simple mom sunday

Yesterday results – AFTER photos

September 7, 2009

So you all know I was not on the computer much yesterday as I was working on a HUGE undertaking – CLEANING the BASEMENT playroom – see BEFORE PHOTOS. We are CRAZY HAPPY to report that through a bit of whining, moaning and groaning – by me (and the kids) – WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL!! Here are the AFTER photos!!

Can you believe it!!! I actually have a rug down there!! We need some decoration on the walls, but the kids can actually use it now. The baby had never even been down there and she had a blast – we found all the old baby toys too!!

So you see, sometimes you just have to DO IT!! I know, I know… I will try to do more!

What BIG projects are you proud of??

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simplemom Sunday – Start Your Day by Eating a Frog

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September 6, 2009

Photo by Valerie

“Eat a live frog every morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” -Mark Twain

That is such a fantastic quote!! I love simplemom Sunday!! It gives me a chance to share some of her WONDERFUL posts. There are so many, it is hard to choose!! Sometimes my choices may be willy nilly, other times I will try to follow a common theme.

Since my life is in disarray – and that is a HUGE understatement – I am probably going to use the next few Sundays to share how to plan/organize your day. simplemom has some excellent strategies and tools that I have just begun to use.

BUT first things first – EAT THE FROG , as Mark Twain says!! The post I want to share is aptly named Start Your Day By Eating a Frog.

There is actually a business book Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time. Has anyone read it, maybe I should!! I am the queen of procrastination, especially when it comes to housework!!

The basic premise is “if you do the worst thing on your plate first thing in the morning, the rest of the day is a cake walk”. So if you hate laundry, do that first. Unfortunately for me I have many frog – as can be seen in my picture of BLUE POISON DART FROGS!! Yes I do view some of these tasks as poison. Isn’t that awful.

simple mom also tells us what NOT to do first:

“It stands to reason that if you should do your least-favorite task first, that means you should avoid doing your most favorite task – or at least your easiest task – first. We’ve all had those mornings where we start with great intentions of cleaning the house, running errands, balancing our checkbooks, or menu planning – but then we first check our email or see what Al Roker’s up to on the Today Show. Two hours later, and your enthusiasm is gone, along with valuable time you could have used getting stuff done. Somehow, this sets a tone for the rest of the day, and we approach our tasks reluctantly, with a poor attitude, or simply with less passion.”

That leads to these things not getting done and the frogs piling up. Some remain there so long, they die – the black frog is actually a dying Poison Dart Frog! Like all my “projects” and visions of having a laundry schedule and not falling behind, clean kitchen at all times. No that is not dirty laundry you see piled up over the window in my bedroom – I actually saw it from the street the other day – EEKKK!!

Though I have many frogs, I CANNOT let that deter me from feeling overwhelmed and not eating any of them. I need to eat one frog at a time – and wash it down with a stiff drink if need be – LOL!!

I will be picking my frog this week. What is your frog – least favorite thing to do?? What is your favorite?? SHARE your FROGS and we can support each other with “recipes” to make them more palatable.

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Simple Mom Sunday – How to be Disorganized & unproductive

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August 30, 2009

I just love the name of simplemom’s series – How to Be Disorganized and Unproductive at Home. I AM THE EXPERT ON THAT TOPIC!!

For this weeks installment of simplemom Sunday, I am asking you to read How to Be Disorganized & Unproductive at Home #2 AIM FOR PERFECTION

Here is how it begins: “Are your expectations for your home so high that you find yourself not bothering to clean, organize, or decorate at all because you feel it’s just not worth it? Even on a smaller scale, do you find yourself letting the dishes pile up in the sink because you just don’t have the time to wash them all exactly the way you’d want, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor, wipe down all the cabinets, and rearrange the utensil drawer?”

This is so me sometimes!! I think my house is a sty and sometimes the task is so overwhelming – the task to have everything perfect and in its place, I never even start. In her post she lists some truths that we need to remind ourselves of so that the drive for perfection does not stop us in our tracks:

Almost noone lives like the pictures in the magazines.
When you have small children at home all day, your home will be messier than you’d like.
Just doing something is worthwhile.
A perfect home will never make you happy.
Mistakes are okay.
There are no grades.

Her most important truth and piece of advice is to AIM FOR EXCELLENCE, NOT PERFECTION!

What do you think?? Do you try to hard to be perfect and end up getting nothing done??

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simplemom Sunday – Morning Routine

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August 23, 2009

Photo by Terry Johnston

As we think about getting back-to-school and back into routines, I think about how chaotic the mornings are making sure everyone is dressed, fed, backpacks filled, etc. I dread the daily SCREAMING at my son to get movin’ and do the things he knows he has to do. This year there will be another one to get ready as my 5yr begins morning kindergarten… and lets not forget about the baby that was not there last year!!

For today’s simplemom Sunday, I am linking to an old post of hers Your Morning Routine: Start Your Day off Right!!

She suggests having 5 things you do the same, in the same order, every morning!! I really need this!!

I have researched all over the place and of course cannot find the other cool posts I found, but there is a general theme – CONSISTANCY and plan the night before!! Whether you use lists or index cards all over the house, make sure your kids do the same things in the same order every day. That way thay are less likely to be scambling and forgetting things.

How do you start YOUR day off right?? How do you get your kids out the door without DSS knocking on it?? Please share with everyone HOW YOU DO IT!!!

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SimpleMom SUNDAY – 10 tips for looking your best

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August 16, 2009

I cannot wait to start re-vamping and organizing my blog this fall!! I am also reorganizing and revamping my life – LOL!!! While I am on vacation, I wanted to give you a sneak peek of some things I have been thinking of. There will be a “theme” each day woven in between all the great deals.

Since being in the BLOGOSPHERE, I have found some incredible blogs written by some incredible women!! One such blog is simplemom.

It is written by Tsh Oxenreider who’s mantra I have quoted to you before:

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” -William Morris

According to her blog, she “loves writing about the practical side of simplicity, such as:

managing daily life at home
budgeting and managing the family’s finances
cooking and eating well
taking time only for quality books, music, and movies
cultivating the dying homemaking arts — sewing, gardening, and the like
keeping paperwork to a minimum, and organizing the paperwork that is necessary
going greener without needing a PhD in eco-consciousness
decluttering, so we don’t waste time with the unnecessary”

I LOVE IT!!! So I am going to have SimpleMom SUNDAY’s. Every sunday I will feature one of my favorite posts from simplemom.

To kick it off, here is one that I am going to take to heart when I return – 10 Tips for Looking Your Best.

Tsh lists the fashion industies “10 must have’s” – most of which I DO NOT HAVE or would never wear schlepping around the house.

BUT more importantly she lists 10 “must haves” for feeling well and for outwardly looking your best. THIS IS THE LIST I LOVE!!! It includes one of my new priorities #4 Taking a shower & getting groomed! I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but this is the thing I spend the least time on and that is why I feel frumpy all the time!!

Of course #2 Plenty of water and #9 Exercising will play nicely into my NEW GET IN SHAPE goal – really, I am going to be driven in September. I will even publish my progress.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new series!!!

What is your favorite “must have”???