How I save myself time during the days and weeks ahead/A Productive weekend

Alarm clipartsHow I save myself time during the days and weeks ahead is by having A Productive weekend.

What I don’t get completed during the week before the weekend, I get done at the weekends and get myself ahead for the week to come.

I make sure I give myself some time in the morning and evenings to get bits finished, like this morning I did my dusting and on Sunday I cleaned the kitchen so I didn’t have to worry about it too much come Monday.

When I take my shower I have my shower cream, feminine wash and face wash already there near the shower to use and take my towel, moisturizers, clothes and underwear in the bathroom too, so I can take my shower, brush my teeth and put these on, without having to go into another room to do that. I have it all there ready, and it really saves me so much time.

After I have showered before I put my creams and clothes on, I brush my teeth as soon as I get out of the shower, which allows me to drip dry for a few minutes and then towel dry. Again really saves me so much time.

When it comes to scheduling and planning the days and weeks in my notebook and filofaxes I will do this on a Friday and in the week, as soon as I need to add something to them, or I know what I will be doing on those days and weeks ahead.

I put many of my to do’s in my To do’s APP on my phone and I can carry this wherever I go and don’t need to carry around a heavy notebook, same with adding appointments and scheduling my days, I always add these to my Google Calendar.

I use Google Docs to create my Inventory lists, meals plans, my budget which I update regularly to keep myself on track of my finances and my notebook APP to do my shopping lists.

I have shopping lists for:

  • Food
  • Cleaning
  • Items for Henry (my son)

Image result for free images someone writing a shopping list

What I can prepare for dinner that evening I do during the day e.g. Putting vegetables in a saucepan, have the ingredients we need out already near the hob and have a baking tray ready to heat up, should we need the oven that night.

In the evenings I have mugs ready for the night and morning, by the kettle as my husband and I will usually have a cup of tea during the night and then a couple in the morning to help kick start our day.

The Sunday gone I for the first time this part of the year got out our Slow cooker to make a Beef Casserole, which we do intend to do during the autumn and winter months. 

I would recommend a slow cooker to each and every household, as they really help save a lot of time and on a Sunday it is just perfect as I do like to have some chill out time at the weekends too, especially on a Sunday.

So I took advantage and they are great because you can chuck everything in, prepare in the morning and all cooked and ready to service by the afternoon or evening.

All you need is:

Whilst I am cooking I will do some cleaning, do my stretching or catch up on some Youtube, an audio book (check out audible, I love this APP and have quite a few books saved, as you get free credits each month) or listen to Podcast or some music. I will usually select one of my playlists on Youtube

 

At the moment my favourite Youtube videos to watch are ones done by a lady called Jordan Paige’s. Her Youtube channel is  called FunCheapOrFree.

I absolutely love her videos and content it is so informative and I do use many of her productivity and financial strategies. They really do help.

The other ways I like to save time on days and weeks ahead, and have a productive weekend is also use the free time I have to take my son out, so he can get some fresh air and exercise. If he behaves we go to the park if not we don’t and it is a strategy that does seem to work and our son will behave, he just doesn’t like going into shops at the moment, but we are working on that.

We are having some issues with our son at the moment and I wrote a blog over the weekend called When times are tough talking about it and how I deal with times when parenting can be tough, on my WordPress site: theparentingadventurestipsandtricks

This Sunday just gone we, my husband, son and I, had a lovely walk, walking through our local common which passes the railway line so Henry who loves trains, can see them and watch them as they go by.

We then went for our usual coffee, something we love to do at the weekends especially on a Sunday and then ran some errands.

On the Saturday we took our son to see the local football team, Leatherhead FC. I would recommend this if you and your children love football to go and support your local club or lower league football team, it is a great laugh and doesn’t cost that much at all, if you are like us and can’t always afford to watch a higher league team, then this is a great alternative.

This morning whilst I was waiting to go to my Diabetic Review at my local surgery, used the time to have a coffee, draft up this blog ready to type up for when I got home and then when I was in the surgery waiting to be seen, did some reading and checked some emails.

I also used the time before having a coffee and after my appointment to fit in some walking, as I like to especially since having type 2 diabetes (I was diagnosed last year) like to keep active and one of the ways I like to do this, is by walking.

I regularly post the steps I have done on my Instagram account everydaylivingandlifestyle

On my Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/Carries-Everyday-Living-and-lifestyle-261704010959953/

I write a blog on WordPress.com called sportsandfitnesspassion where I write about my weekly training and fitness. Check out my last blog on this site called Walking through the pain.

Walking really helps me with creativity and clear the mind.

If you would like to read more about productivity, then I do post a lot about this subject on my WordPress site called, everyonecanbuildacastle.

Check out these posts:

Here is a video by Jordan Paige talking about how she is more productive…without doing more:

She is like my productive and financial guru.

So I really hope you found this blog useful of how you can save time and have a productive weekend.

I would love to hear from others of how you save time?

What methods are used to help you be more productive?

How do you plan and complete your to do’s to get ahead of yourself aswell?

Please share by leaving a comment below.

You can keep up to date with my blogs posts on this site and my others I have detailed above and below by following me on WordPress.com on each site.

The other sites I write blogs on are:

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie X

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My 41st Birthday

Last Friday the 27th September 2019, it was my 41st birthday. On the Friday I woke up that morning full of energy, so around 6am I was up out of bed, got in the shower, got dressed, made the bed, opened up my birthday cards I received so far and cleaned the kitchen.

My hubby made me a lovely Bacon Sandwich with a cup of tea. I love that first cup of the morning, it really helps to set up my day.

Even the walk to my son’s school and back was a breeze, I didn’t lose my patience once.

Once I got back indoors, I did some training. I write a blog where I talk about my fitness training on my WordPress site: https://sportsandfitnesspassion.wordpress.com/

I did some strength and toning, with dumbbells and then exercised my obliques and legs. Ending in some stretching, whilst listening to some Chill out music. This really helps me to relax and take my time.

I then did some more cleaning after this, and dusted my home, downstairs and up, and did some of my Autumn clean up. I will be writing some blogs on my website carriesrealworld soon. Check out my Seasonal Clean up page on carriesrealworld, of my previous seasonal clean ups, and of my last blog Preparing for the Autumn

Opening up the post received that day, as it doesn’t always arrive early in the morning these days, I received a cheque from Argos. WAHOO!

I couldn’t believe it, plus a lovely card from my Mum and Tot (my Step-dad).

Later on the Friday gone, of my birthday my husband, son and I had some gorgeous Fish N Chips, from our favourite Chip shop, as we do have three good ones to choose from in Epsom, Kingfish, in Horton Centre. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and then finished the evening off with a glass of Old Mout Cider.

On the Saturday, once again I got up early full of energy so I made, my husband and I breakfast, whilst Henry had his breakfast.

Before that my husband kindly gave our son a bath, instead of me doing it. Sometimes as a mum, you do need to delegate and take time out for yourself.

I write blogs on parenting on WordPress.com.

https://theparentingadventures.wordpress.com/

https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.wordpress.com/tag/tips-and-tricks/

We (my husband and I) took our son over to my mum and Tots, who were looking after him for the night and received a lovely card from my Step-sister.

Then returned back to Epsom and found a few things in the charity shops. A new collared beige/brown jumper, a gift set and a set of boys pants aged 5-6 years.

We also visited Poundland, but I am going to share these pieces on other blogs coming soon.

Once dropped these items back home, we then went onto the train to Leatherhead to watch Leatherhead FC vs Bowers and Pitsea FC, and at last, as we have been a bit of jink last two games we went to see Leatherhead FC. Leatherhead won 1-0.

The price of the tickets were £12 each, so total of £24.00. The food is good there too. Not for the healthy gurus, but if you like the occasional burger and chips or Hotdogs, then the quality is pretty good, and doesn’t cost a lot either. We also had a few drinks. The alcoholic kind. Well it was my birthday still, as far as I was concerned.

Travelling back from the football, we went on home and chilled out watching a bit of TV. Only Fools and Horses. Had a cup of tea, a bit more to eat, such as a roll, some crisps and finished with my favourite thing since I was a kid. Good old Cake and Custard.

I also received a lovely surprise. A slip from Royal mail had been put through my letterbox. Both my husband and I were puzzled, as I hadn’t ordered anything and neither did my husband.

It had been delivered next door, and so my husband went to pick it up for me, and saw a big long parcel. It was for me.

I opened it up on Saturday evening, and saw it was a lovely box of fresh flowers from my brother, my sister-in-law and nieces.

So was a lovely surprise.

On the Sunday after I had slept well, as was child free for the night, woke up in the middle of night, really early Sunday morning and had a cup of tea. Eventually I did go back to sleep, I woke up again, still early on Sunday morning and made another cup of tea, did some more of my Autumn Clean up, which I will write a blog about soon, and cleared and cleaned the shelf in our bathroom storage cupboard and cleared the bathroom windowsill.

I did some more training, my Sunday morning training, which I am really enjoying, to some 90’s club hits, then had breakfast made by my husband, went to Colliers Wood.

We stopped in Starbucks whilst we waited for the shop Dunelm to open up.

I had a Classic Hot Chocolate, which is delicious with of course Cream on top and husband had a large Latte.

Then walked to Dunelm, where I could have shopped until I dropped. I am going to share what I bought on my Homewares page (coming soon) on Carriesrealworld.

Then we dropped the car off at my mum and step-dads, home and walked into Wimbledon main shopping area, and checked out some more charity shops where I bought a pair of black tights.

We walked back to my mum and step-dad’s home, where we saw my brother, sister-in-law and nieces and we all had a lovely Sunday dinner together, cooked by my step-dad. I had a glass or two of some red wine and then dessert had crumbled and custard.

All in all it was a bloody good birthday. I have written a blog on my theparentingadventurestipsandtricks site, about Celebrating Birthdays.

Please check out my previous blog on this site, called What a dreadful day if you haven’t already.

If you would like to keep up to date with my blogs on this site, then you can do so by following me on WordPress.com. I would love to hear from you if you too celebrated a birthday this weekend, and how did you celebrate it?

You can leave a comment below. I also write blogs on this WordPress site too:

https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie X

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What a Dreadful Day

What a dreadful day it is today, and boy did I get wet this morning, literally soaked through. I couldn’t even drink the Chai Latte I bought from Costa I got so wet.

Anyway dried off now and indoors. Please check out my new fitness blog I wrote called “Completed Another Run” outside, as I have started getting into running again.

Go check out my fitness blog from last week called “Getting Back Into Fitness”. I am disappointed in myself for stopping as I had progressed so much from when I very first started running. Nevertheless it is good to get back out there pacing those pavements, even though it has been tough getting back into it.

I even did a workout indoors on Sunday morning which I hadn’t done for a few weeks. Watch out for my fitness blogs on sportsandfitnesspassion as I will be posting more very soon.

Image result for free images people running

Last weekend I got into watching a lot of films. On Friday whilst my husband was out with his work colleagues I watched a film called Keeping Up With The Joneses. It is about a new set of neighbours who move into the neighbourhood and pretend to a normal very happy in love couple when it turns out they are secretly spy’s.

Loved this film, and I would definitely watch it again, as it was so funny. Even my son watched it with me and laughed to and his 5 years old.

Image result for Film called The Joneses

On Saturday my husband and I watched Bohemium Rhapsody, which is about Freddy Mercury and Queen, of how they formed and when they became to do Live Aid, which was truly memorable.

I love, love this film and could watch it, again and again. I just love the whole story of how they were all just university students and Freddy was a baggage handler on the side, and became big stars.

I have written a few blogs dedicated to Queen called Queen Mania and Queens Music lives on through film.

Image result for Film called Bohemian Rhapsody

I did watch Strictly Come Dancing, the first show on Monday evening, and did a lot of dancing with my son, who enjoyed the show too. Check out my blog I wrote called Strictly is Back, where I talk about my thoughts of the launch show.

It was definitely full of surprises and I think we were all stunned by Kevin Fletcher, from Emmerdale, Samba. Definitely one to watch. 

If you didn’t see it, here is a snippet of Kevin Fletcher’s Samba below:

My favourite song this year has been a Genesis song, Follow you, follow me, but I like a new version of this song. I discovered it from seeing a car advert on the TV. The version is sung by a singer called Rina Mushonga by Faultline Beat.

The other songs I have been loving at the moment is Oleta Adams, Get Here. Also I have been listening to a lot of Celion Dion songs, I imagine myself being able to sing those songs like her. Absolute outstanding voice.

The other song have been:

Also last Friday I watched a lot documentaries about another band I love, Fleetwood Mac, and I am lucky that I have seen one of the members perform, Stevie Nicks at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in Hyde Park.

So what films, TV and music have you been loving? I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

Remember you can keep up to date with my blogs by following me on WordPress.com.

I write regular on other blogs, too see links below:

https://www.carriesrealworld.com

https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com

https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.wordpress.com

https://theparentingadventures.wordpress.com

Please check out my last blog called “I love Sunday Afternoons” if you didn’t read it.

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie X

I love Sunday afternoons

Image result for free images Sunday afternoons

 

I love Sunday afternoons. My last Sunday afternoon was a good, we were going to go concore picking along the common but, not saying I am complaining, but it was a bit too hot to do that.

Instead we chilled indoors and played a little in our back garden. There was a time when I used to find Sunday’s boring, except when we would go to the pub, where there were other kids, and the pub had a pool table downstairs and a dart board. Or we would go over to the park over the road, and then once the pub closed, which back then and I am talking early 80’s, pubs used to close at 3pm, so we would often go to someones house, go for a meal or go home for dinner.

There was a time when most places were closed, apart from the Newsagents, so you could get your morning papers, buses still ran and trains and as said the pubs would be open, but most shops would be shut on a Sunday.

Now Sunday is treated like a normal day, but I like the fact I can chill out on a Sunday, so your batteries are recharged for Monday. I like watching repeats of Only Fools and Horses on UK Gold or watch a film.

I even read a little in the garden during Sunday afternoon, or if there is any on, watching the football. However since Sky and BT Sport took over much of the football and like many can’t afford Sky Sports, don’t have that luxury anymore, unless there is a FA Cup game on BBC or ITV.

So do you like Sunday afternoons? How do you like to spend your Sunday’s? I would love to hear. Please remember you can keep up to date with my blogs by following me on WordPress.com and if you would like to leave a comment regarding this blog then please do so below.

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie X

 

Strictly is back

So I watched the 2019 Strictly come dancing launch show on catch up and yes I am really excited about its return.

There are a few faces this year that I am not so familiar with, I know of the female footballer turned TV pundit Alex Scott, the lady from Eastenders Emma Barton, the rower James Cracknell and Anneka Rice, but the others not so sure of. However this is not a bad thing as unlike this year I have no idea who is going to be good and who will be bad.

I liked that this year the judges got to show off their dancing skills too, and looking forward to getting to know the new judge Motsi Mabuse and what she brings to the table this year.

Image result for Strictly come dancing 2019
Image from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49186435

So who will you be watching this year on Strictly I would love to hear from you.

The other TV series I have been watching is The Affair starring Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney and Joshua Jackson. It is about a school teacher and novelist Noah Solloway who is married for twenty or so years and ends up having an affair with a young waitress called Alison.

It has been while since I have been able to get my head into a new series, but thoroughly enjoying watching this drama evolve and finding out what happens next.

My husband and I also got into watching and catching up on Killing Eve, which is good in parts but some of it we found to be too unrealistic and my husband was really getting wound up by it. However I would like to continue with the series as it is very exciting in areas and I think Jodie Corner who plays the assassin really well.

So that’s what I have been up to since I wrote on this blog, and I will be adding more very soon.

Remember you can continue reading my blogs by following me on WordPress.com and you can leave a comment below, and I would like to know what you have been watching this year, is there a good series you think I might like to watch?

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie X

Why I meal plan and how?

Planning meals is very important to me, I don’t bother with breakfast or lunch, but focus on dinner time, as that what works for me.

Meal planning for me is essential, as we do end up splurging on food that didn’t get used, and that ends up in the bin. So meal planning to me is very important.

I go by first of all what we already have, so that food gets used up and then go on what else we need for the week ahead. I will do a grocery haul soon.

I have created a meal planning printables so go and check them out below.

Meal planner design Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Meal Planner Dinners for the week in blue

I always meal plan from Saturday onwards, as that’s when we do our shopping, but you can create a meal planner of your own and arrange the days that work for you, these are just some ideas and tools if you too wish to meal plan.

I hope you find this useful and helps you with saving money on food.

Please remember to click the like button if you did like this blog, and remember if you would like to be alerted of more of my blogs, then follow me on WordPress.com

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie X

Celebrating the Easter Holidays

It was a good two weeks off, I was working through part of it, but still got to enjoy the holiday.

My son got to do lots of adventurous things, like riding on a bus and train which he loves. He was taken on a Thomas The Tank Engine Train, and didn’t want to get off.

We took him to a funfair in Wimbledon Park, which is on a lot during the Easter Holidays, only once a year, but my son and my nieces loved it.

Then my mum put together an Easter Egg hunt, for my son and my nieces and put around the gardens in the school where my mum lives.

Putting together an Easter Egg hunt is fun to do, and you can make your own, check out my blog I wrote on The Parenting Adventures tips and tricks, called

What to do with your kids during the Easter Holidays

All you need is to hide a load of eggs and my mum used Easter Chocolate coins aswell, write some clues or for smaller children, get them to see how many eggs they can find, and a different section, put their names by them so they know which ones to look for.

So what did you do over the Easter holidays I would love to hear from you?

Remember if you liked this blog then to click the button below and remember to follow me on WordPress if you would like to read more of my blogs.

Many thanks for reading,

 

 

Carrie X

 

A Great Weekend

Last weekend was brilliant celebrating my friends 40th birthday last Saturday.

We had a little hiccup, where by our hotel accommodation was moved, and we ended up staying instead of So Arch Hotel, stayed at the So Kings Cross hotel.

Would not recommend the room was very basic, at a cost of £107.40 and the breakfast the next morning was great either.

We decided to have a bite to eat and found a Italian Restaurant, which I could imagine being in Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares. There appeared to be a lot of arguing among the staff, and not a lot of serving going on.

Then we went for a coffee in Costa near the train station, which was a much better atmosphere, and good service.

We then sat outside of a bit as it was a nice afternoon, and sat and watched these people doing the Salsa in the middle of the square there.

We went onto the N19 in Archway, to celebrate my friends birthday, and got there for 6pm and watched the rest of the football. Then they had a band on, which were good and very entertaining.

The next day I was feeling a bit rough, but was well worth it as it was a great weekend.

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie x

Super Sunday

What a glorious Sunday it has been, my mum looked after my son for the morning and afternoon, whilst my husband and I ran some errands and had a coffee, in our local Nero. I love their Chai Latte.

Plus I have a new book out and published called The Peabody years.

Available in Kindle edition and Paperback on Amazon.com. It is book sharing my story of growing up in Peabody Estate in Hammersmith and the many sad and happy memories I have had living in Peabody Estate.

It has been a good weekend, yesterday was spent writing my next book, which is going to follow up of The Parenting Adventures, Nursery to School years.

Writing is my passion and I love it, and also love books at the moment I am listening to Mel Robbins The 5 Second Rule and reading a book called Two steps Forward, and I will write a review on both once I have completed those.

I also watched my favourite film called You’ve Got Mail, with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

So what have you been up to this weekend I would love to hear.

Many thanks for reading,

 

Carrie X