On tap for Saturday...

here is my list:

Grocery shopping: Done. I get up early to be ready and out the door. I take my list, my iPod, and my coffee to enjoy some thinking time while shopping. A restorative of alone time that helps start my weekend gently.

Also, our local store usually receives a produce truck around 7:00 a.m. and by 8:30 a.m. they are pulling slightly bumped, bruised, or just looks old produce from the racks and marking them down to amazing prices. I strategically plan my shopping for that markdown cart. I've walked away with 3 pounds of green beans for $1, heads of romaine for $.50, 4 pounds of apples for $1. It is well worth the earlier morning to come home with those bargains.

Tip: find out when your grocery receives their produce truck and ask if they will be marking things down.

Housework: Done. I use my whiteboard from the schoolroom to write down the boys' morning school tasks and home tasks. We have started trying to split the housework between Friday and Saturday so we don't all end up overwhelmed and cranky. Friday is reboot their rooms, top to bottom in straightening and vacuuming, and trash collecting from all over the house. Saturday is devoted to having the rest of the house straightened and vacuumed right after breakfast so the rest of the day is free.

Bathrooms are still my domain of cleaning, and I work on them through the week. Again splitting up the job so I don't become overwhelmed and cranky.

Tip: split up the jobs between yourself and your children. This post at Happy To Be At Home gives a great list on what all ages can accomplish in helping around the house.

Reading: Not done. Can't you see I'm blogging?

I am working through not only a couple of fiction books but also some non-fiction study material. I am devoting two hours to it today, although that time will probably be broken up between this morning and this afternoon. At my house to get through my necessary reading, I truly have to cloister myself off from questions and distractions. When I am in this special spot, my boys know that at least on Saturday they will have to ask their Dad or wait until I am finished.

Tip: cloistering oneself off to accomplish necessary tasks is a good thing. Find or create a special spot in your house or even on a screen porch where when the children see you there they know that Mom is in the no-questions zone.

Meal preparation: Partially done. At the store this morning I also checked the marked down meat. Meat that is perfectly fine but either has to be cooked today or frozen. On my menu I had teriyaki chicken thighs listed for Monday. Then I saw a 5 pound package of chicken thighs in the markdown cooler for $4.43. Even though I had this meal planned for later, I decided to flex the menu to be able to cash in on both the meat bargain and a little extra time tonight for grilling. I took the marinade recipe from Mennonite Girls Can Cook.

Tip: take a menu with you to the grocery store so that when bargains present themselves you can flex your days based on time and availability of ingredients.

Hope you have a blessed Saturday!