Quick Tip

Thanks for all of your advice so far.  I think that I need a to-do list, or several, and Mr. MA and I have agreed to spend some time making one, which will help us see where we are going and what is required of us.  One of the lists is going to be a monthly, recurring list, the home maintenance stuff that we can count on having to do each month or season.  Then, we will make our special project wish list, to lay over that, and try to leave some room for emergency stuff as well.

While on the subject of maintenance mode, one thing I have learned is to use any help I can get to make my job easier and more efficient, so that I have at least a fighting chance of getting to special projects or personal time.  I am cooking dinner right now, and I am making use of one of my new favorite tricks, to cover baking sheets with foil before cooking, it makes clean up so, so much quicker.  We are having couscous, balsamic cranberry chicken (marinated with leftover homemade sauce from thanksgiving which I found in the freezer!), and vegetables.  The chicken and it’s messy marinade went on to foil covered pans, so I will have time to read bedtime stories tonight!