Let's Get Organized! Review of Simplified Organization

I've recently been going through Mystie Winckler's Simplified Organization Course. I paid for this course myself because I had seen some of Mystie's YouTube Videos and liked what she had to offer there. I am an affiliate now because I love the course so much! I only become an affiliate of products that I use myself and put into place in my home. So, the links here are my affiliate links.

Simplified Organization is a wonderful ecourse available to you at any time of the day or night. I would highly recommend that you decide on a time that you will complete the course each day. However, I don't think this is a course you will ever actually complete because I find myself going back through the different modules all the time! It's more of a resource course that you can continually reach for on your computer shelf. That's another beauty of the course is that it's a one time purchase and always there for you. You will also receive any updates that may be added. There are forms, mp3's, videos, and many more resources available for you.

The course is set up in 6 modules that each contain a lesson, action step, habit plan, blueprint project, and tool guide:

Module 1: DECIDE
Lesson: Live a Story
Action Steps: Attitude
Habit Plan: Gratitude
Blueprint Project: Brain Dump
Tool Guide: Calendar

Module 2: DECLUTTER

Lesson: Grow in Focus
Action Steps: Health
Habit Plan: EHAP
Blueprint Project: Basic Routines
Tool Guide: Command Center

Module 3: DEFINE
Lesson: See Your Vocation
Action Steps: Paradigm
Habit Plan: Ubiquitous Capture
Blueprint Project: Vocation Statements
Tool Guide: Management System

Module 4: DESIGN
Lesson: Plan in Intervals
Action Steps: Energy
Habit Plan: Weekly Review
Blueprint Project: Intervals
Tool Guide: Weekly Time Budget
Tool Guide: Binder

Module 5: DO
Lesson: Wobble in Balance
Action Steps: Iterations
Habit Plan: Morning Review
Blueprint Project: Process
Tool Guide: Daily Index Card

Module 6: DEVELOP

Lesson: Practice Serving
Action Steps: Serving
Habit Plan: Smile
Blueprint Project: Someday/Maybe List
Tool Guide: Timers and Alarms

I love this course and would highly recommend it to all who are looking for practical steps, encouragement, and inspiration to put plans in place to help your organizational efforts. This program will change the way you think of organizing or at least it did for me! If you are looking for a quick fix, this is not the course for you and really quick fixes don't last for the long haul.

Mystie has also created a sort of bonus course called Work The Plan that will only be available for a short time as well. Again, I purchased this one too and will let you know what I think but so far it's been worth every penny.

Here is a favorite quote that I think sums up Mystie's teaching philosophy regarding organizing our chaos:

"If we truly want to be effective, our planning needs to be about being prepared and ready not about being in control because of course we aren't in control - God is! ...and that's what matters, following the path of faithfulness wherever that path winds and twists."

Here is my current weekly plan list.  You can download it by clicking on the image to tweak for your own needs.  I am still tweaking it constantly!  I know I want to add a section for writing out a memory verse each week as well but for now here is what I have.

Check out Simplified Organization for more details!

Review of Stinky Kid Math

Do you ever find that your child needs extra Math help? Have you ever gone through their current math lesson and felt they just didn't get the concept and needed more practice? I know we have and often. As you reach the higher mathematics levels of Algebra and Geometry, sometimes your student might need extra help. Stinky Kid Math offers students that extra help online with Stinky Kid Math lessons.

We used Stinky Kid Math with Jonathan who is my Senior this year. He has struggled with Math and we gave up on Algebra for a while even. He has since picked the subject back up at his own speed and is doing much better with it. I think the struggle really was that we were moving too fast and he needed to practice and practice the same concept over and over to master it. He also needed different learning opportunities because just a worksheet would drive him insane but then again just going through videos gave the same result - insanity. So, what we have found is that we need to mix in all of these resources for him to give him a variety. Stinky Kid Math provides all of these varieties and we use them as a supplement to our current curriculum giving him the repetition he needs in the concepts as well.

Stinky Kid Math teaches students how math concepts work by breaking them down for you in a practical manner. They offer over 350 videos!  You can use the videos as we did and pair them with the current concept that your child is learning or you can go through the lessons in order. The videos are taught by founder, Todd Matia. We found his teaching style to be extremely down to earth. We also liked the way he broke down the concepts to make them relatable to concepts that you may already know something about. For example, when talking about graphing points, he relates the concept back to reading a map. I'm sure you've heard the question, "Where can I use this in the real world?" before. Well, Mr. Matia tells you! The video lessons are very short so it is easy to add these into your day. He also uses different background settings in the videos which we found fun too. We would try to guess where he was going to come to us from next. 

The set up is so simple and very flexible to use. You simply watch the videos related to the concept you are learning, read any textbook pages given, and complete the worksheets or pick and choose which ones you want to do.

Of course, Jonathan's favorite part of this program was the games that were offered. He said some of them were very challenging for him but he still enjoyed them.

Stinky Kid Math offers a free month trial on their website so you can see if this would be a great fit for your family or not. You can also find out more about them on Facebook and Twitter.

It's A Brand New Week - Let's Rock It!

Top 5 for the week

1. try to rise by 7:30 (we are night owls!)
2. research freezer meals
3. determine "work" hours (reviews, blog, etc)
4. get the jungles cut aka the grass
5. focus on recording some videos

Menu Plan
Dinners:   I'm hoping to add in a new recipe to try each week and a video of us making it and trying it.  We shall see!

• breakfast (either waffles or pancakes) bacon
• chicken pastry, green beans, yams (if I go to grocery store)
• mini meatloaf, mashed potatoes, garden peas
• chicken pasta alfredo
• vegetable beef soup (I can't wait any longer!!)

                       
Reading goals

• Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God
• Judges study with Hellomornings
• Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson

Fitness goals

• try to get at least 5,000 steps daily - I am so sedentary!!
• focus on more fruits and vegetables

New Habit for September

• water, water, water (at least 32 oz per day)

Review of Last Week

Top 5 for the week - yay another great week for the top 5

1. Purposefully listen for God's voice in every detail of my life!
2. morning walk at least 3 days, shoot for 5
3. actually do set chores for all daily - don't skip at least M-F
4. write out morning to do daily
5. night time review

Menu Plan  Didn't get to try the new recipe this week and now we're out of broccoli so putting that one on hold for now!

Dinners:   I'm hoping to add in a new recipe to try each week and a video of us making it and trying it.  We shall see!

                Enchiladas, Spanish rice
                Chicken and rice, peas  
                New Recipe - Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe
                           Ham Steaks, mac n cheese, green beans
                Pizza Boats, cut veggies and dip

                
Reading goals

• Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God caught up
• Judges study with Hellomornings behind 1 day
• Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson behind 1 chapter

Fitness goals only hit the 5,000 one day and really didn't try hard on the fruits/vegetables

• try to get at least 5,000 steps daily - I am so sedentary!!
• focus on more fruits and vegetables

New Habit for September

• water, water, water (at least 32 oz per day) - better this week - hit this 4/7

Linking up with Money Saving Mom.

Weekly Wrap-Up - Week 4

This week included a little woodworking taught by dad and approved by Marley!  She's been needing a doghouse for a while now although she's pretty happy just stretching out on the porch.  It's fun to look out the laundry room window and see her chilling in her house. 

A peak into our school this week looked a whole lot like last week and included.....

• review of the states
• early colonies and life, also a little on British colonies in other countries at the same time
• US Presidents
• more on elements, atoms, and molecules
• fractions and math review

I hope you have a had wonderful week! What was your favorite part of the week? Cooler temperatures and lower humidity at the end of the week was my favorite part!  

Linking up with Weekly Wrap-Up, The Homeschool Mother's Journal.

Weekly Goals and Menu Plan

Here we go again...another week, another plan:

Top 5 for the week

1. Purposefully listen for God's voice in every detail of my life!
2. morning walk at least 3 days, shoot for 5
3. actually do set chores for all daily - don't skip at least M-F
4. write out morning to do daily
5. night time review

Menu Plan
Dinners:   I'm hoping to add in a new recipe to try each week and a video of us making it and trying it.  We shall see!

                Enchiladas, Spanish rice
                Chicken and rice, peas  
                New Recipe - Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe
                           Ham Steaks, mac n cheese, green beans
                Pizza Boats, cut veggies and dip

                
Reading goals

• Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God
• Judges study with Hellomornings
• Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson

Fitness goals

• try to get at least 5,000 steps daily - I am so sedentary!!
• focus on more fruits and vegetables

New Habit for September

• water, water, water (at least 32 oz per day)

Review of Last Week

Top 5 for the week - nice job here

1. celebrate Sarah - she's turning 12 this week!
2. unpack and catch up on laundry
3. ease back into to daily chores
4. go to bed at a decent time
5. update planner dates, reviews, school plans, etc

Menu Plan

Dinners: Okay, really, we need to have those enchiladas this upcoming week!!

Enchiladas, Spanish rice
Chicken Quesadillas
BBQ chicken, broccoli, mashed potatoes
Spaghetti, salads
Chicken and rice, peas

Reading goals - read the weekly amount
Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God
Judges study with Hellomornings
Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson

Fitness goals

decided to just start slow and just start walking - only 2 times last week
I'm starting back with a simple water goal as well - at least 32oz per day - epic fail


Linking up with Money Saving Mom.

Weekly Wrap Up - Week 3

We were on vacation last week and it was extremely educational as we visited Washington, DC and loved every minute of it!  Perfect connection to our American History studies.

A peak into our school this week included.....

• review of the states
• early colonies and life, also a little on British colonies in other countries at the same time
• US Presidents
• more on elements, atoms, and molecules
• fractions and math review
• a 12th birthday to our Princess!!

  

I hope you have a had wonderful week! What was your favorite part of the week? I have 2 - celebrating my baby's 12th birthday and watching her excitement at the little things. She loves to make her own cake every year and I love to see what she comes up with! Also, Stephen and I started learning Spanish together. We've both had many laughs at our southern Spanish accents!

And here's a quote for the week that we saw while in Washington - love!

Linking up with Weekly Wrap-Up, The Homeschool Mother's Journal.

What? No College? It's Okay Mom - Keep Calm!

Here's my confession:  I did not attend college.  It is not really a big secret but I don't think I've ever shared here.  Honestly, it has never made me feel inadequate for teaching my children because I always knew I enjoyed learning and we could learn together if nothing else.

That said, college was a goal I wanted for my children but never their main goal.  The main goal we had when bringing our children home to homeschool was to spend more time together and have more time to grow together in God's Word.  I always try to remember that as we continue our journey.  

So, when my son said he did not want to attend college,...read the rest of the story here.