Traditions and Senses

Woke up this morning with the fear that Christmas is almost here, inching its way closer.  My little super hero is counting down.  Thanks to a Micky Mouse count down ornament.  That never made it back in the Christmas box.

So I called on my trusty friend Flylady. She has been there for me when I begin to freak out about our home.  I can recall doing this for the few years.  Why have I never actually used one of these journals.  I think because I jump in with all these ideas and burn out.   This year baby steps, one thing at a time.  I will also involve my family and put what I have created in the Christmas Box so I can just call on it when needed.


So as I began to read through FlyLady’s Holiday Control Journal.  She wrote,

"Always remember that memories you create with your traditions are reflected in all
of your senses: Sight, sound, feel, taste and smell."

Wow what a great place to start.  This is what I am working on today with Prince Charming and the kids.


How do your traditions reflect on your senses?

Overwhelmed by things on the floor

As I look around the living room, I think how did this happen in just a few hours.  Every toy a was on the floor. I play with them but didn't realize until I sat down to take a break at nap.  All I could do was look at it and feel overwhelmed.  I made a cup of coffee and began to search for answers to help with this.  I got on The Flylady FB page. I talked with some other ladies they suggested a 5 min room rescue, after reading that I thought and replied, we just move on to the next thing all day. We get distracted and off routine when the littles have to go potty. I guess after that we should just go back to that area and pick it up. And maybe no eating until the area we were playing in is picked up.  


We take potty breaks but sometimes they don't have to poop then,  I also try to keep us eating at the same time so when the food is ready we wash up and eat.  So what I think is we will have to pick up before then.  But more important is that they know where to put things,  I think I am going to have to shell out a little bit of money for some shelves in the living room.  This is where they really like to play.  I am thinking cubes and baskets. 




For the over all storage I found an idea I like at The cottage home blog.  I have tried this in the past.  But I tried to take pictures of all the toys in the bins.  Why didn't I think of taking the pictures from the web and just printing.  I already have an inventory of the toy we have since DCFS needed one.  I will update when its done.  

FlyLady's Habit of the Month: Shine Your Sink

This is one habit I really try to keep on. It so go from nice and clean to disgusting in only a matter of time.  If I don't get a chance to stay on top of during the day like I want to.  I try really hard NOT to go bed with a sink full of dishes.  As childcare provider I have to hit the ground running in the morning.  It doesn't go well if we have no dishes to eat on and I am grumpy because I have to clean before I get my cup of coffee or now tea!

Okay so you want to get started GO HERE! It really does make a world of difference.

The Flylady Do Over

Routines:  Why don't we get along?

I have recently noticed I need them more then I want to believe.  I need to lean on it and learn to be consistent.  I need to do this for my kids too.  We do not work well with each other if I don’t keep our day consistent.  I wonder, why I fight it so much if it works?

So here I go back to the baby steps of what “Flylady” taught us! 

Establish small routines first

Establish a routine and stick it

Have fun while I am doing it

I have tried to make a full routine and make it work the first day.  Talk about over whelmed and burned out.  I need to remember this when establishing a new schedule for the kids.  So I picked a couple things to start with. 

Before bed

Clean sink and counter

Pick out clothes, brush teeth, lotion

Check the calendar 

Flylady has babysteps to follow, monthly habits, and weekly zones that really help you keep on top of your life.  Here we go again!  check out The Flylady 

Welcome 2012

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year.  We had a great time. We were able to spend some much needed time with family and completely out of our routine.  This taught me really how much it is needed. Routines are something I struggle to keep.  It one of my goals for 2012. I will be going back to Flylady and starting over.  I will also be keeping the kids on task to. With the routines in place I think the kids will sleep better by themselves.  


Here is a list on my other goals for 2012. 

• I am looking in to a different curriculum.  I have tried to make my own and can not keep it up.  So be on the look out for some reviews on different ones I have tried along with some other games and products. 

• Over the holiday break my mom came and we did a freezer meals preparing session.  LeAnne from Saving Dinner sent me her e-book  20 for the freezer menu.  I will be giving you insight on what I think.  You will see more freezer meals creeping in to our menu because it gives you more time in the end.  Okay that is all I am giving you now with that. 

• Other goal of mine is to take care of myself.  As a wife, mom, and child care provider I am usually the last one to get care for.  With that said I am going to go to the gym at least twice a week for me.  There is a kick boxing/self-defense class I want to take and some of my friends already take it.  So I will be able catch up and burn off some stress and calories.  So be on the look out on this is going and how my family is adjusting.

• Limit coffee and soda.  Stick to Ice tea, water,milk, and watered down juice.  I did this for two weeks a few weeks ago.  Felt amazing.  ready to go back.  For those that know me  I can drink coffee all day and then switch to soda.   

• Spend some time with my hubby alone once a month.  I arrange for a sitter each month. That is what I got him for Christmas..

• My final goal is to keep up with this blog.  This is something I find pleasure in doing but sometimes get away from.  I plan to work on it while the kids are sleeping.  The kids will get into the routine of sleep by themselves so I get some planning done. We do a lot of cool things with the family child care I want to post but never get around to.  I will do that now.  Get FB working and get at least 300 people reading.  I thought I would start small.  That way I can't expect too much.

This is a list of the generals I could think of while typing.  Maybe I will link what I am doing with each one as I post.  Who knows!!

What are some of your goals for 2012?

Laundry Habit

I have been working on this habit since August.  I am determined to get a handle on it.  Laundry!!!!  I takes over in a matter of days.  I have been trying to do a load a day.  But then there are days I totally forget.  I don't like to do it on the weekends, as they are so busy and I want us to be able to hang out Daddy-O. Now in the past one load a day has just meant washed and dried.  I have been known to let clean clothes sit in a laundry basket.  It is no fun to have to be digging for something to wear and it doesn't help the children learn.  So here is what I have come up with.  I do a small load everyday.  By doing this it will only take minutes to fold and put away and the kids aren't to overwhelmed.  Since I don't want to do it on the weekends.  We do two load on Monday or Friday.

• Before coffee or while its brewing throw the load.  Side note: I really like to have this ready the night before as that has been an excuse to not it, it the room and everyone is sleeping in there.  I am not going to wake them up,  it can wait.  Oops now I didn't get it done and the whole day is thrown off.  
• Change the load as the kids breakfast is starting, also starting a timer is helpful. I have also had the kids help hang it out while we are waiting for breakfast to heat. ( remember this is a small load so it only takes a few minutes.
• After breakfast, kitchen clean up, and the kids have cleaned themselves up we grab the load and fold and put away.  I have picture labels on their drawers so they know where things go and all shirts get hung up. Even the others help out as they are part of our "Family". 

It has been hard for me to let them fold towels as they come out looking sideways and a little messy.  After taking with Daddy-O we are just going to let them look like that.  The kids will get better as time goes on.  This way I don't have to make them feel bad by doing it over and it saves me time too. 

I love it when I can tell C to get dressed and he doesn't have to say I can't because I don't have  any undies or socks.  Or he can wear his favorite shirt 3 times in a week. 

Now to tackle matching socks any suggestions?  

Master Bedroom: Flying

Teaching the kids care for their things has just began to weigh on my.  I don't know if it is because I am getting older, the kids, or that there are always people over.  I want out home to be a place we can always turn to to have a good time and to be there when we need a break.

The kids and I just cleared the floor in my room and you should have seem them.  It was like a new room!  They began to dance, snuggle, read.  We spent the rest of the afternoon in this room.  It is one of the brightest rooms in the house and it was a nice day out.  C was so proud of the work they had did.  He kept saying look how nice it looks. I hope by having our routines in place and sticking to them, we can have this feeling in every room and not to feel like we always need to clean.  Remember how I said my toilet is always clean because I clean it when I go in and now its something I don't even know I am doing.  Just another thing that gets done when using the bathroom.  I hope my other habits take over like this.

Pretending to Move- Flylady Style

As you know I have been decluttering and getting ride of the things we don't love or need. We are blessing other families by giving it away. I find myself thinking, "Oh if I would have kept that stuff I could have sold it and had the cash", but then I think of the families that are blessed to have it.

With that said Flylady suggested we pretend like we are moving. In an email she sent, she said "If we had to pay a dollar per pound to move, how much clutter could you get rid of?" I thought about it and I looked around and began thinking if we were to really have to move what are the things I would have to take? I am in the process of making a list of those things and getting rid of the other stuff.

Let me know if you have done this? Or How you got rid of things when moving?

I become overwhelmed with the kids stuff, mostly their toys that lay around. I don't want to just toss their belongings. So we have made a deal if they want to keep they have to show me they love it by taking care of it, that means putting it back in the designated place ( its home). I try to remind them to pick up which I sometimes forget. :( In which we all clean up quickly.

How do you get your kids pick up? Have you tossed their toys if left out?

Remove the clutter, see the smile

Flylady was right when she said you can not organize your clutter.  My home was full no one knew where to put things. So they would just get moved to another spot or end up in a box or bag stuffed some where.  Nothing had a home.  I have made a list of the areas I want to work on and I spend a little bit of time in that area a few times a week. Never spending longer than 30 minutes. So do not take out more than that!!! I set the timer.  Flylady says this is very important and I did not believe that till this time around.  I go much faster when the time is on.  I have three bags set up.  Those canvas reusable ones.  Flylady sells the some. But I use these as they are easier for me to walk around with and I have a smaller amount to put away.  The bags are for donation, trash, and put away.  The put away has been taking me a little longer.  I seem to have a lot of the kids  memory stuff to put away.  I will start to do that right away now, instead of let it pile up.

For a long time I was keeping stuff just because I may need it later.  I have had to let this go. If I need it later then I guess I will go get it.  I haven't needed it yet.  And if I don't care for it.  Then why have it crowding my family. I told you that I was bringing my stuff to a home for women and children.  If at one time I thought I needed it then another women may need it now.  This thought has really helped the kids and I clear out our home.  There is still a lot to be done.  But in small steps.

So that is how I am removing the clutter from my home.  There is a new found love for my home when I can see the clear table tops and the floor.  I am not saying the kids toys are always off the floor nor do I want them to be but they are loved toys and played with.  They have a home and the kids know where they go.

I'm Flying

Have you every heard of " The Flylady"? She is this wonderful women who at a hard time in her life turned it around and is now helping people all over the world do so. She has really helped me figure this whole wife/mom/homemaker thing out.

When I first started staying home I was looking for a guide on how to keep it all together. How to run a successful home. I came across the site and it was really helpful. I was still a little overwhelmed at home to put it all together. I would do some of the steps sometimes. I did not truly get how to do the Zones until I was done removing the clutter in one room.

Some of the zones I am able to, but others I am still decluttering. I feel as if this will never end, I know it will because that is how I felt a while ago when I gave up. Since then I have been making weekly trips to the local women shelter. They will take it all. So I do not have to sort it out. The kids are really getting in to it. A few times C has come up to me and said "I think another kid would like this, can we drop it off?" I know that what I am doing it making a difference in them.