Hump Day-- that is what we called it when I worked outside the home...and Thursday-- we'll we wont go there-- it had a name too.....

Wheww I am sweaty and exhasuted-- I have really made head way on the SECOND cleaning out of the STUFF and the re-making of every inch of our home.   Last week I completed:

• Living room... re-arranged the couches, added a shelf system for games/puzzles (and can you believe Stephen hasn't touched it?!).   Cleaned all the window sills and windows...but these windows are weird-- they are first of all OLD-- and so when I clean the inside and out-- there is still a section INSIDE I cannot reach....grrrrr.  But I am pleased-- and the boys have done very well at keeping it orderly by the end of the day.   The big trick here-- which I've done for some time-- is "tote" the toys-- and only 1 or 2 totes at a time.  Right now cars/trucks/tractors and BIG mega blocks are out.  The farm animals and other toys are toted in the basement.
• Dinning room-  Can I just tell you how much I LOVE MY NEW FILE CABINENTS???  Oh-- my-- I took apart most of my binders and put them in the file cabinents.  Now they aren't the most glamerous things-- but either tonight or tomorrow I will be hanging posters and things on the sides..(they are DEEP) to make them look a little nicer.  The verdict on the "beast"-- it is still here...but I re-arranged enough that it will work...(for now). 

This week I have done:

• The boys room-  I did it here too-- they are REALLY TRUELY down to 2-3 outfits (play clothes).  I was so tired of cleaning up clothes and finding clothes EVERYWHERE on their floors-- so now they will take better care...and I'll have to be extra dilligent on the laundry-- because it isn't rare for the boys to go thru 2 outfits a day (due to water and mud).  So no more dressers hanging open with clothes sticking out-- and no more clothes all over the floor.  Now I did not get rid of the clothes-- I toted them in the basement- because (1) they will probably ware these 2-3 outfits out QUICKLY and (2) Stephen will be coming up thru the ranks-- and the less I have to buy the better.  So that is done.   I also re-did their wall hangings.  We are taking a Civil War break-- I kept all their Civil War posters, pictures-- but they are toted away too-- I have Bible Verses up there now-- and you know what I got this afternoon?  Zachary sat down at his little desk and wrote them ALL out-- for me-- UNASKED!!!  Good things already!!  (the Bible Verses came from when my mom taught Sunday School and she was able to keep the wall hangings).  Oh and one of my MOMY friends helped me to see the light we don't need LOTS of sheets-  2 sets for each bed-- one on the mattress-- one under (for the wash day) so that is what we did-- and that emptied a tote!!
• The baby's room was today--  just really cleaned and change dtheir sheets-- re-hung their wall hangings and did a gneral good cleaning...nothing really "new there"
• Master bedroom-  nothing really there either-- a good cleaning-- oh and i re-arranged my closet-- it has not only my clothes-- but keepsakes now-- baby books, photo alblums etc.. (the older 2 were being a bit rough on them).  Alos important files and things are stored in there...   I NEED to change those sheets-- but someone is ALWAYS sleeping on them-- due to hubbys work schedule.
• Bathroom also done-- Did a GOOD cleaning out of the bathroom/hall closet-- 3 small plastic grocery bags FULL of trash-- just in there!!

So what's left?

• The kitchen
• The outside (the boys brought me a few black berries-- looks like that will be ready tomorrow), also the garden, and vehicle
• The basement-- need to re-organize those totes-- I remember somewhere i read-- to number the totes and then keep a spreadsheet of what is where....  So with a BIG BLACK marker I will number ALL the totes-- and then I will jot down what is in them-- and then when they change contents-- I'll just change the worksheet.

But I think that is all for this week-  The rest of this week looks to be a LOT of fun!!  After tonight Jason will be finsihed with a 12 day work stretch-- and we were just invited over to a friends home for dinner tomorrow.  (from our new church)   So we are all very excited about that.  

Then I also received an e-mail inviatation from the ladies (of our new church) monthly Homestead meeting.  (doesn't the name even sound fun?-- )    This is something I've LONGED to do-- but really have never had the time or energy--I even have some materials from New Harvest Homestead.  Anyway that meeting is Friday evening-- and the topic "Eating Nourishing Foods, with a Limited Budget".  Is that not PERFECT??????

So that will be a nice end to our week-- even if the beginning is going to be rough.  Jason leaves Sunday for a business trip--- AGAIN.   The good part of this one-- is my mom is coming to visit Wednesday - Friday-- so that will break it up.

At some point (SOON) we need to get down the road to pick some blueberries too-- they are ready!!

The last bit of new news for our family-- is we have started a new dinner or breakfast tradition-- we are going to start some Catechism.  I've heard of this a few places lately-- and after looking it over-- I think it will be nice and simple for us to do after a meal.  We started tonight-- Jason led the boys thru it after Dinner...we only got 1-3 questions done-- but that is okay-- we'll take our time.