Cleaning

I've been a cleaning mad lady the past 2 days. Thankfully today I don't have much to do. Literally on Monday all I did all day long was clean or laundry. Yesterday my neighbor came down and helped me {she insisted} while Spice played with her little girl we got busy. We were able to get a lot done.

Then I find out that no one is coming for Thanksgiving dinner at our house on Thurs. The very reason I was doing all the cleaning. But I don't mind so much since my house is clean and it feels good to have it neat and clean.

I shouldn't say no one is coming, no one from Chief's work is coming. But the missionaries from church are coming, I really wanted to spend that day at my brothers but Chief wanted to stay home.

The food is going to be good.

My Menu:

Turkey {of course}
Cornbread sausage stuffing {I cook it in the turkey}
Mash potatoes
Rutabaga
Green Bean Casserole
Squash Casserole
Cranberries
and
homemade yeast rolls

Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie
Egg Custard {Chief is making it, I don't care for it but he loves it.}

The leftovers are going to Fab U lous! I'm making my pie and cornbread today. I have to run out and pick up a few last minute things. I'm crazy to even do this but we are going to need it for tomorrow so I have to brave the stores. Maybe it won't be so bad.

Storytime

I'm still not completely done with the "to do list." It will get done when it gets done. However slow that may be. I was able to get clothes washed and folded yesterday, just not put away. And the LR/Kitchen picked up along with Sharking the floors today.

Storytime started back up the library today. Spice was so excited to go with her big sister. Sugar got a nice surprise when we checked in, one her friends for PreK was there as well. We met some new friends there too. A guy DH worked with before we had kids has moved back into the area. They have children the same ages as our 2 and they dont' live very far from us.

Well we are about to settle in to watch a movie and enjoy some family time.

Let the good times roll........

We have a busy few weeks ahead of us, with graduation, school ending, grandparents coming to visit, ballet recital and a birthday party.

In the process of all the ciaos that's about to ensue I'm trying to get my house cleaned and organized. All the clutter WILL BE GONE before Sugar's party.

Maybe I can even throw in a yard sale.

just turned hard core mommy

We've had an ensuing issue with the cleaning up of toys at our house. I implemented the chore/reward chart but I was still having the same issue when it came to cleaning up the toys.

DH and I had talked about him building a cabinet with doors that we could lock and only letting them have one toy out at a time. However with his deployment this hasn't happened yet.

So this morning I took matters into my own hands and moved all the toys out of their room and into the guest room. Then I took one of those child door handle safety things so they can't just go in there and get toys out at will.

Thus implementing the "one toy out at a time" rule. They have to clean up whatever they are playing with before they can get another toy out. I also purged some toys they don't play with or have out grown. Either those are going to Goodwill or I'll save them for our community garage sale in May.

Spice has already had a melt down about the new rules. And I'm sure when Sugar gets home from school I will hear more screaming over it. But I've had it so they'll just have to deal and learn to clean up and take care of their things. Maybe the toys will be moved back into their room at some point but it's going to be a while before that happens.

a little productivity

With Ballet class before school on Thurs, it seems I'm able to get a little more done. It's always really hard to get up and out the door an hour and half earlier. But the reward is that I have an extra hour to get some house work done or even errands. This morning I worked on my kitchen. It's still not as neat and tidy as I'd like it but it's better. I hope that one day I will master a neat house all the time. (probably not but it's a nice dream.)

I'm hoping I can keep up with the laundry starting this week. I did a lot better when I washed a load every day whether how large or small it was. It seemed like I was able to get it folded and put away that day. Lately I wait until the baskets are overflowing and then it sits clean in baskets until we've taken out all the clean clothes to wear. I should probably go back to my daily cleaning schedule too. I had certains day to clean bathrooms, change sheets, mop the floors, etc. I was able to keep up with everything more that way. Usually I only spent an hour or 2 a day cleaning instead of taking an entire day to get things done. The house stayed picked up more too.

I better get off of here and put this burst of energy to good use.

messy, messy and even more messier!

How is it possible that a house were 4 people live can become so incrediably messy?

It's really bad around here.

I was gone all day yesterday and most of today.

So............

Things are very unorganized. More unorganized than usual, since my house is rarly organized.

Which means I'll be spending the better part of my Sat cleaning up.

Because we might have guests at some point over the weekend.

My brother and his family are moving south.

They leave tomorrow and will be driving through our town on the way to their new town at some point over the weekend.

I am pretty excited to have family 3 hours away.

My girls can get to know their uncle, auntie and cousins.

Oh, I forgot I will also be baking. I finally got all the things needed to do Christmas goodies.

I almost didn't because it's getting so close to Christmas but Aynslee is really into helping.

She asks daily to make some cookies.

We will be making:

Monkey Bread, from the girls new Paula Deen cook book from Grandma.

Fudge

Haystacks

Cresant cookies

Oreo Truffles

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

I should be cleaning!

Don't you love this picture of Avery?

I was trying to take a few pictures of them on Friday.

She was being difficult so I gave her this book

hoping it would distract her into a few smiles.

Instead she gave me that look.

It's so her one minute laughing and being so sweet....

the next she is a mischivious toddler.

Love her!

I shouldn't be on the computer right now.

I should be in the guest room trying to find the floor.

I still haven't gotten that room straightened out since moving

furniture around almost 2 weeks ago.

I spent a good 3 and a half hours in there yesterday

shredding paper and I am still not finished.

I am just ready to have that room spotless and ready for any

last minute guests.

Usually I have to clean it every time we have company.

Just trying to make things easier around here by having one room that is always neat.

Not sure if that will ever happen it is my house afterall.

I always find other more interesting things to do besides

picking up or organizing things.

I have some cute pictures of the girls from trimming the tree

I need to get posted on here.

Maybe later today I'll get it like after they are down for the night.

Right now I am going to try to get something done while Avery is napping.

the days just fly by.......

I had two posts all ready in my mind to do. I just simply didn't sit down to write them. Before I know it the day has ended and I am to tired to do much of anything. I guess this is a symptom of getting older. 

Just to update everyone on the craft fair Sat. I did sell a few bows enough to pay for my part in the table rental which was really all I had wanted to do. There weren't a lot of people that day and I am pretty sure it was because the Air Show was also that day. I am doing another one of the 8Th of Nov. so I am hoping that one will go a little better. 

With my mom here I have gotten a few things marked off on my to do list, I was able to do some fall cleaning in my room and get my bathroom cleaned. It's just one of those things to falls on the way side most days, I get the tub, toilet and sink cleaned twice a week but I rarely get time to clean the long counter off from all the clutter that seems to find it's way there. I was also able to go through my closet and get rid of some clothes I no longer wear. I am sure when Josh came home this morning he had to take a double look to make sure he was in the right house. LOL!!!!

I am hoping today to go out to the garage. Josh and I had done this the last time my mom was here. It isn't as bad as it was but things have gotten moved around and stuff needs to be put back on shelves. I had moved some larger things around so now the Jeep or the Neon should be able to be parked in their once all the other stuff is put away. My goal is to be able to park the Neon in the garage while Josh is gone next year. It won't be getting driven as often so it makes since to keep it in there. 

I am SUPER EXCITED that on Friday Stanley Steamer is coming to clean my carpet and couches. Thanks, Mom!!!!We just don't see the point with small children and an inside dog to get new furniture so we are just going to make due with what we have until the girls are older and we no longer have a dog in the house. I don't have any plans on getting another dog after Rory leaves our family. It's just to much extra work that I'd rather not deal with especially when Josh is on sea duty. 

I think that catches everyone up what's been going on here. Again sorry for the lack of posts, I'll try to get back into the swing of some what regular posts.  

No menu this week!!!!

I realize that it seems odd since I have been so consistent with a menu on Mondays that this week I don't have one. I have some stand by items in the pantry, red beans and rice, baked spagetti so we'll be eating that this week. I probably do have enough stand by items to make a menu out of I was just lazy.

I have other things to worry about this week.

We are going to be having company this week which I just found out about last night. : o )

My in laws are coming to spend the weekend with us so I will be busy getting things ready for their stay. The guest room is a disaster since I was sorting cloths in it. That's the thing about having 2 girls so close in age. I rarly get rid of any of the clothes. I have been lucky enough since Avery is so small that everything that Aynslee wore works into the right seasons for Avery. Good on lots of accounts. But recently I realized that some of the stuff she won't wear. Just because it wasn't something that I really liked and I have found myself not even putting it on her. So all of that stuff is going hence the reason for the mess. I have a pile ready for the consignment shop. I am also weeding through toys with the holiday's coming I need to make room. There are some things they just don't play with anymore so those need to find a new home. Learning to let go of stuff feels better than I thought it would. However; I do keep my favorite things just in case we have more girls later on down the road.

So if you don't hear from me this rest of the week you'll will know why, I am buried under a pile of stuff trying to find my way out.

But I should have lots of pictures from the weekend to share.