Super Skate Floor Clean Boogie

Sometimes, when you want to get the kids to do a job it helps if you can find a way to make it fun (ok now I'm singing Mary Poppins in my head.) Yesterday we needed to get some cleaning done and I was determined to get help. Because seriously, I just can't do it all myself. Primarily because if they are playing while I am cleaning it is just one big tornado of mess everywhere except where I just cleaned. Fun stuff.

Anyway, I really, really didn't want to mop. Yet, the floor was extremely dirty and my mom will be here tomorrow. Plus I haaaaate it when the floor is filthy, so I was trying to think of a way to really quickly get it clean.

So I pulled out every cleaning towel I own, dunked them in soapy water and told them to skate the floor clean. It took about 10 minutes, they had fun, I did the wood floor while they did the tile, and then we were all set to go to the pool. It also helps to come up with a completely fun (if utterly ridiculous) name for it.

While the floor may not be *as* clean as if I had properly done the job myself, it looks pretty darn good. We'll be using this technique again.

A Day Off

Since beginning to post my to do list on this blog, I have been super productive. Things are going great! But I hit a snag this week. Monday we had Eric's award ceremony at school and then sat at my friend's house for a long while afterward. I got my daily stuff done, but none of the extra weekly stuff that really needs done. Tuesday was my class at the gym, and while I really could have done quite a bit before or after, it just didn't happen. Wednesday, daily stuff got done, but nothing off the weekly to do list. Thursday hit and I was in a funk, crabby and just plain irritated with myself and the boys. Combined with the fact that it was the first official day of having no school and I just sat there thinking about all I should have been doing and not doing it. Productive! Yesterday, I made the conscious decision to just have fun with the kids, and take a break from the list. I think it helped.

So today, I plan to get busy (right after I write about it!) and get the house picked up and try to get a few of those chores I assigned for this week done. Then I get to take Eric and Mark to a summer bowling kiddie league activity this morning.

I still struggle with the balance between getting stuff done, giving the kids the interaction and attention that they need, and not completely feeling like a nutcase in the process. The balance has to exist. I just have to find it.

I'll keep posting my to do list on my blog side bar, because it really helps. Despite this last setback, it has really helped me get things done. I mean, I can't post it online for all to see and not put that little DONE!! by at least a few things. Much more satisfying than just crossing it off a regular old to do list.

So, with no further ado, I am going to go do my dishes from last night, and then go work on that dreaded "To Do This Week" list.

Have a great Saturday everyone!!

Updates and Randomness

First of all, I have to confess that Mother's Day, while wonderful, was not perfect. What day is? I didn't include some of the funny things that happened because, yesterday, I chose to highlight the good. Which I should be doing more often. Today, I can find the humor on things like being peed on, so today, I will post them. I woke up yesterday, tired and cranky. I decided that I better snap out of it and faked it. Ever heard the term "fake it til you make it?" It actually works a lot of the time. Who knew. So I put on a smile. At some point in the day I started feeling dizzy. Once that passed, we went to the beach. It really was every bit as fun as I told you. I forgot to mention that Ben ate sand. Quite a lot of sand despite my trying to stop him. And shells. And a rock. Okay, he didn't actually ingest the shells or the rock, but they did go in his mouth. And he got a face full of water once because he wouldn't hold my hand in the water. Anyway! Beach was fun, daddy got a sunburned back, but the rest of us fared pretty well. The nap I talked about was undoubtedly the worst nap ever. Kevin took the big boys out, Ben was asleep and Zack was going to sleep with me. Except the second I laid down and Kevin left, Zack decided sleep was not on his agenda. Pulling on my face, pouncing around the bed, and numerous other aggravations were. When Kevin got home I kicked out the crazy boy and slept for about 30 minutes, but I woke feeling groggy. Then Ben woke up and holy cranky kiddo! It was bad. Kevin worked on dinner (yum!) and I snuggled with Ben. I had changed his diaper and not put his clothes back on and suddenly I felt a warm wetness. There was clearly a major diaper malfunction and I was covered in pee. I have no idea how that even happened but I wasn't loving it. I changed and we ate dinner. Well, Kevin and I ate, the big boys whined about it. They were all oh so whiny! So, you see, this was the reason that at 6:30 I was typing about my day and that the kids were in bed. It really was a lovely day, I don't want to diminish that. But, you know, I also don't want to forget the crazy, funny, ridiculous things that happen around here. in case it calms down someday.

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Update on housekeeping:

Guess what! I'm still not Martha Stewart. Bummer. I am getting back on the Flylady system full force tomorrow. Right now my dishes are done and my LR is clean. For today, that's going to have to work, because I have another mountain of laundry to fold tonight. If I keep trying to do better and keep the house cleaner it will fall into place someday right?

On a positive note, the desk is still clean!!!!!

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Update on fitness:

Well, the weight loss has stalled. I haven't gained any, but it's been a few weeks since I've seen a loss. I'm still working out. I'm pretty sure the stall is caused by things like cookies and pie and chips that I've been eating a little too much this last week. Overall, my meals have been very healthy, so I just need to do better about snacking. Starting now.

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Random funniness:

Picture me trying to catch a naughty two year old who was out of bed for the third time around the living room table, saying "Zack! This isn't funny! Stop running." All the while trying not to laugh. Then as we walked up the stairs "Oh man!" (a la Swiper the Fox) I had to press my lips together really hard to not laugh at that one.

Picture Ben on top of the little table at the gym child care scaring the workers half to death. Okay, that one's really only funny because someone else was in charge and I didn't have to get him down myself.

Picture Eric and Mark in the back of the car having this conversation:

Mark: So and so behaved rudely at school today.
Eric: Did he have to go to the principal's office?
Mark (indignant!): I don't have a principal Eric, (then not so indignant) but we do have a front office.

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And one more thing:

Eric lost his second tooth today. He is soooo big!