Flybabies July 2nd

but I see it didn't work out to be that.
July 1st
Thank you for all the welcomes and thanks jennye for looking at my blog and your comments. I will be checking out your page too!

My start....didn't really start. Sigh.
Cleaning out the sink was easy - it was keeping it empty thoughout the day. When I went to bed that first night it has dirty dishes in it.

Hey, today is the 1st. That makes a good day to start the 30 days babysteps, right? I told you all I was not good with follow through.

I guess I am just glad to have got through June. The 29th was an off day anyway as it was the one year anniversary mark of my daughters death

so I am back to where I started. I hope to be able to visit here tomorrow and announce that I woke up on July 2nd to a shininy sink!

July 2nd.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I feel like such a failure. I can't report that I woke up to clean sink. My daughter had a tummy ache and didn't fall asleep until 10:45. After that I just went to bed. Well, I am going to go do it right now. There are dishes soaking in it from Sat! Yuck . That is why it is easy to put it off. I just don't want to face it anymore. But I want to do this for my babies. They deserve a clean house. I know, FLylady would say that I need to be doing this for myself. That doean't seem to be working!!

sorry so long.

Good Morning!

Andrea-sounds like an awfully busy day today. That museum sound like fun,I must google it and check it out.

Bandaritchie-just take it in small steps,one day at a time. If you are too hard on yourself it will be easy to give up entirely. Good luck!

TADA
morning routine
DS to camp
read paper
mowed front yard
dog poop patrol
sprayed Round up on weeds

PODA
read with DD
lunch
art project with DD
walk
put away laundry
pick up DS
dinner

Heidi

Ooo, that does sound like fun! A Museum of Play! Cool!

Amy, I don't know how many times I didn't shine my sink! It's hard to do with little ones. Especially sick ones that like to stay up late (my husband has a fit if I try to put the kids to bed before 10:30 during the summer or weekends. He says that is HIS time with them). But I'm going to try to babystep along with you! You have inspired me! (Andrea, Heidi, Jo, not that you all don't. It's just, well, she's the new girl. LOL!). Remember, you are never behind. Just start the day over!

Ok, so, I'm going to shine my sink today and...whatever day 2 of flyladies baby steps are. I'm also going to vacuum the house, have the kids dust the living room, do my news column (yikes, I have no new news. Well, I'll recycle last weeks, add this weeks birthdays/anniversaries. The editor will slice up whatever he wants anyway. Hate that newspaper). See if any more squash and beans are ready to be picked. Need to vacuum the camper real quick and turn the fridge on out there so it will be cold Friday when I load it up to go camping next weekend.

DH is off to cut some more hay. He got off to a late start this morning. He had an ambulance call at 2:00am, didn't get back til about 4 or so. (drunk driver ran into a pole. All he got was a split lip and an arrest). I need to do some research on RV parks near hotels for our vacation later this month to San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Andrea, what's the name of the resturant you liked down there with the good margaritas?

Well, it's hard to find a bad margarita in San Antonio! But some favorites were Tycoon Flats (more like a bar and grill), La Fogata (more upscale), The Alamo Cafe (Jamie Lea's fav!), and Casa Mauricio (mom and pop place). I am jealous!!!!

Heidi, your DD and probably DS would love the museum - if you ever make it this far East I would highly recommend it and some of our other attractions too.

Get going on that sink Amy! Just that for now - you will be amazed at how it inspires you! I've gotten some stuff done - will TADA it later -
Andrea

I did go clean out my sink and even did a few dishes. If I can keep it empty today it should be no problem just to have to wipe it dry tonight. It was just facing it full of yucky dishes and water that was hard at night.

My DH is the other way. He likes the kids to go to bed early so that we can have that time together. My 2and 1/2 year old goes to bed at 8. My 15 month old doesn't have a night routine. It's something I really want to get in motion ebfore I have the next one.For my benefit and for the grandparents who will have her while I am in the hospital having #4. I'm still rocking/nursing her to sleep most nights. And she doesn't sleep through even then. Most nights I end up bringing her to bed with us. DH is ready for that to end too.

Jennye- did you find the babysteps section on the webpage. I'll do day 2 and 3 tomorrow. Since day 2 was getting up and dressed to the shoes......it's 1pm here and I am still in my pjs. My kids are dressed though. How does that happen.

thanks for the support

Thanks Andrea! I'll make a list and be sure I check some of those out!

So, how did we all do today? I admit my sink isn't shiny right now (well, it's shiny with dishes in it. But not alot of dishes. Kids are still eating mac and cheese. It's 8:00 and DH isn't home yet. I'll fry him up a couple burgers when he gets in). I'm eating fried egg w/ cheese sandwiches right now. Then I'll tackle the kitchen.
Day one is shine the sink (I'll do in a little while)
Day 2 is put on shoes, hair and face. Well, I do the shoes everyday without fail. It's my thing. Always has been. I even wore lace up tennis shoes today and shorts (instead of my usual jeans and boots).

In other news: I cleaned my room good AND the boys room (whew!). Not sure all these toys got into MY room (I don't play with them! LOL!). Got both rooms dusted and vacuumed. I got the garden watered (soaker hose), hope to water the lawn tomorrow. I'm down to one hose, thanks to my dog (grrr) who is still in his puppy chewing phase. So I can only do one thing at a time. It was in the 90's today and the yearling cattle need water. Be so glad when we sell those next week.

That's all I did. To my credit, I got a big garbage bag of crap out of both rooms.

But tomorrow: The girls' room. I told them that tonight and they both screamed "NOOOOOO!!!!". hehehe. DD10 likes to do the Riley missions. Except today she went thru all her t-shirts and picked out the stuff with stains or holes. I had to explain to her that we don't need to get rid of those because they are good work shirts around the farm. I'm not going to have her wear a good shirt if she is helping DH work on the tractor or check cows or something.

What are Riley Missions Jenny?? You did great today!! Wow.

Amy, awesome on the sink? Get it shiny! Try getting showered and dressed first thing. Hard with babies I know, but it is huge. Shoes are a help too.

Well, here is my TADA:
dw
laundry
walked
bought mulch and DH spread it
bought grill and had it delivered
took kids to Denny's for lunch
groceries
gift for my Mom
made dinner for my folks
set up slip and slide
had birthday dinner

SLUG:
mail package

I am beat - going to bed now -

Well, let's try this again. I was writing along and out power flickered just enough to shut down the computer.

Hooray! I woke up to a shinky sink with no dishes in it! (granted, they are all over the kitchen, but that is not to worry about now, I know)

I was up and dressed to my shoes by about 9am. I know that is a late starting morning for most of you but when the kids "allow" me to stay in bed until 8;30, I take full advantage of it!

I haven't look to see what day 3 is supposed to hold for me. I try to look at it the night before but I forgot.

I am going to try to do the daily mission in the zone of the week. I know that you are suppposed to do this after you have decluttered but it helps me feel like I have accomplished something.

later.....Amy

Morning all!

Great job on the sink Amy! Now try to get to those dishes today. One thing I have found that works great for me is the 15 minutes in a Zone. I have altered Flylady's plan a bit through the years. Anyway, when I am feeling unfocused or down b/c I'm not getting much done - I will spend 15 minutes somewhere - anywhere - a closet, a drawer, details in the kitchen and work. It is amazing how much you can get done in 15 minutes! it really gives me a feeling of accomplishment!

Well, I just got done wrestling with my $%&* cat for about 15 minutes. He refused to go in his cage for his visit to the vet!!!!! My kids heard a lot of swearing and yelling, fortunately not directed at them. I finally gave up a rescheduled his appointment. I don't know what got into him but I am really mad!! He scratched me in several places. Is it the cocktail hour yet? My heart is still pounding.

OK, on with the day!

TADA so far:
dw emptied
beds made (DH)
exercised
laundry started

PODA:
finish laundry
Wal-Mart run
post office
get more mulch
finish mulching gardens
take my parents to airport at 3:00

Dinner turned out nice last nite on our new grill! We made chicken kebabs, pasta with pesto, corn on the cob. I bought a little birthday cake for my Mom and she made a strawberry pie. Yum! We gave her a really pretty necklace for her birthday, which is not until the 10th.

See ya!

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
DS to camp
read paper

PODA
make cookies with DD
lunch
DS's play
sort mail
pool time
dinner
walk
read with DD

Today is the Footloose play this afternoon,then another performance on Thursday evening. Fiday will be his last day of camp.
We are going to a cookout/pool party at friend's house tomorrow then going to our old neighborhood to see fireworks then back home to collapse in bed!

Andrea-the dinner on the new grill sounds good. I checked out the Museum of play online,wow,how cool is that. It would be good for DD6 but DSalmost13 is too old for it. About the cat,did you try putting the cage upward so that the opening is facing the ceiling? Then just drop him in and shut the door. Works for our cat, good luck.

Better get going....

Heidi

Footloose, how fun!!!

Andrea, I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time, but I can just picture you trying to put that cat in the carrier! LOL! sorry you had to change the appt. Yummy stuff on the grill! Your always making good things.

I think the babystep for today is a review of day 1 and 2. Ok, there are a couple dishes in my sink. I couldn't get to them last night because our water pressure went kaput. both the yearlings AND the mamas w/ their new calves were drinking out of their respective tanks last night, so the pump was busy with them instead of the house water. Oh, well. Was a horrible night anyway (Drew didn't want to go to sleep, he and I vacated to the couch so DH could get a good night's sleep in the bed. Then I worried half the night about Aunt Flo being late, but after looking at the calender this morning realized she isn't even supposed to be here til next weekend. I hate getting used to her visits again).

Oh, we got rain last night (weather predicted 20% chances, we got at least 1/2 inch! Which means we WILL get to plant those last two fields). Unknown if our other fields got any rain at all (they need some). Beautiful light show.

DD10 went with DH to shred weeds around the inlaws place. I wanted to tackle their room today, and I still may. Also a load of laundry to do, few other little things. Will have to go to town twice this week. Tomorrow MIL wants to go see fireworks with the kids. Then Thursday will do errands and grocery shopping for our camping trip this weekend. Still need to dump the trash out of my pickup, since we have to take it camping. So many piddly things to do...

Glad you had a laugh at my expense Jenny!! Oooooh, I'm still mad about that!

Of to pick up the car - 300.00 I was not expecting!
Ouch.
Andrea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uISuvTiTYJA

You guys have got to check this out - it is really funny but also brought a tear to my eye!
Andrea

Wonder how many takes it took him to do all that without messing up. LOL! Was funny, though, and a little sad. I so don't want my kids to grow up. If I keep having them, maybe they won't...Can't convince DH though. He thinks 4 is more than enough.

Hey There -

Can anyone remember where that funny MOm rant was on YouTube? I can't seem to find it. It was on here a few weeks back.

Got a lot done today. Parents are flying out tomorrow. We are going to a pool party just down the street. Should be fun and laid back.

See ya!
Andrea

well I am going to bed with a clean sink. I actually did the supper dishes after supper tonight. That has not happened for months. I got a little laundry done and had fun with DH and kids outside. Gave Tyler a haircut - which I regret. I don't really like it. And both kids got a bath.

Started Alysa on the cry yourself to sleep routine. I hate this part of parenthood. It took an hour tonight.

I have a long way to go but it's a start.

Amy

Riley missions (challenges?) are emails flylady sends out for the kids to do. One day it was go thru the sock drawer and put holey socks in a bag, give to mom.

Amy, I gave my 4 year old a haircut tonight. Ok, my DH did (I usually do it, but DH insisted). He did it a bit shorter than I usually do it (#2 all over), but it's fine for summer. I then gave the boys a bath, and am wrestling keeping Drew in his diaper. He would much rather be naked. I'm fixin' to resort to duct tape! He has figured out how to take clothes off, too.

My sink is shiny, too! And that's after dinner (which was a messy one: chicken fried steak w/ gravy and mashed potatoes and green beans. I opted not to do biscuits. I started on the girls' room but I was minus a girl and didn't want to do that much by myself in there (I rather put them to work). Put some shelves together for my sewing closet, and that's about it. Oh, picked 4 more squash out of the garden.

It's 10:30, going to think about putting kids to bed (I hope!).

Happy Fourth of July!

PODA
morning routine
read paper
1 load laundry
get things together for party
lunch
poolparty/bbq at friend's
drive to old neighborhood
watch fireworks
home to bed

Enjoy your day!

Heidi

Morning all-

Sounds like you are on the right track Amy!

Not sure what the day will hold now b/c it's raining!

PODA:
dw
exercise
laundry
Wegmans for a few things
rent carpet cleaner tonite (this is my project tomorrow)
I may throw some other things in there if we don't go to the party
Andrea

Amy, how did DD do last night? The cry it out worked on my daughters, but not my sons. Go figure!

It's just going to be a WONDERFUL day here (dripping with sarcasm). DH is in a horrible mood, he couldn't log on to a website he frequents, and lordy, we are all in trouble for it! Now he is pissed because I haven't dumped the trash out of my truck and the dog scratched the bed of the truck. I so don't want to be around him today.

But, we have to have dinner at his parents tonight. Then me, the kids and his mother (and he and his father if they want) will go to town to see the fireworks. I've tried watching from here, but 26 miles away just doesn't do much for me. LOL!

Well, off the computer and to look like I"m doing something so he will get off me.

Hi all-

Well, I spent a lot of time today trying to play around with video on my computer and still didn't figure it out. Very frustrating! I got it on my PC, but no sound! I also have a MacBook from work and I think I need a new cord to do that.

Anyway, my big TADA is cleaning the garage. It looks great!! DH helped. We had no BBQ to go to due to rain, so spent time on that instead.

Hope DH perks up soon Jenny. Mine gets in a mood sometimes too and I can't do anything right.

For those of you who remember Susannah - she had news on her blog today - she is expecting #7!! In early November. Better her than me... she is one brave woman!

See ya -
Andrea

We had gone shopping so Alysa got to bed a little later than usual but she cried for less than 15 minutes before she was asleep. I didn't hear a peep from her until 5:30am and then I (naughty mommy) brought her to bed with me and we didn't get up until 8:30. Tyler gets up early but he is good at playing in his room.

I woke up to a clean sink. I didn't accomplish a ton yesterday because we spent most of the day at the in laws and then went out in the evening. I did get some more dishes done.

I asked DH if we could eat out for supper and go to Wal-Mart to get some bins to help organize. I was really missing my mom yesterday and just need to be out of the house.

Morning all-

15 minutes - not bad Amy!

Quick post here as I'm out the door:

TADA so far:
exercised
laundry in dryer
kids to rec
dust mopped upstairs
dw emptied

PODA:
city for a few errands
15 minutes in a Zone
fold laundry and put away
figure out dinner
DD to soccer, DS to baseball

Andrea, wanna come tackle my garage now. LOL!

Yay for 15 minutes, Amy! I so wish that would have worked with my last baby.

We ended up having a pretty nice evening. I finally got logged onto DH's fav. website and all was well in the world again. LOL! Went to inlaws for dinner, my squash casserole was wonderful (thanks Paula Deen!). Went to town to the university and got a nice spot to watch the fireworks. It rained on us a bit, but we didn't care. It didn't stop the fireworks. I think I got some pretty cool pictures (not near perfect, but interesting). Back at inlaws til about 11, then finally home and bed.

DD8 decided to run around with DH today, waiting on the rest to get up (Drew of course up already, happily playing with trains). I need to make grocery list and head to town. Nothing for me to eat for breakfast (out of bread and milk. The kids that are still here eat oatmeal). Then I think I'll start loading the camper. We want to leave at noon tomorrow (two other families are following us there that DH had invited to go, so I imagine we will be waiting on them).

Oh, and I think I'll apply for the community colleges online classes today. I have figured out 3 I can take. I take one a semester, and maybe by that third semester they will have added one more for the 4th semester. Then in two years when Drew starts preschool I can transfer them all to the university and attend full time there. 4 semesters and I should have my Bachelors. Then if I can't get a job out at our school right away, I'll work on Master's. That's my plan. I am an AWESOME planner. I should be a professional planner or organizer, something. It's just the following thru I have problems with. LOL!

Have a great day!

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
DS to camp
read paper

PODA
DD bath
read with DD
watch a movie with her
put away laundry
lunch
sort mail
pick up Ds
early dinner
DS play

Got in late from fireworks too and it was a JOY getting DS up for camp this morning!! Tonight is the last performance and tomorrow is his last day of camp. In about 10 days DD will start swim lessons again.

Jenny-your college plan sounds good, I am sure you could tackle it at that pace.

Have a good day!

Heidi

HI all-

Think I'll pass Jenny - wouldn't want to wear myself out ya know. Yes, your plan sounds great and I know you can do it. But I thought you had decided to not go the college route. Or were you just putting it on hold for a bit?

HI Heidi - hope DS had a good week at camp.

Well, I've gotten all of my PODA done except the 15 minutes. I may go work in the garage some more - cleaning the windows, which are BAD.

Where is Amy?

Come on, Andrea! Have some excitement in your life! You could come face to face with the rattlesnake! LOL!

Yes, I had decided not to go on to college and just stay at home the rest of my life. But, I think DH would really like for me to help out with the bills, insurance would be nice, too. In the end, I think it will be better for the kids (especially if I get my coaching endorsement and coach the cheerleaders. Then I can go to all the home AND away games and see them). I also believe that a woman needs to be able to support herself if the time ever comes to that (God forbid, but we can't predict the future, can we?).

Home from grocery store. I am wiped out! DD10 and DS4 managed to fight practically the whole trip. Doing laundry now, need to clean up the LR and kitchen. I want the house clean before we leave tomorrow! Got some cooking to do, too. Want to put together some things now so I don't have to do it on the trip.

I am wondering if you were asking where I was because I had not checked in for the day. If you meant something otherwise let me know.

I'll try to touch base at least once a day either in the morning or evening but you won't see me a lot throughout the day. At least until my house is under better control.

I really have to get myself in gear. It's 4 pm and I haven't really done anything. I was out of the house from 10:30am - pm so I lost a big chunk of the day. I have started seeing a counselor and today I had a meeting with her. I am not sure how long I will stick with it but my baby Dr. (who is wonderful) really thought I should try it for awhile after this past year.
They just want to make sure I keep the depression under control and stick with the goals I have in place for myself.

Alysa is screaming for my attention so I have to go

can one of you remind me what TADA and PODA stand for

well Alysa has been screaming her lungs out for almost an hour now. Guess she was just really tired last night. I go in periodically and calm her down and try to get her to lay down....the first night she asleep standing up. It was so comical. As I type she is starting to get more whimpery instead of screaming. I'll take this as a good sign.

I'll talk to you all tomorrow
Speaking of Where am I?
there used to be others that chimed in here. Where are they?

HI Everyone -

Yes Amy, I was just wondering where you were today. Busy, it sounds like! I hope the whimpering turned to sleep. Very difficult, I know. I think you are on the right track, seeing a counselor. You have been through a lot. It will definitely not hurt to vent some of your feelings! Best wishes with that. And yes, there have been others, seems like they are in hiding though. Becky, Shaun, who else are we missing?? The list has gotten smaller lately. C'mon ladies! PODA is parade of daily adventures and TADA is like "See what I did?!" You know, bragging!

I think you are on the right track Jenny, for what it's worth. I could definitely see you doing that kind of thing in the future - you would be great!

I did pretty well today - I spent close to an hour in the garage cleaning 2 windows. Disgusting! Much better now, but not perfect. We really need new windows in there, but it is just not a priority right now.

Morning all -

Where is everyone??!!

I've gotten quite a bit done over the last few days, still not the carpets though. I was all set to do them, but the power went out at the store where I was going to rent it from and wasn't back on until it was too late in the day to start! Likely story, huh? It's true.

TADA:
dw emptied
1 bed made
sheets in washer

PODA:
meet friend for coffee
rent carpet cleaner
clean carpets and furniture
finish laundry
maybe some decluttering if I have time
make dinner

See ya!
Andrea

Good Afternoon!

TADA
morning routine
read paper
Aldi
Bj's
lunch

PODA
visit Mom?
call Dad
bake bug cakelets with DD
dinner
bonfire?movie?game?

Couldn't log on Friday,out at family bday party most of Saturday so that's where I have been. Family party was fun,they had a clown for the kids,lots of good food and good weather. DD was so dirty from playing out on the farm that I gave her a shower there before we left. Thank goodness I thought to bring a change of clothes! This is DH cousin who has all the llamas and who we get our beef from. Supposed to go over to my mom's but there is no answer and she is a good 25 minutes away so will wait to hear from her and see.

Glad Aldi is open on Sunday. I got my grocery shopping done without having to take both kids tomorrow. They stayed home with DH. I think that if we don't go to my mom's we will go in the pool. It is in the 90's today....bleh.

Have a good rest of the day guys.

Heidi

From the 10 day family reunion/camping trip.

It was great fun, all DH's sibs (4 of them) were there, even the sisters from Nashville and Seattle.

I smell like a big ole slab of bacon from sitting around the campfire last night.

Time to jump back on the wagon.

TADA
camper unloaded and clean
2 loads laundry washed
meal planned
groceries
caught up on the news (skimmed 10 papers)

PODA
more laundry
dinner: lasagne
dishes and shine sink

HELP! I just noticed that the tomato plant in my whiskey abrrel was all yellow. I went out to investigate, and there is about 2 inches of standing water in the planter! I guess it's not draining. I hate to drill a hole in the side of it, but maybe that's what I'll have to do. Any advice?

OK, gotta run, too much to do and class all this week from 8-5 with a 45 minute commute each way-Yuck!

Later,
-Jo

Oh! P.S. Welcome Amy! Sorry for the delay, I'm kinda running sideways here. I'm Jo, Mom to three (17, 15 and 6) and I'm finishing up my master's so in class all summer.

Hey Jo - welcome back! What an awesome trip - sounds like great fun! Good luck with your busy week -

HI Heidi - bug cakelets?? They sound awful cute whatever they are!!

TADA:

this is big - I cleaned my carpets!! Rented a rug doctor - very nice machine. I only did 3 area rugs but they are pretty big and cover our LR, FR, and DR. The stupid attachment for upholstery wasn't working so I couldn't do the furniture - oh well.
laundry
dw
exercised
coffee with a friend
changed LR and FR furniture around as long as I was moving stuff.

Yay! I feel really good about that. This week will be busy for me too. Working two days, Dr. appointment one day, then DH's parents arrive Thursday for a week. Our small town festival is Thursday through Sunday so we will be going to lots of events with that -

See ya tomorrow!
Andrea

I was having computer troubles for a day and then I focused on the blog so I didn't get here to say hello.
I put a few Before and After pictures of my messy to clean house on the blog is you are curious.

www.ourpreciousones.blogspot.com

the post are titled Before and After
and More Before and After
I have added other posst since but they should be right there are the first page that opens.

I need to get back on the band wagon today. I did not get up to an empyt sink andI am not dressed to the shoes this morning. Feels liks another cold day here. Won't complain, I'd rather put on a sweatshirt than be hot. Easier to work.

PODA
check out Flylady sight to see what the zone is this week and do some 15 minute sessions there.

put away the dished that I washed on THursay or Friday(oops)

and do the dishes in the sink

if I get this done on top of just taking care of my kiddos today I will be happy.

oh yeah, I better doa load of light colored clothes. DH would like some tidy whities (ha ha)

Amy

Glad you are back Jo. You trip does sound great.
I'd love to see some of the others chime in that haven't for awhile.

this makes me happy. By then end of the week I should be able to show you all the rest of the pictures of my kitchen. I laughed when someone left a comment on my blog about the kitchen looking nice because of the picture of the couters and sink.

I was thinking.....ummmm no, just THAT part of the kitchen looks nice. The rest resembles the before picture. I have made progress in there but there is LOTS to do. Can't wait. I am actually excited about this.

Amy

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine

PODA
read paper
put away laundry
pay bills
buy stamps
visit Mom
Lenscrafters for DS
read with DD
dinner
DD bath
walk

Andrea- the cakelets are ladybug,dragonfly,butterfly, and bumblebee. My dad and stepmom sent the mold and decorating stuff in a package to the kids this past week. We baked them yesterday and decorated them,they are really detailed and cute.

Jo-glad you had a good trip,welcome home.

Amy-before and afters are good motivators,keep up the good work.

Better run....

Heidi

Ya'll sound busy! Yay on the rug, Andrea. Welcome Home, Jo! Those bug cakelets sound cute, heidi!! Amy, I'll try to check out your site in a little bit.

Just back from camping ourselves. Decided to stay an extra day. Good thing we came home today, camper was almost out of water and all clothes were dirty. But DH had school board meeting tonight, HAD to come home.

Much to do tomorrow. Don't think I'll tackle anything tonight except to bring in some essentials. Fixin' to rain here good. I'll report back in the morning with my poda.

it's 8pm. the kids are in bed. that is where I want to be. But I kind of procrastinated on the laundry so I still have to do that. I have two loads to do instead of the one I thought I would.

This is the night that DH teaches the teens at church so he won't be home until about 10.

I did get my dishes put away and the ones in the sink washed along with a few extra. But now those dishes need to be put away and the supper dishes done. I'm discouraged. It's rained most of the day and they may play a part on my mood. I am just tired and crabby. My kids got the raw end the deal tonight as I had a short fuse all evening.

well at least tomorrow is another day.

Yes, it is another day Amy and you can start new!! It sounds like you are making progress on the home front though -

Must run -
Andrea

Morning all-

TADA so far:
dw emptied
watered gardens
drove to city and back for my annual exam
couple errans up there

PODA:
finish laundry
mop kitchen
scrap 1 page
wash and vac van
exercise
order photos online

Yes, that is a lot - not sure if I will get it all done -
Andrea

Wow Andrea! Hope you get it all done!

I will spend part of the day unloading and cleaning out the camper. Need to change the sheets in there. We are letting MIL borrow the camper for a bunch of family coming in from out of town this week. She has her own camper, but there is ALOT of family coming. Need to tackle mt. laundry (boy, do we get it dirty in the mountains!).

Also need to work on bills, make out a few bills for people that owe ME some money. May run a couple errands locally (got mail delivered here for a cousin. I could just put it back in the mailbox and let the maillady take care of it, but I think I'll just drop in on the cousin anyway and do it myself). Oops, DH's school reunion needs to be in today. I'll run that out to that gals ranch too.

And I need to mow. Will see if it dries out enough today to do that (got an inch of rain last night!). And more planning on our vacation.

Good Morning!

Yay, we have rain! It has been sooo hot and dry here.

TADA
morning routine
read paper

PODA
wait for cable guy 9a-12p
bank deposit
try on new eyeglass frames for DS at mall
lunch
sort mail
1 load laundry
pool,if it stops raining
read with DD
call Mom
dinner

A friend of my mom's gave her bags and bags of clothes. So I went over there the other day and went through them with her. I came home with 1 lg bag for me, some even still had pricetags on them. She must be a shopoholic. I won't need anything for awhile now.

DS is supposed to work with DH today,so better go see if he has risen yet.

Have a good day everyone!

Heidi

Way to make out on the clothes, Heidi!

Yesterdays TADA:
*mowing (front, back, side, garden, and west of fence/garden. Still have island, around barns, front outside of yard, around house that's abandoned)
*4 loads of laundry (folded AND put away)
*unloaded most of camper
*cleaned off top of dryer (yay!! I can fold clothes there now!)
*fixed dinner AND cleaned it all up

Today is going to be errand day. DH needs me to run some papers to farm bank for him. And while we are out, we might as well see the new Harry Potter movie (we were going to go tonight, but no since in going to town twice in one day). YAY!! We are SO excited about this one! Harry makes out (LOL!!!). I know it's darker and PG-13, but I don't think it will be a problem with my kids. They love scary stuff (you ought to see them watching Arachniphobia, plus I have a big rubber taurantula I throw on them. Too funny!). We will eat lunch out and grab a few groceries, too. Oh, and find new tires for the camper. The ones that came on it aren't heavy duty enough, we had a blow out and a flat on Monday. DH gave me a list of numbers that are on the tire for when I call around.

Have a great day!

I love getting free clothes too. Glad you got some treasures for yourself. That's part of my closet problem though. My mom worked in a recycle place and her payment was whatever she wanted. So, when she came to visit she would have bags and bags for me to go through. Plus my kids would get tons of toys. Wait until I post some of those pictures. I have to get rid of some but now I find it REALLY hard to do because mom gave them so many of them.

I am making progress on the kitchen. I hope to be able to post all my kitchen pictures this weekend. I have gotten a lot of comments/e-mail congratulating me on the clean kitchen. I guess I should have mentioned, that the only clean part was the counter. The rest of the room looked like a tornado went through it.

Last night while DH watched the All Star game I worked in the kitchen for a couple hours probably and I put in another couple hours on it last week. YES, I mean hours. I do get easily sidetracked and got at it pretty slow. I want it done right so I don't have to go back and redo it. No Stash and Dash if you know what I mean.

Jennye - thanks for the compliment on the kitchen. We were blessed that when we moved out of our apartment to get a brand new mobile home. It is getting small (we didn't have kids at the time we moved)but I loved the fact that it was new and we got to pick out the wall paper and counter colors and rugs. I put white paper though the whole house. You would have thought having a new place I would have kept it sparkling.....but, I didn't.

Hey everyone=
I worked today so am pretty beat. We had a nice dinner and we maintained. We are in a real busy spell right now, but fortunately I am not working again until July 24th and the August 27th. Yay!! So that will help a lot. We are just shuttling kids to camps, rec, etc. plus DH's folks are arriving tomorrow for a week.There is a lot going on now with DS's baseball which is a ton of fun, plus our small town festival this weekend, which is BIG!! Small town life at it's best.

OK, I will stop boring you. Amy, you are doing great - I am off to check out your website now and then I'm doing with the 'puter for the night.
Bye guys-
Andrea

I had a nice post, but then my computer decided to freeze on me and I lost it!

Amy, I had a nice white kitchen in a double wide. It was beautiful. I hated to leave it (and the walk in closets, and the big master bathroom). Can't wait til I remodel what I have (which is original 1960s brown and gold. It's horrible).

I'm exhausted. Ate at Chili's with the kids, but I know DH is going to want a big meal.

Harry Potter. I'm sure it was good. I got to see about the first hour of it. Then Drew demanded to be let down and from then on it was pointless. I spent the rest of the time in the lobby with him so the other 25 people in the theater could enjoy the movie rather than listen to him scream. At least my kids got to watch it. They said it was really good.

Bummer Jenny! Why is this type looking different? Hmmmm. Maybe you can catch tne second half sometime! We are not into HP around here, but I know many people who are!

OK Amy, I can't find your blog! Where is it??!!!!!

See ya -
A.

you should just be able to click on this

www.ourpreciousones.blogspot.com

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
read paper

PODA
bank
put away laundry
park with Dd
lunch
sort mail
pool
dinner
give blood
DD bath
read with DD

Jenny-sorry you missed the movie,it shouldn't be too long til you can get it on DVD right?

Andrea-wow, you guys are busy! Enjoy your visit with in laws. I read a few more Chris Bohjalian books,I got hooked!

Better run...

Heidi

Good morning!

Andrea, maybe so. DH mentioned something that maybe this weekend during his mother's family reunion that he may watch the boys (uh, ya mean your MOTHER will while he visits) and the girls and I can go see it again. Well, I won't hold my breath on that one, but ya never know. Jamie Lea has it in the IMAX down there, and the last 20 minutes are in 3-D! THAT would be cool to see!

I need to unload the 4 tires I bought yesterday out of the Yukon and run up to a little town (not town, or big-ger town) to get the rims DH had ordered for my camper. I'd take my pickup but it's still hooked up to the camper. Gotta take out the trash from the camper and change the sheets in there and it will be ready to go to the inlaws (as soon as DH puts the new tires on it). Need to also do a load of laundry.

And I'm sure I'm going to go 'round and round with the girls. I'm TIRED of the mess in their room and I'm going to be mean mom and not let them watch any tv til it's cleaner (not clean, just cleaner). Very unflylady, I know. I've got to do something about that room...

I'm decluttering, but it's making things worse! I'm saving the stuff til next month for our church's annual garage sale, but have nowhere to store the stuff! LOL!

I've been up for 2 hours. I have vacuumed DD room and polished off a sink full of dishes.

The kids have eaten breakfast. (When I have the ambition to make them pancakes (blueberry, yum yum) I make a double batch and put them in the freezer. Then all I have to do for the next few times I pop them in the toaster like you would a Lego waffle or something.)

They are dressed and playing well together. I was playing with them and it suddenly hit me that I had not eaten breakfast myself. This might not seem like a big thing - but I find that I do that often as at 22 weeks preggo not the smartest move. I have gained only a couple pounds, if that so far. I really need to work on eating!! I am probably one of the few people that you know who WANTS to gain weight! ha ha

I would like to get the kitchen done today or tomorrow afternoon at the latest so that I can have Friday evening to do what DH would like. We will probably go to Prayer Meeting tonight so won't get much done after that. By the time we get home and get kiddos in bed I'm pretty wiped out.

I could be talking about my house -- though I am caught up on laundry!! -- but I'm talking about this thread, so, hi to all and especially to newish-bie Amy.

We've not seen OOTP yet -- so sorry Jenny, I would be so mad in your shoes! I hope we'll go this weekend.

I have piles of freelance to do, plus I am tempted to cancel my organizer appt. for Saturday because my house looks like she never came! Kind of like skipping Weight Watchers when you think you've gained weight. Best to suck it up and do it, I guess.

Scrapping this Friday night -- yay! -- but sadly none of my friends are coming with me -- boo! Everyone is sick, husbands out of town, etc. Well, maybe I'll get a lot done.

True confession: took the kids to Perkins for breakfast this morning because we had no breakfast food in the house! (Stopped at Target for milk and eggs -- and mascara, and luggage tags, and a notebook, and gum, and corkboards for the girls' room -- afterwards.) This was a sign that my meal planning has really taken a turn for the worse!

Good day to all!

Shaun
www.redseahomeschool.wordpress.com

Shuan, interesting array of things at Target! LOL! I've run out of breakfast things before, too. Don't feel bad. Sometimes the milk and bread just run out quicker than planned. At least you are close to stores.

Just wondering, how much do these home organizers cost?

I didn't get the camper vacuumed, but got the rest of it all clean. DH is mounting the tires on the rims now and will change the tires, then I'll finish up out there.

I would like to make a banana bread today for reunion pot luck tomorrow. But a majority of the day is going to the inlaws to see more inlaws. happyhappy, joyjoy. I can hardly contain my excitement (yes, that is sarcasm!).

Whoops! Forgot that our bread had turned moldy and we tossed a loaf. (Grr, hot and humid weather is a pain. Where I grew up you could leave wet clothes in the dryer forever without worrying about mildew.)

Our PO is $30/hour, although I pay $25/hour -- I got to her before she got so popular she decided to change her rates! Besides, 2 of her new clients are my friends, so I figure that's fair. (I wouldn't have known about the rate change otherwise.) We do about 4-6 hours a month. So it is not a small expense, but it is not outrageous either. And I do know that my PO is cheaper than many. I have seen people charging $60!

Flylady would have given me a spanking this morning -- had a late night, slept in, and was still wandering around in PJs at 11 am! On a weekday! Very bad -- very unlike me. Well, the DW is taken care of, the laundry is going, and the kids are being mesmerized for a while as I "work."

So I'd better actually work!

Shaun
www.redseahomeschool.wordpress.com

Good Afternoon!

TADA
morning routine
read paper
1 load laundry
playdate/lunch here
cleaned up from that(6 kids total)

PODA
sort mail
put away that laundry
pool
dinner
movie night

Shaun- hey,that PO is cheaper than a therapist! If it helps and it is in the budget,go for it!

Jenny- oh I know the pain of having to be with inlaws all day, I feel for you....maybe some margaritas would help??LOL

Better go

Have a wonderful weekend

Heidi

Hi Everybody -
Glad you poked in Shaun! The PO thing reminds me of Lynn's comment about a housekeeper vs. a therapist - go for the housekeeper! Hope it works for you.

HI Jenny, Heidi, and Amy!

We are in the midst of our busy festival weekend plus entertaining inlaws. It has been fun but busy so far. DS also had another game yeserday - a close one 13-12 too close for comfort!

Well, I'm off to finish my coffee!
Andrea

Good Morning!

TADA
morning routine
read paper

PODA

putaway another load laundry
water flowers
library
lunch
sort mail
art show
pool
dinner
read with DD
bonfire?

It is art festival time around this area. It seems every weekend til fall will be various art shows. I try to go to a couple,after that it gets redundant. My mom may come along with me to the one today,gotta call and see if she feels like it. It's set in a park so it's not too sunny but it is a popular one so it will be crowded. Bonfire tonight if it doesn't rain. Have stuff for smores here already. DS finished his 1st required book and is about to start the other one,he wants to be done by the time my dad and stepmom visit in mid-August. He should be right on target at this rate.

Jenny-how was all that inlaw visiting? Did you survive?LOL

Amy-I enjoyed your before and after pix,you have made good progress,keep up the good work!

Heidi

I just got home from inlaws. Yes, it is after 10AM! DH just got to visiting, and playing guitar, and visiting some more, Drew and I fell asleep on the sofa, the girls had pitched a tent in the backyard to play in and fell asleep, so we just ended up spending the night! LOL! Now I'm home to change clothes, fix a squash casserole and brocolli casserole, then back to visiting again. All. Day. There were 12 kids (ages 10 down to 19 months, mine being the oldest AND youngest), and 13 adults. Just last night. More arriving today. All. Day.

And one cousin is about to drive me nuts. She's from California. 'nuff said. LOL! Seriously, she ran all around town and bigger town (an hour away) to find the organic things they needed to survive the weekend! She shunned breakfast this morning ("MY kids only eat eggs with fresh spinach in them. They don't eat sausage or doughnuts"). The rest of us had doughnuts and botch (eggs, sausage, onions, potatoes, cheese). Then I saw her eating a salad. For breakfast. Which was also the same thing she ate last night while the rest of us ate hotdogs and hamburgers (the latter was from our own beef).

I can shut up and respect decisions to eat nothing but organic at home, but at a reunion for 2 days, gosh, is it going to kill ya? LOL! Sorry, she was just WAY too uptight for these country folk here. About other things, too. She is a SAHM and 2 kids, but has a cleaning lady come in once a week to help with her 3,300 sq ft home and someone to mow her lawn! Well, I guess if you can afford it. Cheaper than thearpy, right (hehehe!!). I can't afford (or justify if I could afford) either, so, I digress.

I'm boiling my squash and brocolli now, no flying for me today. Gotta be back over there at noon.

Worked in my office with PO this morning -- emptied out an entire closet! It's going to be my project closet: scrapbooking stuff, stuff that needs to be sewn, CDs to rip before giving away, plus it will hold the yoga/meditation stuff I want to have in here.

Luckily, Disabled American Vets is coming through my zip code this Tuesday, so I will have a lot for them to take away! (How did I get so many sheet and blankets!?) Reclaimed my office daybed too, which is great for having dog and kids in here, or for me to have a place to hang when my bedroom is being used for some other purpose (bedtime stories, e.g.).

Jenny, we are not 100% organic, but I do figure that our efforts to eat organic-ish most of the time will more than make up for the times we travel and have to eat other stuff. I was a bit uptight about it when DD8 was about 6-18 months old, but that just meant that I traveled with my own personal larder everywhere I went! My parents would always try to bend over backwards to get the "right" foods for our visits, but I would try to assure them, "It's no big deal, there's nothing you can feed the baby over the course of a few days that I'm going to worry about." (Sometimes I wonder what I was like as a child that my parents used to think I'd go ballistic about non-organic potatoes or something.)

Anyway, point is I think most "picky eaters" know that they're picky and know that they shouldn't make their choosiness some else's problem, especially by calling attention to it! (Not sure how old your cousin's kids are, but I'm hard pressed to imagine a kid who wouldn't dive into a donut, given the chance!)

Kids are dying for me to go pick up their friend for a playdate, so I guess I should oblige. (We have to walk all the way across the street and back! ;-p (

Shaun
www.redseahomeschool.wordpress.com

Day two done. Still alive! LOL!

I inlaws and reunioned til about midnight, then came home and crashed. The girls again slept at Grammies in thier tent w/ newly met cousins (one is 2 weeks younger than DD10, but she is smaller than my DD8 and played with her more).

Shaun, the organic/picky eater has a 4 year old that wouldn't touch the doughnut. WTH! Also has an almost two year old. I guess I don't have anything against the organic part of it, just the attention to it. I mean, MIL keeps pretty healthy stuff in the house. But for this cousin to have to drive to every grocery store in a 50 mile radius to find the items they needed to survive the weekend, just irked me. I'm sure it wasn't her intention, but MIL just felt bad about not having stuff for her kids and herself to eat. You can't please everyone I suppose. I'm glad you relax enough on it at someone else's home.

Well, most of MILs company is leaving today. But before they do, FIL wants them to come by our ranch and farm and see our operation. So, I'm tourguide today. LOL! Going to do a quick little pickup of the house, though, before they get here. Kitchen is clean, LR is for the most part (few little toys and things around). Boys room and my room clean. girls room, well, a child isn't going to be consumed and lost in there, so we will live.

It's 6:30, better go.

We bought our tickets online for HP:OOTP last night, so DH, DD8, and I are going this afternoon. I thought DH and I were going on a "date" and pre-screening, but apparently he had already told DD8 she could go with us. Well, it's always fun to get to share in her excitement -- and I'm sure she'll be decked out with wand, robe, and HP tie!

Re: donuts (the lazy typist's spelling ) I guess I'd be glad to have kids who wouldn't touch a donut? Maybe? After our vacation with grandparents I was starting to think mine would never eat something that wasn't sugar-sweetened again! (And that was the in-laws, my parents can be even worse!) We kind of have a "What happens at grandma's stays at grandma's" policy around here, so grandparent feel free to do all kinds of naughty things with the kids (cake for breakfast? dessert-first dinner? unlimited pop?), and it's their special thing, no parents allowed.

Shaun
www.redseahomeschool.wordpress.com

Same policy here. We don't eat cold cereal here--it's really pretty bad for you, even the non-sweetened kind. But Lou eats it at Grandma Lynda's. She knows better than to ask for it here.

I am not the food police for the girls; they know what's good and what's not, and they make their own decisions and live with the bad tummy if they get one. Josie avoids wheat scrupulously. She never touches it, and chides me when I succumb. "Mom, if you get a bad tummy, it's your own fault!"

Our big policy is no packaged stuff. We try to eat from scratch as much as possible and avoid the refined stuff. But that's OUR problem, not someone else's.

If we think we're going to be in a situation where there really won't be a thing for us to eat, we bring our own! And we NEVER expect anyone to cater to us, though some people try.

A kosher nearly-vegetarian friend freaked out when she invited us to dinner, trying to figure out what to serve us "since you guys eat SO MUCH MEAT!!!" and we don't eat non-fermented soy (tofu, which she loves and which we tease each other about). I said, fix what you fix and we'll eat it, it doesn't have to be meat. We had a great vegetarian Indian dinner!

And now that I'm feeling better, I really should return that invite!

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Morning everyone-
I"m going to start a a new thread...