Snow Cream

It is the EASIEST thing ever to make. Yummy. We used to make it in elementary school. And I just found the recipe again.

Ingredients

8 cups of snow (or shaved ice if you live where there is no snow. But I think this winter everyone has had a bit of snow!)

1 Can of Condensed milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. (or however much you like. I'd start with the teaspoon and then taste. You can use peppermint extract too. Yum)

Directions

Place the ice in a bowl, combine the milk and vanilla and mix! And then ENJOY IT! (You could use peppermint extract too if you'd like a different flavor. I suppose you could try chocolate syrup although I never have.)

Of course, I also had someone tell me I shouldn't eat it because of the pollution in the snow but I figure I eat veggies that are grown in goodness knows what and then I eat meat from the store where they inject who knows what. (we are trying to eat local but still you never know)

But it is yummy and cheap. And something hopefully your kids remember making and eating just I like I remember!

Boy am I a clutz!

Tuesday started like any other day. I worked 9 to 5. So I got up and got ready, then got the kids ready for school. Went to work and managed to only work an hour before I fell off the ladder. OK, I missed the step. It wasn't a free fall from the top. I landed on my feet and but my right knee popped twice and down I went.

Clutzy me managed to strain my knee. Of course, the ER told me I strained my ankle. And when I went to the workman Comp doctor I told him I just didn't think it could be my ankle. On Tuesday, he said he would check to make sure I didn't tear my ACL. My ankle is HUGE. It is nice and swollen which is why he can't feel if my ACL is torn.

So I get to watch everyone around me do everything for me. And while that sounds nice and theory, I don't like it. I hate being helpless. I hate not being able to go up and down stairs without assistance. AND

I'M BORED! BORED I tell you! You can only watch so many lifetime movies and facebook so much. And Angry Bird it so much before you are just plain bored.

AND while I'm doing nothing I'm gaining weight. I had these grand plans of doing Couch to 5k and I can't. I feel like I ran a 5k just going up and down the steps.

Sigh....but on a better note at least I just hurt my knee. I mean it could be worse.

I have grand plans of reading Crazy Love. Can't wait to get started! I bought it to read with a book club and never got to it. Everyone has loved this book so I can't wait to get started on it!

Five Question Friday---Happy Freezing Friday!

Wow! I seem so hit or miss with this blogging stuff! But I figured while I'm out of work for a few weeks (sprained my knee), I may as well give this blogging stuff a try.

Today it is FREEZING and we are having white outs. One would think maybe my kiddos wouldn't have had school but they did. I can't decide if I'm sad or happy. Sad because now I have to hobble around and sad because it was terrible this morning and I had to worry about them getting to school. Happy because they won't be here to fight!

Ok enough blabber....on to Five Questions! Join MamaM every Friday for Five Question Friday

1. Where did you meet your spouse and did you instantly know it was love?

My husband and I went to the same high school and elementary school but didn't really pay attention to each other. I was 18 and he was 17 I think. He was pumping gas and I was out in my parents new car (yes I was THAT kid). And goodness knows I wouldn't have known how to pump my own gas. Silly me, reached into the back seat to grab my cash and my tired bumped the curb. He had a good chuckle about it and then decided to ask my brother--my older brother about me. He started coming to see me at work and asked me out on our first date while I was working the drive thru window!

And no, I thought it would just be the end of my senior year thing and then I would be off to college. So no I didn't know it was instant love. But he grew on me.

2. What is your favorite room in your house?

I'd say my bedroom but we haven't gotten rid of the horrible paneling. So I'm going to say my living room. I love my tv, I love the way the light comes through the big picture window and I LOVE my fireplace. And ssshhhh....I love that it is a gas fireplaace not a real one. I've done a real one and don't want that mess!

3. Can you wiggle your ears?

That's a big NO and I don't even have a tongue to nose ability to fall back on....sniffle!

4. What is your evening ritual?

Depends on the day of the week.

If I have off. It is get the kids off the bus, homework, make dinner, clean up dinner, get the kids bathed, get their clothes ready for the next day and get their lunches packed so we don't have to fight in the morning.

If i work til 5, I pick them up at my mom's and fit all the above in minus the extra 2 hours.

If I work til 9, well thank goodness God blessed me with wonderful parents, they help the kids with the homework and generally feed them dinner on those two days a week. My husband picks them up at 6:30 and then starts the evening ritual.

5. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?

I'll be honest, 6 or 7. I love sleep. I love to get lots of sleep. It makes me happy. I don't mean sleep my life away sleep, I just love getting a good nights sleep.

AND now I must hobble out to the kitchen and bring in coffee. All I can say is thank goodness for traveling mugs with lids because otherwise I'd have one cup in the morning when my husband could help and then I'd be coffee-less! YIKES!

Couch to 5K!

Ok so today I am going to start Couch to 5 K. It is a 9 week program. I will do some before and after pics and let you know how I did. Here is the thing, I am 75 pounds overweight. I will be happy with 60 pounds. The extra 15 is a bonus because it has me at the bottom of the weight chart that the docs use. Which I tend not to go by that chart.

I'm certain that I am going to look like this.


But I really want to be able to do a 5K for diabetes and the American Heart Assoc. I want to be able to RUN a 5k not walk. Not that there is anything against walking a 5k. Because I would walk it right now. But my GOAL is to RUN. I want to improve my lung capacity. I don't want to hack and cough and sound like the out of shape person I am when running.

In all honesty to my out of shape body and mind, this plan sounds daunting and hard. Am I up for the task, HECK NO! But I have to be. I see my stomach and it still looks pregnant and my baby is going to be 8 on FRIDAY!

So wish me luck. I'm sure I will fail quite a few times and my 9 week program will turn into who knows how many weeks. But I seriously am going to do a 5K this summer. Not because I enjoy running. Because I most certainly do not. I hate everything about it. But I hate my fat stomach and my chubby cheeks more. Now don't think I don't love me. I LOVE my mind, my attitude, but I don't like my outer shell right now. And fortunately that can be changed.

No More Santa?

Oh my! This year is the first year that both "Cletus' and the Princess believe there is no Santa. It is sad but at the same time it makes Christmas so much easier. AND it helps keep their focus on what Christmas is about. We've always tried to Jesus the very center of Christmas but when you are little it is so easy to think of Santa first.

Plus it makes it easier as they get older and their toys get more expensive. This year Cletus realizes that if he does indeed get that Xbox he is hinting at that there may not be 20 other gifts under the tree. And the Princess wants the hot pink Dsi that I can't find. I found the anniversary addition and the lime green one but no hot pink. So it will make it easier to explain why I can't get it and maybe get the one that comes with a game.

The Princess asked me if it meant there was no more tooth fairy too. I told her to believe whatever she liked. But that I bet somebody would bring her 1.00 for her tooth! I guess it is a concern when you have a lose tooth!

I don't remember when I stopped believing in Santa. I think I was about the same age as the Princess. I had a ton of older cousins who spilled the beans. Poor Princess has a 4th grade brother who I think spilled the beans to her. There always has to be a party pooper. Once I realized what happened, I had to make sure they know they couldn't tell any other kids. I don't want to have the kids who ruin the fun for the parents!

Do your kids believe or not believe? Were you sad or just fine with it?

Our Fall in pictures!

Here is our fall in pics. These are all the important people in my life...well minus my friends cause I don't have their permission to post their pics here!

These are the crazy bums after running around the corn maze for hours!
They look a little crazy but hey that is us on a normal day!

Taking a break from the chaos. Me and Mr. Cutie!!

The crazy Princess and Cletus (that's the boy...that's what his ball team calls him!) My husband was peeking at my nephew and unfortunately that is when the pic was taken!

The princess looking scared cause she is in jail! She's with her friend "H"

The Princess with "H" and "A"



Here is Cletus riding his tractor. He was getting ready to race with his friends!

And here is Uncle "Cutie" with our nephew! If you've read previous posts then you know the amazing story behind this little pumpkin head!

All my pumpkins with their silly looking faces on!

And Uncle "Cutie" again! We just love this boy to pieces!

And this is my family looking like bums on a normal day around here! We often look a little crazy with old bummy clothes and hair undone. But this is the REAL us. But yes the princess has had her hair cut since this... And the boy doesn't like his pic taken as often. I'm thinking that is the 10 year old in him??

Weight Watchers Here I come!

OK--so I bit the bullet and joined Weight Watchers. My mom has lost 20 pounds in a month and a half and I figured if she could do it, I would do WW with her. Oh and honestly can I share that I'm a tad bit jealous at how well she is doing. I mean yes I want her to lose her weight. I'm just jealous it isn't me. And I don't mean I'm jealous as in I don't want her to lose the weight cause I'm so freakin happy for her! Like I said, I'm just jealous it isn't me!

Today I have kept up with my points though and still have 9.5 left and it is 6:30 pm so I may just make it...yay! It is so frightening when you look at food you eat regularly and realize how many points are in them. It just shows you how bad the food is!

One of these days, I will be brave enough to post a full body pic of myself but for now, I'm just not ready. I mean honestly it isn't like people don't see me daily. But people aren't generally cruel to your face. There are a few out there but online when weak people don't have to look into someone's eyes and say it, they can be quite mean and hurtful. And heck I will even tell you how much I weigh when I share that picture :-)

So wish me luck and I will keep you posted on my weekly status with Weight Watchers

5QF--I'm back!

Well I've been so far out of blog land lately that I figured the best way to jump back in was with Mama M's 5 question Friday! If you would like to participate just click the little picture up there that takes you to Mama's blog and make sure to link back to her!

1. What is the first nightmare you remember?
Oh my. I remember it so vividly that there are moments that I think it was real. I had a dream that my mom was walking down the hallway and I was crying. I assumed she was coming to see me, only she walked past my room and I said Mom, and when she looked back in my room I could see right through her. Like she was white and see through. It was so weird and so real. So like I said, not sure if my little self decided it was a dream or if it was real. I'm still going with the whole dream thing cause that is just to freaky if it was real!

2. Even if you're not a sports fan, what's your favorite sport to play/watch?
I live an hour north of Pittsburgh so I have to say the Steelers. Honestly, I love to watch the games when they play at Heinz field because the fans make it so fun to watch! And of course, LOVE the Penguins.
We go to Erie a lot and watch the minors play hockey too....Go OTTERS! , Seriously, I love going to hockey games. We do go watch minor baseball too. Their games are so fun to watch. But we always have good seats and I'm terrified of getting hit with a baseball going 100 miles an hour. Not so certain that would help me face at all!

3. If you could pull off one piece of trendy fashion, what would you want it to be (jeggings, hats, thigh high boots, etc.)?
Um, being skinny enough to make any of the above work would be just wonderful. Heck, I don't think I'd care if I was even trendy if I was skinny...lol

4. Did you make good grades in school?
Yes, and then I went to college and it was just way to challenging. Nothing came easy to me anymore. It was a huge wake up call. So parents who have smart kids. Still teach them to study cause some day it won't be easy anymore!!

5. What magazines do you subscribe to?
None. I'm totally into the stupid grocery mags that are in the impulse aisles at check out. You know what the celebs are doing now cause it makes my life seem so normal. But I just tune into perez for that cause I'm too cheap!!

838420BF-43BF-61EB-3FCB-C7D073BF6C8B

1.02.28

Working full time

Monday I started my new job. My last job was only 20-25 hours at the most a week. My new job is 40 hours so I've finally gone full time. I gotta say working 3 days at 9 to 5 and 2 days 1 to 9 is harder than I thought it would be.

When I work 9 to 5, I get up and get the kids ready for school and onto the bus. Then I get back home and get ready for work. Pick them up from my parents at 5:30. Run home and make dinner, play with the kids for a few minutes. Get them a bath and put them to bed. And by 8:30/9, I'm so whopped that I still haven't gotten my house cleaned.

Working 1 to 9 gives me a chance to get a few things done during the day but I miss putting my kids to bed. I know my husband is quite capable of putting them to bed but I miss doing that. But when I worked part time I worked til 10 or 11 so things aren't any different.

But the extra money will be so nice and a relief when I'm doing the bills to know there is quite a bit of extra money now!

I have to sit down and come up with a schedule of things I can get done the days I work 1 to 9 and the days I work 9 to 5. The mess is driving me nuts but until I get used to juggling everything the house is the least of my concerns.

So how do you other working moms cope? Do you keep a tight schedule or just go with the flow?

Conflicted emotions!

I've mentioned on and off that my nephew is a shaken baby survivor. In May, it will be one year. This coming week his attacker goes to court for what he did. He was arrested this past week and released.

I'm so conflicted on how I feel. I want the man to pay for what he did. I do! My nephew suffered with seizures, brain bleeds, he is 17 months old and can only army crawl. He can't sit up and he can't walk. For a while, after the accident he was blind. I have a LOT of anger. I have anger that I was being blamed. I was his full time baby sitter but I hadn't watched him for over a week and hadn't even seen him. And the man who did it, tried to blame me. How dare he! How dare he try to ruin my life because he had a weak moment. He lived 2 houses up. Why wouldn't he have pounded on my door, called or whatever if he couldn't handle the little boy anymore? There was no excuse! None!

But the other emotion I have is sadness. The man has 3 little girls. They are going to be without their dad. And that saddens me because he has never hurt them. And now they are going to hurt, they are going to miss their dad. They are going to be the ones that suffer. I don't think the man meant to hurt him. But he did. Now he has to pay. And he has to hurt those little girls when he tells them WHY he is in jail.

My heart just hurts. It hurts for my nephew who will never be the same. It hurts for my SIL for the life she almost had, for the trust she put in this man. And it hurts for those precious girls who did nothing but still have to deal with this going public now and being embarrassed.

I don't think I can even explain the drama that this caused in our family. People no longer talk to each other. It's crazy!

But as bad as I feel, I just want it over. I want this part over. So everyone can shut up about it. So people aren't whispering about what is going on.

Sigh....soon. Maybe soon this part will be over. We will never forget what happened but maybe people can deal with this soon and stop talking like it just happened.

Do you want to win an ipad?

If you do, be sure to stop by Mckmama's and see what you need to do!

Donate any small amount(as little as 5.00) and you will be entered to win! For every 5.00 increment you will be given an entry! So 20.00 would be 4 entries!

Remember, you don't have to do anything on MY blog. Just go to Mckmama's and follow her directions :-)

It is for such a wonderful cause. You could help a child who desperately needs it!

Click here

Le Creuset Baking Dish(es) GIVEAWAY

Mom's Sanity is making a comeback is having AN awesome giveaway! If you want to win Le Creuset Baking dishes, then stop by her blog. Follow her entry rules and you could win!!

I've always wanted dishes like these :-)

So stop by her blog and find out how to enter!!

http://regainingmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/03/le-creuset-baking-dishes-giveaway.html

Sense of accomplishment!

When we moved in October, it was a long process. Half of our stuff was still in the old place. But it was mostly the stuff we didn't need or use often. So when we finally sold the other place, we had to go over and bring it all over. We sat it in our basement and left it for 2 months. Well, the kids got into it because some of it was old toys. Plus it was in the way of their computer, wii, and tv. They have their own room in the basement. And we had boxes unpacked, toys thrown everywhere, and just a HUGE HUGE mess!

I'm happy to say that side of the basement is clean and ready to be remodeled! We are going to drywall the basement, paint and close it off from the other half of the basement which is the laundry room. The floor is cement so I think we are honestly just going to paint it with that cement paint and buy an area rug. I don't want to put carpet down there. I mean after all, it IS a basement and I don't want to have a leak and have to replace carpet. An area rug sounds much cheaper in case that happens.

We got rid of 4 of those industrial sized garbage bags of junk....now why in the world did we pack junk? I think because we got in such a big hurry when we were moving that we just started tossing stuff in boxes.
Note to self: If we ever move again, take more time to pack. Toss junk BEFOREHAND! Not when you move into the new place.

So we got rid of broken toys. Packed boxes for a yard sale this spring.

Now this week I'm going to be joining Lynette's Simplifying for Sanity. This week the choices are a bedroom or living room area. I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to do a bedroom or living room. My living room is clean and decluttered. BUT remember above where I said we moved?? Yes, you guessed right! I have no pictures on my walls!! Crazy I know. How can a person live here for 6 months and have no pics on their walls! Well, if I chose the living room that will all change! But I'm thinking of going with my daughter's room instead!

So look for pictures coming soon! Yay! Yes there will be before and after pics!!

Oh wait and you wanna know the best part of the clean basement??? I can go down and do wii fit AND play my Super Mario Bros game!! WOOHOO for me. Completely selfish reason but hey it worked!

Feeling like Rudolph the Rednose Wendy!

Oh gosh, my nose is bright, bright red. I swear you can see my coming a mile away with this shiny red thing on my face. This sinus infection is killing me. My husband had it and shared it with the kids. And then he decided it would be nice to share with me. Now I love my husband. I really really do. But I think I could have done without him for the week or two that he was sick. I think I could have nicely shut him in the basement. I know that sounds mean but it has a recliner and two couches and even has cable! I mean it wouldn't be like I shoved him in a dungeon.

I can't take meds for it without going to the doctor because of the other meds I'm on. So I can't even relieve any of the pressure. And Vicks, well it isn't getting half way through my congestion. And Vicks tissues, well, they just make me sneeze and my eyes water! Who knows, maybe that means it is helping.

Today I went to Walmart to buy cough meds for my munchkin and I couldn't buy it without proving I was 18. LOL!! I had a chuckle. I mean here I am, 31 years old. I have a 9 year old and they want to make sure I'm 18 :-D

Last weekend, we went to the casino and I had to wear the bright bracelet that alerted everyone to the fact that I was indeed over 21 or else I'd be carded by security all night....woohoo!! I sure hope I can keep this up until I'm elderly! Ok according to my kids, I am OLD!

Sorry, I know that my whole post doesn't make much sense to me. But in my sinus congested world, the whole thing makes wonderful sense :-D

It all boils down to this.....honey don't share. I don't like it. Ok well usually I do but please pick more wisely before you share a cold with me.

Is it the weather???

OK so lately I notice everything has been so negative. It doesn't matter where I'm at. If it is real life or online. If it is kids or if it is adults. Negativity is just running rampant.

Is there anything we can do? I mean the old killing people with kindness isn't working. BUT it makes me feel better to know I wasn't a snot to someone else.

The grocery store was an eye opener. Once upon a time, people used to smile, say hi, excuse me, how are you. Now, you better just get out of the way. I had an older lady get all nasty with me when I said excuse me and just thought how dare she. How dare she try to hurt my feelings, when I just said excuse me while she stood in the middle of the aisle. I didn't try to fit by her, push her or stand behind her and sigh rudely. I nicely with a smile said excuse me and she acted like I swore and cussed her out! I mean she honestly made me feel like I was a two year old!

I get online to chat with friends on facebook or on certain communities and everyone is fighting. Everyone is causing drama. Why?

Or how about someone who says he is my son's friend and calls his chubby and how he hopes he isn't like him. Um....my son isn't fat, he's almost 10. He honestly is in a growth spurt. His doctor even said he is at that age and he will get taller at some point. And me, wanting to stretch the poor kid out so his friends wouldn't make fun of him, really wouldn't work!

And then I find out that my sister in law who is 17, talks about me while she is at school to her friends. Why? I'm 31. She said she hates me and that I will just talk about her to everyone. Um, I haven't seen her since Christmas.

Really, why does it bother me that a 17 year old hates me? I guess because I thought that I was always nice to her. I've always gone out of my way to help her, and to drive her to places when she needed a ride even if it is was really out of my way. And that is how I get repaid?

So how do we change it? I mean how do we change negativity? It is so easy to get wrapped up in it. But I can't. It isn't in me to just be mean because I feel like it. And honestly it just brings me down.

I've come to the conclusion that it is the weather. I mean it has to be right? People want out of their houses. They are tired of being snowed in. It has to be the weather....it sure has been weird lately. It sorta matches attitudes. Just plain weird!

5 Question Friday :-)

It's that time! It's 5 Question Friday! If you'd like to participate just stop by Mama M's and link up with her!




1. Do you sing karaoke? If so, what is your go to song?
Uh no. If I did, bar owners would pass out pictures of me and say if you see her coming don't let her in, her voice will chase all customers away.

2. What is your favorite coffee drink?
YUM! I love coffee. But can I be honest and say anytime I've gone to starbucks it has been terrible but dunkin donuts and sheetz coffee...yum! Plus, I like the Christmas drinks. LOVE the Peppermint mocha

3. If you could choose your own name, what would it be?
I don't know. I wouldn't have chosen Wendy but after 31 years I'm used to it.

4. Were you ever bullied?

Nope. And I didn't put up with bullies either....so did that make me a bully? If you bulied the bully? Seriously, I just hate to see someone pick on someone else simply to hurt them for no reason.

5. How often do you eat fast food?
Way more than we should....we've tried to switch to sit down restaurants where we can get salads and stuff though.

Food Menu for 2/28-3/6

This week I'm going to try to use stuff we already have in stock. I'm going to try to pick up only a few things for lunches and a few things so groceries aren't so expensive the next week.

Sunday: we will probably eat out while my daughter is at a birthday party at chucke e cheese

Monday: Stuffed cabbage rolls

Tuesday: homemade veggie soup and homemade bread (yum)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: NY strip steak. Was bought for V-day but I wasn't home to make it.

Friday: I work this night so the kids and hubby eat out (they do every Friday) or maybe the rest of the veggie soup....whatever strikes their fancy at the time I guess.

Saturday: Once again I work, so the kids and hubby will have something easy like pizza, fish sticks, tomato soup....whatever the husband thinks is easy...heck it could mean eating out...LOL!!

No we don't eat out this often in a normal week. But with my daughter having a party to go to from 2-4 and then taking 45 minutes to get home, it is just easier. Normally Sunday is our big dinner day at home.

Tomorrow I'll do my grocery list so I will have to see what I need. I'm hoping that if I can stick to my weekly menu that it will help keep down the grocery bill. But I have to still do the weekly lunch menu for the kids. I don't know if they are packing or buying yet and they haven't sent March's menu home yet so I can't plan too much.

5 Question Friday

It's that time again! It's 5 Question Friday! Make sure you stop by Mama M's and join the blog spot!

1. What are you most afraid of?
Dying! It's always been a huge fear! I watched my grandma die of liver cancer and it was the most horrible thing. But I mean there is no getting out of it so I have to come grips someday...eek. It's not the dying so much as the suffering and pain. And the worries about what happens to those I love.

Otherwise, snakes. I can't even look at one on tv. I get panicky and have dreams at night that I'm getting attacked....seriously. So I've decided the reptile house for me on the zoo is a no, no!


2. Do you use a flat iron or curling iron?
Neither one. Just a good 'ol blow dryer.


3. Hands-free or phone to the ear?
Depends what is going on and where I am. I will do both.


4. Do you have a matching bedroom set?
I used too but when we moved my huge big dresser wouldn't fit in our new bedroom so I gave it to my daughter and now I've decided that we need a new bedroom suit. Won't happen for ages but it's a nice dream....


5. Do you believe in the paranormal?
Yes! I posted on MckMama's community sharing my experience. And now I hate that feeling I get in the middle of the night when I get up to use the bathroom. I hate thinking there is someone behind me. Makes the hair on my arms (legs too in the winter...but shhhh!!!) stand straight up!

Whew! I finally got to answer 5 question Friday! I'm normally busy, busy!

Why can't people just get along?

I have a wonderful group of friends. They are fantastic. The women get along and the men get along. I've just never had a group of friends like this before and I feel incredibly blessed.

Until this week.

We had a get together at a restaurant because two of them just recently turned 30. Then after wards we went out dancing. Well, thank goodness I couldn't make it til the dancing part, so I missed all the drama. Although at this point, I don't feel like I did.

Today, I get a phone call from my bestie explaining what went down and how on Sunday one of the girls(she is new to the group) was talking about her(my bestie) on Sunday and her kids in front of OTHER kids and adults. And when confronted about it the new one got real snotty. She got snotty because she was caught not because she did it! Oh how I dislike those kind of people. the kind that don't feel sorry but just sorry for themselves because they were busted. So needless to say our little group has a bit of division in it right now. BUT even though this happened with my best friend, I'm trying hard not to pick sides. Because you know....I'm 31. I'm not in high school, but all sides of me want to stick up for her. You know rush out tell the other girl to mind her business. But the small part of me just thinks the new girl in the group is jealous and I know darn well she wants to be the center of attention. She's hard to deal with and hard to work with in all aspects. She expects people to walk the line around her and heck she talks like that to her husband which is rude. And no, I'm not a do every single thing my husband tells me to do and like it. BUT I respect him enough to not talk to him like this other lady does especially in front of people.

So I have this huge feeling that our little group is just never going to be the same. And it is sad. It is one of those times that you know people are going to pick sides. And I don't want to. Well I do but the adult side of me is telling me to stay out of it because I wasn't there both days. I just hate to see one friend so sad and the other thinking she did nothing wrong.

Ugh...sometimes it just stinks to grow up and act like an adult.

I know, I know this is such a boring blog post. But see, you can't even escape grade school behavior when you grow up!

Decluttering Plans!

We moved into our new house in October and I can already see where our "hot spots" are going to be.

The main area is in the basement. The area where we come in from the garage gets coats, tons of shoes, backpacks. and whatever junk they bring home from wherever we are. Plus the one room in the basement is the kids play/game room. It has their tv, wii, dartboards, basketball hoop and nerf guns. So it always looks a mess. Which stinks because that is the first area we walk into.
****My goal in the basement is to have an area to place their backpacks. We do have a coat rack but I need to convince those kids to use it instead of tossing it on the furniture. Plus, I want to toss at least 10 items a week. I know I can easily toss more stuff in the trash but 10 items is the minimum.

The second room is the kitchen.
****The dining room table is a MAJOR hot spot so is one section of the counter alongside the coffee pot and the microwave stand. In this room, I want to make sure that all old school work is thrown away and the hot spots cleaned nightly. I work in the evenings so I come home to a messy kitchen area. But we are working on that ;-)

The living room is generally clean but just to be safe, I want the endtables cleared out of the books weekly, unless they aren't finished being read.

Bathroom.
****go through the cupboards and toss empty bottles. My kids have a habit of emptying shampoo bottles and placing them back in the cupboards....kids I tell ya...lol

Kids room.
****Light clean weekly. Deep clean monthly where we toss broken toys or toys missing parts. And go through their clothes to check sizes. I try to do this when we fold laundry but sometimes a few smaller items make it through. Oh and we are going to work on donating so many toys every few months. They get so many toys that they push quite a few to the side.

Remember this isn't my cleaning schedule. These are just my plans to declutter. My cleaning schedule itself needs its own plan but at this point as long as it is getting done, I'm happy!