Mom’s Notebook

The Contents of Mom’s Notebook are Divided into the Following Categories:

• CALENDAR — A family calendar is kept in the first section of the binder, so that the current month is clearly visible as soon as I open my notebook, displayed behind (not inside) an empty sleeve protector to keep it from getting pulled out accidentally. Successive months follow that, then two year-at-a-glance calendars (one for the current year and one for next). On the monthly calendar pages, I keep track of upcoming appointments, lessons, and other commitments. But as the month progresses, I also use it as a very concise, very messy journal of sorts, recording in every little square a few words about something that happened in our household that day — baby took a step, brother lost a tooth, sister made a doll dress, neighbors came to visit — these aren’t necessarily big things, just a sampling of what our lives are like at a particular point in time. At the end of the month, I transfer my notes neatly to keepsake calendar page, adding little drawings to make it fun. Then I color it in and make enough photocopies to go in each of our children’s scrapbooks. This keeps me from having to “journal” the same explanations a dozen different times, and also helps me organize photos and mementos in chronological order. If I can’t remember when those pictures were taken at the zoo, I just check my calendar, and – voila – there it is! We were there the 6th of June.
• ACCOUNTS — Next comes the section in my notebook most often referenced by my children: our accounting pages that track the money they’ve earned and what they have available to spend. Refer to finances for a detailed explanation of how our system works.
• ADDRESSES — The next section is a directory of addresses and phone numbers of family members, friends, and businesses we write or call with any regularity. All the information for this personal address book is kept on my computer in a Microsoft Office databank, but I keep a hard copy printed in datasheet form (with everything in columns: first names, last names, addresses, phone numbers, etc) in my notebook. Throughout the year, as we receive change of address cards in the mail, or notices that somebody has gotten married or divorced or widowed, I make note of it on this hard copy, then at year’s end, I type all these changes into the computer and print out a fresh, updated copy.
• TRAVEL — Under this tab, I keep a record of which states and countries have been visited by which family members, using a handy little travel chart I drew up for the purpose. This section also contains a small (8½" x 11")laminated road map, as well as numbers of favorite hotel chains, travel rewards program/ frequent flyer codes, and listings of museums, zoos, and parks across the country that offer reciprocal benefits to members of the various establishments we support, like Discovery Science Place, Caldwell Zoo, and Plimoth Plantation.
• BIBLE — In addition to a 31-day plan for praying for husbands and children, I keep copies of Scripture passages we are working together to memorize in this section, as well as a record of all previously memorized passages for each family member. It is very important to us that our children “hide the Word of God in their hearts”, so we devote school time daily to reviewing selected memory passages and favorite Bible chapters.
• RECORDS — I use this section to record my progress on long-term goals. For instance, one of my goals is to average reading a book a week, so every year, I keep a running list of the books I finish, including title, author, page count, and date completed. (At the end of the year, I type up the results, store it on my computer, and toss the handwritten page, which looks pretty dog-eared by then). I have a similar page for letters written each month, so I can see at a glance whether I sent a birthday card to my sister last week, or mailed a thank you note for that baby gift, or wrote to my in-laws recently. Another page keeps track of various craft projects I complete each month; another tracks reading, writing, exercise, and weight loss goals. At the end of the section is a 7-page outline of life goals I wrote back in 1995 (which haven’t changed significantly), that I re-read at least once a year to remind myself of long-range plans and the steps I must take to reach them.
• SCHOOL — Although I have a separate notebook devoted entirely to homeschooling records, I keep a copy of our hourly school schedule, brief lesson plans for the current semester, and working transcripts for my high schoolers in this section. Also, whenever we have a new driver in the family, I put a copy of his permit and a driving log for supervised instruction time behind this divider tab.
• CHORES — In this section I keep a copy of our current partner (our older children are paired with a younger sibling for safeguarding) and seating assignments (we avoid squabbles about who sits where in the van, at the table, or in the living room by making new seating charts each year). The children are also assigned new chores each year, so that list is also kept in this section. Daily cleaning duties are unpaid, but the older children are allowed to do deep-cleaning to earn money, so a list of those bigger jobs with the standard pay scale is kept in this section, too. Also, once a year I take inventory of minor repairs, decorating ideas, or organizing tasks I want to get done in each room of the house, then print that out and keep a copy under this tab, as well. This is also where you will find copies of Jennifer’s bedroom check charts and her daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly to do lists.
• MENUS — I keep extra copies of my grocery shopping list in this section and weekly menus — a standard chart filled in and ready to go, plus blank menus for weeks I want to try new dishes. I plan to type up calorie counts plus protein/fat/carbohydrate/fiber content of our most frequently eaten foods here for reference in planning my meals and monitoring my weight.
• PROJECTS — This section holds lots of blank paper for brainstorming and sketching. Here is where I track party rsvps, doodle decorating ideas, jot notes for next year’s Christmas letter, keep a running list of “Empty Nest Activities” (like taking glass blowing lessons, volunteering at the public library, or signing up for ballroom dance classes after the children leave home), record quotes, ideas and statistics for book projects, and — more recently — transcribe favorite hymns and folk songs into harmonica sheet music.
• BUSINESS CARDS — In the back of my binder, I have a section of divided sleeves designed to hold business cards, only I use mine to organize shopping cards, insurance information, reward certificates, portrait club coupons, travel program cards, library cards, zoo and museum memberships, movie passes, season passes, dining certificates and coupons, rodeo tickets, state fair passes, etc. I also use sleeves with a larger compartments to hold band aids, alcohol swabs, a small sewing kit, hair elastics, my voter’s registration card, sticky notes, and a couple of credit-card-sized tool logic cards with scissors, flash light, screwdrivers, knife and magnifying glass. I also stash a few postcards, stamps, return address labels, and blank note cards in this section. Last of all, in the page facing my legal pad, I’ve inserted individual pictures of all our kids and grandkids, ready to show off at a moment’s notice, with frequently called phone numbers listed on the back.
• LEGAL PAD — As I already mentioned, there is a slot inside the back cover of my notebook designed to hold a legal pad. I mark lines on the top page dividing it into three columns and two rows, so that I may group tasks under the following headings: Do, Go, Buy, Call, Write, Wish. This maximizes my efficiency. If I must run an errand, I can tell by glancing down my “Go” column what other stops I should make while I’m out. If I must stop at the store to get milk, my “BUY” column reminds me to pick up toilet paper and light bulbs while I’m there. If I schedule desk time to return phone calls, my “CALL” column makes sure I make them all at one time.