If you ever wanted to make a indoor skating rink.
The perfect combination of chemicals is one mostly full bottle of pine sole and a half a bottle of Ivory dish soap spread all over a linoleum floor.
There is no product that will absorb it.
And its slipperier then snot on a door knob.
Good morning
Rob is outside with the kids doing trash patrol. The yard needed it. 
My kids btw are slobs.
The second set of painting the picket fence went way better. The boys decided they weren't intrested. *cheers* The girls actually got a lot accomplished and emptied out the bucket....without spilling. 
I am definitely tired each night by the time we get done all of our handiman projects.
The house is showing the lack of love. Rob actually went around and emptied garbage cans, and swept, so it almost feels human in here.
Except for the fact that Jeremiah has discovered how to get into my flour, and our vacuum is broken. Eyes the floury footprints and just shrugs. I love this stage of toddler hood.
I have been struggling a lot...still. But I'm staying afloat so that's the good news.
"Mom, Sam took my blackberry." Jamari says.
"Sam, did you touch Jamari's blackberrys?" I ask.
"No, I didn't touch them."
Jamari. "Yes you did."
"Sam? I didn't touch them I just put them on my head."
Beats head of desk repeatedly.
Good morning
Its a day.
The plan today is to start painting the picket fence. If I can find the energy.
The big kids Sam and Zeria are playing knights. They worked hard with some scraps of plywood from our current building project and made themselves wooden shields and swords. Zeria found a paper bag and designed it into a knights helmet. Its great entertainment.
Jer is turning into a big boy before my eyes. Rob asked him this morning what sound a dog made and he said woof woof. I then turned to him and said what sound does a cat make. He stared me down. I then said does a cat say meow? He shook his head no. "Un unh, can't don't say meow." He's right. Its more like meeeeeeeer. *snicker*
The other day we were outside and he saw the pony and said Cicket Cicket. "Good job, Jer. Can you say cat?" He looked around didn't see any and shook his head. "Un unh, no cat." Well he was right, why should one say it when one can't see it. *snicker*
He's a very opinionated little fella, and is gonna rule this roost. Yesterday he was out on her new deck which doesn't have stairs to get off. He wanted off. I was ignoring him. He just stood on the deck yelling for the kids. It got louder, and louder until one of them ran over and lifted them off. I think he's training us well.
I've been enjoying the last of summer, and have just not felt the need to be online a ton. I'm just feeling a wee bit anti-net. I'm sure it will pass...although this is the longest time I've felt this way.
My loud friend stopped by yesterday and visited for an hour. It was a fascinating visit. She definitely functions in a different circle then I do, and has fascinating information. Read nasty gossip. Ahh well she's entertaining, and I take much of what she says with a huge grain of salt. *snicker*
The floor on our sunroom is completed. Although I have yet to take a good picture of it yet. This is it in progress. It turned out quite nicely except the plywood they delivered is crap. It was supposed to be one inch, and is 3/8's of a inch. Its just flimsy. So Rob is gonna have to go under and add 2x4's for support. I'm rather thinking it might be worth it to just add more plywood, but we shall see. Nothing can go totally smoothly ya know.
Currently he's working on the biggest wall, and is about half way done with it.
And what have I done?
I added a second color, and I'm almost done with the blue. Except for that one little piece of white right up there by the top. I just noticed it wasn't done. *snicker* Long story. Anyhow it looks really beautiful, and we like it a lot. 
Flylady to the rescue. LOL
I actually haven't been on her site in a long time. But I will say that her organizational tips really helped. a LOT. That and watching Clean Sweep. Its amazing what you can get clean and keep clean between the two.
The flylady technique that helped me the most is hot spots. The spots in the house that always collect junk. You reach for one and quickly dung it out, and suddenly all of your life feels a little bit cleaner.
With the kids help I did two this morning. I can see my computer, and I can see the bottom of the magazine rack by my favorite chair. *cheers*
I also had Samuel and Kaylin empty the garbage cans all through out the house, and wa-la clean house. Okay there's still dirt, but the clutter which is the depressing part is gone.
The clean sweep help was about evaluating each hot spot, and asking yourself "WHY does this always get cluttered. Why don't I put things away in this spot. What can I do to make it easy to put things away."
Each time I've attacked a spot in my house with this principle and truely evaluated it. Sometimes it will take up to a month to evaluate a spot, and come up with a organizational plan that works. I have to identify what the problem is. And the solution. Both are tricky. And when I come up with it, and fix it. Amazingly it stays clean from then on.
With one exception--the computer desk.
Which means I need to think through it a little bit more as its not staying junk free. Its where everybody stacks stuff that mom needs to "decide" about. Including mom. It grows stuff I swear.
Oh and the other exception is my entry-way, but that's just cause its too dang small. The cure to that is our addition. *beams* Seriously each place I've truely mediated over has stayed clean. Not a toss & clean it, and forget it technique. Where I looked, and stared, and planned. Toss and clean is a step, but you also need a plan to keep it that way. One that you KNOW you'll use.
It may be as simple as taking the lids of the boxes you keep things in. Do you know you won't take the time to lift the lid to put it in. Then throw the lid away. Because its not gonna do you any good putting a HUGE stack of stuff on top of it, and it all tumbling to the floor. *snicker*
Then once about every 6 months you can go through the space, reevaluate it, throw stuff that needs to be thrown, and its a very palatable job that takes minutes, instead of agonizing hours. It is soooooooo freeing. Clean Sweep especially recommends that with collections. I go through all of our books and videos once every 6 months, and do a Goodwill run with the rejects. Speaking of which I need to do the videos again--just did the books a month or so ago.
Get rid of your clutter, your brain will thank you.
Good morning 
Its kind of a gray day out there.
Jeremiah slept in until 7:30. The world is ending. LOL
Rob managed to take half of our front deck down yesterday while I was in town torturing Jeremiah. There's progress in sight. *cheers* I found energy about ten o'clock last night to push myself around picking up piles. As a result the house doesn't look too bad. I see a little pile in the living room this morning, but its a kid pile--and I'll be after them the next time I see them. There all outside at the moment.
Tomorrow is the County Fair, and while fun its huge and exhausting. So I'm hoping I'll be feeling better by then. I also think that when my visitor leaves its time to go talk to my doctor. My paxil works for most of the month, but the week leading up to my period and the week of my period not so much. And we're not talking normal pms, we're talking bad thoughts. So, I want to get my body on a little more even kill.
I have been ebaying and I think I have winter boots for almost everybody now. Their unfortunately a necessity living out here. Not snow boots, rain boots. We wore last years pairs out. We literally can't wear tennis shoes for about 6 months of the year in our yard. Its just a lost cause. Rob actually leaves his good shoes at work and puts them on when he gets there. And no gravel won't fix it, its just "normal". Its one of the reasons our sunroom is so important. We need a nice BIG place to leave all of our stacks of mud.
I'm really praying for one more month without mud. September in P.A. was usually nice. But I'm coming to find out that even though I only moved 20 miles west the weather is significantly different, so we will hang on and see.
Bleh!
I just feel Bleh!
Jeremiah's trip to the doctor was frought with frustration. The stitches were in deep, and the ER doctor didn't leave any knots to cut. It was so bad I was told that the Pediatricians would be filing a complaint against him. Since I rather despised him thanks to his whole stunts about how to get a hurt baby calmed down I'm cheering in that regard.
My back hurts, and that nasty old hag is in for a visit. You know Aunt Flo. Other wise known as monthly cycle? I want to beat her and send her packing permantly. I'm done having kids, so I'm done with her.
*snort*
Tomorrow is a new day, that hopefully I will feel human in. I'm very much struggling with pain, and some other issues. I'm coming close to making a decision that will change some significant things. I'm just unsure. I know it will hurt someone when I make it. I need some peace in regards to the whole issue and I can't find it. *scratches head*
I know I shouldn't make any decisions the days before/during my period. So I should just shut my head down and go to sleep. LOL. Of course sleep is easier when one doesn't feel BLEH!
Oh wait I'm back to that word again. *snicker* Isn't life grand?
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, Whatsoever things are pure. Whatsoever things are lovely, Whatsoever things are of good report , if there be any virture, or any praise. Think on these things." Phil 4:11
This is the verse I'm holding onto as I continue to fight the depression that struggles to take over me. One teensy second at a time. Focus on the beauty, and let go of the hurt. Look above the rocks to the blue sky.
I've been getting these e-mails and wanted to share this one. It has a lot to chew on.
Understanding Why We Get Angry
One of the steps in helping children control their anger is to recognize four causes of anger. After children have settled down and you debrief with them about their anger, talk about what's causing it. You and your child may see patterns and then be able to head off the problem earlier next time.
1) Blocked Goals. This is the kind of anger that happens to you, as a parent, when you want to do a project in the playroom and find that Billy has left his Legos all over the floor and you keep stepping on them. Or, Billy may want to play with the train set only to find that his sister is using it. Those are blocked goals
2) Violated Rights. That's when you, as a parent, are in the bathroom and your daughter keeps knocking on the door. You believe you have the right to go to the bathroom in peace. Your daughter may get angry because her brother came into her room and took her favorite CD. Those are violated rights.
3) Unmet Expectations. You had expected that when you got home you would be able to rest but instead you find a big mess. Or little Jackie thought she would be going to McDonalds but instead you chose to go to Pizza Hut. Those are unmet expectations.
4) Experiencing Unfairness. When someone takes a toy from a younger child, you may feel angry as a parent because you see unfairness. Or, Tom may feel angry with his teacher because she picked someone else for a privilege he thought he deserved. Those unfair situations can provoke anger.
Whatever the situation, after a child has settled down, talk about the cause. Discuss the value of laying down rights, readjusting goals or expectations, and handling unfairness in a godly way. By examining the causes of anger, you can help children gain greater perspective and develop long lasting strategies for managing their anger.
For a strategy for dealing with anger in children, consider the CD set, "Eight Secrets to Highly Effective Parenting," by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN. This plan is also sold separately on one CD entitled, "Helping Children Deal with Anger."
