Tuesdays Checklist

It's midnight so am counting this early. Yes, it is way too late to be up but I have packing, cleaning, getting ready for vacation on my mind. I am so excited to be going on vacation without the kids and sad to be leaving the kids for 6 days. This is the first time my husband and I have flown anywhere in 4 years and last time son was 2 and daughter was in my belly. I have this fear that something could happen to us...but I know God is in control of that.
Back to my checklist: Have a great vacation.
That's it. I want to just relax, eat cheesesteaks, enjoy being with friends and family and watch my friend get married.
See you in a week.

Thursday Thoughts On My Faith

I am going to copy my friend California SAHM on this one. My faith is something I am constantly trying to work on. I really didn't have a good role model growing up of what a good Christian woman or mother is. My mom is great in a lot of ways but when she became a Christian, my dad left. That has sort of defined her walk with God. The kind of God who takes away things that you care about. I don't want to be that way.
We have finally found a church where we belong. Where the first day of being there, it felt like home. Have you had that kind of church? We went to a very big church for 5+years and never was able to connect there. It was so big and far away, we just didn't really get involved. We still aren't able to do some things we would like to like go to the Bible study on Thursday nights but it is too hard with kids, especially kids who really need to be in bed by 8. But husband goes to the men's Bible study and I have been trying to go to the Women's prayer group and the amazing thing is we have hardly missed a day of church since we have been going.
I do have a point. With my interactions with the women leaders of the church, I feel I have finally found women to try to aspire to be like. I know we should try to be like Jesus but He must put people on this earth as role models. I am not talking about putting these women up on a pedestal but to learn from them. These are good, Godly women/mother's who exude Christ in their actions. I have always felt that is the kind of Christian I want to be. I am not so good at witnessing, I have never felt it my calling. But I want my actions to speak of my faith and I feel greatly lacking. Their prayers, thoughtfulness, encouragement of other people ... it is all so positive and uplifting. Something I really need to work on. Being more positive.

Taffy apple dip

I have to add one recipe that I made this weekend for son's party. I found it online a couple of months ago and had it written on a sticky at my desk for weeks so decided to finally try it. It was a huge hit! The bowl was practically licked clean and since I was too busy with the kids and didn't get to eat much, I will have to make it again soon. Here it is:
8 oz cream cheese - softened
1 jar Smuckers caramel ice cream topping
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

I used a hand mixer to blend the ingredients to make it smooth. It was soooo good. You have to try it!

Tuesdays checklist

I never updated last week but I got everything accomplished except making son's 6 year check up appointment. I will add that to today's list. I am feeling a little blah so don't really feel like making a list but here goes:
1. Make son's 6 year check up appointment
2. Clean house - bathrooms, etc...
3. Catch up on laundry - I am a little behind what with Princess throwing up all over Sweet Pea yesterday and Bud leaking through his pullup last night.
4. Exercise as much as possible this week since I will be out of town next week and need to still fit in the dress I bought for friends wedding
5. Clean desk
6. tackle one spring cleaning task like the windows which were on my list a couple of weeks ago, I did do the kitchen one last weekend and I think it was the worst so the others should be easy comparatively

So that's all I have. Not a big/detailed list. There is more I need to do and maybe I will add more later.
Hope you all have a great week.

Tuesday's checklist

Here it is again. Another tuesday and I already feel behind. This past weekend was crazy with Easter and sick kids. We did have a good weekend, I just didn't get anything done around the house. So that means I have a lot to do this week and really today since I work tomorrow, my dad comes thursday, friday we are going to a kids museum in Salem and saturday is son's birthday party. Here we go:
1. Clean house - bathrooms, floors, windows, kitchen - what a mess!
2. Clean up paper mess downstairs, that is never ending
3. Get kids registered for school next year
4. Sign up for produce basket for summer
5. Make cupcakes to send to school wednesday
6. Schedule sons' yearly checkup
7. Take back library books
8. Get everything I need for party: plates, cups, streamers, party favors, etc
9. Make Millenium falcon cake - still have no clue what I am going to do

That's all I can think of for now. It seems like enough, unfortunately there is probably more to it.

Update on List

I am liking my list so far. I am updating on saturday since this day is pretty much shot and tomorrow is Easter and will be gone all day. Monday's I never get any thing accomplished except work and dinner. So I am guessing I won't get much more done with last week's list. But it has helped to keep me a litle accountable. I think next time, I will print my own list and tape it somewhere so it is a constant reminder to get things done. I feel so much better.
The next few weeks will be soo crazy that I need some accountability. My dad comes thursday morning, Bud's birthday party is saturday. Then we only have 1 1/2 weeks before we leave for PA and I really want the house in some order if my mom and mother in law are going to be staying here.
Man I need to get busy! See you tuesday with my next list.

Tuesday's List

I don't know about you, but tuesday is really the start of my week. Because I work on mondays, it is really a lost day for me. I have always disliked mondays and tend to not get much accomplished. But tuesdays, I am home and have a fresh start to my week. As the sun is beginning to shine, I am feeling motivated to get my house in order. But I need some accountability I think. So my new thing (and we will see how long this lasts) is to make my list on tuesday for what I want to accomplish this week and I will come back and check off things I have done. Today has been a productive morning so I am off to a good start.
Here is my list for this week:
1. Clean bathrooms - I am embarrased to admit this does not get done on a weeky basis - especially the showers/tubs done
2. Change sheets - again, not done on a weekly basis but really should be, DONE
3. Vacuum house, downstairs gets done tuesdays, thursdays and once on weekends due to dog hair, DID NOT DO UPSTAIRS YET, DOWNSTAIRS DONE
4. Make laundry soap - I am excited to try this - done, we will find out tomorrow how it turned out, I have used it once and it seemed to clean okay, we are doing loads of laundry this weekend so will see more after using it a few times
5. Dust downstairs NOT DONE
6. Get control of my paper mess downstairs - SO NOT DONE
7. Exercise 3 times during the week and once on weekends DID 4 TIMES THIS WEEK AND PROBABLY WON'T GET IT DONE THIS WEEKEND
8. Try a new healthy recipe - NOT DONE
9. Start scrubbing kitchen floor - NOT DONE BUT AT LEAST SWIFFERED IT
10. Get organized for Connor's birthday party including figuring out how in the world I am going to make a Millenium Falcon cake - EASTER TOO PRECEDENT THIS WEEK
11. Clean 2 windows completely including sills, blinds and glass - I hate this job and if I break it down into a couple at a time I might get it done, NOT DONE ADD TO NEXT WEEK'S LIST
I think 10 things are a good number. I will keep you posted on my progress and I plan on taking pictures of the laundry soap making process.