Git 'er dun!

I've blogged before about my abysmal organizational skills. Yet, hope springs eternal and as the seasons change, I feel the drive to make another attempt. Every year as school winds down, I find myself thinking, "I can't wait until school gets out, so we can get organized." (Which inevitably leads to August thoughts of, "I can't wait until school starts so we can get organized.")

I'm fickle when it comes to housework. I don't like it, I'm not great at it, and to be frank, I'd rather be doing almost anything else (blogging, playing games with my kids, having a root canal). And while I fully realize that my efforts will likely bear little fruit, I nevertheless feel that the struggle, the attempt, is important. Important personally, to wrestle a weakness. And important for my kids to see me try continually to overcome.

 Anyway, school's out, so it's time to make the attempt. One of my biggest problems with the kids and chores is accountability. We set up chores and establish rules such as, no screen time, playing with friends, or going to the pool until they're done. But, within a couple of weeks, it tends to fall apart.

We've tried chore charts before, with varying degrees of success, but this summer, we're trying it again. Hopefully, the visual reminder will help both Mom and kids.

I made the chart last night. Bright colors, this template, some scrapbook paper, ribbon, stickers, and popsicle sticks.  The sticks are green on one end and orange on the other and the kids will flip them over as they complete their morning chores.

I'm determined to make a go of it. And, worst case, we'll be a smidge better with the chart than without. A win in my book!

Random Thoughts

I'm taking a break from Christian Connection Thursdays today. I'll bring it back next week, but it's just not happening today and I'm gonna embrace that and move on.

Some thoughts that are dancing around in my brain:

Random thought #1
I sometime wonder if my children are "getting it". Do they understand why we live the way we do? Are they developing a love for, and a desire to be obedient to our Father? Am I providing opportunities for them to come to know God? Am I filling them up with my love so it will be easier for them to recognize His? It's so easy to get caught up in the minutia of life that you don't take time for the big important stuff. You know, cuddles, laughs, pointing out the blessings and savoring them, teaching them in the moment, even if the moment falls in the middle of a rush to get somewhere, asking what's on their mind. I truly believe these are some of the most important things, but they're not the squeeky wheel and so often don't get the "grease". (This random thought was brought to you by the desire to do better)

Random thought #2
The other day, Girlie-Whirl offered family prayer. I think the following is word for word:
Note: She says, Thankly for we thank thee, but what she really means is "please bless". We've worked on it, but she persists and since I wish I were more thankful for the trials and struggles, I haven't tried too hard. Her thankly's are a little whisper of reminder from God (when I let them be).
Henly Father,

We thankly for those that are sad to be happy.We thankly for Mrs. Frandsen's husband. We thankly for Sister Jones. In  the name...
Sweet, simple, direct, and all about others who need help.


Random thought #3
Is it possible to keep an organized house without putting in any effort? I keep desperately searching for a method that will not take time and energy, but alas, I can't find one!

Random thought #4
Having older children call home and "dish" is one of life's great joys!

Neat as a Paperclip (cuz the pin is outa reach)

January. Good intentions, resolutions, new starts. It's such a good thing. (Except for when it feels depressing, if ya know what I mean.)

I'm not big on new years resolutions, but I am big on trying to do better and improve. My focus right now: overcoming the clutter. It's been a goal of mine for years, but my efforts have never yielded any results that could be termed permanent. I haven't quit trying, but my attitude about the whole things has become one of: you're-never-gonna-get-anywhere-but the struggle-is-important . Needless to say, not a happy feeling.

Last week, while perusing this blog I came across a short mention of this post on yet another blog and was intrigued enough to click on over. Not only did I find some good ideas and simple to implement strategies (an absolute MUST. Any hopes of following through on anything that is complicated is deluding myself!); as I read I actually found hope in the housekeeping department!!! Wow!

I think one of my problems in the past has been that I've always felt like I needed to make my home immaculate, which is unreasonable for me, and so felt defeated before I even started. Her blog helped me figure out the level of clean that is acceptable to me and then determine the minimum required to maintain it. So much more doable!

I've started implementation. It's been surprisingly easy and pain-free and the house has been orderly (well, orderly for me, others would beg to differ). There's been an extra bounce in my step, a smile on my face, and a feeling of a burden being lifted. I'm diggin this whole thing!!!!

Now to see if I can keep up some semblance of the system for more than a week!

A place for everything--NOT!

Will I EVER get it together??!!! (I mean before the next life-I'm assuming that it will happen then, but I keep hoping I'll get some of it together before I die!) I have hopes and dreams and plans of getting organized, of having my house look like those magazines and friends homes that always look immaculate! And I sometimes work on putting those plans into action, but I never seem to get anywhere!!! (maybe that word "sometimes" has something to do with it!)

The desk in my kitchen is in a CONSTANT state of myriad piles! It drives me nuts! When company is coming I hastily scoop up the piles and sit them on top of the washing machine in the laundry room. Then when it's time to do laundry, it gets scooped up and put back on the desk again!!!

I determine to clean it off and actually wade through the piles, sorting, discarding, putting away everything from stray paper clips and those squishy polly pocket dresses to forgotten bills that accidentally got mixed in with the pictures my kids have drawn and that coupon that I really want to use, but probably will never be able to find when I actually have time to go to that store! It takes a lot of time, but it's worth it. The desk looks great!!!--for a day, or maybe two if I'm lucky and then, it's right back to clutter city! It's where everything that we don't know what to do with gets piled! If I knew where to put it, I would, but I don't and so there it sits, making me feel like a failure as a homemaker!

Last year, I was determined to conquer the desk!!! Even if the rest of my house was a mess, the desk was going to be pristine!!! I know this means that I have to establish a place for all of the papers and stuff that continually comes into my home by the truck load. So I took the birthday money that both my mom and mom-in-law gave to me and I spent it entirely on the desk. I got on-line and learned how to make a shelf out of a cheap door. Hubders had to help me make one cut, but I did the rest. I painted it black and installed it. Then I bought desk organizer stuff, all of it in matching black wire.

I then organized everything, put it all in the newly labeled file folders, pencil holders etc. It looked fabulous!!! The black and light blue went great together! It looked like it could have even come out of a third rate home decorating magazine!! (okay, so maybe fourth rate!) I was thrilled!

But, the reality is--I still have papers that don't fit into the labeled file folders, stray bits of life still constantly accumulate on the desk and it generally looks as pitiful as it did before, with some color coordination thrown in. SIGH!

This is the usual state of the desk. Notice the top drawer that recently broke, a lovely addition!

This is the desk in it's pristine form, a rarity of embarrassing proportions!