We recently decided to rip up the carpet out of our dining room living room and have the concrete stained with an acid stain. We are somewhat pleased with the results. In hindsight, we should have realized that our slab wasn't in good enough condition to be acid-stained. I expected a high gloss finish, and it isn't glossy at all. I think that would really make a difference in the final look.
Here are some pics of the boys working. Scroll down and you can see pics of the finished product.
That's the 10yo cutting the carpet away and the 3yo rolling it up. What good workers they are!
Much to my mother's chagrin, the boys and I ripped up the entire living room without my husband. We wanted to give him a headstart for cleaning and prepping the floors. Its not the best thing to do while pregnant.
Our 10yo was a big help in scrubbing up the carpet pad glue around the edges of the walls. It took him and my husband several hours to finish. I am so thankful to have a hard-working son.
Here's the final product. It looks dirty and in serious need of a mopping. But its clean. The white spots are where my husband had to patch the concrete slab, they didn't react with the acid the same way as the original foundation. We knew about that to begin with, but we just didn't expected it to look this way.
So, do a bunch of research before you try this project.
My husband must like morning people. Of course, I am not one of those. I require at least 20 minutes after waking to lay in bed, stretch, and 'think' about getting up. I have to mentally prepare myself to actually get out of bed. Not to mention the physical ailments of pregnancy. My back doesn't work in the morning, so without the proper stretching, I walk like a deformed-French-bell-ringer for the first hour of my day. Forget making the bed...I don't have any strength in my hands that early.
Back to my husband. This morning he jumps out of his shower, all perky and cheery, and tells me to get out of bed so he can make it. I appreciate the thought, after all he's only trying to help me with this week's goal of waking before the kids do. However, being forcebly required to pop out of bed upon waking and participate in the ridiculous ritual of bed-making is akin to Chinese-water-torture. I don't know what's wrong with that man.
HOwever, it was nice to have a few minutes to read my devotions, check email, and write this blog post before the hooligans wake up and attack me. Haha...now I can go on the offensive and attack the little monsters myself! Thanks, hubbby.
I'm really trying to figure out this whole "daughter" thing. I mean, after four boys, I'm not sure I can switch gears. I want to raise my boys to be brave enough to lead, and I want to raise my daughter(s) to be brave enough to follow. That is a minor issue compared to the one that I am truly having trouble with. It has plagued women for centuries. I have personally struggled with this issue ever since taking my marriage vows. I'm just not sure how to instill the qualities in my daughter that would inable her to overcome this horrendous burden of womanhood.
What am I talking about? LAUNDRY!
Yes, laundry, the absolute worst part of being a woman. I'd rather have hours of hard labor and pms every day than have to wash, fold, and put away a thousand little pairs of boxer shorts. In an effort to begin training my daughter from birth about the realities of laundry, I think I'll start with subliminal messages that tell her "laundry is good", "doing laundry is fun", "laundry is your best friend." Fortunately, I found a very easy way to do this.
Hey, if you want your boys to like sports, give them ball and bat crib bedding. If you want to daughter to be snooty and self-righteous, give her princess crib bedding. So, I figured that clothes line bedding would produce a daughter who loves to do laundry.
Now all I have to do is wait until she's old enough to take over for me.
Life here has become pretty chaotic lately. Mostly because of my extreme laziness and lack of discipline in the areas of homemaking and child training. I hope to use the summer to get back on track, especially with the baby coming.
It is a poor testimony to always be sinking under the burden of our home workload. --Terri Maxwell, Managers of Their Homes
I love this quote, and I think its true. So many times I have crumbled under the huge weight of managing a home and training four children, not to mention helping a husband and nurturing various pregnancies. I know that this is what God has called me to, and I know that He equips those He calls. So, I have to believe that this job He has given me is possible, and completely within my realm of ability. I may have to change my attitude, my approach, or my habits, but I know that I am capable of eficiently running a home and raising Godly children. To do any less would be poor testimony of my life in Jesus.
I'm trying to sketch out a plan for the summer that involves homemaking and child training. Ideally, my children should come first and I should train them before jumping into housework. But I find that when the house is in chaos, I can't remain calm enough to effectively handle the kids. So, I plan on spending a few weeks working on the house, using techniques from the amazing book "The House that Cleans Itself". Then, I'll do some tight tomato-staking and training.
I'll try to get to the blog and share what I'm working on periodically. Mainly, just in case it can help someone else.
This morning I didn't want to be at home. When I get overwhelmed by the state of the house, I tend to throw the kids in the car and make a beeline for town. But between insane fuel prices, living 20 minutes from town, and driving a gas-guzzling-mega-truck, I am allocated to one trip a week. So, this morning, I was feeling sorry for myself. I decided to sit down and write out all the things that I was thinking and praying. I'll let you peek, just in case these words can help another overwhelmed mom.
Lord, I don't want to be here today. I wish I could take the car and drive anywhere. Sometimes I hate being stuck here. I feel like I am at a crossroads, but I don't know which road to take. I don't want to get up from this seat and still be discouraged. At some point, I have to make a change. At some point I have to choose to be happy where I'm at - which includes babies, and dishes, and high gas prices, and loads of laundry.
Why can't I find joy in any of these things? I just want to be a cheerful mother and homemaker. But I feel like its impossible. The house is always a mess and the kids are always screaming.
I'm afraid this is my last chance. I have a feeling that whatever I do when I get up from this seat will determine my future. I can choose to live like I have been or I can choose to change. I can get up and let the kids run around the house while I cope with the chaos by surfing the internet. Or I can choose to RIGHT NOW get up and do the dishes and smile and have the children help me.
But mostly, I can choose to be content with where I am right now. I am in a house that needs some cleaning and surrounded by kids that need some training. Yes, the job will be hard. No, it won't be much fun. But whose job is it?
It's mine.
After that, I got up, put on some upbeat Christian music, assigned the kids jobs and went to work on the dishes. The dishes were stinky, I'm not sure how long they sat there. The 2yo kept getting water all over the floor (he was my washing helper) and the baby kept snuggling his face into my rear, as a means of saying "Hi mom! I'm down here, don't you want to play?" But, I did it. I prayed and sang, and winked at the baby, and God proved to be good.
I know how you feel, when the house is a mess and your kids are a mess and your life is a mess. And each day we have to make the choice to ignore the mess or to tackle the mess. It was the hardest thing to get up from that seat and choose to not ignore my mess any longer. Only with the help of God's grace, which He gave freely after I poured out my frustrations to Him, was I able to get past the stinky dishes and the noisy kids, and see that this was a mess that was worth cleaning up.
A few weeks ago I hosted a Bunco party at my house. Our bathroom was in sore need of a makeover, since we had begun ripping wallpaper off months before, but hadn't finished the job. The wallpaper wasn't coming off completely and was leaving an ugly mess behind, so we kept postponing finishing the job. Having company is always a good excuse to complete undone projects.
We used a sand-textured paint for the walls, to cover up any dings and scratches. It worked really well. The only thing we would do differently is to cut in the edges with plain paint (same color, no texture) and then texture the rest of the walls. Cutting in with thick, sandy paint is difficult. Or so says my hubby. I don't paint. Not out of laziness, but out of my hubby's desire to not dislike my sloppy job. :)
Here are some pictures to show you how nicely everything turned out. My oldest son wanted a beach theme, and I didn't want it looking like a cheap Florida condo. I think we have a good compromise. Most everything was bought at WalMart, except for a wooden seagull we found at Ross and the shells that we put into the glass jars.
To save money, we spray-painted our old brass light fixture brown. It looks like new for less than $5. Eventually, I'll spray the brass cabinet hardware, but I haven't yet. We may also put a new countertop and faucet in, but not for awhile. I spent about $130 on the bathroom. We were blessed to get a refund from my airline tickets, so we had a bit extra to spend. I was thankful that hubby let me spend it on the bathroom.
After a week of very funky pregnancy blues and too many loads of laundry, I decided to take control of my life. I'm tired of having laundry on the loveseat. I'm tired of having four baskets constantly overflowing with dirty clothes.
So, this morning, the boys and I are getting all the laundry washed and we're boxing most of the clothes up. Each boy will keep three everyday outfits, one dress-up outfit, two pjs, a hoodie (our climate is too warm for coats), socks and underwear. The rest of the clothes stored in the shed for later. This isn't permanent, but is only to give my mind and body a rest during this tiring time of early pregnancy. I had to do something to ease the pressure.
I've pared down our wardrobes before, but not to this extent. Emotionally, it is a hard thing to do. Most of the boys clothes have been bought by the grandmothers, so I feel bad for putting them away. However, this is my life and I'm the one doing laundry, so I have to do what makes it easy for me. I hate having lots of clothes, mainly because I always dress the boys in the same three outfits anyway.
I'll post pics later. Just imagine having almost empty closets and perfectly empty drawers!
Sometimes I feel like our life is so chaotic. Mostly, its my fault. I do not properly manage my home. I know other homeschool moms with more kids that I have can do it well, so what is wrong with me? Is it spiritual? Why can't I just get organized and get stuff done and consistently do school for two consecutive months?
Aagh!
At some point I just have to stop belly-aching and JUST DO IT. But why does it seem so hard? Why does it seem like everyone else is doing a better job?
Go over to Victorious' place and give her your input on internet/software based organizational systems. Her son is considering creating something specifically for homeschool moms.
For those of you who use Household Notebooks, I have a few questions?
-is this your only planner?
-do you use a portable planner or what do you carry in your purse?
-is every aspect of your life in the household notebook?
I need to get/make a planner, but I'm not sure what kind. I need something for to-do lists, calendar, projects list. I need to incorporate homeschool, writing deadlines, everyday living, church activities, hubby's activities, etc.
So, is it possible to organize all of that into one planner? Or do I have to have planner for each thing (homeschool, writing, household/everyday).
The first time I heard about Simplicity Journals was over at Eyes of Wonder I remember keeping journals like that when I was younger, but I guess I thought that adults had to keep serious journals. Here's a peak into mine.
This is the journal that my sister gave me for Christmas a few years ago. She decorated it herself.
The cover page...
This page shows clothes that I love: feminine, modest, and pretty. Oh the opposite page is a Lane Bryant lingerie add. I didn't want to post it, for obvious reasons, but that pictures helps me realize that beauty comes in all sizes.
The inspiration for my bedroom, lots of black and white. The ottoman is something I want my hubby to build me one day. I have the material, a gorgeous cream striped fabric.
This page is about my mom. A few months ago we sat down in a cofee shop and had one of the best conversations of our lifes. That was a turning point in our relationship, and I wanted to remember it.
For me, my journal is a catch-all notebook, scrapbook, planner. There is no formula, no perfection. I put everything from to-do lists, school notes, recipe ideas, and more. Its like an idea file, homemaking binder, and planner all in one.
Before I show you my Tackle It Tuesday pictures, I thought I would share a few resources that I'm using to get my house in order. We started this yesterday, and so far its really working well. We do the Motivated Momslist during our morning chore time. In the beginning of the week, I mark the list with my highlighter. The jobs that I want the 9yo to do get highlighted in blue; the chores that I do get marked in pink; the chores that we do together get marked in orange.
My tackle for this week is our master bedroom. It is not a haven of rest for my husband and I. The boys are always in and out bringing and dropping toys that end up scattered all over the room.
BEFORE
How many boys do you see?
Here is the beautiful bedding that our folks bought us for Christmas, all piled on the floor. That is a shame!
AFTER
I love having a basket of books and magazines by my bed. I do a lot of reading, and this keeps all the books under control. For a list of what's in my book basket, clickhere.
I keep a basket of books by my bed. I thought I'd share what is in my basket. The first thing is my big black journal. My sister decorated it for me, and I fill it full of ideas and dreams, and tons of pictures from magazines. I'll try to post about it soon...pics included!
And the following books...
My husband thinks this is silly, but I actually do these facercises from time to time. I've noticed too many older women with lines that seem like they could be avoided.
My sister reccomended this book to me, and its pretty good, so far.
I really struggle with having time with God and cultivating that relationship. This book has helped me understand the HOW and WHY to having a quiet time
This book is full of ideas that will help any mom keep simple scrapbooks and memory books for her kids.
I use this devotional some days, on others I prefer Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest. We keep that book in the bathroom, though :)
And a bunch of magazines...
Figure Magazine - great plus size magazine
Country Living Dec 2005
The Old Schoolhouse Summer 2007
Home Education MagazineMarch-April 2006
WORLD - August 18, 2007
Better Homes and Gardens (four copies)
Good Housekeeping August 2007 - I bought this because of the main story about women losing half of their body weight. Very inspirational!
My challenge as a homemaker is to limit our posessions to what is necessary for living well, so that excess stuff will not consume our thoughts, time, space, and efforts. My challenge to have less will make my home appealing, beautiful, functional and a place of quiet rest for my family.
I wrote the above on a tiny notebook with a hot pink pen while I was sitting amidst piles of clutter that had gathered in my never-used dining room. Why do we let our homes become havens for junk instead of havens for our hearts? I didn't realize what an impact excess stuff had on me until I realized my frazzled state of mind was due to my frazzled state of house. Or is the other way around?
When we have to step over piles of junk, when there is no tidy spot for our eyes or bodies to rest upon, then our home is not a haven of quiet rest, but a hell of chaos mess. We shouldn't expect our precious husbands to live that way, and we shouldn't teach our children that it is an acceptable way to live. It is our challenge, the homemaker's challenge, to have less and to create rest in our homes.
I've done all the boys' closets!! Yeah! I have 7 trashbags full of clothes that I am sorting, then storing or donating. That is just crazy. The clothes that are left for all four boys could probably fit into one trashbag. So, that means that I got rid of 7/8 of their clothes...that is 87%. Do you think they can survive on only 13% of their original wardrobe? Sure hope so!!
I'm getting sick of my blog. AGAIN! I'll probably try to make it look like it did before. I thought I saved the code for it, but I can't find it anywhere. That means I 'll start from scratch, and work my way up. We'll see.
"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Gal. 6:9
I'm doing lots of good and growing pretty weary. My living room is covered in clothes. I'm so tired of the laundry piling up, that I'm seriously trimming down the amount of clothes that the boys have. I tend to put them in the same 4 or 5 outfits anyway, so now I'm getting rid of all the clothes that they never wear.
I've only completed the 2 olders' closet, and I have three trashbag full of clothes to show for it! Woo hoo. When I'm all done, I'll get all the trashbags together, plus all the Rubbermaids full of clothes in storage, and sort them for hand-me-downs. I'm trying to keep very litte. The idea is that the kids will have only enough clothes that they'll wear them out as they outgrow them. Then there wil be no need of hand-me-downs. Make sense?
So here's the older boys' wardrobes:
8yo (He has more than anticipated, it could be pared down further!)
-10 socks
-10 underwear (he had 20!!!, how crazy is that!)
-7 play shirts
-5 shorts (for the coming summer)
-4 jeans (for right now)
-3 polos
-3 pjs
-2 long sleeve dress shirts
-2 short sleeve dress shirts
-1 pair of dress pants
-1 hoodie
- 1 sweater
-1 jacket/coat
-1 pair of dress shoes
-1 pair of tennis shoes
-1 baseball uniform
-1 pair of practice baseball pants
2YO
-10 socks
-7 play shirts
-5 jeans (1 is camo)
-5 pjs
-2 dress shirts (1 has a sweater vest with it)
-2 polos
-1 sweater
-1 hoodie
-1 jacket/coat
-1 pair of tennis shoes
Now, I have to do the baby clothes, which will be much harder. I've had three boy babies in two and a half years....there are a lot of BLUE baby clothes here!!!
I'm on a roll, yep, yep, yep! We are hosting our first ever large family holiday gathering for Resurrection Sunday. So, I'm using that as an excuse to get some things done. I just finished sewing a beautiful drape for my dining room. I still have to finish the other one, but I am so excited! It is a gorgeous gold, green, and red plaid silk dupioni pinch pleated drape. Woo-Hoo! You could say that I'm proud of myself. I've had the fabric for about a year, but I've been putting off making the drapes because of my extreme fear of failure.
Well, I did it, and it turned out great! I'll post pictures as soon as we can get our Kodak software installed again.
I'm an almost ordinary mom. I'm a bit quirky in my tendency toward conspiracy theory and activism. I shout at the tv, which drives my hubby crazy. I was once a single mom of one son and God redeemed me with an amazing husband who loved us both. Later, God took my barren womb and knit together three little men in two and half years, and then shocked the stuff out of us knitting together a little lady. This blog is totally random, following the trends that only occur in my mind. My biggest aim is to live my life more joyfully and more thoughtfully.
