This Planner Must Plan!

As I've said before, I'm a big planner. I make lists before every trip as to what to pack for each person, what to pack to eat, what to pack for the dogs, etc. Even if it's just an overnight trip! I plan our dinners out for the week the weekend before and put them up on our chalkboard by the door so The Hubby and the kids (at least the ones who can read) also know what's on the agenda. Then he can grab groceries if needed while I'm at work or start dinner while I'm running kids around or headed home. I think it's part of my control freak and OCD side that makes this something I need to do. I also learned this quote years ago...

Then I quickly learned how true it was. When I'm trying to learn a new plan or stick to a certain way of eating, the fastest way for me to fail is to not be prepared and just try to wing it one too many times.

With that said, this weekend is busy! Gym tonight, photo shoot tomorrow with errands to run after, then a run and maybe a bike ride, and finally a day of four wheeling with friends on Sunday. I will HAVE to plan. I will have to pack snacks and be prepared for things to change at any moment. My shoot on Saturday could be as long as 3-4 hours, so I know I'll need to plan ahead so I don't get so hungry that I feel I have to stop ANYWHERE and get something to fill the need. That's what my trusty lunch bag is for right?? What about four wheeling? Yup, plan again! Pack lots of water, lots of ice (it's supposed to be in the 90s), snacks and mentally prepare myself to eat out... what would be a good option? Salad? Bunless burger? Steak? There really are plenty of options! 

This all may sound hard, but it truly isn't. Well, it's not when you have the right mind set. I make my lunches the night before most work nights. I'll do the same for my shoot on Saturday and have three back up plans for safe stops for lunch afterward where I won't be overly tempted to make bad choices. I'll make a list for Sunday because it's what I do! And on the road trip over to go four wheeling, The Hubby and I will plan out the menu for the week. It's become part of our weekend routine. We did this long before this plan. We've done it since we moved in together. Plan and execute! Make a shopping list... Are we seeing a pattern here? *grin*

I guess what I'm saying is that even if you aren't following a plan right now and just want some more order to your crazy summer days and weeks. Consider planning things out a bit more. Sit down with your calendar and figure out who has to be where, when and what meals need to be quick meals and what meals can take a bit more prep time. When might you have to pack extra snacks for the kids to tide them over for a later dinner? Make a shopping list and post the meal plan for everyone in the house to see. Older kids can even help prep or get the table set or cut up the items for a salad. I have found that having even just dinner worked out for the entire week makes things go a bit smoother overall. Dinner itself may be stressful as we argue is someone to eat their beans, or tell someone else not to touch the sibling next to them... I often have flashbacks of my own childhood at dinner time! But making a plan and sticking to it makes our evenings flow a bit better and helps keep this mama from feeling overly frazzled!

Anyway... try it out! Plan your weekend, plan your meals or even one meal a day and then execute it. See how it goes? Then branch out and plan the week. Maybe even search Pinterest for a new recipe to to try that one night that everyone is home and you have a bit more spare time! We have to keep things exciting in our house or we can easily fall into a food slump which eventually spells disaster! 

Which reminds me... time to search out some new recipes! We've been recycling some of the ones we tried this past month, but it's time to start looking for some new ones to try this month! Anyone have a favorite to share??