Oh Crappy Day

Do you ever have one of those days? You know, the kind that brings out the inner 3 year old inside of you. The kind that makes you want to stick out your tongue at the world and crawl back in bed so that you can have a fresh start the next day. I have had a couple of those days this week.

The worst of which began with "Maaawwwwmmm" echoing down the hallway into my sleeping brain. I hollered back, "What?" The answer came back, "I went poop and peeeee..... and Mom, I had an accident." Nothing starts my day off right like rolling out of bed to clean poo off of my 4 year old and every surface he came into contact with, because he didn't want to stop playing Nintendo long enough to make it to the toilet. Just for the record, BOYS ARE MUCH MORE GROSS THAN GIRLS. Boys do the most unexplainable, disgusting things.

I got him cleaned up, fed, and off to school. I reasoned that the day could only go up from there! I tried to think positive. But all that went out the window when Ladybug woke up and was screaming. I came in to find round two of the poo poo messes. ALL OVER. So off to the bathtub we went and then I had to clean up all the sheets and do the laundry and remake the bed. Another disaster cleaned up. I had to get back on track.

I had to tackle the next project. Lou Lou's school room had not been used for school for a month because it was a disaster after Christmas. The same school room serves as my craft room and all the wrapping, crafting, and decorating had exploded all over the entire room. I decided I would finish cleaning it up. Then I decided to add a little "skirt" to my desk area to hide all the stored junk underneath it. What should have been a simple job turned into a time sucking pain in the hiney.

While I was in the middle of that, Bub came back from school and appeared with green all over his mouth. I asked him the most important question...IS THERE A MESS? He said, "No, Mom." But being a Mom for a few years and using my awesome deductive reasoning skills, I came to the conclusion that he was most likely fibbing to save his own hiney. So I left my skirting frustration to go to find the next. And there it was in all its glory. Green and red sprinkles mixed with M&M's. ALL OVER the playroom. Even in the couch. Under the cushions. The same couch that I had just vacuumed out and cleaned up 2 days ago. I was really ticked. He was sent to his room until lunch time because I was so mad, I didn't want to do anything rash.

I cleaned up that mess, got the kids lunch and then laid them down for bed except Lou Lou who went to the Nature Center with Birdie and her kids. Then I went back to the previous project. By this time I was pretty irritated. Nothing had gone according to plan and I was hoping the afternoon would go a little better. When I was just about finished, Birdie brought Lou home and came in holding a Diet Dr. Pepper (LORD BLESS HER SOUL) and some packages that were sitting on the porch.


At this point, I thought the day was looking up! The package was an "inspiration" bikini I had ordered, with the hope that it would help me get off my hiney and back into the gym. (One day I will be able to wear a bikini again if it kills me.) I asked Birdie if she wanted to see it and eagerly ripped open the package to find this...

which would have been great, except I ordered this...

Dumb swimsuit company. One more thing to put on the to do list. #247 Return swimsuit.

Birdie left and I went and finished the skirting project. Then, like an idiot, I decided to take a chair in that room that had this fabric on it...

And simply put on a slipcover that I had ordered for it. Easy right? Sure except it wasn't wide enough. So, after I had wrestled the stupid thing and got it as far on as I could get it, I decided I would MAKE it work. I took the scissors and cut directly down the middle of the back.

My hope is that I can take this...

And add it to the chair cover like this...



And make it work. However, I decided with the way I my day had gone, it would probably be wise to NOT start on that little sewing project. I decided to call it "a day" on the project front. I gave up, went and cooked dinner, fed and bathed my kids and put them in bed. Then, I took a bath and climbed into bed with the hopes that the next day would be better because it HAD TO BE! And thankfully it was!

Laundry Talk

Here is my nifty idea to manage my laundry clutter monster. Hopefully it will be helpful to somebody out there! I purchased six rubbermaid containers with removable lids, printed a picture of each person in my family and affixed the photos to the inside of the container using clear contact paper. I fold clothes, right there on the counter and stick it in each person's bucket. One happy day, they will all be old enough to put away their own laundry (Lou does now) but until that day, I have an easier time putting the clothes in the right drawers. If only those buckets would grow legs and arms and put the clothes away for me!


An added benefit to having these buckets is clutter management. When my kids bring down a toy from their rooms and leave it lying around somewhere, we can stick it in the buckets and it is brought up with the clothes and put away at that time.


Now, if I could just figure out what to do with miscellaneous stuff like towels and sheets. I guess I should just fold them and put them away! Novel idea!


On another laundry note, here is a little tutorial on a neato way to fold underwear. My mom always folded them this way and I thought everyone did until I was married and gained a husband who did it differently. I have had friends see me fold clothes and ask me how I do it, so I thought it might be a good idea to share with my fellow laundry doers...

First, you lay the pair of under- wear out flat.

Next, you fold in one side a third of the way over.

Then, do the same thing to the other side.

After that, you fold the waist band side a third of the way down.

Now, if you pull down the top layer of waist band a little bit, you have a pocket.

Last, you take the other end, here...

and stick it in the pocket.

There you go. You now have created a little under- wear roll. It goes nice and neat in the drawer and stays folded.

Try it! You'll thank me, later, when you have a nice, organized underwear drawer. I promise this will be the last post about unmentionables. Maybe. And thanks to my Mom for teaching me neato things that make my life easier!

Simplifying the "Trash Closet" With Guest Photography

Simplifying update...trash closet cleaned out. To answer the obvious question...yes, those are our knives on the middle of the lower shelf. And yes, they are there because there is no other place that I've found that is out of Bub's curious reach.

Case in point. One day last week apparently I left my camera within the reach of The Southern Gentleman. Here is the proof...

Not bad...he got most of his face.

But I think I need to teach him a little about appropriate camera angles. It is such an attractive shot up the nose.

Then he started taking "still lifes." Glad I cleaned off the table right after breakfast that day! FYI those are sparkles on the tablecloth not crumbs.

But here is the proof that nothing is safe when Mom is out of the room. I've got to give SG points for "most creative tattling" on his brother. Impressive.

Now you see why the knives are in the closet. Safety first.

Doc's Night

Doc didn't get home until around 8 pm from the hospital last night and he still had a patient in labor. He had to stay up until 11 pm to make a decision on how to help her proceed with her labor. He knew when he got off the phone that she would deliver in the middle of the night. So he crawled into his warm bed, next to his warm wife and tried to fall asleep. He has trouble falling asleep when he knows that he will have to get up in a few hours. I laid there as he tried to quiet his mind enough to doze off. Finally, he was still and I could tell by his breathing that he was asleep.

Now, for those of you who are keeping score, last night it was A FRIDGID 14 degrees in the middle of the night. There was freezing drizzle and the streets were covered in a layer of ice.

I don't know what time it was when I felt him stirring. I asked him if he was ok and he said, "Yeah, I gotta go to work." Then he smooched me and got up out of bed to face the cold and bring another little one into the world. Bless his cold, tired little heart! It's 7:30 am and he hasn't been home yet. He starts seeing patients in an hour, so he probably won't get more than a couple of cups of coffee to get him through the day. I, on the other hand, can stay warm in the house because Bub's preschool is cancelled.

I'm feeling blessed that he sacrifices a full night's sleep and braves the cold to take care of his patient, but even more importantly to him, to provide for his family. I know I don't tell him enough, that I recognize the sacrifices he makes and why he makes them. Please allow me to publicly say this to him...

THANK YOU, SWEETHEART, FOR ALL THOSE EARLY MORNINGS AND MIDDLE OF THE NIGHTS THAT YOU SACRIFICE TO DO YOUR JOB. I KNOW THAT IT IS BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME AND THE KIDS AND WANT TO PROVIDE FOR US! IT IS NOT UNNOTICED NOR IS IT UNAPPRECIATED. YOU ARE AMAZINGLY GENEROUS AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE YOUR WIFE. YOU BLESS ME! I LOVE YOU!

Tonight, you can be sure that he will come home to a fire in the fire place, a warm meal, children who are excited to see him and a grateful wife. But, truthfully, what will really make his day will be a full night's sleep in his warm bed!

10 Honest Facts About Yours Truly

Sondre Lyn bestowed upon me the Honest Scrap award!

Thanks to her, I have to put on my thinking cap and come up with 10 things that are true and perhaps even entertaining, if we are lucky. So here goes...

1. When I was a kid, I loved "Laverne and Shirley." I was always fascinated by the little basement apartment they lived in and the fact that they worked at a brewery. I don't know why. I just thought they were fun. They had perhaps the coolest intro montage ever (besides Friends).



On the show, Laverne drank Pepsi and milk mixed together. One time I tried it and it was gross. I was sorely disappointed.

2. I've had 4 children and would go through 10 more deliveries before I would endure one more 40 week pregnancy. The carrying and waiting part was the WORST for me.

3. The only time I've EVER said "Shut Up" to anyone (that I recall) was to my husband during labor when I was in transition with Southern Gentleman. I had a spinal block and realized that it had worn off and there wasn't enough time for another one before I delivered. I think Doc forgives me but it took a while for him to get over it. I think I shocked him but the fact that, that was the worst thing that came out of my mouth during 4 deliveries is pretty good, I think.

4. I LOVE the smell of bacon and coffee in the morning. It makes me smile and it feels like home. I think that, that smell will be the smell of my mansion in Heaven!

5. I'm a straight shooter. If you don't want to know what I really think, DO NOT ask. On the other hand, I try really hard to word my opinions in ways that are not too harsh (unless I'm venting.) Sometimes my sisters will call me and tell me they need me to be DW to them...meaning, speak the truth as I see it as plainly as possible.

6. My least favorite chore is unloading the dishwasher. Guess what Lou, Lou's first and only household chore is?

7. If my life is in chaos, I clean out my SUV. It is my way of having control over one little thing. I love my truck. Doc bought it for me for our anniversary 2 years ago. He really knows how to spoil me!

8. I love shoes and have a habit of buying sassy high heels (on sale) even though I don't really have anywhere to wear them. Truth be told...my kids get more use out of them than I do because they like to clomp around in them.

9. I HATE to talk on the phone unless I'm in the mood for it. I do not answer the phone if I don't recognize the number on caller ID.

10. I never pictured myself ending up having the life that I have but I believe that some of the best blessings are ones that God gives us and we didn't even know we wanted. He knows us better than we know ourselves because he is our creator!

Sheer Cover: A Demo for Your Benefit (and my humility)

In my quest for simplicity, I want to invest in the best so that I don't have to waste money on things or products that don't work. My friend/babysitter of my children, suggested Sheer Cover make up. She had purchased it as a Christmas present for herself and loved it. She told me you could get a 3 month supply kit for 30 dollars. Good price, right! So I decided to give it a shot.

It came with a color sample to test and make sure that you ordered the right color for your skin. The kit comes with lighter color and a darker color and you can mix them to customize the powder to match your skin tone.

The kit also comes with these brushes and mascara

And it comes with facial cleanser and moisturizer and all the other goodies you see here.

So...for your benefit and my humility, here is my before shot. No make up. No nothing. Nada. Lord help you not to run away. If you keep reading I promise it gets better.

As you can see, I quickly turned to the instruction manual and tried to figure out how to make myself look better...

They didn't have a "spackling" section, so I found the directions to conceal...

I grabbed the concealer and got started.

It came with a cute little spackling...er, I mean, concealing brush.


Getting better but not even close to good after the concealer.

Then I noticed I was getting some strange looks and giggles from the peanut gallery. "Shhhh. Mommy's getting pretty, honey, for the love of your own eyes, don't interrupt."


Next came the "mineral powder" that is applied with the fancy brush.

Apply it in a circular motion...

Hmmm. Better. I can't believe I'm doing this to you loyal readers. Bless you if you made it this far.

Next on the list was the eyeliner.

Then came lip gloss and "highlighter".

Isn't it amazing how once your make up looks decent, your hair looks more horrendous.

Last of all, mascara...cue the angels. Alleluia!

I'm a bit of a mascara snob. It has to be non-flaky and have a good brush. The brush looked promising.

Pretty good, eh? Only one little clump...and that was probably my fault for not seeing it and promptly removing it.

What do you think? Do I look younger? Anyone? Anyone?

How about now? Hair makes a world of difference!

As does lighting...obviously....

So, in conclusion...I like the make up. It will take a while to get in the groove and do it quickly but it covers without caking and the mascara doesn't flake. If you are looking for major coverage, you probably want something else, but to even things out and cover small blemishes, it is a cool deal. I'm glad I checked it out!

This ends my public service announcement. You may return to regularly scheduled blog reading.