Saturday

It's been a great day so far!

Haydon  had a decent nap this morning, and I was able to catch up on my out-of-control house.  As in, I did Thursday's supper dishes.  Feels good to be caught up!

Yesterday, I finally locked Haydon and I in his room and did some much-needed organizing.  There was a huge pile that hadn't been dealt with since we got back from the cottage, 'cause he was sleeping when we got home and unpacked, so I just kind of set stuff in his room and there it stayed.  Also, his closet was being overtaken by a large pile of clothes he's outgrown.  I organized and sorted, and this morning was able to give back some stuff we'd borrowed, lend out a box to an expecting friend, and take some stuff to my beloved Little Bird.  Feels good to have less stuff hanging around!

Then we went on to a Hamilton Babywearers meeting (you can check them out on facebook).  I learned a new back carry, which I think I may be able to do by myself...that's the tricky part of wrapping, is getting them IN there!    Enjoyed chatting with other like-minded mamas.  And, James had some time to kill in between jobs and errands, so he stopped by and played with Haydon at the park with one of the other dads. Then we had lunch together - the first meal we've eaten together in AGES 'cause I was out volunteering at our church's VBS every night this week.

Anj and I sporting our matching wraps...and sandals...

And now, Haydon is napping AGAIN (gloryhallelujah!), and I am munching away on peanut butter M&Ms 'cause St. James is a sugar daddy (literally) so when I say "I really want some chocolate..." he magically has some in his bag in the car.  Yum.  This afternoon I'm headed to Brantford to have some reflexology done (no idea what that will be like!?) and chill with my fam.  Mom and I are going to look for a play pen and high chair for their house...I am looking forward to vicarious shopping.

Hope you're having a great Saturday too!

"O" is for overwhelmed...

Blast.  I have SO much to do right now.  In my head is this ridiculous list of "I need to do ____ , and I need to do ____, and____, and____, and...."  And Haydon will only sleep for so long, and rather than doing anything about any of it, I am blogging.  'Cause I'm smart like that.

There.  Breakfast was on the "I need to" list.  Just went and made some oatmeal and coffee.
(sidenote - he was definitely up before I even got to my breakfast)

So.  I need to.

- Clean up from camping
- Give my laundry line some lovin' (it's missed us).
- Buy groceries
- Pay bills.  I was really good at being on top of our finances before we had that baby.  While things are getting paid, I haven't been great at sitting down and getting a good look at the overall state of affairs and making any effort towards any of our financial goals.
- Apply for a couple of jobs.


Those are all the things that need to happen soonish.  The problem is, I`m in one of those states where you keep adding things to the list, and that`s not necessarily a good thing.  Sure, they`re things that should be done, but, not urgently.  But...I`ve put them off for so long, I feel like I need to make them happen or else they`ll never happen.

- Print some pictures.
- Frame some art and get it on the walls.
(sidenote - my baby is currently under the piano bench sucking on the pedals.  `Cause I`m an awesome mom).
- Exercise
- Journal, or jot, or write a letter to my dude to make sure we remember this baby time.  There are so many things that I swore we wouldn`t forget, that already I`m like ``was that at 3 months (blast - James keyboard keeps going into French mode, and won`t let us change it back...I was going to put a question mark after that last sentence...instead, I get an É)
- Go to Europe
- Clean out my sock drawer

...you get the picture.

?
Ahah!  I got it!

Anyway.  After I blogged about the Pomodoro technique (work for 25 minutes, take 5, rinse, repeat), someone suggested I check out FlyLady. *disclaimer - that is one of the most messy and disorganized websites EVER! but has some good stuff on it, if you don't have a seizure from all of the information flying at you*
FlyLady's basic premise is that you can get control of your life, 15 minutes at a time.  You can do anything for just 15 minutes. So, if you have an overwhelming job, or a room that's out of control, rather than telling yourself you have to get it all done, tell yourself you'll work on it for 15 minutes.  Then come back later, or tomorrow, and do another 15 minutes.  She also has a great program for staying on top of your home.  She has the home divided into zones, and you focus on one zone a week, for 15 minutes a day.  For example, this week's zone is the living room, and my task for today is to go through the living room and take out anything that doesn't belong in there, and take it to it's rightful home.  I think tomorrow I do a thorough dusting.

I haven't been following her program strictly, but have found that the things I am doing are making a pretty big difference.  And so, on that note, I should go set the timer and tackle the kitchen.  It's amazing what you can get done in 15 minutes.

tick, tick, tick...

I met with a wonderful woman on Monday to pick her brain about writing, and mom-ing, and "the future."  It's good to have access to people who are good examples, and who ask good questions.  I was expressing my difficulty with getting things done at home, and she suggested the Pomodoro Technique.  Basically, you set a timer, work at a task for 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break, then get back to it.  You don't work at something 'till it's done, don't stop for a break when you get something done, just work for 25 minutes.  After four chunks of time, take a longer break.
I tried it this afternoon.  You'd be amazed how much you get done in 25 minutes!  And, if you're anything like me, ashamed to know how much more you could be getting done.
Thanks for the suggestion Susan!

Frick

I just spent WAY TOO LONG typing a ridiculously long post that I managed to delete right before I was about to post it.

Grr.

The gist was, my last week was crazy busy, despite the fact that I did a hundred-and-one fun and exciting things (like book club, park with friend and babies, niece's dance recital, sew re-usable sanitary pads for girls in Africa, get a haircut, shop with Mom, visit Port Dover and have dinner with Dad's fam for father's day, take hubby out for breakfast for Father's day, get together for BBQ with Mom's fam for father's day...), me and my house are feeling chaotic and unorganized as a result.

So, this week:
I will make a point of being at home more.  I seriously don't know if I spent much more than 2 hours in a row in my house in the past week.  Definitely not in the past 4 days.  That's ridiculous.
I will make 3 suppers.  And eat them in my house, at my dining table.  And do all the dishes and clean up afterward.
And I will attempt to daily memorize some scripture.  I've decided to try to memorize the Psalms.  I started last week with Psalm 1, and, so far, so good.  This week is Psalm 2.

And now, I am going to go upstairs and sit with that guy who worked long and hard at the Sound of Music Festival and steal some of his apple beer.

Catchin' up...stream of consciousness style

My house is a mess!
And I have little desire to do anything about it. 

We spent the last half of last week at the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec annual assembly.  I know, sounds like a blast.  It was actually really fun.  We drove down late Wednesday night, and checked into our hotel.  And king-sized beds are awesome and fun.  I may be convinced to actually have Haydon sleep with us all the time if we had one.  Seriously, I couldn't even find James in that sea of comfy duvet when I crawled in.  Anyway.  Assembly. 

There is just something really great about a bunch of people who love God and want to partner in making his kingdom reality gathering together.  Add to that the fact that there is something really great about having 3 days of having my family, including my parents, all in the same place, and you get a pretty good time. 

We left on Saturday afternoon, and drove straight to my parents' house, to see my sister who had been holding down the fort and caring for their geriatric dog.  Then came home, and crawled into bed.  Then crawled out of bed too early to lead worship at church this morning. 

So we haven't been here much.  And it's messy. That we-rushed-out-too-quick-and-didn't-tidy-up-first kind of messy, and that we-just-got-home-and-dropped-piles-of-stuff-everywhere kind of messy,  and I don't want to do anything about it.  But I do want it to be clean.  I also want to read my book so that I have it done for book club on Tuesday.  And I want a babysitter so I can go to book club on Tuesday.

Um, so, about that mess.  The one that I'm avoiding.  I don't know why I do this.  Part of it is about a lack of system and routine, I think.  If there was a place for things, and a system to get them to their places, it probably wouldn't seem like such a big deal to put stuff away. 

But that's just a small part.  Basically...I'm lazy.

In other news, my father-in-law had a heart attack yesterday afternoon.  He's ok, but will spend a couple of days in hospital being monitored and all that jazz.  And it's just a big bummer.  James' parents were supposed to be heading to Ireland and Scotland, leaving next Sunday, and can't go now, which stinks. 

James' parents were also supposed to go pick up a cow this afternoon.

So James is doing that now.

James' Mom grew up on a family farm, and there was a herd of Jersey cows (I love Jersey cows...which I should stop thinking about right now...but those eyes!  So pretty!).  The cousin who owned the herd sold them a few years ago, but gets one or two each year for slaughter.  So as a family we decided we would share a cow.

So James and his brother headed down to Harrow (near Windsor) this afternoon to bring home a cow in the morning.  Which means that I won't find him in my bed again tonight, and not becuase it's so big.  Darn!

Extreme Makeover, Wallace Home Edition, part 2 - The Kitchen

Can I just start by saying what a beautiful day it is? It's GORGEOUS out there! I should be out with my babe in the stroller and dog by my side. But I am determined to get this kitchen started, and I know that if I let myself do anything else first, I will just put off the kitchen because it's such a big, daunting job...

But I can handle it. I was only up once last night (yay Haydon! Thank you!!!).

And I've had my coffee, which was free (yay McDonald's! Thank you!!!).

I even got groceries this morning before James went to work. Now that's efficient (and rare, for me).

So, now, my kitchen.

My kitchen is one of the only things I was sad to leave behind in our old house. It was big, had a great window, tons of cupboards, and lots of counter space. I LOVED it! I also spent a ton of time taking the seventies out (read - scraping off orange and brown floral and crazy patterned wallpaper) and painstakingly painting the cupboards white. It was so fresh and nice (and I can't find a picture. I know I took one before we moved. I also started bawling everytime I went back in there before it was finally sold. It was lovely).

Anyway. My new kitchen. It's long and narrow, with cupboards and counter on one side. Not much counter space, not much cupboard space. It does have a window, thankfully. But not a nice one over the kitchen sink like the old kitchen had. This is what I see now when I stand and do dishes.

I know. You're jealous. That pattern is just so lovely.

So, anyway, there isn't a ton of cupboard space, and it's certainly not used most efficiently, which means it's frustrating to work in there, and it gets messy easily 'cause I'm not sure where to put things, so I just kind of open a cupboard and shove something in, hoping the rest of the items in there will slide to accomodate, and allow me to close the door. Here are some of the spots I'm hoping to make more efficient:


The top of the fridge. This is the black hole of the kitchen. Too convenient to toss random stuff that has no real home, or I'm too lazy to deal with. I also need to make an space in this kitchen for the breast pump and bottles and stuff.
Crazy cluttered counter corner. Home to phone, pens for messages, dishes to be washed, recyclables and other randomness. Should probably be completely clear, except for maybe a small basket or something to hold the phone and the pens. And the dishes to be washed, I suppose.

This cabinet, it holds our microwave. And all kinds of other randomness. This is the main place that I just open and shove whatever I need a spot for.

Top of the microwave cabinet, where random stuff just gets placed. Like that green tupperware bowl that needs to go back to my parents (I need to create a space for stuff that is meant to leave the house like that), and that chicken that I bought this morning that I apparently forgot to take to the downstairs freezer... The small space in front of the bananas and cookie jar is often crammed full with mail or stuff to go downstairs, and the utensil bucket probably makes more sense over by the stove.

Finally, under the sink. Plastic bags overfloweth, pots are making they're way over from the cupboard next door and cleaning supplies are surrounding the bucket they belong in rather than in it.

So. That's my project for the day. Kind of afraid to get going - this is one of those ones that I know will get way worse before it gets better. I know that in about 3 hours there will be stuff everywhere, a bunch of empty cupboards, me unsure where to put stuff, and inevitably Haydon will start crying right when I'm ready to throw in the towel.

In the meantime, I sure am glad I have a baby that is contented enough to let me take on these projects.

Rachel - 1, Black Hole - 0

I did it! It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, and it feels great to have it done! I'm glad my first day of getting organized went well, hopefully that will give me the incentive I need to keep going.

Here's my day's work:

Finally - a guest room! Come stay sometime...


And a place to get some work done :)



An organized closet...All this cleaning is hard work



But it sure feels good when it's done!

Extreme Makeover, Wallace Home Edition, part 1 - Spare Bedroom, aka Black Hole

We've always had one. The crazy back-bedroom of chaos. A dumping ground for anything you don't know what to do with, or know what to do with, but don't have time to deal with it properly. You chuck it in the back bedroom, and close the door.

And keep the door closed. Always.

Here's our gross back bedroom. The goal is to have a lovely, welcoming, spare room and office to which I can proudly leave the door open.

This is what I'm starting with...


Wish me luck!

Makin' this House a Home...

I spent the weekend in Brantford with my family (of origin...apparently I need to clarify that as I have my own little family now). James was working all weekend, and, as much fun as it is to be stuck at home with no car and a baby, it's WAY more fun to be at "home" with 3 other baby holders and people to talk to. It was a good time, culminating in good food and good company and good hockey. And then James came to take us home.

Bad things happen when James comes to take us home.

See, I like my parent's house. It's comfy. It's beautiful. Life feels more organized (could have something to do with the 3 baby holders and the ease with which I can get dressed in the morning, and then have someone else make me coffee and provide my meals). And so I have this lovely mini-holiday with these people that I love, and then, on Sunday night, my poor husband who has been abandoned for the weekend comes and I pout and drag my heals because I have to leave. It makes him feel great, I'm sure.

I was reflecting on this as we were packing up to come home, and I realized that a lot of it has to do with the actual space. My house feels disorganized and dirty. Ok. It doesn't just feel that way, it is that way a lot of the time. Which, may be excusable since I have a new baby and all that jazz, but, doesn't make it feel nice, and doesn't make me want to be there. So, I escape to my parents' house, friends houses, go shopping, etc, and run in and out of the house, stopping just long enough to dump a pile and grab what I need for my next outing, and adding to the chaos, making me want to be home even less. It's time to change that.

This week, it's gonna change. Starting this week, I am going to do a serious, top-to-bottom organize and spring clean of my house. I'm going to aim for one room a day, give or take, since I can probably do both bathrooms in one day, but will likely need a bit more for the crazy spare bedroom black hole where stuff just seems to accumulate, and then there's the basement, which I couldn't conquer in a month of Sundays. The goal is for this glorious organizing blitz to culminate in a weekend of tackling the basement together, not this coming weekend, but the one after.

I'm going to blog my progress. I'll give you pictures. Hopefully before and after pictures, not just before pictures. Keep me accountable. Ask me how it's going. Don't invite me out for coffee or anything else. Come over to help (or baby-hold) if you like.

In two weeks, come marvel at the beauty and comfort of my organized dwelling. I hope you'll want to stay. Or, if not, I hope I'll want to stay...