Waasup?!

Along with all of my sortanizing, we've also been busy making me a sewing/craft room (yeah!!) and redoing our playroom in the basement. I have been coordinating these projects, which basically means that I tell everyone else what I want and they make it happen. It works for me.

Contemplating my next request......

Ray cutting a hole in the knotty pine wall to create a new doorway.

My Dad and brother Randy came over to help re-route an electrical outlet.

Ben helping Daddy......look at that concentration!

Somebody couldn't wait to help with the painting!

Well, that's it for now. I know, I know. You want more, right? Well, you're just going to have to wait until we are all done and I post more pictures. Can you stand the anticipation? I thought not.

I can't wait to get my craft on! Now I'm off to see what all of you have been up to. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Because I Know You've Been Wondering......

Yes, I'm still on my quest to become a Domestic Diva.

I know you are probably getting bored hearing all about my domestic challenges. Sorry. I'd probably feel the same if the tables were turned. But it seems this cleaning and organizing thing is never ending and is consuming my every waking minute. Sometimes it even keeps me up at night (not really, I just thought I would throw that in to hit home the point of just how crazy I've become with this whole thing.) But I am determined to become one of those women who actually lets people inside my house when they come to visit. Call me a dreamer.

I also know what you're probably thinking right about now. "Just how messy and unorganized is your house?"

I have only one word for you......

VERY.

But the good news is, I am making a lot of headway. And that feels GREAT! I am taking some before and after pictures, just so I can be reminded of the progress that I am making. I might even post some of the pictures here, in hopes of inspiring other domestically challenged ladies. Because I'm thoughtful like that.

Nah. I just want to show off to the blog world my clean organized house.

Is that so wrong?

Oh, and guess what? I have a laundry day! No more flying by the seat of my pants, when it comes to providing my family with clean clothes. We will no longer be living out of laundry baskets. That's right, my friend, the madness has finally ended. I have seen the light! It's like I'm seeing the world in a whole new way. And it's wrinkle free.

By the way, my laundry day is Friday. So, I'm off to do another load! I can only imagine how envious you might be right now.

Unless, of course, your laundry day is Friday too.

A Little Late

Happy 1st birthday to my sweet nephew

Thomas the Tank Engine,

who turned ONE on December 18th!!

Now you're a BIG BOY! Auntie Val loves you!!

Less Is More

"Project Organization" is coming along quite well, thank-you-very-much! I have sorted through and purged all of the useless contents from my entire house (I only have a few more rooms and closets left to tackle) and, surprisingly, I'm kind of having fun with this whole process. I'm actually sort of sad knowing that the "sortanizing" (as Ali likes to call it) is almost done.

Oh, I'm kidding. Because......well......that would make me a complete dork, missing something like sortanizing.

As if.

However, there is something very freeing about letting go of "stuff." Especially stuff that wasn't really needed in the first place and was just taking up space and creating chaos in my life. Chaos that was slowing stealing my sanity, one Lincoln log after another and one Polly Pocket accessory after another. I mean really, could toys these days have more pieces?

I am, however, happy to learn that what they say is true - less is more.

Now, if I can only get the scale to relay that to my hips and butt, I'd be all set.

Brings A Little Tear To My Eye

Organization......it's a beautiful thing.

Storage Containers Are My New BFF

Cleaning, organizing and sorting......OH MY!

I'm kinda tired. I've been an organizing fool this past week and I'm not done yet. It's exhausting getting a house clean and organized. Who knew?

I'm pretty excited about the progress I'm making. I never thought it was possible to be excited about cleaning and organizing. Who knew?

I have to admit, I've been accused of being "over the top" at times. Becoming overly passionate about certain projects. I don't really see it in this particular situation. I mean, having dreams about storage containers, file folders and other various organizing paraphernalia is perfectly normal right?

That's not at all weird, right?

Don't answer that please.

By the way, I actually went to K-Mart today in search of new cutting-edge storage and organizing tools. Because I'm a weird dork who thinks that makes for a fun Saturday afternoon.

What's even weirder, I actually went to the store looking like this chick:

I may look very disheveled at this point but on the bright side my house has never looked better.

Putting Out The Trash

I love Stie over at These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things. She's hilarious and a great writer! Yesterday, she wrote a thought-provoking post about whether we bloggers tend to keep it real on our blogs or if we only put our best foot forward, so to speak, only allowing our readers to see what we want them to see.

Do I intentionally only put my best foot forward and cover up the trash piles, far from the eyes of my blog friends? Sometimes. Because, really, life can be hard and messy and trashy at times and sometimes I just want to focus on the positive and leave the messy stuff out of it. Sometimes when I visit certain blogs, I also wonder if what I'm reading and seeing is actually the real deal. Some of these women's lives seem so perfect. Their houses are always spotless, their children seem to always be dressed in clean (and matching) clothes with clean faces and brushed hair, the laundry is washed (and put away) AND and there is always some awesome dinner baking in the oven!

Seriously? I'm lucky if I have ONE of things going on......but never all of them at the same time!

So, what do you think? Is it real or are they only revealing the parts they want us to see? The best parts. If it's genuine, more power to them! I would love to have my act a lot more together and I could probably stand to learn a thing or two from some of these wonder women. And I do believe there are some extraordinary women out there who really can do it all!

And really, I'm not jealous. Much.

I am, however, pretty genuine when it comes to my blog. I actually do "keep it real" with most aspects of my life. Although I will admit to not posting certain pictures of myself because, well, I wouldn't want anyone to die of fright. Also, there may be certain topics that I haven't posted about because it doesn't fit into the "image" that I am trying to present. You know, that image of being a cool, hip Mom who keeps a spotless house, spotless children and is a gourmet cook.

You weren't fooled, huh?

Considering that my house is typically not spotless, I don't know how to cook and I have been known to wear my pajamas in public, I'm guessing that you saw right through my pathetic charade.

So, here's to keeping it MORE real in 2010. I promise to let down my guard a little more and, as Stie says, "put out the trash." Because sometimes trash can be beautiful......it all depends on your perspective I guess. After all, how bad can it really be?

Apparently pretty bad. Messy house, no make-up, pajamas......

Just putting out a little trash.

Merry Christmas! (Better Late Than Never)

From our family to yours!

I'll be back after the New Year and I can't wait to read all of your wonderful holiday stories and see all of your beautiful pictures!

**********

I originally planned on posting this on Christmas Eve but stuff got in the way......you know how that goes, right? Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I promise to visit all of my blog friends in the upcoming week! I can't wait to read about your holidays and to see what you are up to now. As for me, I am exhausted (I know, shocker) and today is the day that I begin my organization transformation!

Basically, I'll be cleaning my house. But in an organizing and transforming kind of way.

2010 is my year to finally get my act together! I'm going to clean like I've never cleaned before. I'm going to organize like I've never organized before. I'm going to containerize (as in storage containers and LOTS of them) like I've never containerized before. I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR!!

Sorry, I got a little carried away there for a second.

So, let the games begin. 'Cuz Pajama Mama is in da house and she's ready to get her clean on!

For shizzle.