the last two weeks | photos

tuesday randoms

*It's not quite 7pm, but I'm already in my pjs ready to curl up with a good book and say good bye to this day. Not that is hasn't been a good one, quite the contrary, but even a good day can be an exhausting one.
*I think I'm extra giddy that I don't have anything going on tonight. Literally I think this was the first night we ate as a family in like two weeks. Honestly, I can't remember the last dinner I just made for the 5 of us.
*I've been needing to make banana bread for several days now. I keep looking at the pile of withering bananas wondering if they will hold off for another day.
*Don't fall asleep while reading a hard cover book. I found out the hard way last night when the book fell on my face and the dust jacket cut my face. Ya, seriously.
*Week 5 of P90X is underway. It sucks.
*The nest outside my window is empty now. I'm sad they moved on.
*Just asked Megan where Bella was and she said, "she's downstairs watching Nova...about dreams. It's a boring show."
*Went to Sephora for the first time last night while out with Adam's mom and sisters to celebrate my MIL birthday. Never really understood the allure until I went and saw that they carried Fresh products (love their sugar line). Now I'm happy they came to town.
*Speaking of being at the mall...we got lock in the mall last night with a bunch of other people. What? Seems like a serious hazard.


*I had a babysitter today for a few hours which turned into a neighborhood water balloon fight. Good times.

the maid quit today

It's not that I have kids that don't do anything around the house, they do. In fact, I have noticed what big helpers (wow that sounds babyish) they've been for me since last summer. They do what I ask like when the dishwasher is full or their clothes need to be put away they always leave what they're doing and help me. Sometimes I hear a "ugh" in the mix, but usually (operative word) they are willing to help.

The frustration comes from not picking up after themselves. I'm sure I don't need to explain it as anyone that has children or a roommate or even a spouse knows what it's like to constantly be cleaning up someone else's mess. I feel like I'm a good mom in this area and when I see a mess they make I ask them to clean it up, however, 1) why do I have to remind the to pick up after themselves? and 2) it's the stuff they aren't around for that I end up cleaning myself. For instance, when they've already walked out the door for school and I walk pass the bathroom after reminding them to put away their toothbrushes and I find said toothbrushes on the counter accompanied by toothpaste globs or wrappers from whatever they've been eating found in various places throughout the house or pjs left on the floor of the laundry room instead of putting them in the designated bin or the snack they're making for school ends up on the floor, most likely already been stepped on. It's maddening. Some things I can wait for them to come home, but some things need to be taken care of...like food on the ground.

I just don't understand why they can't pick up after themselves? That's all. Yes, they do what I ask, but why can't they take the initiative and see that they've dropped food on the ground, pick it up, and put it in the trash or go the extra step and put their clothes in bin or throw away the empty wrapper?

I can't say what set me off for sure this morning. It really wasn't one thing, I think it was just all the things, all the time.

deep breath.

I have been working on a job chart that realistically is going to have to wait until May when I have more time to devote to it, but the jobs are not the problem. They do their jobs. I need some type of reward system that encourages them to pick up after themselves. Any ideas? I've tried the, "whatever you leave out goes in the garbage", but that doesn't really work when what they're leaving out is the garbage. I'm at a loss. I need advice. What has worked for you? I'm willing to try anything.


PS I hope this post doesn't come off as complaining. I'm not trying to complain, I'm not is a bad mood or even feel frustrated right now, rather just looking for some advice so I can better teach my children how to work.

PSS unless you didn't get it...I'm the maid that quit.

kid craft: sockman

In October the girls and I put together these snowman (aka sockman) thanks to a friend of mine who gave me the instructions. It's actually really easy. All you need is a sock, something to fill the sock with like rice or wheat (i used wheat because I had it on hand), yarn or string, black beads, buttons, orange palmer clay or playdoh, small piece of fabric, and a glue gun or some other adhesive.

here's how you do it.

1) fill up bottom of sock using about 1 1/4 cup of wheat. Take a 3 in piece of yarn and tie a really tight knot around the sock close to where you filled it.

2) repeat step 1 twice for the middle and head. Instead change the cup amount to 3/4 (middle) and then 1/2 (head). note: these measurements may be different depending on the size of the sock you use. Best thing is just to try it out and see what works best.

3) clip the yarn close to the tie so it will get lost in the snowman fold.

4) decorate snowman with whatever you want. We used black beads for eyes to look like coal and buttons on the middle section. We made the carrot nose from rolling palmer clay into a cone and added a few small lines. If you don't have any be create, you could use playdoh or even make home made playdoh with water, salt, and flour.

5) Lastly we cut a strip of a fabric an tied it around head to give the snowman a scarf.

I'm sure there are lots of other things you could do to decorate, but we just made it quick and easy with stuff we had on hand.

.

My girls had a really great time with this project mainly because they could do so much of it and they were making a "new friend" (their words). The hardest thing for them was to tie the yarn tight. The other thing I helped them with was the glue gun...they were a little intimidated by the heat. My kids were very proud of their creations and spend a good amount of time playing with them the following weeks. Now they are part of the decorations.

Enjoy!

PS after doing this project I realized I need to be much better about finding projects we can do together like this. We had such a great time. If you have any ideas or know of a good website please share. Thanks. Have a great Monday.

spt: gift

for tuesday, april 7: gift a family member
for tuesday, april 14: gift a friend
for tuesday, april 21: gift a neighbor, teacher, co-worker
for tuesday, april 28: gift a total stranger




giving my friend the gift of an afternoon alone while her three kids and mine decorated Easter eggs.

giving back

#1
This weekend it's mine turn to give a break to someone else. Unfortunately it wasn't for Jill or Robyn, who helped me out last weekend, I'll get them another time, but it's for my friend and her husband who desperately needed a get away.


[Adam let me sleep in and I woke up to a clean kitchen and 6 paper cups all lined up with initials and one still eating. ]

We had a couple incidences in the night, but I must say it's all going fabulously well as long as I don't look at my house. I'm taking advice from the best, Jill, and am letting the mess prevail until the kiddos leave, which will be later this evening.

#2
I mentioned before in an earlier post that I've been thinking about ways I could GIVE this year. I decided one way I could give back to all you bloggers who read my blog is to do a give away once a month. Each month it will be a different handmade item and hopefully this will also help me with another goal of mine to try new things.



This month I'm going to be giving away a set of 10 greeting cards (shown above) including envelops. If you want to be included in the drawing comment on this post. I will post the winner on Monday.

Thanks for helping me give and for all you give to me.