52 Weeks and I am channeling Laura

I can’t believe it.  I am on topic again!!  I think Laura from www.orgjunkie.com has some sort of mental telepathy going with me….  Well I had the “welcome to middle age exam” (otherwise known as a colonoscopy) this week.  So Tuesday prep day (otherwise known as I will never eat orange jello again day) and Wednesday were out for organizing projects.  I knew I needed to do an easy project quick!

Well you know where you have your eating utensils, probably in some rubbermaid type organizing thing?  If yours is as old as mine it is even in avocado green!   Have you ever noticed how little bits of stuff fall into the nooks and crannies until you are totally grossed out and wonder how in the world are you eating with those forks and spoons?? 

Well I finally used the PROCESS and got them all cleaned out.  I dumped everything on the drainboards:

Then I threw the organizing containers in the dishwasher.   Luckily it was full and needed to be ran:

Then I rearranged everything back into the drawer:

I ended up getting rid of this stuff….well not getting rid of it, but putting it in a plastic shoebox and sticking it out in the garage:

I have another drawer where our cooking utensils are next to the stove and a container next to the stove where the most used things stand up.  I did not take a picture of those, but they are looking pretty good.

I spent most of my time this week working on a quilt for a great-niece and great-nephew.  I will post pictures when they are done. 

I also decluttered a lot of weeds from my yard…does that count??

Check out everyone’s posts to get inspiration for your own projects to whip your life into shape!  It’s really working!!

Also since all I talk about is my granddaughter, I thought I would post a picture of my oldest daughter and my husband (they are the two in the middle) at a recent San Jose Sharks game.  We live about 7 hours north of San Jose.  My daughter lives in Reno.  They had a great time even though the Sharks lost….badly…..

She is single if anyone has any single 30 something year old available good man in mind for her!  She is an ultrasound tech in Reno, Nevada, but is probably moving to the South where my youngest lives and my middle daughter is moving in less than a month!  Please submit resumes and pictures to me!   HAHA!

What do you think it means that all 3 of my daughters are moving about as far away from Northern California as you can get and still be in the continental US???

Ooops forgot the questions!:

1. Have you got a drawer that needs a little organizing?  Will you tackle it this week or something else?  I have lots more drawers that could use some help!
2.  Was last week an organizing success for you?  Yes, a small success.
3.  Has the habit of just doing one thing at a time helping to keep you from feeling overwhelmed?  Totally!  I can’t believe I am sticking this out.  I am terrible at follow-through generally, but vowed this year would be different.  So far it is working and I am very happy!

52 Weeks…not a good one.

Okay it’s official, I get nothing done when I have an appointment.  I know it is mental.  The appointment only takes a few hours out of a day, but I can’t seem to start anything or accomplish anything on those days.  Unfortunately this week I had an MRI one day, started a new pain group on another day and had both a recheck with my rheumatologist and an appointment with my physical therapist who made my shoe inserts!  So okay I admit it I didn’t get anything new done this week.  I had a feeling this would happen so I decided to share some more cheap Kohl’s bin pictures and what I am doing with them.  If you don’t know about my great buy on bins you can review here:  https://allysgrandma.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/holy-canvas-bins-batman/

So without further ado, adu???

I think my camera is on the wrong settings, but this is our closet that had sweaters and sweatshirts falling out of these shelves.  I put the bins in to make it look nicer and I think it does (I guess I should take the price tags off).  I don’t have a before picture but you can imagine I’m sure.  Our closet has no door.  We took it off and DH built this closet himself.  I was very proud.  No one really comes in our bedroom other than family and I don’t care that the clothes are not covered, actually since it is on the north side of the house, it prevents dampness and mildew by having no door on it.  For some odd reason we have the smallest closet in the house.  Well the 4th bedroom also is this small, but the other two bedrooms have normal big closets. 

I used one large bin to put DH’s hunting clothes, hat and gloves in.  It fits on the top shelf of the closet.  

I can’t believe my post fits right in with Laura’s questions this week.

1.  Will you be tackling a closet this week?  If so, don’t forget to follow the PROCESS to make it quick and simple.
2.  Did you run into any road blocks last week?  See first paragrah.
3.  Since starting this challenge can you name one habit you’ve been able to develop that has stuck?  Keeping my drainboards cleared off for the most part! 

 Pop on over to Laura’s fabulous blog at http://orgjunkie.com/2011/04/52-weeks-15-organizing-closets.html for lots of inspiration!

 So that ends this week’s organizing feature!  I am hoping to do better next week!

52 WEEKS OF ORGANIZING

I’m diving right in, after my giddy 12 days on prednisone and a few additional pain-free days, my fibro pain is returning.  I knew it was going to at some point, so I had started evaluating Laura’s questions (  http://orgjunkie.com/2011/04/52-weeks-14-does-your-system-need-a-change.html )    about my day to day organizing and cleaning tasks.  And yes I love April Fools Jokes!

1. Have you got a system that needs some evaluation?  My entire system!
2. Pay attention to the areas that annoy you the most.  What can you tweak to make it work?  Who might you need to compromise with?  It’s just me and DH so if it is to be, its up to me.  DH works very hard at our business so I try to do as much as I can at home to make things easier on him. 
3. What was your organizing highlight from last week?  Okay this may sound really dumb, but I moved the place where I keep my coffeepot.  Now that I have gotten addicted to absolutely clean countertops I cannot stand the coffeepot left out.  Each morning after we are done with coffee I rinse out the pot, dump the grounds and put it in a cabinet.  The cabinet underneath our built-in oven.  Well it hurts each time I bend over to get it out and put it away so I realized I needed to move it to where it is easier for me to get it and put it away.  The only spot was in the middle of our cereal cabinet.  So that’s what I did.

It’s former spot:

Why yes that is a rubber salamander lying on it’s back.  It is one of thos things you throw in the freezer and then in your lunchpail to keep your food cold.   The coffee maker’s new spot:

Yeah okay, obviously I need to reorganize the cabinet….but hey at least I can shove the coffee maker up there!

This does not seem very exciting, but really it is.  We do get stuck in doing or putting things in places that are not the best and we just need to free out minds (and the rest will follow) (hey maybe I should write a song!)!  I may be moving a lot of stuff around as I really evaluate what is going to be easier for me in the long run.  Unfortunately I cannot be on prednisone the rest of my life OR I WOULD BE!!  I want to make things as easy on myself as possible so I can actually succeed in the homekeeping department.

Other highlights from this week:  Katie and Ally flew to San Diego to meet DSIL who arrived from Afghanistan on Tuesday very early a.m.  After they left, it was easy to pick up and get the guest room cleaned up using some of my new baskets, see previous post here:  https://allysgrandma.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/holy-canvas-bins-batman/

Here is how Ally’s bed looks now with her new quilt (no room in the luggage to take it home):

It’s like a mini sofa for her stuffed animals and baby dolls!  The Ikea chest of drawers has a very deep drawer where I put these:

This brought up another issue that was not working, which was stuffing all my underwear, socks and bras, slips and stockings into the first two drawers in my chest of drawers in my bedroom.  So I decided to put some of my less worn items into this almost empty Ikea chest of drawers in the guest room.  Now my other drawers are easier to shut and get stuff in and out of.  Another “think outside the box” moment for me. 

While shopping at Kohl’s I also found this cute little heart shaped candy bowl that fits right into the decor in my quilting room.

How cute is that?  $1.64 I paid for that little bowl.  Oh plus 20% off…..

DH mentioned at lunch (we usually go out on Fridays since I cannot make lunches without meat and it’s Lent) that he was thinking of running over to check on another one of our car washes (3.5 hours away).  It was all I could do not to jump up and down and say “goody, goody, goody!”.  I calmly asked what was holding him back??  Good wife that I was, I encouraged him to go, I would stay busy all weekend sewing…I tried not to act too giddy as I pointed out all the good reasons to go…..

Well he left and so this weekend I am working on two boy quilts, one for my great nephew who is turning 5 and one for an expected June baby.  Boy quilts are not that fun…sorry but they just aren’t, so I want to get them both done this weekend, so I can go back to doing fun girley things like this knitted dress for my granddaughter:

The first is for the soon to be 5-year old, the back is the dark brown (not black as it appears in this picture) minky with the main fabric the under the sea, with the coordinating fabrics:

The other fabric was picked out by the mom, dad is a game warden so the bear fabric fits that theme, with the back the lighter tan minky:

Katie and Ally will be back for another visit in 10 weeks!  Katie has a wedding to shoot and Ally has lots of things to do with grandma!!  DH and I made a list of  things we need to do around the house this summer and one thing I would like to get done before they get here is a new patio poured.    I also have a bunch of sewing to get done and more organizing of course!  I am so glad that I bought all the canvas bins, they are going to be used up quickly!!

I cannot close this week out without stating the reason I am doing all this organizing and cleaning.  I want our home to be a relaxing peaceful sanctuary for both ourselves and our children and their families.  And really, how relaxing and peaceful can you feel in the middle of a mess?    

     They are finally together again after 8 months apart.

  Ally is so happy daddy is back.

I love how Ally is smiling and then watching mommy and daddy kiss!  Thank God my SIL is home safe and sound. 

Holy Canvas Bins Batman!

After 10 wonderful days of this:

and this:

this:

and this:

and after going through this at the airport:

I really needed to indulge in some retail therapy.   I really never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever live so far from grandchildren.  I know I am luckier than a lot of women in that I have gotten to see her about every 3-4 months since she was born.  I had $30.00 Kohl’s bucks and a $10 off any $20.00 purchase, so basically $40.00 to spend.  I had given it to my daughter to buy some new shoes, but she did not find any she liked, so she remembered in the airport to give them back to me.  

So with heavy heart I drive the 15 miles to town to bury my wounded heart at the retail altar…. I walked into Kohls and immediately spotted 80% off canvas bins.  I immediately started feeling better.  I picked up a few, went onward to the clearance racks of clothes, both for Ally and myself.  Found good stuff, onward to the checkout.   I found some long sleeve shirts to put away for the fall and some Christmastime shirts for Ally for $1.20!

I thought 26 canvas bins was plenty and out I went after saving $666.70 and paying $152.64 for the bins and 16 items of clothing.  Pretty good shopping!

As I wheeled out to my Camry, I started thinking….did I get enough…what if I needed more and have to look back at this great price…what if I regret not getting more, after all my entire home needs to be organized…..I’m going back in…..

I went back to the display that obviously other people had noticed by then as there were an assortment of about 15 baskets left.  I took a few more and put them on the checkout area, waiting for the person in front of me to be finished with their transaction, I kept eyeing the display….mmmmmm…..Nope couldn’t stand it, I went over and cleaned out the rack.  Do you think I have a problem???

I have already started this project since today is Monday, Master Bedroom/Bath Day:

I have also  used a bin to get all the sippee cups out of my cupboards and into the garage shelves until Ally is back for another visit.   I figure I will keep more than a few empty for those times I need to clean quickly and can scoop a bunch into a bin and hide it!  I know I have committed an organizing sin in buying before knowing what I am doing with them, but if you could see my house and how disorganized it is, you would forgive me….hehe.

52 Weeks-They’re Gone! Quick…Organize Something!!

I think I am going to quit the challenge.  It is not helping, I see no results, it is making my life more stressful, the other participants are uninspiring……APRIL FOOLS!!!

Busy happy fun week.  My daughter left last Friday for 4 days so I took care of Ally.  I will say once again you moms out there.  Just to keep the kids clean and fed takes a lot of time, much less the house, the husband/partner and yourself!!  Parenting young children is definitely not an easy task.  So start out by giving yourselves all a pat on the back just for that.   I spent a lot of time playing and observing play and just enjoying a happy granddaughter and my little neighbor.

Anyhoo that kept me hopping.  I have to admit I am going to miss Dancey Dance time….So no big project done this week, just trying to maintain….

Yesterday I woke up with tummy upset and did not feel like going to town to visit various members of DSIL’s family with daughter and granddaughter and as soon as they left, the first thought in my mind was the above.  I was busy from the minute they left until the minute I left for my weekly pain management group, grabbing a water, my notebook and the book we are reading in group…Managing Pain Before It Manages You.

While I did not organize something new, I did manage to put away my new freshly rinsed and dried brand new Vera Wang Bath Towels.  I went to Kohl’s on Wednesday armed with a $10.00 off any $20.00 purchase and my 20% of purchases coupon.  The towels were already 1/2 off so I got a great deal.  I decided to start buying all white towels when Mervyn’s closed (Kohl’s is there now) because I like being able to put a little bleach in them once in a while and it is just easier than trying to be matchy match.  Besides the fact I did not really get a decorating gene along with no organizing gene…..man my gene pool was lacking….

Your questions of the week:

1. How far back does your magazine backlog go?  I only subscribe to 2, Martha Stewart (what a waste), I wanted the tote bag and thought “oh I’m a stay at home wife, maybe I will turn into Martha Stewart “(except for the insider trading) and Money (again what a waste).   Magazine articles are just recycled through the years…I’m old enough to not get much new out of them.
2. Will you be able to part with some of them?  Just started reading the latest Money last night.  I have no trouble getting rid of mags.  I never buy them anymore and will not resubscribe to Martha, I may to Money…depends on how cheap they want to offer me.
3. What area(s) are on your list for next week?  Going to San Diego to meet DSIL who is arriving home from his deployment in Afghanistan…..hoping to stop at Ikea in Sacramento on my way home!!!  Am spending every last minute enjoying my granddaughter and daughter and basking in the happiness a reunion will bring.  PS He has no idea they are meeting him in San Diego…he thinks they are waiting at home in South Carolina!!
4. For fun…do you do your laundry folding standing up at a table or sitting down?  In front of the TV babyyy, thown on my bed….I check the news out usually and I cannot imagine just standing folding laundry either, though sometimes I do it at the dining room table while listening to talk radio if it is around dinnertime.   I could do an entire essay on how DVR changed my life! 

We leave Saturday for the 13 hour drive to San Diego…I only have a few days of prednisone left (I did get to sleep last night pretty good) and I certainly hope the effects on my pain last through next week.  I will send SIL, daughter and granddaughter off from there to fly home to South Carolina and my middle daughter and I will drive back to Sacramento, where I will drop her at her car (to head home to Reno) and I will drive on up and over to Humboldt County to home.  I am hoping to hit a few quilt shops along the way along with the stop at Ikea.  Aren’t Garmin’s neat??

I will be rejoining for week 14 and hope to come back with renewed energy for this year long process to finally once and for all organize my home!

So if you need some great ideas to get something done, reduce your stress level and make life a little easier, head over to the 52 week challenge at www.orgjunkie.com.  I continue to be inspired and get ideas from all participants who I again, say GREAT JOB EVERYBODY!!

52 Weeks of Organizing-Week #10 for me!!

I have the blahs, man o man do I have the blahs.  I just want to sleep.  It started Friday, I slept most of Saturday and continued today, though I have managed to stay awake AND post this.

I had a big project this week.  My youngest daughter and granddaughter lived with us from July or so of 2010 until January 13, 2011.  My SIL has been serving in Afghanistan and the girls lived with us for a lot of the time (SIL should be leaving Afghanistan soon). 

So YD’s bedroom became a throw everything in it kind of room and was a disaster.  I knew I really needed to get it cleaned up for another visit or maybe other visitors??

So here are the before pictures, from the doorway:

Notice the floor??? And my sweet Landon thinks this is his bed now.

Cricut YD got for Christmas from the in-laws, bridesmaid dress on the chest of drawers… all furniture from Ikea in the Bay Area.

Except the toddler bed from Walmart.

After a lot of sorting of toys and cleaning and getting rid of stuff, I have this:

and this:

It took DH over 2 weeks to paint this room in the evenings after work.  He worked it out on paper first, then numbered te squares taping them off.  This was my YD’s birthday present when she turned 17, I told her we would redo her room.  I never dreamed she would find this idea in a magazine and want it done.  But anything for our spoiled youngest daughter….

Anyway I did a little bit every day this last week.  The queen bedding is in the washer/dryer and I will finish the room up tomorrow.  In the meatime, it is looking pretty good:

Ally’s toddler bed with the little quilt I made for her.  Ikea cabinet at the end of the bed:

Yes that is a Children’s Bible next on the top shelf next to a porcelain tea party set.  I have already reviewed the pictures to make sure they do not traumatize my granddaughter……never mind, secret joke…..

 Ally loves Mr. Potato Head.  I am putting it up high so she hopefully will not notice it on her next visit, I could just hide it in the closet, where I am putting that other stuff from the floor.

And lastly, poor Landon, this is his last night on the bed…..he has to sleep in the man cave on a blanket.  I know he is going to miss the cozy red velveteen type bedspread that shows his white hair so well.

Whew, bedding is in the dryer now.  All  have to do is remake the bed and it is done.  The rumba did it’s thing under the beds and around the room today, after DH vacuumed as much as he could.  You could definitely tell that Landon spent a lot of time in that room.  I think there was probably enough dog hair to weave a small sweater!

Go check out more exciting before and after pics at www.orgjunkie.com !

Tsunami Watch-52 Weeks of Organizing

While I wait for the tsunami to hit the North Coast, I figured I might as well use my time wisely and get this week’s organizing post done.  First of all, we should keep all the people in our prayers and the families from the earthquake that hit Japan last night.  Apparently I was snoring so DH got out of bed and was watching TV when it hit the airwaves.  He immediately came back and woke me up to tell me.  Living in earthquake country, earthquakes are pretty important to us.   That is why we keep bottled water and food at all times, just in case. 

Seriously, our town of McKinleyville sits on a cliff, so I am not worried.  However, my husband’s business is closer to the bay in Eureka.  He called and said all the businesses were closed around him.   He also had an young employee call and say he was leaving town.  A bit of an overreaction I think.  However, back in 1964 when the big one hit Crescent City, my uncle Gene (who worked for the government in an unknown exactly what he did type of position) missed getting dragged out by one city block.  So we do take our natural disasters seriously here in Northern Coastal California.

Well after all that happy talk onto this weeks issues:

1. What are your hot spot landing zones?  See picture!
2. Think about ways you can tackle these flat surface areas to manage the stuff that continues to pile there:  Maintain, maintain, maintain!
3. What are you most proud of so far in your 52 weeks journey?  That I am actually sticking with it.  I have bad startitis and not finishitis.  But then I have no job now, so this is my job!

I have several areas of ongoing decluttering and organizing going on.  Here is one before and after shot.  I picked up this brown shelf at a local kids store that was closing.  I did not know what I was going to do with it, but for $3.00 I figured I would find someplace to put it.  My first thought was organizing scrapbook supplies, but I don’t scrapbook…..yet!  I have an entire rubbermaid container of stuff leftover from YD’s scrapbooking days.  Unfortunately it turned into shoving any and all paper that comes into the house….well okay not all of it.

Before:

After:

That was easy!  All I did was dump all papers into here:

Where does all the paper in my house come from?  I don’t have children living here, going to school, etc.  It is just mail!  So I have a nice big project to do while watching a Lifetime movie…oh goody!

Several years ago DH made this little hook thingee for my office.  It gets pretty messy, so I cleaned it up a bit from this:

To this:

The bags from the left hold:  Upcoming knitting projects, current knitting project, plain bag is my “shopping bag, which holds this week’s current ads, a college ruled notebook, my coupon file folder and a pen and scissors, the far right holds my library books.

Another area I tackled this week was a shelf in my garage that has stock up items from the holidays.  Why did I buy so many chocolate chips? 

I found these plastic stacking containers in my office that had a bunch of old computer crap in them.  I threw some stuff away, put some stuff in other containers and was able to use them for the choco chips and sugar:

Aah much better.

After cleaning my landing pad in full disclosure, this morning it looks like this:

Hey in all fairness I was gone all last weekend to a family funeral so I did not maintain like I am planning.  Yes that is a smoke alarm sitting there.  We had a security system installed with a new fire alarm hooked up to the system, so we now have an extra…I wonder if my mother needs one?

I finally got my granddaughter’s quilt out to finish and was not happy to find the backing material, (minky polka dot) it not quite wide enough, so I am going to hack off a row on the quilt so I can get that finished up for her:

I will be sewing on my newly cleaned off sewing table with my new machine that is keeping my old Bernina company:

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You may remember the before shot a few posts ago, if not no need to remind you of how bad it was!  The shelf is up to the right of the table with the cute red accessories. 

Looking foward to seeing what everyone else did this week over at www.orgjunkie.com.  I am sitting listening to the local radio who is checking in with people reporting on the bay and tide, etc.  Stay safe everyone!

52 Weeks-March 4, 2011

Today is my older sister’s 55th birthday.  Eek!  I am right behind her in another 2.5 years.  At this point, both of us are stay-at-home wives and enjoying it.  Talking about the work I have been doing in my sewing room has inspired her to also convert a bedroom in their home to her craft room (she mostly knits).  I sewed all week as I had two quilts I needed to get done.  Here is one:

As usual I took a pattern and modified it.  This is my first quilt using Amy Butler fabric.  It is a little wild for me, but the soon-to-be first time mom loved it!  I am in the middle of sewing the binding on the second quilt and will post that picture later.  Since I spent so much time sewing I did not complete a new task, but worked in a couple of areas that needed it. 

Here is a before picture of my office/sewing room:

This is the view directly in front of the doorway…to the right you see a blank wall.  Here is what it looks like now:

 The boxes and magazine holders are from Ikea.  I retrieved them from YD’s bedroom after she left home.  They have been in my sewing room, but in different spots.  The baskets and polka dot jars came from the Dollar Store.  I am so pleased with how this turned out.  DH put the initial hardware and first two shelves up.  I bought the shelves at Michael’s from their scrapbooking line of organizing products.  After getting them in, we realized there was room for more, so I went back to Michael’s and they were still on sale for $9.99.  I went to Ace Hardware that is literally 1/2 a mile from my home and brought home the wrong brace things for the shelves.  The second time I pulled one out and took it down to match!  I then put them in and put up the shelves myself. 

You are probably thinking….so… how hard is that…but it is the first time I did something like that myself.  My sweete husband is a former home builder who basically won’t let me do anything that involves any kind of male type project.  But I am so inspired by so many blogs of women doing things, I decided what the heck, I will do it myself!  I am going to try to paint my kitchen cabinets at some point this year too!

This week’s questions to ponder:
1.  Do you know what your “good enough” is?  No since I have been living in chaosville for the last 30 years!
2.  What did you organize this week?  A cupboard in my garage/pantry area, worked on my laundry/shame area, and sewed a lot!
3.  Are there areas you are struggling with in this challenge?  I mainly struggle due to my physical limitations, which means I cannot start a job and work until it is finished.  So I have lots of small areas I work on, but am confident I will complete them all in the remaining weeks of the year, even with travel and other issues that will sidetrack me.

Yesterday I received this from my well loved UPS man:

Earlier in the week I received this:

I will be combining with more from the same line, Bliss from Moda, to make my YD a quilt, hopefully done in time for her 5th wedding anniversary, July 4th.  I have a few others to complete in the meantime…..

My kitchen and dining room are still clean, though my husband found a box of old patterns that are sitting on the dining room table.  I need to find a spot in my sewing room for that. 

So I continue to work on several areas of the house, but overall I am very happy with the progress I am making.  Thanks to Laura and everyone here who help keep me motivated.

52 Weeks…..I’m actually following through!

My life is changing, I actually can feel it.  Of course after 35 years of working outside the home, and finally having the privilege….yes privilege to be a homekeeper, is definitely helping.  I have TIME and I get to choose how to use it each and every day.  It is wonderful.  Not that I am glad I have been diagnosed with a chronic pain disease, but I have learned (or am learning) to pace myself, exercise and take care of myself.  I am quite the homebody.  Thank you Laura from www.orgjunkie.com for continuing to help me through this major life shift!

This week’s Questions to Ponder:
1.  Do find cluttered surfaces make you a little crazy?   They are starting to!
2.  Are you managing to stay on top of your 52 weeks list? What list, I am not that organized!
3.  Are you being motivated by your successes yet? Definitely….see below!

This week I continued clearing surfaces.  After last week’s success with the dining room and continuing it this week:

 I immediately started on the kitchen.  Why do I continually have crap on my drainboards?  Habit I would imagine.  Time to start a new habit and boy did I!!  I cleaned everything off, evening cleaning off the microwave that normally has a bunch of crap on it.  Yes those are soapsuds in the sink, I just finished cleaning up after making breakfast and lunch for DH this morning.

I even put my WW stuff in a drawer and moved all the packets and stuff from that drawer into a nice little dollar store basket.  I know, I know, we should not buy before we know what we are organizing, but I think a few small baskets to have ready for this kind of little project is nice, especially since I hate leaving home!

I also prepurchased this cute little wire basket also from the Dollar Store:

I think DH is really liking the new organized me…(haha that’s an oxymoron).   Last night when I got home from my weekly pain group he had beef stroganoff simmering on the stove and nary a dirty dish in site. 

Now my husband did all the cooking and grocery shopping from our 3rd year of marriage (when I went back to work full-time with 2 toddlers) up until when I quit work last August.  I was his scullery maid…. for 30 years!  We had quite the dance down, he would open a can and dump contents, I would rip off label, rinse out and toss in recycling, he would chop vegetables, I would grab the knife and throw it in the soapy water…..then he would start looking for it because he was not done with it…..

So to come home to spotless counters AND dinner simmering was quite the change for him too.  Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?? These two old dogs are doing pretty well I think!

Visiting each and every entry every single week of this challenge is really helping me with new ideas and staying excited about the progress we are all making.   Thank you everyone!