Looking For Planner Happiness

Looking For Planner Happiness

Trying to find planner happiness!

I’m looking for another planner. Yes I know! I need one that works for now. I need something that will encompass all aspects of home and work in one place. I don’t like having these things split up as I tend to forget to update them (or look at them) so I’ve talked myself out of a wall calendar, although the Organised Mum Weekly Family Calendar is fantastic.

I love my Erin Condren Life Planner however could use more uniform space for family schedules once youngest starts school in September.

planner update, erin condren

Love the grid set up of the Organised Mum Family Life Book however the monthly planning pages are just  too small. I could really use a double spread. This is probably why I didn’t buy another one last year (This one is the 2014 one).

2014 Organused Mum Family Life Book

This leaves my two faithful Filofaxes, the A5 and Personal. I stopped using the Personal as it was too small but I really do love it. I was my first Filofax, a brown leather Ranger with a puse pocket on the front.

Filofax, Ranger, Personal Filofax, Diary, Planner
My old faithful Filofax Ranger.

I love the size of this A5 (an Ebay bargain) but am not sold on this particular one (Filofax Identity). I find it sp hard to find a really pretty A5 Filofax. Paperchase do some lovely personal and pocket sized ones however A5 seems to fall by the wayside!

f3

HELP ME! Have you achieved planner happiness? What do you use to record family schedules, home reminders and work info (I need decent space for work on a daily basis as  I juggle a number of clients, projects and deadlines).

I'm looking for planner happiness. Nothing seems to quite fit right!
I’m looking for planner happiness. Nothing seems to quite fit right!

Children Going Away For the First Time

school trip,

On Wednesday Kieran, newly turned nine went off with the rest of the year four children at his school to a two night, three day residential at Carlton Lodge.

His days will have involved kayaking, raft building and sailing, jumping into a big lake, orienteering, climbing up ridiculously high structures and jumping off (along a zip wire) and more. A fantastic opportunity that I’m so pleased the school have organised.

While I’m sure he’s had an absolutely fabulous time and probably not given us a second thought we’ve missed him terribly! This is the first time Kieran’s been away from us and it’s been pretty rough to be honest, not least for Taylor. He’s been sneaking into Kieran’s room to check whether he’s come back yet (since he left), has complained that “nothing is cool when he isn’t here” and “it’s taking too long for him to come back!”.  I was happy to hear him also grudgingly say out of the blue that he hopes he’s having fun though.

This is us walking Taylor to his childminder before taking Kieran to school to set off for the trip. Taylor didn't want to walk with me, only Kieran and wouldn't let go of him. He's missed him!
This is us walking Taylor to his childminder before taking Kieran to school to set off for the trip. Taylor didn’t want to walk with me, only Kieran and wouldn’t let go of him. He’s missed him!

As a parent you look forward to new experiences and hitting milestones. Kieran going away for the first time is probably the first milestone that I’ve struggled with. I’ve not been concerned for his safety, how he’d cope or whether he’d enjoy himself and I’ve no doubt that it will have been truly epic (as he describes such things). My angst has been totally self-centered. I’ve missed him!

The house has felt weird! More than that though it really has brought to my attention that these little babies aren’t babies anymore. Hardly one to wrap them in cotton wool I’ve been keen to encourage independence. That’s come back to bite me on the backside now!  I’m not complaining really, I was pleased to see him leave so confidently.

I do wish that they’d slow down with the whole growing up thing though!