Planning time...

I may have done a similar post before, but since it's a new school year ~ we are 'officially' 8th grade today ~ I thought it would be a good refresher for me- to get me back in routine- as well as share how we use our calendar with others. There are so many choices for calendars, planners and day books out there, that you just have to find the one that works for you. 

A few years ago, a friend introduced me to her calendar and lesson planner all on one. A monthly/weekly view with the weeklys being long on the page instead of the blocks. I started using that calendar immediately and 2013 makes my 4th year using this style. 

My kiddos know how it works for me/us and they use it as well to make sure there are no plans or what they need to do for schoolwork. It is full 8x10 size and I keep any papers pertaining to any event right in the calendar on the page it belongs.  Along with our schoolwork, our daily events (doctors, meetings, appts) we use the calendar to keep up with volunteer hours/mileage and I also write down anything that pertains to a date or event that I may need to refer back to in the future. 

Now, to complicate things just a little - we also use an electronic calendar. As a family, we use Cozi.com. It is Internet based, we all have it on our phones and even hubby keeps it updated. It is nice to have a calendar in my hand when we are at the doctor or somewhere. The only problem is having to sync it with my paper calendar - which I try to do as soon as I make an appointment, but usually at least once a week! The kiddos are better at checking the Cozi calendar than they are the paper one- but that's ok, at least they are checking! (more on Cozi tomorrow).

Back to my paper planner ...

I use a different color for each of us- it just works better for my brain, plus it livens up my calendar and makes it pleasant to look at. I am a scrapbooker, so I try to sneak some stickers in every once in awhile  Using a different color helps the kiddos be able to identify when they have an event. Riley has always been blue, Sam pink, purple for myself and a royal blueish color for Roger.  When the kiddos both are to attend the same event, I use both color pens.  I used to be a pencil only person for my calendar, but due to the kiddos craziness - I have found white-out - and I use pens!

My colors continue over into the weekly pages (can't tell from my photo) but I use the same colors on the weekly pages and put the appts or whatever on the weekly pages.  Also, with their schoolwork, I use highlighters.. when one is finished with their assignments, I highlight it in their color.  Once they are highlighted, I add that to Scholaric.com (more on that later this week!). 

SO, it sounds like a lot, but it's really not & it helps keep me organized!  I'm thinking if it works, then no reason to change things!

Want to share your planner post?  Link it up in the comments!