'Be Happy'...Milly's mission for 2011

pixiechick99

Ok, here I am with another diary:o

Someone writing in one of the papers this morning wrote about a gift she had - a lovely little notebook with 'Be happy' on the front...the aim was to write something that made you happy in it every day, no matter how small. I just thought it was a lovely idea as I am all too guilty of letting things get me down and forget all the lovely little things that could cheer me up.

So, full of motivation, I march into 2011:T:T

Here's a bit about me...am 30-something (for a little while still!) and am a single mum to 2 lovely girlies who are 13 and 11. I've been on my own a few years now and am quite happy that way...even though sometimes some company would be lovely...but I don't go anywhere to find anyone:rotfl::rotfl:

I work as a teaching assistant and am studying for a foundation degree too. I got begind with my course last year as wasn't well (I have Crohn's disease) and had surgery in the summer. Although it was a while ago now, I still feel rubbish at times - it's very frustrating:( Hopefully, 2011 will be a lot, lot healthier for me. I also need some energy to catch up with uni work and not flunk the course:o

I want to think of some aims and intentions for this year - nothing drastic or unachieveable...I just want to keep organised and focused...oh and cheery:D

As I'm classed as a full time student I have loans and grants thrown at me this year. Recently though, I had the mindset of 'may as well spend it', so haven't been particularly focused. But, the mse-ness seems quite embedded in me and I've not gone too crazy;) I just want to start concentrating on not overspending on groceries and things we don't need. Next year I won't have the student loans so need to keep on track.

Ok, have waffled on for a bit - going to have a think about aims for the year....i will return:D

WelshWoofer

Good luck - looking forward to your lists - love a good list!:p

pixiechick99

Ok, let's get a few ideas down.
I'll just write it in a list as it all comes to me;) I think I'll organise my ideas into different areas....worth a try:

Home
College
Work
Family
Money
Me

Ok, let's start with home....

• groceries - meal plan weekly and write lists from that. I do usually do this but my shopping has been a bit excessive recently.
• keep on top of housework - thinking about a mini flylady. Read on benbenandme's diary about her devising her own little plan to keep on top...so might try think of my own - certain jobs to do weekly, daily etc and could pin it up in kitchen.
• keep my room tidy...it's the very last room I think about, gets a bit dumped on...but I do feel so much better when it's neat and tidy.

Work - hmmmm, all I want to do is be the best I can in my role. I do love it and forget that sometimes...I wouldn't want to do anything else.

College - Here's my most disorganised area...I lack motivation here:(

• break assignments into smaller, achievable tasks
• keep in mind why I am doing it! It's work related, my course, so lots of work based assignments - it will be good for my job to complete it.
• Get to college for the weekly sessions when I can...it motivates me if I see everyone else.
• Use my time - even small periods of time are good

Money

• Make an up to date list of all direct debits, other outgoings and money coming in....haven't done this for a few months.
• Get back to selling bits on ebay when I can - use this money to pay for girls out of school activities. I have a separate account for this that has about £110 in so that'll cover us until Easter I reckon.
• Groceries - keep within my £220 a month budget. Again, I have an account for groceries so all food, cleaning stuff comes from this.
• NSDs - back to counting these - going for 12 in Jan.

Meant to say - I don't have any debt since paying off my last loan in Sept. I did feel like a bit of a cheat as I used student loan/grant to do this....but it was the best way of using the money. And I had to take out the student loans as they look at them with my housing benefit entitlement, regardless of whether you take the loans out - so may as well take the loan and save what I can of it:D

I do have a coupleof hundred on my Next account at the moment, after the sale, but that'll get paid off in full when I've got an exact figure after all returns have gone back.

Family/Me -

• The girls and I need to do more stuff together...not spend too much time on our computers:o So - cooking, board games, films together....that'd be lovely.
• Keep in touch with my family more - I do text my sis a lot but can be guilty of not speaking to mother enough...ooops. Will jsut keep her in the loop...she likes that!
• I have every other weekend to myself when girls stay with their dad...so must make the most of my time. I must consciously take time to look after myself.
• Eat better - I know I don't eat as well as I could and with my dodgy post-op insides, this can only be bad for me. So good food and lots of water are the plan. (Much less diet coke too:o)

Ok....I really have gone on and on - give yourself a medal if you're still with me:T
I may be back with any extras I think of. It's nothing radical, just need to focus my spending and enjoy my life with my girls:)

Keeping_Motivated

Ok. I've got the medal..all sounds good to me. I must do something similar myself.

Happy New Year Milly x

pixiechick99

Keeping_Motivated wrote: »

Ok. I've got the medal..all sounds good to me. I must do something similar myself.

Happy New Year Milly x

Lovely to 'see' you again KM...happy 2011:)

pixiechick99

So, I've started 2011 with an NSD and I came home from my mum's with a pack of muffins and tomato cup a soups:rotfl: Muffins will be for dd1's breakfasts, she loves them toasted, so that's saved me buying some! Good old mums eh:p

Plus I have been busy this afternoon taking the decorations down...took a while but kept me busy (and not napping on the sofa) and I'm happy in my lovely, tidy and de-cluttered lounge. So, that's made me happy today - coming home and being busy and now enjoying my hard work:T

I have a new notebook with divided sections ready to keep all my to-do lists, meal plans, money lists etc in one place. So tomorrow i will get cracking with filling it in...listing direct debits etc.

My Asda shopping was delivered on Thurs - spent £100 and have cupboards now bursting, so hopefully that'll last us at least 2 weeks, apart from milk and fruit/veg.

Ah, it's lovely to be feeling motivated and 'sparkly':j

benbenandme

Nice to see you raring to go Milly

La_escocesa

Yay! Sparkly new diary! Sounds like a lovely start to the new year for you.

...subscribed!

pixiechick99

Lovely to see familiar faces popping in:D

I've had a lazy morning so far - took hours to get to sleep last night so stayed in bed til about 10...not asleep, pottering about on here from 9.20;)


Think I need to write a list of things to get done:

• sort recycling out for collection tomorrow, have already taken rubbish out
• clear dining room table
• get beef stew in the oven, everything is out ready to chop:D
• start my new notebook for this year
• parcel up piles of Next returns to be collected on Tuesday
• get my bedding on airers, clean stuff back on the bed
• list what needs to be done for college - have an assignment due on Wed:eek:
• hoover upstairs then down the stairs
• meal plan for the next 2 weeks
• drink water and eat some fruit for lunch;)

First thing to do is go and get the stew in the oven. Need to give girls a kick up the rear end to get their homework done - one is making a greek pot thing....actually, mother is making a greek pot....quite enjoying paper mache:o

pixiechick99

Another NSD:D
I was tempted with a book on Amazon last night...but I have added it to my basket and will see if I still really want it in a few days - if so then I can use the money ex-mil gave me for Xmas to buy it...good plan.

I've done most of the bits on my list...except the uni work, oops:o Tomorrow I must make a start. Luckily the assignment due is only a small one, 2500 words. Once I get going I'll be fine, it's the initial start I find very hard;)

So, the house is still pretty tidy, just need to keep on top of it. My room does still need a tidy but lounge and kitchen/diner are good so that's the main thing. Will get some ironing done tomorrow, make sure girls have plenty of school shirts ready. They go back on Tues, I have inset then, lovely.

Going to watch Casualty soon then get an early-ish night. Oooh, just remembered I haven't done my meal plan so will sit and do that now.

OrangeFairy

Woohoo happy new diary!!!

I got the medal and have now subscribed :D:D:D

You sound very focused and i hope 2011 is a great year for you xxxxxxxxx