Sneaky Clean

I think most parents go through bouts of feelings of inadequacy, wondering if anything we say is getting through our children's genetically thick skulls. Perhaps I shouldn't generalize, maybe it's just me?  Needless to say, I practically live for those brief moments in time where something positive, that is from me, rubs off on my children. 

Although not a major accomplishment, The revealing exchange I had with Ashlyn last night was not only rewarding, but quite comical.  She admitted, "sometimes, when I'm supposed to be in bed… I quietly clean my room!".  She further confessed that sometimes she even goes as far as "putting a pillow under my comforter and a brown haired doll on my pillow..., but that's only when I'm doing a deeper, organizational-type, cleaning, like my closet". 

#proudparentingmoment

Drum Roll Please

Ok... This is a long time coming.  This room was the first room painted in our home. The plan was to put Aj in here and make it a firefighter themed room. Then the bed we bought him didn't fit so we turned it into the ladybug room for Ash. It was perfect and with some adorable photography and custom canvassing it worked... For about 5 years. Then after another few we had just about enough of the hyper red walls that we could stand. So.... With a month off work and a couple pails of paint it's about to happen. 

Step 1: move monstrous furniture, cover, tape, fill holes In walls and border, prime, paint. And paint. And paint. 

Step 2: build shelf...

Step 3: put everything back together again and decorate!

I found a bunch of picture frames around my house and the DI (which, since this picture have been painted white and are in the process of being filled) 

Adding a shelf above the closet was an inspired idea (and with new white curtains... Hung after this picture was taken. Ash was excited enough to organize her closet!)

And what pre-teen doesn't need a huge mirror?! (Does something need to go beside the mirror, on the wall??)

Behind the door is a wire hanger and a newly added scallop edged magnet board. 

There are still little things that need to be done: a ladder for blanket storage, pictures/art inside the frames... A fun rug? After looking back through the pictures we have also added a couple cute throw pillows and a different jewelry holder. It has been so nice having her actually enjoy spending time in her room. It was a fun, exhausting, project and Ash helped quite a bit with it and I think she is so proud of what she did. 

 I know I am!

Family dinners made easy-er...

When we were in Alaska last June, my friend and neighbor Katie angellicly cared for our crazy trio. Mealtime, with her family doubling in size, wasn't overwhelming to her, she accepted the challenge head-on and changed the way I now do dinners! She had the kids make a meal request then help with the preparation on the day it was to be consumed. It went over really well and the kids were much more willing to, not only help, but eat! Armed with that knowledge and my love for chart-making, I put my organizational skills to use and came up with a going-on-three-months-successful dinner menu.
Next to the shopping list and the magnetic marker/pencil holder is our awesome menu.
This menu is double sided. The left section is a weekly layout with the day, the person who chooses/prepares the meal (written in sharpie) and what the main course is to be (dry-erase). The right section is an on-going "food-bank" with lists (sharpie) of what each member enjoys. On the assigned day, the designated person helps mom in the kitchen, including food-prep and table setting. After dinner is over, dad and the other two kids are in charge of clean-up.
This system has been a lifesaver. I go shopping for the week all at once and rarely have to go back to the store. When the week is complete, we dry-erase the entrées and replace them with new items to be enjoyed in two weeks (since next weeks foods are already decided on the reverse copy).

With this "system" there are less complaints when it's time to help and less waste with each meal. What more could a mother ask for during dinner?

Feels good to have a project

Although this project only took $3.00 and about an hour, it felt good to do something, other than laundry, in my home. Now the paint-chipped, food-stained, faded pantry shelves, are clean, covered and cute!