FREE FACIALS WITH EVERY LASAGNA

Last night I made lasagna for dinner. Yup. On an already hot day, nothing makes more sense than to turn on the oven and heat up the kitchen. Oh yeah. Free facial, man!

It's not often that you can get a free facial in your kitchen. Open those pores, baby.

Do not make lasagna in the summertime. Just say no. The heat will take your lovely hair and make it flat as a pancake. Unless you make the puffy pancakes. In that case this sentence won't make much sense to you.

The heat will also cause you to sweat, which may be awesome if you are being paid to test deodorant, but may not be so hot dripping down your face. Not so hot....get it? Not. So. Hot.

Making lasagna is so easy, but you have to plan ahead. You can't just wait to the last minute, which is what I like to do. Dinner plan? Please. I like to live on the edge.

I like to have my husband come up to me at 9:00 at night and ask "Are we having dinner tonight?" I like to try and fool everybody into thinking they ate dinner and think that they just forgot about it.

Back to the lasagna. Stay with me here. I don't even boil the noodles beforehand anymore. Which is a good thing because whenever I have to cook the pasta for a meal, I always seem to forget to do it. I'll have everything all ready to go, and the recipe will say "add the cooked pasta" and it's at that point that I realize I'm in trouble.

Don't tell me how easy it is to boil pasta. Boiling pasta is not easy if you can't even remember to do it!!!!!

Anyway, I just made the lasagna to unclog my pores. It's all about time management.

Also, today is my day to blog over at Five Moms And A Blog. Over there I'm talking about stuff I didn't know. For example:

Nobody ever told me......

......that I would have two chins when I was pregnant and ankles the size of a small continent.


I hope you'll join me here today!

MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY: FIRST PRIORITY

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

I am good at ignoring things when I want to. Really, you'd be amazed at what I can ignore!

I can ignore the fact that eating ice cream after dinner or eating chocolate is not going to make my pants fit any looser.

I can ignore the fact that my laundry is piling up and it's probably not going to wash itself. Where is Martha Stewart when you need her?

I can ignore the fact that it's probably not going to fold itself either.

I can ignore the dust on the tables, the fact that the dog needs a bath, the fact that I haven't exercised in awhile.

I can ignore the recycling that needs to go out, the fridge that needs more groceries, the rug that needs vacuuming, the floor that needs sweeping, the garbage that needs to go out.

I can step over something on the floor instead of picking it up. I can do all this.....and I have.....when I want to.

Why do I want to? Why would you want to?

Because sometimes, just sometimes, there is a good book out there with your name on it. There is a movie you want to see. A friend who needs a listening ear or just wants someone to laugh and have lunch with. A child who needs you. A husband who wants to spend time with you. A Savior who is calling you to a place of quiet rest.

We can ignore the Lord's call. We can be so involved in what we feel we need to do, or what we want to do, that we can manage to ignore Him calling us all day, because we "know" that we will get to Him later. But then later comes, and sometimes we can be to tired. So then we say "tomorrow." How many tomorrows do we have before we make time for Him?

Sometimes you'll hear people talk about balance and priorities. I have heard people talk about how housework takes all day. And it does, if you keep getting sidetracked and pulled away from it, or if you don't actually do it. Or if you do it to perfection, because "good enough" is never good enough.

Sometimes we manage to find time to do everything we want to do, or everything we feel like we need to do, but then we just don't find time for Him. There's always time to watch that t.v. show, or read a chapter of that book, or go on the computer, but not enough time for spend with Him.

The best thing I can do to make my home sing is to let the Lord remind me of His priorities for me. To let Him set the balance, so I don't work to much, or play to much.

To come before Him in prayer and say "This is what I have going today, Lord. What are Your plans? How can I serve You today? Are my plans in keeping with Your plans? Are my priorities in keeping with Your priorities for me? Let me be open to changes in my day when You bring them."

This is the best way to start my day, with Him! Do we really believe that the Lord would not help us make time in our day to spend with Him?

How many times do we go about putting our day in order, without asking Him about His priorities for us? How many times do we make plans, without asking Him what He would have us to do today? How many times do we go about our day without inviting Him into it? We need to make Him our first priority!

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! Please do not put your own Making Your Home Sing Monday Linky on your blog. As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

You may need to delete whatever was in the box previously, but don't worry, you're not deleting someone's link. Mr. Linky just may not be cleaning up after himself, that's all. Just delete whatever is in the box and put in your own link.....you won't ruin anything!

SUMMER CLEANING FRENZY 6/27 - 7/4

First, please come visit us at Five Moms and a Blog today! Second, I hope you're doing well on the Summer Cleaning Frenzy. Please go here for instructions if you care to join us! Go here to see the Friends who are cleaning along with us.

This next week I will be working at cleaning in the Sunroom. Don't lose heart, you guys. Even a small amount of time is a step forward. Even a little bit of cleaning is taking you one step closer to your goal of having a clean house.

Honestly I haven't finished my list yet. But I hope to finish it tomorrow. The point is to start, just start. Just do something, anything. Look around and if you see something that needs to be picked up, wiped up, put away, given away, get on it! All you need to do is start.

However, if you don't start, you won't get there. So do it today and spend at least 15 minutes in your room of choice. Then do it again on Monday, and again on Tuesday, etc. Fifteen minutes may not make a huge dent, but you'll be ahead of where you are now!

SUNROOM CLEANING LIST

So here is my deep cleaning list for the sunroom for the Summer Cleaning Frenzy. Click here if you want to see my previous cleaning lists. As I said before, don't be impressed.

Some of this is on an "as needed" basis, meaning that it may have already been done in my regular cleaning. Some may not. Also, it's broken down individually but I can group things together (like the dusting) and get rid of several things on the list in just a few minutes.

SUNROOM

Dust baseboards

Dust window sills

Dust light fixtures on ceiling

Dust blinds

Wash windows inside

Wash curtains

Dust t.v. and clean screen

Dust furniture, knicknacks, picture frames

Clean glass in picture frames

Vacuum rug

Clean light switches

Dust silk flowers

Wash tableround cover

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK

It's time for another Friday Photo Flashback with Alicia of "More Than Words." This is a photo meme where you find some of your old photos, scan 'em if you need to, and then publish them for all to see.

I just ran out of time this week and I don't feel like going hunting, so I grabbed this one which was already in the files.

This is probably about four and a half years ago. I'm just guessing. BTW, the photo of the dog in this picture is Maddie. She is not the same dog that I blogged about here, which is Max, he is our current beagle. I do find it amazing how much they look alike though.

Every year we take a picture in front of the tree. We have done that since my husband I got married. Every year it becomes a personal battle to get a good picture.

We have had a dog or dogs since we got married. Every year we try to get the dog(s) to look at the camera. I have no idea why. We're just wierd that way.

My husband sets up the picture on a timer and then rushes back to get in the picture. Then we sit there smiling and talking out of the sides of our mouth. "How long did you set it?" or "Why hasn't it gone off yet" or "The dog isn't looking at the camera!" or "How come he gets to hold the dog?" (said when the youngest was about three probably) or, my personal favorite, "Are we done yet? This is the last one right?"

We point at the camera, whistle, wave, and call the dog's name and point at the camera again. The camera starts flashing a warning sound and little lights flash right before it's going to take the picture. All of which the dog misses because he was looking at whoever called his name.

We have some great pictures of us pointing, waving and laughing at the hilarity of it all. We also have some strange pictures of my hubby as he tries to slide into his spot before the camera goes off. Sometimes he makes it, sometimes he doesn't. In this picture he is kneeling on his knee, as he figures he may have to get up another 50 times and set the camera.

At least in this picture, we are all looking at the camera, including the dog!

THE GENERATION GAP IS ALIVE AND WELL

I think I have to face it that this week is not going to be filled with much introspective, thought provoking posts. Not that I flatter myself that any other week is.

However, this week it just isn't gonna happen. So I do appreciate you coming back day after day to listen to my ramblings about blood and shoes and bunnies and bears.

If you are just reading my blog for the first time please ignore the previous sentence and know that no bunnies or bears were hurt in the process of writing this blog.

Have you ever noticed how some doctors, store clerks, restaurant employees, pilots, etc., just seem to look really young? I'm talking fresh out of grade school young. You know they can't be that young, but they sure look it. It can't possibly be because I am getting older.

I want you to know that the generation gap is alive and well and living at a fast food restaurant near you.

I have to tell you this story. I went out for lunch with a friend and it was crowded, so I went to place my order and asked if I could have a booth cleaned.

The counter person clearly thought I asked for some booze, and I have no idea why he thought I wanted it cleaned. How can you clean it?

Anyway, he said "We don't serve alcohol here." I laughed and said "No, a booth. I'd like a booth cleaned please!"

He again patiently but somewhat loudly stated that they didn't have booze there. I stated "No, booth. Booth!"

A young woman passed by, looking somewhat alarmed, and very sweetly told me that they didn't serve alcohol there. I told her that I understood and that I wanted a booth cleaned, and if they could get me a rag I would do it myself. I even helpfully pointed where the booth was.

A third person joined us to explain to me that I couldn't buy alcohol but I could buy some pop or something. She even very kindly pointed behind her to the menu. Apparently noone had any idea what a booth was. I tried to explain that it was like a table with chairs, only there were no chairs. Just a bench. I again helpfully pointed.

They looked at me like I was speaking gibberish to them and gesturing wildly. And maybe to them I was.

Finally, a fourth person wandered over to join the confused little trio. She asked if she could help and everybody was trying to explain to her. By this point I just wanted to place my order and give up on the whole idea of a clean booth.

After all, a little leftover crumbs from strangers never hurt anybody I guess...~shudder~.....

Suddenly I heard words that were music to my ears, "Oh, she wants a booth cleaned. A booth!"
I really wanted to tell her that you couldn't buy booze there but I felt it might be better if I kept my mouth closed.

At this point I wanted to leap over the counter and give her an enthusiastic hug or at least a very excited high five, but felt that might not be a good idea, as the other people were still eyeing me rather warily, and after all, I did have my age and dignity to think about.

BLOOD, SWEAT AND SHOES

When I send my sons out into the world, I pretty much expect them to come back in the same general condition in which I sent them out. However, as everyone knows, when you have kids, well......they often come back with bumps, bruises, scrapes, cuts, etc.

I did not sign up for this. I am squeamish. Because you might be squeamish too, I will spare you the "before" and show you the "after" which only shows the bandage on my youngest son's hand.

Horrifying, isn't it?

Did I mention I am squeamish? I am. If I had wanted to be a nurse I would have gone to nursing school. I know my limitations, people. I don't like blood, not to crazy about vomit either. However, blood wouldn't be so bad if it didn't actually come with yucky cuts and graphic wounds. I mean, red is my favorite color, you know.

I will also spare you a vivid description. However, let me say that blood was involved, as was soap, water, topical antibiotic, and a bit of gauze and tape. Not to mention a nervous, sweating mom who was wishing her hubby was the one to fix it all up and make it better.

I don't understand boys and I never will. By all means, let's just go all out when we play games, and let's manage to hurt ourselves in the process. He cut himself on a gutter. Yes, a gutter. My kid's don't like to do the average, normal run-of-the-mill ways of hurting themselves.

No, they have to cut themselves on a gutter. Seriously, who cuts themselves on a gutter? Well, that would be my child. Yup, the frisbee was on the roof........the roof????? The last thing a mom wants to hear is her child is playing on the roof, by the way.

If you're on the roof don't tell us!!!!!!! Let us enjoy the blissful innocence of not knowing you were in danger! Let us believe you were down on the ground where you belong. If the Lord wanted you to fly you would have wings. Stay off the roof.

Anyway, he reaches up and grabs the gutter to help him climb on the roof and get the frisbee and well, the rest is blog history.

There is a silver lining, though, it gave me something to blog about........

So then I get to play Dr. Mom and try and clean and bandage as best as I can, and then call the doctor today to make sure he is up-to-date on his tetanus shot (my son, I mean, not the doctor). Not sure if he needs one but better safe than sorry.

In case you're wondering what his brother is up to......................

Horrifying, isn't it??????

Now, I do feel it is important for you to know that my oldest was born with two feet, and only two feet. I happen to know that because I was there and I've been able to count past ten since I was a little girl. He only has two feet.

As far as I've been able to tell, he only wears one pair of shoes at a time. I've never seen him wear more than one pair, so I'm pretty sure that's accurate.

So what I am wondering is why are there four pairs of his shoes in our entry hall? Four pairs? Four pairs??? Who needs four pairs of shoes in the entry hall? Well, that would be my child.

Again the silver lining as it has given me something to blog about. My son was about to grab his shoes and put them away and I told him to wait so that I could get a picture for my blog.

Now he's in bed, the shoes are still there, and my husband can't believe I just took a picture of shoes, but I don't mind.....anything for my readers. Like I said, it gave me something to blog about.

A LITTLE BUNNY BUSINESS

I have a shelf in the hallway that has been knocked off the wall by every single person in this family as well as several visiting guests. More than once, in fact!

You would think that I would have learned by now and removed it. But so far we just glue things back together and hope for the best. I don't think I will replace it until people get these "destructive" tendenancies out of their system.

That shelf is like a magnet. It draws people to it, and they won't rest until their head or their arm or their shoulder bumps into it and knocks it flying to the floor.

Then they freak out. That's the fun part! Well, the guests freak....the family couldn't care less. But it's pretty fun when a guest freaks out the first time. They are like "I'm soooo sorry" and I'm telling them "It's o.k., don't worry about it. It happens all the time."

The fun part isn't that they freak out. The fun part is that I don't think they believe me when I say it happens all the time.

Of course, the second time they run into it they are like "Whatever!" and it's not so fun anymore. Until somebody new comes over.

I can usually tell when someone has knocked the shelf and its occupants to the ground. There is usually a telltale sign. The shelf is crooked or the knicknacks are out of place. Sometimes it's something like this:


........hmmmmm, what is wrong with this picture? Can you figure it out? What is the main problem with this? BTW, if you look at the wooden bunny's neck, you will see the thin broken line where his head has been glued back on about 50 million times. Poor guy. I'm afraid he's starting to take it personally.

The bunny is on the right and the bear is on the left, in case you can't tell your bunnies and your bears apart. If that's the case, I highly recommend you don't ever go out in the woods by yourself.

Especially woods that are filled with bears. Or bunnies for that matter since you can't tell 'em apart. I have to wonder if you ever went hunting for Easter eggs as a child and how that went.......

Back to the bunny. If you ask me, he's starting to look a little ticked off. I don't blame him. You're no bunny 'til some bunny glues you.

Still stumped? Let me give you a hint. Go back to the picture above and look at the heart-shaped cutouts. Now do you see it?




There, all is back to normal now. The cutouts in the shape of a heart are now right side up again, instead of being upside down. Who would put up a shelf and not notice it was upside down? My lips are sealed but he knows who he is.

However, not sure what happened to the extra flowers that used to go on the shelf.....

The bunny and the bear are all put back in place, just waiting for the next person to come and knock them to the floor again.

That's o.k. I'm used to it. They're used to it. It's practically a tradition around here. It's nearly a rite of passage.

So if you come over for a visit and wonder why everyone is gathered in the hall, watching you, now you'll know. Come prepared but be afraid. Be very afraid. You might tick some bunny off. Now I hope you'll click here and hop on over to Five Moms And A Blog as it's my day to blog there!

MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY:HUSBAND'S PROVISION

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

Have you ever found yourself saying "I wish I had a bigger house?" or "I wish I had a better car?" or "I wish my husband made more money?"

Have you ever said that to anyone else? Have you ever said it to your husband or in front of your husband?

By the way, I have. I once said I wished we had a bigger house (o.k. more than once). I wanted a bigger, newer home, of a certain style, but we couldn't afford to move. The kids were little and we could barely afford the home we were in. But I really had a certain home, in a certain area that I liked. Lots of trees, lots of room, lots of bathrooms, lots of porch.

How do you think it makes our husband's feel, if we put those thoughts into words? Whether we realize it or not, aren't we really saying that their income isn't enough to buy us what we want? Aren't we suggesting that his job isn't good enough? That he isn't being a good provider for us?

Yes, we know that we are to draw our self-esteem from the Lord. But a man's job is a big part of who he is, just like taking care of our homes is a big part of who we are. It is very important to him to be able to provide for his family.

And I believe that if we keep talking about that bigger house or better car, that we are in danger of attacking that part of his self-esteem. We are calling into question his ability to provide for us, as God has given him to do.

What if your hubby continually talked about how great his mom's cooking was? I don't mean "Oh my mom makes great pot roast" but what if he just said "Man, I wish you could cook like my mom!" Would that hurt? What if he said it in front of other people? What if every day, he gave constant reminders that your cooking wasn't good enough. Would it hurt?

I am not talking about trying to live frugally, in order to pay off some bills or save some money. I am not talking about encouraging your husband to finish his schooling, or encouraging him in his job search, or whatever the Lord is leading Him to do.

What I am saying is that we need to be content with where the Lord has placed us. We need to be content with our husband's provision for us, and live within it, and be thankful for it. Because it is God providing for us, through our husbands. If I am not thankful for my husband's provision, than I am not thankful for the Lord's provision. For He is in control.

Do you ever thank your husband for going to work every day? Do you ever encourage your kids to thank him? If you just said to yourself "Well, he never thanks me for all I do around here" I would encourage you to remember that we aren't responsible to the Lord for our husband's behavior and actions. We are only responsible for our own behavior and actions.

Be thankful today for your husband, for the father of your children! Be thankful for your Heavenly Father today and every day!

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

You may need to delete whatever was in the box previously, but don't worry, you're not deleting someone's link. Mr. Linky just may not be cleaning up after himself, that's all. Just delete whatever is in the box and put in your own link.....you won't ruin anything!

SUMMER CLEANING FRENZY 6/20-6/27

What do you picture when you think of a cleaning frenzy? Somebody running around wildly cleaning? Somebody who is working so hard they don't have any time for fun? Somebody who doesn't know when to stop cleaning? Somebody who ignores the rest of the house while they hyper-focus on one room, while the rest of the house falls apart?

Well have no fear. None of the above was me this last week. Nor the week before for that matter. I have yet to run around hysterically cleaning, though I've been known to kick it into a high gear every now and then. Committing to it on my blog has motivated me to keep going!

How is the rest of your house looking? When you're taking on a cleaning project, you still need to continue your upkeep in the rest of the house. Otherwise, your room of the week will look great but then it will fall apart as you move onto something else.

All of this stuff just becomes your regular daily maintenance that you do to keep things looking neat. I have my days of ignoring the daily pickup, but then you have to dig yourself out the next day.....only you have twice as much digging to do. How fun is that?

As for how my work on the Cleaning Frenzy went this week? Wow. It's kind of hard to do a cleaning frenzy when you're not home as much to clean. Who knew? Well, there is one way to get your home clean when you aren't there......it's called a cleaning service, lol!

It was just one of those busy weeks this last week. This next week promises to be the same. The nice thing about doing a summer cleaning challenge is you set your own pace.

So guess what? I am staying with my living room for this next week. I am almost done except for the desk drawers and the magazines. So my plan is to finish that this week and to throw in the hall closet and get that finished! Woohoo, sounds fun! Care to join me?!

Click here for instructions if you want to join us! Click here if you want to see my living room cleaning list. Click here if you want to see the list of friends who are cleaning right along with me. And click here because I'm also blogging at Five Moms And A Blog today!

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK

Alicia of More Than Words is at it again, folks! With Flashback Photo Friday she is giving us the opportunity to dig up past photos and display them in all their glory, or their unglory as the case may be. You gotta join us, really! It's fun!

We are your average normal family, I guess. Except for when it is "Crazy From Head To Toe Night" at our church's children's program. Then, we have way to much fun. You can't see my wild eyeshadow but it's pretty wild here. Believe it or not my hair actually got even longer before I finally cut it. You can click on the picture to make it bigger.


As you can see just your average, normal family. The funny thing is we stopped by the store to pick up some stuff and nobody even looked at us wierd. Seriously? We did not deserve even one look? Here's a picture from further away below.



I am wearing two shirts and a pair of my hubby's jean shorts over my own jeans. Maybe we're not as normal as I thought. Please click here if you want to join us today for Friday Photo Flashback

WHO DUNNIT?

I don't ask for much.

I just want to know the name of the person who uses the last bit of toilet paper and doesn't replace the roll.

Who is it that leaves a half-inch of milk at the bottom of the container and then puts it back in the fridge?

Who is it that reads the newspaper and then leaves it lying all over the couch and coffee table?

Who gives the dogs food but forgets to give them water until the beagle gives his bone-chillin' bark?

Who borrows my car and then moves the seat?

Who leaves their shoes out right by the door where I can trip over them?

Who is it that is never home when there is a huge spider that needs to be shown the door?

Who eats the potato chips and then leaves the bag open to grow stale?

Who spills something and then attempts to clean it up, then leaves the wet rag on the floor?

I have two suspects as I'm pretty sure their dad didn't do it.

Names. I want names, people!

MY MESS AND THE REST

This is one of those blog posts where you go, seriously? Did she just blog about that? Did I really even want to know about that, much less see pictures?

Well, I apologize ahead of time. But yesterday I had two issues: I had no idea what to blog about, and I had no desire to clean anything. So being the desperate blogger blogging genius that I am, I decided to combine the two!

Also, it's warm/hot (depending on who you talk to). The heat just drains me and saps my energy and makes me want to do nothing but fill a black garbage bag up with cold water from the hose and sit in it (Thank you Jenny, Becky and Linda! Always learn something when I'm with you!).

First there were the towels. You ever timed yourself folding towels? Me neither. But I don't think it takes that long. Besides, if I wait long enough we'll use them up eventually and I won't need to fold them.

BTW, I think I need another bridal shower. After all these years my towels are getting a little raggedy. I think you should have a bridal shower every five or ten years.

Then there were the bananas and the groceries that I didn't finish putting away. See the bananas dying in the back? They are dying to be made into banana bread but I just didn't feel like turning on the oven and heating up the kitchen. See the new bananas? They will be dying soon if somebody doesn't help me eat them.

See the Fritoes Fritos and the Cheetoes Cheetos? Don't you think that they should be spelled with an oes at the end instead of an os? Yes, they are because I just looked at the bags. Anybody still in disbelief that I am blogging about this? Stick around.....it gets worse better!

See the potato bread that isn't whole wheat and I didn't make it myself? Don't you think potato should have an e at the end of it? Anyway, moving on......we eat real healthy around here.

Speaking of healthy, note the diet pepsi can. I hid the other 500 cans I drank today. Don't want you to think I drink to much pop, you know. Also note the empty bottle next to it. They don't call it water. They call it a "sparkling water beverage." I call it yummy.

Yes, regular water doesn't cost a thing. Your point?

Note the cardboard carrier. Somebody who loves me went to Sonic to get me (and everybody else) a Cherry Limeaid after I sent several messages to my husband and oldest son begging them to take pity on me and bring me home a Cherry Limeaid merely mentioned that I liked Sonic.

See the recyling that needs to go out? Didn't feel like doing that either. Oh I don't mind recyling. I just didn't feel like doing it right then. So I was recyling on my kitchen counter. Doesn't everybody do that? Who needs recycling bins? And no, I am not recycling the roses. A friend sent them home with my son!

This is my dinner mess. This is what I was avoiding. Usually, when I fix dinner, I clean as I go. I wipe up spills, put pans and things to soak, and just do what I can to make things easier.

Not only that but after dinner my family usually puts their dishes in the dishwasher. However, I just said "don't bother" as I figured I'd get to it all later.

You know, there's really no time limit to later, right? I mean I could have waited for five years to clean the sink and it's still "later," right? I mean it's not like I'm ignoring it. I have plans to do it.....later!

So now you know what I avoid do all day. Don't you feel special?

I AM A HAIR DIVA!

Do you ever feel like you get just one good hair day a year? Seriously, anybody? Just one good day????

It just seems like the days go by, and my hair is......well, my hair. I wash it the same. I gel or mousse it the same. I blow dry it the same.

Day after day after day it's the same.......um.......sameness........

Then, after many, many days of mediocre sameness...........my hair skilz explode overnight.

I guess, even I can only take so much.....um.......mediocrity.

Suddenly, for one moment, I got mad hair skilz! I am a hair-diva. A genius!

My hair looks amazing, acts amazing, is amazing.

For one brief shining moment, my hair has arrived........

..........and I got nowhere to go that day. Nowhere. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

It's a paradigm. A paradox. A piffle.

All that beautiful hair. And nowhere to go. Noone to see it. What a sad, pitiful waste.

Sad. Just sad it is. Saaaaaaaaaaaad.

Sniff.

BTW, today is my day to blog at Five Moms and a Blog. You ever wonder how it is that you say "Please don't hit your brother" and your child hears "Please hit your brother" or You say "Please put your coat away" and they hear "No, really, just leave it on the floor." Yeah, me too. Please join me at Five Moms for more You Say/They Hear!

MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY: YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

Do you remember what it was like to be single and childless? To have all that freedom? Yes, you were probably working fulltime, but after work your time was your own (well, unless you went to nightschool).

Ah, the night was young, and so were you! So much freedom! Noone to answer to. Nobody needing you. You could stay up till the wee hours of the morning and sleep in the next day (if you didn't have to get up). You could work for hours and hours on a project, and not have to stop to feed anyone, not even yourself! You could eat ice cream for dinner!

You could set something down and not worry about someone moving it. You could get away with doing alot less laundry. You could get in the bathroom when you wanted, and noone stood outside the door calling you.

You could leave the house at the drop of a hat, without needing to load 40 million things and several children into a car. You could run errands for hours, or shop for hours if you wanted, with nobody whining or complaining or fighting. You could even drive for hours without needing to stop for a potty break......well, unless you wanted to.

You didn't need to plan ahead to do or schedule anything. You could be spontaneous, a free spirit! If there wasn't any food in the fridge or any dinner plans, who cares? You didn't need to panic! You could eat cold cereal, run to the local fast food place, or run home to mom and dad's for dinner.

Money? Hey, after the bills it was yours to spend how you wanted. No need to check with someone else. No need to talk about whether or not this or that purchase was a good idea. Nobody to complain if you bought that blouse or ate out yet again.

"Me" time! Calgon take me away time! Time to read, watch t.v., listen to music, finish a sentence.....and no interruptions!

Fast forward to now........life is different, isn't it? Are you happy? Are you content? Are you still living with the same expectations that you had as a single/childless person? Has your mind made the necessary leap to your current lifestyle or are you mentally rebelling? Do you still, deep down, expect everything to be the same as before? Do you allow yourself to wish it was sometimes?

Your life changes when you join it with your spouse. Your life changes when you have children. I happen to believe, and hope most, if not all of you, would agree that it changes for the better!

But you have to change your expectations too. If you continue to have the same expectations you will be frustrated. If you continue to be frustrated, it can lead to unhappiness. If you continue to be unhappy, it can lead to discontent, being miserable, grumpy, resentful, and all sorts of other things.

What a wonderful opportunity to raise a child. What an incredible joy to have the opportunity to pour so much of yourself and your values into a little life like that. To see them learn to walk, talk, to see them grow! What an incredible, awesome, (somewhat terrifying, lol) responsibility to be a parent!

What a wonderful joy to join your life in marriage with the man you love. To share the highs and the lows. The sickness and the health. To share your tears and fears, your hopes and dreams, your loves and your not-so-loves! To have a partner through life!

Again, expectations, folks! You can no longer view yourself as someone who is living solely for themselves (which, as a Christian we aren't supposed to anyway, we are living for the Lord). But you know what I mean. It is no longer only about you! Suddenly there is someone else's opinion to consider. Suddenly there are several little someone's who need you....all day long....and sometimes even several times during the night.

When you're a mom, you are on call 24/7. It's a hard thing, sometimes, to set your own wants and desires aside and tend to a cranky toddler, a hungry teenager, a messy house.

Someday, there will be time for long, lingering books again. Someday, there will be time for hours of shopping. Someday, you will be able to leave the house without taking half your household with you.

But for now, just expect that there will be moments of frustration. There will be moments of exhaustion. There will be moments of "Calgon take me away" desperation. Expect that.

But also expect that there will be laughter, and "I love you mommy" or "I love you mom" along with the whining and the "What's for dinner?" Expect that there will be many more glorious moments of joy than of frustration. Expect that the unselfishness of being a mom is soooo worth it!

Accept that your life has changed. Accept that your priorities have changed. Accept that you will never be the same as you were before. Accept that there were some great things about the single life. And that there are some great things about married life. And some great things about being a parent. And be thankful!

One way to make your home sing this week is to be thankful, be content. Embrace the changes. For now you are a wife and/or mom and you will never be the same again! Your heart will forever go with them wherever they go. And your heart will forever be blessed by those precious ones who call you wife or mom!

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

SUMMER CLEANING FRENZY 6/13-6/20

So this was my first week of the Summer Cleaning Frenzy! Please go here for instructions if you want to join us for the week of 6/13-6/20! Are you wondering how I did this last week? Was it a Frenzy? A Failure? Frantic? Fanatic? A Flop? Fantastic?

How did you do? Don't give up yet. Think how wonderful it will feel to sit back and enjoy your nice clean home! Your mirrors and floors will be sparkling, your closets and drawers organized, and you will not live in fear if someone drops in unexpectedly or a guest asks to use your bathroom!


Even though I planned on doing a little every day, I left it until the last minute because I figured it would be so easy to do. After all, it's just sweeping the front porch, and the entry way is pretty small. How hard could it be? I failed to take into account the hall closet that I added to the list. Not to mention the linen closet.


By the way, will somebody please explain to me why I added the linen closet to the list when it should be on the bathroom list instead of the entry hall list???? Hmmmm? Any takers? I thought not.


Did anybody hear me scream when I was cleaning the light fixtures by the door and found the dead bugs? Nope. Didn't think so either.

Did anybody stop by my house with a cold diet pepsi and perhaps a pizza while I was working up an appetite cleaning? Again, I say no.

Back to my week. So, of course, Friday comes and I am madly working away on this list, because I have to set the example for you, right?

So here is the example I am setting. Don't sweat the list. You made it, you can unmake it. You are the boss. I give you permission (if you feel like you need permission, and let me tell you, you don't) to move on if you're ready to move on.


And I am moving on! No, I did not finish everything on my list. But I am moving on to the living room now. I like the living room! There are no closets in there!


At the end of my cleaning frenzy in my home, I will have a week in which I go back and finish anything that didn't get finished along the way. I'll call it Finals week or something!


The reason I am moving on is that if you spend to much time in one room, you may just get bored with it. Or you may be resistant to some things on your list because you just don't really want to do it right now.


So, if you move on to a fresh new room to "tackle," I am hoping that you will come up with new enthusiasm to keep your momentum going, instead of getting bogged down in last week's room. However, if you are fresh and motivated, stay another week in your room if you want. I will probably spend two weeks in the kitchen myself!


So I am moving on to my living room, and if I have some extra time will get to that hall closet. If not, I will get to it at the end of the Frenzy!


Please go here if you want to see who is joining with me to whip their homes into shape this summer, and see their cleaning lists. Go here if you want to see my living room cleaning list.

And................





.......please go here to Five Moms And A Blog because I am blogging there today as well!

LIVING ROOM CLEANING LIST

So here is my deep cleaning list for my living room for the Summer Cleaning Frenzy. Click here if you want to see my previous cleaning list. As I said before, don't be impressed. Some of this is on an "as needed" basis, meaning that it may have already been done in my regular cleaning. Some may not. Also, it's broken down individually but I can group things together (like the dusting) and get rid of several things on the list in just a few minutes.

This room should be pretty easy to do. I cleaned the windows not to long ago so they shouldn't be very bad. I also go through the drawers and magazines and organize them ever so often. So hopefully I'll be able to get this done this week.

LIVING ROOM

Wipe down window moldings

Dust window ledges, sills and tracks

Dust blinds

Dust lampshades

Clean lamp bases

Wash windows inside

Wash table covers as needed

Dust knicknacks

Rotate knicknacks as needed

Dust furniture and picture frames

Sweep floor

Mop hardwoods (?)

Water plants as needed

Straighten slipcovers and pillows

Clean glass in picture frames and hutch

Sort thru magazines in basket as needed

Sort thru books on coffee table

Sort thru desk and organize, including all four drawers

Straighen shelves in desk, dust as needed

Straighten shelves in hutch, dust as needed

Clean switchplates

Clean light fixture on wall

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK

Alicia is hosting Friday Photo Flashback today! This is the time to really get your silly, goofy, sweet, scary, wild, funky, flashback photos on!

But before I get to my photo, I want to remind all those doing the Summer Cleaning Frenzy with me that this week is coming to an end! So if you have a new room that you are going to be working on next week, I need you to do a post today (Friday) if you haven't done it already, showing your new cleaning list.

That way I can link to it on Saturday's update post. Please comment or email me when you have done your post and I will grab the link. If instead you will continue working on last week's list please let me know and I'll leave your room the same.

Now, on to the photo! This last week I posted pictures of my son going to the prom. So I decided to post my own Prom picture. This one has a long story, sorry!

When I was younger all my brothers were very protective of me, and everyone knew it! Goodness, the stories I could tell you, lol! Anyway, I was almost 16, (and a sophomore in high school) and the captain of the football team (a junior) went and asked one of my brothers for his permission to take me to the prom. My brother told him yes.

Although I don't think guys routinely did this, my brothers often knew I was going to have a date before I did. In fact, one of my brothers knew my hubby was going to propose to me even before I did! That's because he was there when my then-boyfriend-now-husband came over to ask my dad for my hand in marriage.....but that's a whole other post.

So my brother started asking me what I would wear if I went to Prom. I discouraged the discussion as I saw no point in debating something I wasn't going to be doing. Finally my brother got fed up with me avoiding his questions and promptly informed me that the Captain (we'll call him that) was going to ask me to Prom.

I was delighted and terrified at the same time. For one thing, I was very nervous because he was very popular and a junior and I was a lowly sophomore. Isn't it funny how something like that can impress us back then?

But I was delighted that he asked me because I thought he was a very nice guy. I was also worried about what I would wear. I didn't want to burden my parents with buying me a dress and I didn't have any money!

So, I wore a dress that I had actually worn previously in my cousin's wedding. Yes, I know it's ugly, but hey, my cousin loved it and it was her wedding!

If my cousin ever reads this I humbly apologize. I also want to take this opportunity now to apologize to all the brides out there that chose their bridesmaid's dresses. I don't mean to appear ungrateful for the opportunity to have been in a wedding.

I also want to take this opportunity to apologize to my own bridesmaids and my matron of honor for their dresses. What can I say? I was in love and love is blind and so was I when I chose your dresses.

By the way, noone was really wearing their hair like this, back then. I was determined to be a trendsetter and wore my hair like that quite alot my sophomore year. In fact, if the truth be known, I even pulled a little ringlet curl or two down around my forehead! A ringlet for goodness sake!!!! Do people even know what a ringlet is anymore???

The picture looks very strange but we had to take the Captain out of it as I have no idea where he is now so could not ask him for his permission.

Please go here for more Friday Photo Flashback fun!

WHEN SOMETHING DIFFICULT COMES YOUR WAY

During my Bible reading today I came across this verse "....for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." Isaiah 52:12b (NIV)

Don't you love it? Isn't it awesome to think that the Lord is going before you and is behind you at the same time?

We are always protected by our Heavenly Father. He never leaves us on our own. Just picture a fence or a hedge of protection around you. God has placed it there.

Nothing can come to you that hasn't come through Him first. And since it comes from Him, you can know that He knows about it.

Nothing surprises Him. When something difficult comes your way, He is not surprised by it! He is not sitting there going, "Wow. Sure didn't see that one coming."

He is not worried about it. He is not saying "Wow. This is a tough one. Not really sure how I am going to fix it! What am I going to do????"


He is not thinking "I just want to run away. Why do these people keep bothering Me? It's overwhelming!"


God does not panic. God does not worry. God does not stew or fret. God does not have (or need) a Plan B. God does not sit around wondering what is coming next and wonder what He is going to do about it.


God is God. He is Sovereign. He is in control!

That means we can trust Him. With everything. With our hurts, our fears, our tears, our regrets, our worries, our yesterdays, our todays, our tomorrows. God is Plan A!

THE PROM'S THE THING

Remember Prom? Remember all the pictures your mom and dad took? Remember saying that you were never going to do that to your own kids one day if they ever went to Prom?

Remember saying that you were never going to embarrass them by making them pose for picture after endless picture?

Well, I forgot I said that or I lied.......sorry......

Recently my son and his friend Kathleen went to her prom. She graduated from high school this year and is going away to college in the fall. I am going with her...........

He had it easy here. Imagine if he had to use a pin to attach that thing! A wrist corsage....piece of cake. No pins, no pain, no blood.

BTW, my handsome son just received the highest math award that his college could give! He's carried a 4.0 GPA for two years at this college. My son the math nerd.....I am very proud of all his hard work! (Of course, I'd be just as proud of him, no matter what his grades....because I love him!) But since I can brag about it, yes, I am bragging. If I won't, who will?

Did I mention he sings and plays the piano beautifully, keeps his room neat (which pleases his mama, which is easy because he's hardly ever in it, lol), he loves Costco, holds down a job and still manages to keep his grades up at school, and occassionally will bring me home a Cherry Limeaid from Sonic!

Aren't they cute? I love this shot. They are being so patient and posing for "just one more!!!!" You can tell they're ready to be done with the pictures!

If you look closely you can see their lovely, painful sunburns. They spent the day at the waterpark, getting just the right shade of sunburns to go with their outfits. I think they succeeded.

Isn't her dress beautiful? Now their eyes are starting to glaze over. But these kids are pros. They will smile, and smile, and smile........because they've had cameras in their faces since they were babies. They are both the first born child of their families, so they are used to cameras. They are also both busy, busy, busy..... these kids take their commitments seriously......we keep telling them to slow down! Seriously, how come kids never slow down? They just go, go, go!!!!!

Isn't she beautiful? Let me tell you, she is even more beautiful inside. If you knew her, as I do, you would love her. I told you.....I am going to college with her....... I will miss her that much! She is a singer, a dancer, an actress, a writer......I told you she was busy! And she loves the Lord, just as my son does!

They both serve on the worship team at church. She also plays a mean game of Phase 10, so don't play with her....unless you're willing to lose. She hates spiders, and oh, and the way to her heart is through popcorn.....(I hope she forgives me for putting spiders and popcorn in the same sentence!)

The end is in sight and these kids are ready to leave and go out and swing-dance the night away!!!!!

WHY YES, I DO THINK YOU NEEDED TO KNOW THIS

People, I have finally crossed the acrylic red line. I have gone over to the darkside of naildom. Now I know what all you people with your fake or real long nails have known before me.

Now I can see what all the hoopla is all about. Now I "get" it. Now I am part of "the club."

Now I don't have to hide in shame anymore. To embarrassed to do anything but walk around with my hands in my pockets. Hiding. Now I understand the nail-biting reasons behind it all. Now I can walk around with my head my hands held high because.....

I received......a nail makeover! Wouldn't that make a fun show? What's not to love? You find someone in a store, whose cuticles are in serious need of repair, and you treat them to an afternoon at the nail spa!!! Who is to say that it wouldn't be in the top 10 shows! We could call it Extreme Nailover. Or maybe, What Nail Not to Wear. Come on, who's with me?

Well, anyway.....I now have nicely manicured hands. It was a gift from my friend Dawna (the manicure, not my hands). My friends were sitting around laughing and teasing me about my ridiculous and disasterous attempt to put on store-bought fake nails one morning before church (you can read about it here), and so Dawna decided she wanted to treat me to some fake nails as a gift. She loves to do things like that for people. She's a giver.

At first I thanked her but declined as I didn't want her to spend the money, but she seemed determined to do it over my dead body.....and honestly, I did think it might be fun (the nails, not dying).

I would like to add that the little plant holder shown in the picture above did not come attached to the nails. You have to purchase that separately.

I was actually nervous when I went to the salon, due to past memories. I had fake nails put on for my wedding day and had never had them since. They felt like dragon nails and I really felt like I couldn't do a thing with them.

On our honeymoon I discovered I couldn't get my contacts out of my eyes, as my nails were about six feet long........o.k., I'm only kidding.....they were only three feet long. I begged my husband to grab my eyeballs if he had to and squeeze until the derned things popped out (the contacts, not my eyes), but he just looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights.

You would have thought that I had just asked him to go out and wrestle a bear with his bare hands. In fact, to him, that probably would have been preferable as he was more afraid of hurting me than hurting the bear. Which, by the way, there was no bear. There was, however, a frog but that's a whole other story.......

I finally got the contact removal thing figured out, and also mastered putting makeup on without poking my eyeball out every time. However, once I got back to work I just couldn't type with these ridiculous things.....I kept getting my nails caught in the keyboard. Finally I gave up and had them removed (the nails, not my hands.........sheesh!) and I haven't had them since.

Well, thanks to my friend, I have them again (the nails, not my hands, try and keep up people). I gotta say......my nails are blood red, but I like 'em. I did, however, request that they not be to long.

If you see me driving down the road I am sure you'll recognize me. I'll be the one waving my hands wildly out the window, just because I don't want to hide them and hoping you'll notice my lovely nail gift from my friend!

I'll be the one causing traffic confusion because noone will understand what I'm doing with my hands waving out the window, first up, then down, then side to side. I'll be easy to spot. Just look for a traffic jam.


I'll be the one holding my hands out in front of me in the store, right in front of my face, so that you won't miss my bright red nails. Talk to the hand, folks.......I'll be the one avoiding housework or doing anything that might cause me to break a nail......

However, does this sound like a good enough reason to avoid housework? Can I give the excuse that I can't do the dishes because I might break a nail? Is this acceptable? Has anybody ever bought that excuse? I tried it with my son today and he just rolled his eyes.

So now I have perky nails. Next I think I'll get my belly button pierced.....if I can find it. Oh, and please visit me over at Five Moms And A Blog today, it's my day to blog there, so go here to see!

MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY: IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Edit: Mr. Linky is not cooperating today so please leave your URL link in the comments, or just mention in the comments that you are participating today, so that people can click on your comment to visit you. Thank you!

Welcome to the Making Your Home Sing Monday meme! Every day you are doing something to make your house into a home for yourself and your family (if you have one). My point with each Monday post is, what are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing?

It can be an attitude or an action. Motivation, our attitude, baking, encouraging our husband or children (if we have either one), organization, cleaning, saving money....the opportunities are endless.

I am behind on my laundry. Sometimes I wonder how that happens. It just piles up on me (haha, get it? Piles? Get it? Never mind). Seriously, it sneaks up on me, like a big, smelly laundry monster. Oh, and I have a shirt that needs to be ironed. I don't buy shirts that need to be ironed, because helllloooo, why would I want to make extra work for myself?

A wrinkle or two never hurt anybody, that's what I always say! You ever known anybody to be hurt by a cotton wrinkle? See? I rest my case. However, I didn't buy this shirt. But guess who gets to iron it?

It's my own fault. I am rather possessive of the laundry. I won't even let my own mother touch our laundry......and who do you think used to do mine when I was a kid? However, I just can't stand having anybody but me do the laundry, even though they know how. After all, they might ruin a sock or something. Oooh, imagine how awful that might be.....

Oh, and I have overdue library books. Not sure how that happens either. I check out 4,000 books at a time and read maybe one of them. The rest just sit around making me feel guilty for not reading them. All the while the books are mocking me and the $$ fees are adding up that I owe the library. Hey, just doing my part to support the library system.

My dog needs her nails clipped, not to mention her hair cut. I need my bangs trimmed or I will be rivaling my dog for the sheepdog look. Do I dare even mention the status of my leg hair? Seriously, aren't you tired of me talking about leg hair? I know I am, but the stupid things just won't go away! (the leg hair I mean, not my legs. Those can stay.)

I'm not sure what I'm making for dinner tonight, and frankly I'm not sure that I care! Ask me if I care. Go on. Ask me. Do I care? I know that McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and Taco Bell are all more than happy to have my business. Hey, cold cereal is always available!

My toilet bowl glares at me every time I walk in there (and yes, I do believe that you really did need to know that. You're welcome!) I thought I had splotches all over my face but it was just the mirror I was looking in.

Are you seeing a pattern here? It's the little things.......the little things are what trip you up.

Oh, and for some bizarre reason my family is partial to clean clothing. Go figure. Who knew? Clean towels, clean socks, and I'll just stop right there. You get the picture. Oh, and clean dishes too. What is it with these people?

You do the laundry, you do the dishes, and six months later they need doing again!!!!!

One of these days I am going to have my family put on every item of clothing that they own and take a shower fully-clothed, while holding a stack of dishes, silverware, and cups. That oughta do it. I wonder if I could toss the dogs in there too. Now that is multi-tasking. Every thing gets cleaned at once. Ooooooh, wouldn't it be awesome if the cars would fit in there too?

But until my family cooperates with my clever ways of cleaning/multitasking, I guess the way for me to make my home sing this week is to pay attention to the details. So this is what I will be doing. Catching up on the laundry, doing some meal planning, and doing some cleaning too. It's all in the details.....

What are you doing or going to do today to make your home sing? Please go here for instructions and/or ideas and come back here to link up to join us today! As always, please don't forget to link to this post. Also, please don't forgot to leave me a comment!

Please note: Mr. Linky has been rather interesting lately, so we want to pamper him all we can. To link up, please click on the box below, and it will take you to the Mr. Linky box where you can link up as usual.

You may need to delete whatever was in the box previously, but don't worry, you're not deleting someone's link. Mr. Linky just may not be cleaning up after himself, that's all. Just delete whatever is in the box and put in your own link.....you won't ruin anything! If you find you have trouble leave me a comment and I'll link you up!

SUMMER CLEANING CHALLENGE 6/6-6/13

Welcome to the Summer Cleaning Frenzy Challenge!!!! Woohooo! This is for the week of 6/6-6/13. I'm excited! Are you excited????

We have chosen our rooms and will be working hard this week at working through our lists and seeing how much we can get done. Please go here to see a list of all the Friends who are joining with me in the Cleaning Challenge (or scroll down)!

You will find a list of their names, the room they will be cleaning for the challenge, and a link to their cleaning list! I put them on a separate post, so as to make it easier for you to view.
Our goal is to work through our homes, one room at a time, one week at a time. But of course, since this is up to each individual, you can really spend as much time per room as you want or need.

At the end of the summer, if not before, we should have thoroughly spring/summer cleaned our homes from top to bottom! How cool is that!

Imagine going into Fall with your home in tiptop shape! Cleaned, organized, repaired, remodeled, or whatever is on your list. Because, it's your list, folks. You can do it however you want!

Imagine going into Fall, (with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner), and your home is spit-shined and all ready for company! Oh yeah, baby!

You may join this challenge at any time, if you haven't already joined. Go here for instructions!

Every Saturday I will be printing an update with the new rooms that each Cleaning Frenzied Friend is currently working on.

Frenzied Friends, when you're finished with your old room, print your post with the cleaning list for your new room, and email me or leave me a comment. I will add the new link next Saturday. Don't forgot to continue to maintain your finished room, so that it stays neat! After all, you worked so hard to clean it, I know you want to keep it that way. I know I do!

Let's go and let's get cleaning.......hoo to the wooooo!!!! Oh and don't forget.....



.......to pay us a visit over here today. I'm blogging with the other moms at Five Moms And A Blog! Come read about all our strange quirks, lol. You may even want to mention a few of your own. Come on....you know you want to!

SUMMER CLEANING FRENZY FRIEND'S LIST!

Here is the list for the Summer Cleaning Frenzy Challenge Friends. Please go here for more information if you're interested in joining this challenge. This is for the week of 6/27 - 7/04.

To see each person's cleaning list, please just click on the name of their blog, which is highlighted with a color. This will take you to their cleaning list for the room that they have chosen to work on. There is also a link on my right sidebar to this post.

Angie of From Pigpen To Paradise: Boys' rooms

Beth of I am Heading Towards My Destiny: Master bedroom


Bridget of Among The Chaos: Son's bedroom

Christin of Journey To a Gracious Woman: Living Room

Hope of My Hope Is In The Lord: Master Bedroom

Jacob of A Pilgrim's Journey (Renee's son): His bedroom

Joye of The Joyeful Journey: Master Bedroom

Julianne of Mom On A Mission: Kitchen

Lindy of Who Am I?: Spare Bedroom

Nan of Mom's The Word (that's me, folks!): Living Room

Renee' of Glow Academy: Jacob's Room

Sherry of Lamp Unto My Feet: Entry and Living Room

Tootsie of Tootsie Time: "Man" room and surrounding area

Thank you all for joining in, and hope to see you next week with a new list! Please let me know if your name or link is incorrect in any way!

Also, please visit each other and encourage one another. The more the merrier, right? Also feel free to come back to this post and leave any comments regarding your progress if you wish! This post can also be accessed on my right sidebar.

TOMMORROW'S THE DAY, FOLKS! BE HERE OR...WELL, NOT BE HERE....

This is just to remind you to come back tomorrow to see the Summer Cleaning Frenzy Challenge Friend's List.

Boy, that was a mouthful. Try to say that ten times fast.

Thatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthat.

Ha! That wasn't so hard!

Since I don't usually post on Saturdays, and many of you know that, I know that you don't come over here on Saturdays.

So, basically, this is me telling you that for the next several weeks I will be posting the update every Saturday to the Summer Cleaning Frenzy Challenge (go here). This will be a link to all the gals who are taking the challenge with me to get their homes in order over the summer.

Well, maybe they're already in order (the homes, not the gals......I'm sure they are already in order, lol) so maybe some will be doing deep cleaning and/or projects.

Every Saturday I will be posting a link to the current room each person is working in for that week.

So come back tomorrow, my friends, and see who is taking the cleaning challenge, follow the link to their cleaning posts and cheer them on! Perhaps their cleaning lists will inspire you to make a few of your own.......or borrow their list.......after all, it's much easier if it's already done for you, right?!

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK

Alicia is hosting Friday Photo Flashback again. So it's time to break out the old pictures, and take a stroll down memory lane. Don't hurt yourself.

I keep meaning to put some cute old photos of my kids. But I find that I am not done making fun of myself yet. I'm having way to much fun, lol!

You know, some people just shouldn't wear yellow. Like me. It just isn't my color. Especially a bright yellow. I would never wear it now.

But hey, it was the hair, the loud, bright colors, the crazy shirt, and the big ole' belt. You remember those belts? Well, some of you will. You can't see my earrings but I had some crazy earrings that actually "matched" this shirt quite "well!"

I was also wearing some saucy boots with my jeans! Oh, and lots of makeup. You can't see it very much, but definitely alot more makeup back then!

I have no idea what is going on with this pose. Seriously......have no idea what I was thinking, lol! I would love to show you who I was posing with but she is shy and so you're stuck with just me!

To see more posers and pictures, please go here for more of Friday Photo Flashback!

A LITTLE OF THIS, ALOT OF THAT

I'm not kidding, there really is a little of this and a lot of that on this post. It's random but please stick around anyway, as I have some information for you!


First. I am HOT!!!!!!


No, I am not flattering myself. It is unseasonably hot today, not to mention this week! And we don't have air conditioners around here. Because, well, we don't usually need them. It just doesn't get that hot around here, well....not for long anyway.

I don't know anyone with an air conditioner.......o.k., one person. But only one person. I am moving in with her tomorrow, she just doesn't know it yet.........Boy, is she gonna be surprised.


We do have fans, which are great for blowing the hot air around. Heat, in June? Seriously? June????


So how do you clean and cook and liiiiiive, when it's hot and you don't wanna cook or clean (I do, however, want to live)! I'm thinking cold cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ooooh, or maybe ice cream!!!!!


Next. You really ought to go visit Julianne @ Mom On A Mission (go here to visit her blog). Here in her own words is something she is doing on her blog: "As the name of this blog suggests, I'm giving myself missions to accomplish- tasks, if you will, that will strengthen my walk as a Christian, that will strengthen my marriage, and that will strengthen my role as a mom. 3 missions that we can do together, don't worry they are nothing too crazy or drastic, just some little things that can make a big difference in your lives."


So if you are looking for some encouragement or ideas on your journey as you grow in your marriage, as a wife, woman, mother, as a believer, than I encourage you to visit her blog and let her encourage you and challenge you with her missions! I love her already and I am hope you will too. Go here for a link to her first three missions.


Lastly, I really hate to nag you all, I realllllly, really do........but if you are going to be participating in the Summer Cleaning Frenzy Challenge (go here to read more) I really need you to post the room you are going to be cleaning. ASAP. Like....um......now......


Just pick the one room you want to clean next week for the cleaning challenge. Then, make a list of the things you want/need to do in that room (you can see mine here). Then post your list on your blog and leave me a comment or send me an email. Oh, and if you can post a link back to my blog on your post that would be awesome. That way your readers can join us if they want. The more the merrier!


We are starting the cleaning challenge this Saturday for the week of 6/6-6/13. I will post a list on Saturday (6/6) of those of you who are doing the Frenzy cleaning challenge. I will also post a link to your blog, showing your cleaning list. That will go on my blog post and on my right sidebar as well. This way you can find and encourage each other.


Some of you have already contacted me and given me a link to your list. Some of you have finished your list already. Awesome!!!! I will add your names to Saturday's post, along with the link to your list, even if it's finished already. You should get credit for working hard, right?!

Some of you indicated you wanted to participate, so now is the time to git 'er done, folks!


Think about it. Don't you have at least one room you would like to clean and organize? Just one room? Join us. We're doing a room a week! You can jump in any time you like, and do any room you like, for as long as you like. However, if you want me to link to your blog by Saturday, I need you to post your list by, well....today!

Come on, let's make this the summer we get organized the easy way........a room at a time, a week at a time, for a few minutes at a time!