Pot and plants and flowers, oh my

I've been planting, and planting and doing a little furniture buying. Our new back porch finally has furniture, plus a couple accessories, not to mention some lovely plants. I love being out there now, so relaxing. I also spent a portion of my child-less Saturday doing some front yard planting. I'm pretty happy with it.

Now..... Inside. Ugh! Needs work. Decluttering and laundry is the name of the game. How is it that everything can be put away and you can actually SEE the countertops during the day, then by bedtime.... Nada. I don't get it.


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Well... Not in the plan

Buuuttt.... I got a couple things done today. I really wanted to get the plants for the back porch and get them potted, and I do have all the plants. Only it started storming and it didn't sound too appealing, you know getting wet while planting. So I came inside and realized I needed to clean the carpets and I did. I'm amazed at how much dirt comes out if the carpet, every time I do it.... Still amazed. I'm not sure why, with what 3 kids, 2 cats, 1 small horse (oh -I mean the dog) and all the goings on. So while the plants are still in their home depot packaging, the carpeting looks much better which in turn makes the house look better.

Yeah for accomplishing today!

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Accountability

Accountability. It's something as a mom, wife and stay at home'ish person that I am that I sometimes lack. Oh sure, I get stuff done. The 'have to' stuff. But there are times I'm not as punctual as I would like and deadlines for the few deadlines I have are usually met on the last day. I've got a constant list in my head of a tuff I want to get done, crafty stuff I'd like to do around the house and yet in my head it stays. I'm not a lazy person, at least I don't feel like it. It just seems life gets in the way. So I'm thinking I may try some accountability. Like here. Stuff I want to get done, the items I actually do. Something small everyday. That's my goal. It doesn't matter if it's just a drawer organized, its one less cluttered place in the house.

Here's something. Not a cleaner house or kore dinners cooked or clothing made. Just some place to go to see it happen.


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There's no cheese with this whine

Whining.... I know it's inevitable with children, especially 3 children who happen to be 7, 5 and 2 and also happen to be all girls. But it's been worse lately, way worse and I'm not sure why. Winter? My complacency? Feeding off each other or a need for more personal attention? I'm not sure but whatever the reason, it came to a head this weekend. I personally have been there for awhile now, but it took my better half a couple more days to get there.

The girls were getting ready to go somewhere as a sort of treat with their dad and all they could do was complain... and I'm looking at these kids thinking, who are you and how did you get this way? We'd finally both had enough, and so the law has been laid down. It interesting too the differences in the whining between the two kids, Kailey whines for help or because she wants a different outcome. Maggie, she's like a train wreck, she whines because something is disrupting her. And the baby... we'll she whines because she's two :)

There is a no whining rule in the house now, it's big girl voices or else. We've also established chore charts because, really, they need to be helping out more. I think in the beginning it might be a bit more work for me, but hopefully in the long run it'll pay off.

Maggie of course was the first to push the limit, she complained this morning about the lunch I'd made her. I immediately took away a privilege and she went to react and stopped. Does she understand I mean business? I'm not sure yet, I hope. She's asked for her game back, but no, though she was quick to complete a morning task on her chore chart in hopes of making things better. We'll see about this afternoon.

All I'm hoping for is a more peaceful house, a 'no whine zone' as my dad says. I just need to stay strong, and sometimes that seems to be the hardest thing of all.

Told you so....

Ok, so I fail at keeping the blog up... but it's alright I'll give myself an out for so many of life's reasons that happen after Christmas (you know what I mean).

Things have been incredibly busy lately, both kids have had the flu, as did Todd and I (at the same time of course) thank goodness my dad was here to keep the household running. He's a champ! I signed the two older girls up for gymnastics and they are excited about it. Kailey's homework load keeps getting bigger, I know I shouldn't complain because it's the 2nd grade and I know kids at other schools have had more as kindergarteners. Todd and I finally escaped to Asheville's Grove Park Inn for our 10th anniversary (2 months later). My dad and I took Kailey and Mag's to the circus this past weekend. It's so much fun to see those events through your kids eyes....

Wow. See, busy! I can finally add some pictures too...

Corinne at Christmas



Kailey while decorating the Christmas tree



Maggie in our 'big' snowfall



The girls and I at the circus

Ten Things About Me

I've been thinking about what I was going to write today, there's a lot going on in my mind but I think It will take form over the weekend. Today..... Ten things about me.

1). I can't watch scary movies anymore, they completely freak me out. In high school and college, loved 'em. (I blame having kids, but my overactive imagination may have something to do with it).

2). I used to be very organized, everything had a place and had to be just so. Then I got married and had kids, there are days I'd give anything to have it back.

3). Since having kids, I'm perpetually late and I hate that. See #2.

4). I love to create things (art, food, crafts) and I'm really trying to pass that on to my kids.

5). It seems, no matter what happens I have faith and truly believe that everything will be ok. There are times it really frustrates my husband because, for him, to don't tend to stress enough over the big stuff. I've been told, that even my gray clouds have silver linings, that was also said in frustration, but it's ok.... I don't want to change.

6). I rarely wear make-up and I'm glad. It's odd, especially here in the south, for a woman to not 'put on her face' before going out. I don't. I want my girls to see it and hopefully know that make-up doesn't make you beautiful and it should be a pleasant accessory not a necessity.

7). Just like scary movies, I can't ride roller coasters anymore. They make me sick.

8). My mom has been gone for almost 9 years now and I miss her more now than after she passed away.

9). I would move back to the small town in NE that I grown up in if I could, I love small town life.

10). I adore Honey Nut Chex Mix. Yum!


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The Routine

I've always prided myself on being one of those on-the-go, schedule-never-set, ready-for-whatever-holds moms. When the two older girls were younger they of course had a nap time, bedtime and such.... But I never wanted it rigid so there was always a level of flexibility to our (my) life, and luckily it worked for everyone involved. The same could be said for Corinne now, probably even more.

Cut to this past Christmas break, the first one with the two older girls in school and me working at the preschool. A holiday time filled with zero schedules and even less routine. As much as I hate to admit it, the whole thing made me grumpy. I began to notice the mood shift within my self last week, but couldn't pinpoint the cause. Too much togetherness has never been an issue but I was truly crabby by the end of last week.

As this week is coming to a close I'm beginning to feel more myself, less grumpy and more the carefree person I normally feel like. Today I finally think I got it, the lack of routine. It's been a long time (almost 8 years) since I've had such a schedule to follow each day and truly week, and I can't believe what an impact the change in that routine had. I'm actually shocked. Maybe I'm not as fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants as I thought I was, which is disappointing somehow to me. Is it age? Was I always this way and just kidding myself? I'm not sure, all I do know........ I'm starting to dread summer break already.

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