Progress!

So, I posted pictures of my house on Tuesday evening.  Just wanted to show you the progress I made on Wednesday.

In the living room, we picked up the junk new toys, put the train table back together, took down the Christmas tree and the Christmas decorations from the mantle.  I also swept and really need to shampoo, but didn't get to that yesterday.

In the kitchen, I swept and mopped and even pulled out the stove and fridge and swept and mopped under them as well.  That's a job that I think should be done every 3 months or so but I usually only get to it once or twice a year.  Yuck.  Anyway, I also organized the Christmas cards and presents that were on the counter.  I cleaned the microwave.  I still need to put away the dishes in the drainboard and get rid of the pile of stuff in the corner of the counter, but I still have a few Christmas goodies to give away so it will stay there until I am finished with that task.

The dining room was the dumping ground for most of the new Christmas presents.  It now looks much better!  And even better than looks, most of the Christmas presents are actually put away!

I still have a lot left to do, but it's progress!

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Keepin' it Real

Does your house look like this?

Because I seriously think someone snuck in and sent a tornado through our house.  Or, maybe it was Santa?!

Whatever the case, tomorrow will be spent cleaning the entire first floor.  Then Thursday will be spent cleaning the entire 2nd floor.  And then Friday, it's time for the basement.  Saturday, Steve can help me with the garage.  Sheesh.

Oh, and I will work on some blog posts in my "free time" when I'm not cleaning and not keeping the kids from destroying the progress....

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New Year's Resolutions and Goals

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I've always enjoyed making resolutions for the new year.  Although, my resolutions aren't just things I want to do (or don't want to do).  I try to make my resolutions be real goals.  I'm a big fan of Dave Ramsey, and he helps people set goals on his radio talk show all the time.  According to Dave, "For a goal to work, it has to have five components.  It must:

1. Be specific
2. Be measurable
3. Have a time limit
4. Be yours
5. Be in writing

I'm not sure if Dave actually came up with this list...I would guess not.  You can hear him talk about goals by going here.  It seems simple, but most people who set new years goals just say something like, "I want to lose weight".  It's a great thought, but it's not actually a goal.  I guess if you lost one pound during the following year you would have achieved your "goal" but it's not a very good goal because it doesn't have the five components.  

In addition to the five components, I also like to make goals for different areas of my life.  I like to make spiritual goals, health/body goals, financial goals, family goals and business goals.  You could also have reading goals, education goals, marriage goals, etc.  I like making categories because it makes my life seem a little more balanced.

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So why am I writing about New Year's goals mid-December?  Because now is the time to start thinking about them.  What do you want to accomplish next year?  I'm a planner, so I like to start coming up with my goals and a plan to meet these goals before the year begins.  While some people can come up with their resolutions in a few seconds before the clock strikes midnight, I think those are typically the people who don't achieve their goals.  So start thinking now about what you want to accomplish in 2012.  Make sure they meet the 5 components, and then set a plan to achieve those goals!

Need some help keeping your goals?  Here are some links to pretty ways to keep your goals where you can see them!

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Homemade Laundry Detergent

Something totally unrelated to Christmas!! 

I found this recipe online a few months ago and decided to try it.  I love clean smells, like soap, rather than perfumy or floral smells.  This detergent smells lemony/soapy and I really like that about it.  It also cleans really well and it's very inexpensive.  The borax and washing soda were each between 3 and 4 dollars and will make several batches of detergent.  The bar is between 1 and 2 dollars and you use one per batch.  I haven't measured to see how many loads a batch does, but I would say it is similar to a regular sized bottle or box of detergent.

To make it, combine 1 cup each of the borax and the washing soda (both found near the laundry detergents, as is the bar of soap).  Grate the entire bar of soap (Fels-Naptha) with a cheese grater and combine with the other ingredients.  Store in a tub and use 1 tablespoon per load (sometimes I use 2).

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Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

Still looking for some inexpensive homemade gift ideas?  Check out this blog post I found with 25 ideas that cost less than $5 each!

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10 Weeks of Christmas -- Week Eight...Printable Tag roundup

I just wanted to add a couple blogs that have a great list of printable gift tags to this week's countdown to Christmas.  I've included the blog logo, so click on the "source" link below the photo to see their collections of printable gift tags.

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Elf on the Shelf....failure.

No, the actual "Elf on the Shelf" isn't a failure.  I am.  Sheesh.  After reading Lesley's post about "Elf on the Shelf" and talking to my neighbor, I decided it would be a fun tradition to start.  If you are new to the "Elf on the Shelf" stuff, it's basically a kit with a book and an elf that you buy and the Elf reports to Santa every night while the kids are sleeping.  They can talk to the elf and tell him (or her) what gifts they want him to tell Santa to bring.  He also watches them during the day to report on whether they were good or bad.  So, your job as the adult is to (1) read the book so they understand they have to be good, and (2) move the elf to a different spot every night after the kids go to bed so they can find him in the morning.  

Easy, right?  Well, for starters, I didn't make it to the store to pick it up to start on December 1st like you are supposed to.  But, my kids are only 4, 2 and 4 months, so they really have no idea what December 1 even means.  So I introduced it to them on December 5.  Yeah, well on the FIRST NIGHT of trying this, I forgot to move the elf.  In my defense, I fell asleep in the chair nursing Molly earlier than I usually go to sleep and then the kids got up in the morning before I did.  And the first thing they noticed?  "The Elf is in the same spot, Mommy!".

So, a couple minutes later, I asked them to look out the front door and see if it was snowing, raining or really hot outside (or some nonsense along those lines) and quickly moved the Elf to a new spot.  You see, the other rule is that you can't touch the elf or he might not come back to your house again.  So, they couldn't see me touch it.  Somehow he magically moved from the fireplace mantle to our bathroom light fixture.  They loved it and at one point during the day Tyler hit his brother and I told him to go in and tell the elf what he had done.  He went in and mumbled something about a toy he wanted for Christmas, but Ryan went in behind him and said, "Elf, bro-bro hit me" and then turned around and looked at Tyler and did an evil "ha, ha, ha" laugh.  :)

Anyway, here is a picture of our elf, "Thomas the Elf" in his spot for tomorrow.  You get to name your own elf, so Tyler picked Elf and Ryan picked Thomas (after his favorite train) and we combined it to make "Thomas the Elf".  Here's to mommy remembering to move it from now on...

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10 Weeks of Christmas -- Week Eight...Printable Gift Tags

One thing that I always forget to do for Christmas is to purchase gift tags!  I try and stock up on wrapping paper right after Christmas so I am ready to go for the next year (and save a little money) and I always forget to grab the gift tags.

Growing up, we would just write "To:____ and From:___" with a black sharpie on the wrapping paper.  Of course, you can always do that, but there are many stylish options out there.  I thought I would share a few that I found online that I like.  I will probably be using a couple of theses for my gifts this year.  To print the tags, just click on the "source" link below the tag you like to see the original printable version on the artist's website.

My favorite is this first tag.  Obviously, you would use it for something homemade and not store-bought.  I love a little humor!

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While these last tags aren't the cutest, it would definitely save on printer ink.  Plus, if you have a child that would color them for you, it would definitely be a more personal tag!

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A Dad's List of the 5 Best toys of All Time!

Christmas is coming!  21 Days to be exact.  While I do have a few gifts purchased most of my gift list is still in the "idea" stage.  I know what I want to get, it's just finding the time (or the energy) to drag take 3 kids to the store and finish all the purchases.

I came across this article, and thought it was so true.  While it might not help you finish your Christmas shopping, it might encourage you to know that some of the best toys aren't necessarily purchased at the store.  Kids have a lot of stuff these days.  And it's just stuff.  Some of it is educational and some of it gets used a lot.  But most of our toys just end up in a pile on the floor.  Something to pick up and step over.  Just stuff.


It's not a blog that I read regularly, so I'm not sure about the other content on there.  But this article was well written and so true.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy the article!

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When You Feel like Giving Up

I read this article today and thought it was well written and exactly what I needed.  I've been feeling like throwing in the towel lately.  Not literally, but I've had a few difficult days....

http://www.momlifetoday.com/2011/12/when-you-feel-like-giving-up/

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M.I.A

Sorry I've been M.I.A. the past moth or so.  For some reason, I've just been in a bad mood most of the time.  I'm not sure exactly what it is.  Maybe post-pregnancy crap?  Maybe because I know it's my last baby and that makes me sad?  Nothing major, just in a funk and can't get out of it.  Rather than posting a lot of "debbie downer" posts, I just decided that nothing is better than something sometimes.  And have you ever tried to write something while you are mad or upset and don't know why?  Everything comes out wrong.  Even in simple recipes.  I tried writing the Thanksgiving post to remind me why I should not be in this funk, but it didn't help :(

Anyway, I will try to post more regularly.  I have a couple posts that I've been working on (in my head, at least) and some meals and recipes that I've tried the past few weeks that I've been wanting to share.  I do like blogging and have been missing it but just needed a break to figure things out.

If you are still reading, thanks for sticking with me!

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