Grateful Monday 5

A few days late, but better late than never :)

I am so grateful for

41. yardworkers who are finally doing what they are supposed to do.

42. vacation bible school at our church.

43. a sandbox that brings a one year old and a six year old together in play.

44. Sofies giggles when I tickle her and blow her belly.

45. Isabel wanting to do chores the last few days, she is really pushing me to get things done.

46. the beutiful weather we have been blessed with lately.

47. Sofie finally being done with all the antibiotics and being healthy again.

48. quiet mornings with my coffee.

49. Sofie not getting hit by the laptop when it fell down from the ledge where it was left with the cords hanging down on the floor.

50. the familyfarm that will start delivering organic produce to us starting tomorrow.

This week we are going camping. Well at least Jesse and Isabel are camping, while Sofie and I are mostly just driving. Due to Sofies doctor visit on Wednesday we will have to come home on Tuesday and then just drive back to the campsite on Wednesday after the doctor visit. That makes it four days of driving since we are going camping on Monday and coming home on Thursday.

It is all worth it though. I love the place we are camping, the tall trees, the ocean, the animals scurrying around, the ride there, the views and the peace. We have not gone camping for three years and Isabel is so excited. I am a little nervous of camping with Sofie since she is suffering from a congested nose and heart burn because of one of her antibiotics. Still I think it will be fine.

While we were in Norway we went for a long drive to visit the worlds biggest Troll and his wife. Seeing them made me think about out upcoming 9th anniversary. I want to grow old with my man, find a little farm in Norway, by the ocean to live at. Sitting side by side, looking out at the world, admiring our grandchildren. That it has already been nine years since we got married is almost hard to believe. Time flies. It has not been easy, but we have managed.

I really want to buy him something nice or make him something for our anniversary. This is the second year that I actually remember our day. The first time was last year and I got it a day late, but usually it is him remembering it and me forgetting it and hence me getting surprised every year. When Wednesday comes I want to be able to surprise him with something and I have three days to figure something out. I have a plan that involves either the traditional pottery or the contemporary leather gifts and cake from one of our favorite cake places.

It will be a busy week for me, but I will try to find time to relax, to read, to blog, to get some chores done.

Grateful Monday 4

Today I am so grateful for

31. my neighbors who came out and helped me hold the baby and carry in my groceries on Saturday.

32. my broken toe healing quickly.

33. Sofie being a good trooper taking her medicine 5 times a day.

34. Sofies ears finally healing.

35. God granting me the wisdom and patience to get through yet another week of challenges.

36. short, but inspired shopping trips where the perfect gift almost falls right into my hands.

37. my good health as my yearly physical went really well.

38. my parents being safe and healthy while on vacation back home in Norway.

39. my sister in law and her husband being safe and getting through the Seattle to Portland Bike ride.

40. the ability to go camping this week.

Lists, lists and more lists.

Hello again all my friends at A-P Tuesday hosted by Amy at New Nostalgia. If you have not met Amy, click on her button for Anti-Procrastiantion Tuesday and it will take you over to see her. She is absolutely awesome.

My goodness did I get surprised yesterday. Almost every Sunday my mother in law invites the whole family over for Sunday dinner. Yesterday since the weather was so nice I decided to bring the kids over earlier than I usually do. She wasn't home when we got there, but arrived from the grocery store a little later.

While she was preparing dinner, I joined her in the kitchen for some chit chat. We don't spend much time together and seldom talk together, but since Isabel was outside playing and Sofie was sleeping we finally had a chance. She has for the past few years run her own business as a personal chef and for the first time she is fully booked. On top of that she has a part time job in research for a university. Needless to say that she is too busy for her own good.

House work has got on the back burner and she has found herself unable to keep up with the cleaning. She knew I used to help my old neighbor with her housecleaning and that since my neighbor died I have only had my own house to take care of. So yesterday she asked me if I would like to make some money cleaning her house when ever I have time.

Sweeet. Now I just have to come up with a plan for when, how and what I will do it. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are the days that work best for the both of us. She works from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays and that is the two days that my husband has off every week so I don't want to go anywhere then. My kids have a ton of toys at her house, she has a huge yard and my oldest loves to play with the neighborhood kids. No problem bringing the kids then.

This week I will catch up at home on Monday. Take Sofie to the doctor and meet friends down town on Wednesday. Take care of the main living areas of my mother in laws house on Friday.

That is the plan at least, but in the midst of writing this post I broke my little toe on my right foot on the baby gate. Just the last thing I needed. Going to sit with my foot up high with ice on my toe for the rest of the night.

Got the laundry done and the kids bathroom re organized today.

No more procrastinating now. Here we go

Day one

Family room, living room and kitchen

1. Remove all cobwebs

2. Dust all surfaces

3. Clean kitchen fan filter

4. Vacuum

5. Clean floors.

Day two

Bedrooms

1. Remove all cobwebs

2. Dust all surfaces

3. Vacuum

4. Clean windows outside/inside

5. 10 minute cleanup of bathrooms

Day three Day four

Kitchen Bathrooms

1. Clean cupboards

2. Clean ceiling

3. Clean walls

4. Clean fronts and sides of counters

5. Clean floors in kitchen and living room

Day four

Bathrooms

1. Clean bathtubs

2. Clean shower heads

3. Clean counters

4. Clean toilets

5. Clean floors

After I am done with this it really shouldn't take me long to clean her house once a week. It is all about getting it really clean once and then just keep it up and once a month do one deep cleaning in one spot.

But first I will have to get some done at home. No more procrastinating here, but my toe hurts too much so it will have to wait till another day.

Grateful Monday

Right now I'm grateful for

21. my husband being healthy again.

22. my friends offering to watch my kids for me.

23. being able to treat my youngest daugther at home with the help of the home nurses.

24. PIK lines making me able to give my youngest her IV antibiotics myself every day.

25. my mother in law hiring me to clean her house for her.

26. my lovely gas barbeque that enables me to make dinner on hot summer days.

27. doctor offices that understand when a mom is frazzled, crying on the phone because she got lost on her way to said office.

28. oxyclean products that really get my carpet clean after the dog threw up on it.

29. a day of rain after days of sun.

30. having a small condo making keeping it up so much easier.

Why I am finding it so hard to write this list every Sunday/Monday?

Today for this week

I am linking up to Amys A-P Tuesdays, albeit a little late. I guess thats the part of procrastinating. I am doing two to do lists today for what I want to accomplish next week. With Sofie being sick the last 5 (?) weeks, a lot has ended up on the back burner. This will be the week of doing fun things with the girls and catching up on some house work.

The 10 Days Challenge

Jepp the 10 days are way over and am I done with my 10 tasks? No it just didn't happen. I just had to much on my plate. Still I feel I got a lot accomplished and I am happy with the outcome.

1. Party decor. Since both my kids birthday were within these 10 days I had one big birthday party to plan. Isabel wanted a rainbow party. I had managed to get used plastic table cloths for free that I cut up and made pompoms of. What was left of the table cloths were used as table cloth at the party. The only money I used was $9.99 for a pinjata, $5 for 4 ballons, $4 for plates, napkins and spoons.
The kids were so happy with their party and their decorations, and I had a lot of fun doing it for them.
2. I baked 5 bread and even blogged about it here.
3. I made a chocolate cake for the kids party. Isabel was so excited about her rainbow cake, but did comment that I had the colors in the wrong order.

4. Isabels quilt has been on my sewing table for weeks, but is pretty much untouched.

5. I managed to get the placemats all edged, but I still need to wash them. Then I might blog about that project too.

6. The newsletter does not have to be done until the end of next month and it will just have to wait probably till the last minute as usual.

7. Isabel got her summer backpack done. Snacks, sun lotion, bathing suit and towel, toys and drawing tools.

8. The car is ready for summer. We got the sun lotion, blankets, snacks, water and toys for just being able to go to the park anytime we decide without having to go home to pick up something. Love having it conveniently in my car at all times.

9. My house is relatively clean. I did clean the windowsills in our bedroom. Still need to do some more cleaning around the house, but it is shaping up as I am doing a little bit anytime I can.

10. The stroller is standing outside just waiting for me to have time and energy to go for a walk with Isabel, Sofie and Laika the dog.

Thank you Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for inviting us to join in on this challenge.

Now I am off to concentrate on getting my baby healthy.

Grateful Monday

Yes I know I have renamed the Multitude Monday, Grateful Monday. It is just to make myself aware of what I am trying to do. I am trying to get more aware of the small things in life that I am grateful for.

And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this.

Ester 4:14

This is my favorite lesson from the Bible. It is so fitting to my life right now and it is also so fitting for how the Multitude Monday fits into my life right now.

My daughter has now been sick with ear infection for four weeks and is at the hospital every day right now for intravenus antibiotics of which she might have to be on for the next two weeks. Lets just say I am terribly tired and overwhelmed, feeling bad because I don't have time for my oldest daughter and our dog. I had promised Isabel that we would go camping with our church and friends for a whole week and now I have to cancel it because of the really annoying antibiotic resistent bacterias residing in Sofies ears.

It is good to count the things I am grateful for these days and this week I am grateful for

11. An amazing healthcare for my daughter.

12. The warm weather.

13. Sofie laughing and smiling a lot again.

14. Isabel sharing her toys with Sofie.

15. My little minivan that is so comfortable to drive.

16. Isabel coming up to me giving me a big hug and telling me she loves me.

17. My washer and drier that makes doing laundry such an easy and fast task.

18. My husband doing the dishes and putting the dishes away afterwards.

19. Quiet nights and Ben & Jerry Icecream.

20. Cable and two TV's.

Go visit Ann Voskamp at Holy Experience and join Multitude Monday you too.