Avoid it like the plague, my friend.
good goals.
i like them all.
my house is one of my goals. (i’m also not saying WHAT about my house, and that goal of “house” may wind up having absolutely NOTHING to do with it’s condition at the end of the day….or any other time of the day for that matter.)
other than that, lots of hard work ahead this summer.
helping my SIL cook all the food for jr grange camp this month. (can’t wait to camp!!!) lots of chaufering for mini-me’s 3 church camp outings as well as volleyball camp & a volleyball tournament. add a trip to portland for us all to go visit her dad, stir gently and i’d say that we’re good. totally booked! can’t possibly fit another thing in the schedule. =)
love it!
Personally, I think NOT having a plan is suicide. Yours sounds very reasonable. I’m currently in the pre-spreadsheet and contact paper stages of my plan. Children beware.
OK, we have exactly the same summer plans! How do you get all your kids to bed by 9 pm though? I like my kids’ naptime too much, which sometimes pushes bedtime past 9 pm.We’re 4 days into our break and so far I have really curtailed the TV, which has ended up working wonders. I’m also trying to read scriptures with my kids, yesterday we only got in 3 verses, but hey, at least it’s something! Good luck! ( … I love the comment about duct tape ….)
Hey Molly,
We print off stories from the Friend and only read the verse that goes with it. My kids get way more out of the scriptures if they can relate that one verse to a story, so three verses is heavy reading for us. You’re doing great, just seeing the scriptures open makes it’s mark.
Six weeks? SIX WEEKS?!?!?!?!?!
Just remember one of my favorite “live by it” quotes, “What gets measured, gets done”. It holds true not only in the business world, but in everything that we are trying to accomplish. I find that I am much better at achieving success if I let people know what I am supposed to be doing. That way, I really think about having to write down that I did not get something done. Currently, I am working on the dreaded diet! And even having a little success at it. You go girl! Your summer is going to be amazing!!
I believe in you, Annie. Please to be keeping us updated on your progress!
I tip my hat to you–or would if I wore hats. Sounds like a great plan for the summer. The educator in me wants to applaud you for keeping up with the studies of your children so that the gains they made this past school year will not be lost.
Kudos.
thanks for the silver bullet vote. =)
told my husband, which was followed by some violent rolling of his eyes. seriously, wasn’t sure if he was disappointed that i’d ACTUALLY blogged about the new moniker search or if he was having a seizure! i said, “what? i’m a blogger. that’s what we do. we blog about everything. and when i say i’m gonna blog about it, i’m gonna blog it in a BIG WAY!” i showed him the post. he laughed and said i wasn’t allowed to take pictures of him when he didn’t know it. and with that i put him in a half-nelson until he cried uncle. …ok, well, in my mind i did. and it was perfect. and not a hair on my head fell out of place. i looked SO awesome!…in my mind of course…
You seriously crack me up! Enjoy your summer!
I set these goals every single summer from the time my oldest was in kindergarten. And that’s all I have to say about that.
(I’ll expect a progress report at the end of this month. BTW, you’re featured over at my place. I may or may not have implied that you gave birth during your class at CBC.)
good goals!!!!!!!!!!! and since YOU put it out there, I’ll be “watching you”
cause I am kinda like the devil————–
or not
and I believe in setting visiting times AT OTHER PEOPLES HOUSES to crash in on and see what they can do to entertain us for a couple of hours
and if you go to Costco there is usually free food samples for your kids to taste
and drop them off at the library for reading time
and don’t forget to include your visiting teachers because you are pregnant and need REST time
I strongly encourage the use of duct tape during summer break. And Benedryll.
Seriously, six weeks? Stock up on the girl movies!
Eep! I just read your comment over at my place! Are you sticking pins in your DeNae doll? Why would you want to kill your best Las Vegas friend ever? Is it my fault you look adorable in that picture? Is it my fault you were being your super-silly you? Is it my fault you were telling the story about giant underwear falling out of the sky?
No. It. Is. Not.
As a serious journalist, it is my duty to report news, wherever I see it or make it up. I’m pretty sure that was what your whole workshop was about.
I’ve had so many prego picture requests, I’m going to link over to your blog this week. Just to prove I’m a good sport.
I actually have summer goals this year. Not like a numbered list, but actual, real live, goals. Which has never happened before. (Unless you count the list Michelle came up with a few comments ago.) I probably won’t type them up though, since thwarting generally happens here. Also, my goals don’t even include an early bedtime. If anything I’m staying up later! What, it’s 1:00 AM now? WHAT?!! That’s right – I get to sleep in tomorrow, WHOOOOOOOOOOOO. (Today was the last day of school here. I’m still in party mode.)
Way to be ambitious! I think at least one of your outings should include a trip to my house to sit on the couch with me while our kids run around and raid my pantry. Sounds like heaven. Let’s get this on the calender soon.