Mar 26
It’s now 8:30 on a half-decent Friday morning. I have to work 2-9 tonight and the only thing getting me through the morning is the excitement I have for getting out of here. I really didn’t want to be working so much this week but the extra money will definitely be worth it during our vacation. I wrote in a previous post that I would say no if they called me in on Monday but like a sucker (thanks, Liz!) I said yes. Someone that covered for me when I was sick had the flu so I felt I should return the favour. (She’s also a friend so of course I did it.) It was my only day off and planned to do some packing that evening but it never happened.
I have one more load of laundry to do this morning and then finish packing for our London trip. There’s not too much that I need to do today but the anticipation and excitement is killing me. I soooooo need to get out of here. The weather is just shit, the workload is overwhelming, and if one of us gets sick one more time I am going to toss myself out the window. (Not self-injuring but enough to just distract me from the frustration.) Here’s what’s on the agenda today:
- laundry x1
- pack toiletry bag
- finish packing for London
- print off all travel info/confirmations
- pack diaper bag and mini-travel bag
- clean and tidy the second floor
- make pizza dough and prep pizza for dinner
- pilates
- work work work (2-9)
We’ve tied up all the loose ends like putting our mail on hold, rescheduling appointments, and our cat is taking a vacation at Ørjan’s mom’s. We also have a neighbour coming to check on the house so that we can put our minds at ease. The only thing that I really need to do is pick up a few treats for the kids and say goodbye to everyone.
Oh god we’re almost out of here. I can not believe it. I need this vacation so badly.
Jan 25
I had this past Saturday off which was great, but it doesn’t beat having a Monday off. It feels like I’m playing hooky because I can sit and watch tv, sit for hours online, and I could even take a nap if I wanted to. Of course I’m smarter than that and will probably try to do alot of work in the house, but it’s still a thought. I plan to pace myself today and actually treat myself during my afternoon/Futurama break. I’ve got some lovely foot clay from LUSH that I’ll use to scrub and polish, a good ol’ pumice stone to really exfoliate, and then I’ll top it off by soaking and massaging my feet again in a hot foot bath. Now here’s what needs to be done:
- Laundry x3
- Clean out fridge
- Bake lemon sponge pudding
- Wash kitchen and diningroom floors
- Detailed cleaning of kitchen
- Tidy bedroom
- Organize Magnus and Sophie’s birthday gifts
- Brainstorm for M&S’s birthdays
- Send out emails
- Meal planning for the week
- Beefstew for Magnus
- Plan new exercise regime
- Start planning our London trip!
- Cardio and pilates (Need to be extra careful due to hip injury)
- Print announcement for cafe
- Pack M&S’s daycare bags
Jan 11
We leave for Bodø tonight and I’m not even close to being finished with packing and preparing for the trip. I went out Saturday night (Ørjan insisted!) to celebrate Emira’s 30th birthday and didn’t end up coming home until 03:30. Of course I went to bed late and slept in Sunday morning so now I’m a little behind. I was so exhausted yesterday that I only managed to do a few loads of laundry and tidied the bedroom. Since we’ll be gone all week there’s so much to do and I hardly want to tackle any of it. We arrive home late Thursday evening and then it’s back to work for a full fast-helg weekend. Ugh, so not looking forward to it. Because I love making lists, here’s what needs to be done today:
- Laundry x3
- Pack toiletries, diapers, small items
- Make food/dinner/goodies bag for the train trip
- Pack for myself, kids, and Ørjan
- Clean out fridge
- Pick up groceries and diapers for next week
- Clean kitchen
- Give Monika key and “cat list”
Dec 22
With only two days left until Christmas (in Norway we celebrate on the 24th) there’s still so much I have to do! And trust me, it’s not for a lack of motivation either – I just don’t have the time! The kids are finally in bed so I’m going to have to bust my butt for the next couple of hours. Since I work tomorrow I’ve been trying to keep myself motivated to stay on task. Here’s the list of tasks I MUST complete! (I’ve got 3-5 hours) I’ve decided I can do this tomorrow.
- Boil stock for the gravy
- Prepare stuffing for the turkey
- Make herbed butter mixture for the turkey
- Find/wash/iron clothes for xmas
- Do laundry x2
- Iron xmas table cloth and curtains
- Wash serveware/serving sets and glasses for dinner
- Decorate gingerbread house?
I’m sure there’s more I wanted to do so I’ll come back and edit this much later.
Tomorrow’s hopeful list
- Detailed cleaning of living room
- Hang curtains
- Clean and organize fridge for dinner
- Last minute decorations
- Bake?
- Dessert?
- Last shopping trip before holiday
Dec 14
I took today off thinking that Magnus and Sophie’s Lucia/Christmas breakfast was today but ooops it’s actually tomorrow. No worries though because I plan to use my last remaining day off to prepare for Christmas and all the insanity it entails. In Norway we celebrate on the 24th which realistically means I only have a week to prepare the house for dinner, guests, and anything else that I’ve been avoiding until now. Saturday was a waste because we spent half the day in Mo and then the evening playing Guitar Hero (with red wine!) and it took an extra hour to wake myself on Sunday. Now I’ve got so much to do today and I’m not sure I’ll be able to accomplish everything. Here’s hoping!
- Clean fridge
- Clean bedroom/wallpaper last wall
- Wrap last gifts
- Decorate the tree
- Hem the kids’ Lucia dresses
- Laundry x3
- Write remaining Christmas cards!
- Print out photos for daycare
- Upload photos
- Pepperkakehus! (Gingerbread house)
- Pilates
- Plan next week’s schedule
- Prepare tomorrow’s dinner
- Drag myself to the shop to get foooood! (I hate this weather!
- Prepare camera equipment for tomorrow
Oh, and I forgot to mention that Friday I cut my fingers at work (got slammed between the storage door) and Saturday I fell down the stairs when I missed a step taking out the garbage. My right hand is sore and my left foot is so tender. My clumsiness couldn’t come out at a better time.
Dec 03
It’s my only day off this week and tomorrow we’re getting a visit from Ørjan’s dad. (If you didn’t know Ørjan doesn’t have too much contact with his biological father for reasons I can’t get into now.) It’s my strong belief that when you have guests it’s your obligation and responsibility to treat them with respect and be as hospitable as possible. Whether you’re hosting a party or just having someone for coffee I feel it’s important to have a clean house, something to offer them, and have everything prepared well in advance. I feel the same way about being a guest as well – As a guest you must dress your best, bring/offer something, and be well-prepared in advance. Since Knut (dad) will be picking up the kids from daycare because I have an evening shift there’s plenty to do.
Here’s what I plan to scratch off my list:
- Get Christmas gifts ready
- Detailed cleaning of bathroom(s)
- Detailed cleaning of living room and kitchen
- Vacuum and wash the floors
- Clean the fridge
- Do laundry x3 (plus linens)
- Pilates!
- Print out photos for daycare x2
- Write out Christmas cards
- Homemade lasagne (which means homemade sauce!)
- Tidy bedroom
- Send and research info for Magnus’ hospital trip next month (We’ll be in Bodø [Norlandssykehuset] for a week next month for his testing)
- Upload photos
- Bake oatmeal cookies for visit and work
- Send business plan for Christmas sale
- Late night physio appointment? (If I can manage to squeeze it in after work!)
- Skim through the 257 unread emails in my inbox
- Blog if there’s any time leftover
The list looks long but I’m determined to accomplish each task and make no excuses! Now if only we had a little daylight/sunlight my day would be wonderful. Yeah, it’s early December which means we practically live in darkness for the next month and a half. Ahhhhhhh! Maybe I should make some coffee for a quick mood-boost. I’m already anxious… maybe because I have more energy since I forced myself to eat a bite for breakfast? Now if only I didn’t have a sleepy kitty on my head this might work out.
Oct 18
It’s mid-October but my mind is already in holiday mode. Christmas is my busiest season because not only does it mean extra hours, it also means I tend to lose my sanity as I struggle to find balance in my life and work. People have already started approaching me about Christmas orders and while it makes me blush, I already feel a severe headache boiling in the back of my head. In the past couple of months most of my posts have been about the stress and exhaustion I’ve struggled with to balance family and work. My main fear for next month is that it’s just going to be shit. I won’t lie. I need to plan my upcoming schedule carefully because I don’t want to risk being burned out. In any case, here’s what my week is looking like:
- Clean/scrub bathroom
- Bake for work
- Laundry x3
- Weeknight sushi! (Ørjan’s working more overtime and I like to treat him.)
- Send notices to the club
- Start organizing and brainstorm new packaging for Christmas orders
- Print and frame Sophie’s daycare family
- Order supplies from Canada
- Send out early surprise gift
- Christmas shopping! (The madness began two weeks ago!)
- Manga order
- Photograph items for etsy shop
- Plan meals for the week
- Update my exercise routine
Granted I only have two days off (Monday and Thursday) I’m still optimistic that I can scratch everything off my list. I just need to be strict and wake up to the reality that the next week is going to be tough. I’ll definitely be making more money but my hours will be rough and I doubt I’ll get enough sleep. Ouf. I complain, but oh I love the stress.
Sep 16
Today is a planning/activity day at Magnus and Sophie’s daycare which really means one of us had to be home with the kids. Of course I said I’d do it and now I’m working an evening shift instead. Ach. At least now with some time at home I can finally get some things done around here.
- Daycare errands
- Reserve flight and order other tickets for upcoming trip(s)
- Laundry x10
- Clean bedroom
- Plan dinners for the next week(s)
- Bento order
- Send mail/packages
- Inquire about Magnus’ hospital testing
- Magnus’ pediatric appointment (17.09.09)
- Sophie’s appointment (??.09.09)
- Bank meeting
- Run through new menu
- Edit and reprint menu
- Planning for uncle J’s birthday
- Detailed cleaning of the twin wagon
- Hair appointment
Oh there’s more… but my brain can’t seem to function right now. Need sleep. Maybe I should add “sleep more” to the list?
Aug 12
- Send goodie package to X (Liz, I’ve been meaning to send this forever! Hopefully he’s not outgrown half the stuff!)
- Send Katja interior goodies package
- Beauty product splurge in Mo (a weekend off, whut?)
- Laundry, organization, and iron in Magnus and Sophie’s tags for daycare
- Submit new menu ideas for upcoming events and evenings
- Start planning Budget 2010
- Buy early surprise Xmas gift?
- Wallpaper our bedroom already!
- Outline and plan for possible wine and spices courses for work
- Start budgeting for next year’s Eurovision SC (Ørjan’s b-day gift)
- Send Katelyn b-day gift
Plenty plenty more. Must come back and update later.
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