Laundry Tip #1

Whenever I open the door to our linen closet, I feel as though the avalanche might just bury me.  I try, I really try, to keep things organized, but it always seems to jumble in the night.  I'm determined to try a great tip I just heard from a friend.  She rolls her sheets instead of folding them (to prevent wrinkles?).  Then she tucks the sheets and one pillowcase into the other pillow case.  That way she has on neat and tidy little bundle and the pieces never get separated.  Very sneaky.

Getting Really Old

It has finally happened! My baby brother has turned thirty! thirty! Can you believe? I think this is a much greater shock than when it happened to me. Now all of us kids are officially not kids anymore. Of course there are all sorts of "marks of adulthood" on us already what with the real jobs and cars and bank accounts and such, but him turning thirty tilts my perspective of our place in the whole line-up. Suddenly we are not the "kids" but the parents (some of us anyway)! Suddenly they are not the "parents" but the grandparents. Everybody moves up one space. Insert many aging clichés here. Oh yeah and happy birthday to The Professor!

Bib Care

It seems like babies are suddenly cropping up all over the place as one friend after another greets their new addition.  Today I was shopping for a gift and found the cutest little lamb bib you will ever see.  It's one of those fancy ones that's meant to catch drool and not pureed squash.  When my baby was born, I didn't understand that distinction, so my poor child went around in stained bibs all the time. 

You'd think I would have been able to keep to seperate stores of bibs, but that's harder than you'd think.  Here's my mommy tip: when the baby is using the bib for a meal, put it on backwards.  That way the stains stay confined, and can still use the "cute" side for wearing out of the house.  Also snappy bibs are much better than velcro which is a pain to wash.    Oh yes, one more thing.  When they have mouth full of peas try to stay out of the line of fire.  Good luck.

Neighbor Noise

Please, please, please I'm begging you to be quiet.  As a special favor to me, make it a New Year's Resolution to be respectful with the noise you make.  It's easy to forget just how far sound carries, and people can be seriously impacted by your casual use of music, loud talking, or other noises.  It can ruin concetration, study time, relaxation, and, of course, sleep.  One does not have to have a napping baby in order to appreciate quiet, but it certainly gives you a new perspective on the matter.  Come on, say it with me SSSHHHHHHHHHH!

January Clean Sweep

It's time to face facts.  The holidays are over, school is back in session, the relatives are gone, and your beloved husband is back to work.  Perhaps you are too.  Now there are some who love this time because it allows them the peace and quiet they love.  For the rest of us it can be a sad let-down.  I love Christmas because it pushes back the winter with all it's fun, color, and togetherness.  However, when January 2nd rolls around, there you are in the darkest part of the year.  Do not give in to the "blah's"! 

I'm getting up immediately after this post.  I'm turning on all the lights in my downstairs (this is not the time to be green) and I'm burning a lemon-scented candle (not something remotely Christmas-y).  Next I'll line up the music:  Barenaked Ladies, Dresden Dolls, and then The Squirrel Nut Zippers (yes I am old how about you?)  I will also be making a huge cup of coffee (I normally stick with tea), and I will drink the whole thing BLACK!  Once I am suitably energized, I will begin.

Out with Christmas!  Down come the ornaments (we already did the tree) down come the lights, down come the cards and other reminders of the holiday.  Once they are packed neatly in a box and headed out to the garage, I can begin on the rest.  Beds are stripped, laundry begun, counters spritzed, bathrooms too, and all the clutter is put away.  I think perhaps this is the most important part.  When I'm finished I want things to look very clean and orderly.  It feels good to get a fresh start, and this clean up job is the first real step into the new year. 

By the time I'm finished, my mental cobwebs will be gone with the physical ones.  I'll be ready to seek out some new excitements in January, and maybe find a few creative ways to get in some socializing too.  Perhaps my freshly scrubbed house will host a wine tasting or a movie night?  The possibilities are limitless.

Post Vacation R & R

Whew!  The last of the family visitors just rolled out of the driveway.  We waved like mad, and we will miss them very much.  Now it's time to turn back into the house and take stock of all that's left behind.  The toys are everywhere, the laundry is mountainous, and there are crumbs and dishes strewn from heck to breakfast.  The combination of the messy house and after-holiday let down can be a little demoralizing.  Or a lot. 

That is why I'm giving you official permission to take the day off.  Don't deal with the chaos and clutter right now.  Instead give yourself some time to sit back, relax, and gather your equalibrium.  Drink a cup of tea, read a crappy magazine, and take a walk with your kids or your dog.  Later today, gather the food messes into the kitchen, and make sure nothing too terrible is brewing.  Otherwise, just let it all sit until tomorrow.  Nothing terrible will happen I promise.   

Resolutions for the New Year 2012

Amazingly, I seem to have actually completed most of the resolutions I wrote for 2011.  Okay maybe not the exercise part, but that one seems to be perennial.  I think it's because I had a tiny baby, so I felt safe in keeping things small.  M made a resolution last night that he would floss at least once in 2012, so that maybe carrying the low bar thing a bit far.  Anyway, here's my list:

1. Exercise at least 3 to 4 times per week
2. Send cards or letters every month
3. Judge less
4. Garden more
5. Read "serious" books
6. Organize house and get rid of stuff
7. Eat less sugar and fat
8. Be more grateful
9. Go on at least one date with M per month
10.Play Nicely wit the other children