20 Best Tips

April 2016 Personal Planner Pages – Free Printable

Mar282016
March 28, 2016 by 1 Comment

April personal planner pages from Homeschool Creations_edited-1

April is almost here! The daffodils have been popping up even though we had a last ditch at winter mid-way through March. The trees are beginning to bud and flower – spring is here!! For our family that will mean more time outside to enjoy the warmer days and a shaking off of the winter blahs. How about you? 

To help you get your days and weeks a little more organized, I have some April Personal Planner Pages for you all to use. I hope these are a help to you in the upcoming days.

My April Goals

March shaped up to be fairly busy, between traveling to speak at Teach Them Diligently and helping with a large Easter event at church, but one of the bonuses to flying is having plenty of time to read! Unfortunately I forgot one of my main reads for March, but ended up blowing through a bunch of fiction while traveling.

April will likely be just as packed, but there are two things I am looking forward to: my brother visiting toward the end of the month (meaning we have some fun field trips planned) and swim team will be wrapping up (so no more evening practices – dinner can go back to normal!!). We’ll also be wrapping up one of our co-ops and performing a musical, but come April 22nd, we can all take a very deep breath!

Here’s a peek at my goals for the upcoming month:

  • drink 100 oz. water daily
  • take my vitamins (I’ve been GREAT a remembering this the last month!)
  • read 1-2 non-fiction book (I’m hoping to read Hands Free Life and Mama Needs a Do-Over)
  • dates with each of the kids (rotate with my hubby)
  • stick to our re-newed budget (we switched to Every Dollar from YNAB to sync with our phones)
  • marriage retreat with my hubby (it’s been almost 18 years of marriage, and we can always use it!)
  • journal (and be brave enough to share – Instagram, anyone??)
  • print off pictures and scrapbook/layout one event. I’ve printed pictures and stuck them in a book – need to add WORDS!!
     

Overall in March, my goals did great and I’m looking forward to seeing what April brings!! 

A Peek Inside My Planner

If you’d like to take a look at how I’ve set up my yearly planner, I’ve explained it more in this post here, as well as given links to my favorite binder and colorful tabs (because pretty makes life fun too, right?).

Yearly Planner example from Homeschool Creations-5

This year I’ve done a little something different and pulled my planner out of the binder and had it spiral bound at Staples. Loving it so far!!

April 2016 Personal Planner Pages

You can download the April 2016 Personal Planner Pages HERE. There are 12 pages included as a part of the download: the month at a glance and then weekly planning pages as well, with a page that goes a bit into May as well. Each month I’ll be offering a free download for that month’s planning pages, so you can check back and download them as they become available.

Purchase the Yearly Planner

Yearly Planner from Homeschool Creations - daily, monthly, and yearly pages to get you organized

Add to Cart
 

If you like the layout and want to start planning out the rest of your year now (and next year too), purchase the full Yearly Planner for $4.99. The calendar  includes month-at-a-glance pages and dated weekly pages through June 2017.

Don’t miss my student planner and weekly homeschool planner – available as well!

Don’t Miss The Daily To-Do List

Daily to do list free printable

 

My Daily To-Do List is pretty basic, but hopefully it will work for you too. There is an area to make a list of things to accomplish, household goals, appointment, meals for the day, and even a space to record exercise and water intake. Each page in the document is identical so you can print them off, cut the page in half, and have two lists. If you print them front to back, you’ll have four to-do lists and save a little paper. Hope you all have a wonderful new year!! I’d love to hear your plans!

 

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Filed Under: Mom Helps, Organizing, Planning Forms, Printables 1 Comment

Weekly Meal Planner – Plan a Week’s Meals (FREE Printable)

Mar82016
March 8, 2016 by 8 Comments

free weekly meal planner from Homeschool Creations - with room for 3 daily meals and snacks as well as shopping list and meal prep space

While I am a huge fan of planning my meals a month at a time, the last few months I’ve focused more on a week (or two) at a time. Our schedule has been very different this last school year and blocking things out in shorter segments was a way my brain coped a little easier – enter a weekly meal planner.

But of course that needed a pretty printable to go along with it. Because pretty = more fun and useful, right?

In a little over a week, I’ll be sharing more on meal planning when I speak at Teach Them Diligently, but you all – this weekly meal planner is something I can quickly plug meals into using my Main Dish Menu Planner, write up a quick grocery list and be DONE in under 15 minutes. I may have timed myself this past week and it was actually a smidge over 10, but I’m not competitive or anything.

meal planning printable from Homeschool Creations-7

The Weekly Meal Planner printable is 8.5” x 11” and ours is hanging from a simple binder clip and a small 3M adhesive hook on the front of our fridge. I’d use a pretty magnet, but our fridge isn’t magnetic. (I’m not bitter.)

There are two versions available to download: one that runs from Sunday through Saturday and a second version that shows the week Monday through Sunday, depending on how you plan your week out.

A Look at the Weekly Meal Planner

weekly meal plan list highlights from Homeschool Creations

There is plenty of room to write out breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack plans for the day. And think of it this way – when it’s hanging on the fridge for all to see, it will field about 3, 276 questions each week alone and stop constant barrage of the question “What’s for breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack?” Not that every single one of my kids asks the same question. Repeatedly.

(Keeping it real here.)

meal planning printable from Homeschool Creations-6

Cut/tear the shopping list off once you fill it out and take it grocery shopping (or leave it at home, like often do. I find the challenge of trying to remember what is on the list so much fun, don’t you?).

On a side note, I highly recommend these pens to use for anything – because they erase and make it so much easier to move things around on the plan if needed. I only mention this because I am the type of person who wants to use pen, but then when I make a mistake the crossing off and mess of the paper can drive me batty…and I may print off another sheet to redo it. These pens are saving trees all over the world from my craziness.

meal planning printable from Homeschool Creations-5

There’s also an area to make notes on what you can prep ahead of time. This week I needed to remember to pull some things out of the freezer, cook a little meat, and spent some time on Sunday prepping veggies and putting them in the fridge so I could be ready to go each day for meals.

 

Download the Weekly Meal Planner

If you’d like to use the Weekly Meal Planner, feel free to download a copy below. (p.s. would you pin and share if you love it? Thanks!)

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Filed Under: Meal Planning, Mom Helps, Organizing 8 Comments

March 2016 Personal Planner Pages – Free Printable

Feb282016
February 28, 2016 by 2 Comments

March 2016 planning pages

Are you ready for a new month? Personally I’m so excited that March means we are on the verge of spring! Trees will be budding soon and the weather will (hopefully) stay warmer in longer stretches.

To help you get your days and weeks a little more organized, I have some March Personal Planner Pages for you all to use. I hope these are a help to you in the upcoming days.

My March Goals

This year I set manageable goals for myself in a few different areas, including personal, fitness, family, and marriage. This month is promising to be fairly busy with traveling to speak at Teach Them Diligently and helping with a large Easter event at church, but still plenty of time to get other things done too! Here’s a peek at my goals for the upcoming month:

  • drink 100 oz. water daily
  • take my vitamins (I can so hear my mom telling me this!)
  • read 1-2 non-fiction book (I’m hoping to read The End of Me and Simply Tuesday)
  • dates with each of the kids (rotate with my hubby)
  • stick to our re-newed budget (we’re using You Need a Budget to sync with our phones)
  • read parenting book with hubby (2-3 chapters)
  • journal (and be brave enough to share – Instagram, anyone??)
  • print off pictures and scrapbook/layout one event – the fact that I’ve actually pulled images off the camera and sorted them speaks volumes!!

Last month I managed to meet most of my goals…minus the exercise…but otherwise did great. Little steps toward goals are steps in the right direction!

A Peek Inside My Planner

If you’d like to take a look at how I’ve set up my yearly planner, I’ve explained it more in this post here, as well as given links to my favorite binder and colorful tabs (because pretty makes life fun too, right?).

Yearly Planner example from Homeschool Creations-5

This year I’ve done a little something different and pulled my planner out of the binder and had it spiral bound at Staples. Loving it so far!!

March 2016 Personal Planner Pages

You can download the March 2016 Personal Planner Pages HERE. There are 12 pages included as a part of the download: the month at a glance and then weekly planning pages as well, with a page that goes a bit into April as well. Each month I’ll be offering a free download for that month’s planning pages, so you can check back and download them as they become available.

Purchase the Yearly Planner

Yearly Planner from Homeschool Creations - daily, monthly, and yearly pages to get you organized

Add to Cart
 

If you like the layout and want to start planning out the rest of your year now (and next year too), purchase the full Yearly Planner for $4.99. The calendar  includes month-at-a-glance pages and dated weekly pages through June 2017.

Don’t miss my student planner and weekly homeschool planner – available as well!

Don’t Miss The Daily To-Do List

Daily to do list free printable

 

My Daily To-Do List is pretty basic, but hopefully it will work for you too. There is an area to make a list of things to accomplish, household goals, appointment, meals for the day, and even a space to record exercise and water intake. Each page in the document is identical so you can print them off, cut the page in half, and have two lists. If you print them front to back, you’ll have four to-do lists and save a little paper. Hope you all have a wonderful new year!! I’d love to hear your plans!

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Filed Under: Mom Helps, Organizing, Planning Forms 2 Comments

Why Your Homeschool Needs a Rest Time

Feb232016
February 23, 2016 by 12 Comments

Why your homeschool needs a rest time

When hearing the words ‘rest time,’ it takes me back to my years as a preschool teacher when the kids all had a nice mat, a warm blanket, and sleep drifted over (most of) the kids. There are always a few rowdies in the bunch!

As we started our homeschool journey, rest time was ALWAYS a part of the equation. Our kids were young. I was exhausted with the little ones (we had 4 kids 5 and under) and it was definitely a non-negotiable in our day. Now we are years down the road, our oldest is 14, and rest time is STILL a part of our day.

Here’s the thing – as homeschoolers, our family is around each other all.the.time. Pretty much 24/7. That can be exhausting, especially for kids (and moms) that need quiet to recharge. So much surrounds us that can overstimulate and push us over the edge, so to speak. For kids that are extroverts, well, it always good to practice giving others space as well – and they need the down time too.

Think we’re crazy? I promise you, I’m not! You NEED a rest time in your day, moms!! We can’t keep up a crazy pace and not feel like we’re going crazy ourselves!

Somehow the last few months we’ve gotten out of the habit of having our afternoon rest time. And it has truly shown in attitudes (mine and the kids) and mental states (that would be my sanity – keeping it real!). While I’ve had people ask how we can afford to take the time out of our day, I can honestly assure you, if anything, it has made things run so much more smoothly in our house.

What Rest Time Looks Like for Us

IMG_6520

Rest. Sitting down. Feet up. That should sum it up, but each of the kids typically heads to their bed (if they want to sleep, go for it!). Rest time an opportunity for everyone to slow down and have a break from each other. I’m guessing my kids aren’t the only ones who can get on a sibling’s last nerve (or mine). The break and space apart is very beneficial to attitudes all around.

This includes mom! My spot is a cozy chair or under a blanket on my bed with a nice cup of coffee or tea. Books are almost always a part of my rest time, especially since I have a wonderful pile of books to read! I might even sneak in an episode of my favorite show without the kids peeking over my shoulder (Shhh!! PBS fans will understand, right?).

The kids are encouraged to grab a book (for fun – not school), listen to audiobooks with a sibling (or with headphones), listen to music, or play – QUIETLY. It’s not a time to be rowdy and fool around. The boys pull out a bin of LEGOS on their beds and dig through that while they listen to audiobooks they picked out from the library or build with some other fun toy.

Puzzles, quiet games…think of all those hardly used manipulatives you’ve stashed away. Pull out art supplies and sketch pads. You know what things are special for your kids (or hiding in your closet).

The impact of rest time was especially apparent to me today as I declared the hour of 2 – 3 pm sacred and the kids pulled out sleeping bags and hammocks and set up camp on the back deck (the girls may be a bit excited about their hammocks). They had books and stayed outside snuggled in their blankets (it was 48 degrees) for almost 2 hours. And do you know what happened the majority of the time – laughter. It literally brought tears to my eyes because we had a ROUGH morning. ROUGH. When rest time was well-past over, the kids all came in and attitudes were great toward each other. I may have also been completely relaxed because of hearing the calm and camaraderie between the four of them. My time was spent curled up reading two great books:  The Life-Giving Home and Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World.

A complete win-win all around. (And my hubby may be extremely grateful for my sanity too).

What Our Rest Time is NOT

  • Catch-up on housework is a no-no. Rest time is NOT a time for me to scramble around the house doing all those little things that I’ve been putting off and finally remember to do. I have a list next to me where I can jot down notes if something comes to mind, but otherwise, computer is off.
  • Schoolwork is put aside. Yes, the kids sometimes get behind, but this isn’t a punishment time for them when they need to catch up on every last little thing. The breather is from all things that bog us down mentally and physically. The schoolwork will still be there when we’re done (much to their dismay).
  • Rest time is NOT a time to fight and argue. It’s a time to play or rest quietly (or see any of the above. Noise levels need to be minimal. If a fight erupts…well, that would definitely cross a line (it has happened a time or two) and there are repercussions. Don’t mess with the resting mama (grins).

Plan Your Own Rest Time

Why your homeschool needs a daily rest time

Does a daily rest time sound like something your family (and you) could use? Here are a few suggestions to get started.

  1. Decide what the ‘guidelines’ for rest time will be. Is it resting on beds? Playing quietly allowed?How long is the time? How loud can the kids get? Where do kids need to stay (in rooms, a playroom, etc…)?
  2. Figure out your routine. When during your day will you have rest time? Each family has a different rhythm, especially during different seasons of life. If you are making it a daily ritual, maybe you could end it by having a snack together? (There was a period of time where I made homemade cookie batter and froze it in small balls. Each day before rest time I took out 2 cookie balls per kid and popped them in the oven for a yummy treat at the end of rest time).
  3. Make it special. For younger children, it may be helpful to put together a basket of activities, or busy bags, audiobooks, and more that will keep them occupied. Some days the kids take turn cuddling up with me and just chatting over a cup of hot chocolate.
  4. Be consistent. I promise – it is worth every moment. Whether it be 30 minutes or 2 hours, a little bit of breathing room allows everyone a chance to reset, relax, and approach the rest of the day with more energy!

Laundry and housework can wait (I promise, it will still be there when you finish resting – it’s sad, but true). You though, will be in a much better mental state to tackle those piles!

Rest time in your day ultimately puts you ahead in the long run. We aren’t sprinting toward an invisible finish line – we’re in this for the long haul! And I promise – you CAN do this!

 

Share Your Thoughts!

Does your family have a rest time? What tips do you have to offer or what routines do you have in place?

Another post you may enjoy…10 Things to Eliminate from Your Homeschool.

10 things to eliminate from your homeschool


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Filed Under: Homeschooling Tools, Mom Helps, My Ramblings 12 Comments

February 2016 Personal Planner Pages – Free Printable

Jan262016
January 26, 2016 by 3 Comments

February 2016 personal planner pages from Homeschool Creations - 12 pages to organize your month

We are on our way into 2016! I hope your month has been going well and you have been able to focus in on the things needing your attention.

To help you get your days and weeks a little more organized, I have some February Personal Planner Pages for you all to use. I hope these are a help to you in the upcoming days.

My February Goals

This year I set manageable goals for myself in a few different areas, including personal, fitness, family, and marriage. Here’s a peek at my goals for the upcoming month:

  • exercise 4-5 times each week
  • drink 100 oz. water daily
  • read 1-2 non-fiction books
  • go on 2 dates with my hubby (1 out, 1 at home)
  • dates with each of the kids (rotate with my hubby)
  • read parenting book with hubby (2-3 chapters)
  • dive into Bible journaling (be brave and DO IT!)
  • actually print off pictures and scrapbook/layout one event

While I realize some of them may seem silly, sitting down at the end of last year I realized that we NEVER print off pictures, and our kids love looking at them and remembering what we have done together. Scrapbooking has been pushed aside, so I found this system (simple but it will do the job).

There are many things that I WANT to do, in theory, but don’t get around to. Last year saw me taking steps in several areas, including fitness/health, to lose 35 pounds. Something little, but really huge for me (because sometimes it’s hard to focus on taking care of myself when there are five other someones in the house!).

All that to encourage you to take little steps toward your goals amidst the day-to-day of life. You can do it!

A Peek Inside My Planner

 

If you’d like to take a look at how I’ve set up my yearly planner, I’ve explained it more in this post here, as well as given links to my favorite binder and colorful tabs (because pretty makes life fun too, right?).

Yearly Planner example from Homeschool Creations-5

This year I’ve done a little something different and pulled my planner out of the binder and had it spiral bound at Staples. Loving it so far!!

February 2016 Personal Planner Pages

You can download the February 2016 Personal Planner Pages HERE. There are 12 pages included as a part of the download: the month at a glance and then weekly planning pages as well, with a page that goes a bit into February as well. Each month I’ll be offering a free download for that month’s planning pages, so you can check back and download them as they become available.

Purchase the Yearly Planner

Yearly Planner from Homeschool Creations - daily, monthly, and yearly pages to get you organized

Add to Cart
 

If you like the layout and want to start planning out the rest of your year now (and next year too), purchase the full Yearly Planner for $4.99. The calendar  includes month-at-a-glance pages and dated weekly pages through June 2017.

Don’t miss my student planner and weekly homeschool planner – available as well!

Don’t Miss The Daily To-Do List

Daily to do list free printable

 

My Daily To-Do List is pretty basic, but hopefully it will work for you too. There is an area to make a list of things to accomplish, household goals, appointment, meals for the day, and even a space to record exercise and water intake. Each page in the document is identical so you can print them off, cut the page in half, and have two lists. If you print them front to back, you’ll have four to-do lists and save a little paper. Hope you all have a wonderful new year!! I’d love to hear your plans!

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Filed Under: Mom Helps, Organizing, Planning Forms 3 Comments

January Personal Planner Pages – Free Printable

Dec282015
December 28, 2015 by 4 Comments

January 2016 personal planning pages - 12 pages to organize your month {%{% HomeschoolCreations

You all!! Where did 2015 go? The older I get, the more quickly the years seem to go by. We’ve enjoyed a fairly relaxed December, but school will be starting back up in a week and with it all the craziness of life and sports.

To help you get your days and weeks a little more organized, I have some January Personal Planner Pages for you all to use. I hope these are a help to you in the upcoming days.

A Peek Inside My Planner

If you’d like to take a look at how I’ve set up my yearly planner, I’ve explained it more in this post here, as well as given links to my favorite binder and colorful tabs (because pretty makes life fun too, right?).

Yearly Planner example from Homeschool Creations-5

This year I’ve done a little something different and pulled my planner out of the binder and had it spiral bound at Staples. Loving it so far!!

January 2016 Personal Planner Pages

You can download the January 2016 Personal Planner Pages HERE. There are 16 pages included as a part of the download: the month at a glance and then weekly planning pages as well, with a page that goes a bit into February as well. Each month I’ll be offering a free download for that month’s planning pages, so you can check back and download them as they become available.

Purchase the Yearly Planner

Yearly Planner from Homeschool Creations - daily, monthly, and yearly pages to get you organized

Add to Cart

If you like the layout and want to start planning out the rest of your year now (and next year too), purchase the full Yearly Planner for $4.99. The calendar runs thru June 2017. It includes 18 month-at-a-glance pages and dated weekly pages from December 2015 through June 2017. Enjoy!

Don’t Miss The Daily To-Do List

Daily to do list free printable


My Daily To-Do List is pretty basic, but hopefully it will work for you too. There is an area to make a list of things to accomplish, household goals, appointment, meals for the day, and even a space to record exercise and water intake. Each page in the document is identical so you can print them off, cut the page in half, and have two lists. If you print them front to back, you’ll have four to-do lists and save a little paper. Hope you all have a wonderful new year!! I’d love to hear your plans!

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Filed Under: Mom Helps, Organizing, Printables 4 Comments