a plate too full

it has been way too long since i have been able to sit down and just write. the main reason being i started summer classes. i was really excited to take a summer English course. i was all signed up only to learn, last minute, it was going to be canceled due to low enrollment. i chose a different course and had to figure out after school and summer childcare. then i learned the class, which i thought was 12 weeks long, is only 6 weeks long! not that big of a deal - it means a lot more work because it condenses 15 weeks of instruction into just 6, but it also means i still get a summer vacation. i figure it is a decent payoff. except for just one little thing.......and this is where i always begin to seriously doubt my logic.......i thought it would be a great idea to sign up for a 2nd summer class and chose to take my last required semester of spanish. so now i am cramming another class into an already ridiculous 6 week schedule.

so for the last week all i have done is school work. i have been able to cook dinner and help with kids homework but that is about it. i have new curtains that need to be hemmed still pinned hanging in my bedroom, piles of clutter that need to cleared, floors that need to be swept and vacuumed, a shelving unit that needs to be completed for my boys room, dogs that need to be walked, kids that need to be played with and a sweetie that needs some serious cuddle time, not to mention the pile of books waiting to be read 'just for fun' and this blog that needs some serious love as well.

i get a bit overwhelmed when i think about the next 5 weeks and the 9 short novels and the language i should be close to mastering by the end of it all, but i still believe the hard work will be worth it! it is only 6 weeks and then i will have a whole 5 weeks off until the fall semester starts. i figure i am getting the best of both, knocking off 2 more required courses and still getting the majority of the summer to do nothing but relax and play with my family (ok ok, i know the dishes and the cleaning and the clutter and the pups will still be there but let a girl live in the bliss of denial just for a bit...) until next time which hopefully won't be another week from today - take care of yourselves and get an extra hug from someone...it'll make you both feel better :O)

menu plan 5/14/07

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope all you fabulous mom's had a wonderful Mother's Day! Menu planning has not only saved me a bunch of time and whining about going to the store AGAIN?! but it has also saved me a bunch of cash! I didn't quite believe it and thought maybe it was just a fluke the first week but then I took the time to go over my bank statement and realized I am saving money by only going to the store once a week! BONUS! I am sure it is because when I am dashing to the store while frazzled, I have been buying things that I don't need or that I already have on hand. Besides that, I am usually going to the store when I am hungry and that is just a seriously bad idea :O)

We had a winner last week with Tamale Casserole - not much of a surprise, it is always a favorite in this house. The kids actually cheered when they heard it was on the menu. The Split Pea Soup w/ chorizo was a new dish in this house and it was OK but it was a bit thin. I would suggest cutting the liquid down to help thicken it up a bit. Here is what is on the menu this week.

Monday - leftovers from the fabulously yummy Mother's Day Dinner w/ my folks
Tuesday - Navajo Tacos
Wednesday -BBQ Spare Ribs w/ potato salad
Thursday - Refrigerator Medley
Friday - Boboli Pizza (movie night)
Saturday - Chicken Enchiladas
Sunday - Baked Pasta (well sort of)

Happy Monday to you all and for more menu ideas or to join in, visit Laura the Organizing Junkie

SMART Habits - week 3

Another Saturday......another habit! I'm beginning to think that I should add SMART Habits Saturday to my new habits list!

Last week, I set out to drink more water. I definitely need to keep working on that one! I did better in that I drank A LOT less Diet Coke this week than I usually do but half of the days, I fell short of my 64 oz of water goal. On those days, I drank only 32 oz of water. I'm not getting down on myself because I have made progress and I know I will keep working on it. I did learn a couple of interesting things this week: 1) the more water I drink, the more I crave water, and 2) I drink DC every time I crave something sweet, which unfortunately for me is ALL OF THE TIME! So this week, I will work on finding a healthier substitute for satisfying my sweet tooth. I am thinking along the lines of Crystal Light of a piece of fruit or maybe a diet flavored iced tea. Hopefully those will work. Any other suggestions?

I am also going to add the habit of walking at least 3 days each week. The pups could use the exercise too and it would be a fun way to spend time with my monkeys and my sweetie too! We live in a great neighborhood and so close to a nature preserve which is a wonderful place to explore. Along with the weather being so fabulous at the moment, I really don't have any excuses for not doing so.

Happy trails for me and for you too! :o)

Book Reiew "Black Like Me"

I just finished reading "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin. It was recommended to me by my English Lit professor during the fall semester. I wish I had gotten to it sooner!

This book was amazing. It was also very very sad. John Griffin a white reporter who sets out to discover what it would be like to live in the south as a black man. He finds a doctor who gives him medication and cream that allows him to change the color of his skin. Once that happened, he began his journey and immersed himself in the deep South.

This book is a record of his experience. What amazes me the most about his story is the fact that it occurred just 40 years ago. His journey began just before the Civil rights movement began. It is a sad story because while it is obvious that some progress has been made in terms of discrimination, there is so much that is still the same. Perhaps it has not been long enough for things to be different but that sounds like a really lame excuse to me.

It makes me sad because there are still so many negative thoughts and actions that I need to protect my children from. I appreciate this book because it is a reminder of the lessons I still need to teach my children and a reminder of why those lessons need to be taught. My hope is that my children will be the beginning of the generation that will teach society about tolerance, acceptance, and understanding.

I do highly recommend this book. It is a great insight into the history of mistaken ideas about race and the ways in which those ideas have (and continue) to manifest themselves in today's society. In fact I will be giving it to my daughter to read. She is thirteen and while this book does mention a few 'adult' ideas, they are not something that we have not discussed before.

summer to do list

Let me tell you one thing I need to do all of the time is make a to do list! I make one almost everyday so that I won't forget all of the things that I need/should/want to do. I swear I would get nothing done without them! However, I never make a list for the fun stuff - I just never thought of it....until today.......ok, ok, I didn't think of it, the lovely Angelena over at Country Life did!!! She linked it up on WFMW and I was lucky enough to stumble upon it.

Since I am just a fan of lists and a fan of fun, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a summer to do list and put the two together. I won't be able to sign the kids up for a summer program this year because of cost and because drop off/pick up times don't work with my school schedule. Sooooooo, they will be home with me as their source of entertainment and that just won't work! for many many reasons!!!!!

Here is the Summer Fun list so far

beach on fridays
swimming @ sierra madre pool
picnic @ the arboretum
walk the dogs
go to the park
bowling
movies - at the theater and on the couch
water fight
eaton canyon
bake cookies/cupcakes/cakes
homemade popsicles
cook/eat in the back yard

Sp exciting to know that we won't have to sit home and wonder over and over again what we should do today.....the kids are gonna love it and so am I! Need ideas or have a list of your own - head on over and join in!

Works for Me! Cereal Containers

I just don't know where the time is going - It cannot possibly be Wednesday again already!!!

What works for me today are these nifty cereal containers. I got them a few months ago and they have been a huge help. I got tired of constantly heading to the kitchen for breakfast, grabbing a bowl, reaching for a box of cereal, pouring and realizing there is only about 2 bites left!!!!

Well, no more! not sense we got the containers. They live on top of the fridge and all can see how much is left. This way there are not disappointments in the morning and, miraculously, there are no more 2 bite left overs either! They hold a large box or 2 smaller boxes of cereal which saves space and it makes knowing if cereal needs to be added to the shopping list easier too!

Head on over to Rocks in my Dryer for other Works for me tips and ideas. There is some really good stuff over there!

Tackle It Tuesday #2

This week was short but sweet! I tackled dining room shelves. I wasn't going to participate this week since I took my last 2 finals of the semester today but I really really really need to tackle quite a few projects (and lovely 'little' clutter piles) in the next week. That is all the time off I get before summer session starts. NO FAIR! On top of that, I am the worlds best procrastinator and excuse maker upper and I would desperately like to change those things. Therefore, I hit the shelves with a vengeance and I am very happy I did. Not a lot of work brought a big sense of calm to a the very chaotic world I am currently living in.

I turned this:

Into this:

I took the dictionaries/encyclopedias and extra folders to the empty shelves in the boys room that came into existence last week, put the cook books and recipe collection in the kitchen (makes much better sense for them to live there), removed the once blooming tulip bulbs now turned 'science experiment', and gave the shelves a good washing and voila.....a have a new clutter free area. In the process I found home for my lovely serving bowls -not bad for 15 minutes. Now for my next trick, I'll keep it that way!

Randomness (i think i just made up that word)

I've been tagged!!!! Didn't you hear me call times?!? :O)

Heather over at Desperately Seeking Sanity has tagged me w/ the 7 random things meme. The rules are easy: Each player writes seven random facts about themselves. People who are tagged write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules and then choose seven others to tag and list their names. Leave a comment for the ones you tag to let them know and send them to your own blog.

Now that the official stuff is out of the way - here is the fun stuff

#1 - My hair is naturally blond but for some strange reason a few years back I decided to that it wasn't blond enough and so I decided to go with the bleach blond look. Bad enough but I made it worse! Shortly after bleaching my hair I decided to go with a brown/red color. The only part of that dye job that stuck was the red and I ended up with bright red streaks in my bleach blond hair. Oh yeah - I looked cool!

#2- I am currently an English major studying to become a teacher but I secretly want to be a social worker but just not sure that I can handle the emotions.

#3 - I am the most disorganized perfectionist you will ever meet. My clutter lives in neat little piles all over the place!

#4 - I'm scared of the dark. Always have been and probably always will be - one reason I had an alarm system installed in my home

#5 - I am currently obsessed with books (that obsession will never go away), shoes (specifically flip flops and sandals), handbags (doesn't matter as long as it's cute!).......and sun dresses (refer back to handbags!)

#6 - When I was pregnant with my fist child, I really really really wanted a boy because I was terrified to have a daughter - I just knew I wouldn't be a good mother to a little girl. I fell in love with my daughter the minute I laid my eyes on her and fall in love with her for new reasons every day. I still have moments when I'm terrified that I'm not a good mother to her

#7 - While writing this post, I am enjoying a root beer float and watching soap operas because it is something that I rarely do, I finished my finals and therefore my first full year at USC today, I have an incredible sweet tooth, I just happened to have the supplies on hand, and gosh darn it - I deserve it and I can!

Now that I am it.... I tag

1) Megan over at Jumping Monkeys
2) An Ordinary Mom -
3) Lara, The Lazy Organizer -
4) Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer
5) Life as a Mama
6&7) others that i would have put here have already been tagged! is that cheating?

Have a fabulous day!

menu plan - 5/7/2007

Well. I didn't get to my menu planning by Sunday as I set out to. However, I did get to it today and since I have the day off from school (finals week) and the kids will be with their dad this afternoon, I will have plenty of time to get my shopping done!

I must admit that menu planning has really helped out and given me a lot of extra time around the house and with the kids. It is lovely not to have to scramble last minute everyday and figure out what to cook with what's on hand or running to the store to grab ingredients. Besides, it gives me more time to play with my monkeys and finally make progress on projects that have been piling up around the house. Here is what we have on deck for this week!

Monday: left over spaghetti from last night
Tuesday: Split Pea Soup w/ Chorizo
Wednesday: Tamale Casserole
Thursday: Refrigerator Medley
Friday: kids w/ dad for weekend and date night w/ my sweetie
Saturday: Pad Thai
Sunday: Mother's Day = I get the night off - yippie :O)

I feel like I'm cheating a bit by having leftovers 2 nights this week but I need to save on the grocery budget and I just can't stand throwing out food at the end of the week. So, leftovers it is!

Have a fabulous week fellow planners and if you want to join in, visit Laura the Organizing Junkie!

*I'll post these recipes by the end of day - check back for the added links!

SMART Habits - week 2

Are you drinking enough water?

My answer is a resounding NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

I took the little quiz on the link above and learned that today - based on my weight, physical activity, local climate, etc. - I am to drink approximately 2.3 liters of water each day. How much water do I usually have you ask? Well let me see.........ok and then add that.........and add that.....carry over and the grand total is a big fat ZERO! Oh, but let me tell you how much Diet Coke I had yesterday

Let's see that's 5 12oz cans, plus 2 20oz bottles, plus a 32oz drink while I was helping my friend move and that adds up to...... 132! I am completely addicted to Diet Coke and I do not use that word lightly. I know its bad for me, I really do, and I know that I need to be drinking more water (a whole lot more) but there is a HUGE disconnect between knowing and doing in my world. However, recent health concerns (and a good talking to my best friend yesterday) have me thinking that I really need to take my health and what I put into my body more seriously and so I believe I have some good motivation.


Needless to say, my SMART Habit for this week is to drink water. I'm gonna jump right in and go with the ever popular 8 glasses of water a day. I bought myself a handy dandy 32oz travel water bottle. Its a cute pinky purple color so I will want to take it with me and I only have to fill and drink it twice to get my 64oz in! Sounds simple enough to me and yet, I am not so sure. What about my Diet Coke!?!

Well, I know that I cannot cut it out completely, I just don't have the will power. Therefore, I am going to allow myself to have it but within a few guidelines. I will not have a DC until after I have had 32oz of water. I figure, after having all that water, I won't really be thirsty and so maybe, just maybe, I won't want the DC so badly. I know I need to take caffine withdrawl into consideration but perhaps a nice cup of tea or even coffee to start my day will get me through? If not, I know that the suffering will only last a couple of days, I will get through it, and I will be much better for having made the change.

Last week my chosen habit was to plan my dinner menu for the week and have the shopping done by the end of day Sunday. I did great last week but ACK! just realized that my weekend is really booked!!! Now, I am not so sure I'll get the planning and the shopping done by Sunday night. Perhaps planning the menu should happen midweek......before the busy weekend.........yeah that might just be a good idea.

Thanks for reading! Wish me luck and get in on the fun!

we've made the switch!

Paper or not to paper? that was my question

I finally made the decision. After too many middle of the night washing sessions and too many days of extremely dry hands and too many weeks spent obsessing over this issue and who knows how many countless hours lost in front of the sink, I finally switched to paper plates and bowls! I was able to these paper plates made from recycled materials AND they are biodegradable AND they can be recycled again!!! YAY!!! Better yet, I found them at my friendly neighborhood grocery store! Now I am sitting here thinking "Why didn't I do this earlier?"

All of that takes away my guilt of using more trees just so I wouldn't have to wash the dishes. But wait there's more....while I was in line, I noticed that the store was selling reusable grocery bags and they only cost $1.oo each. Most reusable bags are like the regular plastic grocery bags (no support on the bottom) but these are more like the paper ones. They have sturdy plastic inserts that can be laid in the bottom for support and be taken out in case I wish to wash my lovely new bags. Oh and the handles are super convenient too - sturdy enough to stand up to the job and long enough to be thrown over a shoulder! How very thoughtful of them! Let's hear it for Albertsons!!!

Just because I am currently so in love with my new grocery bags, here is a pic so you can love them too!

Of course, I will now be saying goodbye to my lovely plates. They won't be gone forever and will still live in my cupboards and come out for special occasions, guests, or on a day when I need some cheering up - I love my dishes, they make me smile


see, aren't they fabulous?!? I will miss them but I will not miss the water bill or the dry hands or going to bed later because I have to finish up the dishes first or........I'll still have to wash the pots and the silverware but aaaahhhhhhh - i'm already relaxing. (and already have a growing list of things that can be done in my newly found free time!)

things to remember when i'm feeling blue

blue is my favorite color
i'm alive and so have the privilege of being down in the dumps
somebody somewhere has is worse off than i
my monkeys
and my sweetie
and everything about all of them
butterflies
the wildflowers i planted last month are beginning to bloom
hot chocolate - who cares if it's 75 degrees today?
this too shall pass......?.......not quite there yet
sunflowers
and gerbera daisies
the moment each of my children were born
the moment my love asked me to marry him
ladybugs
the first time i heard danielle say"ma" and she knew who she meant
the way enrique laughs and laughs when he gets a 'raspberry' on his tummy
the way luis always comes running to give me a hug when i pick him up from school
sunrises
and sunsets
the way it feels to laugh out of pure joy
breakfast - a really big breakfast w/ eggs french toast and bacon
chocolate - candy, cookie or frosting form it doesn't matter
the kids might be getting bigger but i'm still taller (for now)

happy birthday!!! (works for me)

The Birthday Edition

I love birthdays!! I do not know how to express that enough - it possibly border lines as an obsession when someone I love has a birthday. For me it is always about making sure the other person knows they are special. After all, if you didn't have a birthday, you wouldn't be here and that would be very sad!

We have a few simple traditions in our home that make birthdays special. When my daughter was born. I was given a Dr Seuss book, Happy Birthday to You! (don't get me started on how much I adore children's books, we could be here for hours) I read it to her the next day in the hospital and from then on, it has been read to all of my children each year on their birthday. A couple of years, I have even had it read to me for my birthday :O) In addition, we have a great little, family owned, Mexican restaurant in town and that is where we all go for our bday dinners. Finally, I write my children a letter each year for their birthday letting them know how much I love them and all the things that I appreciate about them. I chronicle some of the changes I have seen in them over the year and some of my favorite memories and moments that we have shared together as well. I was never sure that those letters mattered to them as much as they did to me until I found my sons 'stash' in his sock drawer and my daughter actually asked me for hers when it was a couple of days late this year.

Nothing flashy or extravagant, I know. For us, it is about the simple little things and spending time with each other. The traditions give us all something to look forward on the special day and (I hope) are helping us create some fabulous memories along the way.

Baked Pasta (well sort of)

Serves 4-6
Prep time 20 min
Cook time 20-25 min

Ingredients

12 oz of rigatoni or penne pasta
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage cut into small cubes
shredded parmesean cheese
2 palm fulls of bread crumbs (make your own or use store bought)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain

While pasta is cooking heat oil in large skillet
Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes
Add beef or sausage and brown

Once pasta and meat is cooked add to casserole dish
Pour sauce over pasta and meat and stir well
Cover pasta mixture with cheese and bread crumbs
Bake for 20-25 minutes until topping is crisp

Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 4
I honestly have never clocked the prep or cook time for this recipe but it usually takes about 1 hour start to finish. I will pay attention this week an update this post after the fact.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts for breast tenders
1 large can Enchilada sauce (red or green depending on your preference, we like green)
1 12 count package corn totillas
1 small red onion, diced
1 pkg shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 green onions, sliced
vegetable oil

Directions

preheat oven to 350 degrees
cook chicken (either boil or in a cook in skillet)
shred chicken and set aside
heat oil is small skillet
fry each tortilla for a few seconds on each side
place enchilada sauce in shallow dish
dip one tortilla in the sauce on both sides and place in baking dish
add small amount of shredded chicken, cheese and onion to middle of tortilla
roll tortilla into enchilada shape
repeat until each tortilla has been filled
cover enchiladas with rest of shredded cheese and green onion
bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly

BBQ ribs w/ potato salad

Potato Salad

Well not much to say about it. I skin and boil red potatoes until fork tender, cube and cool, dice whole pickles and red onion, add all ingredients to bowl and toss with enough mayo to coat and to taste. That is it in a nut shell. This is my mom's recipe and I love to make it the night before to allow the flavors to blend.


BBQ Ribs

Serves 4
Prep time 25 minutes (includes 20 min marination time)
Cook time 30 minutes

Ingredients

12 pork spare ribs
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp yellow mustard
black pepper

Directions

In small bowl, place sugar, soy sauce, tomato paste, syrup or honey, mustard and pepper to taste.
Crush garlic and add to bowl
Whisk together*

Place ribs in shallow dish and poor sauce over ribs
Let ribs marinate for at least 20 min **
Heat broiler or grill until hot
Cook ribs for 15 min on each side

*You can easily just use your favorite bottled bbq sauce to save time if you wish. I like to use this recipe because my monkeys take turns helping me cook dinner each night and it is an easy way for them to learn new recipes and skills. Also I usually double the sauce recipe and save half to simmer while the ribs cook to have extra to serve at the table.

**To save on prep time, you can marinate the ribs overnight or the day of - then it only takes about 1/2 hour to get dinner on the table - nice!

Navajo Tacos

These are the most amazing things in the world. It's all the regular taco fixings (ground beef, beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese...) but instead of a tortilla or taco shell you put the ingredients on frybread. What is frybread you ask? Well, besides being one of the most yummy things I have ever had, it's flat fried dough that came into existense in the 1800s when the Native Americans were forced onto reservations and given rations of flour and lard. The Native Americans did what they could with what they had and so now the world is blessed with frybread.

Unfortunately, this is one of those things that really does not have a recipe to go along with it! It gets passed down through generations and is usually learned hands on. My sweetie is Navajo and I have been lucky enough to watch my soon to be mom (in law) make this on a few occasions and even attend a workshop with my him on how to make it. I did, however, find this recipe online and it sounds as if it would work. I use self-rising flour and so therefore do not use baking powder. After making golf ball size balls of dough, be sure to let them sit (I leave it on the counter covered by a damp cloth) for about 10-15 minutes so the dough can rise. It is important to put a hole in the dough not just for spiritual reasons but it has a practical purpose too - it keeps the dough from bubbling up in the middle. Cook the bread until golden brown and flip to cook other side.

Add your toppings or serve with your favorite soup, stew, chili or just eat by itself. Some add powder sugar, honey and/ or strawberries for a sweet treat - reminds me of funnel cake. Needless to say, this isn't one of those really healthy recipes but I use heart healthy oil to fry the dough instead of regular vegetable oil.

Pad Thai

I love this dish! It is one of my favorites! The best part is that you can make this dish with chicken shrimp, beef, tofu or just veggies.

Ingredients

1 package flat rice noodles (about 6oz)
3 tbps oil (vegetable or peanut)
1 egg, well beaten
4 oz your desired meat or 1/2 package extra firm tofu cubed
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 package frozen stir fry veggies
1 bottle thai peanut sauce (check the asian foods section)*
lime wedges and fresh chiles (optional)

Directions

cook noodles according to package directions
strain and place in bowl and cover with foil or plastic wrap to keep warm
heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet or wok
add egg and cook until scrambled
remove from pan and set aside
heat remaining 2tbsp oil in same pan
add meat/tofu and cook until done
set aside
add veggies to pan and cook until just done
add egg, meat/tofu, noodles, sprouts, peanuts and sauce to taste (3-4 oz)
mix well to combine
serve immediately with optional lime wedges and fresh chiles (you can add a few red pepper flakes while cooking veggies to add some spic if you wish)

*I cheat and use bottled peanut sauce but if you can't find it here is a recipe for peanut sauce I use when I have extra time

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons creamy (or crunchy) peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot chili oil, or more to taste (leave this out for mild sauce)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a small saucepan, whisk together the broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili oil. Set the pan over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Let cool to room temperature, then store in a plastic container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 3 months.

recipe from Robin Miller on food network

Tamale Casserole

This recipe was handed down to me from my mom. It was the first meal I learned to cook "all by myself" and so it brings back memories for me as well as being a family favorite around here.

Serves 6 - 8
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes


Ingredients

1 package XLNT brand tamales (find in the dairy/lunch meat section)
3 15 oz (or 1 40 oz) can of chili (use your favorite - we like turkey chili)
2 15 oz cans of whole kernel corn, drained
2 cans black pitted olives, drained
2 eggs
1 package grated/shredded cheddar cheese
1 casserole dish (approx 4 qt size)

Directions

preheat oven to 350 degrees
unwrap and cut each tamal into six peices (lengthwise and then into thirds)
add to dish
add chili, corn and olives
add eggs to dish and stir all ingredients

cover and cook for 45 minutes (foil works great)
remove from oven and added cheese on top
let stand 5 minutes to allow chese to melt
serve and enjoy

Tackle it Tuesday #1

Here is my first attempt at a Tackle it Tuesday! I am still new to blogging(this is my first month) and while I originally envisioned having a space to share my thoughts and feelings I have begun to discover so much more!!! I now have a part time job researching and reading a ton of lovely posts from some really amazing people. :O)

I have a ton of unfinished and not yet started projects at my home and since I don't have any valid reasons for not getting to them like Janice does over at 5 miutes for mom - I figured I could get off my toosh - enlist the help of my monkeys and start crossing things off my every growing list.

This week I took on the abyss that is my boy's room! Now I am really not exaggerating and while they live in it and make the mess, I totally take ownership for not making them keep it up. Besides the fact that they seem completely uncapable of putting things away, part of the problem is that that they have too much stuff and another part is that they don't have any real storage.

Here is the result of those things - my before pictures - I cringe even now thinking of all who will see this!

This is just one side of the room and there is a WHOLE bunch more to be done; but, not in one day. So with the help of both my boys, we took down the old mirror, finally put together the second white bookshelf (to replace that old ugly brown one that doesn't allow their door to open all the way) and we got to some serious sorting and purging of the desk space. Here is the picture that I am proud to show!


And here are my sweet boys who promise promise to keep their space clean - I even heard a "Thanks Mom for making us clean our room"!!! Still in a bit of shock from that one. We all feel better with less clutter I think.


Tackle it Tuesday will be a BIG help to this household!