Further Update

Our Bible Bowl teams placed 5th and 4th! Some pretty fast triggers on the speed round did us in - almost 100% on multiple choice. Way to represent, Trek!

Scared the bejeebers out of Ty with my mask on. He was expecting me to come over and I was there about 30 minutes before he woke (even went in and touched him to check for fever and he never moved). I heard him stirring and pulled my mask up before I went in. His eyes got huge and he was so startled! I felt so badly!

Hopefully, I was able to keep the germs away. His Brown-Eyed Girl took all his laundry and decontaminated everything! He says he's feeling better today but staying home.

My Kelly is home today. =)

Update

Things I love about cleaning the shower: The tiles are orderly and I can keep track of where I am, row by row.

Things I hate about cleaning the shower: Everything else.

More Flylady and Clean Team tips I've retained:

Have all your tools with you. You save time when you're not constantly leaving the project to go get something you need to do the job.

Wear an apron. This allows you to gather small items that don't belong and return them to their proper place LATER, so you don't stop the project you're on. I'm all about stopping distractions!

My son is sick and I'm off to make chicken broth and get him to drink some juice. Between me and his Brown-Eyed Girl, he should be well soon. I thought it would be hard to leave his care in someone else's hands, but I felt such peace knowing she was on her way over there. She loves him, too, and I knew he would be all right. She did everything I would have done - I'm so glad we're on the same team!

I'll be bringing mask and gloves. ;-) Glenna says it will confuse him, but I have a Bible Bowl team competing tomorrow and I can't afford to get sick!

Timer says get back to work!

Friday!

I am in super conquer mode!

I finally have some energy. The one tip I've kept from Flylady is to set my timer for 15 minutes and get to work! Did you know that except for the shower and floor, I cleaned my entire bathroom in 15 minutes? Here I kept thinking of it as this overwhelming project, so I would put it off and put it off.

The other tip? Wear gloves. I bought a box of latex gloves at Costco and now no matter how unpleasant the chore, it's no big deal to tackle it. Actually, my work at the dentist office taught me that.

Timer is done, time to move on! Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I have photos and stories to tell.

Coming soon!

The One Where I Air Our Dirty Laundry

The entire month of December, I worked every day at the dentist office. I also worked longer hours because Nancy Pants headed to Georgia early. (Can't blame the gal. She'd earned it!) The office is open on Fridays in December, so we can take the entire last week off.

I saw it as an opportunity to grab shifts at Space Mountain. They have a new requirement for seasonal cast members, like me. We now have to work at least 150 hours per year to keep our seasonal status. Most of my shifts were during the day, with one shift at night.

Needless to say, chores fell behind. Himself was involved in a project and the girls. . . well. . . the girls helped when I left a list. Let's just say they are taking advantage of the fact that they're on a break!

On New Year's Eve Day, I was knee deep in laundry and it just kept coming. I want you to take note of the basket that somehow made itself to the front of the laundry line.

How did Kelly word it? It's a . . . oh yeah . .. PRIORITY LOAD.

I'm already thinking of ways to use this terminology in the future.

Le Chef

Glenna's gift to us this year was to make food on Christmas Day!

I told her we would be her sous chefs and do any chopping she needed, plus cleanup.She got up at 6:30 in the morning to start the Burgundy mushrooms (YUM).

She then proceeded to make cinnamon rolls and cheese grits for breakfast. What a champ! Everything smelled so yummy the entire day.

Then, I walked into the kitchen and found this:

And that was only breakfast.

I'm going to have to train that girl on how to clean as she goes. However; it was worth it! All recipes were from The Pioneer Woman's cook book, everyone ate a great meal, and cleanup wasn't that hard.

Thanks for the gift, Glen!

That Crazy, Radical Thing We Did

A while back I had hinted that we did something crazy and radical, but the dogs were cool with it. Well, here it is!

I saw this idea on Pinterest, of course, where they built a kennel under the stairs of their home. We have an under-stairs closet that was full of BAGS (I'm so embarrassed at how many I had) and family photos. I cleaned out the closet and then Himself cut the hole.

Unfortunately, our alarm is plugged there and we can't move it. Still, it almost looks like a porch light, doesn't it?

The closet has a built in shelf when the door is opened. I was able to put their food, meds and dog stuff, plus their cleaning supplies all on the shelf. It's so great to have it all in one place instead of scattered all over the kitchen!

When we want them in, we put a child's safety gate over the hole and close the closet door. They have plenty of light, food, and water. Eventually, Himself will build a screen to place over the hole. In the future, I see a great play space/house for grandchildren, or for the occasional cutie-pie who comes to play.

It's much roomier than the kennels we were using. By the way; does anyone need a dog kennel or two? I have one large and one smallish. Free!

Waiting for a resident critter.

Here comes one now:

It's a little messy. Glenna needs to do a cleaning and straightening.

They love this little rug, half in and half out of their den. Doesn't Missy look so regal there?

There you go: something actually done from Pinterest instead of just dreamed about! We need a sign to hang over the hole.

Hole in the Wall Gang

Den Sweet Den

Closet Canines

Any ideas?

I Spy

I keep my iPod in my pocket at all times. Lately, I've learned to keep it on the Camera option.

One never knows when I'll find something interesting to photograph. It could be while I'm walking in a store,

Or it could be while I'm driving down the street.

I had just left the previously mentioned cute little import store, when I spotted him. Now, I want to practice safe driving, so I grabbed my iPod and kept my eyes on the road and my hand on the steering wheel while taking a rapid series of photos, hoping to capture him. I can do that with the iPod!

Here he's barely seen, just to the left of that road reflector.

Got him!

Got him again!

I told my family that Santa rides a bmx bike. Now I have proof!

Why Shopping was Difficult

I just about threw in the towel this year when it came to Christmas shopping. I had an idea to go to this cute import store and make up baskets for everyone with goodies and novelties.

Ever see this?

You're reading that correctly: chocolate bacon. I think Ty would eat it. He's the guy who wants meat salad - no greens, just meat - so this may have some appeal!

I thought this was kind of cute:

I never knew he had spares! I just thought he glowed and glowed. Learn something new every day.

I wonder who I was thinking of when I spotted this item?

Yes. You're correct. That would be me.

Then things began to get a little creepier:

Ack!

Ugh!

Eeeewwwww!!!

Of course, my dad would have laughed and laughed if I had sent him this stuff. Problem is, he has diabetes, and everyone knows yellow snow and reindeer pies are not good for his blood sugar.