I finally got all the Christmas pictures uploaded from our camera  I really don't want to be thinking about Christmas right now, but I got some really cute pictures of the the kids on Christmas Eve in their jammies.  The twins have very few things that match anymore.  Gracie came over one day and did a gingerbread house with Lydia, but it fell apart before she even left.  The kids had some adorable matching outfits that Ann-Rene sent them.  And there are some pics of them with "Shanta"    There aren't any with Emily though, she was terrified.  You'd think Emily wouldn't be afraid of anything.  The other day they were in the kitchen playing and all we heard was Emily laughing "hehe, hehe, hehe" and Aaron asked her what she was doing.  She said, "I'm saying hehe hehe hehe."  It was funny.

 

Okay, I was supposed to have the house cleaned by noon, and here it is 11:36 and I've emptied one trash can.  I am such a procrastinater!  Time to get 'er done!

I am going crazy with procrastination!  Last week at this time Aaron and I were going nuts with all the "stuff" in our house.  Getting the Christmas tree and decorations packed up helped a lot.  My family room feels huge now.  But I can feel all the stuff creeping out from cabinets, closets and under Lydia's bed.  I keep thinking I need to get to it, and I did clean out my silverware drawer today.  But there is so much more to do.  I can't even face writing out a list of things to do, and I love making lists.    So I thought I'd make a public list of everything I need to clean out to get myself going.

 

Laundry area and set up craft box with paints, markers, play dough, etc.

Pantry

Spices

Large pots/pans cabinets

Tupperware-type cabinet

Medicine cabinet

Utensil drawers

Under sink (cleaners, etc.)

Junk drawer - Aaron will be so happy

Top of fridge

(Fridge and freezer are done - yea me!)

 

Movies/DVDs

Family home videos - record beginning and ending dates on all tapes

Coat closet

Bookshelves

 

Closet - movies, toys, games, Aaron's stuff, school supplies, wrapping paper, office supplies

My filing cabinet - clear out old household stuff, medical info, CPA info, tax supplies

Pictures - put in frames, put in albums, distribute and order newer digital ones

Aaron's filing cabinet

Bookshelves

Kid's toy basket

 

Emily's clothes - pull out Lydia's old 3T winter stuff, box up 24 months stuff

Elijah's clothes - put together pants and shirts that match

Pack & Play - put in storage

Window sill

Toy Bins

Pajama drawers/Sock drawers

 

Lydia's Room: (OMG, it's so bad!)

All drawers in her dresser

Under her bed

Wash bedding

Put things back on walls

Window sill

Closet - clothes, floor, shoes

Toy Box

Dress Up clothes

 

Linen closet

Under sink

 

Dresser

Closet

Book basket

Window sills

Blinds

Baseboards

 

All cabinets & drawers (OMG!)

Kids' bath toys

Shower

 

Okay, that wasn't so bad. I think I'll try to do the Fly Lady zones like I used to.  She designates one "zone" a week, and you focus on that one.  So it only takes 15 minutes every day that week.  If I do two a week then in about a month I should be done.  But Lydia's room is first.  It has felt like the waste basket of Christmas.  All the toys, especially the ones with little pieces!  Maddening!  Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go!

 

 

Ahhhhh, got to get a blog in on the first day of the year!  Why?  Not sure really, but just seems like I should.  I remember last year on New Year's telling Aaron that 2007 would be a turn around year for us.  2005 knocked us on our rumps, 2006 was a stabilizing year, and I felt 2007 would be a "going forward" kind of year for us.  Well, of course it wasn't as much progress as I'd hoped, but we are further down the road than we were.  I'm medication free!  Yippee!  I remember feeling like I would never be able to cope with life again.   Aaron had a pretty amazing year career-wise.  He started and ended the year at HCA, but had a stint with a small software company in between.  It was a tremendous experience for him, and was a blessing to us financially.  The twins turned 2 and Lydia turned 5.  I can't believe how much they have all grown.  So, I'm not really sure about 2008.  Aaron and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage this year.  I can still remember sitting in his truck the night before our wedding dreaming about the life we were about to start.  One thing I feel for this year is that I want to live more intentionally than I have been.  I've been very reactionary in my approach to life.  You know, smell a diaper, react by changing it.    That mentality has spilled over to a lot of my life.  I want to live life "on purpose" rather than constantly reacting to things.  Even with all my lack of progress, I feel very secure in the general direction we're going.  I love the Lord, I love His ways, I still have a desire to walk in them, and I still have confidence in His power to deliver on His promises.