So, here's how that cleanning thing ended up....

I was doing good until Wednesday. The plan was to clean each day, but Wednesday I got a little carried away and did a bunch of stuff, so Wednesday and Thursday ended up being the days I did nothing!! And well, Friday, I didn't really accomplish much either.

Saturday was a catch up day but I didn't take pictures - I just worked and worked and got things cleaned up and put away and then we got pretty much the whole house decorated for Christmas. The tree is up, waiting for ornaments, which will happen tonight. Tons of other things are out and on display!! So, it wasn't a total loss. I just have no documentation to prove it to you!!

This week is super busy!! I'm having a little girlfriend lunch tomorrow, working the next two days and going to the movies Friday. In the meantime, I need to get the guest room tackled and under control - we're having company so the laundry really can't be on the bed!! There will be no where for them to sleep!!

So, the cleaning will continue and I'll try to take pics this time!! Tonight is Cub Scouts and tree trimming, so tomorrow night, I'll tackle the laundry and scrap supplies that are ALL.OVER.THE.PLACE!!!

Blog-along update

Okay - I didn't do anything Wednesday or Thursday and probably won't today. I'm the slacker in the bunch!!

Day two - done and done!!!

Okay, so I planned to get all the Halloween decor taken down today and put away. The only problem is two of my storage containers are in the garage near the last evidence we have of the mouse that's camped out in our house!! So, needless to say, I couldn't open them. I mean, you get that, right? :D And the other containers were in the shed in the backyard, and well, it rained today, just a bit - so couldn't go down there either. Not that I would have even if it hadn't been raining, honestly.



So, I tackled as much of the Halloween decor as I could without those boxes and then moved on. I was extremely brave and decided to clean up the kitchen. It's been neglected since the mouse siting, because, well, I saw a mouse!! So that should pretty much cover that!! Here's the before:



and yes, that's the dishwasher pulled out from the cabinet so we can check on the dang mouse!! Here's the after:



Much better - and just so you know - if you open the dishwasher and pull out the bottom rack while it's out from under the cabinet, you will almost break your foot. Just thought you'd want to know!! Oh and the glasses still sitting on the counter, have to stay - I can't reach the cabinet because of the dang dishwasher!!

This is our bar area - between the kitchen and the den. This is the catch-all in our house. Jason puts his phone, keys, wallet, sunglasses, etc here when he gets home. Cole unpacks his backpack here. He does his homework here, too. Once in a while, we eat a meal there. I scrapbook there, or paint, or whatever!! So this is it's current state:



And here it is after. Not perfect - but better. I can't put that case of Diet Dr Pepper on the floor, in case the mouse is thirsty - so it stays right there - and hey, the box is white with crimson - matches the whole Bama thing!!



So after the kitchen, I moved on to the bathroom and I took no pictures - sorry, you'll just have to believe me. Actually, I still have to empty the garbage in there, and do the floors - but the rest is clean. We are all sharing this bathroom right now due to some plumbing issues in the master bath (which is really just Jason's bath because me and Cole share the bigger bathroom). So we're all in there together. Stuff everywhere. Glasses, contacts, rubber ducks, hair spray, hair dryer, flat iron, and I could really go on and on about what all is there right now. Well, what was there - it's all neat and clean now. Carol can vouch for me tomorrow when she comes over!! :D

So, here's the real mess. I mean, the kitchen and bathroom were messy but THIS takes the cake:



He looks so proud of his mess!

And here it is just a few minutes later - really!! It didn't take long at all. I usually clean Cole's room on the weekend, but you know, I saw a mouse!!



And well, I just realized I didn't come back and post the pictures from yesterday - so here it is - the before:



I think, when we moved it, I just unpacked three or four boxes and stuck it all in here! For No Apparent Reason!!! And the after:



I realize the after isn't MUCH better, but it's a start. There are things in here I just need to find another home for. Like the notebooks and folders that I bought for half a cent after school started. And the scrapbook magazines and books that don't belong there, either. And all the office supplies need to go to THE OFFICE!!! And yes, that is an upside down Lego Spongebob, without his legs - on the top shelf!!

Alright - all caught up. Now, who knows what I'll tackle tomorrow!! I have to work and then have a play date - so the cleaning will be quick!!

Yesterday's cleaning coming soon!

Just wanted to check in and say I'm playing along, just haven't had a chance to upload photos yet. After I get back from picking Cole up - I'll do yesterdays post really quick and then move on to today's job!! I actually have put away almost all of my Halloween stuff, but have no before photo of the giant pile on the table of all my stuff. But if you read this post you got a peek of my decorations - so you know there's a lot. I've taken down and packed away all but one little display and that's just because the container for it is in the shed in the back yard and well, it's raining and there could be bugs and such out there. That's just a Jason job and he's not doing the blog-along, so I'm outta luck!!

Off to finish up some Christmas crafting - my cousin (the first great grandchild) is having a bridal tea this weekend and I'm giving her a giant collection of Christmas decorations. I've only been to one Christmas Bridal Tea ever and thought it was so fun, so as soon as I new about Laura's I decided she needed some Christmas goodies, instead of your normal Pyrex dishes and measuring cups. I'm sure someone will get those for her anyway!! So, some cute store bought ornaments mixed in with some things I'm making - wooden hand painted stuff, a canvas, some trees for the wall - and she'll be set to start decorating in their new home!!

Okay - enough already - I'm off the computer, and back to being productive!!!

OH - and today's plan:

clean out this desk/computer cabinet in the den so it can be moved, or REmoved, and we can make space for the Christmas tree that's coming out of storage soon!!

Fall Clean up Blog-along!!

Okay - so, here's the deal - we have only been in our house since April - so you know, that's not that long! Not long enough that my house should be a disaster, but hey, it's kind of a small disaster!! Toys everywhere!! Halloween decorations, still not put away!! And don't even get me started on the stupid mouse that's taken up residence here. He's NOT paying rent! He's NOT cleaning up after himself, either!! He's also managing to escape trap after trap. He's getting on my nerves!!

Now, I know the toys everywhere and the Halloween decorations aren't the reason for the mouse - actually, I don't really know why he's here - I promise we aren't dirty - just cluttered! Anyway - it's time to get a few things under control. We have friends coming to stay in less that two weeks and I seriously can't even see the top of the guest bed for all the laundry. Now, it's all clean and folded, just not put away. We have to find room for the Christmas tree, too - so there's some stuff that I need to clean out, to make room for the tree!

So - I'm doing this:



Several of us on Facebook we're talking about a cleaning blog-along.
Posting a before and after picture of the space we clean each day.
YES, each day this week!!

So, I'm attempting to tackle this even though I don't have loads of time this week.
I know that I'll have little time today, Wednesday and Thursday, so on those does, I'm picking the small tasks to tackle. I'll have more time Tuesday and Friday - so the big jobs will be done then. You can play along, too! If you decide to - comment below so I can check out your blog and before/after pictures!!

Come on - you can do it!!

Thanks and Giving

So, there are still things floating around in my head about St. Jude and things I want to express. I'm working on it.

In the meantime, I wanted to tell you to go check out St. Jude Thanks and Giving and then check out this list of retailers that are taking part in the campaign.

Has it been a month?

Why, yes it has. I've been a slacker I guess, well, actually I've just been busy and haven't taken the time to come here and post. Work has been busy, my job actually changed a month or so ago, can't really remember how long it's been. I started out working on the sales floor, putting out stock, ringing up customers - that sort of thing. Now, I'm working in the office - doing the deposit, balance the drawers and such, price changes, HR stuff and some scheduling. So, I'm kind of back to what I used to do with McRae's back in the day. It was a nice change. I loved helping customers but I like what I do now a bit more. Cole's had some sinus stuff going on so he missed a little bit of school I while back and then had a check up and got some shots (boo)! Then we had a little Halloween party where I managed to only take one picture during the party and that was of the punch bowl. I snapped a few close to the end, but didn't get one of Cole dressed up! Bummer! (Michelle, Carol - send me your pictures!! Thanks)

Cole joined Cub Scouts, too so we've been doing that each week. We had to miss last night though since we just got back from Memphis late. Nothing major going on there - just needed to have some lab work done and he needed to be measured. We've had some changes with his growth hormones, so we just needed to check everything out (more on that later - it's time for a St. Jude post). Cole's really liking Cubs. I love that he's enjoying it. The first few meetings he wasn't crazy about - lots of things where we just learned the rules, etc - but now we're on to fun stuff and activites. He's liking it!! It's fun for mom, too though - the leader is someone I went to highschool with and there's also a kid from Cole's class, so I get to chat with his mom! It's nice to get to know people and reconnect with those you haven't seen in a while.

A little about Memphis - it was great. Cole's growing right on track now - finally. He's average and for once in life - average is just enough!! We're so glad. He's growing just like he should!! While we were there I read lots about this years Thanks and Giving campaign - lots of thoughts there that I want to express here - so that's coming soon!!

In the crafty area of my life I'm sorely lacking. Haven't scrapbooked much at all lately. Have some lovely papers just waiting to be used. Just haven't had a chance to jump into it. I did spend two Sunday night at the Ronald McDonald House doing scrapbooks with families. It was fun. Not exactly like our Memphis Ronald - but that's okay!! It was a good experience. I'm anxious to see what they do for Christmas.

We had tons of decorations up for Halloween and honestly, I'm ready for them to go away - and I'm all about bringing out the Christmas stuff soon!! I can't wait!!

For November, we've still got lots to do - we're going to an Alabama game in a few weeks - YAY, Roll Tide Roll. I'll be working a ton I'm sure - especially after Thanksgiving. And we've got to get ready for Christmas, too - Cole's list is already about 43 pages long!!

Alright - I'm out for a little while - off to get my Colester from school and then we're staging a little Halloween photo shoot since I didn't get one single picture of him just standing still in his costume. So, pictures coming soon!