2012-13 Control Journal

Can you believe that summer is almost over and school is gonna start soon? Now, granted that I live in a state in which school starts really early, but still?!?!?! Each year I like to have a family manual of sorts to keep us organized, successful and productive all year long. Usually I use a simple three ring binder, but this year I ran across the big huge SMASH BOOKS and knew that it must be my Control Journal (as Flylady calls it). Here is a glimpse at my Control Journal:

The first page is my "Daily to-do List". I simply took a sheet protector, slipped it in that and attached it to the page. I will use a dry erase marker on it so  I can use it over and over again.

Up next is the year, but starting in August because that is when school starts. The past few years I have relied on my calender in my phone until my phone broke and I lost my agenda! Now, I like to have a hard copy too. See how plain it is? Well, that is because I plan on adding bits and pieces to it as the months go by, thus filling it up AND making it into a memory book when it is all said and done. I am only posting the first page of the calender because the rest are pretty much the same.

 Ah, the chore sheets for the children and I.  I have my chore list color coded. Black is done once a week and blue and pink are done every other week. The kids chores are also located in this section and I added the do (not) to their page because they would totally take me up on it being "Save For Later". Hee-hee :-)

 Up next is the weekly menu and pocket for the list. I plan on menu scheduling every other week and there is a coordinating pocket for the list next to each menu.

 Birthday organizer is up next and with a family of five and all the parties the kids get invited to we need this in a bad way.

 This section will be used for the kids letters to Santa and the receipts will be kept in the envelope in case things need to be returned and such. This is still a pretty open section in that I know I need it in the journal, but just what it will end up with is a mystery. Like I said before this control journal is both functional and a memory book of our year.

 Holiday bake list and recipes will go here! Probably a picture or two of the kiddos and I baking. I am not quite sure what I will be preparing this upcoming holiday season (I mean I am OCD, but not that bad...well that is not true...I do have separate control journal for the holidays that has all my recipes in it).

 The rest of the book I left blank and will fill it up as the year goes by. I would say over half of the journal is just waiting to be filled with our life. Here are a few of the blank pages in the SMASH BOOK. I gotta admit I love all the pockets, envelopes and decorative bags!

 Love this at the bottom of one of the pages

 This might end up being a sketch spot for layout ideas for the scrapbook.

 So, pretty right? AND the pages are super thick so they don't bleed through!

 Last page of the book.

I must confess that I love all SMASH BOOKS, but sometimes finding a use for them when I am a traditional scrapper is hard, so I am very pleased with this! Thanks for stopping by!