Cleaning House!

So, I loath house cleaning. Though I love a clean house. I think the part that I struggle with the most is that it feels like it's a never ending chore. One minute it's clean the next oh so dirty - and the kids aren't even here yet! Really I think most of it is due to our cat, O.W. He loves to leave his hair everywhere. I can spend a half hour sweeping, and less than a minute after I'm done I can see a tumble weed hair roll past me. I'm posting a picture of him so that you can see why we keep him around. He's very handsome. In this picture, he decided he was going to sit in my chair. I walked into the room and couldn't pass up this photo op.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I have this dear friend, Stormy, who recently sent me a copy of a book she's been using called "The Naturally Clean Home." She's replacing one cleaning product at a time, as she finishes up what she's already bought. I'm beginning this same journey. We are almost done with our store bought, liquid laundry detergent, and I just bought the ingredients for home made laundry soap. For about $20, I'm anticipating having naturally safe and clean detergent well into next year. I will keep you posted on how I like it, but as of right now, I'm already scoping out supplies for our next "replacement." I had a wood cleaner/pledge substitute highly recommended, but I think I'm going to start with an all purpose cleaner first.

I'm still wanting to post some updates on the new patio, the growing belly and what I've been learning - about being in the home and staying passionate and active in my relationship with God as I'm preparing for this little girl. I'm starting to work on a mission statement, and I'm still working finishing what I start. I also have pictures from our trip to New Mexico. I have to take a picture of where a tree branch decided to fall on our car just minutes after we got out of it. David was lucky it wasn't his head.

Schedules, Plans and Control

Ahhh, I must confess... I love all these things. I am working at giving up more control. I find my "need" for it can make me a not very nice person.
Schedules and plans, however, I love; and I am trying to get better at them. My friend Stephanie recently blogged about how she get's done all she does in a day. It involved planning things out - so of course I loved it.
What her planning lead me to do was to begin making similar plans of my own - using her method and adapting it to my needs.
So I am proud to say that over this last week I have been more productive and consistent than I have been since I quit my job. I manage to find time for my quiet time, extra reading, house projects, house cleaning and more. I am usually ready for bed by the end of the day - but it feels like a full day, and I'm usually ready for the coming day.
This is basically the lists method, with emphasis on prioritizing the daily tasks that need to get done - making them first on the list. Then to continue on and list the tasks that you would like to work on and complete on that day. For me, there are times when tasks get moved to the next day, but not the important ones.
Anyway, I am just really excited about how well this is working for me. I think my husband is not as big a fan, as he is not really a planner - but he can and does appreciate how it changes my day! Especially since he now gets three homemade/cooked meals a day, on most days....
I would also add that even taking time to write this blog is part of my list. I do enjoy writing and sharing thoughts - I'm just not good at taking the time. So I am making the time. I plan to improve and hope to include more well thought out posts along with more pictures as I progress.
Anyway, thanks for sticking with me through this post. I really am very excited about how well this is working for me. For those interested in reading Stephanie's original post, here is the link: www.stephaniecherry.com/2010/06/all-in-days-work.html

Sunday...

So today my husband and I tried out a new church. It's the first time in a while I didn't have a strong "no, thanks" feeling, and we mutually agreed we needed to try it another time or two. We are hoping to make a move to a church closer to home so we can develop a more active community and fellowship.
This past week has been really strange. I'm not even 100% sure how I feel about everything. I spent most of the week at home, I got a lot done... but it still feels like something is/was missing. I haven't even figured out what's missing. It's an unsettling feeling. I'm praying that a quiet day will put things into perspective. I haven't even figured out what all needs to be done this week. Maybe I'm trying to be too productive?
So that wraps up my day and week, I suppose. This is my rambling edition for today. Until my next post.

Getting things done... FINALLY

So I'm happy to say that the nursery is almost entirely cleared of things that do not belong there. There's still somethings that will move, but some will have to wait as things get shifted around and re-arranged to make room.
The cat, O.W., is officially locked out of the room - no more cat hair in there for the next few years... or for as long as we can manage. Wish we could swing something like that for the master bedroom as well.
Soon the walls will be painted and the carpet removed. I will have pictures for you then. I am getting excited!
Next, I'm about one hour and a proofing away from finishing the last paper for my first class. It will be submitted by Friday morning. At which time, I will start to work on my second class after having requested the test for the first.
When I started this post, I thought I had a lot more accomplished. Maybe it's just because these two topped my "to do" list this week - and it's only Thursday. It could also be that I've been wanting to get these two things done for about six months.
Anyway, I'm also just going to point out that this is another post for me. My efforts to find things to share, and to write them out are slowly succeeding... slowly, for sure.
Well that's all for now. Done with procrastinating on that final hour of paper work. See you on the other side, hopefully with an A and pictures of the progress made on the nursery.

Ahh the growth!

So since my last post, much has changed. So here's a few photos of the growing and the changing.

First: Here is my FINISHED dress number 1. Not perfect, but has character. Very comfortable and fun to wear. Still haven't figured out for sure if making this was more cost effective than buying it, but I'm thinking the more I learn how to sew the more I'll be able to save.



Next up, the yard. This shows the before and after. Before our yard was all weeds, which David and dad tilled up a couple of times. Then seed was planted, patience employed and much watering done.... and the product? The beautiful green lawn.

So, the last picture is our growing bump. It's definitely growing now - though not always obvious. This is me helping accentuate it for the sake of getting a pic of the baby. This was me at about 4.5 months.

So this is what's going on in my life. Lots of changes and lots of growth, with an ever growing desire to finish what I've started... including making a point to post this post!

OK, enough for today. Off to feed the bump and help it grow a little more!

Realization...

Have you ever experienced a depressing, but true realization about yourself? I did this past week. It's sad really. I will say though, that now that I know about it I am going to endeavor to change it.... and here's how I'm going to start. I'm going to tell you all what my realization was....

I start things all the time and NEVER finish. That's right. This blog is a good example. So scattered, didn't stick with it the way I should have.

I started crocheting. I crocheted two scarves that look almost identical then half of something else...

I started knitting. I have knit almost an entire sweater, but lost steam on the last sleeve.

I started cleaning out the closet, the spare room, the bookshelves, the kitchen.... and got a chunk done of it all.

I've started books that I've never bothered to finish - some of that's on principle - they were not good books, but some just got put down.

I started reviewing books and only made it through two and one-third books.

I started running.... then I started walking.

I started a master's program two years ago.... and I'm still at the beginning (this is probably my most embarrassing unfinished).

Seriously, this could go on forever. It seems like I want to try everything - this week I'm going to sew my first article of clothing... or at least START to... I had my first sewing lesson yesterday.

Now, I'm not saying that I need to be doing all of these things, but there are definitely some things that I should be following through on... and this is my first step to finishing them. Most of these are hobbies or little things (minimal eternal consequence), but some are not. They are things that can effect my day-to-day living, my marriage, my self-esteem even.

So my next thing to start is to start finishing things.... and this one is the only one that I'm going to attempt to stick with...

How you may ask... By taking time to consider if what I'm starting is worth finishing. If the answer is no, then I will move on. If it's yes, then I will strive to finish it - no matter how long it takes. I'm going to start considering if I enjoy what I start or if it's out of guilt that I feel I need to finish.

This is going to be an interesting summer!

So many changes...

Life over the last few months has flown by. I am no longer employed. I have been working on the house, traveling, and spending time with family. A few hobbies that I've taken up include: knitting, more reading, soon to be sewing. I am not consistent or good at all/any of these yet, but they are keeping me more than busy.
So really, this is not a deep, intense or long post. This is really a "breaking in" to help me remember what it's like to post... So here's to me starting to keep up with the changes... and adding blogging to my new hobby list.
Good to be back, friends.