Question of the day

Why is it so incredibly hard to get kids to help around the house?  I have pondered this question over and over and over, all while plotting the demise of the children who ignore my existence while it is clean up time.  They won't go outside to save their lives - but if they can get out of picking up a wet towel they will brave 105 degree Texas heat to avoid the task.

I'd like to blame it on that guy I married my wonderful husband.  Actually he is quite wonderful - unless he is disciplining the children - which is NEVER - or if he's playing video games - because no one must interrupt video games.  NO ONE.  Although, I have less respect for the guys he plays Battlefield with, as last night I discovered they were drinking wine.  I love wine, but any self respecting soldier in the middle of war should not be drinking white-wine spritzers.  Beer, Bourbon or Scotch - that's pretty much the only options for soldiers.

Sorry, I got distracted, back to the lazy children.  How do you make lazy children clean up?

Over the Counter Meds, Paranoia & untapped energy.

I'm sure I've mentioned on more than one occassion - medicine/drugs are not my friend. Especially decongestants. Well, with stuffed or blocked everything I just plain can't function without a decongestant. So I chose the one that does me the least amount of damage.

SURPRISE. I'm slightly paranoid. I said it, I also have boundless amounts of energy, am talking about 90 miles a minute. Unfortunately I have no one to talk to so its all in my head. I'm not sure that's a good thing, but I can't help it. I've decided to use it to clean. I don't think I've ever accomplished so much that didn't need to be done or doesn't show. Cleaned out and organized the pantry. I somehow managed to empty the dishwasher while my eggs were in the pan and I didn't burn them - SEE?!?! Laundry, car, paperwork, trash. I would deserve a reward if I was not sick, but sick, I deserve the Congressional Medal of Cleaning and if there is not one, they should make one, just for me.

Dear President Obama: The unemployed or SAHM of the world need a special award for their tireless work and no salary.....

AAAAAAAAHHHHH! The linen closet is calling.

The things we do for our children

What in the holy hell did I get myself into today? My children share a room. Its all due to a mistake my husband and I made while house hunting, but that is a whole different story.

Anyway, my kids share a room. I am constantly changing that room because they are never happy. E has issues - he's like his momma - he worries about everything. Its too dark, something is going to come in the window, what if the cat is cold. H2 on the other hand is Mr. Hugs and Kisses, and really doesn't worry about anything (he gets that from The Husband). They have been bugging me for a month to move their room again. This time they wanted their beds together. So I started moving the bedroom today. 1st lets just talk the laundry involved in this. We all know Dijea doesn't like to do laundry. So this already threw the day in a tizzy. The new sheet, the new mattress pad the old sheets & blankets etc. I moved the dresser/desk & toy bin out so I could clean everything. I did the floors, baseboards, washed the curtains. I went to Home Depot got some zip ties and tied the twin beds together.

They loved it. 10 minutes after I turned off the lights they decided the bed was uncomfortable.

EXCUSE ME! ITS THE SAME STINKING BEDS, just tied together with plastic zip ties that cops tie up drunk people. How can they not be the same amount of comfortable that they were yesterday? I am still cleaning up the crap that didn't go back in their room and they are already wanting me to change it again.

It was a terrible no good very bad day, and I'm moving to Australia.

Maybe its a TOOMAH...

I think something is wrong with me. SERIOUSLY WRONG. I'm feeling lovey-dovey. Yes you heard me right. I want to hug people and talk to people. I actually wrote that I loved my husband on Facebook. How pathetic is that? I do love him despite his addiction to video games and horror flicks - both of which I could totally do without. Oh and his propensity to burp at the dinner table - sometime even burp a sentence. Yes, he communicates through burps, well sometimes.

I am sarcastic and strange. Creatively obnoxious and well just plain different. I AM NOT LOVEY-DOVEY. Although I am a hopeless romantic. Didn't see that coming did you?

Except for this break so far today, I am cleaning - I think I even hear birds chirping. You'd think I was in a disney movie, except there is no way I would look as good as Amy Adams in curtains or get birds, squirrels and cockroaches to help me clean. Wouldn't that be nice? I might even go grocery shopping on a Saturday. Just because.

Okay, maybe not.

I have volunteered to make school packets next week. Am thinking about cleaning out a closet oh, and I'm going to paint my bedroom. What the heck is wrong with me? SOMEONE BRING BACK DIJEA.

The one where I shared too much...

It amazes me sometimes the cycles that life goes through. I am finding myself in a very contemplative state wondering what direction to go and which path to follow. Sometimes I feel like a caged bird that opened its cage and sometimes I feel like a dog chained to a spike - allowed some freedom but limited.

I want to explore something different - find my true space in the universe. I know that sound bizarre because I am over 40 and should know what that is, but I don't. I have spent my life accommodating others. That sounds ridiculous doesn't it? I followed a job path my mother thought was acceptable. I always was afraid of disappointing her. I didn't finish college because I kept being pointed in the business/accounting/teaching direction. I am NOT by any means a left brained individual, but for some reason I felt it was more important to please others than please myself. Not that my mother ever forced her ideas on me, I for some strange reason felt required to follow her hopes for me. Maybe its just a fear of failure, so I follow someone else's ideas I can't fail with my own.

Now I am stuck in a horrible position of not doing what I love. Or even exploring what I like. I have an obligation to my family, one that will always come first as they are the most important people in my life. My husband, although a loud snoring individual, loves me and I want nothing more than to return that love in every way imaginable. My kids are a constant source of joy - even when arguing about who got more snacks or "special time" or who that stupid toy belongs to. My husband would absolutely let me try anything I want - he's that kind of guy. I thank my lucky stars I married him, even though he has an unhealthy obsession with video games and a rather off-color sense of humor and is as quick to temper as I am. I kind of like that off-color sense of humor, not so much the crazy songs he makes up.

I just wish that the economy wasn't so screwed up. That I didn't see the government making incredibly dumb decisions everyday. Where is it that we have to write all this extra crap into bills? Can't we just say NO and do only 1 thing at a time. I feel like we need to rebel against all the excess and just take it one thing/day at a time. I wish I could just do what I wanted instead of being responsible for so much. Yes, I'm trying to avoid cleaning the bathroom. Can you tell? It just frustrates the hell out of me to see so much crap being flung around in the name of all that is good in the world.

I find myself being pulled in a different direction. I've been walking and listening to some incredible music that puts me in a creative mindset. I've lot 10 lbs, I feel better, I want to just be me and not worry about responsibilities so much. Other than those I have to my husband and my kids. Its not that easy. Enjoy life and maybe, just maybe everything will fall into place.

I am monumentally bored...

I don’t think in the history of the universe I have ever been so bored. I am currently in the office and we have a ton of stuff to accomplish, but are waiting on either printers or deliveries. I can’t stand to be doing nothing. I have absolutely no desire what-so-ever to do anything that might help me personally. Like search for recipes or books or find something educational to read. I have filed everything, re-organized everything I can find and well am about to scream out loud just to get a reaction out of somebody.

I’ve called my husband, who has absolutely no desire to talk on the phone. He’s not a phone talker, unless of course I am talking about sports, which even though I understand most sports – I could truly care less about stuff like La Cross or Soccer; I’m more of a Hockey, Basketball or Football kind of girl. I’ve been working weekends so long, that now that I’m not, I couldn’t tell you a football players name to save myself, unless they are/have been or might be dating some ridiculous celebrity that shows up on every trashy website on the planet. I can barely keep up with the TV shows I’ve recorded much less learn sports guys names, teams and stats. Now, the only exception is really hockey, because well there is a propensity for blood, it’s the kids’ favorite and well, its fast moving. I also have a texting/tweeting buddy during the game I get easily distracted and all the stops and starts in football tend to make me lose focus and our basketball team falls apart in the 4th period so why bother.

I totally want to change the direction of my life at the moment. I don’t really know how to approach this subject with the rest of my family. Parents, husband etc. I so want to be more creative. I’ve always had a very creative mind, but I’ve always been pushed to use my left brain, be a teacher….be an accountant. Job security, stability, etc. etc. I hate boring jobs like that. I like working Real Estate, because for the most part no two houses are alike and I work with a group of very diverse people with interesting personalities. So professionally I’m happy. Personally, I would like to find the time to write more, maybe dip the toes into writing some short stories. Have the time to research some options with my poetry. I’d love to take pictures all the time, but its hard to balance home, family and hobbies. Since I’m working more, I have less time to keep the house – of course part of the problem is years of pack-ratting stuff. I’m very much in purge mode, which I did in the kids room yesterday. I dumped a 30 gallon bag of trash and got almost all the stuffed animals out of the room. My kids would not allow me to get rid of them, but maybe I can get them to forget about them after a while and “POOF” they are gone. Ooooh, maybe a squirrel could get in the attic and tear them apart. SHHH! Don’t tell.

I’m hoping to work on cleaning out the attic and garage. Having a garage sale, getting some stuff on Craigslist or Ebay. I might even venture further, but need to talk to the hubby first.
I must go plan my organization of closets. Peace out.

So I'm about to be made fun of

I've given up trying to get anything else accomplished this weekend.  Did I manage to do what I said?  A big giant NO would be the answer, but I did accomplish a lot, mostly avoiding the one thing I needed to do.  I washed 4 loads of clothes on Friday night.  I washed 6 loads on Saturday and another 4 today.  I don't live in a very big house so how the 4 of us could generate that much laundry is well, discusting.  But I did wash our sheets and the kids sheets, comforters and that included the matress pads.  I also managed two 30 gallon trash bags of trash and a 30 gallon bag to donate.

Ethan had a soccer game on Saturday and we had a Halloween party on Saturday night.  The kids had a ball.  I also spent probably 2 hours running errands.  Check out the Zombies:

On Sunday I got up and made the kids pancakes.  Then got them ready to go visit their Bubbie with their Aunt.  While we were waiting for Aunt Anjie to pick them up, I got adventurous and trimmed the trees in the front yard.   Can you believe that?  I also went to the grocery store and later this afternoon to Target for toilet paper and cat food.  I'm exhausted and plan to do nothing more than dinner tonight.  

I guess my husband gets to make fun of me.

I feel dirty.

Ok, the kids have been dropped off at Grandma's and Paw Paw's for a week.  I really needed to get them out of the mess that is the remodel.  Unfortunately, Hunter has developed something with his ear and well, its awful quiet around here, despite the ungodly hammering.

All this said, OMG!  The bathroom in the hall - the one the guys have been using - Toxic waste dump.  UGH!  I feel dirty just walking in there, having to clean it is well, outside of my job description.  This is why boys (including my children & sometimes my husband) are not allowed to use the master bathroom.  1) its small & 2) its the only place this girl can go and be left alone.  

I have somehow spent the morning trying to make it habitable, but I'm not sure I can do that without a has-mat suit.  I hope none of the germs flew out and got into the rest of my house.  

Besides all this, I painted my toenails.

Hello, the insane cleaning lunatic here.  Yes, I was at it again.  Today I spent the day cleaning out the dining room aka THE PLAYROOM.  Shortly, we will be remodeling our kitchen and den.  To do this we have to empty the kitchen and den.  Where is the den furniture going? - the dining room.  Where will the gunk that's been in the dining room go?  The kids room.  YeeHaw!  

Last week we rearranged the kids room so I could make "play" space.  Surprisingly enough I actually accomplished this and today after buying a rug for their room - we organized, boxed up or moved their toys.  I moved about 10 boxes of gunk to the attic and am feeling like I got something done.

 For fun, I moved the kitchen table into the dining room and we actually ate in the dining room.  We haven't done that since before the children were born.  Is that sad or what?  

Where did this come from?

To prove that I am complete insane and 100% too hyper for my own good.  This is what I completed before lunch today.  

1. A complete clean out of my childrens' room.
2. A complete re-design of my childrens' room.
3. Sweeping & Polishing hardwood floors, baseboard & window seals in kids room.
4. Organizing their closet.
5. Completed reading a book. 
6. Made my bed. (It makes my list look longer)

I should rest, but I think I'll clean something else out while I'm on a roll.  

No, I won't come to your house.

I'm nuts,  crazy, a little insane even.  I have cleaned my whole house today.  THE WHOLE HOUSE.  I cleaned the kitchen - including sweeping and mopping the floors.  Both bathrooms (yes I even wiped the underside of the toilet lid).  I swept every inch of the hardwoods.  I vacuumed the rugs (and the baseboards).   All beds are made, all dishes are clean except the ones in the dishwasher  (its not full) and the glass I am currently drinking out of.  All laundry is washed, folded and put away, except the load currently in the dryer.  Oh, I even dusted the ceiling fans. 

Note to Husband:  

MAYBE AS A REWARD, I NEED A NIKON D300.  Right?  Come on honey, I know you want to get it for me.  Don't cha?  (Mason, I am smiling really big right now, that cannot be relayed in my writing.)

I know this might ruin it, but I haven't cleaned of the desk.  LOVE YA!

What have I done?

Why is it when I get a bug up my butt, its the biggest bug in the whole universe?  Again, I decide to clean my kids room. I have now re-arranged the closet removed a dresser for a more "open" look. Made beds, cleaned from under the beds, thrown out 30 gallons of trash.  I realize they are boys and make more trash than girls, and are not super-organized like their Virgo mother, but geez, how do you collect so much gunk.  I was only gone a little while.  I found missing shoes, I've re-organized their bookcase.  Now I'm re-arranging the bookcase in the front room.  (Also their books)  I'm afraid I've taken this too far.  Its like taking a pill, once you've taken it, you just got to let it wear off or throw up.  

I thought this day would never end.

I started on the run this morning with two kids to feed & make lunches.  Three cats to feed - one so new to the family that it has to be separated from the rest.  I dropped off two kids and two different schools (Isn't that special!)  As soon as I dropped the last one of at 9 - off I was to work for almost 5 hours - remember I usually only work weekends.  This week I'm working Wednesday to Wednesday - yes 7 days straight.  Work was probably the easiest part of my day.  I really like my job, I enjoy the people I work with - A LOT.  Not that we don't all have our moments, but I can honestly say I wish I saw them more.  

Anyway - I left work at 2 and then I'm off to two carpools.  Got home at 3:30 then finally got a little snack as I didn't get lunch.  Cleaned the kitchen - got the kids fed.  Cleaned out the pantry.  I had a total OCD moment.  Then cleaned the kitchen swept, mopped and packed up the rest of the china to pass to my brother-in-law & his wife.  

But the Pantry is now organized.  There is something to be said about that.