A new Printer

My dh said I could buy a new printer, and for us it is the first laser printer we have ever had. Well we had arrived home late and I put the kids to bed and hit the sack my self.

My 14 y son Pat on the other hand couldn't sleep, so he decided to surprise me by setting up the printer and the software. I think that like most men and men to be the idea of a piece of computer stuff sitting in a box waiting for morning was to much to bear.

 I am really thankful for Patrick as with dh out of town any computer thing that needs to be fixed can be done. For while dh tries to explain to me over the phone what to do to fix something it sounds greek to me and I get mad at the computer . While he can give the same insrutions to Pat and it works. I also think that this is good for my son as it gives him a way to help the family that mom is not able to.

New school supplies

Well I love new types of school supplies and recently saw two new ones I like. The first is Twistables from Crayola, they are like the coolest crayons for adults. Well I guess kids will like them to. They are crayons in a pen-type case, so while you can't use the whole side of the crayon, you do get a nice point and it doesn't melt in your hand. And for some reason maybe because they are bigger they don't disappear to werever crayons go along with the socks when you are not looking.

 

The second school supply is index cards that are sticky on the back like a post it. These cards really stick well and because they index cards, they don't tear or get lost. My current use for them has to do with chores, I write what needs to be done in a room and stick the card on the door and when done I get the card back. But I am very sure I will think of many more jobs for them.

Kitchen Cleaning

DH bought me a new kitchen, and this cleaning list is how I plan on keeping it clean and nice looking.

 

Kitchen Cleaning

 

Yearly

 

Polish cupboards

 

 

Bi- Yearly – January and July

 

1. Move fridge clean underneath


2. Move stove clean underneath


3. Wash curtains


4. Dust top of pantry


5. Clean oven


6. Clean under stove top

 

Every 3 Months (Feb., May, Aug, November)

 

1. Clean top of fridge

2. Clean and wipe out pantry

 

Weekly

 

1. Wash floor (Monday)


2. Clean one cupboard or drawer out (every cupboard and drawer will done 1x every 17 weeks) (Tuesday)


3. Clean out trash can (Wednesday)


4. Clean out fridge and wipe front (Monday)

 

Daily

1.       Am

a.     Unload dishwasher

b.    Breakfast prep

c.     Load dishwasher

d.     Wash pots

e.     Wipe counters

f.     Light candle

2.     Lunch

a.     Lunch prep

b.    Clean-up

c.     Wipe counters

d.     Wash pots

3.     Dinner (see detailed list on fridge also applies to weekend lunch)

a.     Set Table – Nolan

b.    Clear table – Sarah

c.     Dishes – Kathryn w/ Mom (Set dishwasher to run in 6 hrs)

d.     Sweep floor and empty trash – Conner

e.     Wipe stove, microwave, counters – Patrick

f.     Everyone – clear own spot, scrape plate

4.     Before bed

a.     Put away pot and pans

Last minute tidy

Pickles

Kathryn my 5 yo who always makes me laugh, is laying in her bed next to the computer. With pickles on her eyes, and telling me all about how only girls can rest with pickles on there eyes. I don't have the heart to tell her you are to use cucumbers. I guess she is close as a pickle was once a cucumber, as once I was a little girl.

 

Today is my birthday and I am another year older, I hope I am not turning into a pickle.

Praying with one eye closed

Today in church I wondered if I will ever pray with both eyes closed. My 5 year old has gotten to the stage were I can pray with both closed, except she gets a little wiggly toward the end. And the boys always wonder how did mom see me bump my brother if her eyes were closed. With the new baby coming soon, I will be back to full -time praying with one eye open. I guess what I am trying to say that this makes it even more important that I take time in the morning or when it doesn't matter if the kids are loud and wiggly to pray.

 

I also have to remind myself that God hears my prayers weather my eyes are closed or if they are wide open. And of course I could concentrae on prayer more in church if the childern were not there. But I think God would rather they be with us learning together, then to have my full attention during prayer. This is only a brief time in our lives and someday I will be able to pray with both eyes closed and all of my mind on the prayer. But right now I am bringing up a new generation of belivers for him.

 

 

family photo

My dh asked me to add a family photo, well this is the only one I have right now. And our oldest son is missing from the photo. It was taken at the family picnic for the base last year, right around when my dh went on active duty. All the childern are taller now and my belly is the size of a basketball with baby # 6.

 

 

Looking at this picture they have grown alot in 6 mos. my oldest daughter looks me in the eye now. Maybe this weekend we will try to get another photo taken. Well I am off to get a nap in before the crowd comes home.

Why build a snowman

My kids have always been a little differnet when it comes to their ideas. For example they had to make a drawing of a dragon doing something and include background. Conner draws a dragon in a cave with a whole bunch of bones around him, Sarah on the other hand draws hers sitting by a campfire roasting marshmellows with his dragon breath. And then Nolan draws his sitting in a boat in the ocean fishing, and frying the fish with dragon flames before eating it.

 

So it should have come to no surpise when instead of a snowman my childern build a snow catapillar that you can ride.

 

The Start of the new Kitchen

Well they came bright and early Saturday morning, and by noon had the wall and the old cupboards out.

 

 

This is the wall were the fridge was, they took it down to a knee wall, and it is open between the kitchen and the dining room.

 

 

This picture was taken at night so things are a little dark but they have some of the new cupboards in.

 

 

And this was the end of day 1 of the remodel. I will post day 2 tomorrow.

The old kitchen

Here are some photo's of the old kitchen before it all came down.

 

The reason for the space were a ref. would normally go, is last year the fridge died and the big question was do we go with the fridge that fits the spot or the fridge that we wanted. We went with the bigger fridge it is all fridge no frezzer, and I love it.

 

 

This is going around the room the other side of the sink and yes that is the dishwasher hose hanging over the sink. As while we were able to hook up the hotwater for the dishwasher the drain was not able to be contected. So for 3 years it has drained into the sink.

 

 

This is once agian going around the room. The thing I did love about this set up was that I had a baking center, with a spot for a mixer and all the baking items.

 

 

And this is the wall were the fridge is, and that is Kathryn in the picture. This is opposite the wall were the stove is, and on the other side of this wall is the dining room. At one time when a smaller family lived here this was the eating area in the kitchen.

 

Well I will post some of the new kitchen a little later, so come on back for a look.

The New Kitchen - the delivery

My dh this year decided to bless me with a new kitchen, I do belive this was a attempt to keep me from remodling anything else on my own. Well they had called and said that they could deliver the cabiets. The only room we had to store them in was the living room as the dining room was full of the stuff from the kitchen. It is rather amazing as to the amount of stuff you can fit into a kitchen and not know it. I was rather surprised as to the amount of boxes there was I didn't think they would all fit, but they did. The kids were so happy they saw all these boxes and all they could think about were the forts that they could build. So for a little under a week we lived in the family room and bedrooms.