A Day "Off"

This is just a post about a day in the life of this mom.

On Friday my boys had off from school, but because my daughter's preschool follows a different calendar, she still had school.

I had 2 goals for the day.
1. Wash the pots and pans that have been waiting for me all week.
2. Sleep in until 8am.

I only accomplished one of those things. And it wasn't the dishes.

Here is what my day looked like. and I am writing it down just because right before I went out with my husband and friends that night I thought to myself, "I was busy all day, why don't I feel like I got anything done?"

8am- was woken up by 5 yr old who bounced all over me until I finally dragged myself out of bed.

8:30- ate distressingly healthy breakfast, read a little, warned kids it was almost time to start cleaning the house.

8:45- realized that the packages of gummy hearts we'd bought for Lilyanna had been mysteriously consumed by NOBODY. There had been 28, we were left with 15 and every boy in the house claimed to have only had one until they realized they were Lilyanna's valentines. Math is not my strongest subject, but even I know that doesn't add up.

9am-Lilyanna comes up with a plan B, and remembered that we had been given an unopened package of Winnie the Pooh Valentines by a neighbor.

9:15-Called Dr's office to beg for a new Rx for my son's medicine which is now distributed in a glass bottle and the day before was knocked onto the kitchen floor made of ceramic tile. $50 worth of medicine wasted. I didn't cry, but it was really sad.

9:30- Help middle school son rehearse for his audition for "The Sound of Music". Pulled out the guitar, relearned a few chords, and tried to teach him to play the guitar while singing Edelweiss. After a few minutes he decided that he would just do it without the guitar and I could accompany him. Then showed him the video of Capt. VonTrapp singing Edelweiss from the movie version. Ran through the song and worked on the character several times.

10am- Worked on writing/folding/stuffing envelopes/putting stickers on 30 Valentines.

10:30- folded laundry, reminded kids to stay focused to get their work done.

11:30-Entered into the Nielson Shopping program all the online purchases I'd made and received that week

12- ate lunch, read a chapter in my book

12:30-took Lilyanna to school

12:50- realized we forgot her Valentines at home.

1:15- went grocery shopping

2pm- got home, ran inside and helped high schooler register for classes for next year. Then checked grades and discussed how they're going to improve.

2:50- grabbed the Valentines and ran them down to preschool so my daughter could hand them out to her friends.

3:15-Headed home from preschool

3:35-Was about to hop in the shower, when I remembered that I still had to pick up the new Rx from the doctor. (they can't call in adhd meds).

3:45-Jumped in the car to run down to doctor's office with the 5 year old daughter in tow.

4:10-On the way back from the doctor, we got stuck in traffic due to an accident. 35 minutes to go 1.5 miles. Grrr.

4:45-Ran in the house to pick up high schooler who needed to go to play practice at the high school.

5pm-Ran back in the door after dropping him off and while running up to the shower called for the middle schooler to finally get the groceries out of my car.

5:30-finished getting dressed post-shower

5:35-went to Bellydance practice in the clothes I planned on wearing out to dinner

5:45-applied make-up while someone else was learning their part of the dance

6:20-drove home, finished putting groceries away, gave instructions re:pizza to kids.

6:45- left to go out on date and enjoyed a lovely evening.

My day was fine. I enjoyed having the kids around, and I was busy all day, but I never felt like I was getting anything done. Many of my days are like this where I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels. I'm a big proponent of accepting that this is what this time and season of my life looks like, but sometimes I feel frustrated that it takes me 3 days to get the darn pots and pans washed!

A Month of Winnowing 2014

Jan 1- Have made a pile of the following things to get out of the house: A crock-pot (I just received a new one for Christmas), a Golf calendar for 2013-2014, a bag of used clothing and shoes to be donated.

Jan 2- Found new homes for the crock pot and calendar through our neighborhood Freecycle type group.  Also added some little boy baseball caps and toddler clip-on ties that we no longer need to the ever growing pile of things to donate.

Jan 3-  Found a LEGO set to sell.  It's just a little one, but my kids already have it, and we certainly don't need duplicates of the millions of legos currently underfoot in this house!  (Sold for $2 on neighborhood site!)

Jan 4-  plastic Princess shoes that don't fit Lilyanna's wide feet.  Sold for $2 on neighborhood kid's stuff site!

Jan 5- Some sparkly dress ups that a friend gave to us, that are doubles of things we already have.  I gave these away on a neighborhood forum.

Jan 6- Adding to the donation bin a pair of old slippers

Jan 9- Found some little toys to put in "The Anti-Claus Box".  Happy Meal type stuff.

Jan 10-  In cleaning off the kitchen counters, I found some overpriced snack food from Whole Foods that nobody in my family liked.  I will give away to someone in the neighborhood.

Jan 11-  A gorgeous tie that Todd owns but he feels is to "pastel-y" for him.  It's a really nice tie, so I'll sell that.  (Got $5 on the neighborhood site!)

Jan 12-  Started putting together a box for my friend, Liz, and her little girl.  (Hi, Liz! The box should be full by the end of the month!)

Jan 13-  Sorted through some hand me downs we received and added a few really well loved items to the donation bin.

Jan 14-
Jan 15-
Jan 16-
Jan 17-

Jan 18-  In cleaning out my closet, found several shirts and sweat shirts that I haven't used in years and am not likely to use anytime in the future.  Will add them to the donation bin.  Also, it made it so I found a dress I bought a year ago, wore twice, and forgot about.  I'll wear that to church on Sunday.

Jan 19- added 2 pairs of my own shoes to the give away bin.  They have served me well for many years and I'd already sort of replaced both of them.  One can never have too many pairs of black shoes in my opinion.

Jan 20- cat food leftover from when we had the hedgehog.  Gave to the neighbors across the street.

Jan 21-
Jan 22-
Jan 23-
Jan 24-

Jan 25- Made my 11 year old clean out his closet and dresser and bring me things that don't fit him anymore.  He's notoriously picky about how things fit, so even though I know some of the items in the pile technically fit, I also know he won't wear them so we might as well pass them along.

Jan 26- compiling a box of cleaning supplies I don't use.  I typically use baking soda and vinegar as my main cleaners, but have acquired others over the years in hopes of magic!  Alas, buying cleaners didn't magically make anything clean.  (What do you mean I have to actually use them??) ;)

Jan 27- Took a whole box full of tap, jazz. and ballroom dance shoes to try to pawn off on the belly dance crowd.  Alas, there were no takers, but I decided I would donate everything but the ballroom shoes.  I paid too much money for those and they were only worn for a week of ballroom dance camp each!  (My friend took them to a local high school who is doing a production of "Shrek: the Musical" and they were able to use all the shoes!  Hooray!)

Jan 28- Found a red faux snake skin hat that I once bought in NYC during a torrential rain storm when I had neither a hood nor an umbrella.  It's hideous.  The only time it's been used since then is for dressing a snowman.  Straight to the donation bin!

Jan 29-  Cleaning out my cedar chest and am finally passing on a beautiful wool jumper that my Mom made for me years ago.  It hasn't fit me since college.  (It fit well for years everywhere but the chest...).  I have a hard time passing on things that were specifically made for me, because I remember the process.  I helped sew seams, pick out buttons, patterns and material.  But it's more than time to pass it on to someone who will be able to use it.

Jan 30- In cleaning under my dresser (terrifying!) found a kid's book and a belt to add to the donation box.

Jan 31-  Woo hoo! Just got an email from Once Upon a Child that they're looking for Spring and Summer things, so I'm packing up a box to take over there to sell.  I'll either donate what is left or add to the box to mail to Liz.


Well, there we go.  One more month of getting rid of at least 30 things.  I still have WAAAAY more to get rid of, but the closets are a little cleaner and I will have made about $20 after I take the summer clothing to Once Upon a Child tomorrow.  Not bad at all.  I should probably do this hard core more than once a year.  Maybe quarterly...

Resolutions 2013: Organizing/Downsizing

 1. My in-laws had to pack up and move from a house that they'd lived in for nearly 30 years. It was hard. I witnessed it. Many years ago, my parents had to do the same thing. Also hard. And I witnessed that one, too.

2. We know without any doubt that we are going to need to move from this house within the next few years as it will no longer meet the physical needs of our family. I don't want that move to be so very painful wading through STUFF as I know there will be plenty other things to worry about at the time. I don't ever want to feel trapped in a house because moving would just be too hard.

3. I have an entire school room (more) worth of books and school supplies that I have had to organize and make room for in a house that is already full of stuff.

With these things in mind I am doing a couple things over the next year. This is a challenge that I'm joining. One project per week for the year. It starts next week. I'm kind of excited.

I also am going to try giving away or selling one thing a day for the next 30 days at least. I read this article a little while ago, and really liked it. Don't get me wrong. I think these guys have taken things to an extreme that I am not comfortable with, especially in family life, but I like the overall concept of living with less. (I like the title of another one of their posts "Organizing is often well planned hoarding".)

In addition to just getting rid of things we aren't really using anyway, and being more thoughtful about those things we do keep in our house, I like the idea that maybe, just maybe, this will make me feel not so constantly overwhelmed by clutter when it comes to the dreaded cleaning of my house. I so loathe cleaning, but I think part of it is that I have to practically excavate before I can even get to the part that I'm supposed to clean.

Here's to a more visibly productive new year!

Cleaning. Again.

Okay, remember last year when I decided to clean my house? No? Yeah. It's kind of vague for me, too.

I just realized that I'm having a baby in not very many weeks. It is time to tackle all of the big scary projects that I didn't get to last time.

Like burning all of the old financial records. I could shred them, but I'm pretty sure I would burn out several motors with all the papers that I need to shred. Besides. Fires are fun, right?

Starting on Monday (because why start today what you can put off until after the weekend?) I will be thoroughly cleaning one room and doing one project per day.

This is assuming that I don't have any gall bladder attacks, or end up in the hospital, or have any children come down with H1N1 or whooping cough. All of which are at this point statistical likelihoods.

At least life is never dull.

Plan for Monday:

-clean a bathroom. Any bathroom will do. Hands and knees type of cleaning, not the swish a brush and swipe a clorox wipe type I've been doing since I got pregnant.

THEN:

-show that wrapping paper who is boss. I will make you fit back into that container, wrapping paper!!! I will!

generosity

We are overrun with grain moths every spring. The nasty little buggers are gross, but an excellent excuse to clean out all the cabinets with exactness. I used to try to time the cleaning with Passover, so I could get all the chametz out of the house along with so many other people. It somehow made me feel more connected to a higher purpose than just doing it from a hatred of grain moths.

But this year we were in NJ for Passover, so that didn't happen. And we were so busy upon arriving home that I never got around to it. But the time has come. I realized today that the grain moths have become a little too much a part of our daily routine when Todd told me this story:

"Caleb had cereal first, and then decided to have some of the leftover French Toast from last night. He took a couple of bites and then said, 'I'll leave the French Toast for the grain moths.' and walked away from the table to go play."

I guess I know what priority number one for next week's project list will be.

Back to the Cleaning

I've decided that a week is more than enough time to walk around in a shell-schocked stupor of a new calling and a new kid, and it's time to get back to the cleaning/nesting thing.  

Today's projects will be cleaning the bathrooms, hallway, and stairs again.  And baking up the pumpkins and squash I received from our CSA so I can freeze them for future Thanksgivingy use.   The outlet covers and switch plates are still not painted and TODAY is the day.

Later this week, watch for the "What the heck we were thinking when we decided to adopt a teenager" post.  I've had so many people ask me that, that I figure next time I can just give them the blog address and be done with it.  ;)

GIGO

Todd has been working late all this week.  He was sweet enough to come home tonight so I could go to book club.  I was hoping that he was going to be all done with late nights, but when I came home at 11 pm, he announced that he had to go back to the office.  

I was feeling all sorts of sympathetic for my poor tired husband, until on the way out the door he said, "Oh, yeah, I forgot to take out the garbage.  Can you take care of that?"

I blinked at him for a moment.

"But, Todd," I said, "I don't think I remember how to take out the garbage!  I got married so I wouldn't have to take out the garbage anymore!"

There was a distinct lack of sympathy in his eyes as he left...and an evil laugh, too.

I did manage to figure it out.  But shhh!  Don't tell him.

Thursday to do

So yesterday was kind of a wash for cleaning.  (haha!)  

While I didn't get even half of the things on yesterday's list done, I did have a great time playing with Caleb.  There was much giggling to be had and it made me remember why this motherhood thing is so much fun.  (I forget when I spend the day scrubbing crayon off the walls.)

I've been a work widow the past couple of nights and I don't sleep well alone.  It just doesn't occur to me to go to bed if there's no one to go with me.  So last night I listened to the presidential debate on the radio while I dismantled my dining room chairs with a screw driver to  clean out all the crumbs that have gotten in the wood.  

It was when I was running the vacuum at 11 pm that I realized I needed to stop right then.  My sister and I just last year were joking about how as kids we would wake up at midnight to the sound of the vacuum cleaner.  While I now understand my mother's motivation for vacuuming at midnight (you know it won't get crummy for at least 6 hours), I decided my kids have enough other anecdotal fodder from me and didn't need to add vacuuming at midnight to the list.

Today's list:

-Finish the dismantling, cleaning, and putting together of the rest of the dining room chairs

-polish the silver

-clean the chandalier that I don't even like, but it's dusty.  It will still be ugly when it's clean.

-The family room...yes, still.  I get sidetracked by all the books on the bookshelves...

-two loads of laundry, folded and put away

And I think that's it for today.  The weather has been too pretty and my mind too distracted to really care about all this.  

 

Wednesday to do

I'm keeping steady at being only one day behind.  

Walls, halls, stairs, lightswitches and doorknobs.  Done.  And now every little surfact painted white is going to be repainted.  Because no amount of scrubbing will get all the marks off.   Don't you magic eraser me, either!  I'm DONE with white paint (except for trim and chair rails).

The laundry and halloween decorations happened, too, much to the great delight of Caleb who is a lover of all things spooky.

The list for tomorrow:

-More laundry

-the family room

-the dining room

-if it's not raining, painting those light switch covers and outlet covers

-the spare bedroom

Thanks for asking me about it.  It's keeping me honest.

Tuesday to do

The nice thing about only being on this cleaning thing for one day so far is that I can be only one day behind.

Laundry and bathrooms got done.  (And it is very nice to have sparkly clean bathrooms.  It makes the whole house feel a little cleaner somehow.)   Same with coupons and a little grocery shopping.

Hallways did not and walls did not.

Tomorrow's list:

-Wipe down hallway walls and sweep and mop, halls and stairs

- Clean Family room including dusting all the bookshelves

-Clean dining room.  

- two loads of laundry, done and put away

- Reorganize linen closet

-paint the darn dining room switchplates

-get out halloween decorations

Here goes day 2!

To do on Monday

Monday is kind of a crazy day in Smithland. Caleb has school in the morning while Nathaniel has gymnastics, then Nathaniel has school while Caleb has swimming. I feel like I spend Mondays driving speedily to and fro, so tomorrow's cleaning will be not quite so intense as what is to come.

Monday:

-All three disgusting bathrooms. (Seriously, boys are given precision equipment. How do they manage to miss all the time?!) Yuck.
- Hallways. Walls wiped down, floors swept and mopped.
- Two loads of laundry. Washed, dried, folded AND put away.
- Go through paper and clip coupons and begin grocery list for the month.
-All doorknobs and light switch plates disinfected.

(opt.)-paint the light switch plate and outlet covers for the dining room.

Can I get it all done and still have time to read, talk to my friends, crunch in the leaves and be silly with my kids?

We shall see.

Experiments

I make no secret of the fact that I hate cleaning. I have shared the story with most of you about the time I called a maid service just to find out what they did for how much money. As the man on the other end of the phone listed chores, "wipe down all base-board moulding, clean the kitchen window, wipe out sink," I had to fan myself. When I hung up all flushed, I felt assured that phone sex could not possibly be any better than someone trying to woo me into letting them clean for me. But I am a cheapskate. So, I did not hire them.

Seminary provided a very convenient excuse to not do more than perfunctory cleaning for the last two years. Much time had to be devoted to lesson planning and I was too tired anyway.

I'm out of excuses, though. The time has come. I've decided to try being an excellent housekeeper for one week. Details people. Cleaning windows, dusting the tops of the really tall things that I can't even see the tops of. Filing all those papers that I have been meaning to file for...well, a really long time. Getting out paint cans and touching up the little spots AFTER I wash down the walls in each room.

Obviously not every thing has to be done every week, but if I hate this week because it doesn't leave time for me to do the things that I love doing, then I am just going to embrace the messy house. It's not like creepy dirty, just a chronic mess. And while it's nice when it's clean, it's also really nice to sit at the playground and talk with my friends while our children play all around us. Or read a book all in one sitting. Or send and receive lovely emails from lovely friends. Or enjoy wonderful conversations on the phone. (I would say 'play with my kids', but realistically, I'm not invited into their world of play hardly ever. So, they're good.) These are the things I actually like doing.

We will see how much I get to do this week.

Wish me luck!

Laws of the Universe

I am a firm believer in the law of averages.

In the presence of some overly chipper and bubbly person, I feel the need to become as bitingly sarcastic as absolutely possible just to keep things on an even keel. I wouldn't want the universe to be all askew due to an overabundance of cheer.

With the belief firmly in tact, I suppose then I shouldn't have been surprised that if playroom looked like this:
(This is a picture of it looking clean, btw.)

Then the family room would clearly need to look like this:


How do they move so fast in their destruction? It's like my kids can sense that there is clean carpet somewhere and are magnetically drawn towards it.

Dust if You Must

Dust If You Must

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.

-Anon.