wow, it sounds like everyone is really starting to "get things done"! ;) thanks to Mystie's simplified pantry posts, I have reorganized my pantry and have created a master pantry list and have organized my menu planning . What a weight off my shoulders! I absolutely hated menu planning and making grocery lists before and I can't believe I have found myself looking forward to it these past couple weeks! I also have begun to reorganize my household notebook so that it will actually work for me and I feel like that will be successful as well. next on the list is to preview the coming year and decide on habits I want to establish.

Even though I haven't gone beyond my huge brain dump I have noticed that I seem to be getting more things done lately. I haven't been making lists and crossing things off as they are accomplished (which I normally love to do) but I feel like I have the space in my head to remember what needs doing and so it gets done! I'm happy :)

I started my lists... last week. And haven't done anything else since then. But it did feel good to get a lot of stuff on paper that's been circulating in my brain for too long. I want to get going on sorting through them and separating the wheat from the chaff like Kristina said, but there are so many other things I want to do right now too. :p I keep blaming my lack of focus and time on the new baby, but if I'm honest with myself I know I can make time to get this started.

We named dd1 Xenia (zeen-ya), but there have been quite a few people who insist pronouncing it Xena instead.

I'm using it as a supplement with my first grader and we both really like it. It's a great way to practice word problems and mental math, as well as being great for review and drill.

I went to the groups and was going to reply but somehow I couldn't. Maybe because I'm on my iPod touch... I'm not very tech savvy. :) Anyway I wanted to say thank you to Mystie for setting that up. I'll figure out how to work it soon and I'll be are to participate.

I put GTD on hold at my library. I'm 18th in line! Looks like it will be quite awhile before I actually get to read it.

Lots of new babies here! My newest is 9 weeks. I also have a lot more energy than when I was pregnant, but I'm finding it hard to get myself motivated to get things done since I've gotten out of the habit. My pregnancy was really bad (compared to the others anyway) and I really had to allow myself to let things slide and take it easy. Now I'm ready to get going on staying on top of things again but there is so much to be done that getting started is pretty overwhelming.

I am all ready to participate in an accountability group (although if it were on FB I couldn't because I'm not there anymore).

I would love to be able to be held accountable. I always seem to have great plans, and they usually start out ok, but eventually things usually get derailed. I read A Mother's Rule of Life this past spring and set up a basic routine for our days, but that has really fallen apart since dd3 arrived and I need to find some stability again!

I so need to do something like this. I mostly manage to stay on top of the day to day necessities but I always have a feeling as though I've forgotten something. I LOVE the Great Ideas list and making time to review it regularly! I have come across so many ideas and projects that I'd like to try but none of them are happening because they get forgotten about. I am following this thread with great interest!

It hadn't occured to me to have her hearing checked. I will be sure to do that. I like the idea of having her get my attention first and having a signal so she knows she is being too loud.

Dd1 (age 4.5) has gotten into the habit of talking REALLY LOUD when she has something to say. I remind her over and over (and over and over) again to use an inside voice, and when I can get her to actually stop talking long enough to hear my reminder she immediately tones it down and talks normally. This has been going on for quite a long time now and I am wondering how I can help her break the habit of using the loud voice and replace it with her normal voice without the constant reminding. Is it even possible??? I would really appreciate any ideas or advice. Thank you.

Any of the Maisy books by Lucy Cousins Tommie DePaola's Mother Goose

Thank you PJ for the advice about the sheet. My dc just began playing with the playmobile sets that we have and all the tiny little pieces have been driving me bonkers!

I just wanted to say hello really quick! I didn't realize until the forums were offline how often I check this group! Even though I don't post much I always enjoy following along when I can. You are all in my prayers.

We just finished Black Ships before Troy and ds and dd both loved it! We finished a few weeks ago and had to return it to the library but it's still a hot topic of discussion around here.

I had a "land birth" for my first three and a water birth this last time. I loved it! In between contractions I felt like I was just taking a nice relaxing bath. My favorite part was that I was able to catch the baby myself - that was very cool. I would definitely do it again.

Yep, that's the one! :)

The Scarlet Pimpernel is my favorite romance. This is the only movie I have ever said that I enjoyed more than the book (and I did enjoy the book a lot).

I really like to take things easy myself during those first weeks. I feel like it is important to rest and recover and just adjust to having a new little person in the house. If I were in your shoes I would probably not make any promises to travel but just wait and see how things are going at that time. I find that by keeping my expectations low I usually am able to do more than I originally thought I could.