DIY Cleaning Schedule

I've been "working" as a stay-at-home-mom for 8 months now (WOW!) I still don't have it all figured out, it's not as easy as I thought it would be, and our house is still a disaster almost all the time. I know I've talked about this before, but it's something that does really bugs me and I'm trying hard to correct.

To help feel less overwhelmed each day, I created a schedule, of sorts, to help manage what needs to be done each day and what can be left to another day in the week.

Some things are done everyday:
Some things are conquered once a week, or as needed (which sometimes is 5 times a week)

(Bonus Tip: With this being on the front of the fridge, it's not only my eyes who see it.  Meaning... the hubby might notice that I haven't gotten to wiping the counters for the evening and lend a hand)

I made some kid friendly ones as well for my little helper who is always wanting to do what I'm doing, whether it's more helpful for me or not.  I love it because it keeps her on track of what needs done in the morning before leaving for school, too, and I find myself trying to hurry her onto the next task as often - hallelujah!

These are her everyday "chores" - Brush hair, make bed, etc.

These are her extra "contributions" - sweep, change sheets, etc.  She does 1 of these a day.

Do they enforce things getting done on a daily basis?  No.  Do they help keep on track and feel less bombarded with chores? Yes.  I'll take what I can get.  Maybe when spring comes and I can open the windows for some fresh air, I'll be more apt to keep up with chores (ha). 

*The circles aren't cut perfectly, the colors are matched up well... it was a quick job.  I will probably re-make them until I'm satisfied with how they look then laminate them for longer durability from little hands that like to move them 30 times a day. 

Do you have a cleaning schedule you stick to? And how do you hold yourself accountable? 

Until next time... XO! 

The creation of Mommy Time

As you may recall, it drives me NUTS when Chloe doesn't nap.  Over the summer, I had fantasies about how life would be after preschool started and Aria was born, with marvelous naps after lunch for both girls and a little bit of quiet alone time for me. (Dream on!)

Reality, for the first several weeks after Aria was born, I spent countless hours a week angry.  Angry because I could not control nap time as I had envisioned mainly (and really tired from all the colicky crying too).  I would fight with Chloe every single day about staying in bed.  I told her "I don't care if you sleep, but you have to stay in bed and stay quiet" and to no avail... she would win every single day and I would end up drained, completely. I couldn't do it anymore, I was losing my mind between the fighting and the crying. Thus the creation of Mommy Time.

I sat down with Chloe one afternoon, after I lost it yet again during one of our battles, and we worked out the details. You no longer have to stay in bed or your room but...

• You cannot follow Mommy around while I do things
• You must play quietly where ever you choose
• You cannot help Mommy with any chores I'm working on
• Mommy Time is not for talking or asking questions

Sounds a little rough on paper.. but it has been a life saver.  The fights stopped, I feel thousands of times less stressed during "nap time", Chloe is happy as a lark, and Aria sleeps better.  Typically Mommy Time involves Chloe cuddled on the couch with a movie of her choosing (Alvin and the Chipmucks everyday for 10 days... OMG) and me doing whatever I need or want.

*Bonus - if she's had a rough morning and hasn't been a good listener or kind, she knows that I can revoke Mommy Time and turn it back into Rest Time as I see fit - (much like today as she yells as me from her bed while I type this post).

What do you do during rest time to ensure some sanity?

Until next time... XO!

Closet Overhaul

It's been 10 weeks since Aria was born... 10 weeks! ... and I still don't fit into my jeans.  UGH.

I have 1 pair of jeans that have always been very big and (I can't believe I'm saying this but..) they are the only jeans I've been wearing for nearly 10 weeks.  Ridiculous.

In other clothing news... I am also having trouble feeling comfortable in any of my shirts (not size comfortable, but how my body looks).  My typical days includes throwing on another T-shirt and my only pair of jeans, take Chloe to school, come home and switch to sweatpants, repeat to pick her up.  I hate that.

 I hate it so much in fact that this is what I spent today doing:

With the exception of a few pairs of jeans that I know don't fit yet... this is all of my clothes, so sad

I emptied every drawer, every hanger, every laundry basket (after a laundry spree, it's all clean expect for what I was currently wearing - small victory around here).  I sorted all of it into piles - T-shirts, tanks/camis, sweats, sweaters, skirts, etc.
Then came the hard part.  I put on every shirt I own and made an impulsive decision to keep or toss.

First came tank tops and cami's... most of them are for under things so it was fairly easy decision - if they fit they stayed. The left is the starting pile, the right is the keepers.

Next came T-shirts... my most embarrassing pile.  Almost all of these shirts were from high school/college or free.  (Am I the only one who feels obligated to keep stupid shirts because they were free and ya never know when you may need a shirt to paint in or... lounge in... or...)

My most dramatic cutting by far.  Left is toss, right is keep.

I went through sweaters

I widdled down the sweatshirts and sweatpants by several pairs and discovered a couple more pairs of jeans that fit I had stored away when I started wearing maternity clothes (Happy Day!)

By the end of my painful task, I realized several things. 

1. I have mostly black or white clothing... I have no idea why
2. I do not stop and think about clothing purchases for long enough.  I had many pieces of clothing that I know I haven't liked since day 1, but continued to fold them and put them away.
3. I love (HATE) Pinterest for making me so self-conscious about my wardrobe with all of there cute outfits pins. 
4. Time to go shopping and hope for better and longer lasting decisions. 

These is what went back into drawers and onto hangers (expect of the cutey helper of course).

Do you have troubles with hating your clothing or is it just my post-baby (won't go back to where it was - damn second pregnancy body)?

Until next time... XO!

...Big Sigh

A quick note to let you know that SOME (big some... but I'll take any some at this point) of our sweet little one's crying has been replaced with adorable smiles and fun coos.

Responding to her silly sister's attempt at making her laugh

LOVE HER!

And with a few more smiles and few less cries... I've been able to do a few things around the house, which was in desperate need of a little attention over the last several weeks.

I will be back later this week with a few projects I've finished up.  

Until then... XO

Help me

For the last 3 weeks, we have been trying desparately to deal with a baby girl who cries in pain from what appears to be gas.  I am at my wits end after trying anything and everything we can think of to help her deal the pain. (gas drops, leg ups, warm towel on tummy, etc.). In addition to the gas, or maybe in conjunction, the little one is not having bowel movements often... As in every 5-7 days.  The doctor has told us this may just be her "normal" but the gas and crying is getting worse.

What can I do for this sweet, little, miserable girl??

Preeclampsia

How's this for a bit of drama..

Short hours after posting about my beautiful new baby, I was rushed to the ER with blood pressure of 172/100.  (as someone who has never understood how blood pressure works, I was less concerned than it seemed everyone else was at first).

So here I sit, in a hospital room again waiting for the medicine to work its magic and let me return to my family at home.

We were informed by the doctor shortly after arriving that preeclampsia is a condition many pregnant women get that involved high blood pressure but usually corrects itself after delivery.  I have to go off the charts and get it AFTER delivery with no other preexisting conditions, and frankly... They don't really have any idea why I have this.

12 hours of magnesium sulfate IV, 3 blood pressure pills and a little bit of rest later, I feel shaky with a terrible headache, stressed to the max about my girls, and more tired than I felt after our first night home with Aria.  Good note, my BP is down to 130/80... Still high for me, but I'm out of the seizure high levels for now. 

And maybe I can go home soon...ish.

Until then.. XO

It's a Girl!!

The day has finally come and gone.  We have another beautiful daughter to add to our family.  Meet Aria! 

Hours old

Packed up and ready to go home

Super proud BIG SISTER

Relaxing after a big meal

Aria was welcomed into our lives on Friday night after a very fast paced labor that left us running for the hospital, a ride in the ambulance and a painful delivery a short 1 hour 21 min after my water broke.  Whew... but she's here and she's perfect. 

XOXO

It tastes so bittersweet... preschool today.

Today was the big day!  Chloe's first day of 3 year old preschool.  Something I've been preparing myself for since she was born... something I completely changed my mind about last night and wanted to keep her home forever.

Chloe has also been through a range of emotions over the last few weeks about going to school, but woke up READY TO GO! 

Working on seat work

Chloe and her teacher

Social circle time

And when it came time for goodbye... my brave little girl... cried and screamed :-(   Worst mom award as I walked out and left her there!

P.S.... Now that the first day of preschool has come and gone, let's get this baby outta here! 

1st day of summer.. Ready to start again

Today marks the first day of summer vacation!  It also marks my first day as a stay-at-home-mom and I'm so excited about it!  I already started my list of things I want to get done to really start of my new "job" on the right foot... many of which includes reorganizing my neglected house.  Sort of a 'new start, new house' feeling.  

I'm also planning to becoming better at posting pictures of the things I've been making over the past few months.  Many things have been made and moved on to their new owners without getting a snapshot, but I will get better about taking pictures!   Here is one that is near and dear to my own heart... made for my mother and daughter in celebration of my mom's 12th year as a breast cancer survivor! 

With pool season just around the corner, I'm working on a towel wrap for my little one that I'll post tomorrow! Until then.. XO! 

MIA

Where has the last month gone?   December is a blur at this point filled with excitement, illness, holiday cheer and more illness.

Everyone in my house has had a major cold (strep throat, sinus infection, whooping cough) AND the flu within the last month.  (It's over now.... right?!)

I've been working on projects here and there, but haven't had the time to post about them (and a few even slipped through without getting their picture taken).  My most favoritest project of all time, however???

Learning this glorious machine! 

I'll be back this week with some Silhouette projects I've been working on all around my house (and trust me, this baby is getting it money's worth of use!)

XOXO! 

Sorry!

November 17th... how is that possible?

I've been slacking on the posting part of life, sorry about that.  It seems that with everything that goes on during the day the last thing I want to do is get on the computer anymore (when did that day come?!)

I have been continuing on beautifying my workspace and am hoping to get some pictures put up this weekend so stay tuned...

I also have a few more project pictures to get put up!  Hopefully you've been checking out my Facebook page and keeping up-to-date with me!

Talk soon,
XO!

Life

Life has been busy.

Hectic.

Exhausting.

Bed has been winning above all other the last couple of weeks... hoping desperately to correct that and get back to some fun creations. 

Here are some photos for a 3 year old birthday princess and a baby boy monkey set!  

Pink and Purple Tutu $18.99 

Monkey set $19.98

ISU shirt $12.99

 XO!