Book Report

Izzy's first book report is due Friday. I was SUPER excited when he brought home the information, because I was killer in this type of thing back in the day. 
His teacher provided a list of guidelines and a paper bag and we are to read the book, write a report and create the main character out of the paper bag. You know this is right down my alley. 

I started listing off books that I knew Izzy could read and would be fun to write about...except Izzy already picked out his book from the school library. I should've known better that Izzy would have already have his mind set on something and that something would be a SCIENTIFIC FACT BOOK ON DINOSAURS! Oh my. Do you know how sick and tired I am of reading fact books every night? Can I get a story about a boy running around in his underpants or something? #snore

He is adamant that we continue on with this Dino fact book, and so we will write a real snoozer of a book report and attempt to transform a paper bag into a dino. How can I do this? It is impossible, without a trip to our local craft store. Izzy and I spent some time browsing aisles and looking for anything that would work. I don't want to give it away, but we did buy felt, pipe cleaners and googly eyes. 

The hardest part of this project is going to be letting Izzy do it however he wants and not turning this into a clearly parent done craft. #selfcontrol 

The second hardest part of this project will be staying awake while Izzy reads this book. #wishiwasjoking

Pics to come....

Organize by steps.

I love to organize. It is my therapy. If you are my friend, live close by and ever need help, you know who to call. I don't look at it like a chore, it is like a real life game of Tetris. Fit the most things in a small space.  A lot of my friends look at a space and can't figure out how to start so I thought I would give a few tips that I use when organizing in my home.

Things you may need: 

A few large plastic storage bins

Trash bags

Pen and Paper

Label maker (every organize space deserves one)

Baskets/Containers

First things first, start with a clean palette. I always completely empty whatever I am working on,  as much as possible.  If you are working on an entire room, clearly removing all of the furniture isn't realistic, but remove all of the "stuff".  Once the "stuff" is laid out, you may feel overwhelmed, and wonder how it ever fit in its original space. Sometimes you have to make a mess, to get clean.

Next, is the sorting stage. As your belongings are laid out in a separate space, begin to sort through the items throwing anything away that is worn or broken. It is amazing how much you will find should actually be tossed that has been hiding away in your space, especially if you are cleaning your kids room! 

A large plastic storage bin is great for putting items that are no longer needed and can be given to friends or to a local shelter or thrift store. Mark a bin with  a simple "Give" note and as you fill the bins (I always have more than one) you can load them into your car to be taken immediately. You don't want to ever move these bins to another area, that is just moving clutter.  If the bins are in your trunk, you will be more apt to donate them immediately, especially when you need to get your groceries!

Depending on how many free bins you have available, you can start filling them with like items or make piles. I recently, worked on my boys closet. After removing every single thing and filling my trash and giving bins, I sorted by the type of toy.  Nerf guns/bullets/vests/goggles all ended in a pile. Video games, chargers, booklets, games in another. Piles of like items, gives you a visual for the quantity of items you have. My boys have a large Nerf collection, which required a large clear storage bin.  There are much more stylish decorating bins and baskets, but I have found for my young ones, a clear bin makes it so much easier for them when it comes to cleaning.  I love a label, but what good is it if they don't know how to read yet? 

After you have your sorted piles, make your way through your house or storage looking for empty containers in the sizes you need. I so rarely have to buy containers, I repurpose things I already have.  Ever been to a Sam's Club? Once, my boys finished a giant container filled with animal crackers. I ripped off the label, washed the plastic bin, made a new label and threw all of their Hot Wheel cars inside. I bet they have close to 200 and that container had room left over. My boys were so excited to have all of their cars in one place.  Izzy loves to save shoe boxes to store things like little GI Joe toys or Lego kits he likes to keep separate.  Contact paper is super cute now, slap some of that on and make a label and you can have coordinated boxes to store those small items. When I am looking for containers, I always search the kitchen aisles and think outside of the box. A silverware container could be used for paintbrushes and art supplies. I use photo boxes to store bigger art supplies, paints, markers, play doh. Buy cool folders during back to school sales, and store construction paper and finished art work. In the kitchen aisle, I found a large bin for 2.00 that was intended to store flour or sugar. I bought three and they fit perfectly in Izzy's lowest shelf for those misc. toys that have no real place. What a find! I love those websites with perfect closets and all of the bins are the same and beautiful, but most of the time, those bins/baskets are ridiculously expensive. You have things around your house that can make you more organized, you just need to look at it in a new way.  Then it is time to break out one of my most favorite inventions, the label maker. There is something about adding a label, it screams put me back in this space. My family needs that.  I have young boys, but once they know that all their dinosaurs go in the dino bin, I never have to remind them where something lives. My boys can make a mess, but I never have to clean their rooms for them. Even at 3 years old, Asher knows everything has a home and unless it is a misc bin or basket, things don't mix.  I'm telling you, a labeled bin will change your life!

When all of your items are in their labeled homes, and all like items are together, it is time to start re-loading your space. This step is really dependant on the space you're working on, but going back to my example of the boys closets, I started with what I didn't want them to have access to at all times. Start High to Low. Things you don't use as much should go to the highest spot and the things you use the most, should have the easiest access.  Symetery is important, stack things as they would appear pleasing to the eye.  Keeping like items together is important when reloading as well. This is my favorite part, because it is a challenge to find the best fit, just like Tetris.

When you have loaded your last item, step back and review.  Change anything that doesn't fit well or feel usable. Finish it up, with a quick clean up and you have a new space!

The next time you want to revamp an area in your home, remember:

1) Clean Palette

2) Trash/Give

3) Sort Like Items

4) Repurpose Search

5) Reload (Tetris) 

6) Clean up! 

Hard.

Some days, you are minding your own business, making dinner and chatting away with your Hubby when something happens. This something finally happened tonight. I knew it was coming, and even with time to prepare, I wasn't. 

My little Lovey came running after me saying, "Please Mommy, help my Bobo!" I run to their room assuming Izzy had been hurt, and when I found him sobbing in the corner, I assumed I was right. I was wrong. His first few sentences weren't understandable, but then I saw he was holding a photo album of baby Judah. He was hurt... it was just in his heart. I wrapped my arms around his limp body and he shook from his core. After a few minutes, he explains he was looking at pictures and he is hurting so badly because doesn't God know we love Judah? Did God forget I need my big brother here, not in heaven? Why do my friends get all their brothers not me? Why do some people get sick then healthy, but some people get sick and die? Doesn't God know we need him? 

I thought I would pass out, because my heart literally crushed before me.  The look on his face is a look I know so well. Grief. His body was uncontrollable and the crying was from the innermost places of his heart.  I could feel his pain as I held him. All of those hard questions, I was left to answer.  How do you answer those kinds of questions to a 6 year old? I wish I had some awesome response, but instead I just listened. I told him "Mommy understands." "I'm so sorry your heart hurts." "God knows our hearts and our aches and very soon we will get to reunite with our Judah and you won't feel like this ever again." 

Tonight, I'm thankful that my hugs and kisses were enough because nothing felt like the right answer. Sometimes, even though you know it's coming, there is just no right answer, no preparing. Sometimes, it is better to listen, then speak. Sometimes, people just need to be held and told it is okay to let it all out. 

That happened tonight, all while dinner was on the stove. 

Leave it to Asher to break the thickness. He walked right up to Izzy and said, "Bobo, I so sorry you sad. I sad too. I miss baby Judah too, but I not crying like a baaaaaby!" Our tears turned to giggles as my little comedian found the smiles in the midst of grief. Thankful, that there is joy even in mourning. Thankful for supporting and loving friends and GRACE, because I needed it tonight. 

Here is hoping that in your hard times, you are able to find a smile too.

What I want to do different in 2012

1. Give more. 
Hubby and I are always trying to give financially as much as the Medical School budget allows, but I want to be more giving of my time.

2. Control less.
You may not realize this, but I am a bit of a control freak. Moon Sand and I can't be friends because of the mess anxiety it brings. '12 is going to be the year of the relaxed Mommy. We will paint more, and stress less. 

3. Appreciate daily.
I have a great Hubby. I've bragged on him a lot in this blog, and even that doesn't do him justice. We spent November apart due to his school rotation and in that time I realized just how good I've got it. I knew it before, but when you are left with 2 kids who are the sickest they have been in life and for the entire travel month, you see your spouse and partner in a new light. You will also ugly cry when he walks in the door for a good hour. I am super good at doing special things for my kids, and now it is Hubby's turn. 

4. Stop procrastinating.
I'm an organized control freak, with a family calendar, a kid calendar and alarms for everything, yet there are a few tasks that no matter what I do to make them organized and easy, I can't seem to stop procrastinating them. 

5. Clean my room.
Truth time. If you came in my house right now, you would see a clean house with an immaculate boys room with a closet so perfectly straight, my boys are scared to get dressed in the morning. The playroom is organized and lovely and everything has a place. Then there is my Master. I don't know why, but I have a hard time keeping this space organized. It makes no sense really. If I can keep a 6 & 3 year olds closet perfect, you would think I could keep my own. Either way, I think #4 has something to do with this one. 

6. Become a better teacher.
I don't homeschool, but Izzy does take piano and we have daily homework. I want my kids to enjoy and look forward to these tasks that otherwise might not be viewed as fun, and that starts with me. Time to get creative. Also, see #2.

7. Take care of Me.
This is vague and general, but there are some things I learned about myself in '11, on an emotional/relational level that I didn't like. This year I want to be better about boundaries for myself and trusting in rest.  I also want to improve my overall health and fitness. I recently, overhauled my skin care regimen, thanks to my friend KW, the knower of all things Sephora. My skin was showing my stress level and let's face it, it's time to start the prevention track. As weird as it sounds, in '12 I need to be a little more selfish.


8. Practice patience.
I am a horrible example of patience to my children. Awful. My brain works in list form and it is difficult for me to sloooooooooooow down. I hate slow things, and being late. Well, slow things minus the crock pot. I love that thing. 


I was going to think of 12 things, but it's midnight and my brain is tired so 8 it is. This is me creating a boundary for myself and taking care of me. Look at that. 

Ashers Quote of the Day: I asked Izzy to do something and he gave me a revised plan of what he thought he should do first. Before I could correct him Ash said, "Bobo, obey your parents, children, in all the single times. Washions 3:20"