Clear the clutter

What I have been up to this Halloween season

2011-10-25T16:25:00.000-06:00

Here are some links to see what I have been up to the past few weeks. I was contacted by a friend to contribute to her blog and represent her on the news.

Click here to see me on the news.

Here are the links to my posts on the blog, Mom it Forward. Check it out for some great Halloween activities, money saving tips, treats, etc.

cake pops

costumes

trick-or-treat alternatives

Halloween decorations

I did it!

2011-09-19T17:32:00.001-06:00

Well, I did it! I set a small(ish) goal to get caught up with one of the things that seemed to be causing frustration/stress in my daily life and I accomplished it. Meal planning, had become non-existent as of late, and it was causing me undue stress, and hitting the budget hard (because when there is nothing planned on the menu, fast food, take out, and restaurants become an all too easy solution.

So, I made my list, matched the coupons, then made my meal plan. Double checked my current stock of ingredients to those meals, and headed out. I live within a stones throw of nearly everything (one of my favorite things about the location of my home), so I went to three stores, bought 83 items, spent $196.02, used nearly $30 in coupons, and got EVERYthing caught up for my house, menu, toiletries, OTC meds/vitamins, and some supplies from the list of my youngest’s classroom needs. It took me less than 1 hour of shopping, and I am SO glad this was the one thing I focused on first to get myself back on track.

I detest thinking through a dinner plan, then starting to make it, and find out that I am missing one item (don’t you?)! But this way, I am fully stocked for 14 dinners, and will not have to think about wheather I am missing anything. When I am behind, eating and feeding my family becomes a chore rather than quality family time…so this is a great step!

I am starting to think of some other “I’ve been meaning to” items, but for now, I am going to make chicken bake pork chops (a recipe from my Grandma) for my family.

Getting back on track!

2011-09-17T12:11:00.000-06:00

“Are you still doing your blog?”, I keep being asked. Arrrgggg…yes…I need to be doing that. What is stopping me? Well, I am TIRED (can anyone relate?)!! I don’t feel on top of my game right now, so it would feel VERY strange to try to motivate others to get on top of theirs.

If the shoemaker’s kids have no shoes…then…the organizer’s house is a mess? Something like that, it is what I had feared I would become, so, not wanting to be a hypocrite, I have just not said anything (on the blog).

What do you do to get on track, when you feel “off”? Many look at blogs or pintrest for ideas to get them going. BUT, do you ever find you spend your time looking at others interests or projects instead of working on your own? Catch 22, trying to get motivated without getting distracted.

Well, here is my effort, I am just going to jump in and do SOMETHING. Anything is better than nothing, right? Even if it is just sharing my journey.

“Pick yourself up by your bootstraps!”, my grandparents have said my entire life. Our generation tries to be more “Zen” about things, and claims to need to be inspired, rather than starting without the universe leading us along the way toward our passion. Well, passion or not, the family needs to eat, toilets get dirty, and pets need to be walked.

Let’s be serious, I do NOT have a passion about cleaning my toilets or weeding my yard. I do, however, enjoy getting it knocked out and off of my never ending to do list.

My focus for September was to be “I’ve been meaning to”, and that works with what I am feeling right now, luckily, so here we go.

I have been meaning to, get back on track, so getting back to basics, I ask myself, “what isn’t working right now?”. Well, I haven’t done a good meal plan lately, and always feel like I have nothing to make for dinner.

So, I will go back to my meal planning guide, and make my shopping list. I am tempted to just quickly do one week, but knowing how tired I am, I am going to push myself to do two weeks worth of planning and shopping to have one thing that exhausts me on a daily basis out of the way for two whole weeks!!

Saturday is not my idea of an ideal grocery shopping day (it is always so packed), but, it needs to be done, so I will NOT let that be an excuse, and I will just plan more time for the trip. Hubby and girls are all working on their projects anyway, so I will be able to go by myself, which should help me go faster anyway.

I am tempted to make a bigger list of things, “I have been meaning to…”, but if I do, I know I will get overwhelmed, and getting back on track is a marathon, not a sprint. So, here is my first step.

Hope you can find a few (or only one) thing(s), that could take a little stress out of your day, and perhaps get back onto the track that works for you and your family. Hope I see you soon, because that will mean that I am really getting back there myself, and we can continue our “chats” about what does and does not work for all of us toward our goals of clearing the clutter from our lives!

What has been going on this month?

2011-05-30T15:38:00.002-06:00

I haven't posted for the entire month of May...so what have I been doing? I have been doing the things I should be posting about. So, in one way I HAVE stayed on track, but I haven't been documenting,and thereby trying to help all of you keep on track. Sorry!

At the end of April, I got it in my head that a bigger deck would be a good idea, and then a sale at Home Depot lead to a LARGE delivery of wood and supplies to my house.

In case you didn't know, expanding a 10 x 10 deck to a 10 x 30 deck is a LOT of work, and a LOT of wood. I thought I had at least a small idea about what it would take for my husband to do this DIY project. No, my husband is not a natural handy man, but he is extremely smart and will research things until he becomes expert at them. He is more of the measure 16 times, cut once breed, so I knew that it may go slow, but that he could do it.

He was cautiously optimistic as well, but we went for it. Then it rained, and rained, and rained, and rained some more. In fact over March, April, and May, my area of Utah has received more rainfall than in the past 150 years of those months. Yes, I live in a desert, and yes I have mushrooms and mold in my flower beds. CRAZY!

Every spare second of sun, or moment of dryness, or at least a slow drizzle was spent trying to make as much progress on the deck as possible. A lot has been learned along the way, but I have to admit that I have learned a lot more than my husband who has done at least 95% of the work.

LADIES LISTEN UP!!! I have had small, realistic expectations about the speed of progress, and because of it, my husband and I have not even had one cross word toward each other during this experience!

He is learning a new craft that I really pushed on him (I can't be the only wife who has ever done this?), he can't control the weather, and we will have this deck for years to come, so what is the rush or reason to stress him out about the time line?

Please know, this is RARE for me, usually I would push and make it a terrible situation for everyone, but WOW is this approach much better!

We started with this 10 x 10 deck, and it is MUCH better than nothing, but it really didn't leave much room for lounging and relaxing after the BBQ was up there.

Then the structure needed to be started, with a red headed audience (of course).

The stairs were removed and the deck began to take shape!

Okay, then I did add a bit of pressure to the hubby with my excitement (old habit, what can I say). The deck was finally coming to life and all I could imagine was the deck furniture that I would soon be able to have on it. Have you priced outdoor furniture lately? OUCH!!!

I found a GREAT set at the best price I have seen for my needs at Bed Bath and Beyond.

This set is $299.99, but with the 20% off coupon it was $239.99!! My only complaint is that it isn't very colorful, but with the outdoor pillows they also had for $9.99 each, it made for some much needed color (FYI I got two of the red stripe and two of the blue strip).

The basic structure is now built. A few touch ups are needed, and I want a gate to be built on as well. Then I will stain/paint the new areas, and we will be finished...well...the deck has gone so well that we have begun thinking about a pergola...time will tell, it is Memorial Day, freezing cold and still raining out there...

I do promise more pictures and updates as we go along though! Happy Memorial Day!

Emergency Packs

2011-04-30T22:27:00.008-06:00

Commonly called 72 hour kits, but in my house, I have prepared an "emergency pack" for everyone in our family.

You can find "traditional" kits at army/navy stores, or emergency sites for over $100 per person. Many of those kits can be full of very useful things, but with any other pre-packaged kits, they will also include items that will be "over kill" for the needs of most families, containing food that most children would refuse to eat, even in an emergency. I don't know many who want to spend $100+ per kit for an emergency that (hopefully) may not happen.

Several years ago I took a month and focused on emergency preparedness for my family. My total cost for 4 packs was well under $100, and it contains things that I know will be of use for my family no matter when (or if) the items are needed.

Each person has an individualized back pack with their supplies. I have labeled the packs by a large piece of duct tape and have written the name, number, and address of each person. My daughters' packs also have their parents names on them. As the parents we have more supplies in our bags, but the girls do have the basics in theirs, and they are small and light enough, that they can carry them without a problem.

The basics of our are in zip lock bags inside our packs, and include:

Juice box
Water bottle(s)

Fruit snacks

Ensure type of drink

Wet wipes

T-shirt, pair of sweats, and socks

Emergency blanket

Oatmeal packets

Wash cloth

Sharpie

Travel sized lotion
Travel sized tooth paste
Travel sized deodorant
Travel hand sanitizer
Travel container with Q-tips

Flashlight with batteries (not in it)

Individual drink mixes

Toothbrush

Lip balm

Floss

Poncho

Band aids

Roll of toilet paper

Spare disposable contacts and solution

Various candies (non melting)

Sunscreen stick

Hair elastics

Compact mirror and brush set

Granola Bars

Crackers
Soap (in plastic container)

The girls' packs also include:

Small toys
Composition book

Crayons
Mini Play Dough

We are beyond the diaper phase, but if your children are of that age, they would need to be included as well.

Adult Packs Also Include:

Matches

Scissors (can be used to cut clothes into shorts and short sleeved shirts as necessary for the weather)

Family Rx medications

Family vitamins

Cough drops

Ibuprofen

Shampoo and Conditioner

$15 cash

Contact and solution

Leatherman

10 4 gallon plastic bags, in compact packaging

Multi-use tool: compass, thermostat, whistle, mirror, magnifying glass, flashlight

Hand crank radio and ear buds

Hand crank flashlight
Now that we have a pet, I will need to include food for him as well.

We also have another pack filled with more water and a comprehensive first aid kit.

These backpacks were all extras that we had around the house, so there was no cost. We keep them on hooks in the stairway to our unfinished basement. This way they are accessible to grab in a hurry if necessary.

Periodic updating of these packs is necessary for items such as:
Clothing (sizes for the growing children)
Any food or beverages with expiration dates
Rx medications based on the current needs of the family

Many of these items I got for free because of combining sales and coupons, and certainly all Travel sized items are very easy to get free because of coupons.

No, these packs may not include EVERYTHING that we could ever possibly need in any level of emergency, but I am very comfortable with the level of preparedness that I have achieved for my family.

Ideally, Emergency Packs should contain the most valuable items in any level of emergency, without taking up a lot of room or draining your savings!

Update Your First Aid Kits

2011-04-14T15:00:00.000-06:00

Because of our focus this month being Emergency Preparedness, it is a good time to update our home first aid kits. There are a lot of pre-packaged first aid kits available, but for my home first aid kit I prefer to assemble it myself. In my experience, the pre-packaged kits tend to have a lot of things that I don't use, and not enough of the things that I frequently use.

I keep my first aid kit and my medicines separate, so for this post, we will focus just on the first aid supplies. Obviously each family is different, and everyone's ideas of "medically necessary" items to have on hand are different, so please adjust for what is the best for your specific family. Here is what I have on hand in my home first aid kit:

Bandages for kids (with all of the fun characters)

Bandages for adults (without the characters)

Water proof bandages

Liquid bandages (applied similar to a nail polish for areas that don't work with typical bandages)

Hydrogen Peroxide

Alcohol

Neosporin (or a similar product)

Bag Balm (Great for wounds)

Gauze in a variety of sizes

Ace bandage

Medical tape

Medical scissors

Ice pack (kept in freezer to be ready when needed)

I keep my kit in a zipper bag in the linen closet. It is right by all of our bedrooms and the kid's bathroom, so for us it is centrally located. I keep mine within reach for the children (which is why the medication isn't with it), so find a safe and centrally located place that is easy to reach for everyone in your family.

This list is not everything you would always need for every possible accident, but in my household it has served us well, and, when necessary, been enough to aid us on our way to the Emergency Room.

Lessons from a blackout!

2011-04-09T17:43:00.000-06:00

Do you remember the blackout from the Summer of 2003? I do! It was the country's largest black out on record and extended from parts of the mid-west to the East coast. This particular black out has been assumed by many to be due to hackers, in many ways it was very random, but it was also extremely widespread.

Why do I remember this so well? Because I was in the middle of the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, Michigan when it happened.

I was with my husband, cousin, and oldest child, who was 17 months old at the time. Most of us have been in minor power outages, and usually the flickering lights, or loud noise that occurs with the outage gives you an idea of how big the problem may be. Let me tell you, we instantly knew by the noise that this was not going be a small issue.

Thankfully we were in an area of the museum that had skylights, so we were not in the dark. We waited around for a while, hoping for the power to return, but eventually the Michigan Summer heat and lack of air conditioning was too much and we had to leave.

When we got to our car, we realized that we had about 1/4 tank of gas, and spotty cell phone coverage. Because all of our surrounding areas were also out of power, everyone was forced to leave their offices, and the roads were quickly jammed.

We had NO cash, and gas stations could not take anything but cash due to the power outage. We were staying at my Grandmother's house that was almost 2 hours away, and when a phone eventually worked, we were able to find out that Grandma did have power! Now, how to get there?

With a lot of prayer and some luck, we were able to have just enough gas to get us to one of the random spots that did have power and use our debit card to fill up our tank.

I have NEVER forgotten this experience, and my biggest lesson learned from it was, ALWAYS carry some cash!

It does not matter what type of emergency you are preparing for, make sure that your preparations always include cash.

I carry some in my purse at all times, and have some in the car just in case as well. I also make sure that my husband has some on hand and at his office.

I am not suggestions stashing 100 dollar bills everywhere - that may be more of a liability than a help, but I am saying that ANY amount of money is better than none when you really need it!

Home Invasion

2011-04-09T17:08:00.000-06:00

I am sorry for my lack of posts this week. Our home has been invaded. Our time, attention, love, money, and patience has been taken and tested by...

Rocky!

No one could be more shocked than I am to have a new family member, let alone a BOY with fur! Everything that has been purchased for him was picked out by our girls, and it is all BLUE. I am not in my element if I am not dealing with red head girls, so it is an adjustment, but WOW do we love him!

He is taking a lot of our time right now as we all adjust (which is to be expected), but I am trying to get back on track ASAP!

Emergency Preparedness

2011-04-05T23:24:00.001-06:00

This month's focus is Emergency Preparedness. I think that for most of us, having the supplies on hand for a large disaster or a simple power outage is something that we would all like to, but don't always get around to making it happen.

The plan over this month is to lead you through putting together the necessary supplies that will help you to be prepared for any level of emergency without purchasing unnecessary items to clutter up your home.

At the end of the month you will be able to feel more prepared for whatever the future brings and still have your wallet and clutter levels in check.

Wash Behind Your Ears!

2011-03-30T21:18:00.004-06:00

How many times do you start a new project or cleaning task, and end up missing some of the smaller things that end up making a big difference...kind of like washing behind your ears (or so every mom says!)?

Along those lines, here is my list of frequently missed items from Spring Cleaning:

Remove all draperies and wash/dry clean them.

Wash/dry clean throw pillows (if you have made covers like I have), or, if they are spot clean only, it may be time for new throw pillows!

Clean all of your garbage cans - I prefer taking the household cans and putting them in the bath tub to clean.

Clean under your kitchen sink, (I REALLY need to do this one!).

Then there are the BIG boys:

Clean or have your carpets cleaned.

Clean or have your windows cleaned.

Spring is officially here, and although the weather isn't as warm as we all want it to be, getting the deep cleaning done will make it easier to be that free spirit when the spring warmth hits us!

Keep the tools in good repair

2011-03-24T22:22:00.000-06:00

I know that I speak endlessly about my love for all cleaning things Shark, so when my Shark Sweeper appeared to die today I was shocked. I knew it had plenty of charge, so what was going on...

When was the last time you did a cleaning or some maintenance on your vacuums and sweepers? My Shark was full of my girls' red hair! After a minor "surgical" repair, my Shark was back in business!

I can't be the only one right? Perhaps your vacuums could use a little work as well? It will certainly make that Spring Cleaning much easier to have working tools!

Next step in your Spring Cleaning

2011-03-17T23:51:00.001-06:00

Are you ready to throw open those windows and enjoy the fresh Spring air? I am! Only problem is that the air might not be so fresh coming through filthy window tracks and door ways. If you think I am being overly OCD about this area, it may have been a while since you opened your windows and took a peek. YUCK!

First thing is to get out the best vacuum you have and get the smallest attachment. Take some time and really get out as much of the loose dirt that you can, it will make things MUCH easier when we start adding moisture.

While the vacuum and attachments are still out, use it on top of all doorways and door frames. Obviously if there is stuck on dirt, a clean rag or Magic Eraser will be necessary.

Now, getting the gunk and grime out of and off the window tracks and doorways does require some time and elbow grease, but it can be very rewarding.

If you have a Shark Pocket Steamer, this is my favorite place to use it! Shoot that steam right into the window tracks and entry ways and you will blast yourself to shinny happiness.

If you don’t have a steamer, you can still get it just as clean, just use more elbow grease. Get out your cleaning toothbrush, rags, and HOT water with cleaning solution and go to town.

While steaming out the tracks, also go over the screens. If you feel up to it, pop them out, and scrub them on the driveway like my mother used to do. That is a bit much for even me, though if you are up for it, more power to you!

My last touch on window trim and doorways may be a bit over the top for you, but it can really be the icing on the cake. Touch up/re-do paint on the trim, and re-caulk any necessary areas.

With a little effort you’re going to open up those windows and doors, and be greeted with the CLEAN Spring air.

Zarbees Update

2011-03-15T14:41:00.000-06:00

Last week I told you about the blogging review that I went to for Zarbees all natural cough syrup. I forgot to mention another product that they gave me to try, their new Natraflu Comfort Drink. This is a powdered mixture that you mix with 1/4 of warm water to make a soothing night time drink.

My oldest had a cough last week, and we used the Zarbee's cough syrup during the day. Now that the symptoms have disappeared during the day, she has had a lingering cough during the night. I gave her this drink mixture before bed the past few nights. She had so problem drinking the grape flavored drink, and with its added melatonin (an all natural sleep aid), my daughter slept through the night and was cough free!

I love being able to review products that I actually use in my home and have had success with!

Spring Clean those Bathrooms!

2011-03-14T11:32:00.000-06:00

Cleaning the bathroom is a necessary evil, but knowing that does not mean that it doesn’t need a Spring cleaning touch up along with the other rooms.

Because the bathrooms are cleaned so frequently, Spring cleaning in these areas is relatively easy. I was able to get all three of my bathrooms done on Saturday! Here is the to do list for Spring cleaning all of the bathrooms in the house:

• Wipe/swiffer down all walls, where all of the hairspray and cosmetic gunk can get stuck. Remove all clocks, and decorations to get behind them as well. Use HOT water and a cleaning solution with towels/rags.

• Wash decorative towels

• Wash all rugs/toilet covers

• Clean out sink and tub drains

• Remove everything from under the sink, clean and replace

• Wash vents

• Wash garbage can

To Spring clean the toilets:

• Steam clean all around and behind the toilet. Re-caulking if necessary will give a clean look as well. If you don’t have a steamer, the hottest water you can handle (use those rubber gloves) with a cleaning solution will work as well.

These small touch ups will go miles to improve the cleanliness of one of the most used rooms in the house.

Clean In Your Sleep!

2011-03-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

There are very few things that can clean themselves while you are sleeping, but here is one of them. Have you ever cleaned your washing machine? Not cleaning the top when it gets dusty, or the detergent dispensers when they have too much residue. I am talking about washing the actual agitating parts, the ones that actually clean your clothes?

I had never really thought about it until I got my Whirlpool Cabrio washer several years ago. I LOVE this washer, it was the largest capacity washer I could find, and it does an amazing job. It has so many settings, and includes a setting to wash your washer!

If you do not have this setting on your washer, you can just run it through a normal cycle, on hot, using only bleach. It really does make a difference in your laundry cleaning, and you can run the setting while you are sleeping!

Zarbees Cough Syrup Product Review

2011-03-09T10:28:00.002-07:00

I was invited to learn more about Zarbees cough syrup last week and to let all of you know what I think. I knew about Zarbees before it hit the mainstream market because the developers were in my neighborhood, and samples were shared!

After the FDA put the smackdown on the children's cough medication that most of us typically turn to, options were seriously limited. Zarbees does not fit into the traditional cough syrup mold because it is all natural.

A study done at Penn State (woo hoo!) showed that buckwheat honey was more effective than childrens cough syrup. Dr. Zarbock (a Utah based pediatrician) was lead to develop Zarbees, combining this honey benefit with natural vitamins to aid in the recovery process.

At a blogging event we were given a taste test of their various products, quite a site! Because this is a natural product, we could easily sample without any risk. The product comes in cherry, grape, and lemon. It is much thinner than I thought it would be, and easily went down. It is medicine, so I wouldn’t call it “yummy”, but certainly doable, even for my gag prone girls.

They have recently developed a night time product that combines a small amount of melatonin (a natural sleep aid) for your child to stop coughing and sleep through the night!

You can find their product at: http://www.zarbees.com/ , Walgreens, and Associated Food Stores. They are also on facebook: www.facebook.com/zarbees.

Amazingly they also have an “on-call” nurse for your pediatric health questions as well! You can find her on Twitter @ZarBeesNurse. Who doesn’t want to have their questions like, “my child had been coughing and had a runny nose for 7 days, is it time to go to the doctor (and pay the huge co-pay), or is this still viral and we need to tough it out a little longer?”.

Try them out the next time your child has a cough. It has worked well in our home, and may in yours as well.

Finding the Hidden Dust

2011-03-08T19:19:00.006-07:00

Where does all of this dust come from? Do you ask that question frequently? I do! No matter how great of a dusting job you do, it will ALWAYS come back, and unfortunately much more quickly than you want it to.

Other than the routine dusting that we all try to get to, the only way to address the dust is to find where it likes to hide, the places that we don’t always think of.

By getting to those areas during Spring cleaning, it will cut down on the dust throughout the rest of the year as well.

Spring Cleaning presents the opportunity for us to get around to cleaning the areas that we don’t always think of, but know we should get around to.

My to do list for Spring Cleaning in regards to dusting is as follows:

• Pull out and clean behind the:

Stove

Fridge

Washer

Dryer

Large pieces of furniture

• Vacuum corners of ceilings and baseboards with vacuum attachments

• Pull off all vents and clean/vacuum them out

• Dust tops of all cabinets and fridge

• Remove light fixtures, wash, and replace

• Dust all fans

• Vacuum lap shades with vacuum attachments

I find dusting to be tedious and frustrating, but when it comes to Spring Clean dusting, it can be quite rewarding. It will amaze you how much cleaner your home will feel when you get to these frequently skipped areas.

Spring Cleaning, Must Have Supplies

2011-03-04T22:57:00.002-07:00

It is almost Spring, time to prepare for the big Spring Clean. Having all of the necessary supplies on hand will make for a more productive cleaning session, so here are the basics you will need:

1. Cleaning toothbrush
2. Tooth picks

3. Vinegar

4. Anti-bacterial cleaning solution

5. Abrasive cleaner and a good scrubbing sponge

6. Glass cleaner

7. Quality vacuum with attachments

Optional Items:

1. Rubber gloves (protect that manicure!)

2. Steam Cleaner (I LOVE my Shark Pocket Steamer)

3. Swiffer type of mop and plenty of rags

Most of these basic items you will have on hand, and although you can get the job done without the optional items, having them will make the chores MUCH easier. Spring Cleaning for me is about getting to those areas that we don’t always get around to, and doing a deeper clean on those that we clean more frequently. Come on, dig in and get a good Spring cleaning done, it will really pay off when you are spending all of your free time outside when the good weather finally arrives!

Loving to shop (again!)

2011-02-12T23:16:00.003-07:00

Do you love to shop? Most of us have said "yes" at one time in our lives, but to mothers of young children...not so much.

I still remember my first shopping "spree" after being a new mom. I wanted some new boots, but they were $65, and all I could think was, "Do you know how much I get for my baby for $65!". This was nine years ago, but still. I got the boots, but didn't wear them for 4 days until I had tried them on with everything I owned, reminding myself how much use I would get out of them.

Pre-kids, however, I would shop for hours, laughing with girlfriends, or my wonderful sister. Driving from shop to shop was not unusual, and stopping for a small bite along the way was a frequent treat as well.

Once you are a mother, shopping becomes one of the "have to", rather than the "get to". Even if it is shopping for a new outfit for yourself, it is something that has to be fit into the day between feedings, naps, laundry, cleaning, all the while trying to find your baby's "happiest" mood to aim for a tolerable shopping attempt.

Finally getting to the store, only to find you have not mastered the breastfeeding timing, thereby having sprung a leak, has happened to most, as well as having to leave a full cart because the infant screams could not be tolerated by your scattered mind any longer, and home seemed the only logical response.

Taking your time to leisurely try on each chosen item to find the perfect size, and determine the best selection from the pile of options... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, yea right! Add more than one child to the mix and you are lucky to get any clothing (be it the right size or even your desired style) home for at all.

Here is what worked the best for me, BUY IT ALL!! That's right, can't decide between two killer pair of heels? Get both. Not sure what size you are after the "joys" of motherhood have settled in...take home a few different sizes. When you get a second during nap time, or if hubby is nice enough to take the baby for a while... try things on in your own home that is much more spacious than any dressing room. Take the time to check out your purchases from every angle, and see how things coordinate with your current wardrobe. After you have taken sufficient time to feel comfortable with your selections, take the rest BACK.

If you were like me, despite the struggle to get out the door, I NEEDED to get out at least few times a week, so it was much better for me to spend a short amount of time in the return line than it was hurrying to make decisions in a 4x4 changing room with a screaming child (and perhaps an older sibling crawling under the dividers, telling you the color underwear of your fellow shoppers).

Saying Thank You!

2011-02-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

I received a thank you note in my mailbox today. It was from a friend I had taken a meal to on Friday, she got out of the hospital the day before. Can you believe how speedy she was during her recovery?

Who doesn't love a heartfelt thank you? I have been lucky enough to receive some thank yous that were so touching that I have saved them in my scrapbook (me, the girl who holds on to next to nothing).

I have gone through fazes of successful and unsuccessful timely thank yous, or sadly, even doing them at all. The easiest way to stay on top of them? Don't use/put away the gift until the note is done. When I had my girls and the frilly outfits were flowing in, it was hard to remember what I had received through the post delivery hormones. Having those things out (in my typically uncluttered home) made it a constant reminder for me to quickly sit down and take care of thanking those who have been so kind to help me.

By staying on top of it, we ALL feel better. Less guilt for us, and showing our appreciation for our friends and loved ones.

Spread the love

2011-02-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Most of us have so much, too much usually. Today I decided to weed through my clothing with a more discerning eye than usual. I pulled out over 30 items (clothing and shoes) from my closet for donation. I don't have an overly large wardrobe, but we all have clothes that we haven't worn in a while taking up space in our closets. These items are doing nothing for us (except collecting dust and taking up space), but could be of great benefit to others.

While cleaning out my closet, my four year old excitedly asked, "Can I find toys from my room to give to other children?", SURE! By being a good example of sharing our resources (or clutter depending on how your view it), our children will quickly catch the vision of charity as well. It will bring blessings to our lives, bless others, and will clear more of that clutter out of our way!

For the love of posterity

2011-02-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

"Someday I will need this.", "Eventually someone will want to see that.". What do you tell yourself as you approach your clutter and memories? I know that I am rare because I don't have a hard time getting rid of things that may be difficult for most. Many are very attached to sentimental objects that they assume will eventually bring sentimental value to their future generations.

Because my approach is not the same as most, I offer a simple guideline when approaching your clutter, "Will I want to show this to my grandkids? Will my grandkids care about this when I show it to them?". For me, if the answer is "no", I do not hold on to it.

Clearing the clutter from my home and life is very important to me, but this does not mean there is NOTHING that I hold on to. The outfits my girls came home from the hospital in, yearbooks, and special mementos are special to me and I keep them together in organized bins. Occasionally I do go through these memory items to reevaluate their "value". There are things you keep thinking they were from a critical time in your life, but with some perspective, it may have less sentimental value than originally thought.

For the LOVE of your posterity, DON'T keep everything. Going through the clutter of loved ones who have passed on is not a fun experience, but viewing treasured and well preserved items set aside for your viewing is.

See the good...

2011-02-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

How often we focus on seeing the good in other people. "Assume good intent" we teach ourselves and our family. In this digital age, we get a glimpse into the lives of thousands of people, even if we have never met them.

Do you enjoy blogs like I do? I love to get advice and different perspectives on everything from crafts and cooking, to decorating and saving money. At times however, I catch myself missing the great tips and suggestions by focusing on the snapshots of the blogger's "perfect" life.

Oh how perfectly decorated their homes look, the amazing talents of the crafters, the mouth watering food pictures, and the receipts of AMAZING sales found!

It is important for all of us to step back and remember that most everyone puts their best foot (or blog post) forward. We are seeing what has been CHOSEN for us to see. Bed head, dirty diapers, feisty children, and piles of laundry are NEVER shown.

Each of us have God given talents. It is important to embrace and increase our talents, BUT it is impossible to be talented or "perfect" in all things, even if that is the picture that we get from observing others lives, be it on-line or in person.

The focus this month is LOVE, so while we work to see the good in others, remember to also acknowledge the good in yourself!

LOVE

2011-02-02T09:19:00.003-07:00

This month's focus is love and will allow us to spend time being more kind to ourselves through actions and scheduling. Time for catching up with friends and loved ones, and creating family memories, what a great month!

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Be sure to check out the "Monthly Focus" tab to learn the overall picture of each month's focus!

Switch it up!

2011-01-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

Maybe you aren't well versed in swinging a hammer or sawing some trim, but certainly everyone can tighten a screw!

New/updated/decorative switch plates are a REALLY easy household project that can have a great impact toward updating the look of a home or continuing a specialized theme of a room.

Most of mine have been switched to brushed nickle plates. My girls each chose one that matches their themed rooms. My biggest tip is to look into your local come improvement stores instead of furniture/decorative stores. You would be amazed at the selection and the prices are much more competitive!