M+B=E2O2

The Transformation....

               

I did it- I cleaned our garage.  The one room in the house that we made sure to keep newbies out of when giving the "tour".  I actually did 95% of the room over the Thanksgiving weekend.  Had I been able to start a bit sooner I think I could have even done more.  There is one small section in the back corner that I just couldn't do much with- for now.  We are waiting on a landscaper to level out our side yard and put down rocks.  Once that happens we will get a shed and I will have actually have empty space on the shelves in the garage.  Unfortunately he can't do it until January.  We are also having a desk built into a spare closest in a couple weeks so once that happens there are several things from the back corner that will have a proper home. 

That all said, I am very proud of the space- I am not embarrassed to open the garage and let the kids play.  I finally have a homeschooling space for all the posters I have.  I also plan on enhancing that space by putting art supplies out and adding a light.  Emma loves to create and this will let her do it in her own space- I won't have to shoo her out so we can eat at the table!

Here are my before and afters...

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Like I said, once we get the shed up there will be a space for every box- all those paint cans will move to the shed, the outboard motor,  all our boating stuff (which you can't see because it is behind the two red boxes near the exercise bike.  Which has also has new home, but we are waiting for the new owner to take it out.  What was once a 6 foot laundry table is now a craft/homeschool area for the kids and in its place is a laundry sorter.  All the kids stuff and anything that is related to our homeschooling is now on the right side of the garage.  All our decorations, photo boxes and miscellaneous items are on the left.  The back corner has our shredder, that will have a new home once we get the office built in upstairs and that area will then be able to house tool boxes below and pantry items above.   Ben's weights (on the left) are easily accessible  and the stroller usually lives in my truck. There is one last small load for the Rescue Mission in it right now.

Here is once picture of my truck packed with junk. This was the first trip.  The second trip I didn't get a picture of but it was twice this.  I had to put the 3rd row seats down in order to fit it all.  Also below is a picture of the entertainment center that we took out of the garage. I need to list it on craigslist once I'm done posting here.

Here are the  questions we were asked for the challenge...

1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it?

The hardest part for me was not knowing if it would even be a possibility right now.  We had a water leak in the house at the end of October- lots of water damage.  I was unsure if we'd have the money to spare for the shed and built ins upstairs.  As it turned out I did it anyway- and even though the final outcome is not truly the final outcome, it looks pretty darn good!  And when we get the shed set up in a month or so, it will be a piece a cake to transfer what needs to over to it.  So yes, I'd say I overcame it!

2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order?

I think the biggest thing is that there is now a specific place for everything.  The kids know where their helmets, bats, balls and anything else they can play with live.  They can now put those things in the container vs tossing it on the pile.  The laundry sorter has been a godsend.  I don't know why I shied away from them for so long.  Now the kids help me sort and it is sooooo much easier to know what load needs to be done.  Now if only it would fold and put away all the loads I'm getting done!!!

3. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?

Everything went to the local Rescue Mission.  Well not the entertainment center, I can't get it there so I'm going to give it away on craigslist.  Oh and there was a lot of trash as well- piles of cardboard boxes too, gone to the recycle bin.

4. Now that you have completed the challenge, do you think having and keeping your space organized will make a difference in your life?

Absolutely.  It is now a usable space.  We live in southern California so outdoor living is year round.  I can do crafts with my daughter while my boys ride bikes and we're all together.  I'll also be able to find our Halloween decorations next year- I couldn't find which box they were in this year, so I had to buy a couple of new things just so we'd have something up!

6.  Why do you think you should win the challenge?

You know the bottom line is that I have won already.  I have a space that is now like a breath of fresh air.  We've lived in this house for less than two years and have never been able to walk through the garage with ease.  Now we could park a car in it.  (that's a novel idea!) I know that everyone has put in a lot of work to comeplete their rooms, from what I've seen it will be a tough decision.  I love my garage now, I look forward to more time spent in there playing with the kids and not being embarrassed when someone walks by.

Feliz Navitoss

I'll be writing a "real" post later- being that this is the last day for NaBloPoMo & I have to post the after pics for the 30 day challenge.  However I just got this in email and thought it was worth sharing.  I am a major catalog shopper and have several of the ones mentioned in the commentary.  I do think he makes a great point personally......

http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000005834.cfm

I Think I Can

Today my friend D came over and gave me a lesson in canning.   I bought a whole canning set a month or two ago after watching  an episode of Good Eats about making jam.  I was all inspired because Alton made it look so easy and fun.  Then I got out the book that came with my little set and felt suddenly overwhelmed and insecure.  I watched the show again ( I DVR'd it) but still didn't feel  up to the challenge. 

At the park a couple weeks ago I was chatting with D and somehow canning came up.  Turns out D is quite the accomplished pickle maker and maker of jams and jellies.  We worked out a day that they could come over and even attempted to make it a kid learning thing vs something for my own self. We invited a couple of other families that had expressed an interest and then made all the arrangements. 

It ended up being just us and that really worked out nicely.  D bought a flat of strawberries at the local Farmers Market the day before and between the two of us we  got all the supplies laid out on the counter. 

D is a great teacher-  she took the time to really explain things.  Really the process was as easy and Alton made it seem on the show- but this was even better because D was able to share bits about her experiences and that of her family.  We live in a strawberry growing area- lots and lots of them year round.  They are more expensive this time of year and not always as sweet as the summer ones, but very good none the less.  So now that I have a handle on this- I will never again buy  a jar of jam off the shelf.

The kids were in and out in helping us.  We were in and out in helping them.  I can see how it would be something you could spend an entire day doing- especially with a few friends.  There was a lot of time for us to just chat casually and get to know one another better. The beginings of a great friendship.  There is just something warm and cozy about puttering about in a kitchen with friends and/or family.     D is someone I can see getting to know well and speding lots of time with.  Her husband is even a D& D geek like mine- so they would likely become friends easily.  Unfortunatley they are moving to eastern Canada soon. 

The are leaving for a simpler life, a farming life.  It sounds lovely and beautiful and like a bit of a dream really.  Though  I love our life here and have no desire to change it, I can totally see the draw for them.  I am sad though that we won't get too many more opportunities to spend time together like we did today.  Maybe I can convince her to  start blogging so that I will be able to live vicariously through her and get to see her kids grow up from here.

Once all was said and done we ended up with 6 pint sized jars ( I think) and 3 half pints.  And it just dawned on me that I paid for half the strawberries and I ended up with all the jam.  Dang I suck at math.  I even kept several of her jars-  ok  gonna have to rectify that next week! 

After they left we briefly considered going to park day- but honestly I was just too tired.  I had  my social fill with D and was aching to curl up with a book.  I told the kids we might just go to the nearby park and they got giddy over that then the bickering and fighting started over who knows what and I called that off too.  Mean mommy I know, but it's not as though they hadn't been playing allllllll morning.   

It seems to me that they've been at one another more often lately and it makes me nuts to hear them fight over nothing, tattle about everything and never own up to any wrongdoings.  After a bit of thought I decided that what they really needed was some quiet time.  I used to do this when it was just Emma & Owen.  I don't think I've ever done it with Evan. 

I sent everyone off in different directions with the rules being that they could do anything quietly and alone.  No computer no TV.   Olivia fell asleep almost immediately.

Emma was as pleased as could be.  She is quite happy to do her own thing and that is what she did.  She played in her room, she colored at the table, she dug in the dirt, she sat on the swing.  She sang to the birds, she looked at books.  She was happy that she could just be.  I didn't have to hear her yell "stop it" or "heeeeey" or "don't".  She just played.

Owen did well the first 15 minutes or so.  He went up to his room and built with the measly bit of legos that he has (Santa got a huge lot off ebay for him for Christmas).   He made a great car/plane/climber thingy. He then wandered around downstairs for a bit.  I gave him a few ideas of things he could do and meandered around debating his options.  He asked how much longer quiet time was going to be.  When could he talk to his brother and sister?  I set the timer for 30 minutes at that point.  So he went to the swings, played on the slide tried to talk to Evan a bit, till I redirected him and gave him a magazine to look at.  I was standing near by looking at a catalog and  he talked to me non stop for 2 minutes.  I finally stopped him and explained that I really wanted him to try and focus on just him.  Save what he wanted to share with me for another 10 minutes and just look and stop talking (for gosh sakes!!!).  He sheepishly agreed again to try.   He got up several times to look at the timer.   When time was up he was just overjoyed. 

Evan had the toughest time.  He just didn't really get it and he didn't really know what to do.  Mind you when it is on his terms he can play quietly and alone for  a long time.  He love to play with his action figures and cars.  He just didn't like the restriction.  Ultimately it was good for him I think.  I offered to read to him but he declined.  I spent most of the 45 minutes or so redirecting him or explaining what I mean by quiet time.  LOL! 

Over all it was very successful.  It felt good too.  Even though it wasn't really quiet for me, it was peaceful.  There was no fighting .  The thing is that the kids usually get along very well.  They really love to play together.  So this was almost like a punishment to them- I'm sure that is how they saw it.  I think it was a much needed break though. 

Owen and Evan especially have been  playing in a way that they think they are being really funny, but in reality they are not so much crossing that fine gray line to being mean as they are tripping right over it and getting up and running with it.  They just push and push and push with something until someone screams- in anger, in frustration, in pain.  Then they try and say that they were just playing or joking or tricking. I  am hoping to have some sort of revelation abut how to deal with that next.  For now I am going to institute  quiet time several times a week- if not daily for  bit.  At the very least it gives me a few minutes of peace.  hopefully it will give them a better appreciation for the time they spend together and also give them  (the boys) the confidence and security that playing alone is ok- and even fun.  Emma sure thinks so.

White It Is

Owen started Tae Kwon Do 3 weeks ago.  They have a special where you get 25 classes for $25 and a free uniform.  His age group has classes available MWF and for the most part we have made all of them.  It makes Mondays fun because we go from our piano lessons that are waaaaaaay out at one end of the county (the only Suzuki piano teacher taking student in the area) straight to TKD at the other end of the county, though not waaaaaaaaaaay out there but still it takes, with no traffic (ha)nearly 45 minutes to get from one to the other.  That said, the kids don't mind too much.  The little ones nap on the way to piano, and if I'm lucky straight through the lesson or most of it.  Owen catches a nap on the way to TKD and even Emma does occasionally and that girl never naps so that alone makes me feel ok about this.  I don't think she gets nearly enough sleep, but that's a post for another day. 

Back to TKD.  Today they were upgrading belts with black stripes or a new color.  The way they do the 7 & under crowd is that they have several levels of the white belt.  So they still get to move up in color and feel like they are going somewhere.  Newbies have no belt.  Today was the day that Owen got his actual white belt.  It was very cute all the kids clap for one another, the instructor asks the parent how they are behaving at home and if they are keeping up their end of the deal at home.  Boy it is so tempting to say "no he's been a little turd more often than I'd like" but wouldn't that be mortifying.  I would never do that in front of the class and other parents. 

He is so darn proud of himself now.  You couldn't wipe the smile off his face.  Last week one of the Masters wrote his name in Korean on his gui (gee?) uniform- he thinks that is pretty much the bomb too.   He kept telling me "I've been waiting my whole life for this!"

This is how they rope you in you see.  Next week or the week after our 25 classes will be up.  Then we get to pay the actual tuition *gulp* for this thing.  I just look at it as money we would have spent had we put them in private school. If we had done that they wouldn't most certainly not be doing piano, gymnastics, art (Emma) and TKD (Owen).  All I can say for now is Thank God we only have 2 kids doing all this.  I need to start saving now to be sure we can offer some of the same opportunities up to the other two monkeys.  yeesh.  Maybe they'll be introverts and just want to stay home a few more years.  The way they both cling to me in public places gives me a little hope of that anyway!

It's the End of the Month (as we know it...)

Well the clock is ticking down.  Just a few more days and November will be over.  Generally one might think I have song filled words of Christmas to sing to you and all that crap, but no, it means two other things in this instance. 

1. The 30 day challenge is over at www.orgjunkie.com
2. It is the end of NaBloPoMo

I know I clued you in on the garage clean up thing.  However I have hesitated to say anything about the NaBloPoMo thing.  I sort of decided on a whim that I'd give it a try.  I only officially signed up last week.  How's that for limiting the chance of failure.  Sad I know.  I don't know that I have ever written as much as I have this past month.  I know there were a couple of days of, well, fluff, but I tried, really tried to write a few meaty posts each week.   I have both enjoyed and hated this whole thing.

I like that I feel somewhat accountable for posting.  At the same time I resented that I felt that I had to.  Overall I do think it has been a great exercise for me.   I do love to write. I do love to share my weird musings.  I do love that there are like 3 people who regularly check in on me.  (Along with all those Pink Cast people- which  you know I will be sure to use the words Pink Cast in a post a least once a month so that I can have hits from all over the globe!)

I look forward to slowing don a bit  in the month of December.  I have much to do around this house and blogging everyday is just not likely to happen. 

As for the challenge.  Well, I knocked out quite a bit in the garage this last weekend.  It looks fantastic.  However it is not finished.  There are two areas left that are in dire need of help, and I am just not so sure that I will get to them before the weekend.  I am going to try though.  Either way, I will be posting pictures on Friday of my clean and organized (mostly) garage. 

74%

74%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

I guess that is better than 100%.  How addicted are you? 

 

Random Weirdness

I recently came across a sailors blog that I ended up adding to my Google Reader.  It is often humorous and I have learned a few things to boot.  Not too long ago he posted about pointless blogs.  He gave a couple of examples that I thought I'd share here.  One I find totally intriguing.  It is a log of the change this guy finds.  He had been keeping track of the pennies, nickels and dimes-  sometime dollars, that he has found since 1998 I think.  I think it is pretty cool that someone would take the time to do this. But kinda weird too.

The other blog has me thinking of it  every time I write (with a pen or pencil that is).  Seriously I can't write a simple word like, well, simple with out a brief pause.

Random Weirdness, I imagine there are all sorts of blogs out there like these.  Fun to come across, but I don't think I'll be adding them to my GR list anytime soon.

I Accept the Challenge

I'm doing it.  I am cleaning and reorganizing my garage. I am entering the challenge at orgjunkies blog. I took the before pictures a few weeks ago, then thought I wouldn't get to do it because of the work we need done on the house.  As it turns out it is looking like  we should be able to get it in shape. 

I spent the better part of today working on it.  Ben came out and helped as well.  He was the muscle in the bigger stuff.  I took a huge load of stuff to the rescue mission- HUGE.  I have several large bins empty and ready to fill and put on a shelf.  I am also getting all our Christmas stuff out  and hope to get them up in the next few days.  The large Frosty the Snowman is already hanging out on the porch- one less item taking up space in the garage!  I plan on spending more time out there tomorrow.  It looks pretty bad tonight,but that is always how it seems to be when doing a major reorganization.  You take a trashed garage, trash it up some more, then eventually you have a sparking clean and organized space.

So now I will share the before.  It is pretty bad.  Maybe tomorrow I'll take a picture of the mid point.  Since I know there will now be an "after", I feel ok (sort of) about embarrassing myself with this crazy space!

The Accidental Tradition

We have aways had somewhere to spend Thanksgiving. Since we have been married, I can't think of one time that we have spent a TG day at our own home.  The problem with that is that we both love the foods, and if you don't host, well, you don't end up with too many leftovers.   

We solved that long ago by making our own little feast on Friday.  Sometimes it's just the turkey, others the whole deal.  We didn't intend for this to become a tradition.  Never talked about it.  However that is what it has become.

We get to have a relatively stress free Thanksgiving day.  Making a dish  or a dessert (I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies yesterday that were a huge hit) and no big mess to clean up.  Friday we make our "leftovers" and get to enjoy another stress free day. 

We don't' do the whole shopping thing- except online.  We took care of 3 family members gifts all before noon, sitting at the kitchen counter.  Gotta love it! 

HaPPy Thanksgiving

Myspace Graphics at WishAFriend.com

Happy Day to you all.  I am ever so thankful for all my family, my friends and all that I have.