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Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Decluttering Theory

It's a miracle!!  *host of angels singing*  I can't believe it!  Something AMAZING has happened!  King Turd of Poop Mountain is actually decluttering his crap stuff!!!  Now, I do have to say that it did happen a couple of weeks ago and I just thought it was a fluke.  He had misplaced a package of guitar picks that he had bought for the Princess at Christmas.  It'd really been bugging him, so he tore apart the bedroom.  *ahem*  The room we BOTH stuff full of things when someone comes over or we don't know where else to put it.  So anyhoot, a couple of weeks ago he asks if we have a box he can put stuff into to get rid of it.  Do I?  Hot diggity dog, let me just trot my butt out to the 'ol 'Jam Room'* and get it for you!

*Jam Room - a room we jam everything into.  Also known as the 'back room'.

I'm not quite sure what has kicked him into gear.  Could it be my Decluttering Theory?  For quite awhile, I used to get angry & upset and feel that I was the only one who did anything around this stupid house to get rid of crap stuff.  And when I would specifically ask King Turd to help out, he'd put it off and it wouldn't get done.  Truthfully, I just wanted him to take care of HIS stuff.  Thinking that if HE took care of HIS stuff then the house would look oh so much better.  *ahem*  The problem is I needed to take care of MY stuff too.  So a little over a year ago I decided that I needed to make a change.  I couldn't stand the clutter anymore and the only one who could change was me.  I decided that I had to declutter MY stuff, take care of MY crap, get rid of MY excess.  I strongly believe that it's not good to get rid of King Turd's stuff for him (unless he says specifically to get rid of it), he needs to do that for himself.  So here's my Decluttering Theory:  If I work on myself and declutter only my stuff, eventually the only stuff left to declutter will be his stuff.  I won't fret about his stuff.  He'll have nothing to complain about because all that will be left will be his.  Once he sees this, he'll start to declutter his stuff too. 

Guess what?  It worked!!  Miracle of miracles!  Now, I am a looooong ways from getting everything done.  But I've really been trying to be consistent & do a little something right along.  A few weeks ago I decluttered the outside of the fridge.  It's stayed that way!  Then I decluttered the bottom of a little cupboard that holds all my candles - straightened it up so I can get to stuff easily.  Yesterday I decluttered the top of that little cupboard.  I got rid of tons of papers & little things that I didn't want or need anymore went into the trash, donate box or in a bag to give to friends.  I made a note of two things that I need to look for - one a basket for King Turd to put his 'pocket stuff' in when he comes home and one of those multi plug strip thingys for a charging station.  Today I cleaned off the top of the cupboard AND the top of the fridge.  I'm only 5'3", so what do I really care what it looks like up there?  The only problem is it was D-U-S-T-Y!  Every time you'd drag something down you'd get showered with dust.  So, it's fixed now - all clean.

This morning, BEFORE I had my coffee, King Turd says to me, he'd been thinking about cleaning off a certain junk filled shelf in our room.  He was thinking I might like to get some nice baskets to put there.  Really?  *Ahhhhhhh AHHHHHHHH!!*  (Are you hearing those angels singing again?) 

So, for all of you who don't feel that you're getting any help.  Forget it.  Just work on you.  All you can do is change you & YOUR attitude.  If you don't fret about the others in your household cleaning up their clutter & just lead by example - they WILL follow.  I believe that now.  I had complained for so long before and complaining didn't work, it just caused tensions.  So I decided NOT that I wouldn't care anymore (because I DO and DID care), I just wouldn't fret about it.

Have you checked your attitude?  Are you willing to test out the Decluttering Theory?

Bye!  Love you!  Have a good day, Dear!

PS.  Puppy update:  As much as I would love, love, love to get another baby, I think that we're going to stick with the three that we have.  Now I just have to figure out another present that I want... hmmmmm....

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Catching Up

Quite a few people have asked about how my birthday went & basic 'What's up?' type of questions. Since my brain was fried this past week with proctoring Midterms. EVERY.DANG.DAY. I thought I'd try & catch you up on the happenings around here. First - Christmas was wonderful. We have our 'family' Christmas & then have a Christmas Brunch here for extended family, then another session of opening presents. We had invited 9 people and 4 showed up. Which is ok, just wish that the others had said they weren't coming as we cooked a lot. We did the ham & egg casserole in the crockpot this year. It wasn't too bad - a little dry. Had all the usual - breakfast sausage, french toast, bagels, homefries. The biggest surprise of the day was when we asked Bigfoot what he had gotten his fiance, Bigfootette, for Christmas & she turned to us & said 'A baby.'.... I felt the blood rush out of my arms & my mother gave a surprised 'Oh!'. Then they fell back on the couch & laughed hysterically saying 'Ha, just kidding!' I called her a 'shithead' & threw a box at her. Rotten children... I think she'll fit in this family nicely.

Then January came & my big 5-0 birthday on the 8th. When I was growing up my mom always fixed our favorite meal on our birthdays. We've continued that tradition in our family. And my mom has continued that tradition with us kids, even though we're older. So, my favorite birthday meal is Codfish & Gravy over mashed potatoes. I know, I know some of you are gagging right now (kinda like the rest of my family - they don't like liver either... oh & I have the BEST recipe for that). Anyhoot, I had called my mother about something & she says "So what are you doing on Sunday?" And before I could answer she went into this big long sch-peal about how she-hoped-King-Turd-hadn't-planned-anything-because-she-was-bringing-up-dinner-my-favorite-and-she-was-inviting-Bigfoot-and-Bigfootette-and-what-time-did-I-want-dinner-she-already-had-the-menu-planned...... Ok, so have you taken a breath yet? 'Cause she didn't... and I was doin' like my mama taught me & being polite & all & waiting until she finished to tell her I really didn't want Codfish & Gravy this year when..... and-we-are-having-meatloaf-mashed-potatoes-corn-squash-lima-beans-codfish-and-gravy-angel-food-cake-strawberries-and-whipped-cream-oh-and-i-have-already-bought-the-codfish.... *insert trumpet going 'Wah, wah, wah*. So, being the good daughter I said 'Gee, Mom, that sounds great! Thank you!' *Ahem* So next year I am planning ahead. I will inform her waaaay beforehand that I DON'T want Codfish & Gravy for my birthday dinner.

I'm still trying to decide what I want for my birthday present from King Turd. I'm seriously thinking of adopting another Chihuahua (pronounced 'Chi-hoo-a-hoo-a' at our house) from Willy's original foster mom. But that would make 4 dogs. FOUR! Of course do chihuahuas only count for 1/2 a dog? Then we would only have 3. But look at this baby...


Isn't she sweet? She's a long-haired chihuahua/dachshund mix. Oh, I don't know. I'm flip-flopping. But, she's so darn cute! We need another dog like we need a hole in the head.

This past week has been Midterm Week. We've had testing from 8:30 - 11:20 EVERY DAY. Then of course since the kids have basically been in 'lock-down' they are nuts in the afternoon. It wiped my brain out. The Lego King was freaking because it was the first time he had ever had to take Midterms. And almost every night he was saying 'What if I don't pass? What if I fail? I don't want to go to summer school!' My reply was: 'You won't fail, you'll be fine. Your grades are good! You're on the Honor Roll! If you screw-off for the rest of the year & do nothing you will fail. I know you won't do that. So calm down!!' Five sleepless nights later. Whew!

We're heading out to look at new cell phones today. My plan and that of the Princess will be up within the next week and King Turd wants us to pick the phones we want so he can order them online (cheaper).

I've been experiencing vertigo because my back is out of whack. It's better today. I'll be heading to the chiropractor tomorrow. Thank goodness it's not that Positional Vertigo that I had a few years back! That made me fall over & throw up! This just makes me tippy. So that's one of the reasons why you've just read a crappy post.

And that's what's been happening in 'our neck of the woods'. What's been up with you?

Bye! Love you! Have a good day, Dear!

PS:  While at the Mall I purchased a new Phiten band necklace - just this past week I had let the Lego King borrow mine and he lost it someplace.... *sigh* .... These necklaces have been the only thing (other than a chiro adjustment) that has helped with my vertigo.... King Turd thinks its psychosomatic... could be, but I know I feel better.... yeah! 

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Tucked In

I suppose it's about time, I mean, we do live in Central/Western New York. Yesterday was really our first snow storm of the winter. We didn't get much accumulation in our area, just bitter cold & blowing snow. Willy.Hates.Snow. We have to dress him up in his little boots & put on his coat, otherwise he cries & cries & cries & won't go potty. Jack & Jill race around like goofs - Jilly running so fast she wipes out on her side, gets up with a silly grin on her face & keeps going.

When we got home from school on Friday, we brought in a ton of wood pellets. There was a lull in the storm, so it wasn't bad. I was originally hoping that Bigfoot would come over early on my Birthday & help bring them in... that didn't happen. So now we have heat for another month or more. *sigh of contentment* Other than that not much going on this weekend, I've decided to stay 'tucked in'. I'm not planning on going anywhere.

Perhaps a little bit of organizing is on the agenda? Maybe a little Wii Zumba? A movie-fest? Between Christmas & my Birthday I got 3 new movies (2 got donated this past summer because they were VHS tapes); Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth, Heidi with Shirley Temple and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

In the meantime, enjoy a short clip of Willy in the snow:



Are you staying 'tucked in' or are you venturing out like Willy?

Bye! Love you! Have a good day, Dear!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Trouble Is My Middle Name


Yep, that's right, I've always been told 'Trouble' is my middle name.  At least, by most of my friends.  My given middle name is Ann - which means 'grace'.  My mother calls me 'Gracie'.  I've always been able to walk a straight floor & fall flat on my face.  "Yep, there goes 'Gracie'!  As for trouble?

My friends think I have a somewhat delinquent personality.  Like when I took a shortcut along the sidewalk at college.  Oh, did I fail to mention I was driving my car at the time?  Or the other time we (my BFF, Kathy & I) made a snowman & brought him inside our dorm for a couple of  upper classmen  friends.  They didn't quite see the humor in having a 3' snowman outside their door, so they told us to get rid of him.  So we sat him on the toilet.  It took about a week or more of flushing to get rid of him.


Snowman

 I will be having a birthday in a few days.  My cousin, who is 1 month and 6 days younger than I am teases me all the time about being OLDER.  Her middle name is also Ann,  but HER middle name DOES mean 'Trouble'.  Today I got a few birthday presents from her 'cause she thinks she's all funny 'n stuff.



Nifty at 50

As you can see I will be the Big 5-0!!  It doesn't seem like it.  I don't feel like it.  I certainly don't ACT like it.  But it's true.  I've heard that people have a hard time turning 40... or 50.... or 60 or whatever... Mine?  It was when I turned 30.  I was about 27 or 28 and I can remember a friend of mine had just turned 36 and I thought 'Wow, that seems so old!'  For some reason 30 hit me quite hard.  Now... HA, who cares?  I certainly don't.  

I have the best life.  The best family.  I am so happy with where I'm at with my life right now.  I want for nothing, my husband spoils me like crazy.  I love my job.  I have amazing kids.  I'm expecting great things for the next 50 years.  Everything is going to be going so well, I have to create a little bit of trouble now & then to keep things interesting.

From now on this will be my mantra:   

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'WOW What a Ride!'"
   
How's your ride going, Trouble?

Bye!  Love you!  Have a good day, Dear! 

PS:  I had such fun with the last 'Blog Hop' that I'm linking up again!

 
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