Project Kitchen - Day 1

Okay, so today was the beginning of Project Kitchen - the major cleaning and reorganization of my kitchen.

Getting started: Coffee, Notebook, and my beloved List:

A sweet smelling candle for encouragement:

Empty cupboard, purge the stuff I never use, scrub it down:Cutting new shelf paper:

Ta Dum - clean new cupboard!!

Messy drawer:
Clean drawer:
This week my goal is a big cleaning project. But it's really more than cleaning. It's really about loving my family. It's giving them not just a tidy house but a home. A home that's clutter free, fun to work and play in and a place of peace - not stress. I know that in a family of our size it's not always possible to be organized and uncluttered but a real purging now and then and a good deep clean is a very positive thing. Later this week I'm quite likely to get tired and overwhelmed as this job goes on - I need to remember that it's not about getting my kitchen clean and completing a job - it's about loving my family.

Simple Woman Daybook

FOR TODAY...Monday February 16, 2009

Outside my window...Darkness as I am getting this done later than usual, although today was a beautiful sunny day - very nippy but lovely all the same.

I am thinking...about my Mom. I visited with her today on the phone. What a fun chat we had.

I am thankful for...telephones so that we can stay in touch with those we love. I often think about the families who left their loved ones and traveled West in covered wagons - how difficult to say goodbye knowing that staying in touch was practically impossible. While I am drawn to that lifestyle I'm thankful for the advantages of technology!!!

From the learning rooms...We are on Mid-Winter break. All school activities, mid-week church activities and co-op activities are cancelled for the week. Yahoo - time to do a few household projects.

From the kitchen...crockpot meals this week so I can do my kitchen projects

I am wearing...pink and grey rugby shirt and denim skirt, slippers and a baby snuggled up against me

I am creating...still working on my thread doily for the nursery lady at church. I didn't get much done last week. I'm also going to sew a new kitchen curtain this week.

I am going...to be cleaning my kitchen from top to bottom this week. Cleaning out cupboards, laying new shelf paper, scrubbing down cupboard doors and rearranging drawers. I'm going to wash knicknacks, and sew new valances and put up a new little curtain under my sink. It's the first task in my Spring cleaning plan. Since the kitchen is such a big project I'm giving myself the whole mid-winter break to do it. Spring break will probably be the rest of the house.

I am reading...a little book from the library a knitting mystery book - kinda silly but fun

I am hoping...Esther will be happy playing with her sisters and brothers lots this week so I can get lots done.

I am hearing...the kids saying their prayers with Daddy and giggling while he tucks them in - such sweet sounds

Around the house...tidied up today so I can hit the kitchen running in the morning

One of my favorite things...lists and the little "done" check marks next to them :0)

A few plans for the rest of the week: you already read that part :0)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...Some of my kitchen pretties (part of my depression glass collection) I will be shining up this week - I love it when my pretties are all sparkly clean.

For more Simple Woman Daybook entries you can go to: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Valentine's Aftermath

We had a marvelous Valentine's feast of cheese and sausage and pineapple pizza and a fun time with the little I Love You gifts!!

But for some reason Jacob became convinced that it was his birthday and he turned four!! I don't quite know how this happened but it took a great deal of persuading to make him realize he's still three and his birthday is coming in the spring. It didn't help that the big guys caught wind of this and wished him Happy Birthday. Ha Ha So Funny - guys!!! This morning he told me he's still three (thankfully :0)!!!!
All hopped up on way too much Valentine's candy and excitement Abbie decided to run full tilt into the corner wall in the hallway!!! Ouchie!!!

A Spoonful of Chocolate Chip Mint ice cream was her reward for letting Daddy put a bag of frozen cranberries on it and letting me take a picture of her owie!! We were a little late for our church function due to this little head trauma. But after recovering everyone agreed that Valentine's was a fun day.

Valentine's

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!
We are having our annual Candlelight Dinner complete with lovely flowers (Thank you sweet Husband) and romantic music.

Since getting alone is near impossible in a house filled to the top we share our romantic meal with all the kiddos. Everyone gets a simple I Love You gift from Mom and Dad and everyone who has been busily creating Valentines all week puts them on the plates.

Steak and lobster is something that just isn't appreciated by younger taste buds so we have a lovely romantic meal of pizza - Yum!! The meal is finished with decadent pink cupcakes - oh, the romance!!

All day my sweetie has been singing me sweet songs and telling me he loves me - he even left me a surprise note here on my blog for the first time (you will have to look in a previous post if you want to see it - he made me hunt for it) Then I received those glorious flowers in the mail!!! He is such a romantic!! I am going to read him a beautiful poem tonight - straight from the Bible - you can figure out which one!!

May you have a wonderful love filled day!

Shoes

The girlish facination with super cute shoes starts at a very young age!!! (They are really sweet - along with the cutie wearing them!! :0)

Tuesday Morning

We woke up to this today - cold and shivery - but pretty all the same:So we did school like this today - warm and cozy!! So very nice a fire is!! Warms your back and toasts your toes!!

Monday Morning

FOR TODAY February 9, 2009...

Outside my window...Snow on all the branches and on the ground - the sun coming out - what a surprise to wake up to!! I had no idea snow was in the forecast!!

I am thinking...about my husband's new position at his full time job - glad for the opportunity for him and praying for him while he's learning the in's and out's

I am thankful for...my healthy family!!!

From the learning rooms...a unit on the Erie Canal and finishing our amphibians

From the kitchen...chicken and homemade noodles and of course - yogurt for the week. I'm writing down the menu for the week after this :0)

I am wearing...my soft gray skirt and a fun new pink top with a zipper that I got from the thrift store on Saturday!! I'm so happy with it - it's really warm and cozy!!

I am creating...a white thread doily to give to the nursery lady at church - and some Bible verses with some scrapbooking paper for our walls for the kids (and me) to memorize

I am going...to make a list of things I want to accomplish next week during mid-winter break. I am wanting to really purge and clean my kitchen and basically doing a (early) Spring clean on it

I am reading...Anne of Green Gables (again) and another library book (a Christmas one by Thomas Kincaid - pretty good book)

I am hoping...my eye gets better quick - I got something in it yesterday and irritated the bejeebers out of it!! It's still sore this morning and I really want to just rub it badly but I know it will bug me more if I do (plus give me even more wrinkles :0)

I am hearing...kids quietly studying - the furnace running - it's cold

Around the house...Tidying up from a day of rest yesterday - Monday's are just that way - the house just gets messy on Sunday - but I do enjoy the day of rest with no guilt!!

One of my favorite things...Lady Londonderry and Cream Earl Grey tea!! The tea shop near my house closed but much to my delight I discovered it open under a new name this week so now I can buy loose leaf tea again - Ya hoo!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...I really hope to make granola this week - I haven't made it for quite a while and the kids are asking for it - stay on top of the chores this week - and get ready for our Valentine's celebration.

Here is picture thought I am sharing: I love tea and my sweet, tiny Brown Betty teapot that holds just enough tea for two :0)

For more Simple Woman Daybook entries you can go to: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings,
Christine