monday, monday...

no secret that I like mondays.. they really make me feel like a new start is truly possible..
I especially like it when they fall on the start of a new month.. which is today, june 1 and a monday.. got so much more done today than I had expected too.. but it is still never enough.. big pile of junk always awaits..

the best thing to happen is that I finally have a kitchen/living room floor.. I live in a raised ranch. this space is massive and is a large bulk of the living space we live in. and since the water spill accident (still not ready to laugh -- details to follow on this) happened on april 1, and they pulled out the floors in the second week of april, and the baby started crawling and walking just about the same time. it's been fun.. oh.. so much fun.. either way.. I have a pretty new hardwood laminate floor. it's pretty too.. darker than the other floor, but really pretty and we are working to declutter the space.. the first thing to go.. the TV.. yes folks, beleive it or not, the tv in this space is GONE! it's a shock and is a massive adjustment.. but you know what.. we, as a family are spending more time with one another and less time with the tv on.. tongiht, I laidon my couch and read 2 chapters to my daughter in her Junie B. Jones book series while the baby unearthed 2 boxes of toys and a bucket of magnets.. we laughed, relaxed and just listened to music (i have my ipod set with with the dock station and speakers) and you know what.. it's amazing.. no hannah montana, no icarly, no spongebob... seriously, so nice..
another benefit to this, my oldest is watching much less tv. today, she chose to NOT watch tv or play on the computer and instead came upstairs and her & I colored while the baby took her afternoon cat nap.. so what that dinner making was delayed, I made some great time with my kids... totally worth it.

the basement is being worked on later this month.. working on packing it up a little each day.. cleaning and purging as I go.. it's going to be a very long and very tedious process, but one I am sure will thrill me to the bone when it is all done..

Since I did not get to this yesterday..
I am grateful for..
1. my family...
2. the baby is finally starting to feel better.. life with her was rough for a while there..
3. the new car -- still getting used to being a mini-van mama, but everyone else likes it.. so it works for me..
4. summer plans are slowly falling into place
5. I might actually have an illustrator for my children's book.
6. my ipod, who knew that such a tiny little tool could make me so very very happy
7. my husband.. he works so hard for us..
8. I get to be a stay home mom... I know how rare a blessing this is..
9. Farkle -- this game is very cool -- quick too, so I dont' waste a ton of time on facebook
10. my new creating keepsakes came in today..when I am done with some of the things I have to do.. I can snuggle up in my bed and get inspired...

if I knew better.. I would be doing the dishes.. but this pile of junk on the floor is so calling my name..
:) Monique

organizing..

I love to do this.. I love taking a big old pile of junk and turning into a mess that I can live with..
pretty containers, happy little homes.. it makes me giddy with excitement..

but why does it never ever last..
why does it make me happier to do it for others.. seriously.. if there was a market for it right now.. I would consider becoming a professional organizer... in this economy.. good luck!

If I knew better, I would be cleaning up my basement.. but I have limited time, so I am going to sneak in my shower BEFORE the baby wakes up from her morning nap.. okay.. might sneak in another load of laundry too..

:) Monique

maknig me happy today

what is making me happy today.. I bought the cutest little flower key covers for my keys.. they are so bright and cheery.. they just made me smile.. 3 buck I probably didn't need to spend, but for the happiness they brought me.. totally worth it.

If I knew better, I would be trying to make my keys less appealing, so the baby would want to eat them less.. but hey... they simply made me happy..

:) Monique

Sunday... May 17

my oldest dd knew that too.. even without looking at a calendar.. I have no idea how she manages to remember these things..but she does.. makes me smile.

It's been a really really long time since I blogged.. tons has happened..

Highlights --
baby girl started crawling in April and is ready to start walking..
big one loves school and really is developing her reading skills at an amazing rate.. seriously, she is reading well above her grade level.. she absorbs books and really is making great strides in discussing the plot, theme and characters.. obviously we don't talk about it with those words.. just about what is happening, happening next, etc.. we are still devouring the Junie B. Jones series of books, she LOVES them..

the house is still .. oh heck, I am still not ready to laugh about that yet.. so it will have to wait...
let's just say that the first wednesday in April was so awful, and it's a day that just keeps on giving and giving..

we are gearing up here for the end of school, hopefully a kindergarten graduation and then the arrival of the grandparents. my girls will be so thrilled.. followed only by the first birthday.. the big 1. I have begun getting ready, but still sooooo much to be done.. the monkey luau is going to be a blast.

it's cold and rainy here today.. so that means I will get lots of cleaning done -- dh just doesn't know that he is entertainment committee yet.... I will tell him later when I wake him up.. but don't feel too bad.. I am making him crepes for breakfast.. teh stuffed kind.. with savoury fillings.. his favorite..

okay.. off to play some Wii with the big one and then put the little one to bed for a nap...
will try to post again very soon..

If I knew better, I would be packing boxes down here, not sitting on the computer..
:) Monique

holy bad blogger batman ..

I think I might have used that one before.. but seriously.. it has been WAAAAAAAAYYy too long..
I promise to post later this week.. once I can finally LAUGH at what I want to blog about..
I want to laugh and yet, I am still annoyed by the whole thing..
Soon.. I promise my faithful followers.. soon..

if I only knew better.. I would be in bed already..
:) Monique

woo hoo

So, we have been working on teaching my older daughter about money.. she now has chores.. her choice mind you.. the 50 cents a day thing wasn't working.. so we developed a list, with her help and she has chores.. the main one is to make her bed and clean up her toys.. it's working.. oh and silverware.. she has to put away the silverware, which if you have ever had to "save" a chore for a child to do.. is more of a chore for you than it is them..

I digress.. either way, the kid makes 7 bucks a week.. 1 dollar for each day.. of that, 3 has to go into the bank and 3 goes into her piggy bank and the extra dollar goes towards helping to pay girl scout dues (6 bucks a month - I pay it, she thinks she does) either way.. it's about teaching her that you work for money and sometimes, working to SAVE money is important to.. so, next week, I think we will finally have 20 dollars to take to the real bank.. it's about saving and teaching her early.. someday, she will thank me.. either way.. all she sees and cares about is what is in her bank.. well, the toys r us catalog came in the sunday paper - as it always does.. and she saw that a much wanted ponyville house ( if you care.. http://www.hasbro.com/mylittlepony)

either way.. this house that we DON"T have (since we have 2 large rubber maid totes FULL of houses and about 38 ponies) she wanted it.. normally being 18.. it was 5. after school, we roll to the store to find out that Toys R us had dupped us.. the house in the flyer WAS NOT the house they had, instead, it was another house, one we did not have, but that she did not want (I fell on the floor when I heard that one.. something she DID NOT WANT?? ) either way, we went through the whole store and decided to wait and check things out at another store.. WOO HOO..

well, I did find something that I wanted for the baby.. who can resist a cute teeny tiny pair of pink mittens for like a buck? not me.. either way.. I pull out this ancient gift card. you know the type.. they give you 10 bucks on a gift card if you spend 75.. well.. I have been carrying this thing around in my wallet for years.. I swear.. I have almost thrown it out several times.. I am expecting hte girl to laugh at me and say ha.. it's expired lady.. but she didn't.. I nearly fell on the floor when she told me that I had 67 dollars and change left.. I made her check it twice.. heck. 3 times.. woo hoo.. it was like christmas.. or lottery ticket..

either way, I was able to pick up a gift card for a new baby and then I found out the winter clearance section was marked down even MORE than advertised.. and since baby girl is growing faster than her clothes can keep up with .. I bought her 3 or 4 new things.. for less the 17.00

seriously.. made my whole day..

If I knew better I would realize that this whole post is nothing but ramblings, but atleast I am blogging..

:) Monique

Don't Disturb This Groove" is a 1987 hit single by the US soul band The System. In April of that year, it hit #1 on the R&B singles charts, and later scored big on the Singles charts, peaking at #4 in July. The song was sampled in Dec 2003 on Victoria Beckham's Top 3 hit "This Groove" and remade by the Backstreet Boys and also covered by Mario.


that bit of information was promised a long long time ago, compliments of Wikipedia.. love that site..

when we were all sick.. guess what.. less than 2 weeks later, we are sick again.. not like last time.. just colds.. baby seems to have it the worse.. when I get to it.. I will post the quartine photo from the front door.. seriously, it was a funny photo..

so, the reason I have not blogged in forever is because I am so embarassed about my ability to get back here and blog more.. I must do something about it.. but I can promise it will happen, when in actuality. I probably won't.. so I won't disappoint myself or you my friends who read this..

I will however, take a few minutes and post a few things I am grateful for.. since it is Sunday..

1. my husband.. he really is great man, who is amazing in more ways than I give him credit for.. but seriously, the man has a warped sense of logical deduction..
2. my kids.. they really make me smile and giggle daily..
3. Pandora radio.. I just found this.. someone can't remember wh0 had it on their website.. loving it..
4. my cleaning jag is starting to show in all parts of my house.. SO loving this.
5. friends.. I have great ones.. the sort that can't wait to take your picture of you sledding down a hill with your kids.. so they can laugh at you.. and later.. with you.. I am blessed.
6. a nice warm day.. it was great weather out there today.. made me hopeful for spring
7. I am reading again.. I am the world's slowest reader, but I am making use of the library and really reading books.. might finish 2 this month..
8. I have plans to scrapbook with friends this month.. I can't wait..
9. I am going out on Wednesday.. hanging out with the mom's club.. I am soooooo excited.
10.. I am making one of my new favorite recipes, chicken lasagna.. super easy and yummy.. don't think my family is as thrilled as me.. but I can't wait...

okay.. off to clean.. the cards will wait one more day..
if I knew better, I would be making cards...

:) Monique