Shall we begin?

I am feeling excited about my new adventure. I ALWAYS get excited at the prospect of a new adventure. You should probably know that my definition of adventure is this: any activity where a minimal or major degree of planning is required and the outcome is unknown. Yes, that includes anything from camping, grocery shopping, creating a new muffin recipe on the fly to my first trip to Vegas. (Flights were booked last night. WOO!)
In the interest of keeping my experiments legitimate, I feel that a moderate level of planning is required. So, experiment #1 is this: create a plan. I think I will start with something as simple as a making a plan for the week. I use the term ‘simple’ optimistically. It needs to include enough activity for the boys to keep them entertained. It would be lovely if this included a little bit of learning and some outside time. I can’t seem to get them out every day. Who am I kidding? Other than walking Nik to preschool three times a week, we don’t go outside. Planning what will be for snack before they are in the kitchen begging for food would be a bonus.
Speaking of food… I need to fit in time to get meals made. I am guilty of a severe lack of planning when it comes to dinner. Five PM hits and I am trying to figure out what I can make from half a tomato, a box of minute rice and a potato. Can I thaw and cook some kind of meat before the natives rebel and storm the cereal cupboard? OK, so, meal plan is on the list too.
There is also that little project I started last winter that I like to call “Getting my University Degree.” My kids turn into cling-ons if I sit down with a book and get even worse if there is a pen and paper involved. Use of a laptop results in total chaos. I am brain-dead by the time I put them to bed. The three-month-per-course plan I intended is NOT working out. School work…. It makes the list.
To recap, I want to fit in an activity filled week for the boys, feed the family as close to Canada Food Guide standards as possible without stress and have dedicated time to do school work. Is it too much to hope that I will fit in time to work out, paint, read, watch TV, interact with my husband and clean the house as well???
Wish me luck with experiment #1. May the result be a reduction is stress, cranky kids and indigestion. I will let you know how that turns out.