monday's gratitude..

since I did not list my 10 things on Sunday, I am going to do it tonight, Monday..

1. I am grateful that today is over.. it has been a stinking long day..

2. I am grateful that the baby took a long nap & let me deep clean both of the girl's bedrooms..

3. I am grateful / but sad, that my baby girl is growing up.. she rolled over for the first time today.. so very proud of her.

4. I am grateful that dh forgave me for being cranky for his stupid mistakes this morning.

5. I am grateful that I am going to be able to start volunteering in my daughter's kindergarten class this month.

6. I am grateful that the big one is loving her gymnastics class -- really worth the money.

7. I am grateful that I have scrapbook stuff to sort & organize (I am in the process of purging, so clearly I have more than I need)

8. I am grateful that the big one has been eating her dinners & we can out to dinner with friends tomorrow night..

9. I am grateful that I finally, after 35 years learned how to spell tomorrow right the first time, without spell check (I am seriously not kidding on this one)

10. I am grateful that there is something good on tv tonight for me to do my ironing.. which I must start in about 15 minutes..

okay.. a semi-lam-o list, but it's my list and I am sticking with it for tonight..

:) Monique

:O boo

i have had enough....

that's it.. I have hit the lowest of lows in my scrapbooking space.. there is much good stuff and so much junk and so much in piles I can no longer find Anything I am looking for and am getting nothing done.. it started yesterday as I was planning to go & scrapbook with my new scrap / stamp buddies (whom I had an awesome time with last night) and I found the piece of paper I spent a really long time looking for yesterday.. on the floor, under the baby's swing..

it's time to stop spending, start cleaning and seriously PURGE... I have some friends who will be very happy when I am done.. but this is just getting WAY out of hand..

My goal would be the week.. but that might be unrealistic and then let me down.. so I will say 2 weeks.. maybe by halloween I will be scrapping again..

please wish me luck.. and send in back up help if you don't hear from me soon..

:O Boo!
Monique

pass the crackers...

Cuz I am about to whine..
if you are reading this, chances are you have kids, seems like I walk mostly in mommy type circles, if you don't chances are that someday you might.. if not, this post could warrant being skipped over...
my rant for today is baby clothes.. I love them, I think they are the cutest, tiniest little things on the planet.. especially those sweet socks... Oh, ask any woman who has or wants kids, the clothes are the sweetest part... washing them however, SUCKS! I have just finished doing the baby's load of laundry.. I do her load seperately because we are still using a different detergent, PLUS, it is just easier to wash all her stuff together and then put it away all together.. heck, miranda is 6 and I still do hers seperately too.. add in her sheets & it's a full load.. works for me..

but between sorting everything out, to make sure you have all those little socks, stain spraying the bibs & puked on clothes.. (baby girl has reflux & therefore pukes plenty) I want the clothes to keep their quality as long as possible.. I am hoping to pass things along when we are done with them, as baby clothes are expensive & they grow out of them so quickly... but this business of washing stinks.. I complain every week and every week my husband laughs at me.. I was excited when Miranda grew out of the stain phase, but I am right back in it..

I am not saying I would change any part of this.. I love and cherish my baby girl, but laundry still stinks... I can't say I would change things because I knew better, because honestly, not a thing would I change, except maybe my attitude about the job.. but sometimes, no matter how positive one views that task, it still stinks.. just my opinion for the day.. and I am stuck with it..

:) Monique

a bond between sisters

It was the cutest (and most uncomfortable) moment this morning..
Miranda, per her usual, woke up and climbed into bed with us.. she usually snuggles up with dh since I have the baby, but since the baby now has her own pillow in the bed (yes, I know the dangers of pillows, but with the reflux, it helps prop her up) I told her to climb in on my side..
basically, from right to left, Miranda, me, baby girl, dh. Seriously, if anyone knows of a company that makes a bed bigger than a king.. please feel free to comment so I can investigate it.

when the baby finally wakes up again (she was up most of the night it seems, glad I went to bed early and convinced dh to take the 11:00pm bottle), she was due for her morning bottle, so dh did his usual and got up to get one (he gets bottles, I feed her and get her back to sleep, sounds mean but the arrangement works for us) Miranda listened to her for a minute and then said, she needs gripe water... I smiled and asked how she knew... her belly is hard and she is whiney like her belly hurts.. and she was right... DH & I are much better at figuring the cries out, but even Miranda is getting it.. the gripe water helped her to calm down & relax enough to toot out some of the gas that plagues her... guess the sister bond is happening already... I feel blessed..

if I knew better, I would be back in bed right now, instead of blogging this and watching cartoons, but I guess dh does need some sleep too..


:) Monique

a day off

you know.. this whole monday holiday thing just throws me off.. granted I had a blast spending an extra day with DH & the family,but still.. it puts me in a tailspin...
my morning was spent at the dr. for the baby.. she has her first ear infection.. poor thing..
didn't even give her any pain meds to help.. wasn't sure she needed it..
she is sleepy today and still sweet..
poor thing..
hopefully this will explain her lack of sleeping..

off to meet the bus,
:) monique

you don't want to know...

this was the response from my dd this morning when I asked her if she finished her breakfast.
chocolate chip pancakes mind you..
she is cracking me up more and more lately..


if I knew better.. she would still make me smile..
:) Monique

too long..

what happened.. I was on such a roll posting to this thing..
busy busy week I suppose.. but it's sunday..

my grateful list..
1. I am grateful for my awesome friends -- we had a game day with come great friends & their kids

2. my babies.. one is 6 and other other is 3 months.. got photos to celebrate that..

3. loving the fall weather -- enjoyed a beautiful walk yesterday..

4. dh foot is going so much better.. he was able to walk & enjoy it..

5. Dh is appreciating the attempts I am making at becoming a better cook and supports my efforts.. he has promised he will eat anything once.. so sweet of him..

6. I realized again tonight that dh & I have been "together" for a long time.. it was 13 years in September... is that possible? that I have had this wonderful man in my life that long..

7. we might be going to Ikea tommorow.. seriously, I don't know WHAT my fascination with this store is.. but I am obssessed.. hoping it won't be like my need to go to Red Robin and be let down.. still a good time in the car together..

8. I am heading off to bed soon... with my DH, just to watch tv & snuggle..

9. my house is getting cleaner & cleaner and less clutter every week.. seriously, I am loving the cleaning & organizing..

10. don't know if this a blessing or what.. but my in-laws are coming to see us in June for the baby's first birthday.. will get hairy here & there, but I am glad that they are coming to see the babies.. they won't be for very long..

okay.. I am tired an going to bed.. I promise to post with my Ikea treasures tomorrow..

If i knew better, we would stay home tomorrow, clean up the yard & decorate for halloween, plus save money on gas & stuff we might not really need.. but i think I might lose that battle...

:) Monique

gratitude..

Sunday once again.. my gratitude time..

1. I am grateful for having the means to get a cleaning company this week.. I feel blessed that my husband let me do it.. really a treat.. and honestly.. it feels so good.

2. my sister.. she really went out of her way to help me today.. and even took time to play with me & the girls yesterday

3. my friends.. they rock.. and all got along well.

4. that the little girls all got along so well.. let us grown ups play too

5. the I get to play & scrapbook ALOT this week.. since all of my housework is all done.. Well, not the ironing & the floors need a good wash too..

6. the baby was really good.. a little over stimulated,but good.

7. the clean up of the house is already done -- what a good feeling

8. the closets for both girls have been switched over and only the fall / winter stuff is out.. (we have double closets so it was just a matter of moving things around & taking out the stuff that is too small)

9. I get to scrapbook this week.. my mojo is already going... I can't wait

10. might be getting new photos of the girls done this week.. baby girl 3 month, big girl 6 years & a photo of them together.. ohh.. I see an expensive target bill... but the photographer ROCKS..

okay.. I am seriously off to do laundry.. just felt like I needed to take my gratitude time...

:) Monique

the good, the great and the messy...

today was the end of the birthday stuff.. her friend birthday party.. we decided to keep it low key, 6 friends at the house.. have a fairy tea party --decorate fairy wings, have tea, open presents, frost your own cupcake, cake & ice cream for all.. then hunt for fairy treasure (decorative rocks and hersey kisses) well, because of the rain, the treasure hunt was called off..

the good.. Miranda was so excited about having her friends over.. that she didn't even get upset that 2 of the little girls could not come..

the great.. I planned for this party.. we made goody bags together on Friday, I cleaned the house through the week & had a cleaning company come in on Friday too.. not for the party.. but because we had been talking about getting it done for a while.. to do the deeper cleaning.. like the bathroom in the basement that hadn't been used or the tops of the cabinets, fans.. etc.. so we could actually have a party and NOT stuff & stash.. well.. I did a little.. but minor things..
I did have to run to the store today.. but it was planned.. I also asked for some help from my sister.. she did not do tons, but she good moral support and a great help.. she too appeciated not having to clean, but merely help prep for the party..

the party was fun.. the girls had a wonderful time and so did the parents.. while 5 girls were in the basement, I had 6 parents around the table playing a game. (I'm the boss) it was fun..

finally, the messy.. I swear, every toy in my basement was out.. ohh.. it was bad.. so, as my last gift to Miranda, she and her friends did not have to clean up their messes.. I did it all.. took me like a half hour. .but everything is back in it's buckets and organized.. I know that I just feel so much better.. and she thought is was the greatest treat..

well, the basement is cleaned up, the dishwasher is loaded and ready to be run in the morning..
I am trying to get some laundry done.. and things are otherwise back to normal.
I have to have Miranda checked for an ear infection (she tumbled down the stairs today, and her cough is rough).. but otherwise.. back to normal.. and normal to be.. feels just fine..

if I knew better.. I would resting, but I am blogging and doing laundry.. again.. normal is a good thing...
:) Monique

belle, gisele, ariel & finally sharpay...

Halloween costume choice.. we have looked at, discussed them and looked at them all too..
(who the heck knew that costumes would run you 80 bucks)
either way.. my daughter settled on being Sharpay from High School Musical.. if the costume fits she is going to wear it..
we were supposed to be Tom (DH) Jerry (big DD) and baby nibbles (baby girl) that would have rocked.. but dd changed her mind..
then, they were supposed to be characters from Phineas & Ferb, because the baby would be Perry the platypus, because they don't do much.. (this joke is funnier if you have seen the show).. but she outed that idea too..
Then, my older sister from Chicago bought the baby a monkey costume.. at first it was too big, but now.. it totally rocks on her.. so stinking cute.. DH has agreed to be the man in the yellow hat.. making the baby curious george.. I want big DD to be a banana.. so cute. but she is outing the idea..

so.. we have a monkey, a yellow hat & sharpay.. Personally, I will be wearing my Halloween vest that my mom made me...
gotta love Halloween..

If I knew better, i would still love Halloween.. and let the kids pick their own costumes.. just like I am...
:) Monique

only after 2 years..

as of September 25, we have been living here 2 years.. and now, I am finally starting to decorate it up some..
I am filling the pictures frames (only because dh won't hang anything else until I do.. and I am not allowed to take a hammer and do it myself) but honestly, it's nice seeing photos of memories past up.. feels good..

also, we can now start using the down stairs bathroom.. 2 years.. we NEVER used it.. not even the toilet.. I never got to cleaning it and when I was pregnant.. the room just reaked and I couldn't stomach it.. but we splurged and had a cleaning company come in and do the kitchen, living room and bathrooms.. other areas too like the hall way, stairs etc.. the basement has been really cleaned up by yours truly recently, so it wasn't a focus point.. and I did not have them do the bed rooms for 3 reasons.. 1 I deep clean the girls bedrooms EVERY week.. I move furniture & everything.. the big one has bad allergies and this has really helped them and her asthma too. figured I could just do the little one too. 2 saves money.. bedrooms can take a ton of time and when you are paying by the hour.. ummm. dollar signs go up quickly.. 3 freaks me out to have strangers in personal spaces like that..

I digress.. the bathroom in the basement is now cleaned, I am buying new rugs tommorow.. but there is a curtain rod up.. a nice shelving until.. decorations on the wall (But I need to find a cheap framed picture of Van Gogh's Stary Stary Night.. I am doing a sun, moon star thing that bathroom.. I already have some pretty blue paint that I wanted to paint it and if I get inspired I will.. but DH is thinking I should leave white.. might help with resale.. (he thinks we are moving in about 5 years.. which just makes me giggle)

either way.. things are changing and we are creating more spaces for us.. the living room upstairs is more for formal sitting and the basement is really our family space.. hoping to make great use of it this winter.. family that plays together, stays together.. cheesey, but true..

okay.. I am off to either clean off my desk or finish the page I have started on my desk, either way.. I am scrapping..

If I knew better.. I would realize how tired I am and just go to bed..

:) Monique

parenthood.. not for wimps..

Being a parent is not for wimps.. I knew this long ago, but had it confirmed tonight..
we were having dinner, dh and I were having general taos sauce with beef stripes and peppers over rice (sorta like a stir fry style, but the sauce.. OH so yummy, must love target)

knowing big dd would NEVER eat this, I sauted her up the beef plain.. served it with rice, a little cheese and a few taco chips.. this way, she wasn't having steak, it was tacos. usually, this would work.. well, she ate a bite or two then announced she would not eat it.. DH tells her no more rice or other things on her plate, eat the meat.. she refuses.. he patiently waits and then tells her that if she does not want to eat, that she can leave the table and go to bed.. we have been having MAJOR eating issues with her.. she refuses to eat dinner.. now, I know that kids won't let themselves starve, but she is just being a MAJOR pain.. knowing the come breakfast she can eat again..
well, she opts for the bed .. little stinker.. so we start getting her ready adn stuff.. then she realizes that NO one would be putting her to bed.. she starts bawling her eyes out.. FINALLY, it sinks in.. hearing rant & rave about it, the baby gets all cranky and joins in... dh leaves the table with the big, I try to soothe the little, (who really just needed a good solid burp) he gets her ready for bed and tucks her in.. she cries foe what seems like ever, but really only 10 minutes or so..
I know it isn't easy, but this is what we said and we have to follow through.. we did talk about it to once she was in her room.. did we do the right thing? are we sending the right message??
honestly, being a parent is HARD.. well, a good parent anyways.. knowing if what you are doing is the right thing isn't easy.. you have to think things through from all angles, especially the kid angle... my heart was breaking listening to her cry in her bed.. when I said that to dh he suggested that I go in and tell her that.. so I did.. I told her how hurt I am when she does not eat what I make for her, especially when I make it especially for her, and that when she cries like this it bugs me.. but I need to help her make the right choices.. and that means helping her to eat healthy things too... she did calm down and stop crying some.. she felt bad, not my intention, but I think she understands that putting her to bed early was not easy for me either..

now, I know that some people will read this and think that I am over-analyzing.. but honestly.. I worry about what I do to my children and what message I am sending them.. I want to be a good parent & role model for her.. I want her to know that I am human, I make mistakes and I try hard but sometimes, I get it wrong..

seriously, parenthood is not for wimps.. if I could pass that along to all those young girls who think having a baby is all easy and fun.. it's not.. it's work and hard and heartbreaking.. but wonderful and rewarding too -- but that comes with time, patience & effort...

okay, off my soapbox and back to cleaning up a little more..
if I knew better.. I just don't think I do tonight.. I know what I know... that's all
:) Monique

Confessions of a Stasher..

Hello, my name is Monique and I am a stasher....

In my efforts to blog more, I have momentarily stopped cleaning up my scrapbook area and decided to post on my blog.. I have been so bad about such things lately (any port in a storm to put off cleaning..)

so.. I have come to the conclusion, I am stasher.. I decide to clean and organize something and use an empty box to sort, then I never finish the project and I have a million and 2 boxes floating my house with random piles of junk in them.. this is especially true of my scrapbook stuff.. just this week I was cleaning out a box of stamps I have not used or touched since we moved in (um.. 2 years ago) and in doing so, I found a few things I have been needing, like a package of page protectors for a binder and Miranda's passport.. you know.. that crazy thing that I had to pay another 80 bucks for because I tore the house apart and could not find it.. well, I stashed it into a box...

In the past, I have blogged about ridding my life of the boxes.. this is HARD for me.. I love a good box, but i have been trying with all my might to purge it as soon as it empties..

my goal for the next two (okay maybe three, mind you, I orginally had one, then changed it to two, and now I am upping it to three -- procrastinator that I am) month is to unearth all my stashed & stuff boxes, however many there might be - and put it away.. and get rid of the boxes..

so.. January 1, 2009 at 8:43 pm. I vow to be done with this.. I will report my progress and updates.. honestly, right now.. I am afraid of what the hell I am going to find... good thing the big sisters come to my house once a month for donations and there is not limit on the quantity of paper & boxes one can recycle..because mine will be overflowing...

if I knew better.. I would leave well enough alone and leave the messes where they are.. but I am starting to think I just can't live like this anymore...

think good thoughts for me as I journey slowly into my own personal insanity..
:) Monique