Attic clean out...

After spending what seemed like all day working on state attendance reports--7 hours to fill out 1/3 of the report--I came home to Doug wanting to clean out the attic. OMG! I took a nap and then we tackled it.

Things I have discovered about myself:

• I hoard linens--WTF--I would have to have 10 twin beds in my house to use all the sheets I had saved. I ended up saving 2 really pretty--feminine sheet sets--both with shades of lavender & turquoise--you know for when I have 2 twin beds in the grand kids play room in 15 or more years. It will be my luck that I have all grandsons.


• I have not done cross-stitch in at least 15 years--yet I had not been able to let go of all the patterns, half-finished projects and blank material and towels I had not even touched. It was very emotional to go through that and know that I was never EVER going to finish those projects and to tell myself it was okay to let go. I kept one pattern for the laundry room I am someday going to have--bloomers for every day of the week on a clothesline--and my thread and an afghan that I had started for Doug's grandma. The rest either went into the trash or into a pile for the rummage sale. My heart is a little lighter.


• I have saved way too many toys of the kids. I always was bitter that my mom didn't save many of my toys. The kids may think WTF later when I get them all out again. But my grand kids will like them. Just looking at them takes me back to those fun little kid days. My goal is to consolidate all the Bitty Baby and American Girl doll stuff into smaller bins to keep in a closet down here. I'm afraid that too much heat or cold will affect the doll's hair--don't think my granddaughters will want to play with bald dolls.


• All our yearbooks at some point were damaged by water and we had to throw each and every one of them away. I remember looking at my mom's growing up and how cool that was. That was sad.


• There are 10 bins of Christmas crap. Time to down size that once that season comes back around. Problem is that 3 of those bins are trees and 3 more are decorations for each one. That leaves 4 bins of decorations for this 2200 square foot house. That's probably just about right. SIGH.

Now the attic is cleaned out, but the family room is full of crap. I have too much stuff. Been thinking a lot about my scrapbooking stuff. I'm getting ready to make some hard decisions about my stuff up there. I got the new Creating Keepsakes edition with scrap book spaces and all of a sudden I want cabinets where everything can hide. I'm tired of visual clutter. But I am a collector...and I can't let go...Wonder if there is a hoarder marathon to help me along.

T minus 10 and counting...

Today was the last official day of school--report card day. I have to work 10 more days and then I am off for the summer. The teachers' last day was today also--I was invited out to lunch with them--I had 2 margaritas at lunch. WOW! I was feeling no pain finishing up the last sub report and filing some stuff I had been putting off. Ha. Today is also the last day of the other secretary being there. Awesome! Just me and the principal...I should get tons of stuff done--mainly state reports. Yuck!

Here is the list I came up with to accomplish over the summer. When I got it out again to put it on here I think it might be a little ambitious. But when I was reading over it--I've already done a few of the things so I may be okay.

1. Clean out black dresser--did this last weekend
2. Clean out built in hutch in dining room
3. clean out Great gram's white hutch
4. paint TV stand from rummage sale
5. wash all comforters & extra blankets--washed Zach's last weekend
6. move plastic dresser from craft area to Kate's closet
7. Reorganize old computer cabinet with scrap stuff
8. find desk for den
9. get cork board and other organizational "pocket" for computer closet--cork board bought

10. go through all movies
11. clean out my extra closet
12.get frames or paint frames for family picture wall
13. go through plastic drawers in basement--did this last weekend
14. go through jewelry--send some back to Lia Sophia
15. attic cleaned out (this is a family project)
16. catch up on kids' school albums
17. get photos from 2010 developed
18. clean out fridge--major clean job
19. clean out and wipe out all cabinets--purge
20. clean out junk closet--purge
21. clean out coat closet & go through shoes--Zach's shoes gone through last weekend
22. Get my clothes ready for consignment shop
23. Price glass for kitchen & linen cabinets
24. Get new Christmas binder organized
25. Come up with weekly schedule for summer chores--this should be # 1.

Fun stuff to do this summer:
Vacation in Orlando
Third Sunday Market in Bloomington and other antique stores
Drive in with the kids
Picnic with family
consignment shopping with the gals from school.

Personal goal:
Lose 10 more pounds this summer--at least get to my 10% goal before school starts (that's 7 pounds away)

It's been a while

I can't believe it's been 5 1/2 months since I've posted. Life gets in the way sometimes. The school year is almost over. Actually it will be on Monday. It's been a good year so far--I've only struggled a few times with the new job--a few time a week. Even though I had been working in a crazy busy credit union--a crazy busy school is quite different. It's just me and the kids most days and boy! it's rewarding and frustrating all at the same time. Hopefully, I have taught the kids some valuable life lessons this year--believe in yourself, do what you love, say please and thank you, the world does not revolve around you, use an inside voice, there are adults in the world that care about you, hold yourself accountable, etc. It's amazing that in high school someone has not taught them these things yet. And it's sad to say that sometimes I think I am the only one that has asked them how they are doing in life. I see a lot of the "bad" kids in the office--the misfits is how I think of them. The ones whose parents don't care enough to even call them in sick. How sad is that. I have one who I wish I had met sooner--he's 18 and well past the point of a turn around--but I can see the potential in him--I keep trying to get him to see it, but I don't think it is working. He's not a "school" type of kid--he needs to be working with his hands--electrician--plumber--auto mechanic--something manual. He will do anything for you. He's polite and well mannered--if you make him be. He is failing again this year--his dad will not allow him to go to an alternate school to graduate, or even go get his GED. His dad was a drop out and does not want that for his son. I want to shake him and tell him to "WAKE UP!" your son is failing at school--he feels like a failure--let him accomplish something--let him finish with a GED or alternate diploma and let him get on with his life. It's not all about you--sometimes you have to play the cards you are dealt. No a GED isn't the same as a diploma--but at this point he's never going to get it. GET A GRIP.

Kate now has 2 jobs for the summer. Babysitting a few times a week and working evenings in the concession stands for baseball games. Yeah Kate.

Zach is playing travel baseball with a group of kids I mostly love. Parents are fun too so that helps. Games every Saturday and Sunday and some other week days. Although this Spring has been very wet and more than a few games have been rained out.

I have almost all my flowers planted on my porch. Oh how I love this house and it's porch. Almost daily I think about the gratitude I feel about owning this house--my house. My forever house.

We are planning a vacation to Orlando this year. June 18 through the 27. I am so excited I can't wait--I'd leave tomorrow if we could. The best part is planning it all out though. And I'm not talking about what we're are doing or seeing--but what we will pack. I know, I am weird.

Graduation is tomorrow. Two of my sunshine girls are leaving me--graduating and moving on to the college life. I will miss them coming in to the office every day to share bits and pieces of their days. I hope they come back to see me next year.

I've lost 16 pounds in my weight loss journey so far. Happily I fit into all my shorts and shirts from my 2008 cruise--which was a goal before vacation. I want to lose 4 more pounds before we leave so that I have a little leeway on vacation to enjoy food. Once I get back I will sit down and set my next set of goals--for before junior high baseball 8th grade night. I can't believe I will have a junior and an 8th grader next year. WOW!