Kids Say the Funniest Things

This happened yesterday...

Ruthie (5 years): "Hi Mom!  I just got back from California."

Me: "Oh, what were you doing in California?"

Ruthie: "Looking at dragons.  Can we get a dragon?"

Me: "I don't think we have room for a dragon."

Ruthie: "It can live with the goats.  This dragon is nice to goats."
We don't have goats yet, just plans for goats.

Me: "I don't think there is room for dragon and goats." Dragons are really big, right?...like dinosaurs.

Ruthie: "Yeah there is. Dragons are only this big."  Ruthie goes over to the growth chart and holds up her hands by the one-and-a-half foot mark.

Me: "Oh.  What will the dragon eat?"

Ruthie: "I ordered dragon food.  Oh look!  There it is!" Ruthie runs outside to get the dragon food from the mailbox.

I guess you CAN order anything through the internet!

Me: "I think we should ask Daddy when he gets home."

Ruthie: "OK.  They are coming tonight."

Me: "We haven't asked Daddy yet!"

Ruthie: "Let's call Daddy and ask him!"

Me: "No, we'll just wait until he gets home."  We don't need to call him at work to ask about a pretend dragon.

Of course, Daddy says yes...who wouldn't say yes to a small, pretend dragon!
Oh yeah, the dragon is blue, dark blue.

Our Laundry System

As we prepared to move to our new house, we knew that we needed appliances.  The home we purchased was a foreclosure and was without appliances (except a range).  I would have just called it a stove, but I just learned that a range is the combination of a stove top and oven.

Our new home doesn't have a laundry room.  The hook-ups for the washer/dryer are in the small hallway that connects the bathroom, what will one day be the master bedroom and the stairs to the bedrooms.  There is just enough room for a washer and dryer side-by-side.

We also cloth diaper while at home and I wanted a diaper changing station near the bathroom.  Some people who cloth diaper have diapers and wipes and wetbags for dirty diapers stashed around their homes...maybe their homes are really big but I prefer one diaper changing station easily accessible to where we usually are in the house.  The bathroom is too small for a changing station...that would be my first preference.

Here is our solution:

What a huge blessing this stacked "apartment" washer/dry combo was -- Craigslist!  I had thought a stacked washer/dryer would be our best option because that would leave us with some room for a diaper changing station...and since the bathroom is directly to the right of the washer, it would be perfect!  With the budget being tight, we didn't want to spend the $1,000 on a new stacked unit and didn't think we would be able to find a used one, but God provided in plenty of time before move-in!

You may not think an "apartment" washer/dryer would be big enough for a growing family, but it is actually quite big and works well for us.  I'd rather do smaller loads more often than really big loads.

That being said, I do at least one load of laundry most every day -- darks, lights/whites, sheets/towels, diapers -- something gets washed!  Now that it is warm, I hang most things on the clothesline to dry (but not the unmentionables and not if it is raining!).

I collect all the dirty laundry in baskets under the changing table -- they are smaller round baskets (an overflowing basket is a load):

The set of plastic drawers next to the laundry basket is for Ruthie and Asher's PJ's and the bottom drawer holds random extra diaper stuff.

So, that is our laundry system...works for us!

Kids Say the Funniest Things

This happened last week...

Ruthie (5 years): "We caught the bank robber!" (Holding out her hand with the imaginary bank robber in it).

Me: "Good job! What are you going to do with him?"

Ruthie: "Give him swats and put him in jail."  (Heads back upstairs with the bank robber).

 Later, after lunch, while putting Asher (2 years) down for a nap...

Me: "Climb into bed, it's time for a nap."

Asher: "I can't."

Me: "Why not?"

Asher: "There's a bank robber in there!"

Of course!  I should have known!  I pick up the (still imaginary) bank robber and set him in the desk chair; Asher climbs into his crib and takes a nap.

Later, after putting Asher and Ruthie to bed, I still hear Asher...and still hear Asher.

Me: "Asher, it is time to be quiet and go to sleep."

Asher: "No, there's a bank robber!"

Me: "Where do I need to put the bank robber?"

Asher: "Under your bed."

I pick up the bank robber and put him under our bed.  Asher goes to sleep. I should have known, right?!  You can't go to sleep with a bank robber sitting in the desk chair!  

Funny thing is, we haven't heard anything about a bank robber since!
I wonder if he is still under our bed?

My Super Simple Master System Keeper

I've taken a bit of a break from posting...not really intentionally but life happens. April 18th we got hit with a major snow storm (12+ inches)!

Pretty, but getting a bit old on April 18th!

One week later I was hanging laundry on the clothesline in capris, a t-shirt and my  snow boots (warm but still snow to melt)!  Now all the snow is gone; the kids are loving being outside and we're getting ready to start some garden plants.

Now, onto the actual post:

This seems too simple to bother posting, but it really is what keeps all my other systems moving from day to day...it keeps me organized and keeps my head screwed on straight (usually!).

Each week (on Sunday evening or Monday morning) I make up this calendar/to-do list on some scrap paper and hang it on the fridge:

It often starts with much of the week mostly empty but gets added to as the week goes on.  Some people like to clean the whole house in one day and then forget about it the rest of the week, I like to do certain things each day.  This feels more manageable to me, but I never have a "completely clean" house.  Then again, I never have a completely dirty house either!  Some people have a scheduled day to do each house cleaning task...I sort of do: Mondays and Thursdays I clean the bathroom; Fridays I try to vacuum; some time every week (or two) I change the sheets on the beds; most days I do at least one load of laundry; I try to sweep at least every other day.  Various food tasks (baking bread, peeling and cutting carrots, making Northwoods Dressing, making yogurt, etc.) gets added to the list and done as needed.  I add things to the list so that I don't forget to do them (lunch time and out of carrots!) and so that I can cross things off the list (makes me feel productive!). 

Sometimes things get added to the list AFTER they are done -- didn't plan to scrub the floor, but milk got spilled all over it; bathroom got cleaned AGAIN due to potty training or water playing.  I like to be able to look at my list for the day in the evening and see that I've gotten something done during the day to take care of my home...but I also don't stress if things are left undone, they just stay on the list so I don't forget to do them another day.

At the bottom of each day is my "menu plan" for supper.  (More on how I menu plan in an upcoming post).  I also keep a running shopping list, usually divided by store, so that I don't forget something when we "go to town" each week.

Some people use fancy "Home Management Binders" which are great but I know that I probably wouldn't use it to its potential...this works for me and that is what matters!

Blessings to you as you figure out what works for YOU; I hope this helps you to realize that it doesn't need to be "fancy" or "right", just what works for you!

Schedules, Routines and Systems

Every family has its own schedules, routines and systems; some are intentional and some are not.  The key to keeping life simple (or to simplifying life) comes when we are intentional in planning and implementing the schedules, routines and systems of our family.

For ease of use, here are the definitions we will use: (Thanks Dictionary.com!)

Schedule, noun:

1. a plan of procedure, usually written, for a proposed objective, especially with reference to the sequence of and time allotted for each item or operation necessary to its completion. 

2. a series of things to be done or of events to occur at or during a particular time or period.

3. a timetable.
Like a clock...things happen at a set time:

Routine, noun:

1. a customary or regular course of procedure.

2. commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals; typical or everyday activity.

3. regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure

4. and unvarying and constantly repeated formula; convenient or predictable response
Like the alphabet...things happen in a specific order:

  

System, noun:

1. An ordered and comprehensive assemblage of facts, principles, doctrines, or the like in a particular field of knowledge or thought.

2. a coordinated body of methods or a scheme or plan of procedure; organizational scheme.
Like our body systems...interconnected routines to keeping us healthy:

 We don't have very many strict schedules at our house; all the strict time-sensitive schedules happen because of schedules set by other people: Sunday School starts at 9:30am, Awana starts at 6:00pm, BSF starts at 9:10am.

Our scheduled events are a bit more fluid...and may cross the border from "schedule" over into "routine": Lunch happens at around noon, supper happens at sometime between 5:30  and 6:30pm, bedtime is around 8:30pm.

I'll be sharing some of our routines and systems that make life easier for us.  These may or may not work for you and for your family.  My goal is to give you ideas to develop your own routines and systems to make your family life easier...because everyone likes some things to be predictable, especially kids.  A workable system keeps the basic necessities "running" during busy or stressful life changes/happenings.  Also throughout this "tour through our systems" you'll also get a tour through our new house as I show you some of our organization that is part of keeping our routines and systems running smoothly!

Happy Birthday Ruthie!

Ruthie is 5 years old!  It has gone by so fast!

We had a party with extended family and a family of friends that are like family.  So much fun and it was such a beautiful day!  And what do Minnesotans do on a beautiful spring afternoon? -- Hang out outside and throw snowballs at each other ;-) It was a very low-key party but greatly enjoyed by all, including our 5 year old princess:

She is so into all things princess and dress-up right now!

We finally moved inside to eat when the sun was moving behind the trees and the temperature started dropping.  A simple menu of corn chips, black bean hummus, salsa, carrots and celery sticks, fruit salad and two kinds of cupcakes -- carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and Nana's amazing cream cheese and chocolate chip cupcakes.

1 week old

6 months old

First birthday

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old

5 years old

 My how she has grown!
We love you Ruthie!

Reclaimed Lumber Porch Swing and Castle

My husband is a reclaimed lumber genius!  He works at a resort helping the owner with various maintenance, remodeling and new construction tasks.  Often these involve tearing something down and rebuilding or replacing something.  By now his boss has had ample opportunity to experience my husband's love for reclaimed and re-purposed building materials, so before something goes to the dumpster or the burn pile, my husband gets to pick through it.

Probably our favorite reclaimed lumber project is our front porch swing:

It is made entirely out of reclaimed lumber.  The bench part my was originally a garden bench that Tony had made from reclaimed lumber several years ago...we brought it with us through two moves and then last summer it lost its legs and became the bench for the swing.  The frame for the swing is also made entirely out of reclaimed lumber using a modifies sawhorse design.  The only new parts in the whole project are the eye bolts used to suspend the swing.  It is perfect sitting on the front porch of our new home!

The kids also love their castle, made mostly from reclaimed lumber:

The wood for the slide we did buy new in order to make, but the rest of the castle is all reused lumber.  It will probably get a reclaimed lumber sandbox around the base sometime this summer.

Stay tuned for more reclaimed lumber projects -- self-watering raised bed garden planters and a chicken coop to be completed this spring.

You know it is spring in Minnesota when it is warm enough to play outside in shorts and a sweatshirt but you still need to wear snow boots because all the snow still hasn't melted yet!

Linking to the CSI Project's Recycle/Upcycle Challenge: