I woke up at 7:20 this morning. This is not unusal! LH has been accomodating lately on the weekends and sleeping past his usual 6:30 and giving us a few more minutes of shut eye. I am very grateful. Most of the time, I still wake up before him.
What is unusaul is that I slept for 12 hours! I totally settled in last night on the couch after dinner ready to catch up on some magazines and watch LH play Wii with Hubby and the next thing I know, I'm being hugged and kissed by the sweetest 4 year old whispering he loves me and good night! Whoa! So I thought, I can hang out with hubby for a little bit, maybe watch our movie we rented, and then again, got woken up by him around 11 asking if I wanted to move to the bed!!!!
I was so happy I didn't take a nap yesterday and got some stuff done, but didn't expect to fall out that early for the night! Hubby said LH even climed up and laid with me for a while as he was watching Hubby play the Wii. So sweet!
Today I hope to get lots of stuff done....might even take a nap so I can actually participate in family fun activities this evening! Sheesh!
1.09.2010
1.06.2010
Is there even a word for it?
There are many disorders, sicknesses, etc for the most random things, like the fear of characters/mascots is Masklophobia and the fear of garlic is Alliumphobia. Well my word is Ochophobia - the fear of vehicles but most importantly ONE vehicle in particular - a MINIVAN!
Really, I almost got physically ill just browsing them on the internet.
You are probably wondering why I'm browsing a minivan anyway, and you might be correct if you are guessing that we are going to have a baby!!!!!!!!
We are not terribly far along, but I feel like the whole world knows already, so I might as well blog about it! We are super excited and I feel great....with the exception of disliking coffee at the moment! I really hope this one goes away! Coke seems to be a great substitute for now, but I really miss my morning java!
So, back to minivan purusing. I can barely think about it without reaching for the trashcan! Ugghh! It's not like I HAVE to have a minivan, but the next few years flashed before my eyes, and I am thinking that my little Subaru Impreza isn't going to cut it with 2 kids and all the gear that goes with them to boot! PLUS, Hubby is a whopping 6'1", so he'd be cramped in either seat with a child behind him. NOW, I could make it work if I had to. Afterall, we do have a 4 door full size truck as well, but I was more concerned with other passengers! What about when LH want to have a friend over after school to play? Or my parents are in town or we are visiting them and we all want to ride together? Or if I decide to carpool with my friend who has 2 kids going to elementary school with LH? Then what? I have not ruled out the possibility of an SUV or SUV crossover with a 3rd row, but really, how much room do you really get in those? More and more, its pointing to the inevitable! I am just not ready to face it! BUT it really does seem like the most practical plan for the future!
Really, I almost got physically ill just browsing them on the internet.
You are probably wondering why I'm browsing a minivan anyway, and you might be correct if you are guessing that we are going to have a baby!!!!!!!!
We are not terribly far along, but I feel like the whole world knows already, so I might as well blog about it! We are super excited and I feel great....with the exception of disliking coffee at the moment! I really hope this one goes away! Coke seems to be a great substitute for now, but I really miss my morning java!
So, back to minivan purusing. I can barely think about it without reaching for the trashcan! Ugghh! It's not like I HAVE to have a minivan, but the next few years flashed before my eyes, and I am thinking that my little Subaru Impreza isn't going to cut it with 2 kids and all the gear that goes with them to boot! PLUS, Hubby is a whopping 6'1", so he'd be cramped in either seat with a child behind him. NOW, I could make it work if I had to. Afterall, we do have a 4 door full size truck as well, but I was more concerned with other passengers! What about when LH want to have a friend over after school to play? Or my parents are in town or we are visiting them and we all want to ride together? Or if I decide to carpool with my friend who has 2 kids going to elementary school with LH? Then what? I have not ruled out the possibility of an SUV or SUV crossover with a 3rd row, but really, how much room do you really get in those? More and more, its pointing to the inevitable! I am just not ready to face it! BUT it really does seem like the most practical plan for the future!
1.01.2010
Do you resolve?
I don't necessarily make resolutions - especially at the beginning of a new year. I try to make realistic changes throughout the year if possible. Reflecting on this past year, things I have changed or accomplished are:
- Couponing seriously and practically changing my entire shopping strategy. I am at the point that I will not buy something unless it is on sale (and worth it) or with some sort of coupon/incentive to go along with it. It's become quite an obsession, but well worth it in our budget!
- Planning weekly/monthly menus. Sometimes I can plan far enough in advance and premake some things to put in the freezer for easy cooking nights. It really does save time and money - not to mention using up what you have on hand!
- Went to a cash system. We aren't total Dave Ramsey'ans but we are close. We decided to ditch the debit card and live on cash. Surprising it was the best thing we ever did and we feel like we have more money and do more things we want now than ever before.
- Paid down our credit CARD. Yes, just ONE. We never have had more than one, but if you have 1 or 5, you use it. We are all guilty of it. We just stopped using it about 2 years ago, but still had to pay for the balance. With the cash system, we allocate more each month to pay on it, paying it off faster. We have noticed a big difference already and its only been about 8 months.
- Spending more time with family. We still need our own time individually and our date nights, but we seem to be spending more quality time as a family and its been great. With hubby working nights and all of our activities, I didn't think this was possible, but we just make it work.
- Reading more. Its been a long time since I could just sit down and read for pleasure, but now that LH is a little older and can entertain himself longer, its become easier to do.
- More home improvement. We have really stepped it up this year and worked on our house. Its not a bad house and doesn't really "need" anything, but it just needs updating here and there. We have really accomplished alot.
- Became more involved in our church. I have been going to this church for over 25 years and stayed really involved until about College. It took until last year to find that place just for us where we fit. We love our Sunday School class and have done more in this last year as a couple and family to help people in our community or church family and its an amazing feeling. We have met new friends and have made it OUR church and not just MY church. Its been a blessing for all of us.
Ringin' in the New Year Family Style
We celebrated the New Year with good friends and their kids! The original intent was to have a family game night and play the Wii and shuffle board complete with good snacks and drinks. Plans changed a little after we found out our HOKIES would be playing in the Chick-fil-A bowl! We adapted....its not hard when you get to watch the game on a 104 inch flat screen and your kid is consumed with play!!!
Hubby was loving this TV!
Happy 2010! Cheers!
Kids toasting their "champagne" AT MIDNIGHT! We got home and LH to bed around 1:30...he was hanging in there better than me! I was trying hard to stay awake come 1 am.
Go Hokies
Playing DS! Oh, that's Daddy Daycare!!! See, he's a natural!It was the best way to spend the end of a great year - with great friends and family! Even though there have been some moments I'd rather forget, most of it was awesome and this next year is just going to be even better!
12.31.2009
Phase 2 - Spare/Junk Room
Ok....spare room done. For now. Its really just that, a spare room. We don't have a bed for it, so it just stays empty. We have laptops so we don't really need an office. BUT, regardless of what we do or don't use it for, there is no excuse for THIS:
I mean really? This just catches everything...
What color is my carpet? my walls?
It didn't start this way....and it won't get like this again!
Nice! All that stuff was either purged or taken down in the basement to put on those shelves! Guess now I'll have to fill it up again....shopping is in order!
Yay, there is a floor! Baby swing is for niece....that sucker is too hard to put up and take down over and over....
Some odds and ends....they will have a home at somepoint!
I mean really? This just catches everything...
What color is my carpet? my walls? 
It didn't start this way....and it won't get like this again!
Nice! All that stuff was either purged or taken down in the basement to put on those shelves! Guess now I'll have to fill it up again....shopping is in order!
Yay, there is a floor! Baby swing is for niece....that sucker is too hard to put up and take down over and over....
Some odds and ends....they will have a home at somepoint!NOW, time to make chili, take a nap and relax a bit before we head out to a friend's house for New Year's and the VT game!!!
Phase 1 - Basement
Phase one of the purge/clean/organize mission is almost complete. It might look like it is finished based on these photos, but there is another load of stuff coming down from the spare/junk room to fill up the empty spaces. I started very early this morning and got all this accomplished before 9:30. LH was up at 6:30, so after a big cup of joe, I dove right in. Hubby helped me last night get rid of lots of stuff and put a few things in the attic, so I had a head start. He slept in and by the time he was up, this was all done!
Junk from finished side - waiting on floors...
Hubby's work bench...if you look closely - it's there!
My arts and crafts area....
WOW....I can see what I'm doing and find what I need. Over on the shelves is my glasses, gifts, and wrapping supplies, ect.
All detergents and cleaning supplies in one place...
Finally, I see the wall. The bookcase will be moved eventually and the shelves will get more stuff!!!
Now, he can work at his work bench. Or at lease find his tools when he needs them.
Junk from finished side - waiting on floors...
Hubby's work bench...if you look closely - it's there!
My arts and crafts area....
WOW....I can see what I'm doing and find what I need. Over on the shelves is my glasses, gifts, and wrapping supplies, ect.
All detergents and cleaning supplies in one place...
Finally, I see the wall. The bookcase will be moved eventually and the shelves will get more stuff!!!
Now, he can work at his work bench. Or at lease find his tools when he needs them. Next - spare room.
12.30.2009
Purge, Clean, and Organize
This is the master plan this weekend. Hubby and I are off for another long weekend and will be working feverishly to get our house in some sort of order! I loathe clutter and it is starting to put me in a mood!
The basement is still "in progress" - meaning that nothing else has been done since we've taken up the carpet and moved everything in the unfinished part. We have a shell of a living room - tv, couch and toy chest. That's about it. We hit a snag and are trying to fix that problem but it's close!!!! I know it. Plus, we were setting aside money every month in our budget for the supplies but we found out we are getting bonuses in our January checks, so we opted to use some of that to finally finish everything up in there - quick!
The unfinished side will get an overhaul as well. Ever since moving my crafting station in there, I have now decided to add to it. It will now be a painting, crafting, and wrapping station. There is a peg board already in place above the table, so it just needs some dowls and a small shelf to hold odds and ends. Check out this from Sippycups - great inspiration! The other shelves that were purchased months ago will now hold all those bulky kitchen appliances that are used far and few between as well as some entertaining dishes, napkins, etc. I want to have easy access, but I want it out of the way. The other shelves that are down there will hold stuff like coolers, toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies!
Upstairs will be more of an issue, especially in LH's room. I try to do this type of organizing when he is not there, but he might have to be witness to toy parts getting trashed, old "baby" toys getting stored, and making room for all his new items!
Onto the "spare" room, aka office, aka junk room = MESS! Even hubby thinks its bad! It's really bad. There are piles of whatever we needed to get off the kitchen counters or wrapping supplies to baby stuff from where we kept my niece! ALL of it will be cleaned out. There is a closet in there with shelves that hubby so graciously put in for me when we moved in almost 4 years ago. Originally they were for those miscellanious kitchen and entertaining items previously discussed, along with wrapping supplies and gifts thrown in that has now turned into a catch all from extra easter eggs, baskets, etc. Well, now that I have a place to put all that stuff downstairs in the basement, I should be able to utilize it more for other things - like extra sheets/towels that are spilling out of the linen closet.
We have a plan. It has to go in a certain order or we will get frustrated and it won't work or make any sense! It's almost like a domino affect. In order for one area to be cleaned out, another area has to be prepped! We will get this done. I will document the progress...BEFORE and after!
I'm on a mission!
The basement is still "in progress" - meaning that nothing else has been done since we've taken up the carpet and moved everything in the unfinished part. We have a shell of a living room - tv, couch and toy chest. That's about it. We hit a snag and are trying to fix that problem but it's close!!!! I know it. Plus, we were setting aside money every month in our budget for the supplies but we found out we are getting bonuses in our January checks, so we opted to use some of that to finally finish everything up in there - quick!
The unfinished side will get an overhaul as well. Ever since moving my crafting station in there, I have now decided to add to it. It will now be a painting, crafting, and wrapping station. There is a peg board already in place above the table, so it just needs some dowls and a small shelf to hold odds and ends. Check out this from Sippycups - great inspiration! The other shelves that were purchased months ago will now hold all those bulky kitchen appliances that are used far and few between as well as some entertaining dishes, napkins, etc. I want to have easy access, but I want it out of the way. The other shelves that are down there will hold stuff like coolers, toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies!
Upstairs will be more of an issue, especially in LH's room. I try to do this type of organizing when he is not there, but he might have to be witness to toy parts getting trashed, old "baby" toys getting stored, and making room for all his new items!
Onto the "spare" room, aka office, aka junk room = MESS! Even hubby thinks its bad! It's really bad. There are piles of whatever we needed to get off the kitchen counters or wrapping supplies to baby stuff from where we kept my niece! ALL of it will be cleaned out. There is a closet in there with shelves that hubby so graciously put in for me when we moved in almost 4 years ago. Originally they were for those miscellanious kitchen and entertaining items previously discussed, along with wrapping supplies and gifts thrown in that has now turned into a catch all from extra easter eggs, baskets, etc. Well, now that I have a place to put all that stuff downstairs in the basement, I should be able to utilize it more for other things - like extra sheets/towels that are spilling out of the linen closet.
We have a plan. It has to go in a certain order or we will get frustrated and it won't work or make any sense! It's almost like a domino affect. In order for one area to be cleaned out, another area has to be prepped! We will get this done. I will document the progress...BEFORE and after!
I'm on a mission!
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