10 Goals For This Week: Updated

So, here is where we are so far with my goals for this week...I'm getting fairly accomplished here!

1. Schedule appts. for routine blood work and ultrasound and call to set up appt. with MC.(Okay, that has NOTHING to do with school but it still has (had) to be done.)
2. Clear out armoire in school room/home office.
3. Put HP printer out by the curb - still works if anyone is interested!
4. Clear out all clutter from school room/home office.
5. Have armoire moved to the garage. (well, this could be 1/2 highlighted - I did move it out of the room!)
6. Rip out carpet. (Dad is coming over today with a carpet knife - I hope I don't cut myself!)
7. Pick out paint (and buy) for the walls and floor
8. Deep clean the school room/home office...including walls, window sills, trim and radiators!
9. Prep for painting/paint
10. Trip to Ikea for school room decor and organization! (measure windows for new blinds etc before we go - forgot to do this part!)

I am a little less overwhelmed today - I love seeing progress...just a few more steps before the decorating can begin! :) 

10 Goals For This Week

Money Saving Mom inspired me to set 10 goals for this week...so, here I am.
Of course, so much more is involved when you have a home to take care of and children to raise (not to mention hubbies to love) but this week, I am focused on...as you've probably guessed; school.

1. Schedule appts. for routine blood work and ultrasound and call to set up appt. with MC.(Okay, that has NOTHING to do with school but it still has (had) to be done.)
2. Clear out armoire in school room/home office.
3. Put HP printer out by the curb - still works if anyone is interested!
4. Clear out all clutter from school room/home office.
5. Have armoire moved to the garage.
6. Rip out carpet.
7. Pick out paint (and buy) for the walls and floor
8. Deep clean the school room/home office...including walls, window sills, trim and radiators!
9. Prep for painting/paint
10. Trip to Ikea for school room decor and organization! (measure windows for new blinds etc before we go)

I could add so much more to this list but I will stop there for sake of time.

I gotsta get to work!

:)

The kiddos are working on a fun little craft project...ya gotta get busy while they are!

Ikea trip is planned for this afternoon!

That is motivating! :)

Oops. (Wordless Wednesday)

Line Therapy

I love it because it was made by these hands...hands of a father who loves his daughter.

I love it because it resembles a cross...which reminds me of another Father who loves His daughter...



I love it because it's going to save us a ton of money on our electric bill...

I love it because it reminds me of simpler days...sunshine and warm breezes...

I love it because of this sweet little girl that gets to hang out with me as I'm hanging the laundry...isn't she cute? ;)

I love it because when I hang my laundry, I feel peaceful in a world where peaceful moments are few and far between.

I call it line therapy.

Just me and my laundry...my line and pins...and posts that hold it all together reminding me of a Saviors love.

(At the cross...at the cross...where I first hung the line. Bad joke, I know...but doesn't stop me from singing it every.single.time.)

I finally have my clothesline...

Let the therapy commence.

XO

Just Hanging Out

photo courtesy of sisterlysavings.net

Oh.my.word.

I am soooooo excited!

Guess what I'm getting?!?!?!?!

Are you ready?!

Oh...I can't stand it!

YAY.YAY.YAY.YAY.

Okay, I'm gonna tell ya.

I.am.getting.

Du.duh.dun.dun.DUN!

A CLOTHES LINE!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Can you STAND it?!

((Crickets.))

Eh hem.

Well, I am excited about it anyhow.

I've wanted one for like EVER.

When I visit Amish Country (Lancaster County), one of the things I most admire are the clothes lines.

I know that it's kinda silly.

But they signify something.

They are down to earth and speak of a simple life.

I picture warm days with light breezes...and sunshine. Always sunshine.

The reason that we are getting a clothes line is that our dryer has been having some issues lately. I'm talking *it takes 2 hours to dry one load of towels* issues. Do you know how that can wreak havoc on an electric bill?

I wanted a clothes line even before we started having dryer issues but it was never really a priority, more just like something on my wish list.

But now that my husband sees the problem as creating more dollar signs on the electric bill...it's become a priority.

So...YAY for fun priorities! And going green without even trying.



"Start hanging laundry, reduce your carbon footprint, get tuned into your weather patterns, enjoy some quiet time in the sun, and get ready to stick your face in your clean clothes and sniff them as they come off the line!" - Nan

How to Have a Royal Pity Party

Have you ever had one of those days when EVERYTHING seems to be falling apart? Everything is a mess and you notice EVERYTHING that needs to be dusted, vacuumed, swept, mopped, wiped down, watered, stain treated, washed, dried, ironed, cleaned, fixed, organized, sorted, rearranged, thrown away or paid for. Never mind the meals that need to be prepared even though the fridge and pantry are empty. Oh and ants...it's spring so there's ants. And an abundance of RUDE PEOPLE. You have your period and therefore a wicked case of PMS. Everything makes you just wanna cry and then go to bed for the day. Covers over head. Yeah, that's today for me. I'M FREAKING OUT.

And then there is this quote I just came upon...

"I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home....I am thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby." ~Nancie J. Carmody

Does it make me feel better or worse?

Worse!

Because now I feel like a total twit bomb.

I should be grateful for my crap load of things to do. I know I should be. But today, I don't wanna.

I'm venting.

And yes, I said crap load and twit bomb. It's that kinda day. I've also said a lot of other things under my breath because it's THAT kinda day.

Lord, how I hate PMS. And Eve for cursing us like this. When I get to heaven, I am seeking her out first!

I am having a royal pity party and I am the guest of honor.

Anyone care to join me?

Bring chips!

Whistle While You Work

Today's post is all about work spaces. Beautiful ones. Inspiring ones. Feel free to peruse the prettiness below and imagine yourself in your very own delicious little space fluttering about like the diligent little worker bee that you are... (by the way, the worker bee and the Queen bee are one in the same here) .

I don't know about you but if I came downstairs in the morning to one of these spaces, I'd be all too anxious to get to work in them...

Ahhhhhhh...lovely...

The color green on these walls is not my favorite but I do love those aluminum wash tubs, the milky white flower pitcher, wooden ironing board holder and pretty cover...also love the white wash wide plank flooring...YUM.

I also really love the powder detergent beautified in those gorgeous glass canisters...

I use liquid detergent but have been wanting to try the powdered just so that I could store it this way...is there a difference? If so...please share in the comments! I am very curious...

Wallpaper isn't really my thing but I have to say that in this room, that yellow is to die for...so bright...so cheery...and look at what it does to transform a boring ol' laundry room! Also LOVE the aluminum trash can...and the blue wellies...so love those...I want to buy a pair, not to wear but to decorate with...okay, maybe to wear too...but then maybe 2 pairs so I could leave one out...you know...that illusion that someone with a very green thumb lives here and is about to go out back at any moment and bring in the bounty from her abundantly fruitful colonial garden surrounded by the perfect white picket fence...the fragrance of the plentiful herbs, veggies and cutting garden with the absolute PERFECT stems gently carried by the light breeze to her perfect little nose on a day that dreams are made of...laundry lying wait in it's perfectly distorted rustically oblong wicker home...getting ready to be hung on the line to dry in sunshine that was made just for day dreamers...ahhhhhhhhh...

****POP**** (my bubble just burst...in case you were wondering)

Okay, sorry for that...back to the post...eh hem...

I love a lot of things about the laundry room below...especially the glass and wire vases, the glass canisters filled with detergent and beachy goodies, the rustic topiary, the driftwoodesque folding table, the wire laundry basket...not to mention the high tech heavy equipment. ;)

How about this luxorious laundry room? There are some days that I'd love to be able to sit and have a good read while my loads are running...it'd be a lot more relaxing than having to trek up and down the stairs all day to check to see when it's time for the ol' switch over...

I haven't been a 100% fan of subway tile since it's trendy debut but in this room, I think that it definitely works...

Let's discuss kitchens, shall we?
I stumbled upon my dream one this morning and here it is...
Can you imagine? Isn't it GORGEOUS?

Oh.my.word.

I think that I just commited adultery...I have serious lust in my heart for this baby...lol

Okay, so I am dramatic. ;) But for real...just look at it! (Squealing with delight over here people)

Honestly, I was drawn to this picture because of the zebra printed vase (lol) however, there are some other beautiful features to this room as well...though I have to say, I don't particularly care for the accent rug...

I love the crisp classic combo (say that 3 times fast!) of green and white in this kitchen...and again, there is that subway tile...also totally loving the black counter tops...

I definitely see black countertops in my future.

Though I am not over the top in love with the style of this room what I do love is the booth style seating...I soooo wish that I had a space to do that in my own kitchen. I just think it's the most adorable thing. Whenever we go into a restaurant and they lead us to a table, I am one of those annoying people that ask, "Actually, do you have a booth available?" They are so much more comfy and intimate! Duh! ;)

I love me some chunky legs...not the ones on me (those I could seriously do without)...but the ones on the island below...

And what is up with that tin punched fridge door? Hello...fabulous!

Also totally love the "splashes" here and there of wicker and wood...texture is where it's at.

Again with the black counter tops...mmmmm hmmmmm...you will be mine!

P.S. Am also totally into all things pendent lighting...especially speckled ones like these appear to be...or...wait...be still my beating heart...is it possible that they are...wait for it...leopard print??????????

Shut. Up.

Just wanted to share those beauts with you today...if for no other reason that to give you a little eye candy to cheery up your Tuesday.

Hope that you enjoyed the show! Have a wonderful day guys and don't forget to whistle while you work!

XO

"There's a way to do work that lasts forever. Just do everything with love."

http://www.bethquinndesigns.com/

This post made me cry this morning...as her posts often do.

http://www.aholyexperience.com/search/label/Walk%20with%20Him

She really has a way with words...so pure of heart...(Megan, thank you for introducing me to her)

In pondering Ann's post...one thing stood out from all the rest...LOVE is in the doing...

I'd like to speak specifically to Mommies this morning, if I may...though really, this could apply to any of us at any stage in our lives...and yes, if you are reading, even you men too. ;)

So Mommies...

Did you know that...

Love IS washing the dishes...?

Love IS doing the laundry...?

Love IS cleaning the bathroom...yes...ESPECIALLY the toilets...?

Love IS kissing a skinned up knee...?

Love IS making dinner...?

Love IS baking favorite treats...?

Love IS driving your children to school...?

Love IS rocking your baby to sleep...?

Love IS reading a bedtime story...?

Love IS changing a stinky diaper...?

Love IS making the beds...?

Love IS sweeping the floor...?

Love IS just being there when they need you...?

Love IS taking the time to be silly...?

I could go on and on and on because you all know that there is no end to our job as a Mommy...

Love IS all of those things and so much more...

Our actions speak so much louder than words...and though very often, we can't see past the drudgerous (not a word) monotony of our every day duties...through them, we are speaking to our children (and our husbands etc)...

We are telling them...LOVE. It's being written on their hearts.

And ya know what they say back to us?

You are my hero.

I know this because my mom is mine.

Today...

LOVE.

Just do it.

XO

Philippians 2:3

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."
-- Robert Heinlein

I John 3:18

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.
--William Wordsworth

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...at last.

I am finally sitting down after a very long, very busy day. Can I tell you how spent I am? No matter how exhausted I am though, I have to say...right now, I am feeling very grateful for my life. I am so blessed to sit here in my nice cushy office with my comfy leather chair, my cup of Cozy Chamomile, my spice cake candle blazing in all of it's sweet scented glory and sublime sounds of Late Night Alumni piping through Pandora. My kiddos are all tucked soundly in their beds and my husband is on his way home to me. Right now, in this moment...all is well with my world. :)

Not every moment of today was this blissful though...and that is where the lemons come in...

I won't bore you with all the details...instead, I will just cut to the chase and try to keep it short and sweet.

My walking partner overslept this morning and showed up a 1/2 hour later than what we had originally planned: No problem...instead of wasting time online like I would typically do, I decided to spend my time wisely by unloading the dishwasher, loading it again, washing the overflow by hand, throwing in a load of laundry and straightened up the downstairs (since I neglected to do all of that before bed last night). Viola...lemonade! :)

My dear sweet, sometimes a little clumsy ;) 3 year old, Natalie somehow knocked a FULL bowl of Apple Cinnamon Cheerios with milk on our very hard, very unforgiving ceramic tile kitchen floor during breakfast...shards of glass bowl as well as about a billion and a 1/2 cheerios complete with large pool of milk went FLYING. I still have no idea how she managed to do that BUT...it's no matter now. I decided to use it as an opportunity to clean my entire kitchen floor. After all, it probably was due for a good cleaning anyway. Also did the cabinets, doors, trim, stools, counter tops and 15 light glass door because when I say FLYING...it really did fly just about everywhere. Honestly, if it wasn't for her little unfortunate accident this morning, my kitchen might still be a filthy mess. Viola...lemonade! :)

My daughter Natalie (again)...as much as I love her...sometimes pretends that she is a little hard of hearing...poor child. I must have told her about 15 times that I would get her a drink when I was finished what I was doing. She was in no way allowed to go into the refrigerator and try to get a drink herself. So, ya know what she did? Um...yeah...if you are a mom, you probably guessed right. She went into the refrigerator and tried to get a drink herself. She did okay up until she tried to pour the juice into her sippy cup. That is where it must have gotten a little hairy. Strawberry Kiwi wound up all over my newly washed counter tops. Mommy and a little bit of sham wow to the rescue. Eh hem...Mommy was gritting her teeth, okay? I'm just gonna be honest with you. Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. MOMMY then proceeded to try to pick up said sippy cup (rather haphazardly, I might add) only MOMMY didn't realize that the lid wasn't screwed shut. Strawberry Kiwi now all over Mommy's newly washed floors, cabinets (outside and inside) and counter tops. I.seriously.wanted.to.cry. BUT, I didn't. I decided to use it as an opportunity to get an even more thorough cleaning in (though I cannot say that I did not utter some pretty unladylike things under my breath). :) Once again, I took to the mop, sponges, warm water and soap and this time, not only cleaned the floor, cabinet, counter top and cabinet faces but also the inside of the cabinets. And I'm just gonna be real here and say that my cabinet where the trash can resides probably hasn't had a thorough cleaning since before we moved in to our house 2 years ago. Say it with me now...viola, lemonade! :)

Fast forward to evening...I'm gettin' real tired at this point...it's been a long day already but I set up a commitment to go to the gym with my cousin, Kim and darn it, I was going to keep it. So...come 6 o'clock, we all piled into the car and headed to LOA. Had a decent workout and followed it up with a yummy (and I feel, well deserved) dinner at Chick Fil A. After the day I had, I wasn't really up to making a big dinner on top of it. Kiddos played a little on the "playground" and we high tailed it home to catch my fav new show, The Vampire Diaries (it's a highlight of mine, sue me). Well, wouldn't you know it, it was a re-run! I could have been totally bummed out BUT I said...ya know what, it's just as well...I have some more things that I'd really like to accomplish before the husband gets home. The kids were less than thrilled but we headed up to their room to straighten up, get PJ's on, say prayers and such and hopped into bed. I also decided to take some time to straighten up the living room, foyer, kitchen and dining room. Oh AND threw a load of laundry into the dryer. All of that AND I still had time to make myself some tea, light my favorite candle, throw on some soft music and sit down to chat with you all. Viola...lemonade! :)

And can I just say that there was so much more involved with our day today than just those things. My dad was here doing construction on our bedroom closets and I helped a lot...in fact, I was right by his side a lot of the time he was here. Natalie also had her Valentine's Party at school today and me, being a classroom mom, had to help with the set up. Not to mention meals in between all of that, changing diapers, filling sippy cups, doing the daily straightening of things, laundry etc. Sheesh!

Anyway, I say all of that to say this...in life, we are given lots of lemons...it's our CHOICE to decide what to do with them. Very often, I don't make good choices (by poor attitudes and reactions) and the lemons leave a very sour taste in my mouth. BUT...I also know that if I mix lemon with a little bit of sugar (aka the sweet goodness of my Savior's grace and mercy enabling me to overcome the bad choices in favor of some deliciously good choices), the lemonade can be very refreshing to my soul. They are always better when they're together... ;)

So much for short & sweet. ;)
XO


P.S. This is totally random but when I was searching for lemon pictures on photobucket.com, I came across this...

LOVE IT! So need to use this set up for one of my parties...

K...just wanted to share that. ;)

*The Hip Hostess*

Tonight, I leave you with this beauty...

http://thehiphostess.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=DemiStyleAprons

Be still my heart! :)

Ohhhhhhh huuuuhn-eeeey...this apron would TOTALLY make me want to skip down the stairs in the early morning to make you a giant manly man's breakfast...

(Photo taken from http://thehiphostessdish.blogspot.com/)

Well, at least I'd look cute setting the house on fire...

I'm just sayin'...

;)

XO