"Random Thought" When Life Gets In The Way Of What You Planned

Yes, I am having that type of day.  I know we are going to have days like this.  They just never feel good at the time.

I hadn't been sleeping well the past week.  I did get to bed at a descent hour last night but had wild dreams.  My plans for today was to tidy up quick and run to town to get a few things that I know I will be out of by Monday or Tuesday.

It is 6:45pm and I haven't been to town.  Do I go tonight like I used to when I didn't follow a schedule?  Let me tell you how strong this urge is!  I want to, but feel it would be against my better judgement to do this.  If I do go it had better be in the next half hour.  I don't need much.

So am I procrastinating or am I not?  This is the question that I can't seem to answer.  Could some of this have to do with the fact that I didn't do a Refrigerator Boogie last Wednesday?  Another question.

I am not quite sure how I get myself in this position.  Could it simply be "Life Getting In The Way Of What You Planned?"  Leave responses on my blog or facebook.  I am interested in what you all are thinking about with this "Random Thought."
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn

Day 397 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 397

Day 397
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Saturday, March 31, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Family Fun Day!  Last day of March Habit "Getting Dressed To Shoes."  How many of you accomplished this habit?  I want to hear from you!  I will post my picture from last year when I was only 31 Days into this habit and that is all I really wanted to accomplish and look at me today!  Today, I hesitated in putting my makeup on for some reason and then I chanted "5 Minutes! 5 Minutes!"  How many 5 minutes have you ever wasted in a day just doing nothing and didn't get any value out of those 5 minutes?  I know I have done that before.  Spending 5 minutes to put make up on is going to carry me through my day.  Why? Because I already feel better than I did before I put the makeup on.  Some of you don't wear makeup and that is fine.  What about chap stick, lip gloss, and a spritz of perfume?  It is simply the act of taking notice upon yourself for you.  It makes such a difference in your day.  Try it and see if it makes even the slight amount of difference.

April Habit is Make Your Bed.  I am proud to say I have been making it everyday since I did the habit challenge.  I found a comforter that I love and that makes all the difference.  So gear up for "Make Your Bed."  It is April's Habit and that aint no April Fool!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 397 and......

My First 31 Days Of March Habit

Day 396 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 396

Day 396
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Friday, March 30, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Paperwork Day, Car & Boogie, and Date Night.    Have I learned a valuable lesson!  The topic is SLEEP!   I have been getting to bed later than usual.  In fact I have been falling asleep in my recliner at night before I go to bed.  I will wake up from the recliner around 4 or 5am and then go to bed.  How did I get here?  I will tell you.  It is called "Doing Too Much In One Day Syndrome"  We have all done it and it simply does not pay off.  What happens is the next few days everything seems to take longer than it normally does.  Then you feel like you need to step it up some because the last few days weren't that productive.  So you decide to do another "Doing Too Much In One Day Syndrome" again.  You feel all the busyness that this kind of day can bring and yet by the end of the day you look around and your home doesn't look any better.  So what do you do?  You take a leap of faith and jump off the merry-go-round and you get back to basics routines.  You put anything extra on hold because if you don't do this and continue the pattern you are going, you will wake up with the worst mess you have had in months and feel defeated once again.

This is what I have been doing.  I have been trying to learn some new things with the computer and gardening plans that I have overextended myself.  Today my body and mind are screaming and I am finally hearing.  I made a decision I am not going to do anything extra until I have my mind, body, and home where I feel comfortable again.  We somehow forget that there is also "Maintenance" to FLYing and that must be a priority if you ever want any peace for yourself and your home.  The weekend is here and make sure you have some family fun time and also renew your spirit.  By doing this and getting to bed at a decent hour you may be ready for Monday and that is Blessing Your Home!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 396

Day 395 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 395

Day 395
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Thursday, March 29, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Errand Day!  I am telling Lily that we are going to go to town after this.  She loves her rides.  I have to go to town to get my license plate tags so it will be a different town than I normally go to buy groceries and see my mom.  My cousin and her family run Dakota Butcher and we will be stopping there to stock up on some beef.  It will be nice to get out of the house for once too.

Last night my sink almost didn't get shined before I went to bed.  I was experimenting with my food processor.  First I had to clean it up as it had been in storage for a very long time.  I wanted to chop up a large amount of celery to freeze before it went bad.  I found the instruction book right where I had left it so that was a good sign. Then I had to figure out how to put it back together.  The first batch of chopped celery turned out to be pure mush, I got a bit better the next batch but not that happy.  Finally the third batch and a batch of chopped onions I could deal with to saute and to freeze for future.  I then stood back and looked at my kitchen.  Was this worth going through?  Or should I have just used my knife and chopped them up the way I normally do?  I am having a hard time answering this question at the moment.

How does this relate to flying?  Well, sometimes we think we need some fancy equipment to do the job.  The concept sounds good but then when it comes to cleaning up.  Which would you rather clean, the food processor or the knife?  I think I just found my answer.
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 395

Had To Clean It Up.  Had not used it in years.

First I Had To Find The Instruction Book

This Is A Great Sign!

Then Again.  Looks Like Mush.

Better

Was It Worth It?

Day 394 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 394

Day 394
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Anti Procrastination Day, Refrigerator Boogie and Meal Planning.  It has been a busy day on Facebook in my groups!  I did take care of an Anti Procrastination Project this morning and that was to tidy up my control journal/planner.  It seems like we are always adjusting these so my advice to you is just get one started that is VERY Basic.  Too many times we think we need all the bells and whistles to get started to fly.  This is why I came up for myself what I call Stepping Stones to establish 3 habits for each routine to get comfortable with.  One of those habits is "Getting Dressed To Shoes."  It makes such a difference in your flying. All of this is repetitive and necessary to do to keep our homes running smoothly.  Why not get dressed, put a little make up on and spritz some of your body spray that makes you feel special.  It will help so much in attitude.

I have garbage every other Thursday so today I have been doing some decluttering that I can get out of the house.  My refrigerator is the next thing I will do.  But before I do that, I will be starting out by filling my shiny sink up with hot soapy water to wipe up any spills that I find in the fridge.  March is coming to an end.  I do hope some of you found the value of "Getting Dressed To Shoes" this month.   Please share with everyone what one thing that has been a benefit for you as you practice this habit.
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 394

Start Your Refrigerator Boogie With A Sink Full Of Hot Soapy Water

Day 393 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 393

Day 393
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair & Makeup
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Plan & Play Day.  First of all, I would like to ask a favor of all of you.  Stop what you are doing and go to Decorah Eagles Facebook Page!  The first of three eaglets has been born!  I have been watching this also on UStream Live and have been fascinated by it!  It is the number one video of all time.  People of all ages are watching this.  Classrooms are involved!  Let's get some Flybabies involved!  I want to thank Barbara Scanlan Feeney for sending me a link to this "Phenomena of Nature."  This is our "National Bird!"    How can we relate this to FLYing?  I will tell you.  If you continue to jump in each and every day, when it's time your miracle of FLYing will be presented to you!  Flylady I believe with concentrated effort took eight months to get her FLYing to Soar.  Please Marla, correct me if I am wrong.  Myself, on the other hand took longer.  Why?  Because I simply didn't want to "Shine My Sink" and do my "Before Bedtime Routine" so that I could get "Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup" every day.  Of course there is going to be more than this in FLYing.  The point that I am driving at and I feel Flylady would be in agreement with me, until you can establish these HABITS that are the FOUNDATION  to Flylady, it will take you longer.  I have been a member since 2005.  I have practiced Flylady to the best of my ability avoiding the previous mentioned.  It wasn't until I took upon this challenge for myself to "Get Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup" that things began to turn around for me.  One of the biggest things I can say that is 500% better, and that is my "ATTITUDE" towards FLYing.  I am able to do this and still live my life by jumping in each day.  When Flylady talks about "Baby Steps" she means it and one area is our way of thinking.  Otherwise you will continue to be doing "Crisis Cleaning" then crashing and burning. I was in this cycle most of my life and it feels great to be off that "Merry Go Round."  This is why I would love each and everyone of you to check out the Decorah Eagles Facebook Page.  Show your children this too.  Afterall part of our day is to "Play" today!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 393

Shining Your Sink

One of the first things Flylady taught me is before I cook, start with a sink full of hot soapy water. This is the beginning of the cooking stage. If you keep your sink shiny, it will be a breeze. You will be able to wash as you cook. No more dishes laying around with baked on food. It comes right off.

Have you ever figured out how many tasks involve using the sink? The obvious is washing dishes. But what about those accidental spills that happen? Will you run to your kitchen sink to get a rag to go back and clean it up quickly if you have a load of dirty dishes that have been sitting there a day or two? I think not. Then what happens? You try to clean it up with some paper towels. Where do you go? You go to the sink area of your kitchen. What? Someone forgot to fill the Paper Towel holder again? Maybe you are storing it in the wrong place. In the meantime you still have the spill to deal with. What is happening? You are getting frustrated and now it seems harder than before. When you do finally get the mess cleaned up, what are you going to do? You will wash your hands. Where will that be? Will it be a shiny one or one full of dirty dishes?

If you can commit to keeping your sink shiny for 31 days, chances are day 32 you will too. During this challenge to yourself, think about all the ways you use your kitchen sink and think how your life may be. Make the sink area a pleasant place to be. Put a plant by the sink or something that brings you joy. Not all days will you be happy to shine your sink. I have had them myself. I still do it because I have learned the importance of keeping my sink shined. I just finished making dinner, the dishes are put away. All that is left is to wipe down the counters. Normally I would do that right away but today I had an AHA Moment that I wanted to share with you. You will not be happy all the time when you shine your sink but you will be most of the time as you see your reflection smiling back at you. Shine Your Sink!
Keep Flying!
Marilyn

 Start with Hot Soap Water

 Get your supplies together to cook.

There is your hot soap water just waiting to help you clean as you cook. 

Having the tools nearby to help you get back to your "shiny sink" when you are through helps too!

Day 392 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 392

Day 392
Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Makeup
Monday, March 26, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Weekly Home Blessing Day.  I hate to admit it but my Weekly Home Blessing isn't done yet today.  I like to do it all at once and it looks like I will still be able to.  If for some reason I cannot, I will do at least one of the steps.  The steps are as follows: change sheets, cull magazines and newspapers, trash, dust, mirrors and doors, vacuum, and sweep/mop floors.  If I do it all together, I allow myself two hours with two 15 minute breaks.  I just straighten up and will make notes of things that may need to be detailed cleaned when we are in that particular zone.

I know many of you are into zone cleaning.  It is wonderful.  The thing is until you can get your basic daily routines going for you, you will become frustrated.  This was what was happening to me.  Why? Because I hadn't spent enough time decluttering so that I could easily do zone work.  Now for myself instead of calling it Weekly Home Blessing Hour, I call it Weekly Home Blessing Day.  If you can get it done in an hour, I am all for it!  I can't because of my disabilities.  Instead, I slow it down and may do minor detailed cleaning if I feel the need.  It simply depends on what Zone we are in for the month.  I have some Zones I feel are completely decluttered and then I have some that are ones in progress.  The later is of course more difficult to detail clean.

Tomorrow will be the Second week of "Marilyn's Way Stepping Stones."  It is something to compliment Flylady and what she teaches.  I am adding some of the why's in case you want to know.  Tomorrow, our weekly goal will be Our Home's Floor Plan.  This is something that helped me to fly better and am sharing with you.

I also wrote two blogs today.  You can find them on my blog www.marilynsway.com.  One is about decluttering and the other about teenage girls.
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 392  I told Lily to smile!

She's on to thinking about the treat she is going to get next!

To Declutter A House; Nothing Beats A 25 Fling Boogie!

But I thought it was 27 Fling Boogie!  This is what Flylady suggests and what I learned.  However, since I have my own blog I thought it would be fun to change the boogie to Marilyn's Way "25 Fling Boogie!"  Why 25?  Simply because my birthday is 7/25/59.  That's all.

I found an article written about this that I agree with everything but the order in which one does each 25 Fling Boogie.

There are three parts of a 25 Fling Boogie.  You can do all three parts at once or break them up or just do one of the three.  Whichever you do you are ahead.

Whenever I am having difficultly with my habits and routines, I turn to the "25 Fling Boogie."  Here are the three stages:

First, you go through your house with an empty trash bag and fling 25 items to "Throw Away."  By choosing this step "first" it gets you up and moving about.  There usually is less emotional attachment to these.  Take out to the trash immediately.  Done!

Second, go through your house with a box lined with a trash bag or box for "Give Away."  Find 25 things you can "Give Away."  You can also get Flylady's Declutter Kit that says Throw Away, Give Away, and Put Away.  I have these and they work great.  I can line them with the larger leaf bags.  The "Give Away" part has some emotion to it.  Many times as you get going, you will find things you wondered why you kept.  Bless it out to the world.  When you have collected 25 items, box it or bag it up and immediately take to your vehicle.  Done!

Third, go through your home with a box or container looking for 25 items to "Put Away."  Why do I like this to be the last part of my 25 Fling Boogie?  Because, the reason that it didn't get "Put Away" in the first place is that where it would logically go is full of clutter itself.  By waiting to do this as the last part, you just may find some newly aquired space to house it.

I know it is much better since I decluttered my desk drawers.  There isn't lots in there and I want to keep it that way because I have found I am getting more done!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn

I added a "Mini Put Away" for the obvious things I use everyday that may have been left  out.  It works for me!

Ten Things I Want To Tell Teenage Girls

I found this for my fans and the page I found it on seems to have trouble loading.  I will tell you the page as I would like them to have credit.  It is Ten-Things-I-Want-To-Tell-Teenage-Girls.

Why do I feel this is important to share?  Many of you have teenage girls and are going through learning curves.  I have two teenage neighbor girls and since they have turned 16 and 17 years old I am experiencing a learning curve as well.

Ten Things I Want To Tell Teenage Girls

1. If you choose to wear shirts that show off your boobs, you will attract boys. To be more specific, you will attract the kind of boys that like to look down girls’ shirts. If you want to date a guy who likes to look at other girls’ boobs and chase skirts, then great job; keep it up. If you don’t want to date a guy who ogles at the breasts of other women, then maybe you should stop offering your own breasts up for the ogling. All attention is not equal. You think you want attention but you don’t. You want respect. All attention is not equal.

2. Don’t go to the tanning bed. You’ll thank me when you go to your high school reunion and you look like you’ve been airbrushed and then photoshopped compared to the tanning bed train wrecks formerly known as classmates – well, at least next to the ones that haven’t died from skin cancer.

3. When you talk about your friends “anonymously” on Facebook, we know exactly who you’re talking about. People are smarter than you think they are. Stop posting passive-aggressive statuses about the myriad of ways your friends disappoint you.

4. Newsflash: the number of times you say “I hate drama” is a pretty good indicator of how much you love drama. Non-dramatic people don’t feel the need to discuss all the drama they didn’t start and aren’t involved in.

5. “Follow your heart” is probably the worst advice ever.

6. Never let a man make you feel weak or inferior because you are an emotional being. Emotion is good; it is nothing to be ashamed of. Emotion makes us better – so long as it remains in it’s proper place: subject to truth and reason.

7. Smoking is not cool.

8. Stop saying things like, “I don’t care what anyone thinks about me.” First of all, that’s not true. And second of all, if it is true, you need a perspective shift. Your reputation matters – greatly. You should care what people think of you.

9. Don’t play coy or stupid or helpless to get attention. Don’t pretend something is too heavy so that a boy will carry it for you. Don’t play dumb to stroke someone’s ego. Don’t bat your eyelashes in exchange for attention and expect to be taken seriously, ever. You can’t have it both ways. Either you show the world that you have a brain and passions and skills, or you don’t. There are no damsels in distress managing corporations, running countries, or managing households. The minute you start batting eyelashes, eyelashes is all you’ve got.

10. You are beautiful. You are enough. The world we live in is twisted and broken and for your entire life you will be subjected to all kinds of lies that tell you that you are not enough. You are not thin enough. You are not tan enough. You are not smooth, soft, shiny, firm, tight, fit, silky, blonde, hairless enough. Your teeth are not white enough. Your legs are not long enough. Your clothes are not stylish enough. You are not educated enough. You don’t have enough experience. You are not creative enough.

There is a beauty industry, a fashion industry, a television industry, (and most unfortunately) a pornography industry: and all of these have unique ways of communicating to bright young women: you are not beautiful, sexy, smart or valuable enough.

You must have the clarity and common sense to know that none of that is true. None of it.

You were created for a purpose, exactly so. You have innate value. You are loved more than you could ever comprehend; it is mind-boggling how much you are adored. There has never been, and there will never be another you. Therefore, you have unique thoughts to offer the world. They are only yours, and we all lose out if you are too fearful to share them.

You are beautiful. You are valuable. You are enough.

I hope this was helpful to you.  It has been for me.  Please pass this information on.  Thank you.

Keep FLYing!

Marilyn

Day 391 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 391

Day 391
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Sunday, March 25, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Renew Your Spirit.  Have you taken any time for this today?  This morning I wanted to jump right into another project and then caught myself.  Today is for Renewing My Spirit.  If I don't stop and take the time to do this, my coming week doesn't go so well.  And I must be rested enough so I can write out the challenge and theory behind the coming week's Stepping Stone.  I want everyone to be successful in how you feel about yourself and your home for all who are participating in it.  Stepping Stones is not meant to take away from Flylady Lessons as they are equally important.  Stepping Stones is to help you get farther along with Flylady than you normally do by me explaining how I learned to interpret the lessons and and make them work for me.

I made brunch for myself and it was my favorite dish I have learned to make.  I will show you a picture of it.  The secret is the Tumeric that seems to pull all of the flavors together.  Today, I am going to concentrate on Renewing My Spirit and keep my pace slow so that I will be ready for tomorrow and the coming week to take each day as it comes.  Renew Your Spirit!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 391

Sunday Brunch

Working My Way Out Of A Desk Full Of Cluttered Drawers.

Sounds simple doesn't it?  I wish it was.  I want to take everything out and start over.  I know it is going to be a mess but for how long?  In my mind forever.

I usually find myself this way when I begin to feel a major declutter coming on.  It's Spring!  I still associate Spring with Spring Cleaning.  It seems like the blink of the eye it is here!  Spring filled with hope and anticipation verses clutter that seems to have built up over the Winter.

Don't know what to do with something?  Put it in a drawer.  Do it enough times and now you have a stuffed drawer of this and that.  Many of the things don't even pertain to the desk.  It really doesn't bother you much until you can't find that receipt that is important.  Somehow it may have gotten mixed up with some other receipts that could have easily been thrown out to begin with.  Instead, we find ourselves stuffing in the drawers and the important receipt seems to get eaten up by them.  How?  Because of our stash and dash way can only work so long.

When we get a new desk it is full of all kinds of promises.  These promises are:

Getting Out Of Debt
Becoming More Organized
Staying Focused On What Matters Most

Maybe our new desk is just that.  A desk that serves as an area to go through our paperwork and projects.  It is us, not the desk that must come to the decision to change this.  So then, why is it that we think we have to have the right desk to get out of debt, become more organized and stay focused on what matters most?  You got me! Until then, I will keep decluttering and start to do some 5 minute rescues whenever I sit at my desk.
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn

Working My Way Out Of A Desk Full Of Cluttered Drawers

Day 390 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 390

Day 390
Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Makeup
Saturday, March 24, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY   Family Fun Day.  Today will involve a Walkabout.  I got home late last night and got up at my usual time.  Will there be a nap on this day too?  You betcha!  Yesterday I went to town to look at washing machines.  I have my eye on one.  For the time being, I washed 3 loads of clothes at my mom's.  I have so ingrained in me the concept of "Linking" 2 things together that Mom and I worked in a few Skip Bo games.  Another term for this is associating or piggybacking.  It has been a great tool for me to learn given my limitations.  I am only allowed so much energy each day due to Fibromyalgia that this particular tool has helped tremendously while I fly.

In the 90's it was all about multitasking.  Now they have found we cannot be effective doing this.  What I mean is doing 3 plus tasks at once, yet many still do.  In the end we don't get anywhere.  All we are looking at is unfinished messes which makes us feel even worse.  Then dear husband comes home and wonders what you have been up to all day.  Now you feel even worse or angry.  How do you get off of this merry go round?  By learning to "Link" 2 things together, do them and then go on to the next 2 things you have decided to link together.  I myself associate and link together styling my hair with Swish and Swipe.  I am already in the bathroom, why not now?  Shining my sink and preparing coffee with the timer is the other things I link together.  Soon it becomes automatic.  So try to link two things together and test them out to put into your routine.  You may just like it!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Whoops!

Day 390

Day 389 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 389

Day 389
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Friday, March 23, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Paperwork, Purse & Car Boogie, Friday Night Date Night.  For me I will try to work all of this in plus a couple Errands.  It is a possibility I can get it all done if I stay FOCUSED.  Why?  Because "Focus Make Me Fabulous!"  That is the theme for me today!  You can do this too!

I believe somehow I got everything I have been working on that are priorities sorted out in my sleep last night.  It wasn't the best sleep I had but I woke up with solutions and that has to count for lots.  We, and myself included tend to make things more complicated than they are.  The tasks that are to be done aren't that complicated.  It is ALL the stuff that surrounds it that can keep us stuck.  Before we know it, we are focused on the wrong thing.  It still happens to me.  I just have to keep practicing.  Today, tell yourself, "Focus Makes Me Fabulous!"  By saying this simple sentence, you may get steered back into the right direction.  And that my friend, would be FLYing!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 389

Day 388 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 388

Day 388
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Thursday, March 22, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Errand Day  I am having to switch my Errand Day for Paperwork Day.  I haven't seemed to get back to normal with the Paperwork since I went on vacation.  I usually do a little every day so it doesn't become a mountain.  Speaking of mountain, Mt Washmore is at my door.  I have been calling around for prices of new washing machine.  I hope I will be able to get one soon because I established this daily habit and now I am not able to practice it until I have a working machine.  I am pushing for this change by next week.

Today is trying to rain.  We do need the rain for the coming harvests in the midwest.  I had some grass seed I bought last year that I went outside today to spread it around and by the way I blessed the seed because it will have lots of competition to the weeds that love to call my yard home.  Each year I get rid of more.  It is like anything else, a process.

Spring is the best time to learn the concept of process.  It is a good reminder for myself as well.  Just in one day more nature by way of flower bulbs beginning to emerge and the ground beginning to turn from brown to green, we have a wonderful example as to what process is.  Our homes are a work in progress just like plant growth.  Each plant can only take in so much each day in order for it to grow.    Why can't we understand this when it comes to ourselves and our home?  I am looking at a hot spot right now.  I am so ready to put it out but it is a process of paperwork to go through and file eventually when it is time.  Kind of like laundry.  It is a process too. We sort, wash, dry, fold, and put away.  When we say laundry it isn't just about washing.  There is more to it and the sooner we realize this I feel the sooner our stress level will decrease because we have learned that most of the things we do are all about the process.
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 387 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 387

Day 387
Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Make up
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Anti Procrastination Day.  I started on my Anti Procrastination Day project of some specific paperwork and well my SHEness got the better of me.  I had to go outside on this beautiful spring day and walkabout my yard to check to see which flowers are coming up and to dream of plans I want to do with my yard this year.  If I had it my way I would have as many flowers as I possibly could and to always have some blooming.  I love to garden.  In the same breath, I am not a master gardener either.  I just want to play around in the dirt and don't mind learning new things.  I have had gardens when I was younger.  Actually they were Mom's gardens and I had to weed.  Today I don't mind weeding.  I think what is different is I am starting the process from seed to watering and taking care of them through their lifespan.  I will also have a vegetable garden again with the focus more on green peppers.  Now I am getting ahead of myself.

Why am I bringing this up?  Because in flying there are all these things we want to do that we are not getting our basics done.  Then when the day is done we feel defeated.  I even have to remind myself that my home didn't get messy in a week and won't get clean in a day.  Now you probably think my house is just a sparkling.  I am here to tell you I have hot spots that I haven't been able to solve.  This kept me stuck for many years and I have to catch myself even to this day.  Where it is all at is learning to establish basic habits that we always do and when we have time we do the extras.  Most of our basic stuff can be boring or we make it out to be more than it is.  I still catch myself with this one.  As much as I want to stay outside some more.  It is time to take a break and then move on to the next phase of my day and that is making dinner which will be simple because I made extra last night.  I will touch up the kitchen and do a refrigerator boogie and even bless my kitchen.  I will continue my Anti Procrastination Project this evening and looks like I can finish up tomorrow.  I hope everyone is having a great day.  Lily is outside doing her Lily thing and didn't want to interrupt her by taking a picture.  She will be back tomorrow.  I think her favorite squirrel has come back!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn

Day 387

Day 386 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 386

Day 386
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Plan and Play Tuesday.  March Habit Getting Dressed To Shoes   Marilyn's Way Stepping Stones started today!  First of all Happy Spring!  It has been a busy day on the threads at Facebook.  Today I started my series Marilyn's Way Stepping Stones where anyone new or would like a refresher course or to be open minded to look how I have taken what I have learned through the years and how I have put it all together.  It is Flylady based and I am sharing the importance of stepping stones for each routine that we always do everyday.  Most days we can get more than what I am asking of you to do.  I just found on those days when I wasn't feeling up to it, if I would just commit myself to these steps, it would keep me going throughout the year.  One step is "Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Makeup."  I know many of you don't feel the importance as I was in the same situation as you until I took the challenge upon myself.  It  has opened many doors for me.  I know when you are ready to give it a try, you will.  This challenge hasn't been my first "Rodeo."  I tried this back in 2008 during September's Habit  Before Bedtime Routine.  This was another routine I was lacking in.  Today it makes all the difference.  I still fight it once in awhile like last night.  I spent too much time on Facebook and didn't get my "Me Time" I usually do in the evening.  Before I could do my Before Bedtime Routine, I had to rest and unwind some.  Then my Before Bedtime Routine that I have condensed to 15 Minutes was done and I could go to bed.  If any of you are interested in joining my closed group Marilyn's Way click on this link Marilyn's Way and click on the button "Ask To Join."  It is in no means to take away from the Flylady page.  I visit here regularly.  Some flybabies like the closed group setting away from family and friends.  I do understand this.  We have formed friendships and find it easier to find each other in the closed group since The Flylady page gets so busy.

Today is also "Plan and Play Day."  It has always been an important day for me.  How well I put thought into my upcoming week and how it will go depends on how much planning I get done today.  I have some big things to deal with this week and will extend my Planning into tomorrow.  I can't forget to play.  For that I will be walking in my yard to look for signs of spring like the tulips I found yesterday.  That will be fun for me.
Keep Flying!
Marilyn & Lily

Happy Spring!

Marilyn's Way Stepping Stones Series Begins!

Marilyn's Way Stepping Stones Series

Stepping Stones is about establishing three habits or what I call stepping stones for each routine or landing of your day. Based on Flylady Lessons, these three specific stepping stones for each routine/landing and in this order of importance is what the foundation is. We do our three stepping stones first before we step on any secondary stepping stones within that routine or landing. We cannot be successful without having each routine/landing placed before each other to form a day. These stepping stones for each landing in the order of importance are as follows:

How and Why Did I Come Up With This??

Anything is easy when you have a good day. I believe all of us can agree with this. It is when one has a bad day that things begin to get out of sync. What we don't realize is most bad days have been building for the past three days. We skip a step here and skip a step there. Eventually this leads us to our bad day. Everything seems to be going wrong and we wonder why. Next comes the self pity and self loathing. What I am trying to do is help you to keep from getting in this position. When we are in this type of mode it is virtually impossible to get anything good done.

Have you ever heard the expression, “Everything Ends In Excess?” We can only go so high and go so low. Sure the highs are fantastic and the lows are debilitating. What Stepping Stones is striving for is the middle with a nice cushion surrounding the stones. The smaller stones are steps we can visit when our primary stepping stones are completed. Many of us have never learned to live in the middle. We may find it to be boring. We are looking at this completely wrong! We need the middle to be anchored for all the times we may have extreme circumstances. We need to learn how to get back to home base making it comfortable and stress free so that we can make decisions that affect our lives.

During the time we spend on Marilyn's Way Stepping Stones, we all will continue to practice the 3 stepping stones for each routine/landing. If we can't do all three on a particular day, the routine we let go of is the Afternoon Routine. My goal is to teach you that the Before Bedtime Routine is the most important routine of the day. When we take time to prepare for the coming day it gives us a chance to do so much more.

The other tool we will learn to do and I feel is the key to building the foundation of running a home is what I call linking or associating or piggybacking stepping stones together. For example, in my Morning Routine I have found to be true and crucial to flying is “Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup.” My clothes are laid out the night before as one of the stepping stones of the Before Bedtime Routine. Therefore this is one decision I do not have to make come morning. Usually choosing what to wear can eat up someones time for some reason. I don't know why, and I am not interested in finding out at this time. I just know my day gets started sooner when I already know what I am going to wear.

What I have learned to link together are stepping stones as I am Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Makeup. When I am in the bathroom styling my hair, I have linked the stepping stone of swishing and swiping. I associate or link together when I go to the bathroom I wash my hands and then plug in my flat iron. Before I get dressed, I make the bed. I associate getting dressed with making the bed. Sometimes I don't feel like putting my makeup on. Then I remind myself it only takes 5 minutes at the most. Those 5 minutes carry me through whatever comes my way during the day. How do I link “What's For Dinner?” That is linked with me applying my makeup.

During the time I got Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup, I swished and swiped, made my bed, and decided what was for dinner. I chose to share with you how I link together stepping stones in my Morning Routine as an example. The reason I chose Morning Routine is to show you how important the first stepping stone “Getting dressed to shoes, hair and makeup” is. If you focus on this stepping stone and get it down as a routine/landing, the habits of swish and swipe, making the bed, and what's for dinner are all incidentals.

Yes, I do more than just these three stepping stones for each routine. I believe I counted the number of stepping stones in a normal stress free nothing extra kind of day is thirty two stepping stones. Now if someone told me I had to step on thirty two stepping stones to complete my day I would tell them they are crazy and yet this is what I do every day. I owe much of it to linking them together.

Week #1

Our first week and throughout Marilyn's Way Stepping Stones, we will be practicing these nine stepping stones. In addition we are going to create an area we call a “Launch Pad.” It is best to have it near the outside entrance where you come and go into your home. Here you will keep your purse, keys, and a space to lay down things that need to go with you the coming day. I also have a mirror located there for last minute checks on the way out the door. I usually take Lily with me so on the porch there is a specific place for her leash.

Many of us are rushed in the morning. This gives us the edge. Knowing where your keys are, the paperwork that needs to go with you, and any returns you may have. that you established always in the same place also known as the “Launch Pad” allows you to have a better nights sleep. Get yourself one of those Command Hooks to place on the wall. They won't damage it. Make your “Launch Pad” functional and fun at the same time. When you are done, take a picture of it and show in the group on facebook. It will be fun to see what everyone's Launch Pad looks like. I will show you what mine looks like. It isn't anything elaborate. I just find comfort knowing where my purse and my keys always are and you will too!

Keys and Mirror

"Launch Pad"

Last Minute Items

Day 385 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 385

Day 385
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Monday, March 19, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Weekly Home Blessing Day.  My post is coming to you later than usual.  I wanted to get my WHB done first.  Then I was looking for a better way for you to find me and that ate up lots of time.  Did I get it solved? No. I am afraid I was born in the wrong generation to be computer savy.  I am determined and that should count for something.

Today is Weekly Home Blessing Day.  My home was beginning to look like it needed some blessing and well, what can I say but I am right on track.  I make my blessing into a two hour session with two 15 minute breaks.  This is what I have found to work for me.  Some weeks I have to split the time up.  One thing I have learn is how important the Weekly Home Blessing is. I start with changing my sheets.  It also gives you a chance to pick up your hot spots or cull old newspapers and magazines.  Taking the trash out alone makes anyone feel better.  Next it is time to dust followed by cleaning mirrors and doors.  This is when I take a break.  Sometimes I take both 15 minute breaks together while drinking water because the last two steps of Weekly Home Blessing takes some energy for me.  That is to vacuum and then sweep and mop floors.  When I have completed this I always find something fun to do for at least 15 minutes.  Now I am ready for the coming weekly habits I have on specified days.  Does this always work for me?  I would say 95% of the time.  I don't believe in perfectionism any more.  Flylady taught me it is wasted energy.  Progress works so much better than Profectionism, whoops! I mean Perfectionism!   You get the point! LOL
Keep FLYing !
Marilyn & Lily

Day 385

 

Day 384 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 384

Day 384
Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Makeup
Sunday, March 18, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Renew Your Spirit.  Yesterday I got up earlier than usual.  Today I am being affected by it.  For some reason I am feeling "Out Of Sync."  I guess I could analyze it to death.  I have a feeling it would only make things worse.  The decision I made is that I took the morning off, drank my coffee and just rested.  I am still being affected by the time change.  I don't like being in this transition stage but who does?

What I believe is happening is that by next month, I will be ready for some flinging again.  Remember we have to maintain and in order for this to happen we must declutter.  Many of us have those boxes that we put things in six months ago with the intention if we do not use any of it within this time period, it must be blessed to the world.  That is where I am at.  Can I wait until April to do this?  I really want to jump in now against my better judgement.  Of course this is old behavior and that is what it is.  It is because I don't want to deal with what happened in the last 24 hours.

What has changed from yesterday to today?  Remember for those in my groups I made the comment that my washing machine sounds like it is drunk?  Well, it is DEAD today.  How is this going to affect my flying?  It is going to have a significant factor on it until I can get another washing machine.  I want to go into sheer panic because the closet place to wash clothes is 35 miles away.  Guess what!  This is just a part of life that happens to us all.  Am I going to let this situation keep me from shining my sink, swish and swiping, making my bed, emptying the dishwasher?  What about getting dressed to shoes hair and makeup?  Do I want to loath into "Why Me?"  Sure I do!  I allowed myself to do this for a period of time today and now I am done with it.  I have had my moment.  What's next?  To continue doing what I CAN do.  Added to my list is shopping for a new wash machine.  This is when the basic routines come to into play.  I have got my basic routine honed down now.  One step I won't be able to do is a "Load Of Laundry" a day until I get mine replaced.  I will use that time to search on the internet to educate myself on what features I want and the price range.  Now, isn't that better than loathing in self pity?  We all know we need to do our laundry.  To solve this, how about thinking, "Why Not Today?"  For all of you that have a washing machine that works, why not give it a blessing!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 384

Day 383 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 383

Day 383
Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Make up
Saturday, March 17, 2012   Saint Patrick's Day
MARILYN'S WAY  Family Fun Day!  Just for fun I will show you what I looked like a year ago on St Patrick's Day.  What a change!  It doesn't look like I kept track or did any writing each day.  That would have been interesting to read.

I had one of those nights again waking up on the hour towards morning.  I guess I just got tired of laying in bed!  So I was up and at them at 6:30am.  My usual time is between 8 - 9:30am.  I am going to have a short cat nap since it is Caturday and have my sheets washing so they will be ready to hang outside.  It is unseasonably beautiful here today.  Can't wait to sleep on my fresh sheets when they are done hanging out on the clothes line.  This is a real treat for us this time of year!

My family fun day has involved playing Bingo with a fellow flybaby!  She lives in Germany and is my Bingo and Poking Buddy.  I call all my flybaby friends family.  Have Fun and It Will Get Done!  The hardest part to anything is getting started and it is always helps when we don't have to do it alone.  We even get it done with the big ocean between us!  Now that is some power.  Have you found yourself a fly buddy?  It makes a big difference in flying.  I know because I have done it.  Lieschen messaged me at a great time.  I was at the crossroads as to making a decision what to do next.  She got me going!  Find yourself a fly buddy and get moving!  You may just have fun and develop a great friendship at the same time!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn and Lily

PS  Lily is a bit distracted by the chirping of the birds.   Can you tell?  lol

Today's St Patricks Day 2012

Last Year's St Patricks Day With 17 Days Of Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair & Makeup 2011

Spring And Seeing The First Robin Of The Season

Spring is about opening ourselves up after the winter months.  It is the greatest feeling seeing that very first robin. We feel special that this particular robin is dropping by scouting out a place to build a nest.  It is so much fun watching birds gather what they feel is needed to build the best nest they are capable of.  This requires many trips.  Each type of bird has their own style.  They keep bringing the supplies they need to make it work.

These birds don't get all caught up how to make the perfect nest.  They just know a nest is necessary and a priority because soon she will be laying her eggs.

Almost every year one of the nests falls out of my big evergreen trees.  I always feel sad.  Some nests are filled with eggs and some are filled with baby chicks that don't make it.  These birds do their best to build a nest.  Some are young and it is their very first time.  Will they be able to build a nest as well as an old mother bird?  Probably not.  Will they continue to come back year after year no matter what the success rate of the nest from the previous year?  Absolutely.

How does all of this relate to FLYing Marilyn's Way?  It is what I have continued to do each year since I found Flylady in 2005.  I had lots of trial and error.  I didn't want to listen to the fact we have to build a foundation in order to continue.  This was my journey.  Finally in 2012 when I decided to just surrender to  practicing each monthly habit as they were presented during the  year and build on top of them.  The third month in which we are in is Getting Dressed To Shoes.  I kept wanting to skip this habit.  Heck, I did for the first 6 years.

Getting Dressed To Shoes is like building a nest.  We choose what we will wear, how we want to wear our hair, if we want to wear makeup.  The thing is, in order to have a successful year we need to build our nest and that means "Getting Dressed To Shoes"  I take it further to Hair and Makeup because this is my choice.  I am sure no two robins build their nests the same.

Getting Dressed To Shoes prepares you for all things to help you run your home which is your nest.  Watch how robins or your favorite bird builds their nests.  See how you can apply some of their skills to your flying!   We can learn so much by just opening ourselves up to Spring!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn

Finding The Tools To Build A Nest

In No Time At All Eggs Are At Home With The Nest

Hello!  Anyone There?

Baby Robins Stay For A Couple Of Weeks Before  Momma Robin Says It Is Time For The Next Phase

Day 382 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 382

Day 382
Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Makeup
Friday, March 16, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY  Paperwork Day, Purse and Car Boogie, Date Night.  How is March's Habit Getting Dressed To Shoes going for you?  It is never too late to JUMP on board!  It does open up your world.  I know I can tell you this until I am purple in the face.  I know it is your journey.  I just hope you try it out for at least 3 Days and see how you feel.

What a beautiful day here in South Dakota.  So many possibilities are out there just waiting for each and every one of us!  Spring is about opening ourselves up after the winter months.  Just watch how nature does this.  It is a process and each daily success connects to each other.  That is what flying can do for you too.

I am so excited about this day that this is all I am going to write.  I want to participate in life today as Mother Earth begins to open up to us all!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

Day 381 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 381

Day 381
Getting Dressed To Shoes, Hair and Makeup
Thursday, March 15, 2012

Go to www.facebook.com/MarilynsWay for todays blog.  Thank you.

Day 380 "Daily Photo Mini Blog" Day 380

Day 380
Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair & Makeup
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
MARILYN'S WAY Anti Procrastination Day. Well my day isn't going according to plan. Yes, I have my basics done. I have some projects that I would like to do. Of course like a typical SHE I want it all done yesterday. Yes I have my days too. When I have days like this, it always stems back to how well I slept. Lily had to go outside at 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30am. I thought about staying up at 5:30am. I made the decision to go back to sleep and waking up at 10:30am which is later than I normally get up.

What do I do about this? Do I beat myself up because I overslept and haven't been as productive as I would have liked today? Think about it. What good is that going to do? I can't see any good in this way of thinking and yet many of us continue to do this without even realizing it. That happened to me today. I rather surprised myself with this thinking and yet this is only the 5th day since we sprang ahead with the new time change. Remember I said something about allowing yourselves 10 days for the adjustment change? Today I needed to remind myself of this. So for all of you that are affected by the time change, allow yourself some extra TLC. In fact I am going to write TLC on my calendar for the next 5 days. Give it a try for yourself and see if it will work for you. None of us like transition and that is simply all this is. We are transitioning into spring. It's funny how the first day of spring is 5 days away.
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn & Lily

How To Stay Motivated

I hear it all the time.  I have been a bad flybaby and not doing my routines.  Now I am in crisis mode.  Sometimes it is going to happen just like life happens.

Repeat this sentence 3 times, "I always make progress when I JUMP back in!" -Marilyn's Way

The fact is even Neatniks can burnout from housework.  I don't want to rain on anyone's parade.  However, the NATURE of housework contains three of burnouts major stress components:

1.  It is repetitious.

2.  It is never ending.

3.  It is extraordinarily low on positive feedback.

In other words, housework is never done.  There's always more to do.  If you think there is a magic pill, there isn't any.  There are however habits and routines to always do just to keep your home running smoothly.  If you can concentrate on these from my link Where Do I Start? and get comfortable with them first, then whenever you have more time you can do additional routines.  It really is a matter of choosing habits you will do every day no matter what that will keep you motivated.  I was thinking about working on my extra room.  Then I had to ask myself if I had the things on my basic day done.  No I had not.  We don't HAVE to like this.  It is just better for us to know it is for our own good to practice these habits daily.  If you are feeling unmotivated, get back to your basics and get comfortable with them before you take anything new on.  You will thank yourself for it.