Really trying....

Why is it that every time I have tried to do some school work (other than the huge scanning pile - which i did get complete but have not organized into electronic files yet) something stops me? For instance I actually tried to work on my blackboard account but could not remember my log in password. Then I tried to look at the CD rom that goes with the Health oriented Chemistry textbook. Can't get my school laptop (read the only one I have that has a CD drive in it) to connect to my home internet. My last effort came today when I was trying to make a powerpoint showing that I know all the "hiding my cell phone behind obvious things" trick but I could not access the pictures I needed. Is God trying to tell me not to worry about school or is it the technology gnomes that are foiling my heroic attempts of getting ahead?

Things I love....

There are a gazillion reasons I love summer (and my break from teaching) but I know the thing I will miss the most is spending time with my girls (obviously).

The second most missed thing is staying up on the dishes and laundry. During the school year on Saturday mornings I wake up to clean an over run kitchen. Sometimes it it takes two dish washer loads to get all the dishes done. (Against the minimal environmentalist in me we have tried the paper dishes but that means there are bags of trash versus dirty dishes. A no win situation.) I realize that Wednesday/Thursday is when I tend to 'lose' control. When/if I ever have the money I will hire some one to come in on Thursdays to take things back to ground zero for me so that my every weekend does not start with a mass cleaning session.

I can't overly complain about the laundry during the school year as it becomes a chore of the Mister. He washes and dumps them on the couch (this drives me nuts but I usually don't have the energy to finish it myself or complain about it at that time). Then during the middle of the night (usually toward the end of the week or when his end of the couch gets full) he folds them. They still take over the entire couch but are neatly folded. At that point it is each man for himself on putting them away (except I get the bonuses to do mine, the general house stuff - towels, dish towels, etc. and the toddler's clothes). Again I am not the responsible party for the most of it so I really can't complain. I know he enjoys this aspect of the summer too.

So I am enjoying the upkeep of these things while I can. :)

Busy summer days

How is it that I can find a whole days worth of nothing to occupy my days all in my apartment? Playing on FB and checking the blog/email/BHB periodically are guilty pleasures that I indulge in when I pass by my laptop or I don't know what to do next. Another on going challenge is attempting to potty train (or at least indulging in her asking) the toddler. Nothing has actually gone straight from her body to the toilet bowl yet but things are very warm when she asks to go so I am trying to keep at it with her. I have pulled out the plastic panties while hanging at home today and she has wet one pair even though I am taking her to the potty every 30 minutes. She goes in the pants THEN tells me. I am not sure how to reverse that process.

I have reorganized the girls' closet so I have more shelf space above the hanger clothes. What to put there? Don't know just yet. Our next mission was to save their DVDs from the storage spot as it always was too tempting for the toddler tornado. Now they have 3 empty desk drawer waiting to be filled again. But alas, looking something for something toddler friendly to fill them.

Tomorrow we are attempting to (gasp) leave the house and go to the beach. Wish me luck!

True 'dat

So as a revisit to some of my goal posts (he he he, I said goal posts...like as in football but not...lol).

In no particular order......

I have been scanning my little heart out of school papers in an effort to go green in my files (not really...more of a convenience thing but it is a bonus environmentally so I will go with it). Not finished yet but that is the precursor before doing the blackboard goal.

I have a binder with baseball inserts and have begun my coupon sorting. DH requested to departmentalize it. I rationalized that he had a say in the organizing being that I will most likely ask him to find the needed coupons while I kid wrangle.

I have successfully completed 3 new recipes since returning from the north: Crockpot turkey breast, Noodleless Lasagna, and Taco Soup. All 3 are crockpot recipes too taken from this site. I LOVE this site!!! You should too.

The girls' chore chart (well, excel spreadsheet that stays open on my laptop) is underway. The Middie is empathetic as usual. We recently had a toothpaste and toilet bowl issue but I really don't want to talk about that right now. The Oldest is really into it though. I consider it a math lesson too. I have to admit she is a GREAT helper. She unloads the dishwasher, toddler wrangles, cleans the table and highchair after meals, folds laundry, etc., etc. She really impresses me.

I have purchased and received the Twilight series as I wanted but have not yet reread as 'prescribed'. I read what is available on this Stephanie Meyers' site of Midnight Sun. I want to read Twilight with the Midnight sun together. I am already planning on a personal day for November 20th - New Moon any one? :D


I still do not have my weekly schedule down as I had hoped (traveling kind of got in the way) butt so far I am feeling quite accomplished with what I have done so far. I will keep y'all posted though!

My master plan, bwahahaha......

The wheels have been turning and so these thought begun.

Things I want to remember to execute in the near future (hopefully).....

1) I want to purchase 3 large fluffy towels in 3 different shades of pink. Then have each of the girls' names embroidered on them (one name per shade - I will assign these). That way they have one towel to use, a clean spare one and an extra for "emergencies". I will do the same with big fluffy white ones for me (i like to bleach mine) and Big Daddy is settling for a beige color (he'd prefer black or dark blue but that will not go with the mental motiffe I have for our master bathroom in our new house once we sell our old one and purchase a new one here).

2) I am going to buy a cute binder and baseball card insert holders to clip/organize coupons more effectively. My pile system does not work but I know the binder does from seveeral other Mommies like those here.

3)I am going to make a chore list for the girls for the summer and if their chores are not done, not matter how badly I want to go to the beach or pool or park or library or other super fun outing, we will not go.

4) I have discovered today the best way to avoid confrontation when nagging orders to my children is to tell them ONE thing to do at a time and then CHECK to make sure it was completely properly. I have deduced that they have the short term memory span of a goldfish. Since my mind is always multitasking I tend to give multiple directives and this has not worked in the past. Today (so far....knocking on wood) one thing at a time is working. Ahhhhhhhhh....

5)Since I already have the school supplies list for my soon-to-be Kindie girl, I am will buy a few school supplies each WM/Target visit, that way I can shop sales and not spend a fortune in the middle of August. Maybe my soon-to-be second grader will get her list and I can do this shopping once.

6) Before school starts in August I will have a budget/idea for each of the girls' fall birthdays. We have one is September and 2 in October. Again easily a small fortune could be spent on these.

That is all for now...I am having writer's block....I will continue later when the hamsters start moving again.