Say goodbye to April

I'm just amazed that tomorrow will be May! Where has this year gone? When I actually think about it, I can pretty much tell you. January was non-existent in our life, my cousin was murdered January 5, his memorial was January 12, and his murderers were arrested on January 17. February was spent celebrating Dylan and my birthday. March was Easter and into April was Spring Break. There are only 6 weeks left of school. Unbelievable! I can't believe Peyton will be 6 months tomorrow. I really have accomplished much this last month. I FINALLY found a schedule that works for me. This house is humongous and it really had taken over our lives by not being able to keep up with it.

Monday ~ Clean bedrooms (includes vacuum) and change sheets and towels. Hubby & Cameron (with the help of Dylan) work outside for 20 minutes.

Tuesday ~ Office ... this space is like the blob, it just keeps growing and takes a whole day to keep up with it. I'm also still organizing it like crazy. Wish I had taken a before picture.

Wednesday ~ Dust living room and clean kitchen (plus floors courtesy of Hubby). Trash night.

Thursday ~ Bathrooms and change towels. Try to get ALL laundry done.

Friday ~ Playroom (which is technically our formal living and dining area). Finish laundry if Thursday became overwhelming. Laundry room (courtesy of Hubby) and another 20 minutes outside for Hubby, Cameron, & Dylan.

This schedule allows us to have the weekend to ourselves and no hassle of chores. I'm even trying to figure out how I can grocery shop during the week, but I refuse to give up my grocery shopping ALONE time by taking the children with. I whole heartily believe that no matter what, Hubby has to help, otherwise the house will continue to keep it's control over us. Also, I still have a little residual stomach problem from my 3rd C-section. It twinges if I do too much pushing of the vacuum or mop. I'm seriously considering investing in a FloorMate.

Say goodbye to April and good morning to May. Before we know it, we'll have our swimsuits out, the barbecue will be working overtime, and our electric bill will bankrupt us. Have I told you how much I HATE Summer? Fall won't be here soon enough!

Organizing Junkie

I must say I have enjoyed being on Blogger. I came across a site last week that has transformed my life in as little as 7 days, if you can believe that. Laura a.k.a. I'm an Organizing Junkie has so many wonderful tips that I didn't know where to start. Baby steps is always good. I created a house schedule. We moved into this ginormous house and it seems to win every time we try to keep it clean. I have now broken it into 5 days of work (Monday-Friday) and started this Monday. So far hubby and children are amazed! If I can keep this up, the overwhelming dust bunnies should seize to exist. Secondly, I created a chore chart for the family. I realize Dylan won't be able to keep up with Cameron, but instilling the values now will only help in the long run. I have set up a payment schedule for Cameron's chores, with a deduction system for various offenses. Hubby & I will share housework, with the bulk coming to me, but 3 evenings a week, I will require some type of assistance from him, providing my schedule works. Last, I have begun organizing the office. I have said for years how much I'd love to have an office. Little did I know just how disastrous it would become. It is so easy for me to close the door and not worry about. In the last 2 days, over and above my regular daily chores, I have been purging the office and organizing it. Hubby will be completely shocked when he arrives home today. All in all I am very fulfilled in my accomplishments. Thank you Laura! You have been a glorious God send!

The next American Idol . . .

I gotta tell ya, I have GOOSEBUMPS from tonight's American Idol! This season has rocked, and I do mean that literally. I was SO disappointed when Michael Johns was voted off, I really wanted the top 3 to be David Cook, Michael Johns, and Carly Smithson. Alas, one of them is gone, but I pray the other 2 remain. Tonight was Andrew Lloyd Webber and David completely blew me away. I swear to you, if that is not the next American Idol, I do believe I will not continue to watch the show next season. He is so daring, amazingly talented, and, let's face it gals, he is WAY easy on the eyes, don't you think? I knew he was going to perform "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera. I just knew it in my gut that was the song he would choose. He showed, effortlessly, his range in voice, and a more sensitive side. I LOVED IT! I love him rocking it too, but I really do think he needed this tonight, to prove once and for all who the next American Idol will be. DAVID COOK!!!

Inchworm

Just days before Peyton hit 24 weeks she mastered rolling over both ways. We were just pleased by this, but now, she's mobile! Once she's on her tummy, she brings her knees in, butt up, and inches forward! Hence, inchworm! We still can't believe it. Before we know it we'll need to break out the gates. Once I have a picture of her in the assummed position I'll post it on here! SO CUTE!

Where does the time go?

I can't believe she is 5 months old.

Patty caking with Grandma.

She has a thing for her feet.

Sitting up during bath time.

Playing with Dylan.

Can you get your foot in your mouth?

Ta-Da! I can roll over both ways!

I can even hold my bottle!

April Fools!

NOT! All I wanted to do over Spring Break was take Dylan to the San Diego Zoo. My son, the animal extraordinaire! I was so excited, like a little kid on Christmas morning, driving to the Zoo that day. We weren’t there 2 hours when it happened. We stopped for the monkeys. Mike took Dylan out of his stroller for a closer look. There were other little people standing there with him. I just shot the best picture of him and began to shoot the monkey walking across the beam. “Where’s Dylan?” I responded, “Right here.” When I pointed, he wasn’t there. Mike instantly ran up one way. We were in a fork in the road, with 4, count them 4 different ways my 3 year old son could have gone. I thought he was in line at the eatery we were across from. When he wasn’t there and Mike came back down that hill without him I felt like I was going to vomit! Cameron screamed and began crying. I parked Cameron with Peyton at the eatery. A family insisted we leave them with them, so I did. Another family, with lots of people, looked at Dylan’s picture and fanned out in all directions, including the escalator. I told everyone, he’s a toe head with a brown jacket on. Mike brought a park ranger to me, who called in security, and Mike was off again in a different direction. My worst nightmare, a nightmare I had gone through before with Cameron, at the same age! How was this happening? God please, please let him be okay. Let him be safe. He was gone 15 minutes, but it seemed like a freaking eternity! The ranger says we think we found him. I looked and said, “No, it’s not him.” The ranger looked at me as if I was insane. When I looked again, I screamed, “Yes!” He had ditched his jacket. I was looking for his brown jacket. I grabbed him and hugged him and asked him what was he thinking? “I go see the big orange fish Mama.” He wasn’t lost, we were. He was a 3 year old on a mission. He knew where he was going and we just hadn’t caught up. A teenage boy saw Dylan wondering by himself and asked him where his mom was. As he pointed down the hill he said, “My Mama down there.” The teenager then took Dylan to him Mom and Dad and they asked him the same question. Again his reply was, “My Mama down the hill.” So, hand in hand, the teenage boy with his family escorted Dylan down the hill. I was so grateful. Blessings all around. I tried to reach Mike on the phone, who seriously ran that park in 15 minutes, but he couldn’t hear it. When he got back to the point of origin and I said we had him, you could see the weight come right off his shoulders. We then traced Dylan’s steps to retrieve his jacket. At first we thought, did somebody try to take him and that’s how his jacket came off? But Dylan insisted he did it. He took it off because he got hot. Mike wonders if he passed him and didn’t realize it because he was without his jacket. Dylan made it all the way up that hill to the Lions and we never found his jacket until we went to the Lost and Found at the end of our day. By the time Dylan’s escapade was over, I was emotionally exhausted. I just wanted to go home and call it a day. So did hubby. As you know, we just can’t do that, so onwards we went. We kept Dylan locked in his stroller the rest of the time, and if he did get out, Daddy was holding him in his arms. Why are our sons so inquisitive? And where is their sense of fear? Scary.