How to Spend 7 Hours Planning a Two Week Menu and Shopping List
- Turn on computer
- Log into Google account
- Open "Drive"
- Open ongoing "Menu/Shopping List" file
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Previous weeks' Menu |
- Update day numbers on menu file
- Tell 11 yr old, 9 year old, and 5 year old to start on their chores
- Begin updating calendar row of Menu
- Resolve cleaning issue between 11 year old and 9 year old
- Remind 5 year old to clear table
- Realize that your phone has added arbitrary duplicate reminders to any calendar entries you've added in the last two weeks
- Open Google Calendar on Desktop
- Systematically click through Google calendar entries turning off reminders
- Say hello to DH and 16 year old, who just returned home
- Tell 16 year old to help clean up
- Go back to updating calendar row of menu
- Get phone call from friend canceling Monday's plans
- Update calendar row of Menu
- Update Google calendar
- Respond to 16 year old's question by telling them where to put mundane object
- Text best friend to see if they want to come over Monday since other friend cancelled
- Talk to M-i-L on speaker phone for several minutes wishing her a happy birthday (She's pretty awesome)
- Realize you haven't emailed S-i-L in a while, and jot note to her
- Remember that you haven't made or sent invitations for 9 year old's birthday party and it's two and a half weeks away
- Decide not to hand make invitations
- Click through Vista print Invitation designs
- Respond to 16 year old's question by telling them where to put other mundane object
- Check with BFF for feedback on invitations (since her 12 year old is sharing the birthday party with your 9 year old)
- Pin several invitation ideas since BFF isn't responding to facebook chat
- Remind 5 year old to clear table
- Watch viral video about baby lovebird with splayed legs
- Remind 11 and 9 year old (who watched video over shoulder) to get back to work
- Answer DH's question about random topic
- Ask DH about response to dinner invite from friend
- Discuss options with DH
- Wait for DH to commit to a yes or no about dinner invite
- Give up waiting for DH's decision
- Check Facebook notifications
- Scroll through Facebook news feed since the window is now open
- Comment on random posts
- Remind 11 year old (who is reading over shoulder) to keep doing chores
- Finish updating calendar row on Menu
- Show DH Google calendar for next two weeks
- Ask 11 year old what they would like to make for their meals, since they're sitting at the nearby computer
- Wait for 11 year old to look through Pinterest for ideas
- Check Pinterest while waiting for 11 year old's decision
- Pin random entries
- Write down what 11 year old's menu choices
- Call 9 year old and ask what they would like to make on their nights
- Tell 11 year old to let 9 year old on the nearby computer to look through Pinterest for ideas
- Watch video about how to make Minecraft rice crispy treats as per their request to make them
- Pin said video
- Ask 9 year old for non-dessert input on their meal choices
- Input 9 year old's choices
- Call 16 year old and ask what they would like to make on their nights
- Answer questions about what constitutes and easy meal and what constitutes a hard meal
- Give suggestions
- Listen while 16 year old tells you why they don't like your suggestions
- Look up recipes for traditional Irish food
- Input 16 year old's choices
- Take moment to calm down after realizing you now have to show 16 year old how to prepare Corned Beef
- Re-think idea to teach three older kids how to cook in the same year
- Pin recipes for 16 year old's menu options
- Ask 5 year old for their "menu input"
- Finish menu
- Check email
- Clean up spam and junk mail
- Surrender nicer computer to DH so he can order pizza and update budget program
- Have budget meeting with DH as per his request
- Ask DH about decision concerning dinner invite
- Check Pinterest again
- Spend more time on Pinterest re-pinning random pins
- Go over 9 year old's Birthday wish list
- Cross off entries for "another cat", "a doggy that doesn't chase cats", and "pet white tiger".
- Teach 9 year old how to spell "origami" for her request for origami paper
- Ask for clarification about other list entries
- Ask DH what he wants for Father's Day
- Update menu with his requests
- Remind DH to make list of Father's Day gift suggestions
- Start working on shopping list
- Realize that you've been working for 6 hours and decide to write a blog post
- Stop to eat dinner

- Get back on computer and work on blog post
- Ask DH about decision concerning dinner invite (Yes!)
- Update calendar row of Menu
- Update Google Calendar
- Tell kids to get ready for bed
- Work on shopping list
- Decide to finish shopping list tomorrow morning before going shopping
- Finish blog post