Clearing Clutter/Liberating Self-Nov 27th-

I think it will take a while before the US contingent recovers from Thanksgiving enough to join us Hope!

I decided at 5pm yesterday to start vacuuming the kids room with the crevice attachment. Bad plan because two hours later I'd vacuumed everything thoroughly and moved the furniture round, but dinner was a bit of a wipe out! Well at least it looks better for now. I don't get in there that often to do a thorough job - too many things on the floor to put the vacuum cleaner at risk - so the dust and the shreds of paper had been building up. I've now moved it round a bit and got it tidy so that I can throw the new jungle-cum-safari theme at it which is part of DS' birthday present. Now there's a single big empty wall so the Wallies I found can make more of an impact (and I don't have to go out and hope to find another packet of them!). It's also opened the floor back up a bit and I moved their dollshouse onto the floor since they want their table back for holiday art projects (the papers round here have reached amazing levels in less than a week so far!). Gives them more room to play with it, even if it isn't at an ideal level. I can always pick it up and move it back later. It's not one of those fancy Georgian types, but a good solid one with a carrying handle (which my father insists is too babysih for DD7). More furniture going in that this weekend (exam reward once DH gets back) and for Christmas. DS may play with the dollshouse, but I'm NOT going to give him dollshouse furniture for his birthday or Christmas - I just can't do it!

DH is due back this evening, and I promised him faithfully I'd collect him this time - I didn't make it last time! So I have a rather long list to get through today, which includes putting dinner in the slow cooker (and rice cooker too most likely!) since his flight lands at about 6:30pm. I'm expecting this weekend to be a bit chaotic, particularly since DH is off on Monday for DS5's birthday, so I need to get my bills paid. The gorgeous flowers DH sent me for my birthday have had to go in the bin this morning because they were fermenting! I didn't change the water quick enough the first time, plus there was sticky tape holding all the stems together and I don't think that helped somehow. Don't think I'm going to have time to go out and run errands, so that'll have to go on a list for another day. Consolidating my lists is on my list would you believe!?!?! Yes, I suppose a few of you would believe that easily enough, because I can't be the only one who has lists to keep track of my lists!

Anyway, I have a few things out of the way already, and a few more hours to get some more crossed off. Let's see if I can actually get them done!

Kerri.

Okay everybody! Up and at'em! Time to shake off those "after Thanksgiving lazies". Had a nice Thanksgiving, but glad its over with.

I'm still struggling with getting any decluttering done of late. The kids did manage to "force" the Christmas tree issue until it is up. They're big enough to do most of it now, so they did and it looks good. At least they are tall enough now to get ornaments spread out on the tree rather than just on the lower half of it!

Anyone brave the shopping masses yesterday? Not I. I did get out early this morning to run buy a couple of coats on sale. Also took the kids by the library for books. Also trying to declutter some typing (for my sister) off my desk and hopefully have time to get back to my search for the top of the desk.

You'll also be glad to know (so you don't have to listen to it anymore) that I finally got that hideous recliner out of my living room. Had to have the help of my kids and their wagon but get it out, we did. Looks so much better in there now.

In fact it hasn't started.... *pout*
We were supposed to go to my parents but they’re sick. And didn't want to go to my mil, and treat them like seconds. So it's was postponed it until this weekend, but she's still sick. AND they’re going to Mexico next weekend..... maybe we’ll get to have it by Christmas LOL

In the mean time, I will be doing a Turkey and the fixins tomorrow for DD6 who says she will be possitively mortified if she returnes from her holiday break having not had a turkey!!!!! LOL It took a lot of convincing that it didn't HAVE to happen on the actual day.....I promised before the vacation was over we’d be having a turkey meal and giving thanks even if it is last minute.

Well in the mean time, with the stress of it all, NOT happening and waiting every day if it might happen tomorrow, I’ve had nervous energy thus, my house is spectaular..... every sink is shiny....... and I even fixed my hair up real nice today... AND I climbed up on the roof and hung the christmas lights, hubby can’t do it, he has MS and gets dizzy and looses balance cuz his feet and legs are numb.... so once again I’m feeling like a studmuffin

You sound like me Lenora, Tho I’m worse, often in my pajamas at that hour, not even showered. Hee Hee, but you do sooo much more then I do, *cowering* you disserve to have some down time, me I hang out until all hours of the morning in my pj's all toooo often LOL. I doubt I'll ever be a flybaby much less a flylady LOL ..... tho I do try to keep a shiny sink, and learned some helpful tidy things.

Fern, I’ve never once braved the shopping masses, not once in my 34 years. Nor does my husband. We didn’t go this year either. *shrug*

Fake tree or real tree Hope? we’ve got a fake one we love, but we’re thinking of doing real this year... a mom and pops place who does free hay rides and coca while you hunt for your tree in their tree farm...... they’re intention is to create family memories, that is why they made this farm 20 years ago....hmmmm

Kerri I Love it when I vacuum like that, I move everything like every other month.... more necessary with hardwood floors the dust bunnies get very big and scary, unlike with carpet where they can become one and blend in... with wood they just gather on the wood till they look like they could bite a toe off, then I attack em with the vacuum and the attachments. I'm not kiddin, I vacuumed under our bed twice a month and before I swept it and got like tennis size ball dust bunnies, ewwwww, now I just vaccume so I don’t have to see how big it gets.... where does this all come from, OK no one answer I’ll just keep attacking em.

Well Ladies, lets keep pluggin away, Christmas is coming and will be here any second. yeaaaaaaaa

when handed a basket of lemons make lemonade

Charlene

If it wasn't for visual records I wouldn't even know the last time I came over here - feels like a long time ago, but then we did have a 3 day weekend, and that always messes with my head! DH came back on Friday night, we had a disastrous family celebration for DS' birthday on Saturday, a slightly dodgy one on Monday (how can kids not want to eat at Hard Rock?? It was only a bacon cheeseburger, chicken fajitas and a crispy combo of wings, oniong rings and potato skins, but they were in the kind of mood that puts my teeth on edge and very nearly ruined the whole day). DH is currently trying to sort out his various remaining trips for the rest of December, but between visa issues (Saudi Arabia) and the fact that flights to almost everywhere are fully booked... well it isn't a lot of fun! He's expecting, plannin, hoping, to be off again by the end of the week. Well, at least I'll have the car back - gotta look on the bright side!

Uh... and the topic was???

I remember something about dust bunnies... I think I see the advantage of carpet, but at least when I clean our ceramic tiles I know they're clean. Question: Why is it that you can spend ages and ages vacuuming, but the moment you turn off the vacuum cleaner, wind up the cable and turn around... there's some dirt right in the middle?!?!?! Now there's a disadvantage to tiles. White and pale grey ceramic does tend to show up every little hair if you've been in the habit of looking. I know what you mean about biting off toes Charlene... mine are major mutants - they make Stitch look housetrained!

I'm sick of handing out yet more pieces of A4 paper to my kids at the moment, only to have them 'create' more and not have anywhere to store it, so I'm teaching them the value of recycling at the moment. They've got enough 'treasures' in their room to work with, believe me! That's one of the things I hate about the holidays round here. Either they're watching television until their eyeballs explode and their behaviour goes with it, or I have them on minimal television and I get clutter explosions all over the house as they get 'creative'. God, please save me from childhood creativity and the mess it makes! Some days I can go numb enouh to handle it, but other days it just drives me crazy from sun-up till sundown. Today has been a no-sun day all day, and it's still managing to drive me a little nuts!

I really need to get on wth figuring out dinner, because anything else is a bust today. My cards still aren't out, my tree isn't yet up (normally it would be up before DS' birthday) and doesn't really have a place because of a new stand fan since last year, I don't have any Christmas spirit and I know I'm running out of time to find any! But today isn't going to be the day it all comes miraculously together. Maybe this evening (if DH is late as I expect), but not before dinner, so perhaps having dinner early is the answer to that possibility.

Kerri.

22 DAYS!!!!!!! When did that happen? Oh heck, that's 21 days, now.....

I seem to have the same issues here as you, Hope -

1. the decorations aren't up
2. there is lots of laundry (but I haven't been away, just lazy )
3. I don't have all the gifts yet. I still have to get about 25. Eek.

I'm feeling nice and Christmassy though. It must be about time to break out the Christmas music We also have two Disney Christmas videos with Mickey and co singing Christmas carols, all the words come up on the screen. I bought them when DS was about 2 and every year I get them out again....visiting kids love it Alright, we do too

Last night I bought a few gifts in Asda (grocery store that is owned by Walmart, so I guess they're probably similar. I got bored with Aldi, lack of choice). I know Mum wants a woolly hat, so I got her a great stripey one with scarf and gloves to match. I also picked up cute nightwear sets for my cousin's DD12 and DD14, very cheaply - about half the price I thought I would have to pay I bought two sweaters for me too Not that I can really spare the money, but I really need some sweaters and they were so nice and so cheap!

I'm having a shopping day with my Mum next week, at a big mall. Ugh, hate malls. It's the only place near me where we can get cinnabons, though, so it's worth going just for those

10am and nothing done......time to shower, dress, and head off about 11.30 to the homeschool group. Wonder if I have time to clean a few windows before I go, I got the curtains down and washed them days ago and I don't want to put them back up until I've cleaned the windows, and I don't want to decorate for Christmas until the curtains are back up......

Have a nice day

I think of mine too Honey, but mine's decorating the top of my printer, making it look a little less like machine city over in this corner!

I got my bags of decorations out last night and started spreading out the ones which just need plonking on a surface rather than hanging or whatever. I then invited over some people who are visiting Singapore for a couple of days, so that ensures I have to make some sense of it all before tonight. When you ain't got the spirit you gotta find a way to trick yourself into getting the job done another way! My desk is mostly covered in the decorations which should be going in the kids' room if they ever make their room look like I might be able to see decorations in there. Right now they'd just look like more clutter, given the quantity of 'art' in their room. I spent most of yesterday asking if it was at all tidy, the answer came back yes a dozen times, but they don't even seem to see the last 6inches round the edge of the room. Not that my room is exactly setting the right example...

I'm not going to beat myself up over the visitors popping in this evening. I shall get some of the decorations tidied (I bought some cardboard boxes in IKEA to put them away nicely too!), clean the toilets quickly, maybe tackle some ironing, and the rest is a bonus. I did put on a load of laundry this morning, so that had better go out pretty soon, otherwise it really will look like I already decorated... laundry drape style!

DH is off again tomorrow (Sunday), back on the 12th, off on the 12th, back on the 16th, off on the 17th... something like that anyway. My head started to spin before he was done telling me. As long as he shows up for Christmas Day and our mini break at the riding school I really don't care much! As he said, at least I don't have another body to fuss about, and I do get the car instead, which at this time of the year is actually a good thing. He'd been feeling bad about me having to do the big grocery shop on my own, so if he felt better after being told he was unnecessary that's fine by me!

the kids are apparently going to make my morning a living hell, based on how they've been behaving for the last hour... joy!

Kerri.

Kerri, did your DH have that schedule before you had the kids? I was just wondering, if so, HOW you had the kids..... You never seem to be in the same room with him for very long - well, even the same country would be a start

I broke out the Christmas music last night, and feel very Christmassy now Hope, I don't know if it's the same one that you have, but Elvis has just released a Christmas album over here (well not actually personally, but you know what I mean!) - I wonder if I could manage to treat myself? Hmm......Mum has put it on her list, maybe I'll buy it for her and tape it!

Lenora, as always it's great to see you popping in. Did you get all the pressies wrapped? I haven't even bought mine! 25 still to get....off to the mall with Mum tomorrow, I'm hoping to get most of them then. I don't remember you were making spoons...I must have forgotten to lurk that day! What are they like? I gave up on the cinnamon and apple things.... Remember I bought the applesauce and cinnamon last year and never got around to it? I saved it all year and then decided the other day to make them. I dumped all the cinnamon out in a bowl and then couldn't get the lid off the applesauce, nor could DS12 so we had to wait a couple of days until my Dad came over. He got the lid off fine, but the applesauce, though well inside its sell by date, smelt like vinegar. Cinnamon and vinegar tree ornaments? I don't think so..... so on grocery day I tried to get some more....they didn't have any. At which point I threw all the cinnamon in the bin and gave up Maybe next year....

Today I have so much to do I should absolutely not be sitting here. I have to clean the house, put the decorations up, do a big pile of ironing, hang some curtains, find DS' window-writing pens (yes I said he could decorate his window. Was I mad?)oh heck I just remembered there is washing outside on the line that will be damp again now... (6.40pm), write my shopping list for tomorrow......

All I need is my own personal Lenora

:lol: :lol:

My life is a series of unrelated plans! I love that. That is SOOOOO how I feel on some days! Of course, it really is all related...eventually!

My Textiles lab exam is only a 30 point identification test. We have to identify and label 10 fabric swatches according to structure, pattern, yarn/fiber name and pattern name. My actual "final" in Textiles is on Friday.

I did get much of the wrapping done yesterday, and the tags...I need a couple more rools of ribbon though. I won't put ribbons/bows on until I get ready to put things under the tree.

I didn't bake much yesterday,just one batch of cookies, most of which will go to Girl Scouts with me this afternoon.

Honey, the "spoons" are just little plastic spoons to attach to the bath salts that I glued cute little bows and flowers on in colors to match the bath salts. (peach, lavender, and pale green for the peppermint)

I didn't get a "slipper" e-mail, but sounds cute (or not, if Honey is going to snort her coffee over it! )

Ok, so today I have my lab exam and Girl Scouts after school. The girls have to make a bunch of snowflake glitter pins to take to a nursing home on Saturday morning when we go caroling there. I'll probably come home tonight with blisters of my fingertips from hot-gluing the pin backs on. I have a long and tragis history with hot glue guns, and have resigned myself to using them as little as possible!

Well, I need to go blow-dry my hair so I don't get to textiles with dripping icicles on my head!

Have a great day, all!

Love,

Lenora

But unfortunately I can understand you and I have a feeling I'm not the only one!

I was just going to send out that email when I noticed you mention Hope had already done so! Email is one of the very few examples of me moving fast. I used to include all-you-can-eat buffets too, but not in a fair while! I offloaded both kids today (not my idea!), got a fair few things done including another shopping trip - not many chances for me to go anywhere on my own after all, and came home only to find my daughter was having a meltdown at my PILs' place and I had to go straight back out again to collect them. It's the first time in a while she's gone to bed before 7pm. Does anyone else know 7yr old girls who have a total meltdown?? Am I just especially blessed??

I got the lights onto the tree... Normally it has been taking me a week to decorate in recent years, but this year it's taking about a month! Piece by painful piece. I might put the tinsel on tonight since the kids don't really deserve to watch and they can't join in anyway. I'll wait the baubles for them... maybe. DH is arriving home around 9am tomorrow apparently and not flying straight off again as originally planned - hooray! That should mean he's around for another week before his last trip of the year. I should have booked the car for service today, but didn't get round to it before I went shopping and by the time I came back from dealing with obstreperous offspring, it was too late. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Kerri.

Yippee! Now I just have to move umpteen empty cardboard boxes which at the moment are impeding my way to the kitchen cupboards, out into the shed. I'm waiting for it to stop raining.

Today I have promised DS I will make bacon and eggs for lunch, I hate frying I like bacon and eggs though

Other PODA items for today

*Wrap a million Christmas presents to be dropped off at a relative's house tomorrow (well alright then, about twelve)
*Tidy up the house (BIG job)
*Write more Christmas cards
*Catch up with cross stitching projects for gifts
*laundry, laundry, laundry, laundry.......

It's so nice to have a day at home though, after having been out from early until late the last few days

Hope, your coffee morning sounds fun Made me wonder about having a coffee morning here for a few of my friends. I had been thinking of asking a few friends over one evening for a little pre-Christmas get together but there would be numerous small children involved. That was putting me off as in the winter when the garden can't be used, my house isn't big enough to cope with more than three or four little kids at a time. I hadn't thought of asking just their Mums while they're all at school (except my DS12 of course, but he's no problem)
Hmmm.

What a shame WE can't all get together for coffee! Wouldn't that be fun?

Time to stop procrastinating and go DO something....

Well it looks like we have our pre-holiday visit from the Flu Fairy. Both dds are home today. DD8.75 also has strep, so at lesast we can treat that. Happily, her fever is way down today!

I made absolutely no headway in the bedroom yesterday. I spent the biggest part of the afternoon snuggled on the couch with dd8.75 watching Ice Age and Finding Nemo

MIL has an appt. with a specialist tomorrow about her spine. Hopefully we're looking at a series of injections and not major surgery...we'll see.

DD13's band director just called, in a panic. About 25% of the eighth-grade band was absent today...and the concert is tonight! DD13 has a couple of pretty important parts, as she is the ONLY bass clarinet in the band! DD13 does NOT have a fever, just a dry cough (home more for prevention/intervention than anything else) so I think she'll be able to play tonight...

I'm going to lunch with my pastor today. Nothing "official," just some "friend-time." Her birthday is next week so I'm treating.

I'm feeling completely healthy...and will be trying to STAY THAT WAY!

Grades posted today...."I done good!" I was actually expecting an A- in Textiles, but came out with an A, so that's pretty cool. I got A's in all 5 classes!

I must go do something with my face before going out in public!

Happy Tuesday!

Lenora

Kerri, "All together" is a relative term, you know. Right now the only thing I have "together" is my sick kiddos in the middle of my bed watching a video!

I run a modified version of the Clean Sweep Grand Plan all year, so it's not really much additional "work" to toss in the holiday prep. Shopping early is a "must" for me because I hate any kind of shopping on the best of days, and just refuse to do anything but the bare minimum between Thanksgiving and New Year!

DD13 made it through the concert last night, and did a lovely job. I know she didn't feel like being there at all...what a trooper

DD8.75 is MUCH better today...fever gone...so she'll probably go back to school tomorrow.

I am hosting a social event for a campus organization to which I belong this evening. (Not here, thank goodness; at my mother's condo which is only about 10 minutes from campus.)

We've already bailed on the GS event at the nursing home for tomorrow, though. We don't need to be spreading residual germs to the seniors! My co-leaders are going to handle that one.

I had a wonderful time at lunch yesterday with my Pastor. A couple of the other women and I are going to her house on Friday to clean for her (as a gift.) She has the parsonage Holiday Open House this week-end...and of course with a congregation to lead and all the special holiday programs/services, and three kids....well we all know how that goes! Cleaning aside, it should be a good time for us, too.

DH will be home tomorrow...we all hate when he is gone and will be glad to have him home!

Its 11:30 and I need to shower and do some laundry. DH does most of the laundry, but I don't want him to come home to piles of it waiting...I have other plans for him!

Happy Wednesday!

Lenora

I HAVE FINISHED MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Fern, sorry to hear your Dad is ill
This is actually my first Christmas of my life that I haven't slept at my parents' house on Christmas Eve. In our case, it's at my suggestion so that my very busy Mum doesn't have so much to cope with (from tomorrow she has several houseguests plus has to cook for 10), but it certainly feels a bit strange.

Hope, weirdly enough on Monday I was also thinking Christmas was Wednesday! Great minds think alike, eh?

Kerri, found that Christmas spirit yet?

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas, I probably won't post any more until after Christmas. We are staying with my parents for three or four days from tomorrow on, and they don't have the internet.

Merry Christmas!