Archive for Mom stuff
Is there a light at the end of this tunnel??
Posted by: | CommentsDo you ever just feel like life is a little out of control? That’s kind of how I feel right now. There are so many good things going on right now but there are some things that just don’t seem to be going all that well and it really affects everything else in a way that can get so discouraging.
Part of the problem is that life is just too busy. I miss the days, back when my kids were in elementary school, when we spent a few hours on school and then we had time to play together and do other things. I miss the simpler form of homeschooling where I could sit down with my kids and really spend time teaching them new concepts and going over things with them and having fun learning. It’s not that we aren’t doing any learning now but high school is just a little bit different and a little bit more intense than elementary school. 
We are also in a homeschool group that meets once a week for classes and we have loved it but this year it’s starting to wear on me. I really never thought I’d say that either. Last year if you’d asked me I would have told you I might just keep going even after my kids graduate! Now, I know that will definitely not be happening. I’m not even sure I want to do it next year! One of the worst things about it is I’m on the board. I’m wondering if I step down from that for next year if it will improve tremendously?? There is a lot of stress, a lot of pressure, and a lot more work that goes along with that job. Maybe things will get better if I give that up?
I’ve also taken on homeschooling another child this year – another high school student. I had great expectations and envisioned how it would go but it’s not really going like I thought it would. It’s not bad, it’s just different. But different enough that I’m having a hard time with it. I’m used to my own kids and it’s a totally different thing to take in someone else’s.
I really think after the end of this month that things will get a lot better. You see football season will be over and I won’t be running all over town or having my kids gone almost every night of the week anymore. I guess we’ll see!
Thanks for “listening” to my venting session. I believe I sound a little crazier than I even thought after putting this in writing! haha!
Does your house need to be cleaned?
Posted by: | CommentsI don’t know about you but I can find it a little overwhelming to try to keep my whole house clean – and I don’t mean “surface” clean but “deep” clean. To try to take a day to really clean house can be exhausting so rather than get it done it usually just stays the way it is. Until last year that is. I got a neat idea from someone else and kind of ran with it and the list below is what I came up with. I have this on my computer and I print the list out and have it in a binder that has some things like this in it. I can open this up each and day look at what needs to be done, go take care of one thing on the list (sometimes more if something was really quick and/or easy), and then highlight it so I know it’s been done. Once the list has been completely highlighted I know the whole house has gone through a cycle where everything was completely cleaned. Then I print a new one and start all over again. That way every month or two everything gets cleaned really well. Of course, some things we do daily and/or weekly. It really wouldn’t do to leave the floors or bathrooms undone for a month or more. That would be a little gross! 
I’ve really liked this system and it’s worked really well for me. If you need help in this area, save my list to your computer and tweak it to fit your house. You might just love it!
Deep Cleaning List
Kitchen
Clean refrigerator
Clean freezer
Clean/organize pantry
Clean plate cabinet
Clean spice cabinet
Clean pitcher cabinet
Clean under sink
Clean pot/pan cabinet
Clean extra dish cabinet
Clean pot/pan drawer
Clean oven
Clean stove
Dust top of cabinets
Clean toaster oven
Clean glass/cup cabinet
Clean Tupperware cabinet
Kids’ rooms
Clean closets
Clean shelves
Clean desk
Office
Clean out desk
Clean top of desk
Clean off table
Clean under desk & table
Clean bookshelf
Clean closet
Clean out file cabinet
Laundry Room
Clean under washer
Clean under dryer
Straighten top shelf
Clean bookshelf
Clean game shelf
Clean top of dryer
Dining Room
Clean trash can
Clean buffet
Clean chairs
Clean spoons/spoon rack
Clean movie stand
Clean TV stand
Headboard
Clean under bed
Master Bedroom
Clean under bed
Clean out chest
Clean under couch
Clean TV unit
Master Bathroom
Clean out cabinet
Clean out medicine cabinet
Wash shower curtain
Clean out basket
Master Closet
Go through clothes/shoes
Clean out drawers
Clean top of chest
Clean under/around chest
Straighten stuff on shelf
Hall Bathroom
Clean out cabinet
Clean out medicine cabinet
Wash shower curtain
Clean basket
Living Room
Clean out desk
Vacuum under furniture
Clean coat closet
Clean TV stand
Vacuum furniture
The Dinner Solution
Posted by: | CommentsHas anybody heard of this program or used it? I first read about it here. It looks really cool! It helps you make menus, grocery lists, balanced meals, and more! The only drawback is the price. 
It’s $59.99 and, while it’s probably well worth it, I just can’t afford to spend that much on something extra right now. I’d love to hear thoughts from anyone who’s used it though!!
Summer time!
Posted by: | CommentsDoes anybody else start out the summer with all kinds of goals and lists of things you want to accomplish? I usually do. And then they usually don’t happen! Ugh! I am so bad about having all of these great ideas in my head and then when summer gets here we just take it easy and do a lot of nothing! Oh, well! Sometimes we really need to do that. Life is so busy – especially during the school year – that sometimes we need to just stop and take a breath.
I do have some things that I hope to accomplish this summer though – as well as some things that we already have planned:
- We have a DVD player that also records to DVD and I have wanted to back up all of our home videos on to DVDs ever since we got it. I’ve been able to get a lot of them done but I have so many more to do! I’d like to make a bigger dent in that this summer.
- I also scrapbook and I haven’t touched it in a while. That busy school year thing again! Anyway, I’d like to pull all that out and get busy getting some pages done! I am SO far behind on that it’s not even funny. Maybe I’ll finish when my grandkids are grown! (And my kids are still teens so that tells you how far out that is! haha!)
- One thing I’m pretty positive will get accomplished at this point is a minor surgery I have to have at the end of the month. I’m both dreading and looking forward to that.
- Along with that I still have some more doctor app0intments – I’ve kind of had a flurry of those this spring!
- My son is just starting a new indoor soccer session so we’ll be attending lots of fun soccer games over the next eight weeks or so!
- My daughter is in a talent competition called American Kids and we are getting ready to go to the state competition and then if she makes it to nationals we’ll be heading to Branson, Missouri, in the middle of July.
- We are in a homeschool co-op and some of us moms have decided to plan some fun get-togethers over the summer. I’m really looking forward to those. We always have so much fun together! In the past we’ve done murder mystery parties, game nights, and even a lock-in (yes – just for moms!) at the church where we have co-op. This summer we’re doing Bunko nights and craft nights together.
- The kids also have some parties with the co-op kids planned. The kids also have a blast at those.
- Our family has passes to a local water park as well as an amusement park so we’re hoping to enjoy those a lot this summer. We’ve had unseasonable cool temperatures for this time of year around here though so we haven’t even been to the water park yet! A lot of times we’ve seen quite a few days in the 100’s by now but it’s mostly been in the upper 80’s and occasionally some 90’s. Weird stuff!! I’m not going to complain too loudly though.
I need to get busy on all this stuff though. Before I know it, August will be here and we’ll be at football practice four nights a week and I won’t even have time to think much less do any of this!
What about you? What are your summer plans? You can share in the comments or make your own post and just leave a link here.
