Top 10 WAYS TO BEAT BOREDOM

I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom ~Thomas Carlyle
So my blogher friend Connie Weiss of The Young and Relentless has inspired me to blog my TOP 10 WAYS TO BEAT BOREDOM!



Reading her recent blog really got me thinking about the CRAZY things I have done to stave off boredom...which in my case translates to how to avoid cleaning the house....So here goes..

10. Talk hubby into organizing the garage! Gets the focus off the house


9. Rearrange the living room (code for move everything in the family room to the living room and everything from the living room to the family room)


8. Go Shopping really for anything!! When you are out of the house, you don’t notice what needs to be cleaned.


7. Start a new construction job around the house. Right now I am thinking about installing new flooring in my closet. How does a cedar floor sound? Researching it now to see if it's possible to do and not get splinters in my feet. Or build a playhouse for the backyard....


6. Take everything out of the pantry and move it where the dishes are and load all the dishes into the pantry. This one is not my husbands’ fav--3 years later he is still complaining. Sorry babe!


5. Elfa a closet. This is so fun. One closet left! Who notices when the house needs to be clean when your closets are sooo organized! Honestly.


4. Whip out Grady Spears A Cowboy in the Kitchen and make Stacked Pheasant Enchiladas in Salsa Verde. This recipe is an all day affair because you have two other recipes to make that are used in this recipe! But man-on-man talk about delish! You can substitute chicken for pheasant by the way.


3. Plan a road trip. We are the King and Queen of spur of the moment road trips. To my fellow Texans: Buy the Backroads of Texas Map. AWE-some! This puts cleaning house out of your mind for at least 6-8 hours


2. Can I say sand box? Because after an afternoon lounging in a sand box while two boys cover you from head to toe, along with themselves, that is sure to end in a bath for them, an early bedtime bc they are pooped and a long bath for me...what more relaxation could there be?


1. Just pack up head to the in-laws for the day and let the cleaning lady come! That is the BEST distraction of all. And seems to be the most successful.

So here's to avoiding boredom, finding time for projects and clean houses!
NOTE: All the above are true and accurate accounts of past or present incidents in our house....

Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don't let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity. ~R. I. Fitzhenry

School is cool

Well New Year means new theme. Not that I know what last year’s theme was. I don't know what last year was from any angle. A blur maybe. Berkeley started pre-school yesterday. Only 2 days a week but enough to give him something social. Bradford was a year older before he started actual pre-school but he also had a schedule full of TCU music classes, swim lessons and My Gym. Compass Pre-school gives Berk all that in one place. Because driving around for all that and Bradford to school is a bit much for me right now.


Berk has reached his mommy attachment phase lately. To the point that I actually pulled out the Baby Bjorn the other day for him to get in while I vacuumed! I had loaned out my Hotsling so he was pretty strapped in tight. So tough time for us to start school. He was sad. All my friends tell me they get better. But compared to Bradford who walked into class and never looked back and still rarely even says bye before he is in class playing, this is a major adjustment. I had Brandon pick him up early so he could nap at home which was a good move I think. We will do the same thing on Thursday then try for all day next week.

So this year I think I have decided to make The Year of Organization! So here's to trying...

The year of the PROJECT

1999 the year of the yard!

2000 the year of us!

2001 the year of the guest bath

2002 the year of the family room and stained concrete floors!

2003 the year of hard wood

2004 the year of paint indoors and out

2005 the year of the baby

2006 the year of the kitchen remodel

2007 the year of just spending money aimlessly

2008 the year of the new baby and the Master Bath!

2009 the year of chaos

And now for 2010? The year of change! Ditching the red walls in the family room, no more Green Hall, leaving the Bermuda for St Augustine, new lighting and the list goes on...
Personally, this is the year for me to tip-toe out of my shell. Who am I kidding? More like tear the door open and race down the street. I am making more time for each of my boys ONE-ON-ONE, making girlfriend time a higher priority than the past few years and I WILL STRIVE TO COMPLETE WHAT I STARTED IN 2009!

Motherhood has truly taken more time than I anticipated. In my easy-breezy, pre-children style thinking; motherhood would be one more thing that fit right into all my "To-Do's". I did not expect that this girl who historically had time for everyone could ever hit overload. And when I did my girlfriend time was the first to go. I figured they all knew I loved them and they understood life takes more time than someone put on a TIMEX. (or Omega or...)

So here I am doing the dance of balance and back-burnering something else. (Watching my 4 year old vacuum with the little hand vac and having a ball doing it!) But girlfriends here we come. Watch out 2010!

Make no mistake, I always make time for my baby sisters!

 

Merry Merry

Hey Mr Grinch, You are not stealing my Christmas!  Scream!!!!! "Iiiieeeyyyyaaa!!!" So much fun we can't even contain ourselves.  This time of year is one of my favorites.  On equal playing field are Valentines and my birthday, oh and the boys birthdays too.  The lights, the decorations, Christmas Eve candle light service, the thrill of thinking about someone and what would make them happy, put a smile on their face, buying or making that special something, the sound of tons of paper tearing, crumbling...I LOVE it!  All of it! I am the kid in the candy store this time of year. Bradford asked me the other day why the Grinch tried to steal Christmas.  My answer: because he was sad and lonely and did not understand how much joy Christmas time can bring.  He answered with "He had his dog so why was he still lonely?"  This was a great opportunity for me to explain to him compassion, love and the power of giving.  At this age children are so excited to learn and soak in everything we have to offer. I hope my kids soak up all that the Christmas Season means and how special it is to GIVE of ourselves to others!  Even to the Grinches out there--You know who you are and we still love ya!

Kudos to you BLOGhers that find time for your blogs during the holidays.  Since Thanksgiving I have been lagging.  But here is a survey I got from Confessions of a Working Mother aka My Hero!  My answers are in what else but RED!!  Tell me yours!

1. Does Santa wrap the presents he leaves at your house?
NO!  Santa does not wrap!  Mommy wraps and Santa displays very nicely! 

2. When is your "big" Christmas celebration...Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Tell us about it...
Eve is family time just us!  We hang out together, cook, go to Christmas Eve service, drive by and look at lights then go home and read the story of Baby Jesus. Brandon and I always did this even before kids.  But Christmas day is all about the Presents!! 
3. Are you big on keeping tradition every year?
Our Christmas Eve routine is our tradition!  That is about it.  Everything seems to change some each year. 

4. Do colored lights or white lights tickle your fancy?
SO WHITE!!  Except for this baby tree I let my 4 year make the call on and how about it, I have colored lights for the first time in my adult life.  But they are growing on me! 

5. Do you decorate outside your house for Christmas?
We used to.  But we haven't lately.  I think my hubby is holding out for me to hire someone to do that!  Maybe next year.  Our son was pretty disappointed we did not have a blow up manger scene! 

To catch a run-away

I used to love the drive to Waco. It meant a chance to get away. Ever since the summer I moved there to get away--maybe more like run away. That was where I could always go and leave the stress and heartbreak of my life behind.


These past three years have been me running away again. Dreading that drive to Waco or anywhere south. Avoiding it when possible, until yesterday...

Just within view of the Lacy Lakeview exit I start to feel it. Each time it surprises because I have spent so much time convincing myself I have dealt with it and it won’t get me this time...So here we go again....This time is different. The tears have not come yet. So far it is just the lump. I decide to think about the fun times at the lake when we were little instead of what Meyers Exit means.

By the time I hit the exit for George's I actually have a smile on my face. The Circle where the Elite Cafe was and that Mexican food place to the right.

By New Road I am full of cheerful, fun memories of all the joy that Waco was for me before Jodi died.

The damn broke as I caught glimpse of the Hewitt exit. But this time was different. Tears of relief were replacing the old tears of grief! What a refreshing feeling to understand finally what it feels like to deal with loss, to move on, to celebrate life instead of mourn loss.

This grainy photo is the last picture taken of Jodi. She was in the background reaching for the bouquet at my baby sister's wedding 5 days before she died. The last day our whole family saw her. So while it is out of focus, it is beautiful to me.

The world will be as One

Imagine.  Give Peace a chance!  I think the Beatles said it best.  Sometimes the holiday season gives us stress, anxiety and all around bad moods wrapped in shiny paper with a beautiful bow on top.  Anyone out there know what I mean?  Well this year is a new year.  So let's try a NEW concept.  Be the peacekeeper and make it your daily choice to find the joy in this whole season.  Make it your Advent Calendar plan this year.  Each day you move closer to Christmas, focus on one thing that brings you joy.    They say it only takes 21 days of doing the exact same thing to create a habit.  So Christmas morning you should have this one down pat!  "Oh Let's Stick to it!  Ev'rybody's talking about it!"  That makes your New Year all the more Joyful and Peaceful. Imagine...