Audiobooks. I've shared my love of audiobooks so many times before, but if you're new here, get a library card from your local library and sign up for an audiobook service. It's a game changer! This allows me to 'read' books when I normally couldn't {walking, doing laundry, washing dishes, pulling weeds, cleaning, puzzling, driving, painting my nails, etc.} I also have a physical book going for before bed or when I'm waiting at an appointment or for kids to get out of practices. This is basically the way I ensure I get to do something I enjoy each day. :)
Doing 'chores' in the morning. Since I am not an evening person, I typically go to bed when the kids do. So, I get up before the kids and get myself 'together' and then wake the kids up. While they're getting ready, I've been using that time to do laundry, dishes, pickup, etc. When Adam was home, I tried to be super quiet during that time, but now that it's just us home, I love to use mornings to get as many things off my to-do list as possible before I start working for the day!
Meal Planning -- easy meals & set nights. Adam was the 'head chef' in our house, so we're all really missing his yummy food! I have the cooking skills of an elementary student {at best} so we're keeping it VERY simple right now! Tuesdays are usually something Mexican themed because it's easy and both kids will eat tacos/nachos/walking tacos, etc. Thursdays have become breakfast night also because it's easy and both kids will eat it. Fridays are almost always pizza of some sort {carry-out, frozen, homemade} Over the weekend we eat out more depending on our plans. For the other nights, it's always something simple like macaroni, spaghetti, chicken nuggets, lasagna, quesadillas, paninis, fish sticks, etc. Having 3 nights 'set' and making a plan for the rest is helpful because as I stated above, I don't enjoy cooking and deciding what's for dinner is just another step where I'm likely to say 'let's just have popcorn and malts tonight!' ;)
Scanning PDFs from my iPhone. You might already be doing this, but this is a total game changer for all.the.forms -- school, camps, etc. -- especially in April/May. Open the Notes app, take a photo which turns it into a PDF, and forward on. I prefer to get all paperwork completed and pushed back ASAP as to not lose it!
Twenty Outside After Dinner (TOAD time!). I took this idea from Laura, and the kids and I are both LOVING it! Now that the days are longer and warmer we have made a goal to get outside for a least 20 minutes each night after dinner. I love it because we aren't doing the same thing every night and it's screen-free fun. So far we've walked the trail with Lola, taken a Ranger ride, jumped on the trampoline, read books in the hammock, played baseball, kickball, and rode scooters {we don't all do the same thing either, just whatever sounds good to each of us that night}. Fresh air for the win!
Walmart+ & Sam's Club App. I've been using the Sam's Club app to buy more 'already prepped/easy' meal and snack staples for the house. I LOVE that you can do pickup or scan & go. Also, I ship anything I can to the house, both from Sam's Club and Walmart {because we have a free Walmart+ membership through our credit card}. Game changers! I try to only go to the store once a week right now. And of course I'm still shipping things from Amazon, too.
