Mom I'm Bored!

There's a cure for bored kids in my house. He he he!  It's called cleaning and organizing.

 (Top cupboards, no hardware)

(Bottom, with hardware)

It's actually working for my 15 year-old daughter.  She's taking kitchen cupboards apart one by one and priming them for a new coat of paint.  These mix and match cupboards have really darkened the kitchen, with the bottom dark brown and the top an off-white.  The top cupboards will need hardware, because we are painting everything antique or country white.  

The cubbies you see in the top cupboards had tiny baskets that I could not use.  I took the baskets out and placed tea cups in them.  I have them in the lower cupboards (have no idea what they would have used them for) and may try to saw out the shelves to store my cookie sheets etc. in.  I guess we'll see.  These are the before photos.

While I took the time to "rest" I decided to pick up a few things in my room, where the leaning tower of Pisa really resides.

Literally.  The pile up of crafting projects, yarn, supplies, patterns, my reading books and journals, are about to topple over.   Peace comes with an organized room, so I opened the bedroom closet door.  

I was able to dig out a large cut piece of fleece, that had a beautiful rose pattern on it.  It's moved with me 2 times.  Sad I know.  So, I cut the sides, and gave it to my 10 year-old to tie knots and make herself a fleece blanket.  

I dug out the bag of knitting needles that I snatched up at a thrift store a while back.  I cleaned them all up, and split them up between me and two of the girls.  I even found a double ended crochet hook in it, which is just what I've been looking for.

Cha-ching - two things put away and out of my room.

Then I took some scraps, odds and ends and put them in the kids "rainy day" box.

Cha-ching - more out of my room.

.....and the cleaning will continue throughout the summer.  Happy days await. 


Tonight, there will 3 screaming 12/13 year-old's staying the night, to celebrate my 12 year-old daughter turning 13 today.

How I am Doing It - Getting in shape and Exercise

I've had a few people ask me what I am doing to lose weight and get in shape. My goal is to completely shed 50 pounds(or more).  I am down 14.  At our ages, it doesn't come off as fast, and if it took me 6 years to put it all on, I would rather it came slow to ensure it stays off (vs. fast).  I do not do weight watcher's or any program that requires buying frozen meals. 

Here is what I am doing:

~Eating as many real foods (homegrown without chemicals or organic) vs. processed foods (even Subway is very high in sodium so don't let them fool you).  We cut out shortening, eat less bread, and now can jam with honey vs. sugar.  Last year we planted a boat load of green pepper plants, I am just now finishing up the last in the freezer.  It lasted all winter long. Peppers, along with apples, are high in pesticides in stores.  Even at some orchards.  We are trying to eliminate all foods that would have chemicals.


*For example: eating fresh farm eggs with veggies, or oatmeal with garden pumpkin, or steel cut oats vs. store boxed cereal.  We utilize our goat's milk in everything we can also.

~Exercise, on top of our regular physical outdoor and indoor work.  We regularly go to the gym for a good hour or more.  We lift weights followed by cardio (treadmill or elliptical etc.).  Some times we ride our bikes there or bike ride instead.  Hubby and I love to box also.  He entered a boxing contest back in the day.  Years ago we bought a heavy bag and a speed bag.  They are both in the garage.    The gym we go to, is set up in our old high school, and out in the country.  The fees for families with children in the school system there are $25.00/month per family - affordable and in a good location.  I bench press just like hubby etc.

~Rest.  To be fit mentally, I am really working on taking "rest" days.  They help us stay emotionally fit.  With a blended family of 8, there can be a lot of stress in this house.  

~Eliminate or Limit Alcohol.  This is a huge must if you want to stay in shape and be healthy.  Hubby still enjoys a beer after a long day at work and having mowed the grass, but it's limited.   I plan to order us some organic wine for special occasions (dates alone, Christmas, etc.).

~Insurance Reasons:  Our health insurance requires not just my hubby, but myself also, to participate in an on-line exercise/health program.  We participate in various things and earn points.  By a certain date we must have 1000 points in order to keep our insurance as it is, and at the same price.  If not, we lose benefits, and pay a higher price.  Some programs are logging exercise hours, losing extra weight, learning to cook (which I already do anyway), calling a nurse, watching on-line movies about health and taking a quiz etc.  It's a pain in the rear and time consuming, but we can't afford to have bad health or pay higher prices. 


Misc:  I am also buying local honey and drinking a mix of 1 tsp. honey/1 tsp. Bragg's apple cider vinegar and 8 oz. of water each day (many benefits).

I'm not selling any product, nor am I a doctor.  I'm just sharing what we are doing.  Hubby had lowered all of his numbers for cholesterol and I'll be getting mine checked soon. 

More Misc:  Limit computer and TV.  This is more important to me than the kids.  They could care less, but I am mentally fit when I spend less time on the Internet and computer.  If I spend too much time, I am groggy and not in a pleasant mood.  It zaps my energy.