(My Oldest Girls room-she’s the artsy one)
We’ve been having LOTS & LOTS of home time lately. My kids had Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off school due to snow and FRIGID temps. I am a major homebody, so I have loved it! We spend much of our time de-cluttering, cleaning and rearranging all 3 of the girls rooms. Boy, did they need it!
I have loved seeing them spend time in their “new” rooms. My younger 2 will keep theirs up w/o much reminding from me. It comes easy for them, they both like order. My oldest, well that is a different story. It only took a day for her floor to become the dropping place for most of the stuff she had interacted with during the day. Honestly, it made me want to blow a top when I peeked my head in! We spent so much time in there, we even got the labeler out! Everything that needed a place has a place, but she still chose the floor as her ideal place. I had to take a deep breath, remember God created her with an art brain that sees beauty in mess and does not zero in on small details (like the erasers, papers, socks, ello’s and cup all lounging on her floor). I called her in, and told her she now has to earn her tv time by keeping her room picked up. It has worked so far! That girl lives for watching “Cake Boss,” so it was pretty motivating for her.
(My Middle Girls Room-she loves reading, music, and decorating her room with family heirlooms)
Isn’t it funny how the rest of the house seems to come unglued as you focus in on a project? I have 3 great looking kid rooms, but need to play “catch up” with the rest of the house. My bedroom is no longer “A Retreat,” I had to change my socks twice today because of debris sticking to them, due to a house full of wood floors that had not been swept in days, (TMI?:)), and my laundry piled up almost as quickly as the white stuff out our windows. Thank goodness I used winter break to teach my 10 yr. old how to do laundry, what a help she has been! (and she likes it because she can watch her recorded “Cake Boss” shows while she works on it.)
In the midst of all the house craziness, we have had some precious “together” times. I tried to be purposeful about one on one time with each girl. I did a bit of baking, and made sure I brought at least one girl in the kitchen with me. I find if I can keep it light hearted and positive, even work is fun for them if they get alone time with mommy in the process. The nice thing about having 3 is when I take one for “mommy time”, the other 2 have each other to hang out with.
(My Youngest Room-she gets all the toys in her room. She loves to make-believe.)
I have to admit, my meal plan went out the window the last 3 days. I think I am a bit too moody for a rigid meal plan. I like having 6 or so meals planned that I can choose from, but I don’t like assigning them to a specific day of the week, I just don’t roll like that. If I get in the mood to redo 3 little girls rooms in 2 days, then I gotta take advantage of that mood while it lasts! I made a quick meatball sandwich meal Wednesday, (I gotta share that recipe with you, it was emailed to me that same day by my sister, it was fast and good!). I called Todd while buried in room-redo mess and begged him to bring home a pizza for dinner on Thursday, then Friday we had our normal family movie night with Arby’s Roast beef sandwiches:); Saturday I made homemade Chicken and Red Pepper Pizza, and today (Sunday) I made bone stock and used it to make Chicken Noodle Soup (used this recipe, just added noodles instead of potatoes), which we ate with homemade bread. I used chicken for the pizza and soup that was cooked in my crockpot then shredded. (recipe here). I’m pretty excited about the Eat From Your Pantry Challenge, (despite going astray from my plan), my pantry, freezer and refrigerator are all looking pretty bare, so it is working!
So that is what has been going on here the last few days. Life’s been good.
This post linked to Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
This post linked to Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
fitty's pinky rose cottage
February 1, 2010 at 7:51 amsooo pretty room! just lovely & fit for a girl!..
Denise Marie
January 30, 2010 at 1:59 amgreat job. I hope you feel at peace with all the clutter getting cleared up. I need to do the same thing.
Ms. Bake-it
January 29, 2010 at 6:37 pmYour girls’ rooms are adorable! So alien to me! I had boys and am now going to have a grandson in May! No little girls for me yet…
I too make a weekly menu (w/out assigned days) and shop accordingly. Saves so much money and time. Not to mention, takes the guesswork out of “what’s for dinner mom?”
~ Tracy
Debbie
January 29, 2010 at 7:11 pmIt all looks so cute and organized…..makes me want to go clean right now!!~
Hootin' Anni
January 29, 2010 at 10:51 amThat looks like a fun, fun room to ‘hole up in’ in the winter! So bright and cheerful. And…..I like to make believe too. At my age. hehehehehe
My show n tell is all about Valentine stuff this week.
HERE
Rachel
January 13, 2010 at 5:47 pmOh the sock test! I have been having to change my socks a couple of times for the past few days, my floors have definitely not passed the test.
Tamra
January 12, 2010 at 3:59 amhaha, my husband is totally one who would just make a menu and follow it. He doesn’t understand how I can just not FEEL like eating a certain thing. What do feelings have to do with eating?? =)
Amy
January 11, 2010 at 7:11 pmWe have had them for years, so I can’t remember where I got them! Sorry!
Rebekah
January 11, 2010 at 6:14 pmWhere did you get those cute pink flowery boxes for your youngest girl’s room? Nice.
Amy
January 11, 2010 at 6:27 amTamera
It is so fun reconnect after all these years.
I just read your blog post about all the de-cluttering you’ve been doing. Isn’t January THE BEST? I love the whole feeling of newness and order.
No assigned meal days, I’m with ya! B/C, what if I don’t FEEL like meatloaf on thursday??:)
Make soup with your stock, or use it to cook rice in instead of water. Thanks for your comment.
Amy
January 11, 2010 at 6:21 amRebecca
You are such and encouragement to me! I love that you made the soup and liked it. (I’m eating it right now, at midnight:))
I’m actually alot like T, too. I’ve had to really train my brain to think like an organized person, it does not come natural, that is for sure. I think what makes me do it is the peace order can bring.
Homemade Egg Noodles! Yum. I’ve never made any sort of homemade pasta, maybe someday! I think you need to start a blog and post the recipe:)
Love ya lil’ cuz. Thanks again for your sweet words.
Tamra
January 11, 2010 at 5:48 amlove the kids’ rooms. We’ve been moving stuff around too and painting.
I’m the same as you. On Sundays I plan out 6 or 7 meals but don’t assign them to days. That way I buy according to my menu but can still pick and choose what we’re having for dinner. Seems to work better that way. I recently made the “bone stock” It’s in the freezer and I need to figure out how to use it up. Smelled so yummy cooking though.
Rebecca
January 11, 2010 at 4:07 amgood for you amy! all the girls’ rooms look really cute! i am with teagan…. seth and i both are, so that creates a problem when trying to keep our house clean for more than a few days:) i made that chicken soup one day last week when i had some girls over for dinner. one of my friends came over early to help me make homemade egg noodles and the soup was TO DIE FOR!and so satisfying to pull out of my freezer the homemade stock that flavored the soup so beautifully! thanks so much for your posts. when i am not feeling motivated to be “natural and homemade” i can get motivated easily by your recipes and topics 🙂