Loyal Ella

An aside note before I write about the current topic, so far my new cleaning schedule is working out wonderfully! I will confess that Thursday last week was missed due to special circumstances (we were away all day and most of the evening too) So yay me!

Now for the real story, sometimes my kids do or say things that make my jaw drop (and then laugh hysterically) This is one of those instances.
On my way to work one day last week, we went through one of my fave morning drive-thru's...ok it's McDonalds...I looooooove their cranberry orange muffins! (If you haven't tried one, you should!) So we (both kids are in the backseat) pull up to the pickup window and there was a friendly fellow working who was rather chatty. No biggie. As we're pulling away the following conversation happened:
Ella: "Mom, do you know that guy?"
Me: "No, why?"
Ella: "You should tell him that you're married to my dad."
Me: "What?!?"
Ella: "And that you love him."
Me: - speechless -
Ella: "Maybe he'd want to marry me?"
Me: - hysterical laughter -
So.....where did that come from???? This girl is only 4 years old! I'm choosing to look on the positive side of things, at least she knows that her mom & dad love each other? IF she is this boy-crazy at 4, I'm not looking forward to her being 14....And now we know that she's got her dad's back.....funny girl!

Sisters!

As part of the Tuesday cleaning schedule, I was working in the girl's rooms and of course they were tagging along and "helping"....I had stripped down Ella's bed to change it and some of the pillows and large stuffies were in a pile on top of the toy bin. The girls decided to make that into a nest where they climbed in together and just cuddled up. They were SO cute and cozy, it just melted my heart.
After dinner, I cut up an orange for them to have. In the past I've cut off the peel for Lucy but decided to cut hers like Ella's so she could learn how to eat it like a big girl. Ella took it upon herself to show Lucy how to do it, she was so sweet and patient. Lucy caught on right away and they happily munched their oranges together.
As Lucy is still building up her language skills, there is often times when I'm baffled as to what she is trying to tell me. Almost always, Ella can easily translate, and after she does, Lucy pipes in with a hearty "Ya!" & nods.
All day yesterday and already this morning too, I've been watching my girls and how they are together. Most of yesterday afternoon I had a lump in my throat and was fighting back tears in my eyes (whatever, I'm sensitive) as I watched how sweet they are together and what good friends they are already. It brings back my own memories of growing up with sisters and what a special relationship that is. There is nothing in the world like a sister.

Me+Clean=Happy

OK so I've said before that mess and clutter in my home bring out the worst in me. Years ago I made a cleaning schedule, which I was very good at doing for awhile but then it got kind of outdated as we added kids to our family, life got busier and blah blah blah. Basically it's been rotting on the side of my fridge for awhile and I decided yesterday to make a new one and to STICK WITH IT! So here's what I came up with:

Monday - Collect household garbages, clean main bathroom **note: Tuesday is garbage day**
Tuesday - Tidy, dust & vacuum living room. Tidy & vacuum both girl's rooms
Wednesday - Clean laundry room, wash floor. Do any extra kitchen details
Thursday - Clean master bedroom & bathroom
Friday - Steam clean kitchen area/dining room floors, vacuum living room

Now of course there are things that get done everyday (dishes, sweeping up, etc.) but at our house this covers the other things that need doing....I used to get overwhelmed with doing everything on Saturdays for example, but I find smaller jobs done daily work way better for me! Also bear in mind that I work on Mondays & Fridays so I chose easier jobs for those days when I'm a little burnt out....I highly recommend making a schedule or list, it's very satisfying to check things off! For me it brings a sense of accomplishment.

Resolutions

So 2012 has officially begun! I've been thinking on the new year for the past week or so and decided that I needed to come up with a "resolution"...Upon further thought & self reflection, I came to the conclusion that I don't need just A resolution but I needed to make some resolutionS. So here is what I came up with:

1) To keep on making (and make more) healthy alternatives in my diet (and in my family's diet)
2) To be even more active (this was a change I made in 2011), so adding 1 more day a week as an exercise day
**1 & 2 go together in an all over healthier lifestyle (which is my goal as opposed to a weight loss goal)**
3) To make more progress on my journey as wife & mother (this includes paying more attention to the details of my home, being more patient/understanding & being more organized)
4) To be more aware of myself and how others perceive me - my whole life I've been accused as being a "snob" or "intimidating" when in reality I'm actually VERY shy & sensitive. I've decided to try and be friendlier and to make baby steps in going out of my comfort zone....(this goal makes me nervous and will require the most amount of work)
5) To take a class of some sort...I've been out of school a long time and figure it wouldn't hurt to learn something new...I'm debating on cooking, exercise or art...we'll see what happens!

I'm hoping that by putting these goals out there that it might help me stick to them better? We'll see how it goes...I've enjoyed the experience of really looking at myself and deciding what I want to work on, and not "change" but to "improve" on....All the best to everyone out there who is trying to do the same thing :)