I felt like my blog needed a post, so I decided to do this homemaker quiz :)
1 - Have you ever had anyone say anything negative to you about staying at home / working from home?
Short answer, no. A few slips have come out here and there, but for the most part people seem to think it's great that I get to be at home.
2 - What is your favourite/least favourite part of staying at home?
Favourite - Getting to do things mostly on my own timetable. This is especially helpful because I take a medication that really exhausts me some days.
Least Favourite - I really don't get to get out of the house to go places, especially because I'm not able to drive. I get cabin fever pretty bad because of this.
3 - What is your favourite/least favourite chore?
Favourite - Um...I do actually like tidying my office area because it makes me feel peace and I don't mind using our new vacuum either because it's lightweight and cordless.
Least Favourite - BATHROOMS!!! I have 3 young boys, my bathroom gets so disgusting. Dishes is a very close second, though. I cannot wait until next year when we buy a home and will have a dishwasher again.
4 - What time do you wake up / go to bed?
I usually try to be in bed by 10 pm. If I remember to take my pills on time, this is really easy to do. I attempt to be up at 6:30 am, but some days it's a lot closer to 7:30 am, just depending on how my medication is affecting me that morning.
5 - Do you put anything on in the background while you clean/work/cook?
I love using music to motivate me when I'm doing dishes, but for most of the other chores I don't have anything going.
6 - Do you get dressed most days or stay in PJs?
I am HORRIBLE for staying in PJs, but I have just recently tried to get better about getting dressed, so hopefully that will stick.
7 - How often do you do your hair and makeup?
I try to at least get my hair out of my face every day, whether that be with a headband, a ponytail or with bobby pins. I rarely wear makeup just because I buy better quality stuff so I don't want to use it up too quickly.
8 - What is your "trouble zone" or area in your home that needs the most help?
For the whole home, it's my mother-in-law's computer room, which we lovingly have named "The Pit". For rooms that we actually use, it's probably the boys' bedroom. All 3 of them share a room so it gets pretty crazy in there right now.
9 - How often do you find yourself getting distracted?
ALL! THE! TIME!!! If I don't have an incredibly detailed to do list, I will get distracted like nobody's business.
10 - Do you enjoy staying home or do you miss going to a job everyday?
For the most part I love staying at home. I do miss getting to interact with people more regularly, though.
11 - What is your "never ending" chore?
Dishes and laundry
12 - What is your favourite way to relax or have "me" time?
Watching YouTube videos or Netflix.
13 - How often does your husband chip in?
I try to ask for his help as little as possible because he is gone working most of the day, but if do ask for help with something he'll definitely help out.
14 - When do you find time to do my chores?
I try to do them in the morning first thing and then in the evening after supper.
15 - How do you balance being a homemaker and being a student?
Right now my goal is to be done stuff for the home by 9:30 am so that I can focus on my school work until the boys get home after that.
16 - What is your favourite room in your home and why?
I really don't have one here at my mother-in-law's, to be honest. I guess our bedroom because it was John's dad's last big project before he passed away.
17 - What is your least favourite room in your home and why?
The living room because it has shag carpet that is decades old and is a disgusting beast to clean.
18 - Do you feel your home reflects your personal style? Why or why not?
Most definitely not. It's my mother-in-law's, so it's in 70's style earth tones. I am very much into more clean and modern looks with cool tones like grey, turquoise, teal and eggplant purple.
19 - What do your home smell like?
It changes just depending on what I've been cooking. Right now it just smells like the oven because I had the oven cleaning going this morning.
20 - What is your strong point and weak spot when it comes to homemaking?
Strong point - Definitely finding ways to be organized and remembering when we have appointments and things like that.
Weak Spot - Getting things done when I'm struggling with my mental health.
The goings on of our geeky little family and the musings and soapbox moments of the lone female in the group.
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
My Bullet Journal Supplies Fails and Wins
So I decided after my last post that I needed something a lot more lighthearted. I know I've mentioned this year that I've kind of stopped blogging because I started bullet journaling, which has become my favoured form of journaling now. One thing I've really noticed in the BuJo community is that people have a ridiculous amount of supplies for these little notebooks. So I thought I would share what I have tried that I decided wasn't my speed, and also the things I've tried that I love and will continue to use.
NIKKI FAILS
-Staedtler Triplus Fineliners
This was probably the biggest shock for me. They used to be my go-to pens for everything. I loved them. I have a 42 pack of them, so they definitely gave me colour variety. However, I couldn't do thicker lines of colour with them, and trying to colour in pictures or squares with them often caused them to bleed on to the other side of the page. So now my sad 42-pack sits in my desk drawer. I'm thinking they'll probably end up being used a lot for notes for university more than anything else.
-Zebra Mildliners
This was the first thing I really tried to bring colour to my journals with. I used some Christmas money to get them, and honestly they didn't meet my needs. I didn't get enough variety in colours, which is important to me. I especially didn't get many colours I actually liked. So while they seem to be a hot item in the community, they definitely weren't for me. I gifted them to my boys when they decided to jump on the bullet journal train.
-Stencils
I had intended to have bullet journaling help me become more crafty, and I figured stencils would be a great way to do that. I tried them for the first 3 months, and honestly, they just felt like a lot of work to me. Artsy creativity is just not me, and I've come to really embrace that about my self over the past 6 months.
Faber Castell PITT Artist Pens
-I already had some of these that John had given me in my stocking one year. As just a writing pen, I still love them. However, I found they really like to smear a lot when I put colour over top of them, so I started looking for an alternative for my main black pen.
Steadtler Pigment Liners
-I tried these next instead of the previous pens. I liked them even less. I found they didn't write nicely, and I'm kind of a stationery snob, so that was a big hang up for me. I use these black pens a lot each day, so it needs to be something I enjoy using, at least for me.
-Scribbles That Matter Pro Dotted A5 Notebook
It's kind of funny that this is on here, since I've barely even started setting mine up to become my new journal in August. However, I can already tell the the ribbons aren't as nice as the ones in the Leuchtturm 1917s, and the thread binding is definitely not as good. I do like that it has an elastic pen loops, but that just doesn't make up for it's drawbacks for me. However, I'll stick it out for the (estimated) 4 months it'll take me to fill it, and then I'll be back to my notebook of choice.
NIKKI WINS
-Washi Tape
Now, I hardly ever use washi tape to actually decorate my pages with. That would be a fail for me. However, I use it as monthly dividers by wrapping it on both sides of the edge of the first page for each month. It works awesome for this purpose and makes it so easy to find what I'm looking for. I do, occasionally use colourable washi tape to decorate with, but that's very seldom. The main time I use it is the colourable cupcake washi tape I have. I tear off one cupcake, put on on a daily when it's someone's birthday and colour it in with their favourite colour, or a colour that reminds me of them. I got the cupcake washi tape in a subscription box that I got for 3 months.
-Tombow Dual Brush Pens
I cannot say enough good things about these markers. I have the full set of 96, which definitely satisfies my need for colour variety. They have a big brush tip as well as a bullet tip, which enables me to both colour in and write with them, which was important to me, since that is how I make my journals visually appealing to me. The pigmentation for them is phenomenal and they don't bleed through paper, since they are water based. If you have the money, they are definitely worth the price.
-Tombow Mono Drawing Pens
So these are the black pens I ended up settling on. They write very nicely and as long as I let them have about one minute to dry, they don't smear when I colour over them. Tombow has really become my preferred brand over Staedtler. They are more costly, but I truly find the quality to be worth it.
-Pentel Energize Mechanical Pencil 0.7
These have been my pencils of choice for years now, and I honestly can't see that ever changing.
-Fine Nib Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens
This started when I got a red one of these in a subscription box. I love them! They are fairly inexpensive and write extremely well for the cost. John even uses them, and he's a lefty so he normally avoids fountain pens. I use these for my daily journal prompts as well as my journal entries for how each day went. Eventually I hope to move to a higher quality fountain pen for these, but for now, the Platinum Preppy pens definitely do the job.
-Printables on Sticker Paper
This has been a must for me last month and this month. My wrists have been bad, but I like tracking a lot, so I did up printables of most of my trackers on my laptop. I print them off, trim them down to size, and stick them in my journal to use. They do add bulk to the journal, but for me it's worth it.
-Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Dotted Notebooks
These are hands down my favourite easily accessed journals. They are paginated, thread bound, and just plain awesome. They come in a large assortment of colours, which I love. They are definitely the notebook I would recommend, hands down.
***
So that's about it. I still have a deep love for using my bullet journal. It's part of my daily life, and I can't see that changing any time in the foreseeable future.
NIKKI FAILS
-Staedtler Triplus Fineliners
This was probably the biggest shock for me. They used to be my go-to pens for everything. I loved them. I have a 42 pack of them, so they definitely gave me colour variety. However, I couldn't do thicker lines of colour with them, and trying to colour in pictures or squares with them often caused them to bleed on to the other side of the page. So now my sad 42-pack sits in my desk drawer. I'm thinking they'll probably end up being used a lot for notes for university more than anything else.
-Zebra Mildliners
This was the first thing I really tried to bring colour to my journals with. I used some Christmas money to get them, and honestly they didn't meet my needs. I didn't get enough variety in colours, which is important to me. I especially didn't get many colours I actually liked. So while they seem to be a hot item in the community, they definitely weren't for me. I gifted them to my boys when they decided to jump on the bullet journal train.
-Stencils
I had intended to have bullet journaling help me become more crafty, and I figured stencils would be a great way to do that. I tried them for the first 3 months, and honestly, they just felt like a lot of work to me. Artsy creativity is just not me, and I've come to really embrace that about my self over the past 6 months.
Faber Castell PITT Artist Pens
-I already had some of these that John had given me in my stocking one year. As just a writing pen, I still love them. However, I found they really like to smear a lot when I put colour over top of them, so I started looking for an alternative for my main black pen.
Steadtler Pigment Liners
-I tried these next instead of the previous pens. I liked them even less. I found they didn't write nicely, and I'm kind of a stationery snob, so that was a big hang up for me. I use these black pens a lot each day, so it needs to be something I enjoy using, at least for me.
-Scribbles That Matter Pro Dotted A5 Notebook
It's kind of funny that this is on here, since I've barely even started setting mine up to become my new journal in August. However, I can already tell the the ribbons aren't as nice as the ones in the Leuchtturm 1917s, and the thread binding is definitely not as good. I do like that it has an elastic pen loops, but that just doesn't make up for it's drawbacks for me. However, I'll stick it out for the (estimated) 4 months it'll take me to fill it, and then I'll be back to my notebook of choice.
NIKKI WINS
-Washi Tape
Now, I hardly ever use washi tape to actually decorate my pages with. That would be a fail for me. However, I use it as monthly dividers by wrapping it on both sides of the edge of the first page for each month. It works awesome for this purpose and makes it so easy to find what I'm looking for. I do, occasionally use colourable washi tape to decorate with, but that's very seldom. The main time I use it is the colourable cupcake washi tape I have. I tear off one cupcake, put on on a daily when it's someone's birthday and colour it in with their favourite colour, or a colour that reminds me of them. I got the cupcake washi tape in a subscription box that I got for 3 months.
-Tombow Dual Brush Pens
I cannot say enough good things about these markers. I have the full set of 96, which definitely satisfies my need for colour variety. They have a big brush tip as well as a bullet tip, which enables me to both colour in and write with them, which was important to me, since that is how I make my journals visually appealing to me. The pigmentation for them is phenomenal and they don't bleed through paper, since they are water based. If you have the money, they are definitely worth the price.
-Tombow Mono Drawing Pens
So these are the black pens I ended up settling on. They write very nicely and as long as I let them have about one minute to dry, they don't smear when I colour over them. Tombow has really become my preferred brand over Staedtler. They are more costly, but I truly find the quality to be worth it.
-Pentel Energize Mechanical Pencil 0.7
These have been my pencils of choice for years now, and I honestly can't see that ever changing.
-Fine Nib Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens
This started when I got a red one of these in a subscription box. I love them! They are fairly inexpensive and write extremely well for the cost. John even uses them, and he's a lefty so he normally avoids fountain pens. I use these for my daily journal prompts as well as my journal entries for how each day went. Eventually I hope to move to a higher quality fountain pen for these, but for now, the Platinum Preppy pens definitely do the job.
-Printables on Sticker Paper
This has been a must for me last month and this month. My wrists have been bad, but I like tracking a lot, so I did up printables of most of my trackers on my laptop. I print them off, trim them down to size, and stick them in my journal to use. They do add bulk to the journal, but for me it's worth it.
-Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Dotted Notebooks
These are hands down my favourite easily accessed journals. They are paginated, thread bound, and just plain awesome. They come in a large assortment of colours, which I love. They are definitely the notebook I would recommend, hands down.
***
So that's about it. I still have a deep love for using my bullet journal. It's part of my daily life, and I can't see that changing any time in the foreseeable future.
Monday, June 11, 2018
Confessions of a Life Long Warrior
When you sit down at psychiatric assessment or an initial counselling appointment, you tend to get asked some thought provoking questions. I went through this last fall as I first met with my social worker, and then again with my psychiatrist. They both asked me "How long have you suffered from depression and anxiety?". My answer was the same for both of them. "I don't remember a time when I didn't suffer from them".
Think back to your earliest memory. How old are you in it? In mine, I'm about 3 years old. My shirt is red, white and blue. I'm eating from a box of Ritz crackers in front of our house. That singular memory is probably the only time in my life it wasn't an issue for me. By the time my memories in general kick in (age 4), I have the signs of depression and anxiety.
By the time I was Brettley's age (7), I had started counselling for being deemed an 'unruly child' with some not-so-fun side effects. By the time I was Ty's age (9), I had PTSD. By the time I was Caleb's age (11), my OCD symptoms had set in and I had essentially lost control of myself. All before I entered junior high.
I entered many years of extreme rebellion. Mental illness was so much less understood then, and no one could piece together what they were seeing. I was labelled cynical, morose, depressed, difficult, out-of-control, suicidal, disturbingly obsessed, etc. I won't lie, they were all accurate descriptions of me. They just weren't my fault.
I knew I was different from my peers, I felt distinctly different, and so I just kept fighting harder and harder to be different. I guess I subscribed to the idea that if you're in for a penny, you may as well be in for a pound. You know, if you're going to do something, do it well. I didn't want to be like everyone else. They didn't understand me, and I didn't want to be someone who didn't understand where other people came from. I lived in small-town Alberta and I refused to 'become' small-town Alberta (ha, oh this is making me laugh now as a 33 year old living in...small-town Alberta). I couldn't help rebelling, it was like the biggest inner desire of my teenage heart. I don't mean typical teenage rebellion, I mean deep-down full-hearted rebellion.
Through my years as an adult, I have kept some of that rebellious streak, no matter how "mainstream" I slowly became. Maybe it's made a little easier that what was considered mainstream when I was a teen is now considered woefully out of date, so I'm still not mainstream. Part of me still has that burning need to not conform to the people around me. I'm going to go out on a limb and just assume here that feeling different has just become ingrained in my sense of identity.
My hair has usually been the easiest way to do this. Keep cutting it short and spiky, dye it purple, teal or bleach it out. It's so easy, it's not permanent, and short of it maybe not being always appropriate to go in to the temple with, it's not so rebellious that everyone thinks I'm a total heathen. I won't lie, when we moved here last year I was tempted to swear that I'd never grown my hair out and I really just wanted to dye it bright blue.
Yes, being different seems to be how my brain defines me. It's all it really knows. By the time I had a sense of self at the age of 8, mental illness already had me deep in its clutches.
So this begs the question for me, how do you learn to find who you actually are separate from your mental illness? I don't know who that person is. I've essentially never met her. It's possibly that I never will, in this mortal life. Stable is stable, not free. The only way my illness will allow me to define myself is 'different'. You can tell me that I'm a Child of God until you're blue in the face. I logically know that, but I can't reconcile that with how my illness allows me to define myself. I know I'm a wife and a mother, but my illness will only allow me to say I'm those things if I include my diagnoses with them. Some days I wonder, is this really all I will ever be? Is it all I am?
This, this is living with mental illness.
***
Okay, so now that you've read those super positive and uplifting musings...Those were seriously just thoughts I had on my mind today that begged to be unleashed. I sat and wrote them out while I was listening to the soundtrack for The Greatest Showman, and I was happily singing along. I mean, I had a Dr Pepper, so clearly life was good in the moment :) They weren't written as a desperate cry for help as I rocked back in forth in my bed. My point that I was hoping to make is that this is a lifelong illness that will continue to need support on and off as long as I live. It is what it is. Accepting it for what it is puts me in a much better position to actually treat it effectively. Also, sometimes we just need someone to listen without judgement. Mental illness is real, it exists, and I am just sitting here still trying to figure out how to help break the stigma that comes with it. I also keep noticing a lot of similarities between my walk and Caleb's and writing it out helps me piece things together a lot more easily. So thank you for listening to my Monday afternoon ramblings that were inspired by a week of strep throat and a sinus infection. Also, now I really want to go watch The Greatest Showman!
Also, I'm still using my bullet journals daily, so my regular journaling remains in there. Seriously, I love my journals!
Think back to your earliest memory. How old are you in it? In mine, I'm about 3 years old. My shirt is red, white and blue. I'm eating from a box of Ritz crackers in front of our house. That singular memory is probably the only time in my life it wasn't an issue for me. By the time my memories in general kick in (age 4), I have the signs of depression and anxiety.
By the time I was Brettley's age (7), I had started counselling for being deemed an 'unruly child' with some not-so-fun side effects. By the time I was Ty's age (9), I had PTSD. By the time I was Caleb's age (11), my OCD symptoms had set in and I had essentially lost control of myself. All before I entered junior high.
I entered many years of extreme rebellion. Mental illness was so much less understood then, and no one could piece together what they were seeing. I was labelled cynical, morose, depressed, difficult, out-of-control, suicidal, disturbingly obsessed, etc. I won't lie, they were all accurate descriptions of me. They just weren't my fault.
I knew I was different from my peers, I felt distinctly different, and so I just kept fighting harder and harder to be different. I guess I subscribed to the idea that if you're in for a penny, you may as well be in for a pound. You know, if you're going to do something, do it well. I didn't want to be like everyone else. They didn't understand me, and I didn't want to be someone who didn't understand where other people came from. I lived in small-town Alberta and I refused to 'become' small-town Alberta (ha, oh this is making me laugh now as a 33 year old living in...small-town Alberta). I couldn't help rebelling, it was like the biggest inner desire of my teenage heart. I don't mean typical teenage rebellion, I mean deep-down full-hearted rebellion.
Through my years as an adult, I have kept some of that rebellious streak, no matter how "mainstream" I slowly became. Maybe it's made a little easier that what was considered mainstream when I was a teen is now considered woefully out of date, so I'm still not mainstream. Part of me still has that burning need to not conform to the people around me. I'm going to go out on a limb and just assume here that feeling different has just become ingrained in my sense of identity.
My hair has usually been the easiest way to do this. Keep cutting it short and spiky, dye it purple, teal or bleach it out. It's so easy, it's not permanent, and short of it maybe not being always appropriate to go in to the temple with, it's not so rebellious that everyone thinks I'm a total heathen. I won't lie, when we moved here last year I was tempted to swear that I'd never grown my hair out and I really just wanted to dye it bright blue.
Yes, being different seems to be how my brain defines me. It's all it really knows. By the time I had a sense of self at the age of 8, mental illness already had me deep in its clutches.
So this begs the question for me, how do you learn to find who you actually are separate from your mental illness? I don't know who that person is. I've essentially never met her. It's possibly that I never will, in this mortal life. Stable is stable, not free. The only way my illness will allow me to define myself is 'different'. You can tell me that I'm a Child of God until you're blue in the face. I logically know that, but I can't reconcile that with how my illness allows me to define myself. I know I'm a wife and a mother, but my illness will only allow me to say I'm those things if I include my diagnoses with them. Some days I wonder, is this really all I will ever be? Is it all I am?
This, this is living with mental illness.
***
Okay, so now that you've read those super positive and uplifting musings...Those were seriously just thoughts I had on my mind today that begged to be unleashed. I sat and wrote them out while I was listening to the soundtrack for The Greatest Showman, and I was happily singing along. I mean, I had a Dr Pepper, so clearly life was good in the moment :) They weren't written as a desperate cry for help as I rocked back in forth in my bed. My point that I was hoping to make is that this is a lifelong illness that will continue to need support on and off as long as I live. It is what it is. Accepting it for what it is puts me in a much better position to actually treat it effectively. Also, sometimes we just need someone to listen without judgement. Mental illness is real, it exists, and I am just sitting here still trying to figure out how to help break the stigma that comes with it. I also keep noticing a lot of similarities between my walk and Caleb's and writing it out helps me piece things together a lot more easily. So thank you for listening to my Monday afternoon ramblings that were inspired by a week of strep throat and a sinus infection. Also, now I really want to go watch The Greatest Showman!
Also, I'm still using my bullet journals daily, so my regular journaling remains in there. Seriously, I love my journals!
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Bullet Journal Overview
Pre-Blog Post Comment:
I have been quiet on my blog, not because things have been going bad, but because they've been going very well. I have leveled out and been stable for almost 2 months now. I have been productive, motivated and happy. It's been great, but I've been using that toward things like housework, journalling, university (yep, you heard me right) and such.
***
I've had lots of people ask me about what a bullet journal is and what do I use it for. I actually am working out of 4 of them right now. I know it sounds ridiculous, ha ha. Here's what they are:
1) My current general bullet journal that will be full at the end of the month
2) The general bullet journal I'm preparing to move to in May
3) My bullet journal that is strictly for tracking university stuff
4) My mental health journal
So I decided to share on here how I use each of them. First up is my mental health journal. I use a monthly overview to track physical symptoms (appetite, tiredness, cramps, etc), behaviours and habits (taking meds, eating meals, amount of recreational technology use, etc) and my moods throughout each day. I also write a little daily summary for each day about my mental health that day. Now that I have graduated from counselling, it is especially important for me to keep track of things so that I can easily see if I need extra help again down the road.
Next is my university journal. I recently registered for my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. I may go for my Masters in Counselling after that, I'm not sure yet. I am taking 1 course over the summer. I can't submit anything for an official grade until June 1, but because I already have access, I started doing the work this past Monday. Here are the things I track in my school journal:
-Tuition Payment Tracking (both of my parents are helping, as well as John and I, so this keeps everything straight)
-Courses Tracking (course code, start date, end date and final grade)
-Daily Schedule (how I'm staying on track with school, housework and life)
-Semester Overview (an at-a-glance spread where I can track important dates like exams)
-Course Information pages (name of course, grades for assignments and exams, unit topics)
-Test Prep Tips (I get exam anxiety, so this is a big thing for me)
-Week at a Glance (planned work for each day, appointments, meals I ate each day and daily hydration trackers)
-Dailies (log of how I spent my time and daily tasks for school work)
(I use an app called ATracker on my iPhone to keep track of how I spend my time)
Last is my general bullet journal, which is my most used and most loved. Here's what I put in it:
-Annual Calendar
-Calendex (future planning using a calendar/index hybrid, I LOVE IT)
-Prayer Log of people I'm praying for
-Annual Goals and Steps of How I Plan to Achieve Them
-Financial Trackers
-Books to Read & Ones I Finished
-Weight Loss Tracker
-Planned Outfits (This is my motivation to not wear PJs 24/7)
-Self Care Ideas
-Boys' Cleaning Trackers (They have to do 30 days to earn a reward)
-Stationary Wish List (right now I'm working on Tombow Dual Brush Markers)
-Presents to Buy for People (birthdays, Christmas, etc)
-When Did We Last? (change toothbrushes, oil, furnace filter, backup laptop, etc)
-Birthdays
-Ink Tests and Swatches
-Packing Lists for Travelling
-InCoWriMo 2019 Plans
-Monthly
-Level 10 Life Assessment
-Affirmations
-Climate Tracker (high, low, pop, air pressure and quality, etc)
-Gratitude (1 or more things each day)
-Mood Tracker (I use this super cute mandala thing that I love)
-Journalling Challenge (I am doing Boho Berry Challenge)
-Days and Tasks to Keep in Mind
-Health Tracker
-Habit Tracker
-Week at a Glance
-Appointments and Events (taken from my Calendex)
-Tasks
-Suppers
-Chores
-Exercise Plans
-Contact People Plans (so I don't forget)
-Future Appointments (referenced into Calendex)
-School Council Notes and Tasks (I'm secretary)
-Dailies
-Expected Weather
-Planned Schedule of Day
-Tasks to Complete that Day
-Appointments, Events or Birthdays that Day
-A small write-up about things that happened that day
I have been quiet on my blog, not because things have been going bad, but because they've been going very well. I have leveled out and been stable for almost 2 months now. I have been productive, motivated and happy. It's been great, but I've been using that toward things like housework, journalling, university (yep, you heard me right) and such.
***
I've had lots of people ask me about what a bullet journal is and what do I use it for. I actually am working out of 4 of them right now. I know it sounds ridiculous, ha ha. Here's what they are:
1) My current general bullet journal that will be full at the end of the month
2) The general bullet journal I'm preparing to move to in May
3) My bullet journal that is strictly for tracking university stuff
4) My mental health journal
So I decided to share on here how I use each of them. First up is my mental health journal. I use a monthly overview to track physical symptoms (appetite, tiredness, cramps, etc), behaviours and habits (taking meds, eating meals, amount of recreational technology use, etc) and my moods throughout each day. I also write a little daily summary for each day about my mental health that day. Now that I have graduated from counselling, it is especially important for me to keep track of things so that I can easily see if I need extra help again down the road.
Next is my university journal. I recently registered for my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. I may go for my Masters in Counselling after that, I'm not sure yet. I am taking 1 course over the summer. I can't submit anything for an official grade until June 1, but because I already have access, I started doing the work this past Monday. Here are the things I track in my school journal:
-Tuition Payment Tracking (both of my parents are helping, as well as John and I, so this keeps everything straight)
-Courses Tracking (course code, start date, end date and final grade)
-Daily Schedule (how I'm staying on track with school, housework and life)
-Semester Overview (an at-a-glance spread where I can track important dates like exams)
-Course Information pages (name of course, grades for assignments and exams, unit topics)
-Test Prep Tips (I get exam anxiety, so this is a big thing for me)
-Week at a Glance (planned work for each day, appointments, meals I ate each day and daily hydration trackers)
-Dailies (log of how I spent my time and daily tasks for school work)
(I use an app called ATracker on my iPhone to keep track of how I spend my time)
Last is my general bullet journal, which is my most used and most loved. Here's what I put in it:
-Annual Calendar
-Calendex (future planning using a calendar/index hybrid, I LOVE IT)
-Prayer Log of people I'm praying for
-Annual Goals and Steps of How I Plan to Achieve Them
-Financial Trackers
-Books to Read & Ones I Finished
-Weight Loss Tracker
-Planned Outfits (This is my motivation to not wear PJs 24/7)
-Self Care Ideas
-Boys' Cleaning Trackers (They have to do 30 days to earn a reward)
-Stationary Wish List (right now I'm working on Tombow Dual Brush Markers)
-Presents to Buy for People (birthdays, Christmas, etc)
-When Did We Last? (change toothbrushes, oil, furnace filter, backup laptop, etc)
-Birthdays
-Ink Tests and Swatches
-Packing Lists for Travelling
-InCoWriMo 2019 Plans
-Monthly
-Level 10 Life Assessment
-Affirmations
-Climate Tracker (high, low, pop, air pressure and quality, etc)
-Gratitude (1 or more things each day)
-Mood Tracker (I use this super cute mandala thing that I love)
-Journalling Challenge (I am doing Boho Berry Challenge)
-Days and Tasks to Keep in Mind
-Health Tracker
-Habit Tracker
-Week at a Glance
-Appointments and Events (taken from my Calendex)
-Tasks
-Suppers
-Chores
-Exercise Plans
-Contact People Plans (so I don't forget)
-Future Appointments (referenced into Calendex)
-School Council Notes and Tasks (I'm secretary)
-Dailies
-Expected Weather
-Planned Schedule of Day
-Tasks to Complete that Day
-Appointments, Events or Birthdays that Day
-A small write-up about things that happened that day
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
February 2018
So I've found that now that I'm bullet journalling it's easier to remember what to blog about. I have all of my events and appointments in one place, and each month has a page specifically for me to write what I want to blog about from that month.
Early in February we got to watch the 2 episodes of Family Feud that our friend, Heidi, was on. We enjoyed getting to see it and hearing about how hot her husband is (ha ha).
Caleb went to a gun show with his uncle and cousin. He bought himself a hunting journal and a set of throwing knives. He is so excited to be old enough to start hunting this fall. Where has the time gone?
I bought a kitchen table for $10 that I'm going to refinish this spring. I'm really excited about this project.
We brought my drafting desk in to the house and it sits right in front of our big living room window. I love having something of mine in here.
Things got pretty rough for Caleb for a while. His anxiety and depression reared their ugly heads. We stayed right on top of it. His psychiatrist put him on an antidepressant, we met with the teachers at the school about it and he will start counselling next month as well. We can already see the medication making a big difference for him and are so glad we dealt with things immediately. We are also blessed with him having such a wonderful pediatric psychiatrist.
We had a nasty cold go through our house this month. It started with Brettley having croup and ending up in the ER one night. I joked that it's not winter until one of our kids goes to the ER with severe croup. It spread to his chest and from there we all took turns being sick. I'm still fighting mine off.
Ty sang the US and Canadian national anthems at the Hurricanes game with the school choir this month. They did very well, and he loved it.
John and I managed to find time to have a lunch date at Tony Roma's this month. We also played my original D&D campaign for the first time in years. I loved it.
For the first time since last May, I dyed my hair. It is a really fun shade of red and I am loving it. I really needed a pick-me-up, and it helped a lot.
Ty and Brettley started basketball camp on Saturdays at the school. They aren't terribly coordinated, but they had fun. I also registered Brettley for soccer starting in late April. He is super excited about it.
This evening we got to go to the grade 1 project-based learning showcase at the school. Brettley showed us a bunch of stuff about animals he did. He was so proud of himself.
Also, I am currently going through a change with my meds. While we got my anxiety mostly under control, my depression was/is still extremely bad. So the psychiatrist lowered my Seroquel from 75 mg back down to 50 mg, because I'm tired all of the time. I have now started taking Cipralex (an antidepressant) in addition to that. Hopefully we will figure out what will work best for me. For now, I'm just taking things 1 day at a time, sometimes 1 hour at a time. My bullet journal gives me something to focus on that helps me find a bit of happiness, so I'm really grateful that I took a chance and tried it out.
Early in February we got to watch the 2 episodes of Family Feud that our friend, Heidi, was on. We enjoyed getting to see it and hearing about how hot her husband is (ha ha).
Caleb went to a gun show with his uncle and cousin. He bought himself a hunting journal and a set of throwing knives. He is so excited to be old enough to start hunting this fall. Where has the time gone?
I bought a kitchen table for $10 that I'm going to refinish this spring. I'm really excited about this project.
We brought my drafting desk in to the house and it sits right in front of our big living room window. I love having something of mine in here.
Things got pretty rough for Caleb for a while. His anxiety and depression reared their ugly heads. We stayed right on top of it. His psychiatrist put him on an antidepressant, we met with the teachers at the school about it and he will start counselling next month as well. We can already see the medication making a big difference for him and are so glad we dealt with things immediately. We are also blessed with him having such a wonderful pediatric psychiatrist.
We had a nasty cold go through our house this month. It started with Brettley having croup and ending up in the ER one night. I joked that it's not winter until one of our kids goes to the ER with severe croup. It spread to his chest and from there we all took turns being sick. I'm still fighting mine off.
Ty sang the US and Canadian national anthems at the Hurricanes game with the school choir this month. They did very well, and he loved it.
John and I managed to find time to have a lunch date at Tony Roma's this month. We also played my original D&D campaign for the first time in years. I loved it.
For the first time since last May, I dyed my hair. It is a really fun shade of red and I am loving it. I really needed a pick-me-up, and it helped a lot.
Ty and Brettley started basketball camp on Saturdays at the school. They aren't terribly coordinated, but they had fun. I also registered Brettley for soccer starting in late April. He is super excited about it.
This evening we got to go to the grade 1 project-based learning showcase at the school. Brettley showed us a bunch of stuff about animals he did. He was so proud of himself.
Also, I am currently going through a change with my meds. While we got my anxiety mostly under control, my depression was/is still extremely bad. So the psychiatrist lowered my Seroquel from 75 mg back down to 50 mg, because I'm tired all of the time. I have now started taking Cipralex (an antidepressant) in addition to that. Hopefully we will figure out what will work best for me. For now, I'm just taking things 1 day at a time, sometimes 1 hour at a time. My bullet journal gives me something to focus on that helps me find a bit of happiness, so I'm really grateful that I took a chance and tried it out.
Thursday, February 1, 2018
January 2018
January began with the passing of the prophet, President Thomas S Monson. I loved hearing him talk and tell stories in his comforting grandfather voice. He was a shining example of humble service. He will be greatly missed. My boys were very sad. Caleb was only a toddler when President Hinckley passed away, so this is the first time he has gone through this, really. It was so comforting to know that the Lord already had a plan in place for who would next lead the church, under His direction. I could see in the past couple of years how President Nelson was being prepared to take up the task, and grew in my love for him and his devotion to doing the work of the Lord.
I started reading again this past month, which was a big deal. I had stopped reading when I got really sick last year, so it's nice to be enjoying something that has been a lifelong hobby for me. Brettley also hit a reading milestone and is officially reading grade 2 level books now. I suspect he'll get to grade 3 books before the end of the year. Caleb is now reading high school level books, and apparently asking college level questions in science class. Ty has grown to love reading so much this year, which is such a joy to see.
I began my calling in nursery and was surprised by how quickly I fell in love with it. I had been in nursery when we left Edmonton and it had never been a happy place for me there, but here I instantly felt connected to these young ones and love their sweet little spirits. They are truly a joy to be around.
I discovered bullet journaling this month. It's a system that was made for me, I'm sure. I love lists, calendars, being organized, office supplies, and this combines them all. I've been loving it!
I finally got around to making a large wall calendar project that I'd been wanting to make for the past several years. John was a big help with it.
I got to see C, L's mom, when we were out shopping one day, which was a wonderful experience.
I have started walking more, outside and doing steps inside when it's too cold or icy. I found this really cool thing where it tells you the distances between locations from Middle Earth (Tolkien's world), so I'm using that to set goals for myself.
Last weekend I attended our Stake Relief Society Conference, which was amazing. I attended 2 classes. The first was 'The Courage to be Imperfect' which referenced Elder Holland's October 2017 talk quite a bit. The second class I went to was 'Don't Look Around, Look Up' where we talked a lot about the need to look to the Lord instead of comparing ourselves to others. We all got to listen to Dr Wayne Burton talk as well as play and sing for us. There was a wonderful luncheon afterward. I'm so glad I got to have that uplifting experience.
Yesterday was Bell Let's Talk, which I actively participated in to help fundraise, but also to bring awareness about the need that still exists for more education for the general public, more research and better access to supports. Obviously, this is something that is very near and dear to my heart. Caleb had a psychiatrist appointment yesterday and he gets to come off of his last medication. It was a very happy victory to see him have come this far from where we were even 2 years ago. He is such a brave little fighter.
I started reading again this past month, which was a big deal. I had stopped reading when I got really sick last year, so it's nice to be enjoying something that has been a lifelong hobby for me. Brettley also hit a reading milestone and is officially reading grade 2 level books now. I suspect he'll get to grade 3 books before the end of the year. Caleb is now reading high school level books, and apparently asking college level questions in science class. Ty has grown to love reading so much this year, which is such a joy to see.
I began my calling in nursery and was surprised by how quickly I fell in love with it. I had been in nursery when we left Edmonton and it had never been a happy place for me there, but here I instantly felt connected to these young ones and love their sweet little spirits. They are truly a joy to be around.
I discovered bullet journaling this month. It's a system that was made for me, I'm sure. I love lists, calendars, being organized, office supplies, and this combines them all. I've been loving it!
I finally got around to making a large wall calendar project that I'd been wanting to make for the past several years. John was a big help with it.
I got to see C, L's mom, when we were out shopping one day, which was a wonderful experience.
I have started walking more, outside and doing steps inside when it's too cold or icy. I found this really cool thing where it tells you the distances between locations from Middle Earth (Tolkien's world), so I'm using that to set goals for myself.
Last weekend I attended our Stake Relief Society Conference, which was amazing. I attended 2 classes. The first was 'The Courage to be Imperfect' which referenced Elder Holland's October 2017 talk quite a bit. The second class I went to was 'Don't Look Around, Look Up' where we talked a lot about the need to look to the Lord instead of comparing ourselves to others. We all got to listen to Dr Wayne Burton talk as well as play and sing for us. There was a wonderful luncheon afterward. I'm so glad I got to have that uplifting experience.
Yesterday was Bell Let's Talk, which I actively participated in to help fundraise, but also to bring awareness about the need that still exists for more education for the general public, more research and better access to supports. Obviously, this is something that is very near and dear to my heart. Caleb had a psychiatrist appointment yesterday and he gets to come off of his last medication. It was a very happy victory to see him have come this far from where we were even 2 years ago. He is such a brave little fighter.
Sunday, January 14, 2018
(Very Late) 2017 Q&A
What can I say? I'm a few weeks behind, ha ha.
1) What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?
Made a move across the province based totally on faith, joined a school council, see Queen + Adam Lambert in concert, canning vegetables.
2) Did you keep your new year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
To play more games with my kids, yes. To be healthier, not so much.
3) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
4) Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my brother-in-law
5) What countries did you visit?
As usual, we didn't even leave our province.
6) What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
Better anxiety management.
7) What dates from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 7th, for sure, the night that my brother-in-law's mortal journey came to a quick and unexpected end. Also, June 16th because it was the day we finally moved to Magrath. July 4th, for the concert, as well.
8) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Honestly, getting through it was my biggest achievement. I was battling some extremely big trials.
9) What was your biggest failure?
I don't know that I'd call anything a failure, they were all learning experiences. (exactly what I said last year, but it still holds)
10) Did you or someone close suffer illness or injury?
Brettley's ear was sliced open really bad in November.
11) What was the best thing you bought?
The concert tickets!
12) Where did most of your money go?
A lot went toward moving, and we had to put quite a bit in to our van as well.
13) What song will always remind you of 2017?
Believer by Imagine Dragons
14) Compared the this time last year are you more happy or more sad?
I think (?) I'm happier. I was struggling a lot with anxiety at this time last year. I'm getting a good handle on my life the past couple of weeks and I feel positive about the future, so I'm definitely improving.
15) What do you wish you'd done more of?
Learning how to manage my anxiety better. That is probably my biggest goal for this year.
16) What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being depressed (?). Not a lot I could do about it, but I wish I hadn't needed to go through it.
17) How did you spend Christmas?
We did Christmas morning in our house (our nephew was here as well). Then we hosted a movie day in our garage for our most of our nieces and nephews, had supper with everyone (lasagna, garlic bread and Caesar salad) and then played Dungeons and Dragons with several of our nieces and nephews.
18) What was your favourite TV program?
Gilmore Girls (rewatching the series for the 5th time right now) and I got in to watching The Good Doctor.
19) What were your favourite books of the year?
All of the James L Ferrell books I read. They were all amazing.
20) What were your favourite treats/food in 2017?
Miss Vickie's Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar Chips (as always), SASH pizza and bacon.
21) What were your favourite movies of the year?
Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them. And Moana.
22) What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I turned 33. My dad was here that week, my brother came for a visit and I had very bad brain fog adjusting to a new dosage of my meds. Oh, I also had a few appointments that day.
23) What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
Not struggling with severe anxiety and depression.
24) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
If it fits and it's comfy then we're good, ha ha. (same as last year)
25) What kept you sane?
John, my niece (Charli), Aunt Christine, Alicia, Gilmore Girls and Dr Pepper
26) What was a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017?
Trusting in Heavenly Father and acting upon that trust, even when you can't see how things can possibly work out, will result in blessings that you can't even imagine at the time.
Also, don't try to fight your battles alone. Ask for help when you need it!
Finally, that severe depressive cycles won't last forever. YAY!
1) What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?
Made a move across the province based totally on faith, joined a school council, see Queen + Adam Lambert in concert, canning vegetables.
2) Did you keep your new year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
To play more games with my kids, yes. To be healthier, not so much.
3) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
4) Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my brother-in-law
5) What countries did you visit?
As usual, we didn't even leave our province.
6) What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
Better anxiety management.
7) What dates from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 7th, for sure, the night that my brother-in-law's mortal journey came to a quick and unexpected end. Also, June 16th because it was the day we finally moved to Magrath. July 4th, for the concert, as well.
8) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Honestly, getting through it was my biggest achievement. I was battling some extremely big trials.
9) What was your biggest failure?
I don't know that I'd call anything a failure, they were all learning experiences. (exactly what I said last year, but it still holds)
10) Did you or someone close suffer illness or injury?
Brettley's ear was sliced open really bad in November.
11) What was the best thing you bought?
The concert tickets!
12) Where did most of your money go?
A lot went toward moving, and we had to put quite a bit in to our van as well.
13) What song will always remind you of 2017?
Believer by Imagine Dragons
14) Compared the this time last year are you more happy or more sad?
I think (?) I'm happier. I was struggling a lot with anxiety at this time last year. I'm getting a good handle on my life the past couple of weeks and I feel positive about the future, so I'm definitely improving.
15) What do you wish you'd done more of?
Learning how to manage my anxiety better. That is probably my biggest goal for this year.
16) What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being depressed (?). Not a lot I could do about it, but I wish I hadn't needed to go through it.
17) How did you spend Christmas?
We did Christmas morning in our house (our nephew was here as well). Then we hosted a movie day in our garage for our most of our nieces and nephews, had supper with everyone (lasagna, garlic bread and Caesar salad) and then played Dungeons and Dragons with several of our nieces and nephews.
18) What was your favourite TV program?
Gilmore Girls (rewatching the series for the 5th time right now) and I got in to watching The Good Doctor.
19) What were your favourite books of the year?
All of the James L Ferrell books I read. They were all amazing.
20) What were your favourite treats/food in 2017?
Miss Vickie's Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar Chips (as always), SASH pizza and bacon.
21) What were your favourite movies of the year?
Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them. And Moana.
22) What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I turned 33. My dad was here that week, my brother came for a visit and I had very bad brain fog adjusting to a new dosage of my meds. Oh, I also had a few appointments that day.
23) What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
Not struggling with severe anxiety and depression.
24) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
If it fits and it's comfy then we're good, ha ha. (same as last year)
25) What kept you sane?
John, my niece (Charli), Aunt Christine, Alicia, Gilmore Girls and Dr Pepper
26) What was a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017?
Trusting in Heavenly Father and acting upon that trust, even when you can't see how things can possibly work out, will result in blessings that you can't even imagine at the time.
Also, don't try to fight your battles alone. Ask for help when you need it!
Finally, that severe depressive cycles won't last forever. YAY!
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