Spring Cleaning - Day 6

Today I tackled the master bed room. It was a haven for messiness. I swept the floors, put all the clothes stacked on the cedar chest away and organized the closet. I cleaned off the book shelf and the top of the Big Kid's dresser. I cleaned out the closet - getting rid of clothes that I haven't worn in years. I need to get the Big Kid to do the same as there are clothes in there he hasn't worn since we moved in. I realized two things while cleaning - the Big Kid, despite his protests, has enough work shirts to last a month if I didn't clean them and there are so many work notes and study guides laying around, I could heat my house for a year or insulate the attic with them. The only places I haven't found any are the girls rooms and the playrooms. There are stacks EVERYWHERE - I'm at a loss of how to organize them!

I only finished 1/2 the room - the Big Kid's 1/2 so the rest will wait.

Spring Cleaning - Day 5

Today I cleaned the upstairs bathroom. I organized the kids toys, and cleaned out under the sink - restocking as needed. I went through the medicine cabinet organizing and tossing old items. I cleaned out the cabinet drawers and rearranged things on the shelves. I then cleaned off the sink and put everything stacked on the counter back where it went. Then I washed down everything.

Spring Cleaning - day of rest

As I mentioned in the previous post, I had 129 cases of girl scout cookies arriving. Sunday morning, we woke up early and celebrated Girl Scout Sunday with our church. We had a great turnout - 32 girl and boy scouts (up from 12 last year). After that, I went to pick up my cases of cookies and then spent time sorting through them for the troop. I had lunch and then it was off to our first cookie booth of the month. While I'd like to count 129 cases of GS cookies as cleaning, not all of them ever truly entered my house.....

Spring Cleaning - Day 4

Today I needed to clean out the van. After a long, cold winter, and the major occupants being under 10 - it was a disaster. lacking a garage, basically anything that got brought out to the van for any reason, got left in it. I needed the van to pick up the 129 cases of girl scout cookies my Brownie troop sold. At first, I was just going to remove the big things (bags and totes and chairs) and leave it as is until it was drier, warmer and less muddy. Plus the girls penance this spring is to wash and clean the inside and outside of the van for always trashing it. However, after cleaning out the big items, I quickly realized it was just really, really gross and needed to be vacuumed. So a small job quickly turned into a bigger job. But my van is really clean now (once it does get warmer, drier and less muddy, we will take the seats out and fully clean it. And by "we" I mean "them").

One bag of trash was the total removed from the van.

Spring Cleaning - Day 3

Day three I cleaned out Moe's clothes. As the youngest of three, she gets many, many hand-me-downs. And as a result, never has any room for her clothes. She has also recently went through a growth spurt. With her help, I told her to help me bag up what doesn't fit anymore AND what she doesn't like. No use in me keeping things she'll never wear. This did end up with me telling her she cannot just empty her whole dresser into the "get rid of pile". In the end, we ended up with TWO full garbage bags of clothes. To be given to a friend for her daughter. And her clothes STILL do not all fit in her dresser....

Spring Cleaning - Day 2

The mess

I know technically that I should be on day 3. I have a perfectly good excuse for missing yesterday. The Big Kid had surgery yesterday morning, which meant we had to wake up waaaay before the sun to leave for the hour long drive to the hospital. Once there, we were admitted, he was worked on and we headed home. After having lunch, I slept for a good 3 hours, in which it was time to collect the kids from art club and a friend's house, do homework, eat dinner and bring the kids to theater. After watching Survivor, we both crashed. The Big Kid is sore, but feeling better.

After cleaning the 1st time

Today I tackled the closet in the upstairs hallway. Being an old house, closet space is very sparse. This particular closet is in the center of the house, easily accessible and thus a collection spot for all sorts of junk. Initially, I cleaned it out, organizing the toiletries all on the top shelf. Then I thought of the unused closet that Moe was using as stairs in the previous post. being that it is ACTUALLY in the bathroom (although a tad of a tight squeeze to reach) all we use if for is towels. the top two shelves were essential empty. So I moved all the toiletries into there - so that when one wants soap or tooth paste or deodorant, they don't have to walk across the house.

End result (That large cream comforter set was given to us on our wedding day 11 years ago. We've never used it. As soon as I can find a home for it, it is going)

So I organized TWO closets and had one more bag of trash to toss. Tossed were old toiletry items given to use but never used, empty bags, plastic covers to containers no longer owned and some fake flowers (the same flowers we brought for Einey's flower boxes in her room waaay back when she was a wee toddler. The same flowers that she decided to shove up her nose which resulted in a trip to the emergency room and nasal extraction after being put under).

Bathroom closet before (ignore the ugly 70s wall paper)

Towels section re-folded

Newly organized toiletries

The trash

What did you clean today???

Little monkey

The other day, The Big Kid asked me if I knew that Meenie was locking the door when she used the bathroom. I replied that I did know and also thought the Moe was doing the same.

"How the heck can Moe lock the door?" came his reply. *

"I'm not sure, but I've heard her do it" I told him.

Evidence: The lock. See it waaaay up at the top?

See Moe.

See Moe reach the lock? Yeah, that's how.

It seems like we have a monkey on our hands.

*Prior to catching Moe in action, The Big Kid did say, I bet she's climbing into the linen closet.

Spring Cleaning - Day 1

Today is the first day of March. Spring is just around the corner and there are many, many little things around the house that need to be done. Things that have been ignored and forgotten all winter long. Debris that has grown into piles shoved in corners and closets.

Today is day 1 that I am attempting to tackle and organize.


Here is what I accomplished in a very short amount of time. The area was a small area at the base of the basement stairs. Out of sight to many, but a space I pass many times a day. Throughout the holiday season, empty boxes and bags got tossed here. Empty dog food bags got tossed down the stairwell, awaiting the next garbage day and forgotten. See the before and after pictures? Much cleaner!







This is what I got rid of - two bags full of garbage and a bunch of boxes sent to recycling!








Another small area in the basement - more garbage tossed before and after!

So what are you cleaning to get ready for spring? My goal is to toss and de-clutter for the whole month of March - posting as I go. Wish me luck!

Mommy's No Fun

You know those games your kids play? The one's that get repeated over and over and over and over again? Well, mommy is a party pooper.*

1) The Quiet Game: Has been banned from Mommy's presence. Well it seems like a great game to play - because hey, everyone is QUIET. It quickly degrades into some one kicking, cheating, or poking and three kids arguing. no fun there.

2) Cheese Touch: While cute when it first started, Mommy is now the proud owner of the Cheese Touch and is not passing it on. It cannot be stolen from Mommy by walking up and touching her. And no, you cannot acquire it again at school. So sorry!

3) 5 Minutes to Get Rid of That Word: What word? Yeah, that (what). What happens if you don't get rid of it in 5 minutes? Then your stuck with it forever. Guess what, Mommy is stuck with it.

4) Jinx: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Jinx you owe me a soda. So um, if I win and you owe me a soda, I have to pay for it anyway because you have no money, correct? And neither of us drink soda so what's the point? Except for you guys arguing over who owes the other person a soda you cannot have?

5) The Wii: Why, because Mommy is just plain awful and all the little beings cheat.

So, what games are no fun in your house?

*this do not mean these games do not get played (or attempted) many, many, many times anyway.

Lost - please find

*it was replaced by this:

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Reason number one that I get to take the girls shopping first next year

I took the girls out shopping the other day to get a few last minute things for The Big Kid- and I stop to look at some emergency rain poncho's - they look at me and say - no, no, no - we already brought those with Daddy the other day. We don't need them.

Sadly, this isn't the first time they've told me what he's brought....

Proud Mommy Post

The beginning of December brought with it the close of the first tri-mester at school.

Einey earned two awards - the Christian Spirit Award and made the Principal's List - for having a GPA of 95+ for the first term.

Way to go girl!

Happy Thanksgiving

We would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for my family and friends. For good health and the Big Kid's job (because for as much as I complain, at least he has a job). I am thankful for my kids and the laughter and love they bring to my life. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

I will leave you with How to Cook a Turkey
By Moe
First Grade
Age 6.

Do you know how to make the best turkey? No? the secret ingredient of my family recipe is sugar. First my dad pulls off the feathers of the turkey next, my mom puts the turkey in the pan we put some and mayo on top of the turkey Then my mom cooks it in a hot pan and my dad puts the oven to 1000 degrees. we cook the turkey for 50 seconds and we know it is done when it looks dead.

(copied verbatim from her paper)

If I end up at the hospital with food poisoning, it's because we used Moe's recipe for dinner :D

Driving Lesson #1

RED means STOP.

GREEN means GO.

For the color challenged, RED is the light on TOP, Green is the light on the BOTTOM.

STOP means your vehicle is not moving. GO means you vehicle is in motion.

Just because you drive a big SUV, does not mean you are allowed to disregard the above rules.

Crossing in front of traffic that is already moving forward because they have a GREEN light (and you have a RED light) is stupid. It may save you a minute of time and get you to your destination fasted, but one of these times, your not going to be so lucky. Jackass.

Signed, the person who was behind the cars you cut off.

Pure exhaustion

Today was a busy day*. A full day of school. The first cheer leading practice of the season until 4:30 for Meenie and Moe. The last soccer practice of the season from 5-6 for Meenie and Moe. And then to the theater at 6 for auditions for the Christmas Cabaret for Meenie and Moe.

So it was no wonder when Moe's name was called around 7pm, that she walked across the theater to me from her seat near the director and burst into tears. She couldn't think of a song she said (they just had to sing any Christmas carol). So I sat with her in my arms while the rest of our group auditioned.

My poor little girl - she was beat. Although she did come home and once she decided what she wanted for dinner and ate - she finished her homework. Now she's tucked snuggly into her bed, fast asleep.

*normally we do not let them have more then one activity at a time, but today was one of those fluke days :(

It's the most wonderful time of the year - Christmas card time

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the sending and receiving of Christmas cards. I love the whole aspect of taking the girls somewhere and taking numerous pictures. I love picking out the perfect picture. And I love designing the perfect card. To continue reading, click here

Crossing the Line

I love my daughters. I love being an active and involved part of their lives. I support them at school - volunteering in the classrooms or for activities. I participate in fundraisers and send The Big Kid on field trips. I am a girls scout leader and help them with their fundraisers. I pay their dues. I go to all their cheer leading games and competitions. I pay for them to play. I bring them to theater auditions and rehearsals and shows. I provide their costumes as needed. I coach(ed) soccer as does the Big Kid. I pay for them to play. I do fundraisers. I am willing to help out and due these things because I care. And because I can. If my child wants to participate in a sport or activity, I will gladly pay for it and fundraiser for it as needed and to the best of my ability. I will help out as much as I can.

I will never, ever fundraiser for their soccer league again. Last night, they voted to "donate" a portion of the rec. soccer money to pay for the public high school's soccer jerseys. Because they need two different jerseys - one for home and one for away (well newsflash, it's been like that since I was in high school. And in case this is new to you, they require the same in middle school). And they cost $70 each. And they have no money. And parents have to pay $50 a sport. Wah wah, boo freaking wooo. I pay for my kids to go to school and THEN pay for their extracurricular activities on top of that. In addition to paying my taxes which go TO YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS that my children do not use.

First of all - our town just build a MULTIMILLION dollar high school - opened for the first time this fall. However, they have yet to pay a home game because the fields aren't ready and the gym floors- not even a year old are warped - and need to be replaced (why, because they didn't put a humidity sensor in the gym and the summer was warm). The whole reason for building a new school was the old high school was on accreditation probation from the NAYEC. The building didn't meet current standards and would have cost too much to repair.

HOWEVER, now they have a big empty building and wouldn't it be great to repair and combine the two elementary schools so K-2 are in one building, 3-5 are in another and 6-8 are in the third (currently they have 2 elementary schools with K-4 and a middle school with 5-8). Just because the building didn't meet safety standards, we can just put little kids in at and everyone will forget the reason we built the new school because look how shiny and new it is. And whole nice new package will make everyone forget about the issues within - that we have the same teachers, that we are still failing the standardized test. It's okay. We'll just give every high schooler a laptop.

There are so many, many things I disagree with... but taking money from recreation soccer to help pay for the jerseys of the high school teams (some board member's kids play for high school). irritates the hell out of me. They claim "but in the long run, it will be for YOUR children". What about the kids who live in other towns. What about the kids (like my own) who do not, and WILL not go to public school in the town we live? And 6 years from now, when my child is a high schooler, you mean to tell me they'll be using the same jerseys? I am not some mindless idiot who is going to believe the bull shit your trying to sell me.

Please do not tell me that we have no money in rec. soccer - that we need to reuse jerseys for two season (even though I pay the same for registration both season) to cut costs. That we need new equipment. Tell me that we are barely meeting our expenses. But then tell me we have plenty of money to support the public school teams.

I am not an idiot. I can tell you though, I will pay my registration fees as long as my children play for your league (I'm tempted to switch to a different league, however they have great coaches). But I will never, ever fund raise for you again.

Zombie kids

Okay - so Night of the Living Dead is over, and while I don't have any pictures to share of The Big Kid getting killed by zombies (because his work schedule had him drop the play). I do have one of my Zombie Girls.

I should have had them stand near The Big Kid's tombstone. But didn't think of that ahead of time.

Time is of the Essence

You know how you have a clock which is set a little fast to give you more time? Our is our alarm clock. or was. It has been set about 20 minutes fast forever. Well a certain nine year old has now admitted to resetting it to the "right" time for us.

Guess who was 20 minutes late for school today*?

* I also blame the fact that one child had homework to finish this morning (because they never have homework over the weekend - she and I both forgot) and free dress day. Man, is it easier when they have no choice what to wear!