Back to School is Better than New Years...

It really is.... back to school time is when I tend to (or should I say ATTEMPT to TRY) get my arse in gear.  The resolution lists are all your typicals like eating healthier - good Lord do I enjoy myself every summer and the scale is certainly reflecting that fun fact, and getting organized.   I don't mean cleaning out that crappy drawer in the kitchen that collects the most random insane items  (anyone remember the lobster ornament kind of organizing... I mean it this time (ha)!  By the by that little hot spot referenced up there in the link is as big a disaster as ever.  Add it to my do list :)

I have 4 school schedules to manage this year as my oldest is going to high school (and I fear that might mean I am getting old) PLUS I am going back to work as a part time nurse 2 days a week.   I am really looking forward to this so it's time to get the old rear in gear!  I got more sports schedules to manage than I am even going to admit b/c truthfully it looks ridiculous to me and I can't bear to spell it out.   Long story short is my time is tight and I am going to make it work and make it work well. 

First order of business.....  my menu planning.   I spent 185 at the grocery store today (note to self:  boys eat a lot of food) and I'm afraid I will lose my list and forget all the wonderful things I have planned :)  I unfortunately speak from experience........

Wed (football scrimmages) early quickie dinner hot dogs, strawberries

Thur - Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry with Rice

Fri - Lasagna Roll ups and salad

Sat - hoping we are out :) so I can save this for a future day but if it fall through I am making Gigi's (mil) chicken casserole and rice

Sun - Labor Day BBQ hamburgers, deviled eggs, pasta salad type things

Mon - Tacos

Tue - Linguine with Clam Sauce, salad

Wed - Make Your Own pizza and salad

That's as far as I've gotten but I think it's a good start.  Keep you posted on all the tremendously exciting progress!  xo, Brie

Cleaning and Great Discoveries

With school starting and for the first time having all 4 in school all day, I am determined to get this house back in shape! First up, I am back on with the flylady. I don't subscribe to the emails b/c it was just too much for me to manage and I when I get overwhelmed I tend to not get anything done. Here's what you do.... sign up for her plans on facebook! She posts the next day's schedule in the evening and the daily tasks are fairly simple (so far anyway) 2 days have proven to make a significant difference in my kitchen!

I find myself wanting to one additional thing to her list each day and today it's cleaning the hell hole cabinet over my phone area (which has always been a major hot spot disaster for me).

While cleaning it out I found this card

It is a greeting card painted from a picture someone took of my grandmother's refrigerator. She had been over there for a Christmas party and opened the fridge for something. What she found inside, was so beautiful she asked to take a picture of it to later paint. Voila! Isn't so cute? I love it because she used to always make us those jello parfaits when we would come to visit. We thought they were the greatest things ever!

I want to get this framed and put it somewhere in the house because it just makes me happy! I am sure glad I cleaned out this cabinet today :) xo, Brie

Original painting by Donna Lovely 2003

update: just got word that poor gram had a heart attack this afternoon and is in icu, if you could send a prayer her way I would appreciate it xo

I got Nothing....

This is what I've been up to today b/c I am looking for some ribbon that I KNOW I have and can't seem to find.

Here's before.... why there was a fiber one bar in my ribbon box will remain one of life's great mysteries


and after! I love me some tupperware bins and ziplock bags!!

and PS I never found the ribbon I was originally looking for. One down and only about 20 more of these to go. It needs to be done, ugh

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND! I hope to back Tuesday with more excitement! xo, Brie

Up with the Birds

Literally! The sound of bird activity going on in my yard at 3 am rivals a Brazilian rain forest. I tried everything to fall back to sleep but gave up at 4 am. I decided to get up, make a pot of cowboy coffee and do something productive!

First up my refrigerator which was a disaster area. Poor thing has been really neglected for longer than I care to admit! I emptied out the ENTIRE thing, spritzed away with my cucumber method spray and went to town with a wet dishrag. Pulled out drawers and scrubbed them with hot soap water. Merged bottles of balsamic and soy sauce and bid farewell to a couple of sour cream containers that kicked the bucket in March 09. So happy to finally check this off my to do list and it only took me 45 minutes from start to finish!




I am going to try to do one project like this a day for 30 days, stay tuned :) xo, Brie




HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!

Costco Magazine

Nerd alert! I LOVE the Costco magazine that comes every so often called The Costco Connection. I'm not sure if I get it because I have the black card there or what... but it is great. I love to read it and look forward to it's arrival each month. I pretty much read it cover to cover every time I get them and even save a copy or two in the car to read when I am waiting to pick up at school. The articles range from featured small business that sell through Costco, book reviews, home owner tips with decorating/gardening etc etc. You can read it online Here but I love reading "real" magazines.

This month in the home section there is a small piece of putting your house on a "clutter diet". Needing a serious clutter diet this caught my attention. Author Lorie Marrero of The Cutter Diet gives some great steps to establish a daily routine and stay on top of things.

Start your morning with a D.E.W. list

D is for dishes (empty your dishwasher first thing)
E is for eating (plan your meals for the day/week)
W is for wash (take your laundry to the next level)

End your Day with the Triple "S" routine

S - Start the dishwasher
S - Straighten up flat surfaces and your floor
S - Set for tomorrow things you will need for the next day (My life is dictated by my palm pilot - it really changed my life for the better)

Once you fall into these regular routines to move onto "attacking" those pesky closets. I only have about 12 that need my serious attention. You can also skip all these steps and play on facebook all night and then wonder who broke into your house and messed it all up! Baby steps, it's all about the baby steps. Hope you enjoyed these tips :) xo, Brie

The Day After....

We are clearing out the kids' toy room. So many outgrown, broken, lost pieces everywhere.... it's gots to go! Should take hours (no kidding, it's really bad)... wish me luck and stay tuned for pics! xo, Brie

Ring the Alarm!

before
Originally uploaded by kbbags

Fly Lady would call this little disaster area in my house a HOT SPOT. This little nook is in my kitchen and where my phone/answering machine is, impt school papers for the kids, checkbook, stamps, pen/pencil cup etc. It's my morning satellite office and in fly lady speak, it's a burning inferno. Or in Christian speak - one hot mess!

I can't take it no more! So, this morning the second the kids left for school... I cleared off EVERYTHING, wiped it down with some method spray, and grabbed a trash bag. I really don't love to throw things away (no idea why!) but Fly Lady sensei says to do it and do it quick without too much hemming and hawwing. I do as I'm told :)

As I weeded through this little disaster area I found some really funny things... here is a collection of my favorites!

As you can see there are some insane things here.... a lobster ornament, a bobbin, an airplane earplug, 2 jo malone sample sprays (score!), my little pony maraca (just in time for cinco de mayo), a clothespin, a tealight, 3 mismatched earrings, and a key that opens only God knows what! I also found 5.83 in coins. It's like an I spy game here.

oh yeah, and these..... DOH!

The Laser Tag birthday party thank you notes. As you can see, the Funplex takes the minimalist approach to thank you's which I am all for! The party was 3 weeks ago, I am sure the guests will be impressed that it took me this long to mail these incredibly complicated thank you notes.

and last but not least..... the after shot. Ah, I feel so proud and peaceful. One down, about 150 more hot spots to go :) xo, Brie