Keeping It Clean - The Charts

If you have children, and especially if you have several, you wind up spending time rethinking and regrouping. Everything. Fine. I do. Part of it is that I just like to make lists. It makes me feel like I can tackle the world if everything is just in list form.

So once upon a time, I posted on our choring system. Things were doing okay, but with the change into the new year and picking up steam with our home school stuff, this aspect of our days needed tweaking. We have been at the new system for about a month now and it is going along swimmingly.

The kids part is, anyway. As for me, I try to keep up with the laundry and keep meals in bellies and grow a baby. The rest can wait for days when I have energy. Like in 2042.

In an effort to take the easiest route to answering questions that people ask, I finally created a google spreadsheet and opened access up to everyone. We still have everything posted in our pretty picture frames (two are sans glass now, but I think I might have predicted that one). This outlines the general expectations. These are the things that I want them to do without reminding. Never mind the twenty-eleven times a day that I ask somebody to run upstairs and put 'this away' or 'bring that'. That's just simple obedience. Right?

So, you ask, what do my kids clean with? Well, every cleaner in this house is child-friendly. I'll be posting on that soon!

Sleeping Like A Baby

It's common for gestating ladies to have issues with sleeping at night. I mean we sleep All The Time that first trimester Sometime after that we become Nocturnal.

Well, I do anyway. And we have long since established the Who's of this blog.

Until my last pregnancy, I just dealt with the way things were. When I was pregnant with Anna, I mentioned it to my OB and she told me to try Tylenol PM first since I'm not a heavy hitter in the drug arena. She said that many ladies found relief this way, but if it didn't work for me, get back with her. It worked well enough. Well enough that I figured that I was back to what would be considered normal.

However, at that point, I lived with my MIL and if there was slack she just picked it up. I don't think I knew then how tired I really was.

This pregnancy? My nocturnal issues kicked up a few weeks ago. After several nights of one or two o'clock in the morning bed times and no naps during the day, I was really getting run down. I was cranky and sharp and short-tempered. I couldn't keep up with the kids, the laundry, their school stuff. Add into that the Plagues of This Winter, and I was really kind of a basket case.

Enter the Ambien. Last OB visit I told my doctor it was time. She agreed, signed the scrip, and that night I popped my first pill. Then I soaked in Epsom salts because one of my trademarks during this pregnancy is tripping, slipping, or otherwise falling. And I stay sore.

I hadn't been in the blissful water long when I realized I was dizzy and having trouble focusing on a thought. I crept off to bed and slept for the first time in weeks. All. Night. Long.

The next night, I popped another pill and crawled immediately into bed and played games on my iPhone until the disconnected feeling hit. It worked much better that way. I wasn't afraid of falling and cracking my head open before I got to bed. And again, I slept through the night.

The night came, however, that I took my pill and thought I'd 'just check something online real quick'. There I was, sitting with my iPhone in one hand and the mouse in the other, Twittering, emailing, and Facebooking in my day clothes and pink fuzzy house slippers. The next thing I remember was waking up in bed at 7:30 and thinking how good it felt to have slept yet another full night.

I have no idea how I got to that bed. Joshua assures me there was some iPhone droppage, a bit of stumbling, and some muttering about apple machines.

I'll take his word for it and try not to be embarrassed. Because I slept All Night Long!

Taming The Chaos...

...one step at a time.

My first step was to find and reclaim our School Closet. It had become a drop-point for all things barely school related. And, honestly, a stash spot to hide things I didn't want left laying about when company came by.

You don't have to answer this out loud where people will hear you, but am I the only one who snatches up the last few items and throws them behind a door I can close? Hm? Yes? I'm alone? No? You do this too?

Sooo....while everyone was breathing out their icky germs and breathing in their siblings this week, I spilled the contents of that closet. The stairs became a narrow passage way as I piled up boxes to be within easy reach. The school table, not being used due to high temperatures and low temperaments, became a repository for the insane amount of curriculum I have collected. The living room floor turned into a sorting arena as I methodically went through each box and bag and book, determining whether to keep it, donate it, sell it, or trash it.

I am glad to say that the closet is presentable again. I was particularly thrilled to find I had a stash of pencils that should carry me through until Armageddon. And pocket folders. So, yeah, I'm kind of please with myself. I cleaned out a closet, took care of my sick family, got a little sick myself, made a little money towards next year's curriculum, and got rid of some stuff. All within the time frame of seven days. I would say short, but it's been a rough week here.

Surviving The Drudgery

Y'all, not only have we witnessed a lot of snow round these parts lately, but we experiencing what I feel just might be more than our fair share of the plague.

The better way to look at it would be to say we are getting all our sicknesses out of the way in an abbreviated time frame. I keep trying to say this to myself, encourage my tired, sick, and pregnant self. That hopefully after this one, we will be done.

The power of positive thinking.

Over the course of the last five weeks, we have survived strep, stumbled through a stomach virus that attacked me and three kids with varying degrees of severeness, and now, I have to believe that we are fighting with the flu.

Joshua, who nursed us all through the stomach bug and walked away virtually unscathed, felt cruddy most of last week. Then he came home from work sick on Friday. This never happens. Seriously, in the thirteen years this man has been a part of my life, I have seen him take to the bed like this twice now. The man essentially stayed in bed for 72 hours.

I am popping pills and eating citrus and drinking water like it's going out of style in an effort to ward off his germs. It's mostly working so far, but I still have a yucky sounding cough. And I fade in and out of feeling energetic and nearly sleeping on my feet.

Of course, that could be the pregnancy...

Elizabeth and Thomas have had nasty colds, and Sarah Grace is just suffering from a smorgasbord of issues. Ear infection, general aches, mild congestion, and low energy. And then there is Anna. She hasn't suffered one iota since her initial vomiting episode on Christmas Eve. Nada.

So, if your missing us and were thinking you might come for a visit, don't! If your wondering how we're doing, check Twitter or FaceBook. Joshua or I one post something regularly. And if you think about us, please pray for a swift and full return to health.

Until next time, spraying lots of disinfectants and eating lots of chicken soup!

A Snowflake Falls In Alabama

The Great Snowstorm of 2011. Because apparently getting snow on Christmas Day is so last year! We woke up to officially 7 inches of snow on January 10. Joshua and I sat up late the night before and watched the snow come down in torrents. Then we experienced the phenomenon of ThunderSnow. Facebook friends assured me that the thunder and lightening meant this was Real Snow, like they get in Alaska!

Need I remind people that this is ALABAMA? We specialize in humidity and heat lightening.


We only measured six on our deck rail, BUT! The City of Madison says seven is The Number.

Sarah Grace built a Snow Princess, naturally.

Joshua built his snowman in the bed of his truck and used a frisbee for it's face.

This is where I watched the festivities. My sweet husband thinks this shot is hilarious. What can I say? Cold is NOT MY THING. I live in Alabama, for crying out loud!

No pictures of Anna or Joshua. Anna's lack of camera exposure is directly tied into the fact that she seems to spend more time face down in the snow, which is knee high on her. This results in tears and a plea to come inside to watch Baby Noonay. Joshua's missing pictures are chalked up to him being in possession of the camera at all times. He, unlike me, is totally loving the snow. Hikes and playing with the kids and making sled runs. Just thinking about it makes me need more hot chocolate!

2011 - The Year of Intentionality

We are ten days into the new year. At this point, most folks have decided what their 'resolutions' are and they are diligently working towards them. I've never been much of a resolution setter. Frankly, I lack the stick-to-it-ness it takes to maintain the classic assortment of resolution. Self-discipline is not at the top of my attributes list. I am more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants sort of gal.

What this means in layman's terms is that I do whatever is screaming for my attention the very most at any given moment. And I occasionally manage to squeeze in other things. Which means I have a few of these...

Affectionately dubbed the 'School Closet'

I frequently find myself scuttling about to 'get it all done' at the end of the day. I like to tell myself the reason my afternoons are so productive is that's just My Time Of Day.

You know, like some people get up at 5AM because they are morning people.

Puh.

Glad there are some of y'all out there. Really, I am.

However, after reading this post, my cogs began turning. I spent several days contemplating what this would look like in our home, what kinds of words we might use and how we would define those words to the children. Then I decided that I really wanted to pick one word, just one, to by My Word For The Year.

Do you have any idea how many really good words are out there? I was overwhelmed at just the ones that immediately came to mind. A few more days of thinking and praying, and I have finally settled on one single, solitary word.

Intentional.

It's not all that original. And it has been a theme that has come back to me over and over for quite some time now, but I have been to busy putting out fires to commit to actually making it an active action in my life.

Intentional.

...in my faith.
...in my marriage.
...in my parenting.
...in my relationships.
...in my home.
...in my time management.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I am beginning to sort through the why's and how's and try to organize in my head the many different ways to live up to this word and prioritize all the applications. There are thoughts left to be developed. I think as a part of my intentional-ness, I will do a monthly check in to let you know how things are going, what kind of changes I am making, and what kind of changes are a blessed byproduct of grabbing hold of what I have been given and making the most of it.

We are still going to choose a handful of words for our family as a whole. Possibly this weekend when we see snow and the South comes to a screeching halt. Again. I have plans to display those words in a prominent way so that the kids and Joshua and I can ruminate on them. Better insure that they are descriptive of what are lives are.

What are your plans, goals, or dreams for 2011? Do share!

I Think The Postman May Have Cried A Little When He Delivered This

I get all grinny when ladies come into my home and comment on the scents. I can't help it. I'm not trying to be boastful, but my house generally smells pretty good. I adore coming home after an afternoon out and inhaling the scent of home.

Part of it is due to the natural, homemade cleaners I use. I scent them to my choosing, occasionally even remembering to make it match the season. And then, as if that weren't enough, I let the kids use those cleaners. And they are liberal, believing that standing liquid equates cleanliness. They know how to work a trigger sprayer, people.

Another contributing factor to the friendly scents that I love, love, love, love, love! are my soaps. When I say 'my soaps' what I mean is the soap I use. I don't make this. I totally and unashamedly order my soaps from Missi, who I also like to call my friend. She writes a fun blog, too!

My most recent delivery of soap!

We started using Cheeky Maiden soaps about four years ago. Thomas' eczema had reached a nearly out of control point, and I despised putting steroid cream on his precious skin all the time. I had done some reading on different essential oils that were known to help, and went to Missi (a local-ish Mom who runs her own home-based business) to ask if she could add a particular oil to a soap she used to carry. She responded with a 'I don't see why not' and a little while later, I received a brick of soap.

Since I was ordering anyway, I added a few extras in for me. Like Happy Thoughts, which is now my all time favorite! And something for Joshua, Texas Ranger. Because a mild chocolate scent in your man's soap is really, um, enticing. Can I say that on a family friendly blog?

The first box was a scent-sational surprise! It smelled so wonderful and my kids were clamoring to 'help'. And they were tiny back in those days, people. Thomas was 2, Gracie was 1, and Lizzie was just a newborn. Finally, I convinced them to stand back far enough that I could use a sharp object to cut the tape and not fear splicing them in the process.

The all natural ingredients and lack of commercial perfumes or dyes showed a difference in Thomas' skin within the week. And Joshua and I were so impressed with the scents and the way the soap didn't dry out our own skin the way our store bought soap did.

We have never looked back. We have never bought any more commercial soap since our first Cheeky Maiden purchase, though I will admit to trying other all-natural soaps. I'm always glad to see the end of a bar that Missi didn't make, and have altogether quit trying anything else.

I have tried probably all her soaps at this point. I use her shea butter moisturizers. I love her lip balm. I use the baby bars on my littlest ones. I'd get a t-shirt, but she doesn't have any!

Naturally, since I am such a huge fan of Missi's wonderful, yummy, and perfect soaps, I was thrilled when my friend Lora chose Missi's soaps to use in her Hope Suds. (HopeSuds are another reason my home smells so yummy!!)

And so it is that I look oh-so-forward to each and every delivery from Missi! I do wonder how the mailman can stand parting with her parcels, though...

Just A Moment

What you see here, folks, is a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich. That squeals. Those four sweet faces up there piled up in every order imaginable, but this particular pile-on was dubbed the PB&J. We also had cheese quesadilla, hot ham and cheese, and pancake smash.

Sometimes I wonder if we should get out more, then I see them being perfectly content to roll all over my bed and giggle and squeal. Little moments of spontaneous laughter. It makes up for a lot of spontaneous mischief.

Look At Me Being All Crafty

Okay, if you travel any of the same circles in the blogosphere as I do, then you have been here once or fifty times. And if you have set foot in my home, you can't miss her influence (scroll down to the second picture on her page) on my slowly evolving living room. If I could, I would pretty much pick up the very most part of her living room and stretch it into mine. Those curtains with the horizontal stripes? Lurve.

And so it was because of Nester and her loverly living room that I decided I had to have me one of those chalkboards with a pretty frame in my own living room. The decision made, the search began. I yard-saled and thrift stored all summer long for the perfect frame. I found many that I liked, several I even purchased with other ideas in mind, but never landed on my idea of perfection.

Alas, the leaves started to fall and I still had naked walls.

However...

My Mom had bought a mirror that she wasn't sure what to do with. So she brought it to me. I wasn't in love with it, and it sat. Until my sister and her husband bought a house. She thought the mirror was a perfect fit for her living room and offered me one that she had previously had hanging in her dining room. I had vauge-ish ideas about what to do with that mirror and it sat around for several weeks before inspiration struck.


Now, I had intended this to be a tutorial, but pregnancy brain kicked in and I forgot to put the memory card in the camera and didn't notice until halfway through the process!

And so, that is how it is that you will only get half the images I had intended.

I used chalkboard paint and a small foam paint roller to apply the chalkboard paint straight onto the mirror. It felt kind of funny, painting a mirror, and I wasn't at all sure how things would turn out.


Along about the time the second coat started drying good, I noticed I had painted a hair onto the mirror. I stood there and debated leaving that little piece of myself in the paint. 'Good sense' took over and I decided to take it out of the paint. It wasn't an easy task and I left quite a smudge in the paint. In fact, the 'smudge' was big enough that I could see my eyeball reflected in the mirror.

The mirror that was supposed to be painted black.

I think if you don't paint stray hairs onto the surface, it would take three good coats. It took me about six to get it smoothed out.

I allowed the paint to dry for a few days. (read, I got busy with other things and forgot about it for a week) Then I used painters tape and reversed taped the mirror chalkboard. Next, I took a garbage bag and cut it to more or less fit over the chalkboard surface and then taped it down on top of the tape I originally ran around the edge, being sure that nothing was sticking out to interfere with spray paint getting on the edge of the frame.

I didn't take a picture because I didn't. I hope that word picture up there will carry you through.

I used Heirloom White to spray paint the plastic gold frame with. Two or three coats later (I can't ever tell how many true coats I use when wielding a spray paint can) and I was content with the outcome.


I then took my beautimus chalkboard inside (okay, after it dried) and scrawled on it and had Joshua help me hang it. You can see the hangers peeking out from the top, and one day, in the near-ish future, I may get around to adjusting things so that you can't see those hangers.

For now, I am content to sit on the hearth and gaze at the absolute onliest thing gracing the ginormous wall in my living room.

And scheme about what all I want surrounding it...