The best laid plans...

It always amazes me that at my house, the hours between 3 and 7 p.m. require the planning and precision of a space shuttle launch to run smoothly. Getting one child to and from the places she needs to be, with what she needs to bring and whatever other children I've agreed to take is a chore. Keeping the other child occupied and out of trouble adds a layer. Throw in dinner, homework, baths and bed by 8:00 and I'm doing some serious juggling 4 nights a week. Hubby's new job keeps him gone until after 7 each night, so he's no longer available to help with this routine. These days, I honestly spend half my day preparing for the evening, just so that it can run smoothly and nobody will be stressed. After all, I'm home all day, right?? And our evenings DO go extremely smoothly, for the most part, as long as I stay on top of things.

That brings me to today, and how one 16-minute phone call threw the whole evening out of whack.

The normal routine starts at 3. I leave the house, toddler in tow, and he naps while I pick up kids from school and drive the carpool home. We arrive at 4, at which time my daughter changes into the proper clothes for whatever sport she has that evening and begins her homework while I put the finishing touches on dinner. We eat our meal, grab the bag corresponding to the day's activity (prepacked with everything she needs), bring along something to occupy the little one, and head off. When we return, we have a snack, take baths, lay out clothes for the next day, pack backpacks and put my daughter to bed at 8, then my son a little later. Smooth as silk, right??

Today, the afternoon was humming along nicely. My daughter came home, changed, and got out her homework. I put the chicken in the oven and vegetables on the stove to steam. Around 4:30, the phone rang. With a little time built into my well-oiled machine I answered it, and talked for exactly 16 minutes. I was hanging up when my daughter ran in to tell me my son was throwing water on her. WAIT A MINUTE. Ran in?? From where?? Where was the water?? Well, it was outside in the sandbox, which had filled up from the rain. And my son was right behind her, completely soaked, covered in sand, clothes ruined and with a poopy diaper to boot. I got him cleaned and changed and wait--what's that smell?? The veggies on the stove, burned to a crisp. And who let the neighbor kids in? And why isn't my daughter's homework done? First things first--I took the pan of vegetables and put it outside, then opened all the windows to air out the awful smell. And by now, it's 5:00 and we have to leave in 15 minutes, so who cares abut the chicken. I turn the oven off, shoo the neighbors out and tell my daughter to bring her homework along in the car. On the way out the door, I make the mistake of getting myself a glass of water. Now my son wants a glass of water, but he's having a toddler moment--not THIS cup! THAT one! No, the OTHER one! And finally, happy with the cup, he proceeds to spit the water all over his clothes and the floor lika a fountain. By now, we are late. There is no time to clean it up, so I rush the kids to the car. Backing out, my daughter--homework in lap and realizing Mom might not be in a good mood--asks--do you have a pencil??
WHY WOULD I HAVE A PENCIL???????
I stop the car, go inside, and get a pencil. And in case nobody saw this coming, I run through the kitchen and slip and fall in the water that I didn't have time to clean up. I am so completely frustrated that I actually yell at the top of my lungs--AAAAARRRGH!!!! That makes me feel better for about 2 seconds, until I remember that I had opened the windows and the neighbors were outside.
We made it to swim team a mere 15 minutes late. My daughter jumped in the pool, I kept my son busy, and we were back to our routine.
We stopped at Chick-Fil-A on the way home, maybe just as well since my daughter's school was having a fundraiser there and she had begged to go in the first place. We arrived home at 7:30 to find my husband munching dried-out chicken from the oven, blissfully unaware of the smell of burned vegetables or the water on the floor or the crazy afternoon we'd had. I didn't know whether to hug him or hit him.

Not panicked, just prepared

I've been reading alot about this swine flu, as I'm sure others have, and it sparked a need in me to be prepared. I'm not panicked, as right now this flu--even if it spreads everywhere--hasn't been so bad in the U.S. and is about like any other flu. But two things bother me: first, I have read that the virus can mutate as it passes from person to person and thereby become more serious. Second-- hurricanes Rita and Ike taught me that often the bigger problem is not the disaster itself, but the chaos created when people panic. It seems to me that some media outlets are sensationalizing this issue, which could lead to unneccessary panic and the spread of misinformation, neither of which is a good thing. So right now, I'm getting myseld prepared so that I can sit back and know that the family I'm responsible for will be fine in the unlikely event of an emergency.
So what did I do? To the tune of $300, I stocked our pantry with non-perishables. We have food galore, diapers, medicine, paper goods, hand sanitizer--anything we might need to hunker down and avoid going out for a while if worse comes to worst. At the very least, it will mean far fewer trips to the grocery store and will eliminate running out for just one thing, which means less opportunity to be exposed to germs. We have hand sanitizer for the car, my daughters backpack, my husband's desk at work and for the house. I hope we don't need any of this, but if we do it is there. And actually, this is all a little less extreme than it sounds because we'd have to do this in about 6 weeks anyway in preparation for hurricane season.
Which brings me to my next issue--what the hurricanes have taught me about the chaos created when people panic. I learned after riding out hurricane Ike that the things I thought I should prepare for weren't the things that were problems. I was prepared with water, batteries, and canned food to get us through the power outage and the week or so that it should take to get things back in order. I figured if things got any worse than that, we could head out to my parents place further inland where they have a huge garden, cattle and otherwise plentiful sources of food. What didn't I anticipate? At the mention of a hurricane, store shelves were wiped clean of perishable items. You couldn't get bread, milk, cheese, anything. Then the stores closed. And people who needed shelter came to stay with us, dwindling our food supply. The hurricane itself was ugly to live through, but the next day we were fortunate to have only minor damage and the power was out for only 24 hours. But that wasn't the end of it. Stores had lost power, and what little perishable and frozen food they had was destroyed and had to be thrown out. They couldn't open, because too many employees had evacuated and they had nobody to work. Trucks couldn't get in to deliver food, so when they did open they had very little to offer and couldn't take credit cards because lines were down. One couldn't get cash out of an ATM for the same reason, and the banks were closed. Schools were closed for a week due to power outages, an inability to provide food service and the fact that so many teachers had evacuated. Once we started to run low on food, we thought about plan B, which was to leave town to head to my parent's place. Well, we didn't realize that traffic would be gridlocked in both directions--inbound, from all the people who had evacuated and wanted to get back in and assess damage, and outbound from all the poeple who had initially stayed but needed to get out of town for the same reasons we did. Gas was in short supply, and grocery stores and convenience stores were out of food. What a mess, and completely different from what we expected the aftermath to be. I learned in all of this how dependant we are on this commercialized way of living modern life, and how much chaos can be caused when the chain of commerce is disrupted. And I also learned, above all else, to be prepared. So that is what I'm doing!

The icky stuff....

Since we started our pledge not to buy anything new for a year, most things have come easily but just a few have been challenging to find. Men's clothes, for example, don't seem to be out there. I think men wear their clothes until they disintegrate off their bodies! The only clothes we've seen second hand have been things so old and ugly that even the husband was willing to part with them, or something ultra-trendy that a very fashion-conscious man wore and decided was out of style. Neither of these types suit my husband, who just likes your regular shorts, T-shirts and jeans. We haven't solved this problem yet, so he's wearing what he has until we figure something out.
Another issue that has come up is our outdoor trash can. We reached the point where I deemed it a health hazard to take the trash out and risk touching it, and this is the point when we would normally get a new one. Well, used trash cans aren't really out there, or at least not used cans any cleaner than the one we have. After looking and looking I finally got the brilliant idea to CLEAN mine. And I feel a little embarrassed to admit that if it weren't for this pledge, I honestly would rather have thrown the can away than clean it. Shame on me. So I got out the water hose, put my son in charge of squirting in the phosphate-free dish soap, and cleaned the heck out of our trash can. And you know what? It wasn't the end of the world. And now the can is clean and usable and that problem is solved. I even cleaned our indoor wastebaskets while I was at it!
I really learned something about mysef in all this. I considered myself very green, very willing to make do and conserve and rise above the marketing and the social taboos of "used" things versus new. I didn't realize that I, too, had a line I didn't want to cross in the name of conservation. But I've done it, icky as it was, and feel like this is the first time since the pledge started that anything has felt like a sacrifice.

Its Christmas again!

I have a very thoughful friend. She has just moved out of her house, and in the process realized she had stuff she'd rather give away than move. She set aside some things she knew I could use and would like and called me over yesterday. Pictured above is a set of christmas stoneware with all the accessories. Now I have formal AND everyday Christmas china. How fancy is that?? And the kicker--she wants to start over with her Christmas decorations, so she gave a few boxes to me. This includes rugs, floral items, a giant stuffed snowman--you name it, all following a certain theme. Did I mention my friend is an interior decorator?? I can't wait 'till Christmas--I may just have to decorate in July. :)

Next is a windfall of toddler and preschool educational items. Her daughter has outgrown them but they are perfect for my son. I spent yesterday arranging them in the buffet next to the table so that we can work together on these activities during the day. Not pictured is a crate of project/educational books from when my friend homeschooled her daughter. They are the right level for my daughter now, so we will have lots of fun activities to keep hands busy this summer.

Though you can hardly see it, she gave me the cute little metal sign on the buffet along with the metal basket. The breakfast room is coming along nicely, considering I've spent a grand total of $10 on it. :)

This cute little Melissa and Doug calendar was with the educational items. My daughter claimed it immediately and ran up to her room to organize her month. Its hanging on her closet door.

These pretty decorative eggs are now decorating my office shelves. I have been cleaning and organizing the office this week, so they came at just the right time.

Not pictured is a pretty outdoor rug. We have everything moved from the patio because my husband is going to paint out there, but I can't wait to put it out.

What a wonderful surprise yesterday. my friend was happy to have some things hauled away for her, and I was glad to get them and put them to good use.

Saturday's tag sale bounty

What's a tag sale without something for the kids?! The ball-drop toy was $1.00 and the tiny rollerblades were $2.00. My son was thrilled! Not pictured is a like-new swimsuit with matching skirt for my daughter for 50 cents.

Welcome to our home! The "new" wreath was $1.00

I love tag sales! The two mirrors above the buffet--solid metal, very heavy, just what I wanted AND with the $49.99 price stickers still attached to each, were $5 each.

Saturday was one of the two days I look forward to in our neighborhood--tag sale day! We aren't allowed to have individual garage sales, so twice a year a tag sale is held at the school and neighborhood residents can rent spaces. I have found that this is when the affluent in our neighborhood (and sometimes us) sell all kinds of great stuff for bargain prices. I went with my list and $30, knowing it would be a treasure trove of household decor and I wasn't disappointed. I came home and put everything in the space where I wanted it to go, and am enjoying the results.

The picture above is actually a plate stand I got on Craigslist the same day with my leftover money. The remainder came from the tag sale.

A nice roomy glass jar for storing treats--50 cents.

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A wrought-iron candle stand for the ledge at the top of the stairs--$1.00

Two nice picture frames for the dresser in the master bedroom--$3.00

Two matching baskets for the kitchen--$1.00 for both

My husband went out before I did with his shopping list. He wanted an outdoor light fixture, as he noticed when replacing siding that ours had rusted through. He also wanted a coffee maker for work, since they don't offer decaf and that's what he drinks. He found this coffee maker for $3.00 and its so much better than than the one we currently use that I traded him!

And he found his light fixture for another $3.oo. A little cleaning and maybe a coat of rustoleum and it will do nicely.

So, we spent $26 at the tag sale and the last $4.00 for an item on Craigslist and I am more than pleased with the difference it made in our home. I love to decorate on a dime!

Did I mention it was drizzling, with huge thunderstorms and possible flooding predicted by 10 a.m.? Only a few die-hard sellers were out with tents or selling from the backs of their cars and a few crazy buyers (ahem) were shopping. I made it home before the real rain started.

Bins and baskets and stuff--oh my!

Toys are in place

Dresser drawers are labelled

Son's closet is organized

Jackets have a place to go

Daughter's closet--smallest in the house and holding the most things!

All that jewelry, makeup and hair stuff in one place!

When things are spaced out in the drawer so she can see it, she wears it all!

Backpacks and purses go HERE, not on the floor!

Ditto for shoes!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, thoughts of spring have got me cleaning and organizing! There is a discussion on a board I frequent about favorite organized spots in the house. I have no idea how to post pictures on a discussion board, so I figured I'd post them here and share them with all of you guys, too!

One of the main reasons our house gets cluttered and disorganized is because an area develops where things need to be or things come in and are put down, and there is no designated spot for them. Sometimes, there is something of a spot for things but nobody knows where it is. I have become a huge fan of bins, baskets, labels and hooks!! They are abundant at garage sales and second hand stores, look fairly decorative and certainly serve a purpose!

The first pictures are of my son's room. The main issue there is with his toys. I try to keep everything out where he can see it and play with it. I have lots of bins to keep his small things together, and they don't have lids so that he can put them away. (and he actually does, though I'm sure he'd quit if he knew we were happy about it!) His closet has an organizer in it, and mainly holds overflow items--extra diapers, clothes to grow into, toys that I don't want all over the floor. His dresser is labelled at each drawer. Not that he can read--LOL--but because we all put his clothes away and everyone would put things in a different place if it weren't labelled and I'd never find anything! We also have hooks for jackets, etc so that they are easy to find and easy to put away. Overall, his room stays tidy so the system works for now.

My daughter's room had different issues. She has the smallest closet and the most stuff--purses, hats, belts, etc. We put in a closet organizer and bought these bins last year at Ikea. They are all labelled so she knows where to find everything. Not only do her accessories go in there, but some hold Barbies and Polly Pockets as well. We put a plastic 3-drawer organizer (lebelled, of course!) for the tons of small things like hair accessories and jewelry. Its nice not to find these things all over the floor!

Her dresser drawers aren't labelled, but I did find that if I arrange things so that she can see everything, it all gets worn instead of just what's on top. Thanks to our quest for simpler living, the drawers aren't crammed full but she has what she needs in there.

It certainly is peaceful having a place for everything and everything in its place, and far less "everything" alltogether! Next post I will show cabinets, pantry and laundry room. :)

Thenext two pictures show where we corrall jackets, backpacks, shoes and etc when the kids walk in the door. If it weren't for these, there would always be a pile in front of the door.

Easter baskets with nothing new

What a beautiful time of year this is! I just love Easter and spring, with all the hope and promise and new life it brings. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and enjoys this season as much as we do.

Easter baskets this year were the easiest ever! I bought everything LAST year. I stumbled across a clearance after Easter, with items 90-95% off and stocked up then. These items have been sitting in the cabinet since, waiting for their time to shine! We already had an abundance of baskets, easter grass, stuffed animals and plastic eggs in a bin in the attic, so we didn't buy a thing. Every Easter I leave the stuffed animals out for only a day or two, then put them back in the attic, so every year they are "new" to play with and they are gone before the kids get tired of them. The kids went thru the bin, chose their baskets, filled them with grass, and left them out for the Easter bunny. Then they played with the stuffed animals and placed them around the room to "decorate". The only store-bought items were packages of animal crackers and goldfish, boxes of raisins and one bag of sugar-free candy for the oldest who can't have sugar. (The youngest doesn't know what candy is and is too young for hard candy, but was happy with his animal crackers and raisins.)

The kids have had fun all morning with their baskets and egg hunt, and are excited as can be!

Nobody needed new clothes this year. My son has an abundance of hand-me-downs, including nice dress clothes and dress shoes suitable for Easter. My daughter has several dresses to choose from, courtesy of a JC Penney clearance after Easter where I bought $40-$50 dresses for $4 each, using a coupon to reduce them further and paying with a gift card from a credit card reward. :)

Our turkey is in the oven--a free turkey from Thanksgiving that we froze to save for Easter. We will have mashed sweet potatoes, fresh green beans, sesame broccoli and homemade rolls along with it. We will eat in the dining room on our good wedding china, keeping a CAREFUL eye on the 2-year-old!