I'm glad we have a loveseat

A little more than a year ago we bit the bullet and purchased some nice couches. It's always hard to put the money out for things like that, but in the end we find that we're happier with quality purchases that will last a long time. Bean is really good about finding financing with 0% interest for a length of time within which we can pay off the entire purchase before interest begins to accrue.

However, I digress.

We've been very pleased with our Lazy-Boy couch and loveseat. They've held up well thus far, although they are abused by our circus act daily. We try to keep food off the couches. But even when there are spills, the stain-resistant treatment on them works very well. Gracie also loves to wipe her snotty nose on the couch as well. Lovely.

We sit on the couch daily to read, cuddle, watch TV etc.

The loveseat, well it gets a lot of use too. Not the kind you may expect though.

This is what it usually looks like.



(if this were a Not Me! post I'd say--that's not a potty chair in my living room, nor is my baby in front of the TV, and my house certainly is more picked up then what's reflected in this photo.)

Or this.

It's a pretty expensive laundry basket/folding table/toybox/junk area.

Good thing we have a loveseat.

(And yes, that's an adorable picture of Bean and Gracie!)

I need your organization tips!!

If you've been reading, you know we recently moved. For good. We bought a home and expect to be here for a long time. There are many great things about our home...and also a few challenges. One of the challenges is the size and layout.



We were in a house that was about 1500 square feet. We had two living areas, one of which we actually lived in (TV, couches etc) and the other was the girls' toys and other stuff (i.e. junk and clutter). The bedrooms were decent sized and each girl had their own room.



Our HOME is a little over 1100 square feet. We have one living area--a combined living room and dining room. The bedrooms are on the smaller side and Miss Rose and Gracie are sharing. The third bedroom is under construction and is being used for storage and baby stuff currently. Hopefully by this summer it will be a functional bedroom.



Bean and I are actually excited about the challenge of living in a smaller space. We didn't utilize the larger space too well. We'd rather have less clutter and a peaceful small home, than a large home full of stuff that is unused. Of course as the kids get older, we'll need less baby/toddler stuff and they will be more of a help in keeping it clean as well.



I desparately don't want a home that is full of clutter. I have a tendency to be a bit of a pack-rat. I like to save things and can be too sentimental. I am always worried that the minute I throw something away, I'll need or want it. In our living room we have one bookcase. Currently it's full of books (surprise, surprise). I plan to rearrange it to hold some baskets and nice storage boxes to help with organization.



How do you keep your home clutter free? How do you organize and store your children's toys? I need to get the girls' room to a point where they will go in there and play--but right now there is no organization to their stuff, so they don't spend much time in there.



I'm at a loss as to what to do with paperwork and bills and mail. We had a large counter in our other house that became a catch-all for this sort of thing. It was actually a huge eyesore and I don't miss having it. But as a working mom of three children, with a husband who has 2 jobs...sometimes I have to stack things up before I can go through them and figure out where they belong.



How do you keep your home clean? According to the counter I have on my blog, there are a lot of people reading it...so come out of the woodwork (even anonymously) and give me your ideas!!

God is smart, and I am thankful

God is smart. I know that, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded.

Life has not calmed down. We have piles of laundry, piles of baby stuff, a half unpacked kitchen, an extra refridgerator in our kitchen...the list goes on and on.

To add to the long list of things to do, we started having some drain issues yesterday involving the kitchen sink and a shower. Probably very fixable--but just overwhelming when there is already so much going on.

Then this morning Lily went in for a jaundice check...and we were sent over to the hospital for a blood draw...and the possibility of having to check in if her levels were too high.

After we finally got home (Lily and I were pretty exhausted from the few hours it all took), Bean was getting me set up before he took the girls to a birthday party.

It struck me...God is smart that he gave us a third girl. He knew all that we would be experiencing. He also knew that we have lots of girl stuff and I had maybe 2 outfits for a boy and one set of blankets.

That can't be the only reason why God chose a third girl for our family. But the idea of trying to put together clothes, blankets, Boppy covers, bedding etc for a boy--in the midst of everything else--sounds impossible. I think I would have been even more of a wreck.

And for the record...this No Crying Mama...cried about five times yesterday. I like to blame the post-pregnancy hormones raging in my body. But sometimes (for me it's about twice a year) a girl just needs a good cry.

The good news is--although Lily's bilirubin levels came back as borderline, the doctor is willing to give her another day. I just need to keep nursing as often as I can and give her some sun therapy. Hopefully her level tomorrow will be the same or lower.

Pregnant Day

I am having a "pregnant day" today. What exactly does that mean?

It means I'm hormonal...i.e. grumpy and emotional.

I am impatient. Which makes me feel like a terrible mom.

My hormones are making my anxiety about various things in life more intense than necessary.

I am feeling FAT. My maternity clothes aren't fitting as well anymore.

I get grumpy when I can't exercise regularly...and my exercise lately has not worked up the sweat I need to make me happy.

I am unmotivated. Which makes me mad because I have so many things that need to be done.

When the baby has been moving today it's causing me pain. I guess it's how I'm carrying this baby because I've never experienced this before. The kid jabs and pokes me and makes me catch my breathe. Ouch!

I think I have just over 5 weeks left before my c-section. Of course to add to my pregnant day, I saw the nurse practitioner yesterday at my appointment, not the doctor, so I STILL don't have an official date. I go in again on the 14th so I hope I'll get my official date and time then. I should just relax about it. But I'm such a planner that it drives me crazy to not know yet.

I am trying to remind myself that this is the last time I will feel this way. That there are so many women who would give anything to experience a "pregnant day.' That this too shall pass.

But in the meantime, I'm going to continue my pregnant day.

When I grow up

Do we ever "grow up?" I kind of don't think so. We are continually on a journey, moving from phase to phase of life. Each phase requires development, but then we move on to the next phase. I see this as a positive thing. Being grown up in all areas of my life would be boring. It's good to always have something to be working towards.

Here's a mental list I've been keeping lately.

When I grow up...

1. I will have complete lighting in my home. Not rooms that require lamps, which are insufficient and don't work right (see #2).

2. I will have lamps that function. Lamps that have switches that work so that every night I don't have to lean over and wrench my back to plug in or unplug the stupid lamps, risking being electrocuted because they are perpetually on.

3. I will have matching bedroom furniture...that isn't from Ikea. (although I do love my Bombay Company Outlet bed) I won't have a 3-drawer Rubbermaid storage unit for a nightstand.

4. I will have a bedskirt. I don't need a fluffy frilly one. Just something that covers the box spring. In almost 7 years of marriage, our box spring has always shown.

5. I will have curtains or blinds on every window. I won't try to make my own curtains to save money and have a too-short, crooked hem curtain in the bathroom. (Bean tried to install some blinds in the kitchen...but about 2 buckets of sweat, a few curse words and a lot of plaster dust later...they were un-installable. Therefore, still naked window, through which the HOT bakes the kitchen.)

6. I will have high quality carpets. Not a cheaply made (didn't know this when we bought it) area rug which sheds individual carpet fibers no matter how many times it's vacuumed, that my 1 yr old insists on chewing like gum. She has at least 10 of these in her mouth daily. She never swallows them though. Maybe her body is lacking some nutrient or mineral found in the fiber. (note to self...multivitamin for Miss Gracie)

7. I will quit buying cheaply made things to save a buck. Yes, the Dollar Tree has some things that are a good deal. Apparently a sponge mop is not one. I should just give in and spend the $10 at Target for a normal one, which will probably last a year or more. The Dollar Tree ones last about 2 uses. I finally threw it away today (after 10 uses), to force myseslf to buy a new one.

8. I will CHOOSE to clean/organize my home above doing something for myself (like exercise or blogging or taking a nap).

9. I will quit being sarcastic with my 4 yr old. But, the things she says are so great I just can't help myself. (she's been acting as if I'm going to strike her when she spills or breaks something, which I have NEVER done. Spankings are very routine and regimented in our house. Finally the other day after she did it again I said--"what do you think I'm going to hit you or something? Have I ever hit you like that?" Mature. I know.)

10. Someday, when I grow up....I am sure I will still have more growing up to do.

Motivation

It's Thursday night and the house is quiet. I finished putting Miss Rose to bed, Gracie is already down and Bean is at worship practice. There is a WHOLE house calling my name. Calling for me to do the dishes and clean the kitchen. Our wood floors are crying to be swept and cleaned, as is the kitchen linoleum. There is laundry that needs to be done and countless items laying around that need a home.

But I'm tired. It's the "end" of my work week. Wednesday is my marathon days, so by Thursday I am just toast. I actually went to bed a little early last night so I wasn't as tired this morning, but my brain is still fried. The last thing I feel like doing is cleaning.

I seriously lack motivation. And yes--while all of the above about my work week is true...the fact of the matter is, on any given day, at any given time--I lack motivation. There is always something else I'd rather be doing. I'm always fried from dealing with children and want down time. I'm overwhelmed by the tasks. And though it will probably take me less than 30min to complete, that feels like about 5 hours right now.

Let me clarify though...my home is not dirty. It's just messy. I have a real issue with having a dirty home--lots of dust, grime etc. But messy, I guess doesn't bother me so much.

A few years ago I tried out the FlyLady techniques. Me and "flying" just didn't get along. First problem--you're supposed to put on shoes every morning. I live in Southern California. We don't wear shoes very much. Mostly we wear flip flops, but I don't wear them in the house. As a kid I was barefoot outside ALL of the time. In fact Bean jokes with me and my sisters about our "dirty feet" because we never wear shoes. I just couldn't agree with the FlyLady about that one.

I did get good at shining a sink. Our previous house had a stainless steel sink and that thing SHONE...when I decided to go through the whole process. Our kitchen sink now is ceramic. I've taught Bean the art of bleaching it to get it clean...but it doesn't really shine.

The first level of FlyLady is being a "Flybaby." I don't think I ever made it to flybaby status. I created my own new bottom level of "maggot." I have issues with throwing stuff away. I have issues with organization. I save stuff in case I need it...but then when I need it, I can never find it. Bean is a minimalist. I border on pack-rat. Our home needs something in between.

But---I know if I don't get up right now and clean up, Bean will probably go agro when he gets home and do it; well at least the kitchen. And if I put it off until the morning, I will miss out on sweet time with my girls and that just won't do.

Alright...alright...I'm getting up...I'm doing it...

Gotta at least keep my "maggot" status. Don't want to fall down to larvae.

It's the Holiday Season

But I don't feel so holiday-ish. I have 5 days to get into the Christmas spirit and enjoy it. I think I can do it. Today was my last day of work for 10 days or so. I'm excited about that. I have some weekend stuff, but no office :)

Let's see...I did downsize a lot of toys. I still have too many though. LOL! I'll just keep cycling through every few months and finding stuff to give away. ER doesn't miss anything I've given away.

Diet Coke...I'm down to 1 a day, max of 2. Most days, just 1. I control it, it's not controlling me!!

I told my daughter that we have a vacation coming up--since I don't have to work and she isn't going to daycare next week. She says "no mama. A vacation is when you go somewhere new, not when you stay home." Ah, little minds.

I'm off for another cupcake. Maybe I am in the holiday spirit after all!

Downsizing

I have a split personality when it comes to my children's toys. 50% of the time I complain about how many toys my 3 yr old has and how I barely had any toys growing up and would never have known. We did have toys...but it was a minimal amount compared to how many kids have these days. We were much more "outside" kids. We collected snails, made wagons out of cardboard boxes, played Little House on the Prairie type of games. I *might* have a photo of myself in a coonskin cap.

But, then when I comes to downsizing and cleaning out my daughters toy box, I have such a hard time donating and selling stuff. If I've seen her play with an item more than 2 times, I can't seem to get rid of it. Plus, she has a steel trap of a memory and I just know the minute I get rid of something, she'll be asking me where it is.

Today I was taking a few strollers I no longer need (it took me a while to part with those too) to the baby resale and I saw a play kitchen that isn't in use. It was given to us a few years ago, and at one time my daughter played with it a ton. But, the last few houses we've lived in haven't had room for it--so it was outside or in storage. I don't forsee a place for it in the near future. So, I went with my whim and sold it. I know she is going to be upset when she realizes it. But it just made so much more sense to downsize now... and at some point when we have room for a larger play item, we'll get her another one. Used of course.

I still have so many toys that need to be downsized. There's the Little Tykes Noah's Ark that of course she played with for the first time in 6 months today. It's on the list of things that need to go. But not just yet I guess.