9/22/2014 -- Day 48 -- My BRAIN book Part 1

While it sounds creepy and spooky a brain book is a day planner.

I have always been a little scatterbrained...and it is only getting worse with age and time.

SO years ago I started a brain book (a planner) and it has stuck with me, but recently I stumbled across Filofax information.

Filofax is a TYPE of planner you can buy, but I am cheap, so I have made my own.

I didn't take steps on HOW to make one, but I will lead you quickly through my brain book and maybe it is something you have always needed/wanted.

It starts with a hardback, or soft back folder/book/planner of somekind.

Mine use to be a large 3 ring notebook, but I got tired of carrying it around. It didn't fit in my purse, and it wasn't convenient to carry into places (like a grocery store) so it got left at home or in the car where it did me NO good.

So I was looking at my recipe books and saw that one of the hard cover books was exactly the size I could use for my brain book.

Since it said "FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPES" or something equally cheesy on the cover. I went to the dollar store and bought some duck tape (not DUCT tape).  It covered it, but the quality is kind of crappy, so I bought the real deal and will cover it soon.  As of now my folder is now covered in purple duck tape.

Inside I have many things.

Since I really don't want all my personal information all over this blog, I only took a few pictures of the 'non important' pages, but I will walk you through the whole thing.


So you open my planner and the first thing is a pencil case.  I really wish I could find a little smaller one.  IN the pencil case is a -hole punch -many colored pens -post-it notes -a check book -and at this exact moment a box cutter knife (small) that I just used to remove my yard sale signs and haven't put away.   Sometime I will have a pair of scissors, but that depends on my schedule.  I try to keep it on the lighter side.

Next page...
My index.  I kept trying to find certain pages and couldn't because I wasn't use to my book yet, so at the top of the page I put my yearly focus words-the middle is the order of my brain book--and the end is the theme I chose for this year "To everything there is a season"

Here is the order my Brain Book goes in.  Actually this isn't a specific order and when I do next years I will put more thought into this.

1. Family information
2. Calendar
     -events and birthdays by month
     -a weekly calendar
     -a Monthly calendar
3. Menu
4. Church
5. Prepare
6. Money
7. Body/Health
8. Crafts
9. Phone Lists
10. Amy Personal
11. Kids Lessons
12. The Good Lief
13. Christmas

Under each section is subsections.  Which I will get into

1. Family information:
 Just as it sounds.  It tells each family members name and birthday, allergies, blood type, and currant clothing and shoe size.
 I also have an contact information page here too--where they can return my brain book (my address) and my phone number.

2. Calendar:

  In this section I have a section that is about 4 pages that tells family and friend birthday and major life events by month.
 Next is a weekly calendar where I write down my lovely to do lists and weekly events
 I also have my monthly calendar here too--but I don't use a monthly calendar as often.
 I have started putting a blank page with a post-it note sticking out in the week I am on so I can quickly turn to the week and jot down things to do (not on my daily to do list) and things to remember-phone numbers--etc.

3. Menu:
 This section is a work in progress.
 I have a little section for once a month cooking
 I have a section for my grocery list
 I have a section for meal ideas (with food I normally have stocked)
 I have snack ideas for after school--
 and that is about it for now.  Like I said it is a work in progress!

4. Church
  This is easy.
I lead the music at my church (which includes choosing the songs)--so
I keep a list of all the songs we sing in church so I don't repeat them to much.
and a list of the ladies I visit teach with their schedules, phone numbers, and important information I should know about them or their family.
(IF we had home teachers, or I had visiting teachers I would add that in here too--but since they are MIA I guess those pages will have to wait)

5. Prepare
 This is were I keep a list of the stuff I have in food storage, what we still need, and where it is all stored.
  One day I will do the same for my 72 hour kits too--but since we use to use our 72 kits for backpacking I wasn't as worried about them being up to date.

6.Money
 This is another big section.
 I would love to use the Dave Ramsey envelope system, but I haven't had the discipline yet--Maybe October?
  So I have three envelopes in the front of this section--House, Coupons, and Groceries,
  I can never remember my house payment slip and it takes WAY longer to pay my house bill without it so I put those in one envelope.
  Next my coupons. I am not a big couponer at this time so I only stash away coupons on things I really need or want in there.
  Grocery--like I said I need to get that together and put grocery money for October in there.

 I also have a page where I have my money bills and I add a sticker each month I pay them so I can see at a glance if they are paid or not.

 I have a list of my debt (which is very small and I LOVE--the list not the amounts!)

I have a list of big purchases I want (over $50)


So the time has come for me to post this and I am about half way---I won't continue it right away....