I am Sooooo Out of Shape!

Sarah will be buying a pedometer and a scale today, peeps. I need to be tracking my efforts on paper. But my WORD I am feeling this, and I'm not sure it's in a good way. My right calf is KILLING me. I can only complete two laps around my block before I'm sure my right leg may just crack off right at the knee. And I'm not speed-walking here, peeps. I wouldn't say it's a stroll either, but I'm not trying to break any records here. You know, I went straight from being sedentary to working out 5 times this week, so I guess being sore would be...normal?
That being said, I do feel wide awake and ready to work. I almost talked myself out of walking this morning, but I went anyway. Tomorrow is Saturday, though, and I am sleeping in! There is a possibility Mr. R will be home very late tonight...or I should say tomorrow, around 2 or 3 am. No way I'm getting up at 7 to walk. I'll be lying in bed with my honey, which is way better than a walk any ol day of the week.
I know a lot of my readers are probably Christians, but we're doing Halloween. If this offends you, log off and read something else. I enjoy the heck out of Halloween. I decorated our front door, bought tons of candy, and can't wait to hand it out tonight. Nicola and her son are coming over. We're going to have pizza (the kind you buy and heat up, not delivery) and just hang out and chat. Nicola is STILL pregnant and just wants some company. I don't mind either, we can hang out and chat all night long.

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Lost.

No, not the TV show.
I'm just at a loss, peeps. I am being pulled in those usual directions....you know...BE A GREAT MOM! NO...WAIT HAVE A CAREER! NO WAIT YOU'RE IN YOUR 30S, HAVE ANOTHER BABY...HOLD ON, GET A DEGREE!... LOSE SOME WEIGHT!... BE A SEXY WIFE!... HAVE A SPOTLESS MAGAZINE READY HOME!.... and ya'll...I'm tired.
The baby discussion happened again. Mr. R...wow I love him but he's driving me nuts. One day he is telling me how much he desires to have another baby with him, the next he is freaking out over the economy and wanting me to cash in my retirement so we can buy ammo. His confusion is confusing ME.
I see my children growing older, and needing me less. It scares me, peeps. I've been a mom since I was 20 years old, barely an adult myself. My entire adult life revolves around motherhood. I gave up an essentially high powered career to be home with my babies. Best thing I ever did...not a regret in the world. My life revolves around home, children, church, playdates, pets, cleaning, laundry...I've never done anything else, essentially. I know how that goes, once a mom, always a mom...I know. But yet...they're eventually going to leave, probably even Bucket. And I have no other identity. Simply put, my 40s are running at me full tilt, and I'm not ready. Because I don't know who I am.

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Cozy in the Housy

I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again. Brrrr, baby, its cold outside! The lovely little town of Deltona, where I reside, was a brisk 41 degrees this morning when I went for my walk. As a native New Yorker, I just adore this kind of weather. I truly do miss my seasons, especially autumn. I miss seeing fiery trees, and I miss those chilly nights where it was fun to snuggle with my mom under a blanket. I miss hot chocolate, darn it! Although I have substituted coffee for my hot chocolate, almost twenty years ago. *cough cough* showing my age there.
I went for a walk, but only did one lap around the block again, due to Bucket begging me to show up at school for his attendance award. Then when I got there, they didn't do the awards. I thought he was going to lose it, but his teacher regained control and said he would call me when they do the awards.
So here I sit at home, pleasantly working away. I have a small account schedule today. My house is chilly. I am actually wearing a long sleeved sweatshirt, and socks. I am drinking my coffee...and I guess I'm just content.
Today is Wednesday, which makes it early day for schools, so I need to bust a move and get my work done before 1pm, when Bucket gets home. So have a lovely day, my bloggy friends. I need to get working here.

I Didn't Slack Off Today

Day 2 of Lifestyle Change.
Brrrr, its cold outside, baby! Or in Floridian terms, it's not 95 with 100% humidity! No, there is actually chill in the air. It was about 45 degrees when I stepped outside. My sneakers are probably in shock...as in, why are we on her feet again? She just used us yesterday! And today, I went farther, too. Yesterday I only did one lap around the block, attempted a second lap but the calf cramps got me and I limped my pathetic butt home. Today, I did two full laps. I have no idea how far a lap around my block is...I'm already realizing that as far as walking goes, I don't really have the "equipment" for it. I definitely need a pedometer. And I could use an iPod. Listening to traffic is boring!


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Anyway, I feel great. It helps that the weather is not so hot and I'm able to exercise without sweating profusely. I really don't like to sweat. I joke that there is only one reason to sweat, and exercise ain't it.

Monday, Monday

Well, I am back to work after a nice long 1-week vacation. My coworker did an awesome job keeping up on my schedule and it's not overwhelming at all.
I got my final grades in Anatomy. I got ANOTHER 93 for my final, and ended up with...you guessed it...a 93 for the course, which is an A!!! That means the class was free, and my hospital is paying for it! So far, I am only on the hook for about $1600: $1300 for the extra loan I took out, and $300 for the one class where I got a B instead of an A. My hospital will pay 85% of a class where I earn a B.
My next two classes start Monday, the 3rd. They are medical terminology and research paper writing. Two more strengths of mine, if I do say so myself. I already work in the field, so medical terminology comes fairly easily to me. Plus I took two years of Latin in high school. Not sure about the research paper writing class...it seems in my head like an extension of English, which I was always good at, but we will see.
Last but not least, I did get up and exercise this morning. My silly self forgot to stretch before I took off, and so I ended up with a cramp in my right calf. I am pleased to report, however, that it was my legs that bugged me, and not my lungs or my heart. So while I may be a fatty, at least I can move. I put on my one pair of track pants, put on sneakers and socks as soon as I got up so I couldn't talk myself out of exercising. And walked out the door as soon as Bucket left for school. Missy and Tiger were astounded...Mom is up? With sneakers on? At 7:15? Yes, I was, and the walk felt great. I just have to remember to stretch! I have to laugh though, when I realized that I've owned my sneakers for almost two years and they still look brand new...I hardly ever wear them. I am definitely a sandal/flip flop kind of girl. And I'm going to need at least one more pair of track pants. I don't wear shorts, and I'm not washing clothes three times a week. I'm not that dedicated.

I'll Be Back Here Shortly

I'm just having a quick breakfast before I head off to church in an hour. I logged on to check my grades. This is my last week of Anatomy and Physiology I, and boy am I pooped. I am so glad I have this week off, so I can concentrate on work and getting my house in order again. (it was clean, but those kids...ah, I love em, but they're so dirty!) Right now, I have a solid C average without my final exam being graded, so it can only go up at this point. Even if I got a zero (which won't happen, cuz I'm Sarah!) I would still get a C. I have one more lab to complete after church, and then I get this entire next week off!
Today, church is going to be a bit long for me. After service, I am going to a meeting so that I can become a volunteer in what we call the "Two by Two." Two by Two is a program at our church in where we pair a "buddy" with an autistic child who can't sit by his or herself without assistance. This is so that the child can full integrate with the classroom, learn about the Lord, yet have someone there as a guide in case things get too intense. Bucket started in this class, and has done so well that he no longer has a buddy. When I first started at my church, I walked in a very broken woman. I wanted my little guy not only to know the Lord, but to love the Lord. He was not even close. Part of that had to do with me...I had lots of trust issues myself, and that holier than thou attitude of "He's my son, and I'm going to do EVERYTHING!" Well, while yes he is my son, I had to recognize that he is the Lord's son first, and I just have custody right now, hahahahaha.
When Bucket first started in this program, I was so distrusting that I would stand outside the classroom to watch his buddy interact with Bucket. I also cried a lot. Not only is Bucket super attached to me, but I am to him. Watching him grow up, and having to let go is one of the most painful things I have experienced in my 33 years on this earth.
Anyway, Bucket has thrived in his three years in the program. He believes in God, he believes that Jesus Christ is his Savior, but so far, he has not asked to be baptized. I told him he could whenever he wants, but this is his decision and I'm not pushing him. He is learning a lot and I'm so very proud of him, and happy for him too. He is making friends. The only thing he doesn't like is all the coloring...his teacher this year is a crafts fanatic, which he doesn't care for, but he does attempt to participate, which is all I can ask for.
So, after seeing Bucket do so well, it occurred to me (yeah, I'm quick) that I could help another child. I talked to the leaders of Two by Two, Tim and Sheila, who have a daughter with autism, and they were quick to welcome me to the fold. Then I discovered that since I have been on both sides of the game (both a mom and a volunteer) that they want me to speak at this meeting. I have no notecards, nothing planned, but I'm actually a very good public speaker and I'm ready to go.


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Rainy Saturday Morning

As my vacation from work quickly winds down, I sit here at my desk this morning. At 8:42am, the sky is still dark, swollen with rainclouds. The gentle tap-tap-tap of the rain hitting our metal gutters relaxes me. I don't normally pull up the computer so early, but I have more schoolwork to complete, and the house is mostly quiet. Still in my pink pajamas, my hair in a sloppy bun, my glasses perches upon my nose, I listen. I listen to the kittens playing about my feet. I listen to the gentle burps of the coffeemaker. Bucket is pouring himself a bowl of cereal, Missy is playing with the dog, and Tiger is still sleeping. We had planned a day at the pumpkin patch, but the rain may delete that activity. We still have some decorations to put up, and to buy candy for the trick-or-treaters (its not for me, I swear it!)
Mr. R left for a quick trip to Texas this morning. I helped him pack his bag, find his socks, and pick out some dvds. I kissed him goodbye under the portico of our home, wrapping my arms around his neck and wishing that he could stay home with me on this wonderful rainy Saturday morning.


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Awesome Vacation

I went nowhere. Don't ask me how my flight was, or what sights I saw. I got tons of housework done, ate real food, and spent time with my husband. Oh, and my husband had court. He got a ticket for running a red light, which he said he didn't do. He contested the charge, and since the cop who wrote the ticket didn't show up for court, the ticket was thrown out and we didn't have to pay anything. Hooray!!!
Today, I was thrilled to receive the rest of my office furniture that I had ordered. What I was NOT thrilled about, is that I clearly didn't order enough. I have my awesome four drawer desk, my comfy chair, a filing cabinet and a 6 foot tall bookcase. One would think a 6 foot tall bookcase could contain my needs. One would be wrong!!! You see, I do not like crap on top of my desk. Seriously. Icky icky poo. So I ordered the 6 foot bookcase, assuming I could put my cpu, my shredder, and my 4 in 1 (scanner, copier, fax, printer) in the bookcase. Next time I go furniture shopping, give me a tape measure. While I was correct that the cpu and shredder fit, I was dead wrong on the 4 in 1. So that is top of my desk. It's annoying, yet kind of handy. I can reach my faxes the second it comes in, which I guess is ok. I'll get used to it.
However, I still have my coding books, my school books, reams of paper, and all my scrapbook paraphenelia that needs somewhere to go. Right now, they are still in laundry baskets on the floor. I'd like my laundry baskets back, please.
Mr. R even agreed that I should have gotten the extra bookcase. Actually, what he said was, "Dammit, Sarah, you sure have a lot of @$!&%! to put away." But that is his way of telling me to order another bookcase. Wouldn't ya'll agree?
I was still thinking about my options (you know, by throwing stuff on the ground and pouting, thats how I put stuff away) when the salesman called to make sure I was happy. Well, I admitted I was halfway happy, but could be a lot happier. I asked him if there were any more of those bookcases in stock. He went to his handy dandy computer and told me he had 9 left. I told him to reserve one for me, as I had sorely misjudged my capacity for crap collecting. I'm sure this guy was thinking, "Holy mackeral, how much junk does this chick have?" Well, chicky here does have a lot of stuff. And since I don't have an office with a door that closes, my stuff is in the very front room of the house. So it needs to look presentable.
Anyway, that's my story, and I'm all sticking to it and stuff. No new camera yet, but be prepared. I'm pretty sure I will have one by this weekend. I think.

I Miss Her

I wanted to do this post on Friday, but was so slammed with work that it wasn't an option.

These adorable cutie pie baby pics are of me, my cousin Renee, and my cousin April. Renee died October 17, 1995, almost three months after Missy was born. Renee was 22 years old. She had cancer.


She was just a wonderful person. She was friendly, caring, and nurturing. She had just obtained her bachelors degree in speech therapy the June before she died. She knew she had cancer, but I don't think she knew how bad it was, but I will never really know. Maybe she did know, and just chose to keep going to school and being silly ol Renee.
Renee was a health nut. She was a vegetarian, a marathon runner, a volleyball player, and never smoked. Yet she got cancer. How fair is that?
She was never engaged. Never got married. Never had children. Never got to use that degree. She was beautiful, and kind, and I miss her SO VERY MUCH. She was less than two years older than me, and we grew up having a blast together.
She was so breathtakingly beautiful, that we used to joke that she had to be adopted, as she couldn't possibly be related to the rest of us mere mortals. She was tall, about 5 foot 9, with blond curly hair and piercing blue eyes.
I feel her loss acutely on her birthday, July 31, on holidays, and most especially on October 17, the day I lost one of my best friends, 13 years ago.

Memory Lane

My mom surprised me yesterday. She and my stepdad came over with fresh apples picked from northern Georgia, and a huge, stinky Rubbermaid tote. What was it, you ask? All of my grandparents photo albums. Dating back to about the 1920s or 30s, and ending abruptly in 1993 when my grandmother died. My mom couldn't deal with the stink (both my grandparents smoked) and so they sit in my house, stinking mine up instead.
I don't have this listed on my page as one of my hobbies, but I am in fact a scrapbooker. I don't get to scrapbook as often as I'd like, considering how busy my life is, but I do enjoy it. I have one for Missy and Tiger, but have never even started Bucket's, and he's ten years old. So I am very far behind. Hopefully next week when I'm on vacation, I can put a dent in some scrapbooking, not only preserving my grandparent's past, but mine as well.
I will scan some cool photos in days to come.

Do You Ever Have Bad Dreams?

Friday night is one of my favorite nights. Know why? Because Saturday morning is the only morning I don't have to be up at a particular time. I can stay up late, watch a movie, color my hair, do "maitenance" (my lovely slang meaning body hair control...legs, pits, eyebrows and anything other area that needs wayward hairs to be ripped out of my body) or read a book. The night is all mine, and I cherish it. On nights when Mr. R is not home, I can watch HGTV to my little hearts content, pretending I have $5000 to spend on decorating my house. Yowza. I get the queen size bed to myself. I make sure I have fresh sheets, the blinds shut so I get none of that infernal daylight, fluffy pillows, and comfy pjs that don't bind or pull.
Last night was Friday night, and I was psyched. At 11:30, once I did my usual perimeter check, I settled into my soft bed. I said my goodnight prayers to the Lord and sank happily into my mattress. I was pretty tired after a long week, so it didn't take long for me to fall asleep.
I don't know about most women, but I am pretty sure that even while I'm sleeping, all I do is think. My mind is constantly whirling with ideas, thoughts, plans and worries. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and wonder if all I did was think all night.
I have two recurring awful dreams. One is a reenactment of my car accident. In my car accident, it was raining, and when I was avoiding an extremely reckless driver, my car started to hydroplane and spin on I4. It was truly one of the most terrifying nights of my life, and I was certain I was going to die. I hit two guardrails, and was hit by three separate cars, just trying to avoid one dumb driver (who, by the way sued me and WON, despite HER getting the ticket. Thanks, Florida no fault laws!) In my dream, I'm back in my old car, spinning and spinning and spinning. I keep screaming but my car never hits the guardrails. I just spin. Then I get dizzy, and I've actually vomited in my sleep from the sensation of the spinning.
The other awful dream involves tornadoes. We do get tornadoes here in Florida, and in fact, Mr. R's mom lost an apartment in one in DeLand, Florida back in 2006. So this is not a dream that is just nonsense, but is something that can actually happen. In my dream, there is a tornado coming. The sky is a sickly green, I can hear wind roaring, and my children are crying. I am running for a closet. I can hear Bucket crying on one side of the house, and Tiger screaming for me on the other side of the house. The tornado is about to hit...which child do I help, and which one will get sucked out of the house?
In my dream, I never choose. I always wake up crying, and in my dream, the roof has lifted off my house and my children are gone. In my hesitation, I lost all of them to the tornado.
Now, I don't get these dreams often. Normally the tornado dreams happen on nights when I drift off during a thunderstorm. The car accident dream is more frequent.
I am not a person who enjoys living in fear. In fact, the Bible preaches against it. During daylight hours, I am not scared of much. I drive my car, I watch the weather, and I prepare my household, much like the Proverbs 31 woman. But at night, my fears tend to come alive. I am now nervous about driving in the dark, especially in the rain (to the point where I will sometimes cancel plans if Mr. R is not home to drive.) I have made myself so sick over the driving issue that I've given myself nosebleeds when I'm driving because I am holding my breath so intently. And at least during the day, one could see a tornado coming. At night, the dark hides the funnel, and you could never see it until it has hit your home, which is what happened to Mr. R's mom.
So I prepare the best I can. The kids know if I scream "tornado" to run into their closet and shut the doors. I scheduled my life that I don't normally drive much at night. I will go to the store and to the kids schools and to my mom's after dark, but you will not catch me on I4 after 8pm unless someone is dying.
Fear is not a way to live. I'm making sensible changes to overcome it, but I'm not quite there yet.

Eleven Things About Sarah

Eleven Things About Me:

1. Clothes Shop: Target, Lane Bryant, Kiyonna, Avenue. I could squeeze into xxl in some stores, but it ain't pretty. I'd rather buy the larger sizes and take them in where needed.

2. Furniture Shop: Got my desk from Kane's, and they are pretty good. Whenever I get my desk paid off, I'll be getting a couch from them. Our is busted.

3. Sweet: I do like ice cream, but seriously I'm not a sweets person. My snack cravings tend toward the salty and crunchy. I love popcorn, chips, salsa, chips, and chips. :D

4. City: I was born in New York, and I always consider myself an NYC girl...but I love St. Augustine with a passion.

5. Drink: I love a White Russian. Anything fruity or tropical. If it has an umbrella in it, it's mine! I do enjoy a Corona every now and then, but I very rarely drink. I will only take a drink when Mr. R is home. In case something happens and my kids need me, I don't want to be a useless drunk.

6. Music: As a teenager, I was all about heavy metal. Yes, I kid you not. Guns n Roses, Metallica, Skid Row, Pantera, Megadeth...oh yeah! But the metal scene died out, and I'm not a rap fan at all. Then, I had three kids in quick succession, so my tastes leaned to Cookie Monster singing to me about liking vegetables! Now, I love country music and Christian rock, but still not an R&B fan. I also like older folk music like Simon and Garfunkel. I have a wide range, but one thing stays constant...you must play your own instruments. If its electronic, I won't like it. I also like for songs to have a meaning. If its about getting drunk, high, or laid, I probably don't care.

7. TV Series: Ghost Whisperer, and that's all I can think of. I work full time and have three children and am a college student. TV? HUH?!?!

8. Film: City of Angels is my absolute favorite movie of all time. Nicolas Cage...swoooon! An interesting plot? Undying love? A rockin' soundtrack? I've played the cd so often I've actually had to replace it twice. If you haven't listened to the soundtrack for City of Angels, its a MUST MUST MUST.

9. Workout: Hahahahaha! Oh, that was good. Next?

10. Pastries: I'm not a huge pastry person, but I am picky about pie crusts. A flaky piecrust rocks!

11. Coffee: Yes please!!!! Seriously, I could not live without. I am convinced there is a coffee bar in Heaven. And caffeinated angels. Yes siree bob.

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Celebrate Good Times

I won't be at my desk much today. Today is the baby shower for my boss, coworker and friend Nicola. I still haven't even bought her gift, so I have to run to WalMart where she is registered before I drive in today. Buying baby gifts is so much fun...it's a joyful announcement of new life. I love the little socks, the tiny blankets, the powdery smell. I am so happy for my friend and her new husband. Plus it's going to be hilarious watching her husband figure it all out!

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Congratulations to Nicola, her husband Marlon, and her son Delvin. We can't wait to meet your sweet baby girl due in November!

ABC's Instead of Homework

Aprons - Y/N? If yes, what does your favorite look like?
I have a cheapie give-a-way from Publix. It's blue canvas. I forget to wear it and I get crap all over me.

Baking- Favorite thing to bake? Banana bread. Everyone likes it. I make it both with and without walnuts for the finicky people in my life.

Clothes line - Y/N?
I totally want one, and eventually will win.

Donuts?
I like em when I have my period. Other than that, I don't really care.

Everyday - One homemaking thing you do everyday.
Dishes and sweeping.

Freezer - Do you use a deep freeze?
Yes, it's in the weird little corner of our house that we don't know what to do with. It's great, and I highly recommend one if you have a larger family than most.

Garbage Disposer Y/N?
I have one. I think I could probably live without it, but it came with the house.

Handbook - What's your favorite homemaking resource?
My brain and a few ladies' blogs.

Ironing - Love it or Hate it?
Hate with a passion like the intensity of a thousand white hot suns. I usually throw stuff in the dryer and pray the wrinkles come out.

Junk Drawer - Y/N? I don't have a single one. My house is small and I use every drawer wisely. I do have one drawer that I keep batteries in, but it also has restaurant menus...but I did organize it.

Kitchen - color & decorating scheme.
my kitchen is a bright primary red. We're actually considering changing it to turquoise. Nope, not kidding. Hubby and I are brave color people. Besides, if we hate it, it's easy to change. So we take chances!

Love - what is your favorite part of homemaking?
The satisfaction of my family feeling comfortable and happy due to my effort.

Mop - Y/N?
I have one of those Swiffer things. It was necessary due to my back and shoulder injury. I can't wring out a regular mop or drag a heavy bucket around the house. When my husband comes home, sometimes he'll do a heavy mop job, but the Swiffer really does the trick for most issues. We have those laminate wood floors, had em for a year, and they still look brand new. Love them!

Nylons, machine or hand wash?
Nylons? Really? People wear them???

Oven - Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
I use the window, and then open it anyway because I always poke whatever is baking.


Pizza - what do you put on yours?
green peppers and onions are my favorite! But no one else in my family likes green peppers, so I only get that when I'm solo.

Quiet - what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Sleeping would be a favorite activity I sorely miss.

Recipe Card Box - Y/N?
I have one that I rarely use. I stored it really far over my head.

Style of house - what style is your house?
Our is your basic Florida ranch with ugly stucco. It's a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage on a quarter acre. It has a fireplace which we haven't used in five years because...hello....it's FLORIDA. I have candles up there, and we hang stockings by it. I call my kitchen the "Manhattan" kitchen because it is ridiculously small. If I end up living here the rest of my life, I will be knocking down a wall or something. I've lived with it for seven years and hated it the second I moved in. I bought the house DESPITE the kitchen.

Tablecloths and napkins?
Nope. Unless you count napkins I stole from McDonalds.

Under the kitchen sink - organized or toxic wasteland?
Organized...hello! Come on people. You know better.

Vacuum - how many times per week?
None...I have wood laminate floors. I sweep every day, though.

Wash - how many loads of laundry do you do per week?
about 6. I do mine, Mr. R's, and Buckets. Missy and Tiger do their own.

Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
No, I'd lose my list. I actually started putting stuff in the planner on my phone (see cute green phone I'm using in the hair picture below.) Totally didn't realize it had a planner. I'm liking it.

Yard - Who does what?
I don't mow, again due to back/shoulder injury. But I will go out and tell Mr. R where I want him to put stuff. But it's mostly his domain. I like it when he brings me flowers from outside and puts them in a vase for my desk. He's so flipping romantical!

What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
I set the timer for the dishwasher so it runs while we're all sleeping. And since I'm usually here without my manly man, I do what I call a "perimeter check." I walk around the house and make sure everything is locked, including back, garage, front doors, and all windows. You can't be too safe in the hood!

To CC Chica...

I think I deleted your comments on accident! I'd love to see what you have to say! If you'd be so kind, could you post again? I'm very sorry!

This is Not Intended to be Naughty!

I just wanted to share a pic with all, to show how long my hair is...and it turned out...like a booty shot. In my defense, at least it's covered. And my hair looks fabulous. So it's getting posted!!!

Again, someone needs to remind me to clean my mirrors before I go taking bathroom pics. And as usual, I'm wearing a red shirt. So??? I stick with what works!

Oh, I just saw something. First of all, that's a bottle of shampoo, ok? Don't be asking me what I'm up to when Mr. R isn't home! It's SHAMPOO. In fact, it's Dove, and I took it out of my shower to bring to the kids because my hair was too thick and it wouldn't lather in my hair. That's why it's sitting out there. Second, yes, I know I just posted that thing about how I clean my bathroom on Thursday, and it's already a mess. I share it with a 13 year old girl, ok?!? She has more products and supplies than I do.
** rant over**

Dumber than a Box of Rocks

I was so proud of me. I turned in one of my assignments several hours early. Smug, I drank coffee, watched the season premiere of "Ghost Whisperer" (looooove that show!) and toodled around the house. As I was reading my textbook, a cold feeling of horror overtook me. I did the WRONG ASSIGNMENT. Not only that, but I had already uploaded it and sent it to my professor. I quickly flipped to the page I was supposed to do...less than two hours to midnight, and there was no way I could finish it on time. Defeated, I e-mailed my professor, admitted to my brain fart, and asked for a Monday extension.

~ sigh ~

Sarah, How Do You Do It?

Through His Grace and Mercy, that's how!
Seriously, this is a question I get *all the time.* From young moms, teenagers, my own mother, people I work with, extended family. I guess I give off the impression that I do it all...WRONG! Believe me when I say I am incredibly flawed, not perfect, and sort of a mess at times.
However...in my fourteen years as a wife, and thirteen years as a mama, I have picked up some wisdom...HAHAHAHA! Phew, now that I'm done laughing, may I share my wisdom (hahahaha!) with you?

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1) Schedules!!! Did I say schedules?!? Oh yes I did.
I think having Bucket as a little boy actually helped me with this. Due to his autistic nature, being too flexible sent him into hysterics. I learned to be consistent with him, and when I did, I extended this to my household. It truly works. For example, I do one major chore every day, Monday through Friday. That way weekends are mine to relax, do schoolwork, and play with my children.
Mondays: clean kids bathroom (which is also the one guests use, so I clean it.)
Tuesdays: laundry
Wednesdays: clean master bedroom
Thursdays: clean master bathroom
Fridays: clean my office and do a last load of laundry before the weekend

By doing this, it guarantees that weekends are mine, unless someone is sick and I'm doing a special load of vomit laundry. Yes, I'm scheduled, but do keep flexibility in your life. I will happily give up cleaning my bedroom if a friend needed me.

2) Think of Kids as Your Staff:
Ooooh, people are going to hate me for this. But yes, I assign my children chores, and they do them. Not only that, but I don't pay them for it. I consider it their payment to me for me allowing them to live in my house. I think giving them chores not only gives them character, but appreciation for how hard their father and I work to put a roof over their heads.
I have a list of rotating chores for the kids. I'm not sexist about it either...Missy can dump garbage, and the boys can help with dishes. I want them to have a basic working knowledge of every chore. Even Bucket knows how to do a load of laundry. They don't do things perfectly, but we have time to perfect that. For now, they all know that we work together as a team to have a cheerful, clean home.



3) There are Some Chores That Must be Done EVERYDAY!
I will not go to bed with a dirty kitchen. It breeds filth and bugs. I generally run the dishwasher around 1am (it has a timer) so that it doesn't interfere with anyone's bath/shower time. Even though my counter-tops are cheap formica crap, I make sure they are sanitized every night because I make lunches in the morning on them.

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I also sweep my house every day, sometimes twice. We have a dog and four cats, so the fur and hair is unreal. I also don't like leaving clean clothes in baskets. In my opinion, that is just lazy. Clothes are cleaned and folded? Put em up!
The living room is cleaned every day by a child, except on weekends. The dining room is also cleaned every day by a child. They are also responsible for garbage cans, recycling bins, animal care, and their own bedrooms. By everyone doing their part, we have a clean, tidy, mostly organized house. To be honest, the sloppiest part of the house is probably my office. Since I work here 8 hours a day, plus schoolwork, I battle the paper demon on a regular basis. I shred paperwork at least three times a week, and it really makes dust fly. Since I'm the one who creates that mess, I do the dusting in here. It's only fair.

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Well, those are my rules for weekday organization. The best part about being the CEO of your own home is that you can change the rules whenever you want! So it's ok to try something and discard the idea. I have changed the chore chart several times in order for it to work better for the kids. Not everyone has an autistic child to work into a schedule...obviously, take your own family's strengths and weaknesses in mind when you work on this. I promise you, when you organize the cleaning of your home, you will be much happier!

They Rode in Trucks...

Purchased yesterday: 2001 Dodge Ram quad cab pickup V8 Magnum for $4000 cash.
Sad: Me. Because that's how much money is required for the reversal I don't see happening.
Happy: Me. Because I got another 93 for my weekly test. That's my third 93.
Interesting: I graduated high school in 93. Hmmmm.
Sick: Me again. Just a sore throat. Missy was gracious enough to share her cold with me and her younger brother Tiger.
Poor: Me. Is it payday yet???