Chore #9 - Completed

If you are confused - well you should be.  Most days I am confused as well.  But right now I know why you are confused and I am not. I skipped Chore #7 today and did Chore #9 - "Clean out glass cabinet in Kitchen" instead. Even though there were only 4 garbage cans to clean I just didn't want to do it :(.  Tomorrow, I may do it and if I don't there is always the weekend. Aleana is having an early birthday party tomorrow, plus I am having company :). 
You may not hear from me until Saturday - when I will post the pictures of my nicely tidied up cabinet.
In the Hands of God ----Gloria

Chore #7

Chore #7 - Wash out all trash cans

Here's another banner we made. They are super easy. Cut out your triangle with pinking shears and sew a seam around the edges. Add some ribbon on top and voila!!  No turning inside out and struggling to get the points nice.

This guy is so mad his eyes are green!!

As he grabs the fabric and twists it, he stops and looks at the pretty colors.

The effect is immediate - sleep overcomes him and he snuggles in for a calming nap.

This is a quilt top Aleana and I made.  I think it needs something around the edges yet - it's not wide enough to my liking

Isn't the fabric cute?  It's Aleana's fabric - I wonder who she'll give this quilt to??

Well, I'm off - I must wash trash cans.  I did two yesterday so that leaves about 4 for today.

I should do the ones in the garage too- do you think I'll be brave enough for that? I don't know.

I'm glad it's a slower day!!! 

"This is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Yes, even when you are in the garbage.

Chore #6 - Completed!!!

Here is my new coupon holder that I absolutely love!! I promised my friend Chris that I would advertise it here.  It's amazing really - must have been a real puzzle to sew together.  It has compartments for all sorts of sizes of coupons and that was I can catagorize them as well.  No more going through my scraggly envelope trying to find the one I need!

Isn't the fabric gorgeous? I also love the little elastic clasp with the button.

It fits nicely in my purse next to my wallet and there's even room for the internet printed coupons at the back.  If you are intersted in ordering one of these for yourself or for gift (would make a great gift!!) ck out Chris' blog here: http://cinnamon-and-sugar.doontoon.com/

Doing walls yesterday was uneventful and not worthy of pictures.  It took 2 and half hours split over three sessions.  That worked really well.  I am sore today but it's nice to have it done!!

See you later!!!

Chore #6

Here's a small peek at a banner Aleana and I made over Spring break for Will's 40th birthday bash.

I got this idea for super easy banners from Alisa's blog - htpp://makingmorewithless.blogspot.ca/

Thanks Alisa!!  I have more but I'll show them later for now it's onto..

Chore #6 - Wash walls upstairs

I am not looking forward to this one!!  How to tackle something so overwhelming?  I'm thinking that I'm going to space it through out the day with other regular chores like laundry and bedding etc.. So the plan will be to do one room (5 in total plus the hall) and then do something else for awhile.  I am not even going think how long this will take - this one seems like it will take ALL day and evening.  One step at a time right??

Happy cleaning!! You are still cleaning right?  Love to hear about it!!!

I can't do this all by my lonesome can I???  Guess I could but it's more fun doing it together!

Chore #4 and #5 - Completed

The dust/dirt from the closet deserved to have a picture.  It was very hard to get a clear shot but you get the idea.

Before cleaning and organizing.

After cleaning and organizing.  I made seperate baskets for different catagories. One for tensors (medical care),  one for grooming (nail care, tweezers etc.) and another for creams and make up pads.  The middle basket is feminine hygiene products (notice the strategically placed travel bag on top???).  Oh and one basket for stock up products like toothpaste and face cream, as well as less used hair brushes etc.. 

Nice and clean and now better organized. 

I had a funny moment yesterday.  My sister is expecting (I am so happy for them!!) so I went to fetch out my Maternity Clothes box to see if there was anything I could lend to her.  After all the purging I had done the day before I soon realized that my maternity box was pretty pathetic. I had stuff in there from when I was pregnant with Ethan (possibly Aleana) that I just couldn't get rid of but had not worn since. 

Time to purge!!!  Here is the pile that I came up with. Some of it I just threw out because the stuff was not worth even passing on. My box was pretty empty by the end.

Why do I still have a maternity box you ask?  You just never know...it's all in the LORD's hands.

I love how He takes such good care of our family!!!

Chore #5

Today's goal is to quickly finish up the closet with a wash and then chore #5 is begging for some attention.

Chore #5 - Organize Medicines and Cosmetics

I did the medicines two months ago so I'm leaving that alone.  It's not like I have a huge line of cosmetics either so I'm going to morph the chore into organize and clean your washroom cupboard.  IF I have time afterwards (and the energy) I would like to try to tackle the junk drawer in the kitchen (yes, I do have one Lisa!).  Once again, I am not suspecting any of this to take long.  The blessing about today is that I am home all day and if it takes longer - so be it!!

Here is my new and improved Chore List.

6) Wash walls upstairs
7) Wash all the trash cans (blech!!)
8) Wash walls on main floor
9) Organize glass cabinet in kitchen

Week 3:
10) Wash patio doors - inside and out
11) Wash downstairs walls
12) Wash kitchen cabinets
13) Wash heavy bedding
14) Wash doors/frames - carry over to Saturday if needs be

Week 4:
15) Reorganize and wash bookshelves
16) Clean heat registers
17) Clean linen closet and Nadia's closet
18) Clean oven
19) Mending

Week 5:
20) Clean windows and frames - half of house
21) Wash curtains

22) Clean windows and frames - half of house
23) Wash fridge
24)  ??????
21)

Chore #4 - mostly done

Today's chore was greatly interrupted.  This is not my bedroom closet by the way :). 

I started at 8pm and meanwhile I was "extinguishing" Nadia.  This means that I repeatedly put her back in bed and say "back to bed" in a robotic way until she learns.  I'm glad I had something else to do but on the other hand by the time 9:45 (when she fell asleep) rolled around I was done for the night had not finished the entire chore.  There's always tomorrow right?

I made the decision to NOT publicize a picture of our closet.  Just too personal for me. 

I will, however, show a picture of my laundry room.  This is where I hang all of Will's dress shirts and everyone else's Sunday clothes and hanging clothes.  I tried to take a picture to show the pink labels I made to organize everyone.  You can see them better in the above picture.    

I took this picture to show the lower cabinets that Will completed a couple of weeks ago.  It's been awesome having the counter in there!!  Thanks hon.

I was really honest with myself.  Have I worn this in the last year?  Will I wear this again ever?  Do I even like this anymore?  So this is what I ended up getting rid of. 

Nothing really exciting - guess that's why they are going good-bye.

A surprise Peter picture on my camara- ha ha!!

This is Nadia helping out on Friday.

It's been really nice here lately (last week more than this week) but definitely not as hot as Ontario!!!

One cute picture just because. 

So tomorrow I hope to actually wash the closet and move onto Chore #5.  See you then!!

Chore #4 - Purge Old Clothes

Chore #4 - Purge Old Clothes

Okay, I am really really thankful that today's chore will not be hard physically.  I can't see it taking really long but you never really know until you get started.  Once the I go through the clothes I should give the closet a good washing.  I feel like I purged not too long ago so I don't think I'll have alot to get rid of.  I don't keep alot of clothes. When my allergies were super bad I moved all of our clothes into the closet, to eliminate dust. I MAY take a picture if I get careless and honest about my closet situation. It's a wierd sort of situation. 

We took the doors off when we did the flooring and I liked not having to slide them all over and have a hard time getting at the things in the middle so they have been off for awhile now.  I wanted to sew curtains up but Will didn't quite agree (thinking that they would attract more dust) with that so there the closet stands, quite ignored. But really - who cares?  If I don't post the picture no one but our kids ever sees our room.  So when I moved all the clothing in there, it got really stuffed and it's organized but in a real messy way. 

Are you purging today too??  Let me know if it was hard to do!!

Ten Years

Wesley, Gloria and Michelle.

It is hard to find pictures like this :(. 

This picture was taken in the summer of 2000 at Mom and Dad's place in St. Albert.  I am 6 months pregnant with Ethan here and you can see Aleana and Josiah playing on the chair in the corner. 

All the pictures of Mom from Ryan and Michelle's wedding are great.  She just looked really healthy, beautiful, happy and well that September, 2001.

Mom passed away in May, on the 27th, early that Monday morning.  Today marked the 10 year anniversary of her passing into glory.  In our home, we called it our MOM - orial.  Aleana came up with that one and she even included her own picture and memorial on her blog here:  http://ajsupermonkey.blogspot.ca/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=47

My mother was not perfect but she was a great Mom and taught me many things about how to be. I would like to share the top ten things that my Mother taught me about life that I hold dear.

1. Try to think the best of others.  If they were mean to you maybe it's because they were having a bad day. This is some thing that is not always easy to do when you are having your own problems but it's a great lesson in understanding where other people are coming from.
2. If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all.  Funny how you start to repeat to your children the same things that your own mother always used to say.
3. If you really love someone you will follow them anywhere.  Mom lived in 7 different homes - 5 different places from the time she married Dad till the time she died.  She told me that she would follow him anywhere.  Wow.  That's a good example of love and loyality. 
4. Even when you are really tired and in lots of pain you can still sweep the kitchen floor before you go to bed.  I think of her when I do this at 10pm because someone forgot again.  How many times did I "forget" when I was growing up?
5. Crafting and making things is fun!!   Mom was always making something new.  She went through phases of making different things.  Barbie clothes, Cabbage Patch doll diapers, Christmas decorations of all sorts, fireplace starters, stamping, wheatie bags, wreaths - you name it (if it's from the 80s or 90s) - she did it.
6. Giving gifts is to be valued.   Mom loved to shop and as a kid this drove me nuts.  BORING!! When Will and I were married - Mom passed on all sorts of things for our new home, things she made, things she bought and things from her house. When Aleana and Ethan were born she had a hayday shopping for them.  I didn't mind because it helped our budget and saved me time.  We were very thankful for all she did. With five growing children I've had to learn how to shop well.  I am starting to enjoy it more as I realize that it cares for the family, saves us money when I'm thrifty, and shows a mother's love in providing for needs as only a Mom can. 
7. God is Just.  This is a tough one to explain so let me put it this way... When a parent can tell you this in a way that shows to you that they believe it and that they trust things to lie in His hands - then you learn more about forgiveness and what it means.
8. You can be the first one to apologize.  Mom was a peacekeeper and if I was having a dispute with someone else in the family she would appeal to me to be the first one to apologize (did she ever tell anyone else to do this or just me?).  It always felt (feelings are not facts) like I had to be the one apologizing - pretty stubborn hay?
9. Clean up as you go.  When you are cooking or baking - clean as you go, put things away after you use them.  That way your kitchen won't be so messy at the end.  I try my best to remember that one. Hopefully it's one of those things that if you try hard enough that it just becomes a habit and comes naturally without you realizing it.
10. Gardening is Therapeutic.  Mom was always putzing around in the garden in the summer.  I don't water the garden (Will and Aleana do that) or putz as much as she did but I LOVE our veggie and flower gardens and I love making planters every spring.  The first spring after Mom passed away I made a point of making planters to commemorate her, I enjoy planning things out, the weeding (believe it or not) and harvesting everything in the fall and it has been therapy ever since!!!                                                

Not a day goes by that I don't think of Mom and on the days that I think of her alot then I try to focus on the gifts that she left me and every one else.  I try to think about all the blessings that the LORD gave us through her.  I try to think about how completely happy she is now and how much better off she is.  I try to remind myself that when I would see her struggle so much with her pain that I would pray for her relief.  Ten years is a long time - alot of healing has happened and it's been a long time to be without her.  Overall I am thankful for my faith and my strong belief that I will see her again some day and that I just need to be patient and in the process BE a good MOM. 

Praise be to God,

The God Praise,

Mercy and Truth are all His ways,

Wonders of Grace to God belong,

Repeat His Mercies in your Song.

Chore #3 - Fully Completed

"Peter!!  What are you doing? I told you not to stomp on the sand like that!!"

Yah!!  All the baseboards (the ones visible anyway) are clean now!!!  It took me about an hour and a half to finish off the rest of them.  There is not much else to report.  It was sad to see how damaged they were in the basement but I guess I shouldn't  expect much else with three boys running around down there most days.  I would love to get them painted - maybe that's a summer job????  

Mrs. January did not take Saturdays off but Will is insisting that I do.  I'm good with that :).  By Monday you will see a new and improved list.  Maybe tomorrow I can post some pictures from the past two months seeing how I am sooo behind in our family albumn.  Have a great weekend in God's hands. 



Chore #3 - Continued

Wash the Baseboards in the Family Room and Basement

Wow did I sleep good last night!! I felt rested this morning but SORE everywhere - mostly knees and shoulders. I've been icing everything while doing the breakfast duties and that is really helping the pain. 
I'm not going to say what sort of injuries I'm dealing with because then some very reasonable, realistic person will say to me "You shouldn't be doing all this work!".  I'm not writing that to look good but just to be honest.  I am NOT super woman.  I have heartache, I have pain, I have sin - in my life.  What I am trying to do - is to keep living and functioning and with the LORD's help look to HIM everyday for my hope and salvation. This is what gives me strength to go on - the Hope I have in Christ.

That being said - I am going to re-write my list (tonight) and mix up the physcially harder tasks with the less physical tasks so that my body get's a break.  I have also thought of some other things I need to add to the list as I have seen areas that need work over the past two days.  Thanks for joining in and motivating me!!!

Chore #3 - Half done

Ethan washed the baseboards upstairs - thanks Ethan!!!

Love my camara guy!

This little area here took me a half an hour.

Around the dishwasher was disgusting.

I lost both my helpers after a half an hour. Ethan was finished and Peter was "taking a break" that never ended. Here he is saying "Take a picture Mom!"

This whole area took me an hour.  I was not too happy about that.  I was starting to think how funny I was to think the whole house would take an hour - HAHA!!

So then...it took me over an hour to do the rest of the main floor - I'm not so sure I'm cut out for this type of work :(.  I'll do the rest tomorrow and hopefully tomorrow I will feel better about the whole thing.

Right now I'm just going to fall into bed and let it all go.  Me and my big ideas!!

Perseverance - in the morning.

Chore #3 - Wash Moldings Throughout House

I apologize for not posting earlier - I plumb forgot!!! I was in a rush this morning to get to the border before 9 am, as I was helping out my sis for awhile.  I kept Ethan home today for some character training which has now included "service projects" such as helping Auntie with her house and now helping Mom with hers. 
I am off to feed everyone lunch and have a nap and then we shall tackle number 3.  Once again, I am not expecting it to take too long and since I have an extra helper - an hour should be good.  Am I having too high expectations?  Tune in later to see.  Happy cleaning!!!

Chore #2- Completed

 Clean Light Fixtures - Completed

Here's my BIG helper - ready for action.

I believe that good work deserves a reward so if Peter helps me for the next month then he is allowed to buy a new book from Chapters.  Good deal hay?  It was a great motivator!!

Peter was also designated as my camara guy. I love my camara guy!!!  Here is a lamp we cleaned.

Now these people were very excited about all the work that we were doing :). 

It was really amazing really.  I thought that it would take about an hour and be EASY.  HA!!!

It took about an hour and a half and it was physically HARD > I was sweating by the end of it.

The first floor was the main and there were 15 light fixtures!!  I also cleaned the doorbell and Peter was just alittle distracted with doors but hay that's okay as long as I stayed on track right?

I was shocked actually at how absolutely disasterous the house became over the hour and a half that we cleaned.  The Spring Cleaning got done but the tidy factor went out the window.

Having two little helpers was great!!! "Hay Mom!! You forgot a section!"

The upstairs had 6 fixtures and also cleaned the fire alarm and the bathroom fan. 

On the family room floor we had a mishap.  I broke a piece off the laundry room fixture.  Oops!!

Oh well, that was the only mishap we had so we are very thankful.

There were only five on that floor and the basement had 6 plus another fire alarm.  I guess I should be testing those but I had a terrible experience with our fire alarm last year at this time.  They were too old so they defaulted (make sure you replace your alarm every 10years or this could happen to you!) and went off without end.  I called the fire department to come WITHOUT their sirens thank you very much and it took them a half an hour to figure it out.  Yah!! then I didn't feel so dumb.  They replaced the alarm free of charge which was great but now I don't dare touch the thing!!!

I love the accessories!!

When we were finished I was so excited!!! Hyper actually. It felt really good to get something that felt really overwhelming done and off of the list.  It actually gave me more energy to get my regular Wed. chores like mopping done.  Oh...and I had to tidy the whole house but I'm not complaining :)!!! 

PS: I'm expecting that not all days will produce such long posts with such excitement but who knows???