Monday, April 13, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tip Tuesday
So here it is. Better late than never...right?!
Last week a touched a little on FlyLady. Now if you know anything about FlyLady you will know she is a bit intense. The whole "FLYing" thing can get a bit overwhelming. Trust me, I know. Now if you a bit on the organized side, you will probably easily slip into the FlyLady thing. Don't get me wrong, I love her! She teaches and encourages you to be better, to do better and to jump in where we are. One of my favorite quotes from her is, "You are not behind! I don't want you to try to catch up; I just want you to jump in where we are." She has great ideas to get yourself and your home in order. Really...go check her out!
If your like me, though, it can get to feel like too much. I get overwhelmed because I want to be able to do everything perfectly right now! Patience in not a virtue I have naturally. But I'm working on it.
Last year I was reading a blog and was given a 30 Day Challenge. It really scaled down what I felt I needed to do and gives me more of a feeling of control. Here is an example of one day in the life of The Challenge.
30 Day Challenge
Monday
personal challenge number: Choose how many things you want to pick up per room.
rooms completed: How many rooms do you have?
today's extra focus goal accomplished? Pick your "hot spot" (the bad clutter area)
focus area for tomorrow: Look around and make your pick.
I slide my paper into a plastic page protector so I can write on it with a dry erase marker.
My personal challenge number is 6. So I need to pick up 6 items per room per day. Yes, I am an over achiever!
For the rooms completed I put down a _ of 6 rooms (because I have 6 rooms in my house.) Then I write how many rooms I get done each day.
The extra focus goal accomplishment is a simple yes or no. I either do the whole project, if it's not too big (less than an hour) or set my goal number higher...like 20 items to pick up and put away. Did I mention the putting away part? Yes, you have to do that too.
At the end of the day I pick my focus area for the next day.
My 30 Day Challenge is for Monday through Friday only. I take the weekends off. I've worked hard all week picking up my 30 things. I'm exhausted! Actually, you'll be surprised at how much you can get done when the goal is just 6 things per room. It make a huge difference in your home. So give it a try.
Are you up for the challenge?
Last week a touched a little on FlyLady. Now if you know anything about FlyLady you will know she is a bit intense. The whole "FLYing" thing can get a bit overwhelming. Trust me, I know. Now if you a bit on the organized side, you will probably easily slip into the FlyLady thing. Don't get me wrong, I love her! She teaches and encourages you to be better, to do better and to jump in where we are. One of my favorite quotes from her is, "You are not behind! I don't want you to try to catch up; I just want you to jump in where we are." She has great ideas to get yourself and your home in order. Really...go check her out!
If your like me, though, it can get to feel like too much. I get overwhelmed because I want to be able to do everything perfectly right now! Patience in not a virtue I have naturally. But I'm working on it.
Last year I was reading a blog and was given a 30 Day Challenge. It really scaled down what I felt I needed to do and gives me more of a feeling of control. Here is an example of one day in the life of The Challenge.
30 Day Challenge
Monday
personal challenge number: Choose how many things you want to pick up per room.
rooms completed: How many rooms do you have?
today's extra focus goal accomplished? Pick your "hot spot" (the bad clutter area)
focus area for tomorrow: Look around and make your pick.
I slide my paper into a plastic page protector so I can write on it with a dry erase marker.
My personal challenge number is 6. So I need to pick up 6 items per room per day. Yes, I am an over achiever!
For the rooms completed I put down a _ of 6 rooms (because I have 6 rooms in my house.) Then I write how many rooms I get done each day.
The extra focus goal accomplishment is a simple yes or no. I either do the whole project, if it's not too big (less than an hour) or set my goal number higher...like 20 items to pick up and put away. Did I mention the putting away part? Yes, you have to do that too.
At the end of the day I pick my focus area for the next day.
My 30 Day Challenge is for Monday through Friday only. I take the weekends off. I've worked hard all week picking up my 30 things. I'm exhausted! Actually, you'll be surprised at how much you can get done when the goal is just 6 things per room. It make a huge difference in your home. So give it a try.
Are you up for the challenge?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tip Tuesday
Finally, I am feeling better. The first trimester really wipes me out. The sickness seems to go on forever, of course it doesn't it just feels that way. So that is why I've been absent for so long. I'll do my best to get back on track for the entertainment and education of all.
So here is my...
Tip Tuesday
I actually planned to post this about a month ago. But...well...things happen and I just wasn't feeling up to it. But here it is now. Get a pen.
Anyone who is familiar with FlyLady knows that she's big into Control Journals. She suggests you schedule out you days, what cleaning or errands you are going to do, etc. When I started FlyLady I was overwhelmed. I wanted a Control Journal, but felt too overwhelmed to make my own. Fortunately for me (and of course her) she sells one. My mom got one for me for my birthday. I loved it and used it for awhile. I've fallen off the wagon as of late, but that okay. Here's what I have for my tip.
As a part of the Control Journal packet there is a part for directions to the house, important phone numbers, schedules, release forms for kids. So what I did, for ease, is put them those pages in its own Baby Sitter Control Journal. So now whenever we leave the kids with a sitter I pull it out and put it on the kitchen table, ir normally kept on the top of bookshelf. Since Sweet Girl has allergies I also have the EpiPen literature in there and have the sitter read through the directions before I leave.
So here's how mine goes.
With my last birth I put together a Birth Control Journal. It had in it who to call and when. My birth plan. Pertinent birth information from the midwife and where things were kept. I assembled all my stuff so I would be ready for use during and after the birth, but when in labor there is just no telling if I was going to remember. And I can tell Webby a million times, but there are no guarantees he's going to remember. So it's all right there for him!
So here is my...
Tip Tuesday
I actually planned to post this about a month ago. But...well...things happen and I just wasn't feeling up to it. But here it is now. Get a pen.
Anyone who is familiar with FlyLady knows that she's big into Control Journals. She suggests you schedule out you days, what cleaning or errands you are going to do, etc. When I started FlyLady I was overwhelmed. I wanted a Control Journal, but felt too overwhelmed to make my own. Fortunately for me (and of course her) she sells one. My mom got one for me for my birthday. I loved it and used it for awhile. I've fallen off the wagon as of late, but that okay. Here's what I have for my tip.
As a part of the Control Journal packet there is a part for directions to the house, important phone numbers, schedules, release forms for kids. So what I did, for ease, is put them those pages in its own Baby Sitter Control Journal. So now whenever we leave the kids with a sitter I pull it out and put it on the kitchen table, ir normally kept on the top of bookshelf. Since Sweet Girl has allergies I also have the EpiPen literature in there and have the sitter read through the directions before I leave.
So here's how mine goes.
- Evening Routine
- Child/ren's name , allergies, insurance etc. Special Instructions for the Babysitter
- Babysitter Information, emergency contact numbers and medical release form (I often slide the insurance cards into the sleeve protector if I'm leaving for several hours.)
- Allergy and allergy information and directions in case of reaction
- Emergency Section: police, fire department, ambulance, and poison control numbers
- Other Emergency numbers
- Child Safety Identification Cards. You can get these off the internet and often at the police department. We happen to have a Boy Scout doing his Eagle Scout project and offered it free to the public. It was really nice. They took and printed the pictures right there, and did the finger prints and everything. Now that was a really great Eagle scout project!
With my last birth I put together a Birth Control Journal. It had in it who to call and when. My birth plan. Pertinent birth information from the midwife and where things were kept. I assembled all my stuff so I would be ready for use during and after the birth, but when in labor there is just no telling if I was going to remember. And I can tell Webby a million times, but there are no guarantees he's going to remember. So it's all right there for him!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Nursery Rhymes
Sweet Girl is too funny! She has a great sense of humor. But sometimes her funniness just comes from being a kid who misunderstands what is being said. Here are a couple of the funny ones. Both of these were overheard while she was playing and singing.
"There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don't know why she swallowed a fly. I hope she dies!"
"London Bridge is falling down.... Take the kids and lock them out, lock them out, lock them out. Take the kids and lock them in. My fair lady!"
Really this does not reflect her reality. It is too funny to listen to her sing. She has a lovely voice and can memorize words and tunes pretty quickly. But I love the mix ups as well.
And how about this one.
I took the kids up to the bigger city to get Sweetie Heart puddle jumpers and sandals. Webby only had to work for a couple of hours so we dropped him off at work to run our errands. I planned to take the girls to Ben & Jerry's as a surprise. So I turned onto the street. She saw the sign and read it, of course.
SH: Ben & Jerry's! Mom can we have ice cream?
Me: Yes
SH: Can we please have ice cream?
me: Yes
::I pull into a parking spot across from the shop::
SH: What are you doing?
Me: Parking so we can get ice cream
SH: REALLY!
Me: I told you we could get ice cream. Didn't you believe me?
SH: I think if it had been someone else I would have believed them. But because you're my mom I didn't.
Me: So because I'm your mom you didn't believe me??
SH: Well, sometimes you don't tell the truth. You say yes when you really mean no.
Take that! I guess I need to joke around a bit less. In my defense, I'm not malicious about it. I never say yes to something that she really wants when I really mean no. I might say no when I mean yes, or tease about giving her something I know she doesn't like. But I'm never mean about it.
So there you have it. A small piece of our life!
"There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don't know why she swallowed a fly. I hope she dies!"
"London Bridge is falling down.... Take the kids and lock them out, lock them out, lock them out. Take the kids and lock them in. My fair lady!"
Really this does not reflect her reality. It is too funny to listen to her sing. She has a lovely voice and can memorize words and tunes pretty quickly. But I love the mix ups as well.
And how about this one.
I took the kids up to the bigger city to get Sweetie Heart puddle jumpers and sandals. Webby only had to work for a couple of hours so we dropped him off at work to run our errands. I planned to take the girls to Ben & Jerry's as a surprise. So I turned onto the street. She saw the sign and read it, of course.
SH: Ben & Jerry's! Mom can we have ice cream?
Me: Yes
SH: Can we please have ice cream?
me: Yes
::I pull into a parking spot across from the shop::
SH: What are you doing?
Me: Parking so we can get ice cream
SH: REALLY!
Me: I told you we could get ice cream. Didn't you believe me?
SH: I think if it had been someone else I would have believed them. But because you're my mom I didn't.
Me: So because I'm your mom you didn't believe me??
SH: Well, sometimes you don't tell the truth. You say yes when you really mean no.
Take that! I guess I need to joke around a bit less. In my defense, I'm not malicious about it. I never say yes to something that she really wants when I really mean no. I might say no when I mean yes, or tease about giving her something I know she doesn't like. But I'm never mean about it.
So there you have it. A small piece of our life!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Pay It Forward!
The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a handmade (or possibly store-bought) gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise. There's a small catch though: you have to post this same thing on your own blog and then come back and leave a comment telling me you're in. Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Goal Accomplished!!
Sweetie Heart was born a thumb sucker. I honestly believe that she sucked her thumb in utero. She picked it up very quickly, she never did like pacifiers. But then again I never really hung in there with them. I don't have the patience to keep putting a pacifier in when it keeps getting spit out. Sweet Girl never took a pacifier, but she never sucked her thumb either. Hence my theory on in utero habit formation.
Anyway, for the past couple of years we have been working on breaking the habit. It's a tough habit to break. I should know. I was 9 when I finally stopped sucking my thumb. I did it so I could get braces. I wanted braces. Little did I know I would be in some sort of orthodontia until I was a senior in high school. Peeps, that's a loooong time and by the end I was none to happy about it. But that's a different story all together.
So last year we started really trying to encourage and help her stop. We reminded, we badgered, we begged, we bribed. We put band aids on her thumbs as a reminder and that worked pretty well during the day, but at night she just sucked them with the band aids on! We finally found something that she really wanted. She wanted her ears pierced! Bad!! So at the end of the summer we told her we would do that after she had stopped for 14 days.
Sweetie Heart really wanted them pierce before school started so we marked the day on the calendar. That day passed. So did many, many others. Mostly, she sucked her thumb when she was bored, upset, or sleeping, but I know she was doing it at school some, too.I forgot about the bribes and moved on. I knew that she would do it when she was ready and not a minute sooner. So we waited. And something happened. About 3 weeks ago we went to the dentist. I didn't say anything about the thumb sucking. He had the last time, but there is no point beating a dead horse so I let it be. But she came home and said I'm not sucking my thumb anymore. Okay, I've heard that before, but I encouraged her. There were a couple of days with some false starts. But she got it! It had to be 14 day in a row, so if on day 13 she sucked her thumb she would have to start over. we were keeping track by putting stickers on my calendar and all was well. She was in charge of telling me how it was going. One night, on day 10, Webby went in to check on the girls before bed. She had she thumb in her mouth. He pulled it out easily and she didn't even know she had done it. So we talked to her about it and told her that we were going to overlook it because she was doing so well and it was unconscious. It hadn't been happening the other nights so we know it was just an accident.
Last Saturday was the day! She was so excited! We went to a small place, not the mall. There was a young girl there who did the piercing. She was very good. With the first earring she winced a little, but it was fast and the girl just went right on with the next one. She didn't wait to ask if she was okay or wanted to wait, just did the second one. It was perfect! Bing, bang, boom and it was done! Here are the pictures I promised.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
And We Laugh Again!!
I don't watch television. I don't even own one at this time. I watch a couple of shows online and that's about it. So I miss out on the good and moreover bad commercials. My sister-in-law sent this one to us. And I laughed! I thought you'd enjoy it, too.
Now get out there and get that job!!
Now get out there and get that job!!
Unexpected Visitor
We just have a great visit from a friend of a friend. A dear friend and old college roommate sent her son's class project to us! Here's the letter we got with it. The P.S. made me laugh. So whether freely chosen or just by the virtue of living outside of Utah we got Flat Stanley (in an envelope, but that doesn't make as fun of a picture.)
Imagine my surprise when I found this in the mail. That's right, Flat Stanley! I know that you are all jealous! We had so much fun with him in our Little City. He got here just in time for out Winter Break! So both girls were able to have fun with him!
He was able to go to Art Camp with Sweetie Heart. Here he is posing with her completed piece of art work. He enjoyed watching all the kids work intently on their art projects.
The next day we all went up to out local library for story time. We heard stories about trucks and were able to do another art project. Here is Flat Stanley with Mrs. G (our Children's Librarian), Sweetie Heart, and Sweet Girl. He had a great time looking at all the books and meeting all the new people!!
This is how he got around. Our town is small so we walk everywhere, not to mention that we don't have a car during the day. The backpack rides allowed him to have a great view of everything. Our town is about 2 square miles. Down town is only 3 blocks long. It's a great town and a very peaceful place to live. I enjoy the simplicity we have found here. I believe Flat Stanley did as well.
Thank you Mr. C for let choosing us to be a part of this fun project. I hope the project for the whole class goes well and that everyone has had a great time! Flat Stanley is on his way to my sister's home in Pennsylvania. I hope he has as much fun there as he did here!
Imagine my surprise when I found this in the mail. That's right, Flat Stanley! I know that you are all jealous! We had so much fun with him in our Little City. He got here just in time for out Winter Break! So both girls were able to have fun with him!
He was able to go to Art Camp with Sweetie Heart. Here he is posing with her completed piece of art work. He enjoyed watching all the kids work intently on their art projects.
The next day we all went up to out local library for story time. We heard stories about trucks and were able to do another art project. Here is Flat Stanley with Mrs. G (our Children's Librarian), Sweetie Heart, and Sweet Girl. He had a great time looking at all the books and meeting all the new people!!
This is how he got around. Our town is small so we walk everywhere, not to mention that we don't have a car during the day. The backpack rides allowed him to have a great view of everything. Our town is about 2 square miles. Down town is only 3 blocks long. It's a great town and a very peaceful place to live. I enjoy the simplicity we have found here. I believe Flat Stanley did as well.
Thank you Mr. C for let choosing us to be a part of this fun project. I hope the project for the whole class goes well and that everyone has had a great time! Flat Stanley is on his way to my sister's home in Pennsylvania. I hope he has as much fun there as he did here!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
I Laughed So Hard...
...I cried!
This is so funny. A friend posted this in FaceBook. And I have to say I needed this laugh. It was so funny. The kids asked if I was laughing or crying. Well, both really. So I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. It is gut wrenching funny.
This is so funny. A friend posted this in FaceBook. And I have to say I needed this laugh. It was so funny. The kids asked if I was laughing or crying. Well, both really. So I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. It is gut wrenching funny.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
25 Random Things About Me
1. I love cool shoes. My favorites of all time were my military jump boots and my black and white wingtips.
2. My favorite band is Barenaked Ladies. I saw them in concert at a small club TWICE when I was in college and met them!
3. I home birthed both my kids and love it!
4. I sang, with my choir, at Carnegie Hall when I was in high school.
5. I've known my husband since middle school, but he was the last person I ever thought about dating let alone marrying!
6. My birthday is 9/6 and my husband's birthday is 6/9. I'm older by 9 months!
7. I live in a house full of redheads.
8. I use song lyrics and answers to questions whenever possible. Sometimes I have to contain myself. I also change lyrics to fit a situation and sing about it.
9. I can't type worth crap. Actually, I'm usually just one letter off to the left or right, top or bottom.
10. I love working in libraries. My favorite job was as a shelver at the BYU library. I found many kindred spirits there.
11. I used to be know for my hats and the weird way I dressed. As quoted from a girl I knew in college when someone asked who I was, "You know Sarah. Everyone knows Sarah."
12. From birth to 18 I lived in 3 "houses", all in the same city. From 18-34 I've lived in 13 different different "houses" in 4 different states.
13. I've moved 8 times in 9.5 years of marriage, which accounts for 8 of those moves.
14. I love green curry.
15. I want to visit/ live in Greece.
16. Every night before my youngest goes to bed she has to "kiss all over the place" (in this order: neck, chin, nose, left cheek, right cheek, left eye, right eye, forehead, top of head) and if we get out of order we have to start all over.
17. My oldest is an artist, not sure where she gets it from.
18. I'm more popular with teenagers now that I'm in my 30s then I was when I was actually a teenager.
19. I don't have a TV, microwave or toaster in our house, on purpose!
20. I watch 2 programs, on the Internet, House and LOST.
21. I loved watching Gilligan's Island when I was a kid.
22. I can't swim very well.
23. I love the ocean and big thunderstorms.
24. I've never been to the west coast.
25. I've only had 2 boyfriends. Actually, only one. The second one, we went from being friends to engaged too quickly to count it as dating. :)
2. My favorite band is Barenaked Ladies. I saw them in concert at a small club TWICE when I was in college and met them!
3. I home birthed both my kids and love it!
4. I sang, with my choir, at Carnegie Hall when I was in high school.
5. I've known my husband since middle school, but he was the last person I ever thought about dating let alone marrying!
6. My birthday is 9/6 and my husband's birthday is 6/9. I'm older by 9 months!
7. I live in a house full of redheads.
8. I use song lyrics and answers to questions whenever possible. Sometimes I have to contain myself. I also change lyrics to fit a situation and sing about it.
9. I can't type worth crap. Actually, I'm usually just one letter off to the left or right, top or bottom.
10. I love working in libraries. My favorite job was as a shelver at the BYU library. I found many kindred spirits there.
11. I used to be know for my hats and the weird way I dressed. As quoted from a girl I knew in college when someone asked who I was, "You know Sarah. Everyone knows Sarah."
12. From birth to 18 I lived in 3 "houses", all in the same city. From 18-34 I've lived in 13 different different "houses" in 4 different states.
13. I've moved 8 times in 9.5 years of marriage, which accounts for 8 of those moves.
14. I love green curry.
15. I want to visit/ live in Greece.
16. Every night before my youngest goes to bed she has to "kiss all over the place" (in this order: neck, chin, nose, left cheek, right cheek, left eye, right eye, forehead, top of head) and if we get out of order we have to start all over.
17. My oldest is an artist, not sure where she gets it from.
18. I'm more popular with teenagers now that I'm in my 30s then I was when I was actually a teenager.
19. I don't have a TV, microwave or toaster in our house, on purpose!
20. I watch 2 programs, on the Internet, House and LOST.
21. I loved watching Gilligan's Island when I was a kid.
22. I can't swim very well.
23. I love the ocean and big thunderstorms.
24. I've never been to the west coast.
25. I've only had 2 boyfriends. Actually, only one. The second one, we went from being friends to engaged too quickly to count it as dating. :)
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