Nofamilka

52 Weeks of Organizing

2011-01-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

Could this really get any simpler? I don't think so. Here's my list so far of my 52 things to do this year. I will say now that I give myself permission to miss a week or two due to illness or some other unforeseen reason. However, I promise to do my best to actually get things done. I can do this!

Week 1 (Jan 2-8) DONE
~~Toss out some bags of clothes that have been sitting in a corner of our bedroom for nearly a year now.~~

Week 2 (Jan 9-15)
File away all the 3 months of paperwork that has been sitting on my file cabinet, including cleaning my desk area and under it. Lots of paperwork to go through and either file or toss.

Week 3 (Jan 16-22)
Go through the box and stuff that has accumulated in and on it that is sitting by our front entrance. Get rid of the box.

Week 4 (Jan 23-29)
Clean off our black ottoman and move it to the entrance spot, store the rest of our blankets and extra couch pillows in it.

Week 5 (Jan 30-Feb 5)
Purge my daughter's toys, which are currently threatening to take over our living room.

Week 6 (Feb 6-12)
Finish cleaning out boxes that are still in the boys' room.

Week 7 (Feb 13-19)
Get ready for local moms club used clothes and toy sale. Part 1- get all the items together and get the tags done.

Week 8 (Feb 20-26)
Part 2- Finish the tags for the sale and tag items

Week 9 (Feb 27-Mar 5)
Clean out the hallway closet.

Week 10 (Mar 6-Mar 12)

Week 11 (Mar 13-Mar 19)

Week 12 (Mar 20-Mar 26)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2010-12-24T12:23:00.000-08:00

So this month went by quickly. So quickly that I never got out our Christmas cards. Yesterday I took the kids out to a local park and took some photos. I think they came out great. So instead of Christmas cards I'm sending out New Year cards- which you can see HERE.

Since 2011 is a New Year and next year I'll do everything on time, including sending out my Christmas cards on time.

Merry Christmas to all!

Going Crazy?

2010-08-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

Is it wrong to be so excited about saving nearly $7 on a package of Pull-Ups? Got a package of 80 ct Pull-ups for $13!
I want to share it with everyone- which is why I worry about my craziness.

End of Summer

2010-08-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

Outside there is a breeze, the sun is blocked by clouds and there's a definite chill in the air. Unlike other parts of the northern hemisphere, it as been a fairly cold summer this year. We had maybe a total of 2 weeks of days that were warm enough for the pool. My boys have been very sad over that fact. Even yesterday when I asked them what they wanted to do for the last week of summer they said 'go to the pool'. I hope the weather improves next week.

Yesterday was registration and the boys are signed up for school. Last year I was excited for school to start and to have some quiet in my days. This year, not so much. In fact I know I'm going to miss the boys. Sure I still have my 'baby' at home but I know that she too is going to miss her brothers during the day.

Random Post

2010-07-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

Just posting an updated movie of photos I had first created when my daughter was 4 months old. I just updated this morning adding in photos from her first year.
.....
As for the rest of my summer. We haven't done a whole lot. The boys are nearly done with their summer library program. They're just over half way done.

We do have other things in the works but we had to wait to get the tires on our mini-van replaced. Which was finally done this morning. Yay! Now we can actually go places!
.....
I am also working on getting rid of debt. I am tired of putting nearly a third of our income to credit card minimums. So I put us on a budget and we will not be using credit cards again. It's time to live within our means.

Stuck

2010-03-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

So I haven't done anything else in the boys' room. I was all excited and ready to get it done. Now I just can't get myself motivated again. I failed that challenge and seemed to have become stuck. Not physically mind you. My mind just seems stuck when I try to approach it and think about all I have to do.

I have been busy mind you. Though not big busy, just little stuff busy.

So starting this Sunday, I'll be tackling it again. I have to. It's not fair to them having their room stuck in limbo.

The 28 day challenge... I failed

2010-03-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

Well I failed. Here it is March and their room is still filled with boxes and no where near being done.
I was hoping to work on it last week but with a sick toddler it didn't happen.

The weekend was a wash too. My boys were to go to the snow for the weekend with their grandfather but a storm was expected so instead they just went to a sleepover at grandpa's. With Elaria being sick I had other things to get done too. Being the newsletter editor of my local mom's club, I still had to work on the newsletter which had to be done my Sunday. So Saturday was a wash. Sunday was spent hanging out with my husband and Elaria. We got nothing done that day.

My dad had decided to take them up to the snow just for a day. He said he'd have them back around 6pm, maybe 7pm. Well my boys were home by 10:30pm. They were exhausted after having such a long day playing in the snow. So I kept them home from school the next day. So another day of getting nothing done.

And now here it is Thursday. We've had play dates and a hearing evaluation so far this week and I still haven't had a chance to work in their room.

I also have a sale next weekend to get ready for. Another mom's group in our area puts together a huge kids sale twice a year. I have to pull out all of my daughter's clothes and price and tag them. It's a huge project and my husband is going to help me this weekend to get it done. So it will be at least another week before I can work in their room.

Crazy Times

2010-03-04T09:32:00.000-08:00

I had my week planned out perfectly. Silly me. Having kids means you have to expect the unexpected.
Saturday we visited our favorite place- the Monterey Bay Aquarium. More on that later. Sunday I woke up feeling very ill- you know the nauseated kind of ill. Didn't eat all day for fear of getting sick. Monday morning started feeling better. Then my daughter threw up her breakfast. She couldn't keep anything down, including water.

Called her pediatrician because she's under 2yrs and worried about dehydration. Got the instructions about gatorade/pedialyte. By the evening she seemed better. Then that night and the next morning she started again. Went in to see the Dr. She seemed fine, sent home with more instructions. She did better again all day, keeping her green gatorade down. Then Wed morning she started up again. The Dr decided we better do some lab work make sure she was ok. Went in to see him that afternoon and get the results. According to the blood test results she was nearly completely dry. The Dr was surprised as usually a child that bad is lethargic and here my daughter was still alert. So off to the emergency room we were sent so she could get fluids through an IV.

My poor baby was poked and poked and poked. It took them 45 minutes to decide that they needed to get someone that was "great" at getting a line started. This other "great" person came in and got the line and everything done in under 5min. Seriously people, shouldn't we have started with the "great" person when dealing with a 21 month old who's dehydrated?

So last Thursday and Friday was all about recovery and getting Elaria to start eating again. Please let's never go through that again.

Org Junkie's 28 day Organizing Challenge

2010-02-17T00:17:00.000-08:00

So in my search through the internets for organizational ideas I came across Laura's I'm an Organizing Junkie website.It so happens that she's got an organizing challenge for the month of Feb. Since I'm working on the boys' room, and I didn't start until this past weekend, I figured I could always use some outside motivation I'm definitely going to try and finish in time.

Looking through her site more I read up on her Process of organizing: P- plan, R- remove, O-organize, C- containerize, E- evaluate, S- solve/simplify, S- smile and relax. Sounds so easy.

I decided to review my project, and it did help me figure out a better plan for their room. I looked at the room again and thought about what I want for the boys in their room. I might be asking a lot from a room that is nearly 13'x13', but since we live in an almost 1000 sq ft apt it has to be a lot more than just a place to go sleep.

This is what I want:
1. An area for them to be able to be creative. Whether it's building Lego kits, drawing, or building paper airplanes. And a place to store those lego kits & pieces, paper, pens, crayons, etc.
2. An area that they can retreat to and read or daydream. Including a place for all their books and magazines.
3. An area where they can play on the floor with their toys, because yes 8 & 9 year old boys still like to play on the floor with their toys.
4. Storage for their toys and board games that does not include under their bed collecting dust because "out of sight, out of mind".
5. and of course a place for them to sleep at night.
That's not too much to ask is it?

Then I looked over the floor plan I'd been working on and decided to make some changes.
This is their floor plan as it is now and then what I'm hoping for.

You can see that there's just no room for anything. The train table is just a catch all nightmare. The kid's table is too small for them. They can't get to their dresser easily. Nor can they get to the shelving units very easily. The small and short bookcases are very inadequate.

So this is the floor plan I'm working on:

I'm getting rid of the short bookcase and adding 2 tall bookcases. One will be for books, with a bean bag for lounging/reading- the Reading Nook.
I'm taking out the train table and kid table and putting in two desks back to back. I was going to look for a large table but I decided this way they will have their own desks. And the Trofast shelving will be for Lego stuff. This is their Creative Area.
The dresser is being moved closer to the closet area with nothing blocking access.
The small toy box and one of the Trofast frames are being moved to their little hallway in front of their closet. The 2nd book case will be for toys and board games, near the open floor area- their Play Area.

Still keeping their small bookcase for now. I may decide to get rid of it and add more shelves if they need it. Oh and above their dresser all the way down to the end of the Trofast will be a shelf where they can show off their Lego creations.

I really do hope this works out. They really need the space.

On Sunday I had them pick up all of the Lego pieces and put them in some bins that we have. And all books on the floor were put into boxes. We also got rid of a huge box of trash. We still have to go through a box of rarely played with toys and decide which ones to keep and which ones to get rid of. The three of us worked hard to get everything off the floor. They're excited about their new room too!

Busy as a Bee

2010-02-12T23:10:00.000-08:00

So this past week has been busy. Actually let me go further back. I've been sick with something that really wore me out. I've had no energy for the past couple of weeks. No desire to do anything. I was starting to think it was something seriously wrong with me tired. Hubby caught it and now he's tired and has no energy and thankfully I'm much better now. So this past week was catch up week. I've been crazy all week. Poor Elaria has skipped naps 3 times this week.

My projects are as follows:
1) Start cleaning out the boys' room.
2) Clean up and organize my computer desk area.
3) Sort and organize clothes for upcoming sale.
I think that's all I'm going to try and tackle for now. I have more I could add but we have a few other things we're doing this next week.

Coupon Craze

2010-02-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

We now have a monthly budget. I have to figure out how to buy food, provide clothing and extra stuff within that budget. We also try to eat healthy and organically. Do you know much organic milk costs where I live? Try $7 a gallon. Times that by 3 gallons a week and we go through our little budget pretty fast.

So we started using coupons- about a year ago. I consider this last year to be a learning experience. I failed in so many ways. Candy for just pennies! Packaged deli meat (that we didn't like) for a dollar! So I learned to only buy what we actually eat. No more candy and only deli meat that we actually eat.

Honestly, I was a little uneasy in using coupons. I always thought of coupons saving 35 cents or maybe 50 cents. So how was I going to really save any money? Well let me just say that we do save. I have even turned my husband over to the coupon side. Before he goes to the store, he asks if I have any coupons to give him.

What I learned I have to say thank you to The Grocery Game. It's not about just using a coupon. Use that same coupon when an item is on sale and SAVE. I've learned to watch for items that I actually use to go on sale, use a coupon when the item is on sale, buy more than I need and we save dollars. I guess that was what I really learned, never pay retail for anything if I can help it.

So now on Sundays, I spend a few extra minutes with the newspaper and go through and cut out coupons. I also spend some a little time at the Coupon Clippers where I pick up a few more coupons that I know I will use.

I've also learned to check out deals on the internet. I love these two websites- retailmenot.com and ebates.com. I've earned some money back with ebates, I probably could've received more back if I'd remember to check there first before buying online. Still working on making that a habit.

Family Genealogy

2010-01-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

I have no idea why but the family tree bug has bit me. Well actually I've had it for a while but I was never patient enough to work on it. My grandparents are gone and I am kicking myself for not writing down the stories they used to tell me. Plus, I found out that relatives threw out lots of papers, cards and photos(!!!) because it was all just junk. That last just hurts me to the core.

So have you ever worked on a family tree?
I'm working on both my side and my husband's side. When I hit a wall doing a branch I move on to another branch of the family. It makes things a little convoluted but with my ADD brain it works for me.

Apparently I'm a bit of an emotional person. Going through the census, finding their names, watching the ages of the kids as they get older, marry, have kids of their own...I feel like I almost get to know them. Then when I find their names in cemetery records I feel sad, and regret that I would never get to know them. Forget the fact that they died decades before I was born.

The Story Tellers...
By:
Della M. Cummings Wright Re-written by her Grand Daughter, Della JoAnn McGinnis Johnson
Edited and Reworded By: Tom Dunn

The Story Tellers: We are the chosen ones. My feelings are that in each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors, to put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve.
To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called as it were by our genes.
Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story! So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family? You would be proud of us! How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say.
It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference, and saying I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it.
It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.
It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us.
So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers.
That, is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones.

Lego Organizing

2010-01-25T22:56:00.000-08:00

I am embarrassed to say but my boys' room has revolted, or it's revolting. My boys have shared a room since they were 1 & 2. It has always served as both a playroom and as a place for them to sleep. They are now 8 & 9. We have tried several times to clean their room. When they were younger it was so much easier. Well they are now completely into Lego. They're room has little Lego pieces EVERYWHERE. Their old Thomas train table is over run with Lego and everything else they own. We put in some IKEA pieces to help organize and it did work, for a little while.

So my project now is to redo their room. And I mean redo. After doing a search online for Lego storage and reading this page, I have come up with a couple of ideas. I particularly liked Robinella's idea but I'm expanding on it as we have many more sets.

I know that they still need a table but they're also old enough that they're going to need desks. My idea is to get two of these Vika Alex desks and place them back to back.

This will give them table room, drawer space and each will have a separate desk.

They're also getting a bookcase, another Trofast frame and a shelf above the frames for added space.

I'm also thinking we can use at least one of these drawer cabinets from Lego Education

I'm also thinking about ways to keep their artwork into their room because they love their art from preschool. You can see the artwork on their walls. Even though I've taken photos of them I am not allowed to toss them out.

Click HERE to see photos of their room.

Haiti

2010-01-18T23:18:00.000-08:00

I never heard of (or just didn't pay attention to) how poor of a country it really is... people resorting to eating mud patties...
People already in the worst possible conditions now devastated even more by a large earthquake. How unfair of a world it is... but now I wonder...maybe this is a good thing... Because now the world is watching.

Please...Donate Now

The Happiest Season

2009-12-14T10:44:00.000-08:00

"Marshmallows for toasting, And caroling out in the snow." Doesn't that sound nice? Except we have no fireplace for toasting marshmallows, and sitting around the stove doesn't sound like a good idea. It doesn't snow here so forget caroling in it too. For that matter I don't know of anyone that goes caroling snow or otherwise.

Loved Sunday's comic strip For Better for Worse. The friend is saying she has everything done for Christmas and she can now just enjoy the season. She was kidding!

But that would be nice wouldn't it? To just enjoy the season. I still have all my wrapping to do, baking gifts for teachers and friends. And for the first time we're going to have a very quiet Christmas Day just us at home, so I also have to plan our Christmas dinner. I asked the kids what they wanted for Christmas dinner. Their answer? Spaghetti and grilled cheese. I just might go with that.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T00:45:00.000-08:00

2008 had its ups (the birth of my daughter) and it's downs (finances are shoddy). Not sure how 2009 can be better but I hope it's a good year.

6 months? Already?!

2008-11-09T22:15:00.000-08:00

Elaria turns 6 months in 4 days. Just 4 days away. I can hardly believe it. She cut her first tooth today. She always gnaws on our fingers and this morning I could feel the tip of her sharp little tooth. She'd been a little fussy last week but she'd been sick. Nothing yesterday so hopefully she won't be bothered too much when her other teeth come in. Now to wait for that tooth to pop out more so I can get a picture of it.

Another milestone- she had her first bit of toast today. We're not doing the usual baby cereal and purees. When I was looking around online for recipes of making your own baby food I found some information on Baby Led Weaning. It was very interesting and after reading more information on it I've decided we're going to try this way of weaning. So I offered Elaria a 1/2 slice of toast. She licked it and gummed it and had a great time with it. She spit out most of the pieces that she broke off but there was one small bit that she ate. I know because she shivered and shuddered a little. Then she gave us a big smile and kept at her toast. Tomorrow we'll try some melon and see how it goes.

She's even closer to crawling! She did make three small movements forward today before collapsing. She moves a hand forward, then a knee, and then falls over. It's a lot of hard work! I think she might be very mobile by the end of this week. We shall see!

Sick

2008-11-04T23:42:00.000-08:00

I have been sick. My younger son came home a couple of weeks ago with a fever, turned into a stomach bug. Then my older son got it. Then I got it. The first day started with a fever- 102/103. Not sure how high it got but at one point I was hallucinating- Elaria had a 3rd eye on her forehead. Gregg came home (finally!) and sent me to bed. I have lost nearly 8 pounds in the last week! What a diet, huh?

Reminds me of a quote in a movie- "I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight." Ha! If only.

I think I'm different this time around...

2008-10-26T18:02:00.000-07:00

My boys are 13 months apart. So when my younger son was learning to crawl somewhere around 6 months, my older son was 19 months and running around and getting into stuff. Life was very hectic and I hate admitting that with both boys I just didn't have time to enjoy them. I did, I have photos of them but I think I missed the little things.... like learning to crawl. I just wanted and worried about them to get to the next milestone.

It's been 7 years since my second son was born. I often feel like I'm starting over with my daughter. However, I'm not worried or have that feeling of rushing to the next milestone. This time... I am just sitting back, watching and enjoying Elaria and all her little achievements. For the past couple of days she's been going up on her hands and knees and rocking back and forth before she just collapses. So cute. I just watch her everyday and see all the little progress she makes and smile- and wish I'd taken the time to enjoy the boys' little accomplishments.

Hello again...

2008-10-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

It was a crazy weekend for us.
Saturday was a fun day. It was our school carnival and it was fun and bigger than we thought it would be. I volunteered in the morning and then hubby and the boys volunteered in a booth in the afternoon. We were there all day and the boys had a great time.

Sunday was Elaria's baptism. She had fallen asleep when it was her time to be baptized. She wasn't happy to be awaken by the water, but at least she didn't scream.

She's 5 months today and I can hardly believe it. She's almost sitting up by herself. She's rolling from tummy to back and on occasion she rolls from back to tummy. She loves to watch us eat. Sometimes she laughs when we put something in our mouth.

If only I had a brain...

2008-08-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

Turns out my dear hubby needs one too. Stopped by the baby store today to make a return and pick up some diapers. Hubby goes off to get the diapers while I do the return. Team work! So everything gets done and we're off.

We get home, I'm starting Elaria's bottle when hubby comes in and says he has to go back to the baby store. Why? Because instead of size 2 diapers, he got size 1.
We had even talked about sizes but he still looked at them and picked up the wrong one.

Oh, I could tell you why
The ocean's near the shore,
I could think of things I never thunk before
And then I'd sit and think some more.

Can you see him?

2008-08-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

Not a great photo but that's my Nicholas swimming. I'm so proud of him! This is a huge deal for us. This child does not like water in his face. Just two years ago he wouldn't put his face in the water at all.

Monday, Monday

2008-08-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

Had a wonderful morning today.
So for the past couple of weeks I've been reminding Alex that he has paint class coming up. It's on the calendar, both of them, and it's in my Outlook calendar and I'm the one that signed him up. So last night at 9pm I realize that paint class is in the morning and I was supposed to get some supplies.

So this morning after Elaria's early morning feeding, instead of trying to get another hour of sleep, I get up so I have time to stop at the store before class. Moving forward- I go to the store. I find what I needed, and go to pay for it. As I reach into my purse for my wallet, I realize it's not in there. Doh! No credit card, no debit card, and only $5 and some change in cash.

Embarrassingly I tell the cashier that I forgot my wallet- sorry- and out the door I go. I get to the car and start scrounging around for change. I had been short by $2. Yeah! I found 6 quarters and with the change I had in my purse I've got the money. Whew!

Race back home- well not really because the last thing I needed was to get pulled over for a speeding ticket since I didn't have my license with me. Poor Alex ended up getting to class a few minutes late.

And I'm the one that had been reminding him about class!

Little Wonders

2008-08-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

It's finally finished. I actually had been mentally thinking about making this little movie with this song since the day she was born.

My little girl...

Time

2008-08-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Time just gets away from me.
In the past couple of weeks: we finished swim lessons, we've been mini golfing, we've gone school clothes shopping (gotta love the outlets!), Elaria is now reaching and grasping objects, Nicholas turned 8!, and well I guess that's it.

Quick Trips

2008-07-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

So my mom has been bugging me to stop by her work so she can show off her grand-daughter. I called her this morning asking if today was a good day. She says of course- so after two long hours of getting Elaria dressed and fed, getting myself dressed and fed, making sure everything's in the diaper bag, getting a bottle ready, and of course Elaria's crying and fussing through it all. We're finally ready and head out.

Twenty minutes later we get there. My mom failed to mention to me that she has a pedicure appointment at noon. It's now 11:45am. So we were at her work for about 5 min. My mom leaves, Elaria takes a bottle, and then we come home. Weeeee.....

No Time

2008-07-16T23:56:00.000-07:00

Haven't gotten around to getting rid of that web yet. Did I mention my fear of spiders? I need to get out the vacuum cleaner to get rid of this web but I just can't seem to get around to it.

Elaria had her well check appointment the other day and got her vaccinations. She hasn't been feeling too well, just a very low grade fever and some fussiness, so I've been holding her and comforting her. Basically that means I only have time to eat during her very short naps.

So dear little spider has a reprieve until Saturday when my dear husband has promised to help me clean out the webs.

Web Takeover

2008-07-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

No not that kind of web. Spider webs. Not sure when it happened but apparently I now have a desk mate and it's taking over my desk and my computer- or at least trying to.

Sometime in the last couple of days this spider has decided to take up residence near my computer. I've been so busy with my 2 month old that I haven't noticed this huge web until today.

It doesn't know it yet but I will be evicting it tomorrow.