11 Months

11 months people....

Another month has come and gone in our house.  I have no words today just a video.

Our Day

Absolutely NO desire to watch Inaugural crap on TV today

80 degrees outside

No school for the munchkins

Why not spend the day at the zoo??

And for some added fun...let's invite Aunt KiKi!!

It was a really great day!!!  

Project PURGE... Update

Project PURGE is still in full swing, however I did take a little break this last weekend for football, both the flag and professional variety.  I wish I could report wins for both, but unfortunately no dice.  Maybe this means some much needed yard work will get done by my hubby this coming weekend...LOL, maybe if he reads this.

Anyhoo...

I accomplished some pretty major areas last week and even managed to surprise my hubby.

I skipped ahead on the list because thanks to my wonderful mom I had some major time with only my darling Tatum.  I tackled the pantry, upper and lower kitchen cabinets, and kitchen drawers.

So here are a few before pics of my pantry.  I would say that on a scale of 1-10 my organization in all areas of my house is a solid 6.  But with three kids and a husband... lets just say not everyone organizes the same way I do and this is the result.

I managed to find a few things I thought I needed to put on the grocery list and a few things that needed to be trashed due to a 2010 2011 expiration date.

 

And I am happy to report that a week later it still looks this nice!!

My kitchen cabinets have been in need of some TLC for quite some time.  When we moved into this house I thought there was NO WAY I would ever fill all of the cabinets because it was more than double what we had in our previous house.  Oh how I was wrong.  I think they were filled within a month and since then I have been playing the Open With Caution game. 

You can pretty much get the idea what the other 20+ are like, so I will just show you the before and afters of the two worst.

Yes... in case you are wondering... that is an open Tupperware of glitter on the bottom shelf.  And yes right after I took this picture Tatum decided to eat this glitter.  Don't worry...it's gone now.  This cabinet has definitely become the catch all for things that find their way into the kitchen and have no place.

This cabinet wasn't AS BAD, but still needed some help.

And here is after the PURGE!

 

 

I sure do have a growing pile of things for our garage sale!!

My craft room is still a work in progress since I paused to take care of a few projects.  I will reveal that PURGE soon.

 

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Bath time...

The only time she is 100% contained anymore.
So we take one EVERYDAY!!

A mom needs to be able to check Facebook and Instagram without losing her baby.

 

Project PURGE

Before the holidays I found myself uncharacteristically annoyed with the clutter and chaos.  And unlike in years past I tried VERY hard to avoid anything that brought small pieces into my house.  When I roamed Toy 'R' Us Christmas shopping almost everything screamed "I have tons of little pieces that you will undoubtedly step on and find all over the house!"  I would not consider myself OCD in any way EXCEPT when it comes to games/toys.  It absolutely drives me nuts when toys/puzzles/games are not put back, are missing pieces or not taken care of.  Ask my hubby!!  Just the other day football was in jeopardy if 4 pieces to one of Tatum's new toys weren't found.  There were tears...quite a few fibs regarding who was the last one to have said pieces, but in the end all were located and I was happy.

For quite some time now...maybe after having Tatum...our house has been running on "A happy mom is a happy home"!!!  More than once I have overheard my hubby trying to explain this to Thomas and Taylor, not sure they are listening, but he tries.

Anyhoo...

Last week my mom was telling me that she was participating in this little cleaning/organizing daily challenge via blogland and it got me thinking.  Now that the holidays are done and packed away I could use a little cleaning/organizing myself.  Of course there are tons of challenges on Pinterest...but I decided to create my own.

I give you....

I picked 20 areas that needed to be tackled around the house.  Some are way more daunting than others, but all are in need of at least a good dusting.  I didn't constrict myself to a set amount of days mostly because I didn't want to get burnt out.  I have started projects like this before and usually don't make it past the halfway mark.

So I started number 5 today, but must admit that after number 1 I called my mom and said the words I swore I wouldn't say for at least two years..."Should we have a garage sale?"  This will be revisited in a followup post titled... "We have serious issues...we have had garage sales every year for 5 years!"

I digress...

She said yes and we are!!  Date TBD!!

Warning...

I am about to share boring pictures of my progress!!! 

The kids' bathroom REALLY needed an overhaul.  I cleaned and organized from top to bottom! 

Although this is a picture of my laundry room a few months back, I can be honest and tell you it pretty much looked the same yesterday.  Now however, it does not!!

I found a home for everything and even managed to find a few matches to some long lost socks.  And since I am striving to be an overachiever...I vacuumed behind and around the washer and dryer!!

Nothing remains that does not belong. 

I started #5 on the list today my craft room!  I did not finish, but definitely made progress. 

Here are the before pics....

I wish I could say I created this mess for dramatic effect, but I did not.  Anyone that crafts knows what can happen to a space like this.  Too much stuff...too little space!!

So there you have it....the start to my first project of the year!!  Updates to follow!!!

Let's Go...

Seahawks!!

Epic Fail

So I often wonder how many people tune-in to my little piece of the world wide web?  How many people read my ramblings and actually return for more?  And of those people... who actually reads and remembers things I have said I will do?  My intention is ALWAYS to follow up if I say I am going too, but honestly if I don't it's only because I have forgotten.  AND since most of you refrain from leaving me comments...I usually only remember when my mother or my aunt reminds me.

I am a procrastinator...I admit it wholeheartedly!!  If there is one thing I could resolve to change about myself, that would be it!!  And maybe that should be my 2013 resolution...IF I were going to make one.  For now though I would like to get back on track and to the point of all this.

A year ago I told you that my hubby and I don't do resolutions and that is true.  However...I did tell you we were going back to something we had done a few years back and setting 12 goals for ourselves.  A goal for each month, a goal for ourselves to be shared at the end of the month at a special dinner.

Enter the EPIC FAIL!!

I can't speak for my hubby because I honestly have no idea what his 12 goals were, but I scored a 2/12....that would be a big fat 16% if you were grading me...which would translate to an F.   And if we were counting the "special dinner" part...my score would be even worse...0/12.  I have absolutely no good excuse except life...life happened and I completely forgot about the goals I set for myself.  2012 was great to us, I have no complaints, but I should have worked harder at achieving more of those goals.  

I want 2013 to be different...I want to set goals and actually achieve them.  I love blogging regardless of how many people read.  It's the hard copy of all the things I think I will remember but really won't.  But if I am being honest I need people to call me out when I say I am going to do something and I don't.  

So on that note...

I have a few things to report.  If you know me beyond this blog you would know one of my major weaknesses for quite some time has been Starbucks Frappucinos...It's become a one-a-day habit for me and if you do the math....please DO NOT do the math...you would know it is an expensive habit.  I decided that I needed to trade the one-a-day habit for a once-a-week habit and I am happy to report I have started off really good.  This may seem trivial to some of you, but a habit is a habit and this is mine.  I will let you know if I stay on the wagon.

And to end my rant tonight...better late than never...I will share the photos that made this years Christmas card (in case you didn't receive one)

 Because of course the 9 month old is the only one that cooperates.

Happy Saturday Everyone!!!

 

Outdoing Her Brother

Still 3 months from turning 5 and she already lost her first tooth!!

Look who had to jump in the shot to show his missing teeth!?!  She is developing a thing for outdoing her brother.  I wonder where they get there competitive sides?  Their dad or their Aunt KiKi??  

Boy do I love these two!!

I need to add a little side note regarding the "Big" Christmas post that wasn't so BIG on pictures.  Every picture I took was blurry, so the one and only pic that turned out was the pic I posted!!