Sunday, January 22, 2012

The landscaping around here is looking different!

First, the huge hole in my front yard is gone.



Next, a barn is being built.




Also, the great clutter and clean-out is under way!
I met my goal of 5 more (small) bags of clutter and trash out the door- hooray! Husband and the children spent a hard 2 hours outside cleaning a huge amount of trash up from the area around the house. Our huge trash can is full, which never happens, so I'd say that was a job well done.

Husband brought some more storage shelves into the garage, so it looks like I'm ready for Round 2 in there.

Monday, January 16, 2012

January Goals- cut the clutter

My biggest goal for January is to cut out a good amount of clutter in the house. Also, I still working on catching up a bit from my 3 months of first trimester ick.

I had gone through the trouble of embarrassing myself and taking a picture of the mess, but it seems to have disappeared.

In short, every counter top was completely covered and piled high with stuff that needed to find a new home, or be put away.

Here's the after: (obviously I didn't stage it!)






Everything still on the laundry counter found it's way to it's proper drawer, so it is all clear now.

To be fair, my wonderful husband actually cleared and scrubbed the two white counter tops. I dealt with the clutter and cleaned the laundry area. There's quite a bit still to do in here. When the barn is built, a lot more of the "stuff" will have a new home, and at that time, I will clean out the cabinets and drawers a bit more ruthlessly. Meanwhile, I had 4 small trash bags full, and 2 Goodwill bags that all went out the door- Woot!

I would also like to do some decorating in this room.

In addition to the laundry room, one large trash bag was filled from the cabinets in the mudroom, and from under the kitchen sink. (What on earth do I keep that stuff for, anyway??)

Two huge arm-loads of clothing was taken to the consignment shop, and another large, but half-full trash bag full of clothes was taken to Goodwill. I already feel lighter!

In light of the de-cluttering, husband asked me to stay out of his office!

My office is also being attacked, slowly, though....the baby can undo as fast as I can clean!


The unfinished project list:
Huge burn piles by the road are slowly being cleaned up.
history planned and purchased
worked on cleaning/organizing craft room

Goal for the week: 5 more small trash bags out the door
Get caught up on make-ahead kitchen items
make mint and oatmeal soap

Thursday, January 5, 2012

13 Years

Today our oldest daughter turned 13.

Time goes by way too fast.


I always get very sentimental on her birthday. After all, it was 13 years ago that I became a mother. I remember as the doctor walked out the door, he turned to us and said "Now comes the hard part".

These last 13 years have been both very slow and very quick. She's made me who I am every bit as much as I've made her who she is- because of each other, as well as in spite of each other we've grown into the people we are today. I had no idea 13 years ago that this would be the hardest thing, but also the most rewarding thing I've ever done. I do not regret for one moment "giving up my life" and choosing to be a full time mother. 13 years ago I began this journey with this child.

I am proud of the young adult that she is becoming, and I look forward to this next faze of our journey together.

Happy Birthday, Ms. Bug.