Getting organized -- cleaning

One of the biggest challenges I have had since becoming a parent is cleaning the house. I miss the old days when I could clean the entire house in one swoop. I knew that this wouldn't be possible anymore given the length of nap times, but what was the alternative? It is so difficult to find another way of doing things when the old way has become such a routine. Of course, add to the problem that our house is now 4 times larger than when we first got married, and I now have 4 more loads of laundry to do a week.

I started out just addressing the most glaring problems when I had a chance. This lead to us often realizing we had absolutely no clean clothes or the bathroom was beyond care. If I have time to clean one bathroom, it is going to be the guest bathroom, since that is the most used, but our bathroom was repeatedly getting looked over. I started to look online for a solution that would work for us. Unfortunately, we don't have the option for a house cleaner right now. (Someday, sigh.) I finally came to the harsh realization that I would be doing laundry and cleaning every day for the rest of my life. Okay, it's not as bleak as it sounds...

I like being organized and I realized I just needed to split everything up and assign it a day. Every morning when I wake up, I do one load of laundry. Getting in the habit of one load is so much simpler that having one day when I wash everything that this family wears. Less to wash and less to put away. I also have different areas of the house that I deep clean and declutter every day. I have to say, this has been amazing. Although I am cleaning every day, I find it takes me less time overall and everything stays clean. It really feels like only 15 minutes of upkeep, and then I am done.

The printables at simplemom.net have really helped keep me organized when it comes to a cleaning schedule. I love having lists to check off, so simplemom's mini docket was made just for me. If you are in need of some organization printables, check out the following sites...

Simple Mom printables (practical, basic solutions)

Design Finch printables (adorable designs, any kind of planner you would need)

Multitude Mondays - Week Eighteen

321. Getting closer to other women in Houston. (Geez, it takes long to make good friends in the civilian world! We knew a lot of people in Houston, but I want friends who I can see on a regular basis and are going through the same stage of life as me. I had a wise woman tell me that the key is to get involved in an organization and be on the leadership board. Slowly, I am getting to know some women in my mothers group and being involved has definitely helped. I am really looking forward to creating some lasting friendships.)

322. Getting back on my organizational kick. (It's amazing how much better I feel emotionally and how much smoother things run around the house when I am organized. I truly think it is the only way to stay sane with little runs running around. )

323. Conviction to homeschool. (I never, in a million year, thought I would be homeschooling my children. It is definitely something the Lord places on your heart and I cannot wait for this season of our life to begin.)

324. Having an opportunity to attend a homeschooling convention. (I had been waiting all summer for this. It was a smorgasbord of homeschooling options and helped me look into many curriculums I had been researching for some time.)

325. Attending a seminar for preschooling parents. (It was a wonderful way to get my heart in the right place and realize some of my expectations were set a little high. I feel more confident going into this year knowing what I learned from the seminar.)

326. Hearing Sally Clarkson speak. (Wow, this lady is vibrant! She is nothing like I expected. It seems like we had a similar college experience, which gives me motivation that I can somehow be a similar godly example and raise my children for His glory like she has. I really don't know any women like her, but if she could do it, so can I. If you are a young mother and ever need encouragement, I highly recommend reading any of her books.)

327. Playing outside when we can. (With the weather as miserable as it is, it is such a blessing to have a tolerable day outside every once in a while. We have particular enjoyed playing in the sprinkler lately.)

328. Olivia's curls. (I am not quite sure where they came from, since I had straight hair until I was in my 20's, but they are so sweet.)

329. Emily's sweet spirit. (It is a reminder from the Lord for me to be patient and really watch my actions. She wears her heart on her sleeve and can be hurt by even a wrong look, which makes me all the more cautious with my responses to both of my girls.)

330. Being on a tight budget. (We are doing a no spend month, which is exactly that -- no spending except on required items... food, gas, etc. That means no eating out, no shopping, no "but we really need this," because if it won't kill us, we don't need it. As difficult as it is, it is a blessing to take some time away from a consumer attitude and enjoy more family time.)

Multitude Mondays - Week Seventeen

Blessings never stop, and neither does being aware of them. I definitely let my Multitude Mondays slip by, but a friend has inspired me to start it back up again. I would previously sit down and write everything I could think about, but once I had two active kids on my hands, my list (and my blog) went to the wayside. My friend, Emma, has started her list writing 10 things every Monday. This is definitely a goal I think I can handle at this stage in life. Here it goes, once again...

307. little cuddlers (Olivia has turned out to be a cuddler that Emily never was. It is so heartwarming to have a little toddler draped across you.)

308. being a mom (I am taking more and more pride in this. It has been very difficult to come back to Houston where people put a different emphasis on how they live their life. It's like I am the crazy person who decided to have kids early. The good thing is that it has made me really look at my priorities and realize exactly why we are doing this. I definitely wasn't so aware of these ideals when everyone around me in the military had kids early, as well.)

309. the self-examination that has occurred in Houston (This goes along with 308. I have learned that being out of your comfort zone really can make you are stronger person who knows exactly where they stand.)

310. carrying on conversations with Emily after 3 years of delayed speech (We never thought it would happen.)

311. our house (I really love this house. There is a lot we want to do to it, but I feel it was made for our family and our style.)

312. air conditioning

313. my mothers group and getting involved in leadership (I really love the ladies, and I am excited about getting to know them better this year.)

314. being the service coordinator for MOPS (This is something I would have never done in the past, but is something the Lord has strongly been placing on my heart. He has been convicting me of the importance of getting my family involved in regular service opportunities so my children grow to have hearts for service from a young age. The leadership position fell into my lap after a conversation with a friend, and I am so excited about mobilizing other women and children to act, as well. I can't wait to share more on this blog!)

315. watching Emily do jig-saw puzzles (We were at my in-laws when Emily threw together her first jig-saw puzzle without any help. I was in shock. I, honestly, didn't realize she was to this point yet. Then I felt really bad for not having them around to challenge her. Since then, we have invested in a few and I love seeing her little brain working and realizing how much she is growing up.)

316. summer break (Not that we are really taking a break from anything, but we are acting like we are. More movies, less baths, playing at the pool, taking advantage of fun activities while trying to escape the heat as much as we can, and dreaming about fall weather that will never come to Houston. Most of all, realizing this is a break that will soon come to an end. We need a schedule back!)

317. our neighborhood pool (For a neighborhood pool, they really have a great place for the toddlers. I must take a picture to share. Only negative for me, it is completely in the shade. The vain side of me wanted to work on my tan at least a little this summer. Better for the kids, though.)

318. Daniel's job (I absolutely HATE his schedule, but I know it won't be forever. I am just trying to be grateful for the opportunity that presented itself so early after getting out of the Marine Corps, especially since it is in the field he wanted to get into. BP-Renewable Resources really is an amazing company to be working for. )

319. pedicures (Especially when the pedicure was after going over a whole year since my last one. Definitely a relaxing treat for tired mommies! Thank you Jan!)

320. An exciting week ahead (Going to an event tonight with some friends from church, seeing much missed family tomorrow, and going to my first homeschooling convention later this week. This blog is getting ready to turn into education central, and I can't wait to share more about the exciting year we have planned. I am just so thankful for the Lord working in my life!)

Okay, that was a little more than 10, but I wanted to round it off to a nice easy number to work with. It's good to the back and share all the things I am so thankful for. This really is a blessed life!

Olivia is walking (or so she thinks...)

As most younger siblings are, Olivia has been ahead of the curve (and definitely ahead of Emily) on most of her milestones. She started sitting up at 4.5 months and was crawling at 6 months. This was on average 2 months earlier than Emily. In keeping with this pattern, I was convinced that Olivia would be walking by 8-8.5 months. Well, 8 months came and went...

as well as 9 months,

10 months,

11 months,

and 12 months.

Emily wasn't really walking around much at all and then one day, she walked unassisted. Olivia on the other hand, has been very successful since about 8 months with walking around as long as she has a hand to hold on to. Let go, though, and she becomes as limp as a noodle in half a second. We are only a few days shy of her 13th month and I am convinced she will never walk by herself.

She recently learned a new skill, though -- walking on her knees. From the huge smile on her face, I think she actually believes she is really walking. Hmmmm. As you can tell from this video, Daniel gives her all the positive reinforcement she needs.

Maybe someday...

Why we LOVE Sundays

One of Daniel's family traditions, that dates back almost 20 years, is a huge family dinner every Sunday. During their peak, it included Daniel's family (5 total), his grandparents (2), and his Aunt Mary Jo, Uncle Chris, and their 7 kids. Can you imagine? I was lucky enough to get in a whole year of action before we got married when I was living in Houston. We have lost some members since then, but now that we live in Houston, we are able to partake again. Unfortunately, our beloved cousins will be moving at the beginning of the summer, so I am thrilled our two girls get to make some memories before these huge functions come to an end. Not that Sunday dinners will stop, but with the Kenny's gone, it definitely won't be the same.

These Sunday dinners definitely make Sunday everything it should be -- worship, resting, and spending quality time with family. I can only hope my girls (or at least Emily) will have some memories to take away from them. Inevitably, something funny always happens. Whether it is banter at the dinner table or Emily attempting to breastfeed her duck at inopportune times, we always go to bed with a huge smile on our face. Here is a glimpse of the joy Sunday dinners bring to Emily. Despite the horrible phone quality and low lighting, the squeals should speak for themselves as Emily is pulled around on a sled.

Multitude Mondays - Week Sixteen

I am slowly feeling like I am getting on top of things around here. You should see my organizational binder. It's a little crazy, but when I am organized, life seems to run smoother, you know. So much to share, including Emily's first day at Mother's Day Out. I will tell more about that later, but she couldn't have had a more wonderful time. They said she is a natural, which is not surprising because I loved school (and still do... I wish I could be a professional student) more than most people.

Multitude Mondays on an actual Monday? CRAZY!

290. how festive the house feels with Christmas decorations (which are now down, but where up when I noted this)

291. a plus to Daniel working nights - catching up on quiet time/things around the house

292. seeing a Camp Lejeune friend in Houston -- it warmed my soul

293. our Christmas tree

294. first year putting lights outside the house

295. getting in the habit of waking up early (this has been on ongoing battle since I wrote this blessing a month ago... prayers)

296. lunch with good friends

297. heaters (a new heater, as a matter of fact, that the old homeowner purchased for us!)

298. seeing Christmas presents under our tree (a first, since we have always spent Christmas in Texas while living in NC)

299. watching Emily cultivate friendships with other little kids

300. Emily wrapping her body around mine as she crawls in bed

301. Hearing, "Thank you, Mommy" without prompting

302. getting our dream house for this stage in life

303. seeing how much Olivia loves Emily

304. eating leftovers -- one less things for me to do

305. co-coloring with Emily (a common request of hers)

306. being close to cousins -- Emily going to their Nutcracker performance

Pardon the absence

I have to say, I love motherhood. It sure isn't boring, and it is never the same thing. It is full of constantly changing seasons. Right when you get it down, it changes again and there is something new to tackle. Some seasons are easy and you think you are the best parent in the world, and some seasons make you question the type of parent you are. I feel like a parent can only be judged by the height of the crisis they face. I have also learned that whatever you are going through is a phase and it will pass.

Both of these things have been on the forefront of my mind recently because I am going through one of those tough seasons. I just feel all discombobulated. I never feel like I have enough time to do anything and it always takes me at least an hour to get out of the house, which leaves me all flustered. Then, there are the kids... Olivia has been such a crier since she was born. She has never really known how to play by herself. She wants to be held all the time, but sometimes a mom has to get some things done around the house, so she ends up crying at my feet, or crawling around the house after me while crying. Add to the situation a toddler who now likes to say "mommy" 5 times every minute (not even joking), even for the most mundane things, and you have a very stressed out person. I have never been so mentally exhausted before. Not to scare anyone off without 2+ children. I guarantee you that this is just a phase that is so worth it for the joy every extra child brings to your life. Like everything else, this too will pass.

Parenting has definitely made me grow like nothing else before. I honestly don't know how I would get through this without my faith, though, because sometimes, that is the only thing that gets my heart in the right place when confronted with two challenging kiddos. Motherhood has been such a refining experience. I'm not drowning right now, but my head is barely above water. Please forgive me as I take some time to try to get things together. I think I need to pull out my organizational binder (it is sorta scary) and get back on top of things. I love New Year's resolutions, so I need to get that list together, as well. Everything has sort of fallen by the wayside recently. For someone who loves to cook, I have scrambled for a meal every night the past couple of months. If you know me, you know something is very wrong. The one thing I did start for this new year is reading through the Bible in 90 days. As you can imagine, it is a huge challenge, so between that and this crazy life, it might be a while until I am back.

Hope you had a stupendous start to the new year. I know I did!