Clorox 2 for Colors, you are NOT my friend.

Some days I wake up and realize all the things I have to be and do ... and whew!  Most of the things I do are for people I love, or I do them because I enjoy them.  But - just when I think to myself, "I'm a good person.  I helped ..." whomever with whatever.  And it feels good.  And then a random written statement (from someone who apparently does not think I'm a good person today) slaps me in the face and it ruins my whole day.  If it came from someone I didn't care about, I'd just shrug it off because whatevs.  But I do care about the person.  And it bothers me that when I'm having a rough month, I can't get any slack.  Just because I do other things, doesn't mean I don't like or care about you.  So yes, I sometimes forget to make a phone call or send an email ... and I understand feelings get hurt because I've responded to something or someone else and not you -- but it's truly not because I don't care.  I just have a lot on my plate right now, and my focus is on getting through the very next day as best I can (I know it sounds lame, but I can't even look ahead to the day after tomorrow right now).  So to all of my friends out there - if I haven't called, or texted for a while, please don't judge me and think I'm being a terrible friend.  I do love and care about each and every one of you.  I try to be a good friend, but I'm not perfect.  And sometimes, I need my good friends to be understanding.

There is nothing worse than waking up to the realization that there is no coffee in the house ... anywhere.  Not even the instant junk.  

Had a good time at art night last night with the family; we celebrated a birthday and a retirement!  My sister-in-law made fantastic orange and lemon cakes.  Very summer-y.  Some of my husband's out of town family was in and it was nice to catch up with them and get to know them a little better.  My nephew and my son had a good time together--and are becoming quite the little team of masterminds.  I just haven't decided if they're going to use their powers for good or evil . . . 

 

Boo.  Being sick is no fun!  Any other mommies out there who feel like the few times they do get sick, it lasts way longer than usual because you don't get to ignore everything and everyone else to rest up and recuperate?!?! 

Bedtime last night was a SUCCESS!  There were no tears, no whining.  How did I do it?  Well, Peyton loves to race.  So, we raced the clock.  I timed him putting on his pajamas.  I timed him picking out a book to read.  I even timed our rocking - three minutes (1 song) with me, three with Daddy.  When time was up, he was nearly asleep because he was trying to beat the buzzer to sleep!  He was in bed and asleep by 8:15pm, which hasn't happened for some time.  The past few weeks it's been 8:30, 9, 9:15 before he was in the bed and actually eyes closed asleep.  So this is one HAPPY Mommy!  Tonight we'll shoot for a little earlier start time so he can be in bed and asleep by 8pm.  :)  I'll let you know how it goes.

Busy, busy, busy!  The past few days I have been helping my sister (Melinda) plan a wedding ... for June 9th - yes, this year!  Melinda is out of town so that's why I've been recruited to do some running for venue contract signing, etc...and I'll be the photographer on the Big Day!  And she has been tirelessly working on the centerpieces which will have some real flowers, but also these really cool paper flowers -- and I'm not sure how many she's made, but the picture she sent looked like a lot!  I don't know how she's doing it!  I must say that even though it's been a little crazy with the date so close, I'm really enjoying our Barrelhouse (her event business) - Avonlea Events (my event business) collaboration!  In addition to that, I'm rebuilding my lia sophia business after baby!  All that (and yes, I'm still working on the house cleaning checklist!), and I'm making sure to make plenty of time for my kiddos!  There's never a dull moment around here!

 

It's a funny thing about checklists ... sometimes life happens and that list gets lost in the shuffle.  So yeah - I didn't complete that checklist.  But I did accomplish a lot more than I would have if I hadn't made a list and tried.  For instance, Mikaela's room is almost completely cleaned out and ready to be painted.  She's only three months old tomorrow...  I mean, she's been sleeping in our room in a bassinet and I haven't felt the pressing urge to move her to her own room yet since she's still waking up for a four o'clock feeding.  But the time's a-coming when she'll be sleeping through the night and will be too big for that bassinet.  Oh well.  Today, I'll sit down and re-evaluate my list, make some changes, and get back to work!

Switching over to Peyton - he used to be great about bedtime.  We'd go in, read a couple books, turn on the music, rock for one song, and then he'd get into bed and go to sleep...or talk to himself until he fell asleep.  Lately, not so much.  I can't decide if it's because of Mikaela, or because he had been having health issues.  Whichever it is, he just wants to rock and rock and rock until he falls asleep.  Don't get me wrong, I love rocking with him, but we can't be rocking him to sleep every night - he has to learn to put himself to sleep again.  And when he was little, the first few times we left him to do that he cried for a while and then got over it.  Now, he will cry and scream and just freak out.  On one hand, I feel like he's playing me; but on the other, sometimes the cry isn't like "Oh, I'm crying because I'm mad that it's bedtime..." but "I'm really freaked out here, and no one is helping me!"  *Sigh*  I guess I'm just going to have to harden my heart a little (or buy earplugs) and break him in like we did when he was little.

 

Okay, so now that I have corrected my profile and all that jazz, I'm ready to share.

It amazes me how on the Real Housewives show, these women are almost never seen with their children doing family things.  And, I'm sure they probably do (hopefully...maybe...), but I can't imagine being so self-centered that all my time is spent on me.  Don't these ladies know what they're missing out on?  For instance, last night we had our Friday night movie night with Peyton - we made pizza and cookies and watched "The Tale of Despereaux."  We snuggled on the couch and enjoyed our simple dinner and Netflix choice.  Well, the pizza, cookies, and snuggling were good.  The movie?  Interesting...but that's a story for another day.  Then this morning we got up and made chocolate chip waffles together.  Okay, that's a lie - he watched me get out the ingredients and then wandered into the living room to watch Transformers Rescue Bots, and I made the waffles alone.  But so far it's been a lovely, family-togetherness kind of morning.

Unfortunately, once I finish writing this blog it will be time for me to continue on with my 'Checklist.'  One task at a time.  Ooohh - paused for a moment to hold Mikaela.  Love snuggle time with my kiddos!  Okay ... I've stalled long enough.  Off to work I go.

So, I'm still learning the "Blog" thing.  And this should have been my first post, not my "About Me" as I have two blogs and people reading my Family Dinner were probably confused when they saw this.  HA HA.  So - what my first post SHOULD have been.

I must preface my description of this page with a disclaimer - This blog is in no way affiliated with The Real Housewives Television Series or its' affiliates.  This is simply my own views and opinions on the life of a true stay-at-home mom and housewife.  Because let's face it; most real housewives aren't reality TV stars with millions to spend on nannies, cars, clothes, etc. while being able to sit around drinking wine all day whining about our superficial problems.  Most real housewives are (maybe) stay-at-home moms as well, raising a family on a super-tight budget.  We're cooks, housekeepers, parents, teachers, referees, nurses, Mrs. Fix-its, taxis, comforters, and a whole lot more.  Now, if you were lucky enough, or devious enough (whatever the case may be), to marry a rich man and your life truly resembles the TV show - then this blog probably isn't for you.  However, if most days you want to strangle the person who came up with the series because "YEAH RIGHT" there ain't nothing real about that, then read on and enjoy!

So yesterday I was pretty pumped about my new plan to get this house into shape.  Today that excitement wanes a little as I realize just how much I have to do.  And this is my problem...instead of looking at my list and taking it one task at a time (like I lined out in said list), I start looking around and see the WHOLE picture, and I want to faint...or curl up into a ball and mumble incoherently about 'damned spots.'  

I remind myself to Breathe and concentrate on my list only.  I will get through this.  Every time I finish one task, I feel good.  So when it's all completed, I know I'll feel great (and I won't panic every time my doorbell rings).  And I'll actually call and schedule that flooring estimate...  I just have to focus.  Easier said than done - but not impossible.  Wish me luck today.

Well, I got the bathroom cleaned and checked off of my list.  The rest of the kitchen will have to wait because Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to shower I go!  

PS.  Scrubbing Bubbles - We have a love/hate relationship.  I do love the product because it cleans well; but that whole "We work hard so you don't have to..." yeah right.  The new stuff that starts out blue and changes to white when it's clean, changes to white almost after immediate contact.  And I know for a fact that toilet isn't clean enough for that quick of a clean!

My journey begins today.  

I should explain.  

Well, in addition to blogging about my real experiences as a housewife and stay-at-home mom, I'll also be sharing my personal goal to whip my house into shape and regain my sanity...or some of it, at least.  Most of the methods I'm using are either taken right from A Slob Comes Clean, or else they're modified versions of her suggestions to fit my personal needs.

One of my first goals is to blog at least every other day, because then I'll be holding myself accountable to really reflect on what I've accomplished each day as I make my way to the goal finish line.   And I really hope to inspire and entertain my readers, and even to say, "Hey, you aren't alone."  Real life, unlike "reality" life, isn't perfect.  Oh no.  Far from it.


So this morning I sat down and created my "Whip This House Into Shape in 5 Days" Checklist.  Now, this isn't a deep-clean, total reorganization kind of checklist.  It's just a Get This to a Manageable Size Issue, instead of the TOTAL DISASTER ZONE that it is now.  I have shown this checklist below...hopefully I will figure out at some point how to just attach the document.  Until then, here ya go - copy and paste it into Word.  If your house is already manageable then this checklist isn't for you.  You can probably get by with my Weekly and Daily Checklists which will come later.


And just so everyone is up to speed - after creating the list, and between feeding Mikaela, putting her down for a nap, giving Peyton a bath, and feeding him lunch, I've accomplished what you see checked off below.  And now that everyone is situated (fingers crossed they stay that way), I'll finish the kitchen and kids' bathroom chores before getting ready for my Mary Kay party tonight!  Wish me luck!