2014: Making our house a HOME

Usually I'm very organized but it seems the past few years I've gotten...lazy, er, let's call it "less than organized."  I could never begin to recall the countless hours we spend searching for "missing" items in this house. It seems nothing ever gets put in the same place twice. Some of that is thanks to a 1 1/2 year old who likes to relocate everything he can get his hands on. Some of it is due to the fact that even though we've lived in our house for a year and a half we still haven't properly unpacked.

We all know that one person whose house always looks clean and tidy despite the fact they have 4 children running around? I always wonder how the fuck do they do it? I mean really.

That is not my house. We're the polar opposite. 2014 is the year that is going to change it. It may take all year but damn it my house is getting organized!

With a 13 year old, 9 year old, 6 year old, and 1 1/2 year old in the house, our house will never be magazine worthy but by the end of the year (hopefully sooner) I'd like to have our house completely organized, cleaned. Then maybe I can regain some time that would normally be spent searching for things.

 Here's how I plan to get it done.

Step 1: Making the binders: I'm making these cute little accountability binders I found on Pinterest by 30 Handmade Days (see original post here) This will help me and the kids keep track of what we are supposed to do everyday.
Step 2: Hallway!
Step 3: Laundry Room!
Step 4: Bathrooms!
Step 5: Closets!
Step 6: Girl's Bedroom!
Step 7: Boy's Bedroom!
Step 8: Master Bedroom!
Step 9: Dining Room!
Step 10: Living Room!
Step 11: Great Room!
Step 12: Kitchen!
Step 13: Office!
Step 14: Basement!


That should keep me busy this year. Check in to see my progress or give me a little kick in the butt if I start slacking!!

Rachel

Time

"Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time is to master your life and make the most of it"

 ~ ALAN LAKEIN

How many times in your life have you asked yourself  "where has the time gone?" Time does not slow because you have a long list of things you want to do. Time does not slow because you wish your children to stay young. Time does not slow because you are aging or because you want to remain on vacation just a little longer. Time does not slow.

How many times in your life have you asked "Oh could you just hurry up?" Time does not speed up because you are anxious about something, or because you are ready. Time does not speed up because you wish to get through your pain quicker. Time does not speed up because you want summer to arrive sooner. Time does not speed up.

There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 52 weeks in a year. This does not change.

Time is more valuable than money. Most people are very cautious of how they choose to spend their money because they only make a certain amount of it. If you didn't have a disposable income you would calculate carefully how each cent was spent, right? But why not also carefully choose how each second of your time is spent as you are only given a certain amount of it. 

There has been many moments in my life recently when I've stopped and thought "is this a waste of my time?" And the answer I am still searching for. Hence the reason I am writing this. If a person wanted to budget their money the first thing they would do is write down what they spend money on. The same would be true if you wanted to figure out where your time goes. Sit down and log everything you spend time on in one day or one week. 

Just as with money I bet you'll be surprised with the amount you may waste. What is wasted time? Time spent doing things that aren't contributing to your success, wellness and happiness.

What is good use of your time? Time spent with the right people, as in people you enjoy being around, lift your mood and make you feel genuinely happier. Time spent enjoying life or being productive.

Necessary spent time is the time you spend on necessary tasks. Just as you must spend necessary money on rent, utilities, food, etc. you must also spend necessary time on tasks such as work, sleep, cooking, cleaning, etc. But that doesn't mean you can't or won't enjoy doing these tasks just that in my opinion they are necessary activities in which we need to spend our time.

In my opinion if you've gotten to the point of questioning whether something is a waste of your time then it probably is. I'm not saying that spending your evening watching television is time wasted if that is what truly makes you happy. But if you find yourself, like me wondering why time seems to slip by quickly some days and other days time drags on and on then you might want to identify where your precious time is being spent. 

Like that movie, In Time where everything they did cost time instead of money. In real life you don't have to buy groceries with your time but you do have to spend a certain about of time grocery shopping. In that movie they could buy, sell and trade time however in real life this is not an option. You are given 1,440 minutes everyday, how are you going to spend them?

The day that changed my life

It may sound strange that a home pregnancy test may have had the biggest impact in my life. But, the day that  a little white stick soaked in my urine determined my fate was one I will never forget. Ever.

Whether you are trying to get pregnant or taken by surprise those 3 minutes waiting for a yes or no are the longest 3 minutes of your life (until the delivery that is) 

I was 17 years old, I had missed two, ok three periods (I'm still a little in denial about how long I actually waited) before I nervously took myself down to the store to purchase a few of those little life changers. One is never enough. I think I had three of them. I planned to take one that night and one the next night and then the next night.

After very carefully reading every detail of the directions, shaking and terrified I took out the test. I peed. I waited the excruciating 3 minutes only to find...

What the fuck? Positive.

This can't be. This really can't be. I mean I know I've missed a few periods and I've been throwing up every damn day. But, I can not be pregnant.

Ok, I'll take another test. I reread the directions. I must have messed it up somehow. I peed. I waited another even more excruciating 3 minutes. Again, what the fuck? Positive.

I'm starting to think I might be pregnant. But I better take that 3rd test just to be sure. Once more I peed, I waited and you guessed it I got another positive.

And that was the day I become a statistic. A teenage pregnancy, before it was cool, thanks MTV.

But. It was also the day my life changed forever. Instantly loving the little human growing in my belly. It was the moment I became a MOM.

I don't encourage teenage pregnancy but I wouldn't change having my lovely daughter for anything in the world.