not as bad as I thought.

I have resolved to work on one room for at least 20 minutes a day/ per day until I have finished.  That is unless I find something better to do, or I am gone that day.  Or some friend calls up and wants to go to lunch, or shopping, or something very cool.  But while I am home & stuck inside, I'm working on cleaning out drawers & de-cluttering.  Today was my first session and I have to say I can not believe how fun it was.  I mean~throwing away some, giving some away, and then finding an organized idea for other things.    

 This drawer used to be jammed pack...now look how fresh, beautiful, and spacious it looks.  Well except for the aqua toothpaste I noticed after I uploaded the pictures.  That's not so fresh looking.  

Note to self: When all the crap is unloaded from the drawer, wipe it down.  

 And then Suzy found me....and decided it would be fun to organize too.  I have to say this was a strong bonding moment for me.  She was organizing by color, which made my heart pitter patter.  I'm thinking of just having her do the rest of the house.   I will be on the computer and she can clean.  Sounds like an excellent plan to me. 

But here is the drawer of doom.  How do you organize cut ribbons you put in your girls' hair?  I have no idea. 

Quote of the day: 

Recently we were attending a funeral of my Uncle and we were very unhappy with how our children did ~listening and letting us listen.  We have a church bag, but it seemed it was out of control.  Asking for this, asking for that, fighting over who got what and for how long....disruptive to us and probably everyone around us.  It would've been nice if they would've listened to some of what was being said.  So on the home Donovan and I talked and then made a plan.  We grounded all those 6 years old & up from using anything during church services.  For the month of January.  I have to admit this may be punishment for us as well.  But on Sunday we put this into action.  And you know what?  We were PLEASED.  I couldn't help but share Jack's comment after the service.

Jack: "I listened, and it wasn't as bad as I thought."   

I'm sure Merlin will be happy to know that.  :)

clean & dry

 After 10 years of laundry with kids, I think I have something figured out what works at least for our family. I wanted to show you my system, in hopes to make this daily, never ending chore maybe a little easier. 

I have a darks and lights basket.  This is sorting right from the git go.  The kids are doing it.  We have a laundry basket in the girls room and ours~that needs to be brought over to the laundry room, but all others come in the laundry to sort their own.  When the basket is full...I know that's a load.  After it's washed and dried.  I have a basket where all socks, hand-towels, washcloth's, & underwear go into. Which is more than 1/2 of our loads.  That basket waits by the washer for children to come home from school.  I have learned not to be so picky with nice and tidy stacks.  This was hard to let go of at first.  In the beginning I had eager helpers, who felt validated, cheerful and excited to help.  After a while~it becomes a chore and sloppy sets in.  I think there is a big difference between sloppy and "I'm doing the best I can" kinda thing.  Attitude is a huge part.  So right now Suzy sorts socks, can fold them and put them into cubbies.  Sometimes I have William work on that and fold wash cloths but not often.  Isabella does the rest of the folding.  Although I really should be teaching the boys to do this independently.  They require far more patience on mama hen...so lets move on. 

I might add that we pay for this chore.  Not all chores are paid on to have them done.  Some jobs the kids do because they are part of the family. period.  Some things we pay for~when done with a good attitude.  Bad tude-no pay.  This was Isabella's basket today before she got home to fold it.  I usually give 25 cents a load.  But wow~this was 2 loads and was full and running over with socks.  I had her do it all, because the other kids were working on other chores, and paid her $1.  Don't tell her but I think this is a steal.   

O.k. So there's the laundry that the Isabella and Suzy can sort and fold then I do the bigger things like jeans and bath towels.  Every family member has a cubbie and I put the persons laundry right into their slot.  The towels go up on the shelf until I'm going that direction.  I used to set folded items on the washer and that would really cramp my style when folding on top of the washer & drier...so Donovan made the shelf that you see on the above picture.  Have loved it!  The basket on the top of the washer is tomorrow's laundry for Isabella :) I literally spend about 10 minutes total on laundry per day which is amazing!  I would encourage you if you have younger kids...start small. Like this week you can teach folding socks.  When that becomes a breeze add wash cloths, etc.  I started young with Isabella and she enjoyed getting privileges (like watching a movie, etc.) after her "job" was done.

 The top shelves on the left and right are clothes that the kids have outgrown waiting for me to take the piles down to basement storage or to the resale.  Then it's 6 cubicles for each member of our tribe, one cubical with a basket for mis-matched socks, one for extra boxes of Kleenex and paper towels, storage for clothespins and bleach, and the last cubical with the bucket is for trash.  Donovan built these shelves about 5 years ago, but if you are limited on space or handyman capabilities you could easy use a plastic version or storage crates. 

 I take the shirts and usually put them over the ironing board if they are dry.  That is Jack's job to hang them up.  But today's laundry shirts all went on hangers to dry or on the drying rack.

 And then there is a handy closet that is in the laundry room that has a girl section, one for the boys, and on the top and to the right is me and Donovan's clothes.  Clean, dry and ready to take to the rooms.  This usually happens when it's jammed pack and there is no more room.  I also wait until the kids are home from school to do this.  If you do not have a closet in the laundry I think a free standing rack would be a great addition to a laundry room.  

O.k. So the last part of the post was done while in and out of the bathroom, bedroom, and (shock) the laundry room.  So I hope it made sense.  William was projectile vomiting, as in--- the walls, top bunk, sheets, & comforter all had to be washed.  SICK!  He now is in a little floor nest on our floor, in our room.  Had no idea he was sick.  He said his tummy hurt before bed, but that's a given in our family when it rolls around to 7:30/8:00.  It translates to "I really want to stay up and snuggle so I'm just going to have a tummy ache"  which doesn't work...I'm not sure why they keep trying that line.  I guess this time he wasn't crying wolf! :(  Kinda makes me feel bad for making him finish his supper.  Sure hope he doesn't "toss the poor mans steak" on my carpet next.   

Quote of the day:

Suzy last night at supper.  She was pointing to the pop bottle and asking what the words said.  We read "Caffeine Free Diet Coke".

Suzy: "Dad, Can I have some more caffeine?"

Donovan: "yes."

Suzy: "Because it is free!"

honey do list (3 of 3)

Awwww....can you tell that's Isabella? Kinda looks like my Suzy doesn't it?? This picture was taken exactly 6 years ago. Same time of year, Isabella is holding a doll car seat with her baby strapped in and a blanket over the top to keep her sleeping. See how she even has a purse packed? That was holding the baby bottle and toys for the doll. Mimicking what I would do with William at that time. :) Loved how she would mama. I still remember that morning...feeling quite accomplished to get Isabella, Jack, & William up, dressed, fed, and out the door while still morning. I think I took a picture just because I was just so proud of myself. Not sure where Jack is in the picture...but how's 2 out of 3?

So anyways....I put the picture on to show you the bench....the progression of the bench. See it in the back ground? Back in the day it was taupe.
It served us well as a place to keep shoes, and one basket with hats & mittens.

About 4 years later we painted it black and used it various places in our house. When we moved back in December, I decided to use it in our entry way. It now is used for toys & books. While I still love it, I really wanted to give it a re-do. Rather I wanted hubby to redo it.

So last week he got to work. Building sides for the bench, while I worked on a cushion.

He also......used some leftover wood from the lockers & he built a matching shelf.

Completely in love with the new lighter look this entry way has. (Sorry for the dark picture~should have taken it during the day)
I added one basket to the bench, and was in shock that Target still carries the same baskets. Although the 2 I had were pretty worn~they still match. Love to hide those books now. And the shelf at the top~is a complete improvement to a the mirror, in my opinion.

Tomorrow I think I will copy myself from the first picture and make another bittersweet wreath to hang from the coat hooks on my new shelf. Which looking at the ages of those little people in the first pic~I wonder how on earth I even had the time to pick the bittersweet and make a wreath 6 years ago???

quote of the day:
William: "I can smile bigger than anyone. Except for God. He has a really big mouth."

It was like a coffin when I was in mama's tummy, and other interesting thoughts

What a wreck....And this picture does not do it justice...really this is just a sampler of my day yesterday.

Misc. junk in piles. That is a good description. At the beginning of the summer I let Isabella and William trade rooms. And it was a good switch to have the 2 oldest downstairs sharing a room, and William up stairs with us. But all good things come to an end. It was time to switch them back. And as we moved them back to their prospective rooms, what a eye opener for this mama. I knew of Isabella's hording / collecting tendencies....however there just are not words to describe it accurately. Let me explain. Roofing shingles. Yes, She had saved a roofing shingle from Lord knows where, because "it was warm" And straws, yes, misc used straws. And my personal favorite an ice cream bucket turned into barbie house. I'll give her creative, that's for sure. But our house is just not big enough for so many "treasures." Thank goodness it was trash day yesterday. So out with the "treasures" and on come the sad eyes, and tears. Mine were tears of joy to have order back in her room. Hers were tears of sadness of her "special" things. Some days I see this type of junk laying around and just secretly throw it out...But I began to think yesterday we need to address this issue and teach her how to de-clutter. And after a little sadness, came an acceptance. And she was o.k. We now have a drawer for barbies and dollies, a drawer for baby clothes, a drawer for purses, a place for CD's. We have order. And I am giddy.

I can tell she loves it too. She now has a reading "spot" in her room. And apparently we have a Horse club. I found this taped to the wall next to her door yesterday.

The sign reads: We play fun games, eat snacks, and more!

And we found her devotional book that she started doing....and loves. See those baskets above??? Each have a purpose. Each have a category. I am happy.

Today we took a break from the organizing / cleaning mode, because I wouldn't want to finish all of the house right now....it would leave me nothing to do this fall/winter. Ha ha ha, I'm sure by that time I'll have to work on Isabella's room again.

Today was salsa day.

This is my sister-in-law Arlene and my husbands mama, Elsie. We made 38 quarts all before lunch. It went fast.
The newest cousin was there at 2 1/2 weeks old, Cale. Jack adores him.
And here Jack is showing off that he can "walk while holding him" Hmmmm, making me a little nervous.


So leave me a comment...and I will pick a random winner to win a jar. If you live far away...I will mail it. :)

Quote of the day:

Last night at supper.

Jack: "What do they do with you when you die? Do they just put you in the ground, and put a blanket on you?"

Donovan: "No they put you in a box called a coffin, and put you in the ground."

Jack: "Don't talk about it- it freaks me out."

Donovan: "You brought it up."

Jack: "It was kinda like I was in a coffin when I was in mama's tummy, right?"

Here is the salsa recipe:

16 lbs. tomatoes
6 green peppers
15 jalapeno peppers
2 lg. onions
1 clove garlic
Cilantro & parsley (optional)

Stir together:
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
¼ cup salt
¾ cup vinegar
1 ¼ cup clear-jel