Making My Home A Haven: Cared For

Another day!

I was a bit more on schedule today. Andy was well enough to go back to work so we were up bright and early like usual.

As Monica suggested in her post, I chose a few tasks that I've been putting off-stuff that just needed to be taken care of.

My list for today was:
-dust and vacuum living ,dining and bedrooms
-clean out magazine basket
-clean out closet
-mending
-make macaroni and cheese for dinner

Before the boys arrived, I dusted and vacuumed the living and dining rooms as well as our bedroom. I cleaned out our overflowing magazine basket which had also deteriorated to the point of needing to be thrown out. I love to read magazines but they end up as clutter after a while since I don't want to get rid of them because I may need something out of them later. I bit the bullet and got rid of most of them. I saved a few that we really do like to re-read or use for pictures and the rest I recycled. I let the moms of my childcare kids take what they wanted before I filled the recycling bin. I threw out the basket. Maybe not having the basket will force me to purge more regularly instead of passing the magazines off to the Bin of Avoidance? I'll have to see how it goes just to have a small pile of magazines on the coffee table and not have a magazine basket/rack. How do you decide when to toss magazines? What do you keep?

By this time, my first charge arrived and he was in an exceptional mood so he helped me while I started on my closet. We sang a song about the letters and their sounds which he loves. He found all kinds of interesting items to capture his attention.

Soon, the second child arrived. After they got settled, they were playing together so nicely that I went through a couple of bags of stuff from our bedroom. Little ones do like to help go through bags!

For our outdoor time, I decided to let them help me rake some leaves. I purchased 2 small Montessori-style rakes at a yard sale this summer for $1 each. The rakes really do work as well as the "real" larger ones. The boys did so well! They loved raking as well as walking through the leaves and jumping in the pile. Their joy was contagious! This time wasn't as productive for me getting the leaves raked but was more intended as a fun learning and exploring time for the boys. When their attention started drifting, I loaded them up in the wagon and we walked around the neighborhood.

After our walk, it was lunchtime. Then a little T.V. time and stories before nap.

During nap time, I got to work on mending a couple pairs of pants that have been draped over a chair in the dining room for several weeks. It took all of 10 minutes to mend both pair. Why had I been putting this off exactly? While I had the sewing machine out, I sewed a quick tote bag to be included in our Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. I plan to make a couple more of those and I'll post a picture when that is completed! It felt so good to sit down and sew something! I often put off sewing because of the effort involved in getting everything out and then having to put it all back away soon after.

By now, nap time was almost over so I sat and read the newest issue of Reader's Digest until the boys woke up. Then we had a snack and Andy and I played with the boys (or rather were entertained by them) until their parents came.

After they left, I walked the dog and began to work on supper. Andy's dad was traveling through on business and stopped in for a few minutes. While he was here, our new laptop was delivered. Yeah!!! I can't wait to blog using that!

After all the hullabaloo died down, we sat down for a simple meal of homemade mac & cheese and steamed broccoli.

After cleaning up dinner, I looked at my list for today. I had finished everything but the closet. I did, however, get a great start on that and will make an effort to finish that up first thing in the morning. I took before pictures and will post them after the chore is completed.

See you all tomorrow!