Gratitude

60. Christian radio- so uplifting alone in the car 59. Good report from pulminologist 58. Smiles from my children 57. Watching the sunrise while driving my son to track practice 56. Sharing conversations with him on these drives 55. Watching my husband and son working together on car repairs 54. My son wanting everyone to rub his fuzzy head after his haircut 53. The first spring flowers coming up 52. A good nights sleep 51. spring break

The Perfect Christmas Season..... or Not

I LOOOVE Christmas. I love the traditions, the smells, picking out the perfect gift, decorating, Christmas carols and everything else that goes along with it.

Usually for Christmas I am very organized. I have a holiday jourmal where I keep my menus, (they are usually the same from year to year) keep a list of everyones gifts- so I don't forget where hid it and who it's for, and our lists of daily things to do for the holiday. Yes, everyday we do something Christmasy. I have a list of things to do on each day of December- make first snow cocoa, read different Christmas stories, decorate ?, bake, go on Holy Walk, see Madrigale singers- you get the picture. This year I have done none of that. NONE! We do have a tree up with some decorations but that is about it in the decorating department. I am not sopossed to add things that can collect dust. I have barely sewn because I can't find the pedal to my sewing machine. I have lost my gift list twice now. But mostly because people have been sick. And it hasn't even been me for a change. We have had colds, broncitis, 3 children with pnemonia and now the stomach flu.

So instead of baked goods it's been tea, 7-up and chicken soup. A lot of movies in bed, some of them Christmas instead of going away. And snuggling instead of activities. I do wish the children hadn't been and still aren't ill but it's okay to let go of expectations and let real life come in. I miss some of the extras but I find out a lot of the things I have thought I was doing for the children make me happier than them. And they really want to use paper plates instead of china.

Dad's Little Helper

Zach wanted so badly to help change the tire, but it was all he could do to push on the jack.

Gratitude

50. My Mom is Here Visiting!!!
49. Cool showers
48. Looking forward to family together on Thanksgiving
47. Japanese cooking
46. My son and grandaughter cuddled up for a story
45. Sunday Dinners
44. Being able to go shopping with Mom
43. Comfy shoes
42. Listening to my 7 year old read to me.
41. My husband's meatloaf

Gratitude

40. Pumpkin pie
39. cookies in a jar
38. Scrabble
37. cinnamon sticks
36. my laptop
35. coupons
34. getting ready for company
33. my husband takes such good care of his parents
32. a good nights sleep
31. make ahead meals

Confessions of a bad housekeeper

I saw the funniest cartoon once. A mother walked in with a basket of clothes and said"Now the laundry is all done." The entire family were just wearing towels. I have felt like that mother, it seems impossible to get it all done.

I don't think I have had all the rooms in my house clean at the same time . If we work on the upstairs it trickles down. And all the laundry is never all done. Even if I get caught up in the morning once 11 people take showers it piled up again. Oh my, if the flu hits, its time to go to the laundry mat or risk never catching up.

I started cleaning out my kitchen cupboards a month ago. Each time I start I straighten up what I have done and then hopefully proceed before time runs out. I'm still not finished.

Our dishwasher runs constantly. Do you know how many dishes it takes to make a meal for a family of 11? I know holiday meals that people have are not that many. My children went to the dentist this week and the hygienist was so nervous about making dinner for 6 it was hard not to say anything, let alone not laugh.

I love having a large family, but I love having a clean house too. I am wondering if the two are incompatible? Especially with a sick mom and children doing most of the work at this time.

I am much better than I was. My dh lived by himself when we got married. I had two children. So he went from himself to a family of 4. When we moved stuff he took down my Christmas tree. It was the last week in February. We had boxes for aisles for months. At least I knew how to cook. He gained weight our first year.

So I am working on decluttering and cleaning. I have seen Don Asslett videos, Flylady's email list, read the Speed Cleaning book and the messies manual. I keep seeing improvement but I have definitely not arrived. Maybe one day.

My children have asked again what I want for Christmas. I have the same answer for Mother's day and my birthday and Christmas. The house all cleaned and no children fighting. They usually laugh. I do know one day it will happen. But I think the house will be clean, but also too quiet. There won't be as many dishes or laundry because there won't be as many home. The floor won't have to be swept several times a day because there won;t be as many small or big feet running on it. So I'll still work on getting my house cleaner but I will remember why it's so hard to keep up.

Minimizing books

Since I have been having trouble with my asthma and allergies I have been trying to minimize, declutter, get rid of stuff, etc. We started by moving all the books out of our room. Still allergies. So I have been getting drastic.

We got rid of all the books and one bookcase.

Full. Hundreds of books.

This bookcase was 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide and full top to bottom with books. It was so hard. I love books. But I love being healthy more.

And you know what? It looks great. So much more spacious.

I have decluttered the rest of the room too. Dvd's pictures, knick knacks. It is so nice and clean and I am glad to have done it

I do still have one bookcase with books in it. But all the new books are kindle so no dust.