Sally Homemaker.

So I know I posted just yesterday that I hadn't done a lot of things in about a month, but today I am pleased to announce that Sally Homemaker is back. OK, that may be a generous title for myself, since I have yet to scrub my kitchen floor but! I did make dinner last night, and I have been doing laundry as though I didn't have any underwear clean to wear...oh wait. Never mind. I do now. 
So D and I were sitting down talking last night and he helped me realize that things around here aren't really as bad as I am making it seem. Sure we get messes every now and then, but it's not so bad. Here is the thing that is making me feel so overwhelmed and stressed...

downsizing.

Yep, that's it. See here's what's happening around here, my two older kids are moving into the same room, and Lil Pip will be moving over to have her very own room! Her first ever. It's a bittersweet thing, I guess I'm ready for it. I just can't believe how fast she is growing up. She's sitting just to the right of my computer screen playing with her toys, and I have to tell you she is quite the distraction. *Stay Focused* Anyway, the kids have bunk beds that have already shipped and are due to arrive any day now. THAT stresses me. They each have so much stuff in their rooms I'm not sure how I am going to make it all work. So slowly but surely I am going to take steps to organizing and cleaning out. As I was folding laundry yesterday I noticed myself grumbling a little about our house, and how we just don't fit anymore. We have a 3 bedroom 2 bath house, no basement, no attic- just a shed in the back yard. (That we really can't use for anything but yard stuff because we are so deep in the woods mice regularly get in it. Yuck. I know.) In the midst of my grumbling I had the thought, have we really "outgrown" this place, or are we just too greedy/materialistic? It was a humbling thought. See I am finding myself slowly getting further and further away from the simple life, and slipping deeper and deeper into that "american dream" mindset. "Oh, I have way to much stuff (clothes, toys, gadgets) to fit into my wonderful, perfectly fine home. We should start looking into buying a bigger house...to fill up with more stuff...that we don't need...while the rest of the world lives with so little." I don't want that to happen to us. I want my kids to be thankful for the little things in life. I want them to appreciate the small, thought out, handmade gifts just as much as the big ones. I really would give each of my kids the world on a platter, but what good would that do them? When you have been to other countries and you see first hand how some struggle just to put a measly meal on the table, yet here we are throwing birthday bashes with massive amounts of food that will end up in trash cans, and our kids have so many gifts to open that by the time they get through them all they've lost interest. It's sickening. Yes, I want my kids to have nice things. Yes, I am going to throw them what I hope is going to be a rockin' birthday bash. However, before all this goes down we are going to be doing some cleaning out. Going through toys, and sharing with those who may need it, and perhaps enjoy it, a bit more then us. Also, going through our clothes and shoes...I'm the guilty one here. I am to ashamed to even voice on here how many pairs of jeans I own. Grant it...(in my defense!) they range from maternity jeans to skinny to regular to fat. But who needs all that anyway? Not sure who I am fooling by keeping all those size 4's in my closet anyway. I just keep thinking, "what if I do actually stick to a diet and get that skinny again?" Not happening, and if it does I will cross that bridge when I get to it. So after all this rambling I'll give you the skinny:

The Vogt's are on a quest to organize and to downsize. I'm going to do my best, in an attempt to be a good blogger, to take pictures and document all the changes and organized systems we put into place. I'm not sure about all you other mommas, but I function much better outside the home, when I know my home is in order. Some of you may have already done this during your annual "spring cleaning". SNOTS! That's great! But, if you are like me and you haven't mustered up the strength to tackle those closets that have things shoved in the corners- you know, the ones that irritate you everyday when you see it, yet, you just haven't had the time or energy to do anything about it. Or if your kids toy boxes and bins are full of crappy Mcdonald's toys, broken toys, or perhaps some toys that the dog has mistaken for his bone...let's tackle those things too. Oh, and while we are at it...let's sort out clothes. You know how your kid is now in a 4T yet those 3T's (and let's face even some 24 months) are hanging out in those drawers having a party...let's shut that party down. I'm a list freak, and I love coming up with organizational systems that work, so as I am tackling this stuff and come across stuff that excites me, and works for us...I'll share it. Please, do the same for me. :) 

P.S. I'm thinking from how everyone is talking that I have a lot of readers, but my blog doesn't have a lot of members. I love to read your comments, feed back, and ideas...it gives me fuel to keep going. In order to leave your comments you need to create an account...just a username and a password, it'll take you 2 minutes. You can do it! Sign up, then click to be one of my blog members/followers, and then leave me your two cents. Thanks friends!

Oh and real quick...here's the dinner that I finally made last night. BBQ chicken and a steak for D on the grill, complete with sauteed veggies straight out of the garden, picked just minutes before being tossed into the skillet. YUM. 

Be Blessed!

Almost A Month...

This is my 1,223,453 attempt at writing a blog entry this month. Let's see if I actually get to click the "publish" button on this one...

Truth is, I should NOT be sitting here right now doing this. I'm lazily relaxing in my pj's with a cup of coffee pretending like my house is clean, the laundry is done, and dinner for the evening is all planned out. That is definitely not the case my friends. I titled this blog "Almost A Month" because it's been almost a month since I've done a lot of things. It's been almost a month since I have posted anything here, on my blog. Almost a month since I've cooked my family dinner, and again, almost a month since I've scrubbed my kitchen floor, and although it's only been 1 week since I've done any laundry it looks as though it's been almost a month. It's crazy how one kid can change so much...with 2 kids it was a piece of cake to keep my house orderly and spotless! Throw in just 1 more, and it becomes a daunting task, that I am almost positive is impossible. Just yesterday actually I was cleaning my little heart out, then while I was dusting I started smelling something strange. I turned around and much to my disgust Lil Pip had discovered treasure. In my cleaning frenzy I had forgotten to take the dog out...yep, I'm sure your mind has already taken you where this is going. Thank God Lil Pip isn't into putting stuff in her mouth yet! I was horrified, and puking in my mouth the whole way to the tub. As if adding the extra kid and beginning home school with M girl wasn't enough we went ahead and added another dog, a kitten, and some chickens. Shew. Typing those things has a weird effect on me, it's liberating but all the while shaming. I guess it's because some of you mommas will read those statements and think, "yep, I'm right there with you", and then the rest of you mommas will think, "wow! there is NO excuse for that." Who knows, maybe there isn't really any excuse, but it's been very crazy around here lately. We came back from vacation and as soon as our bags were unpacked life took off. My sister has been in from Texas visiting, and it has been wonderful having her so close! I miss her. A lot. Of course while she is in town, why worry about cleaning? I have two reasons here...1. There are 6 kids all 5 years old and under. 2. Cleaning takes time away from making precious memories. You probably wouldn't be able to guess this on your own after reading my above statements, but I am actually pretty anal when it comes to my house, I'm getting better but I used to be like a crazy woman. Seriously. Then I had a wake up call...One day I was on my hands and knees scrubbing my kitchen floor, and I was continually fussing at the kids to stay off my wet floor, and to stop jumping on my back, knocking me over, tickling me...whatever. I've noticed anytime I try to scrub my floors on my hands and knees, I always end up being attacked from behind!! I guess I look vulnerable. Anyway, I noticed my frustration that day and how it was effecting my kids (negatively). That same night, I was hurriedly trying to clean up dinner and get everything in it's place, when D came up behind me and placed his arms around my waist and started kissing on my neck. I snapped. "Can you please stop it!! You know I am trying to get this stuff done! Just let me work." For real. I said that. He got pretty upset with me and said, "Sorry for trying to show you I love you...most women would love to have that problem." I went to bed that night thinking...thinking hard. Since then I really try my hardest to not get so caught up and overwhelmed with the mess, I try to not let it effect me anymore. Am I saying to stop cleaning, and live in filth? No. We are supposed to keep our homes nice, and to serve and provide for our families. However, if scrubbing my kitchen floor is going to keep me from wrestling or playing outside with my kids then for the time being, a quick sweep will suffice. I also discovered that letting a pot sit in my kitchen sink overnight didn't cause my house to self destruct, and that it is a lot more fun to give in to the hugs and smooches of my lover then wash a dish. If you were to drop by my house at any given moment odds are you would find a mess, but I guarantee you if you can look beyond it you will find a family that yes, has it's issues but, we are full of love and silliness. I want my kids to know that when they talk to me, I am listening. What kind of mom am I if I can't even dry my hands long enough to bend down, make eye contact and really listen to Batman telling me (while wearing his super hero cape) about all the bad men he's beat up for the millionth time that day? I want my kids to know they are heard. I want to be their #1 fan, their biggest encourager. Sometimes, it's taking a step back and working things out through discipline and follow through, it's hard to be consistent, loving, and patient if I always have "work" to get done. Here's the truth, I can scrub my kitchen floor and after our next meal, it will be dirty again, and always there for me to scrub. But M girl, she won't be 5 and imaginative forever, Batman, he won't always be 2 and wanting to slay the bad guys or "tuddle wif mommy on da couch", and Lil Pip she won't be nursing for much longer either. These are the moments with them that I will cherish all my life, and I don't want to miss out on them. I mean let's face it, one day my kids will be adults and I will be that little old grandma in the check out line telling younger moms, to soak it up...it goes by way too fast. 


True Story: 
While I was writing this post, I heard this banging and splattering noise, so I set the computer down to go investigate since the kids were playing outside. As I got to the kitchen I looked out the patio door to see Batman with our old Pinterest project that hadn't quite made it to the trash yet. (I was being super mom the other day and actually did a "project" with the kids. You know the baking soda and vinegar thing, if you are a mom I am sure you have it pinned to your "kiddos" board! :)) Anyway, it's hard and dry now...Batman had the pan and was throwing huge handfuls of the hardened mixture at my windows and laughing hysterically. What makes boys think of this stuff?? :)

How can I get mad at him when he looks this stinkin' cute in a super hero cape?? Seriously. 

Thankfully I caught him before it got too bad! :)

Stuck to my windows.

Today my challenge for you is this, no matter your age or stage of life take a break from the cleaning and your "to do" list and spend time making memories with the people you love, especially take the time to really listen. I don't have a lot that I can give to people, but I can listen, and when people do that for me...it means a lot. Give it a shot. 


Be blessed peeps!