The Cleaning Games

Alright, I will admit it - I am not super mom/wife.  I do my best, but my house sometimes looks as though Hurricane Life hit it (which is precisely when people drop in for a visit...funny how that goes!)  Overall our house is generally clean - untidy but clean.  We don't leave dirty dishes lying around, or nasty kleenexes from the last super bug we had...it's just messy.  We suffer from clutter blindness sometimes.  You know when you walk past something soooo many times that you fail to see it (until of course those surprise guests show up and suddenly the blinders come off and you see it through their eyes and shudder?)

Anyways, one of the games I came up with (I think my mom taught me this) is the "Ten Things" game.  I started it when my kiddo was little and his room suddenly exploded one day.  It was waaaay too overwhelming for him to be told to clean his room, so we played a game where he would pick up ten things and return them to their rightful place.  Then he got to take a break.  It took awhile, but usually he'd keep right on going after his 10 things were put away and would suddenly realize his room was clean.  We do that around the house sometimes when we realize that clutter has gotten away from us.  We each grab ten things and go off to put them away.  It's awesome, it doesn't feel like cleaning and you suddenly see the things that have sat on an end table for weeks and you just forgot it was there.

The other cleaning game, I started today and I must say it worked so well.  I noticed that when I got up today the house was a bit insane.  Working outdoors for the last week really threw us for a loop indoors (which is perfectly okay - a mess never killed anyone except on Hoarders maybe).

Today, as I was trying to figure out which room to tackle first, I started a list for each room.  I began to clean but soon my natural chaotic cleaning pattern emerged.  You see, I start off picking up the breakfast dishes, they hit the counter and I see baby toys on the floor.  As I bend to retrieve them I notice the dog bowls are empty, so I set the toys on the table and fill the dog bowls.  As I do so, I notice the birds chirping outside and see how beautiful it is.  I step outside and remember the new grass seed needs watering.  I turn on the hose and set down the sprinkler near my flowers and suddenly realize I must plant those hostas a friend gave me.  I go to the garage to get the gardening stuff and see the recycle bins need to be brought in.  You see what happens?  I work and work and realize hours have gone by and not one room has been totally cleaned.  Then the baby wakes up and it's all a lost cause.  thus, the Cleaning Lady Game.

I thought about how much I'd love to have a cleaning lady, even just to help out with baseboards and bathtubs.  I then realized that cleaning ladies can get so much done in a short time.  I decided to pretend I was a cleaning lady (and no, Dear Hubby, I did not find a french maid uniform!)

I then spent the next 90 minutes cleaning, one room at a time, top to bottom, no distractions.  The TV was not on.  I did not stop to look outside.  I did not get on the computer 'just to check email'.  I did not pass go.  I did not collect two hundred dollars (although I think I earned it!)

I rocked it out and man did it ever work!  It was nice too knowing I had a time limit, so I just kept going.  I completed 2 bathrooms, the kitchen, dining room and living room.  I know it sounds kind of silly to have a cleaning game, but hey, if it works...my house just might be clean now and then!

Now off to go play with my Little Princess!

Raising 2 Generations of Kids

I often feel as though I am raising 2 generations of kids.  I joke that I feel like I am raising my own grandchildren due to the age gap.  My son is almost 17, has his learner's permit to drive, is entering his last year of high school and is very independent most of the time.  My daughter will be 8 months in a few days, she is just about to pop a tooth, has mastered sitting up and her world ends when I leave the room without her.

I love being a mom to my two kidlets and cannot believe how lucky I have been to get to do this all again.

With that said, I now want to tell you that some days I think about shaving my head bald in public and being admitted to a secure facility where my biggest worry is when my next pretty pink pill will be coming.    Although he is usually an amazing kid, once in awhile my kiddo will make comments that just make me wish for a chalkboard to run my fingernails down.  I might be in the middle of getting dinner on, and trying to keep Little Miss entertained in her highchair, but sometimes she just fusses.  It happens.  My kiddo will happen to walk in right then and say "Are you just going to leave her?"  Argh!  He walked in one day when Little Miss had just finished enjoying some watermelon...well, her body, arms, chair and the floor also enjoyed the watermelon.  My kiddo walks in and says, "She's really sticky, you should wash her."  Sigh.

 We feed our dogs twice per day, and they generally both eat out of one bowl, empty it, then later finish the second bowl.  Neither dog is super food motivated so there is often food left in one bowl when the next feeding time comes.  The other day, my kiddo walked past the dog food bowls and noticed that one was empty.   He asked me "Have the dogs been fed yet tonight?"  I replied "Not yet," and he responds with "You might want to make sure they get fed."  OMG

Don't get me wrong, the same kiddo also offers to help if we need help with household repairs, he is generally polite and appreciative, doesn't get into too much trouble and is a pleasure to spend time with most of the time.

Yep, while I get the extreme pleasure and privilege of raising two amazing kids, some days I just want to scream.

I remember way back when my 16 yr old son was a little guy, and he loved to help me in the kitchen.  He loved to wash dishes (plastic only) and bake.  He especially loved to lick the beaters from the mixer. 

Tonight, I was making some cupcakes for a friend's birthday, and chatting with my hubby about how I couldn't wait for Little Miss to be a bit older and be able to bake with me.  As I turned on the mixer, she stared at me with a look of horror in her eyes, perhaps wondering what the very loud machine was and what I was doing with it.  When I was finished mixing, I was surprised to see my 16 yr old kiddo standing right beside me. 

I asked, "What's up?"  since he'd been in his man cave in the basement.  He replied, "I heard the mixer."  Yes ladies and gentlemen, my 16 yr old was lured to the kitchen by the sound of the mixer hoping to be rewarded with a cake batter bounty...and he was.  He stood there licking the beaters, the bowl and the spoon for quite some time and then proclaimed that he wanted to bake cookies. 

I guess he's still my little boy now and then!

Patio Hell

Yes.  I am in patio hell.  I posted that on Facebook and a friend wrote back asking "How can a patio be hell?"  It occured to me that she meant this kind of patio...

Ah yes.

This is definitely NOT the kind of patio hell I am in.  I mean, how bad could that be?  What do you mean you only have the extra large Rickard's but will charge me for the small one?!?  NOOOOO

That's the kind of hell I'd pay for right now!

Nope.  My kind of patio hell looks like this

Beautiful isn't it?  I tried putting my chair in the hole last night and ordering a beer, but nobody came.  Crappy service I say!

You see, we bought a house last year, that has a huge yard for the suburbs.  I'd been watching this street for years while taking my kiddo for walks when he was a baby, and then when we'd drive past in later years.  It is a small circle, and as such the yards are irregular, but ginormous.  When this house was for sale, the asking price was well below what you'd expect due to the fact that it was a military sale. 

Unfortunately, there's a lot to be done.  The entire inside of the house is original, so while it's not in bad shape and is livable for now, it does need some updating eventually.  As for the yard, we have a beautiful pool, a small deck off the house, but nowhere to put a patio table and chairs.  Thus the patio hole.

My hubby and I are handy people, and we'd decided that for this year, we would not be taking on any new projects.  Last year we prepped our home to rent, which entailed hours upon hours and days upon days of cleaning, fixing, painting and , well, more painting.  All while 7 months pregnant.  Then we got the pleasure of packing, moving, painting a bit more (just the kids' rooms for now), unpacking, organizing etc etc.   Then we had a baby and life got interesting!

So this year our plan was to seed the lawn a bit, build a few shelves and otherwise enjoy our summer, our pool and our friends and family.  We tried last night to figure out whose idea the patio was.  The best we could come up with was that it was my mother's idea. 

Seeing as neither of us have a flipping cluye what we're doing, we;ve spent much of our time standing in the hole, surveying the carnage, and saying "hmm".  That doesn't work to get anything done, but it does make you feel as though you're doing *something*.

Oh, and to that the fact that we have Little Miss and it's been raining torentially off and on all week, we ended up with this pic.

Yep, mid May, and my princess is bundled up in a knit touque, knitted slippers and a two piece knit outfit over her clothes.  She's doign a good job overseeing our "hmmm ing" though!

I'm sure that someday we'll finish the patio and it'll be all pretty and I'll post a pic.  Right now, I am thinking I might put up a net and play some beach volleyball.

Little Miss is almost 8 months old and is really developing such a personality!  She does not yet 'make strange' or get fussy with strangers, which is awesome...instead she stares at them and then breaks out into a giant, heart melting grin.  Store cashiers love it and she gets so much attention!  Tonight, while playing on the floor with her I laid back and put her on my tummy to sit, crossing my legs in the air to hold her upright.  She started to bounce so I started 'flying' her over my head and back...not an easy feat with spaghetti arms and a 20lb baby!

A few minutes later, to give my arms a rest I set her on my chest with her legs over my shoulders onto the floor.  She began to bounce and jump on my chest - ouch - but it made me laugh hysterically.  It was just so funny to see her try to use my chest as a jumperoo that I couldn't stop laughing.  I had to get my dear hubby to get her because apparently when I laugh, I lose all remaining muscle tone and ability to lift babies and other medium sized objects.

He decided to play with her for a bit, and she got fussy so he tried to do the same thing with her.  She liked it and began to bounce on his chest for about 3 minutes, and then I heard it...the 'urp' sound with an immediate "ewwwww!!!" from my dear hubby.  Yep, he narrowly avoided having his face spit up on, while it dripped down his hand onto the carpet.  I had a hard time controlling my laughter while wiping it up and moving the baby for him.....hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee

Bubble Bubble Toil and Trouble

Yesterday, I decided to get moving on making more baby food.  I debated whether I ought to, since Little Miss is now eating a lot of 'real' food, but she still has no teeth, and she is still learning how to gum something to death.  the result is the odd gag reflex when she hasn't gummed it enough.  I realize she has to learn, but she's not quite 8 months and I'm not going to rush her, so we (I) continue to make baby food.

I had purchased avocado a week ago, and decided to start with that, because quite frankly, I hadn't gone to the grocery store yet to buy anything else.  I pulled ou the bag and saw that they were black...and soft.  I wondered if I'd waited too long but upon cutting them open, they seemed fine.  Mushy for sure but I was *pretty* sure they would not kill Little Miss.  At least I hoped.  She got fussy just then so I fed her an entire half of an avocado right out of the peel - pretty cool, and she loved it. 

After the store I proceeded to do apples with cinnamon and pears, both of which went well.  Today, I decided to make some corn, which looks absolutely disgusting, but she seems to find it palatable.  Thank god I don't have to eat it because it looks like it is yellow, chunky mush with bits of yellow paper all through it.  Mind over matter perhaps but my mind wins in this case!

Later on I realized I'd bought a huge bag of plums yesterday and had nowhere in the fridge for them, so I set to work peeling and steaming them.  As the steamer was coming to an end, I happened to glance over and see this

What is it you might wonder.  Well that's exactly what I was wondering as well...what the h-e-double hockey sticks was happening in my steamer?!?  Here's a closer look for you, since I myself had to lean in closer...



I had a moment of panic when I wondered if I'd rinsed the dish soap off of it, but realized that I had.  I can only guess that the foam is from the juice of the plums, but gosh it is so not appetizing!  Luckily this is another item that my princess gets to eat, and hopefully she will love, because she will never know that they were all foamy and soapy looking...nor will she care!

Fun!

An online friend posted a collage of her baby using Photobucket software.  I decided to try it as well, but having never used this function before, I may have had more fun with a fork and an electrical socket.  That said, after many minutes hours I finally got it.  Sort of.


It's not perfect and there's text on some but not all pics, but here's the result.

It's pretty cool to see how much she's grown!