I feel trapped by all the things around me. I try to clean and get easily discouraged because I ultimately clean one area by cluttering up another area of my home. Then the phrase I heard a couple years ago came to mind - "You can't organize clutter". Aha moment! This wake up statement came from a woman known as FlyLady. A wonderful guru of cleaning, organizing, and enjoying your home. You can find her plan on how to achieve the home you want by going to her website http://www.flylady.net/ . She works by baby steps so you don't get overwhelmed.
I did great on her plan 2 years ago but somewhere along the line I dropped the ball. Okay, more like I dropped the ball, kicked it under the couch and never felt like retrieving it. I have been just boxing things up and putting them in the basement. Well, the basement is now full and I see that I am having a hard time letting go of things. This has no doubt something to do with the fact that our finances are bleak right now and I want my daughters to want for nothing. So I am grateful to the show Hoarders for showing me this is a red flag that could go to an extreme place if I don't do something now. So I will trust in God to provide for us (something I have been working on) and pass these things along to bless someone else.
The first baby step in FlyLady's plan is shining your sink. I have never felt the joy that others seem to have by having a shiny sink. In fact, I kind of thought this was a pointless step. That is until I cleaned down our stove a month or so ago. It had burned on everything and grease splatters but one day I looked over and thought, "I'll try to wipe it down so it doesn't look so bad". I didn't believe it would really come clean like it once was because I had tried wiping it before and nothing much resulted. Something just came over me that day and I went into scrub and soak mode. When it was finished it looked like it had when we first bought it. It really did gleam. Every time I walked into the kitchen and saw the stove all shiny and new looking I found myself smiling and realized THIS is what people are feeling with their shiny sinks!
So today after I post this I will be in the kitchen doing dishes so that by the end of the day I will have a shiny sink. Feel free to join me in Flying or share your Flying stories. I will be posting about the Flying journey and hoping that helps me stick with it this time.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Kids say the darndest things but for how long?
Tonight after I finished reading to my newly 5 year old daughter, she watched as I put her books back on the shelf. Every night the girls get 3 stories (that usually makes the 20 minutes you are supposed to read to your child). Lately every time I read to her she makes sure to choose Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Suess. As I was fitting them on the shelf a new one she got for her birthday didn't fit and I just put it faced out on the shelf. Katherine (the 5 year old) then said "Mommy, are you trying to hide Green Eggs and Ham?" It wasn't so much what she said but how she said it - as though she caught me trying to be sneaky and was warning me it wouldn't work. I had to laugh and my husband also laughed when I told him what had happened.
As is often the case, I started to think back at other funny things my daughters have said. I still smile when I think of those moments. Sadly, I am seeing more and more that they are growing up. I know it needs to happen and am happy that they are developing as they should. Part of me just mourns because I'm not sure how much longer I have to hear these humorous thoughts of theirs. At what point will they no longer have the accidental jokes or cute misspoken words?
Just 2 years ago as Katherine was turning 3 she referred to hot dogs as Hot Diggity Dogs, thanks to Micky Mouse Clubhouse. I miss that. If she wants one now she asks for a hotdog. I miss having to read the same Mickey Mouse book every night. She has grown past Mickey Mouse now, gone are the days of Blues Clues, and never a thought is given to My Friends Tigger and Pooh.
I guess I am writing to help work through this sadness. My husband just says "She's growing up" and that isn't much help. I regret the pushing on towards the next developmental milestone and not taking the time to really notice all the amazing things she said or loved to spend time with.
I remember when she was 2 being able to find the moon anytime, day or night. I don't know where her fascination with the moon came from but she had it. I remember one night getting her out of the car and starting to carry her inside when she got really excited and pointed at the sky and said "there's my moon!" Even now, even though her little sister Ava has since gotten excited looking for and finding the moon, I still think of it as Katherine's moon.
Speaking of Ava, I will never forget the night I was putting her into a pair of sleeper pajamas that someone gave us. They were purple, had kittens on them, and had ruffles around the sleeves. As I got them on her arms she looked at the ruffles and then at me. She said "I a princess" to which I replied "Oh you're a princess?" She said "yes, Princess of world".
These are my little girls. Two very different people yet very much alike. They are growing up eve though they are still young. I know that the time will come when the stop making these comments full of innocence and humor. I just hope that they still feel close enough to share their thoughts as teens and young adults, into adulthood.
As is often the case, I started to think back at other funny things my daughters have said. I still smile when I think of those moments. Sadly, I am seeing more and more that they are growing up. I know it needs to happen and am happy that they are developing as they should. Part of me just mourns because I'm not sure how much longer I have to hear these humorous thoughts of theirs. At what point will they no longer have the accidental jokes or cute misspoken words?
Just 2 years ago as Katherine was turning 3 she referred to hot dogs as Hot Diggity Dogs, thanks to Micky Mouse Clubhouse. I miss that. If she wants one now she asks for a hotdog. I miss having to read the same Mickey Mouse book every night. She has grown past Mickey Mouse now, gone are the days of Blues Clues, and never a thought is given to My Friends Tigger and Pooh.
I guess I am writing to help work through this sadness. My husband just says "She's growing up" and that isn't much help. I regret the pushing on towards the next developmental milestone and not taking the time to really notice all the amazing things she said or loved to spend time with.
I remember when she was 2 being able to find the moon anytime, day or night. I don't know where her fascination with the moon came from but she had it. I remember one night getting her out of the car and starting to carry her inside when she got really excited and pointed at the sky and said "there's my moon!" Even now, even though her little sister Ava has since gotten excited looking for and finding the moon, I still think of it as Katherine's moon.
Speaking of Ava, I will never forget the night I was putting her into a pair of sleeper pajamas that someone gave us. They were purple, had kittens on them, and had ruffles around the sleeves. As I got them on her arms she looked at the ruffles and then at me. She said "I a princess" to which I replied "Oh you're a princess?" She said "yes, Princess of world".
These are my little girls. Two very different people yet very much alike. They are growing up eve though they are still young. I know that the time will come when the stop making these comments full of innocence and humor. I just hope that they still feel close enough to share their thoughts as teens and young adults, into adulthood.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
MOPS - Needing Others
I am a part of a group called MOPS. It stands for Mothers of Preschoolers and is an international organization. I found this group by chance, my family had moved about 30 minutes from people I knew which may not seem far until you realize I don't drive. So here we were stuck in a small town with nothing to do, me without anyone to talk to except a 1 and 2 year old, and a husband who had a new job that keeps him away from home a lot. I was sleep deprived with the baby and still expected to follow after and take care of a toddler and I was at the end of my rope.
Then I saw a sign for a Kids Karnival at a local church. I decided to go so the girls could go out and do something, plus it was free and we like many have money issues that keep us from being able to take the girls places. I get there and see that it is set up with games that are meant for older kids. I was feeling let down for the girls and was trying to push a double stroller (no easy task) so when I saw a tent with shade I decided to go over.
Thankfully as I parked the stroller I saw in the corner games for Preschoolers. Above the clown head bean bag toss was a sign for MOPS. I was handed a flier and asked to come to their meeting. The girls had fun playing the "easier" games and winning age appropriate prizes. So I kept the flier and thought about it on our way home.
A week or so later I tried to go to a meeting because I was turning into an angry mommy being stuck at home. I am not proud of it but I would yell at my 2 year old daughter for making getting her dressed harder than I believed it should have been. I needed a break. Unfortunately they were still not meeting (it was summer) but gave me the day they started again.
I went to that first meeting, nervous about leaving my daughters with people I did not know. Wondering if the other kids would be nice to them. Those two hours were nice even with all my nerves. My husband was off that day and picked us up after it was over. He asked if I was going to go back and I said I might.
This is my 3rd year at MOPS. It has helped in so many ways. Getting advice, making friends, having a place to vent, and getting those two hours of mommy time every week!
It also helped get my daughters more sociable and get them play time in a stress free place. When it came time for my oldest daughter to start Pre K this year she already knew 2 of the kids in her class from MOPS.
Best of all, after having time to myself (not being mommy), things got better at home. I had a stress free time that trickled into home life. I was a better mommy after getting a break.
I have also receive much support from the other moms. Last year when my husband had a tremendous amount of working over and training sessions out of town, one of the moms came over weekly for a separate play date with her daughter. Women in our group have given us rides in the bad weather, or to go swimming, etc. Even today, as I have an incredible migraine, one of the new moms to MOPS that has a son in my daughters Pre K class came to take her not only to school but to the local libraries story time.
I love this group of women and appreciate them greatly. I just realized just how much I need them and how much I hope I am a help to them in some way. Now I am going to lay down with a towel over my head. : )
Then I saw a sign for a Kids Karnival at a local church. I decided to go so the girls could go out and do something, plus it was free and we like many have money issues that keep us from being able to take the girls places. I get there and see that it is set up with games that are meant for older kids. I was feeling let down for the girls and was trying to push a double stroller (no easy task) so when I saw a tent with shade I decided to go over.
Thankfully as I parked the stroller I saw in the corner games for Preschoolers. Above the clown head bean bag toss was a sign for MOPS. I was handed a flier and asked to come to their meeting. The girls had fun playing the "easier" games and winning age appropriate prizes. So I kept the flier and thought about it on our way home.
A week or so later I tried to go to a meeting because I was turning into an angry mommy being stuck at home. I am not proud of it but I would yell at my 2 year old daughter for making getting her dressed harder than I believed it should have been. I needed a break. Unfortunately they were still not meeting (it was summer) but gave me the day they started again.
I went to that first meeting, nervous about leaving my daughters with people I did not know. Wondering if the other kids would be nice to them. Those two hours were nice even with all my nerves. My husband was off that day and picked us up after it was over. He asked if I was going to go back and I said I might.
This is my 3rd year at MOPS. It has helped in so many ways. Getting advice, making friends, having a place to vent, and getting those two hours of mommy time every week!
It also helped get my daughters more sociable and get them play time in a stress free place. When it came time for my oldest daughter to start Pre K this year she already knew 2 of the kids in her class from MOPS.
Best of all, after having time to myself (not being mommy), things got better at home. I had a stress free time that trickled into home life. I was a better mommy after getting a break.
I have also receive much support from the other moms. Last year when my husband had a tremendous amount of working over and training sessions out of town, one of the moms came over weekly for a separate play date with her daughter. Women in our group have given us rides in the bad weather, or to go swimming, etc. Even today, as I have an incredible migraine, one of the new moms to MOPS that has a son in my daughters Pre K class came to take her not only to school but to the local libraries story time.
I love this group of women and appreciate them greatly. I just realized just how much I need them and how much I hope I am a help to them in some way. Now I am going to lay down with a towel over my head. : )
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Friendship Begins At Home (1949)
I must admit that I love retro things. I miss the friendly, cheery, innocence that are associated with the 50s. Yes, things like this may now seem hokey but it did make me stop and think, why are we so much nicer to others and not to our own family? Is it because we feel more comfortable with them and therefore tend to allow negativity to transfer to them? Who knows the reason? I just hope that you can remember to treat them as well, if not better, than you would friends and other people you know.
What Happened to Honor?
This week BYU seemed to really shake people when they let a star player off the basketball team. Why did they do it? Simple. He broke the honor code at the school.
I'm still unclear about how it was found out but the player confessed that he had had premartial sex with his girlfriend. Instead of congratulating him for accepting responsibility it seems public opinion is asking "What's the big deal? I bet a lot of the other guys are doing the same."
It is sad that instead of admiring a school for enforcing their honor code and setting themselves up for missing the final four, the school is condemned. I'm sure there were members of the school that would have liked to brush it under the rug until after March Madness was over but they chose the right.
It seems in the court of public opinion it is better to win. After reading the initial story online, I checked out some of the comments being left. Maybe that was a mistake since it really became upsetting to me. (Yes, I am LDS). It seems like instead of accepting this situation people have tried to change the issue. Some called into play race, saying it was because the offending player is African American and his girlfriend is Caucasian. Trust me this isn't the reason. The honor code is clear and students reread and sign it every year. He knew what was on the line, no not just getting kicked off the team but also out of school.
At this time it is unclear if this young man and his girlfriend will be expelled. I'm hoping that because they were honest about what happened, they will get a second chance and remain in school.
People think that they school should lighten up and that they honor code is antiquated. I guess in the world today it does seem that way but they are living as they believe God wants them to live. So my question is, what happened to honor?
I'm still unclear about how it was found out but the player confessed that he had had premartial sex with his girlfriend. Instead of congratulating him for accepting responsibility it seems public opinion is asking "What's the big deal? I bet a lot of the other guys are doing the same."
It is sad that instead of admiring a school for enforcing their honor code and setting themselves up for missing the final four, the school is condemned. I'm sure there were members of the school that would have liked to brush it under the rug until after March Madness was over but they chose the right.
It seems in the court of public opinion it is better to win. After reading the initial story online, I checked out some of the comments being left. Maybe that was a mistake since it really became upsetting to me. (Yes, I am LDS). It seems like instead of accepting this situation people have tried to change the issue. Some called into play race, saying it was because the offending player is African American and his girlfriend is Caucasian. Trust me this isn't the reason. The honor code is clear and students reread and sign it every year. He knew what was on the line, no not just getting kicked off the team but also out of school.
At this time it is unclear if this young man and his girlfriend will be expelled. I'm hoping that because they were honest about what happened, they will get a second chance and remain in school.
People think that they school should lighten up and that they honor code is antiquated. I guess in the world today it does seem that way but they are living as they believe God wants them to live. So my question is, what happened to honor?
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