Almost there

I know Amy at New Nostalgia is not doing her Anti-Procrastination Tuesday today, but I will still post an entry in relation to this as I really need it to keep me on track.

I am almost there. I have almost created my own blogparty. I just need some help.
HELP!
I just can't figure it out.
Ok, first off. I did manage to make my own blog party button using Picnik. One thing to cross off my list. I just have not managed to figure out how to put it in my blog with the Html code for others to use it too. What I want to be able to do is putting it in the sidebar just like Amy at New Nostalgia has it. (I would have e-mailed and asked, but I can't figure out how to bypass outlook and use g-mail instead when trying to e-mail other bloggers :s)
As soon as I figure this out, please someone help me, I will launch my party. It really needs to be done soon though. Till then I will be doing more research and work on that first post.

I am trying to clean up my blog too, but it is more of a work in progress than a thing I can cross off and say that it is now done. I have a plan at least and that is half the job just there.

Anyways, I have hung the new curtains in the kids bedroom and I am so happy with them. It looks great and the room is darker and cooler.

The new design for my mantel is done. I will make a shelf similar to my shelfs and tables from IKEA, that way it will tie in with the rest of my furniture. We will try to sell our place furnished and making the shelf match the rest might help. We will also paint the wall of the fireplace a darker color than the rest of the walls, most likely a blue.

I have contacted two of my friends and asked what times would work for them to meet up this year. To top it off I am planning to do this with other groups of friends too. I realize that I will only be here a few more years and I am therefore trying to live in the now and spend as much time as possible with the friends I have been blessed with here.

As for the chore charts, that is a work in progress too. I am still trying to figure out how I want to do it and what actually need to be on it. It might actually be easier to just wait till after school starts to finish this one.

I have also managed to save up enough money to buy a pair of running shoes. Now I just have to start running. I will give you an update on that later.

I have not started to work on any of the rooms yet, but I have been doing a lot of research and planning and I will write more about it later as well.

Isabel had her surgery today and is doing okey. The doctor says that the worst day will be Wednesday. For the next few days I will have to make sure she takes her pain medicin every four hours. I am not sure how much I will be able to do while she is recovering. I am however hoping to do a few things.
By next Tuesday I hope to

• take Isabel to the hairdresser and make a before and after picture of her.


• make an ad to sell some of the baby stuff, toys and clothes that we have.


• keep fixing up my blog and actually start my party.


• make a tutorial.
  
• clean out my car.

Should be doable and I might even be able to add to that, but I just don't want to get overwhelmed right now.

Grateful Monday 10

After a somewhat frustrating week it is good to sit down and think back on all the good things in life that I am grateful for.

91. My mom teaching me the importance of strategy when cleaning.

92. The independency and helpfulness that Isabel is showing.

93. Time to do what is important; being with family and friends.

94. Good food in good company.

95. Snuggles from a baby.

96. The sweet smell of newly bathed children.

97. The warmth and softness of a cat taking a nap with you.

98. The baby taking a three hour nap on the day I really needed her to.

99. Bananabread that was actually not a total disaster, but actually eatable.

100. Skinnyjeans that makes me look 10 pounds lighter.

(just don't take a picture of me in my new jeans to show me though)

Getting somewhere

I actually got a lot done last week.

Tuesday was Sofies surgery and since it didn't take as long as I anticipated we spent the whole day at the beach. Fun for Isabel and relaxing for me as Sofie slept most of the day.

Wednesday I got the upstairs cleaned, I shopped for clothes for Isabel and a MOPS steering meeting in the evening. That sure felt good.

Thursday my husband, kids and I all went to Point Defiance Zoo. We had never been there before and it was awesome. We loved the Walruses and Meerkats. Even though it rained as we got there, the weather turned out beautiful and Jesse got a little sunburned as usual.

Friday I was supposed to go blueberry picking, but ended up going on a ferry ride with a very good friend and her kids. It was a good way of spending the day.

Saturday was filled with two birthday parties and the best part was that I got to go by myself to the first one while my sister in law watched the kids.

Sunday we went to church, then had coffee at the mall with good friends before going home to make plans for the start of school.

Monday I managed to clean my mother in laws house in 1.5 hour. Good for her as she gets a very clean house, but bad for me as I get paid hourly. Oh well, I had friends invited over for lunch and I actually made a really good lunch for once. Okay, that sounds bad, but we are a peanut butter and jelly sandwich kind of family. This time though I went all the way out and made Italian sausage omelet and fruit salad with thin buns. Oh so good.

Last week I promised myself that I would get something done till today. I've not done all of it, Isabel still needs a haircut, still got no pictures of the kids, still need to make banana bread, but I bought new curtains for the kids room and I got some paint samples that I am trying around the house to see what will work. I am also making design drawings of my rooms to see what I need and try to find how much it will cost me to fix the place up.

School is starting up September 7th and I have big plans for this next school year. It will be busy, but I am planning a few things:

• my own blog linkup party
• baking and making more tutorials
• fixing up one room at the time in my home
• work on keeping myself and my family organized
• starting to exercise and actually stick to it

I have to learn how to make my own buttons and I have to get to my husbands computer to get more pictures to showcase on my blog.

By next Tuesday I will have: contacted friends to set up times to meet on a regular basis for the next year; made chore charts for the whole family; hung the curtains in the kids room; clean up my blog; design a new mantel for the living room.

Thanks again for your encouragement and prayers for my kids. Isabel is due for her surgery having her adenoids and tonsils removed and ear tubes put in on Monday the 30th. And thanks to you who read this far today. I guess I had a lot on my mind. Looking forward to visiting you all later.

Grateful Monday 9

Life is good as I am still taking one day at the time, if I think further ahead I get anxious because I know it can all change in a heartbeat.

This is what I am grateful for this week:

81. Sofies surgery going so well.

82. my neighbors little baby boy who was born this week.

83. the love and support pure strangers can shower upon you.

84. being able to reconnect with old friends.

85. free pretzels.

86. rapping and dancing hamsters on TV.

87. my sister in law babysitting the kids for me on Saturday.

88. fun birthday party with friends.

89. chocolate ganache cake oh so good.

90. my children with spunk.

A procrastinating kind of day

I have been sitting by my dining room table, in front of my computer, for the past 3 hours. I still have not been able to get anything done. I am procrastinating.

Having sick kids during the summer is really making me behind on everything. I like going with the flow, do what I feel like and just pick up afterwards. Usually it works out good, but at the end of the day I am exhausted and nothing gets done.

Today I want to get a to do list together and try to cross as much off of it as possible, but I am Procrastinating.

Instead I am playing with my $96 budget for house projects thinking I might redo my bathroom with new paint, light fixture and shower curtain; redo my dining room with wainscoting, new paint and a counter; or redo my living room with new paint and a new fireplace mantel.

I should probably just get my bathrooms cleaned and floors washed, then bake a banana bread and some muffins.

Or maybe I should take the kids out shopping for clothes and maybe get Isabel a haircut. Get pictures taken of them, something I have not done since last August.

I am getting so annoyed with myself that I am still sitting here doing nothing.

This is it. I will make a list now and I will cross all of it off and next Tuesday I will be in a better place in a cleaner house, but first there is a little girl with a big job for her mama ;)

Thank you all for all your nice comments.

Sofie is doing good after having her ear tubes put in yesterday.

Grateful Monday 8

This last week was exhausting with us having to go to doctors offices 5 out of 7 days, all of them because of Sofie. A lot of bad news and lot of good news.

This week I am grateful for

71. Sofie having an ear infection that is not caused by multi resistant bacterias.

72. Isabel finally getting a diagnosis of sleep apnea that explains all her health problems.

73. Sofie getting scheduled so quickly for surgery to get ear tubes.

74. Isabel getting scheduled quickly to get ear tubes, tonsillectomy and adenoid removal.

75. trips to IKEA that becomes more about being together with friends than shopping.

76. a day to myself together with a good book at the mall having lunch and coffee all alone.

77. Isabel loving the quilt I made her.

78. my children comforting me when I start crying in the check in line at the doctors office because I just had it.

79. Java Chip Ice Cream.

80. good authors and inspired books.

Notes of today

I'm not a quilter/quitter

First of all, thank you so much to all of you who came over to my blog and took your time to write some encouraging words to me. I truly appreciate all your prayers and I have put my trust in God. Thank you too to Amy for your kind and wonderful words you wrote as you featured me yet again. I can't believe you even read my Gratitude post. That really means a lot to me.

My husband and I are doing better, but I am still struggeling with feeling overwhelmed with everything. I am now trying to take one week at the time and I try to spend some time by my sewing table being creative again as that calms my mind and makes me feel good. And from this good things are coming.

I am done. So incredibly done. A little over two years ago I started on a quilt for Isabel. She had fallen in love with a quilt at Land of Nod, but there were no way I could afford it. Instead I took her to my local fabric store where I picked out several fabrics that reminded me of the quilt she had picked out and I let her choose her favorites. Then I went to work on her quilt.

I chose a pattern from Pat Sloan's I can't believe I'm Quilting beyond the basics The Get to the Point quilt. It was difficult. I should probably have started out with somethings easier, but I thought I knew what I was doing. I have made many smaller quilts and they have always come out nicely, but this time I decided to do a twin size quilt. I don't know what I was thinking.

It has taken me over two years. A lot of procrastination in working on it and it has caused me a lot of procrastination in starting other projects because I never wanted to start something new before this was done. Still there is a lot of things I have learned in this process

1. I am not a quilter.

2. Neither am I a quitter.

3. I am not patient.

4. I don't read instructions very well.

5. Needles for my sewing machine costs a lot of money.

6. I am terrible at assembling the quilt.

7. When you don't assemble a quilt properly it does not look very nice when you then quilt it.

8. I have finally learned to do machine-sewn binding properly.

9. You are actually supposed to zigzag around the quilt to close the raw edges and then trim the backing and batting.

10. Potholders are a fun and easy project to do.

Since I finished the quilt, I have made two sets of potholders. They are so fun and easy to make and I have already given one set to my mother in law. I now have a few more projects on my planner, but first I have to finish up a few smaller projects that just need the finishing touches.

Thank you for coming over to visit.

Linking up to Amy's Anti-procrastionation Tuesday.

Grateful Monday 7

It has been a week of up and downs, but a lot of fun too.

This week I am so grateful for

61. Sofies blood work was finally perfect and she got to take her MMR vaccine.

62. having the best dad in the world, who has reached the ripe age of 66. Happy b-day pappa.

63. doctors being able to communicate with each other and with me, one less visit next week.

64. Isabels great humor and ability to be sarcastic like her mom.

65. cool nights and warm days.

66. a blogger community who really cares.

67. a husband who understand and care about my concerns for our family and wants changes too.

68. kids that love playing together.

69. a daugther that loves her moms creations regardless of all imperfections.

70. my cat feeling better after getting a shot of antibiotics at the vet for his high fever.

Today

I am armed with my trusty handheld vacuum cleaner

7:20 AM - I am armed with my trusty handheld vacuum cleaner in one hand this morning. My house is filled with dust bunnies and crumbs. My other hand is armed with a wet microfiber cloth for all the sticky residue my children leave all over the place.

I am up for a 10 minute challenge. How much can I get done in 10 minutes? Well considering the fact that I do use about 6 times 10 minutes, a lot gets done.

7:30 AM - For my first 10 minutes I will straighten up my dining room, vacuum the chair seats, the floor and clean of all the stickiness. Ready, set, go...
10 minutes gave me time to do all that and empty the new bag of dog food into its container and clean up around the container. Wow, I can feel my pulse going.

7:40 AM - Then up to get the baby and get her ready for her busy day.

7:45 AM - Sofie is downstairs now with me eating her breakfast. Kitchen here we go... Put away clean dishes. Make breakfast for Isabel and get lunches ready to go.

8:00 AM - Kitchen is done. Sofie gave most of her breakfast to the dog. Guess I'll just have to make her some more and close the dog up in another room.

8:45 AM - Both kids are up and dressed. Isabel is eating her breakfast. I am finally starting on those lunches.

8:55 AM - Lunches made and packed up. It is hard to stay on task when you have little ones who constantly need something, but the 10 minutes are keeping me concentrated on my task and I do get it finished.

I will do one last 10 minute cleanup and that is my living room.

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM - My house is yet again my sanctuary and since the kids and I will be out all day today I know it will stay this way till we get home again. I still need to vacuum, wash floors and little things like that, but the sheer fact that everything is all picked up is a soothing thought to me.

Have a wonderful day and get cleaning. Just remember it is all about cleaning the areas that means the most for you and letting go of the rest till another time. Tomorrow is yet another day and my vacuum cleaner and bucket is not going anywhere.

Broken relationship

This is not the typical anti-procrastination entry. This is about me and my relationship to my husband. I need your advice and your encouragement in this. I hope you don't mind.

My relationship with my husband is broken. At least that is what it feels to me.

I have always had a hard time talking about my feelings and talking about our relationship with him. Last night I really did it. I shut off instead of trying to tell him what I feel and why I act the way I do. I know he is hurt and angry, but so am I.

This year I decided to get help for my problems. In January I went to my doctor and she and I decided on a plan of me taking medicine for my pain and me seeing a therapist.

I saw the therapist almost right away and after many sessions the therapist came to the conclusion that she could not help me without my husband there and as she was not a couples therapist she gave me the name on another therapist to help me. I have not been able to see the new therapist due to travel and having a sick child and now also our economy. I have to do this myself now.

The medicine she gave me I have not been able to use since I am still nursing. So I still don't know if that will work or when I will be able to use it.

While in Norway my husband made a list of everything he wants to do every day and I was very excited because it would seriously help me in my day. He did so well for about 3 weeks and then he stopped. He got sick and then he was tired, and then he just didn't feel like doing it because I didn't do the list he made for me.

I do do the list he gave me, just not in his order and on the days he assigned for me to do them. It just doesn't fit with my schedule.

I am sorry if it seems like I am just complaining about my husband now, but there is a point to this that has to do with procrastination.

So in January I stopped procrastinating and went to my doctor and got help. Then I started procrastinating again. I got to stop that.

My plan now is to write him a letter where I again explain what I need and why it is the way it is in my eyes.

I will meet him halfway, by breaking my boundaries, but he need to meet my needs too.

This is where I would like your help. If you would please give me some advice, I really need it.

When it comes to our children: Do I have to ask him to feed them, clean them and take them out once in a while? Or do I have to keep asking him? All I want is for him to see the kid's needs and react upon them.

When it comes to our dog: Can I finally set my foot down and find a new home for her because he is not keeping his promise to walk her every day and instead leaving all the work to me? I feel bad and stressed all the time because I don't have time or energy every day to walk her and then when I ask him to do it, he makes me feel bad because he is so tired. Still he wants to keep the dog for our kids sake, but the dog is not happy with us because she needs lots of exercise and space to roam around which she is not getting with us.

When it comes to me: I would like to have some things private, like this blog, but he keeps looking over my shoulder when he is home to check on what I am writing. It is so personal to me and I just want to keep it for my self. Is that wrong of me?

I have to stop procrastinating on our relationship or I am afraid we won't last to our next anniversary. It is all up to me, but I would love your input and your encouragement.

Thank you so much for listening this far to me. I really appreciate it.

Grateful Monday 6

I am a little uninspired lately, but I will sit down and look into myself and rediscover my blessings of this week.

This week I have been grateful for

51. Vacation Bible School that Isabel actually loved.

52. good friends that help a friend out when she is in an awkward situation.

53. the lab assistant at our doctors office that hits right on when taking blood from Sofie.

54. my mom who bought me a good supply of needles for my sewing machine when she was here

55. Sofie still staying healthy and not having any relapses.

56. Isabel keeping Sofie happy and entertained in the morning while still in bed.

57. a baby who sleeps in till 10 in the morning.

58. my husband working so hard to provide for us.

59. an empty calender slowly filling up.

60. my husband baking chocolate chip cookies just because.