Extreme Makeover

Can you see the difference I feel? (I did not retouch this photo in any way!)

Well, it seems a little funny posting this picture of myself. I am just wondering if you see the difference I feel? I keep looking at the header for my blog and I see the difference. I am going to have to take some new pictures! For those of you just catching up on the miracle... I have had many chronic health problems for years. Recently, I was fitted for an Oral Systemic Balance Orthodic. This is a special retainer like thing that fits over my teeth. I wear it all the time. This Orthodic has changed my life.

Dr. Farrand Robson discovered that I was not getting enough oxygen because my tongue was too far back of my throat. This lack of oxygen caused my body to put all of it's energy into breathing. Since so much energy was being put towards this function....everything else was suffering.

The process of being fitted for the Orthotic and healing takes about three months. I am half-way through the process. I feel a million times better. Despite some ups and downs that come with the process.

It's funny, I keep loosing site of what my life used to be like. I was feeling like I wasn't making any progress. Then my husband reminded me that in one week I: did four days in a row of home school, transferred out the summer clothes for fall/winter. I decorated the house for fall. I took the girls to a bounce house in Gig Harbor and then came home and cleaned the house for a Norwex party. Sure I was tired. But I was normal tired. I was able to do all those things and not end up in bed. All I can say is: Praise the Lord!

God has also provided half the funds that I need to complete the process! Such a huge answer to prayer!

Warming up the place...

Last year I learned that in order for me to fully enjoy fall I first had to experience summer. I had back surgery in June 2010 and missed pretty much the entire summer. When fall came I was just barely starting to feel better. It was time to put away the summer clothes (which I had never worn) and to think about decorating for fall. I usually love the fall, but last year it did not appeal to me. I missed the freedom and fresh out door life of summer and was not ready to come back inside and smell that pumpkin spice candle. 

I also don't think I had enough energy to think about doing something extra like decorate.

I am happy to report... I felt like decorating this year. And I am enjoying fall this year! I enjoyed my summer and was much more ready to embrace my favorite season.

I enjoy decorating and changing a few parts of the house for each season. I really enjoy the change! I get very tired of looking at the same things. Plus my husband loves it when I decorate for fall. I really don't need another reason than that! There is nothing better than pleasing the man I love!

Here are my objectives for Fall Decorations 2011:
~ I didn't feel like having a bunch of cute things out. I wanted to warm up the house with fall colors and keep it classy. I did not feel compelled to put out every fall decoration I own.
~ The two main areas I decorate are the buffet in the dining room and the top of piano. These two areas are at the heart of my home. I can decorate those two places and it makes the whole house feel decorated. I scatter a few items here and there, but not much.
~ My main mode of decorating is to re-purpose decorations and house hold items in a fresh fall way. I took what I had and gave it a fresh look. I freshened up my vine wreath by wrapping the bobbles with foil leaves and a ribbon. Then I just tied it with string to my curtain rod.
~ I also wanted to seamlessly add in a few Thanksgiving specific decorations as we got closer to that holiday. Or if I don't feel like it... I don't have to. These decorations can last from September to Thanksgiving!
~The goal... maximum holiday feel with minimum set up or clean up!

Fall for it!

Salad Bowl + LED Candle + a Bag of Silk Leaves = Fab Fall Centerpiece

First Day of School

Making Room for School

When you homes school gearing up for school doesn't just include gathering the school supplies and the curriculum. There is a flurry or preparations that resembles the nesting process that many women go through right before child birth.  You have to prepare to prepare to learn... or something like that. 

I wanted to set systems in place so that when we started our new school year thing could just flow. Part of that was creating this space to learn and play.

With any home project, one change can set a domino affect in motion. This seems especially true when you have a small home. All the pieces are fit together perfectly... change one thing and you have to change it all. This is essentially the process of how we transformed Roses bedroom into the school/play room.

 Objectives I had for this space:

1. Corral all the toys and home school supplies in one room. The other room became the bedroom that contains the bunk beds, clothes and stuffed animals. Everything else needed to fit into this room. Having one room for toys has helped the rest of my house stay cleaner. It has also cut down on the time it takes to tidy up.

2. A space for everything and everything in it's place.  We had to purge and pair down to make the amount of toys fit the amount of space we had. I purchased some bigger storage boxes and put tags on them. This way the girls could find them if they want to play with them, and also know where to put them away. Since we need to use this space for school as well. We needed to be able to put a lot of stuff out of sight to minimize distractions.

3. Functional for our needs. My parents had a counter they were no longer using. We installed it on the far wall. This makes a great puzzle and computer work station. We can also do projects at the counter as well.

4. Personalized. I wanted the girls to feel at home in that room. The Ribbon Art Gallery  really helped make that happen. This is a great way to dry art work and display it for all to see.

Counter Action

As a recovering Messie one of my recurring messes is my counter. My wide open space of counter top is really just an over sized stuff magnet. In fact I think that we may be able to scientifically prove that "stuff" is actually magnetized. It is my firm belief that if you place anything on a counter top it starts to take on magnetic properties  Stuff begets stuff. Stuff attracts stuff. (I am pretty sure that food storage containers self propagate!)
This magnetic process starts out very innocently. You go to the mail box, you set them mail on the counter, you walk away. Or, your kid does an art project and not all of it get's cleaned up. And next thing you know you are conducting a therapy session for lost, broken, misplaced and homeless items. I am not sure if the items on my counter need therapy, but I sure do by the time I finish a whole day of trying to clear it off.

And really, who wants to spend their whole day cleaning off a counter? I could be doing more productive things like cleaning the bathroom!

In all seriousness, my goal is to stop having to battle the clutter everyday all day. I'd rather spend an hour actually cleaning the house instead. Then do something else!  Busting out a few chores each day is so much more rewarding than spending a day rearranging clutter around a home.

So, I decided to get serious and do some major counter intelligence! Here is my process:

Photo #1-- The Old Normal

Step 1: I took an inventory of all these seemingly random things that ended up on my counter. I did a case study, if you will, of what typically found its way there. This study was conducted as I put things away.

Step 2: I reviewed my inventory and looked for patterns. Then I found spots for the frequent counter offenders. This way the next time they ended up on my counter I could swiftly put them away.

I easily eliminated stacks of paper by following my friend Melissa's advice. She fills a magazine holder with pocket folders and quickly files all those papers that need to be accessible yet need a home off of the counter. Each person in the house has a file folder, and each major activity your family does has a folder. For instance we have one for church papers, a folder for phone numbers and directories, and one for local community and preschool places and events.  It works!

In my inventory I found that a huge amount of clutter was due to my daughters love of paper and crafts. I dedicated a drawer to all her papers. This eliminated me trying to sort through them at all. I just scooped all her papers and put them in the drawer. (I also created a system for keeping kids art.... more on that later)

Light at the end of the tunnel! This is at least functional.

When cleaning the counter off I always end up with a pile of random stuff I don't know what to do with. These random items usually end up in a laundry basket that I take from room to room looking for homes for it all

Step 3: Remove whatever does not need to be on the counter from the counter. Since I am a believer that stuff has an inherent magnetic property, I decided to remove as many magnets as possible.
I got rid of my paper towel holder, spice rack, and the decorations I used to put at the end of the counter. I also made a spot for the blender in the cupboard. Even if I use something every day... it still does not need to be on the counter. We don't keep all our glasses and plates on the counter (well I hope you don't)--- how hard is it really to just get something out when you need it?

Step 4: Do a clean sweep a few times a day. Have zero tolerance for counter clutter. Take that mail to the trash, don't let the kids pile their toys on the counter, find a place for that item...or get rid of it.  These are all new habits that I am having to retrain myself to do and encourage my family to do the same. 

Victory! Now to keep it this way!

Back in Business

A lot has stood in the way of me blogging lately. Most of my obstacles have been good things. Healing, catching up on life. Accompanying my husband on youth group trips. And some have been technical difficulties.
Now, I am happy to report, I now have wireless internet and a working laptop computer! I am so happy!
I couldn't wait to make my inaugural blog post with the new laptop and working internet.
And in addition to blogging, I will be able to do all those simple things that just need done, like ordering books from the library or getting important things from Amazon....and still be able to keep a close eye on my 3 year-old.  (She keeps doing things like dismantling the toilet, and smearing honey all over the counter, tonight she tasted glue. And really she's not destroying the house... she's just discovering her surroundings!)

See you soon! I hope!