Poor Neglected Walls ...

Have you ever noticed how versatile walls are? They hold almost anything imaginable ... artwork, of course ... kitchen utensils, bath essentials, (what a killer rhyme) ... white boards for notes & reminders ... hats, coats, scarves, clocks, books on shelves, TV's & other electronics.

The possibilities for creative asthetics with inherent functionality is almost endless.

So, next time you need to "re-oganize" a room, don't forget to fully utilize the walls. This is my newest project ... we'll see how it goes!

By the way, here are some great pictures I had stashed away in my "binder of good ideas" (most likely from Queen Martha - she is inspiring! or PB)

Potty-training!

Ugh ... well the horror is over. At least mostly. It seems Evan is well on his way to become a fully functioning male. He stands up & while his aim isn't great (but really, you show me a man that has perfect aim and I will show you one that cleans the toilets!) ....

OK, scratch all of that, just while I was finishing that last thought, I heard the dreaded words, "pee-pee in my pants, mom. pee-pee in my pants."

Actually, it was the other accident instead, which thankfully was rather easy to clean up as it wasn't that big of a mess! He has made progress, so other than the odd, ill-timed accident (such as now) maybe we are done!

Three cheers to Captain Underpants!

Evan

A little about Evan ...

A girl friend of mine, while we were playing at the pool, once looked at me and said while looking at Evan, "Teresa, he is just so damn cute." I replied with a "yes, Heavenly Father knew what he was doing, because if he wasn't so cute, he'd be in a lot more trouble.

Evan is my mimic. He speaks relatively well because he practices so much. He only stops talking to sleep and ends up repeating what everyone else says. Most of the time it is cute. The only times it is challenging is when we are in the car and he says, Mom ... Mom ... Mom ... Mom ... (without stopping, regardless of my reply for 10 minutes).

Because he has always been a great orator, we have had some trouble when his lips and mouth aren't up to the task of enunciating the words his minds wishes to speak ... words such as "Truck" and "Flag" have presented particular embarrassing moments.

Evan is definitely the life of the party. He loves to laugh and joke and tries to get everyone else to join in as well. At dinner time especially, he will say something that he thinks is particularly funny and start laughing so raucously, until everyone else starts laughing as well.

He is also Mr. Mischief. One of my favorite memories of Evan was when he was 11months and still very new to walking. Nick was playing with toys on the bottom stair, using it as a table of sorts for his battle. Nick was completely enthralled in play and oblivious to Evan's quiet advance. He took advantage of an opportune moment, when Nick turned the opposite direction, to steal one of the toys Nick was using. The second his chubby little fist closed around the toy, he turned 180 degress with an enormous grin on his face and started running away as fast as his little legs could carry him from Nick. Which wasn't very far, as he fell three steps later and Nick was able to forcefully dislodge the stolen item from Evy's hand. I could see in his eyes that he knew full well what he was doing and had purposefully taken his brother's toy with the sole purpose of annoyance. It was then, that I realized what I was in for ...

Even with his penchant for forcing conflict, he is a very sweet boy and loves his Mom. He is still at the point, when he injurs himself, that a kiss seems to make everything completely better. Throughout the day, he is constantly running to me crying and stops the second, the kiss seems to sink in. I love this and don't let one opportunity pass to give him kisses.

Evan is so smart. Part of being a mimic, he has learned some things much faster than the other boys. He knows how to count. Likes to sing the ABC and other songs ... especially "itsy-bitsy-spider".

He loves to play in a group, but thankfully, he is also very content to play alone.

One of the cutest things he has started say is "My Boys". We refer to Tyson & Nick regullarly as "The Boys". "It's time to pick up 'The Boys' from school." "Take it to 'The Boys' room" ... etc. Well, Evan has taken it a step further and often asks, "Where are 'My Boys'?" "Let's get 'My Boys". I love it. It just warms my heart to hear how much he loves them and wants to be with them.

Botanic Gardens

We were looking for something interesting to do outside this afternoon and found the Botanic Gardens at UCR. I HIGHLY recommed it! It is free to the public and has some really good trails. John was amazing and took Josh & stroller off-roading on the more rugged trails and we all had a great time. It was beautiful. Probably even more amazing in the spring, but well worth getting outside for a while.

This is just inside the park.

Evan with his Botanic Bingo - these free sheet were really cute, but didn't last long.

The boys inside of a wooden "green house".

I loved the flowers. I took a bunch of pictures. Part of our outing was supposed to be a scavenger hunt of sorts for a picture of the most interesting thing or just the best picture. The boys were so interested in everything else, they didn't want to take pictures.

There were turtles!!! It was so neat to see them. There were probably about 15 or so. It was so fun. The boys were enthralled.

Chocolate covered Josh

We came to one point with some large rocks and an opening to a beautiful view. This picture doesn't do it justice.

Nick & his "hunting" pose. He was keeping me safe from bobcats, lizards, etc. ... didn't see any bobcats, but there was one on the brochure, so Nick was ready!

Nick and I on these beautiful, rustic, weathered benches.

First Tenet of Organization ....

The First Tenet of Organization ... as I see it ... is 'Everything has its place'.

The basis of organization is making sure there is a place for everything, even if that place is the trash can or recycle bin. Clutter is the ultimate organizational foe and must be fought relentlessly to conquer.

Here are a couple ways to deal with Physical Clutter ...

Mail ... specify a place for 1) Outgoing mail; 2) bills to be paid; 3) mail that has a task associated with it, such as a dental reminder to make an appointment or coupons to cut; 4) items to shred & Most importantly, have a recycle bin close by for all of the junk mail & envelopes

School Items ... for those of us with school aged children ... schools tend to send home immense amounts of paperwork in the form of notices, awards and completed work. I have found having a small folder usually suffices to keep all the notices/student handbooks, etc. for the year. Also, having a special place (such as the refridgerator) to post the childs most current or favorite paper/award, etc. makes for happy kids (& proud teenagers, too ... even though they may not show it). Just remember, after a set amount of time - week or month or until the next item is brought home, take down the paper and either store it right away in a specific place (not in a stack).

Other Organizations ... most hobbies (sports teams, clubs of any sort, memberships, etc.) have paperwork associated with them. If you don't have to access this routinely, this would fit nicely in with other files. However, if you will utilize the information regularly, best to keep it in a folder or binder (depending on quantity of items) and neatly stacked with other like folders.

Other People's Items ... if your house is like my house, the other occupants often get items out, forget to put them back and leave. Having a bin for each person in the family works well. Items go in the bin until the end of the day/night when the owner of the basket is required to return the items to their place.

Purse Hanger

We women love our purses! We buy them to match our shoes, a special outfit, for everyday of the week or just because we may need a pick-me-up. (a new purse usually does the trick, by the way.)


One problem I have always had, I never had a good place to put my current purse when I am home. In my closet, I lovingly keep my purses on a shelf for themselves, where they stay all tucked into their own little sleeping bag to keep them dust free. But my current purse would get set in a chair or - heaven help me - on the floor, until it was needed.


Voila! I am happy to say, that I have found a solution that works for me and may help you. I have been using this for sometime now and love it!


I use a 'wreath hook' on my home office door. I am not sure it 'wreath hook' is technically the correct term ... it is a thin piece of metal that forms a gentle hook on one end and slides over the top of the door on the other. This can be used on almost any door and may work especially well with a walk-in closet.



Here is an example. They come in multiple colors - I prefer silver - but you can find almost anything if you look!

(This can be found at the Container Store.)

Josh

I want to write a few observations about each of my sons, mainly to keep the memories fresh and for the future when I eventually make this into a memory book.

So, I will start with Joshy. He is such a joy. He is an easy going child by nature and definitely a lover. He will cuddle with me more than any of the other boys did at this age. I am not sure if this is my memory or due to the fact that he is content to look around and take everything in. He isn't like Evan, who is always busy and in such a rush to do anything and be in the middle of everything.

Josh also loves to be outside. He would rather be outside doing anything than inside. He is also rather quick and has started sounding more like I imagine a Pterodactyl would sound, than a boy. He voice is normally quite deep and resounding. But he is so pleased with himself that he can get around on his own - what wonderful freedom! - that he has started screeching a little. It is very cute.

While outside, Josh loves to roam and is especially facinated by Tyson's skateboard. This is a little worrisome, but we'll keep an eye on him.

Josh is a good eater and many times will out-eat Evan. He is tall and big for his age, I am sure due to the fact that he eats his weight in food daily, but no bigger than Tyson was at this age. He does, however, have amazingly large hands and fee. I noticed these from birth, so I imagine that he will be pretty tall when he finally stops growing.

Joshy also has the cutest, genuine smile. He is quick to laugh and likes to join in when the rest of us are giggling about something. His joining in is a source of amusement to us all and tends to extend the laughing.

One of my favorite memories is of Josh squishing his face after tasting something new. It didn't really matter whether it was sweet or sour, whether he liked it or not ... he would always make the same face. It was extremely cute.

At the End of a Busy Day

It is usually at the end of a very busy day (as they all seem to be at this point in life), the entire family is wiped out and ready to call it a day when, unfortunately, the house usually looks as bad as we do.

I have committed to myself to make sure the house is clean every night, so the next tumultuous day can start fresh. I say clean, but clutter free is possibly a more accurate term. I have noticed, when the house is put away before bed I sleep better and actually wake up in a better mood.

Now, with 4 small kids, this is NO small task. I have figured out a couple of tricks that make the evening chores more of a quick run through rather than an all out war!

Daily Tips for a more Managed Home:

1) De-clutter as you go - when leaving a room, glance around to see if there is anything out of place that can be put away right then (this will save a ton of time at night)

2) Make sure beds are made in the morning - unless you like the bedding thrown around during the day or toys hidden under blankets

3) Wipe up spills as they occur - it is easy to fall into the "I'll get it in a second" mentality, but the result is usually a bigger mess the later you tend to it and requires a lot more elbow grease to clean it

4) Sweep the kitchen & dining room nightly

5) Kids bin - rather than running back and forth all day to children's bedrooms, each child has a basket to fill with items that need to be put away and they are required to empty it nightly ... this may work well with a spouse as well

Good luck & good night!
Teresa

And so it begins ...

Once upon a time, I was extremely organized. I never missed a birthday, always remembered to call and followed through on every promise. I was known professionally by my peers for these attributes. When I left the corporate rat race to stay at home with my (then two) sons and ultimately help my husband start his own business, things slowly changed.

Years later, I remember my husband asking in a loving, teasing way “Didn’t you used to be organized ... What happened?” UGH!!! One really analytical and deep introspection later, I realized just how out of hand things really had gotten. Needless to say, this was not one of my best days!

Happily now on the “Road to Recovery”, as I call it and implementing tools learned professionally, I am starting this blog to help others that may be momentarily life management challenged or just looking for small ways to improve.

I firmly believe in collaboration being the best igniter of creativity, so if you have ideas or comments, I would love to hear them!

Happy Organizing!
Teresa

Back to school night

Officially, our 4th back to school night. We missed (thank you lucky stars!) the beginning blah, blah, blah by the principal. Every year it is the same old thing, teacher introductions, reminders to the parents to not call their students cell phones during school hours (how is this not common knowledge!!!) & pta introductions.

I seriously appreciate the participation, but it has been the same for the last 4 years, at this point, I think I could do a pretty good job with the announcing! :) Ok, I am not that cynical.

But, on to the important stuff. The class rooms. While neither classroom, is ornately decorated, each seemed rather oddly clutter free. I am not sure if this is an improvement or detraction. Tyson's teacher is all business and as I understand it there is a lot to learn in third grade - multiplication starts soon, the always looming language arts and of course the STAR testing! Nicholas' teacher is quite friendly and seems to be less rigid, for lack of a better description. I am excited about both and heard good things so far both from student regarding teacher and teacher regarding student. So, I am confident and looking forward to a great year!

As a side note, we received Tyson's STAR Student Report in the mail last week and he scored the highest level ("advanced") in both Language Arts & Mathematics. We are really proud of him for trying so hard and paying attention last year!

I meant to take pictures and completely forgot - oops, I know ... what kind of Mom forgets this stuff ...

McDonalds

This past Friday, to do something fun for the boys - with a gift card from Mama Hayden - we all went to McDonalds for dinner. There is one not to far from us in Norco with a huge indoor play area. The boys love it as they can run free and I love it due to the fact that they are completely contained! (yahoo!)

I took a few pictures because it was so funny. Tyson has this completely "cool" thing going on. Nick is just Nick. Evan can't stand to not be involved AND he has started eating hamburgers, which seems to be a rite of passage in a young male's life. Then to Josh ... Josh is so cute and still content to eat while the others play. I am not sure if this is personality or if he hasn't realized how fun it is to bounce off the walls yet.

Ahhhh, parenthood! I love every (alright, almost every) minute!

First Day of School - 2009

I don't think any of us slept well last night. Too much excitement for today, the first day of school. The boys were up, fed & teethbrushed - without me even asking - before my feet even hit the floor. As I arose, my mind was filled with thoughts of mounds of clothing on the floor as kids everywhere were trying to decide which outfit was the "perfect" one to wear today. Thankfully, Tyson & Nick chose theirs last night, so somewhat abnormally, their floor is clear.

Of course, once we got to school, I forced them to stand in front of the school sign to take the mandatory first day of school picture. I have been taking the same picture on the first day of school for 4 years now and it is funny how "cool" Tyson seems now. He was a little annoyed at my technical difficulties ... first the camera batteries were completely dead, even though I had checked them at home before leaving, then my memory was full on my phone camera, UGH! Then after I was able to sort that out, I took a picture and Nick decided to make a rather uncouth adjustment, just as I took the picture - delete that one, thanks! Finally, I got my picture! Then I uploaded it here and noticed Tyson's eyes are closed!!! Oh, well - nothing can dampen my spirits today, it is THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Carter Plewe's Bday Party

Bounce houses, stationary air bazooka's and cake ... DEFINITELY my idea of a fun birthday. The boys bounced for hours and I am happily amazed, Evan didn't injure anyone! It was just as fun for me to hang out with all of the other Moms! Joshy was a little freaked out by the noise and craziness, which was surprising, but calmed down and he had a ball, too!

Happy Birthday Carter!

School Shopping

So, once again, it is time to drag all of my kids, kicking and screaming - literally, mind you - into a clothing store in preparation for a new year of school. I am quite happy to report that this years outing was much better than anticipated. Yes, Tyson and Nick still participated in their high speed games of tag and hide-n-seek among the racks and wary shoppers. Yes, at times their squeals and laughs rose to such a level that the obnoxious background music was completely in audible. and Yes, because they wouldn't calm down, the trip ended up taking 3 times as long ... but I still view it as a complete success as 1) nothing was broken - neither children nor merchandise, 2) I never lost my temper or my voice, for that matter & 3) we all ended up leaving of our own volition. Due partly in fact, to Evan being asleep for most of it and Josh being securely strapped in a 5 point harness to the front of the stroller. And even though this wasn't a quest or competition ... I still feel like hearlding from the top of my single story home ... "I WON!"

*side note, Tyson did NOT get this hat even with all of his begging & pleading and negotiating ... apparately this is the ONLY thing he needed for school!

Back to the grind.

Well, I originally created this blog as a way to send out a fun christmas greeting and that was about the end of it. I am anxious to get started again with the fun!
I will get pictures from our Colorado fun up soon! In the mean time, love you all!