Decluttering Update

It has been a few weeks since I posted about my decluttering class.  So, I wanted to update a little.  I do want to admit, it IS still a work in progress.  Am sure decluttering and organizing will be a life-time job with three children in the house!  To which I will be grateful instead of annoyed!!  I would not want it any other way.  I am thankful for the toys and the clothes and the stuff God has blessed us with.  But remember it is just stuff and I do not want to be overcome by it all!! 

So, we have worked hard here in our home.  My dear  husband has made at least 4 trips to a local good will.  And he even relented and took down his weight equipment that was not being used enough to justify taking up space. Now, it is taking up space in our attic.  I would say our overloaded attic, but we have cleaned there too!!!  Most of our stuff came out of the attic and was gone through and moved to appropriate places!! But, this is my bonus room/guest bed room WITHOUT that big equipment!!!  If you have ever seen this room, you will notice the difference!!  If not, sorry I don't have any before photos!  I didn't want any!!!

And this second picture is my NEW dining room!  I am thrilled!  This room was a play room because I didn't have dining room furniture!  So, after five years of living in our current house and me being OVER a playroom in my dining room, I am now ready for dining guests! Well, almost.  I inherited this set from my dear grandmother's house.  And I couldn't be happier about it.  There is more furniture to come that goes with it...but that will take additional work.  I am currently painting the walls...yes they are unfinished, but that is OK!!  I did start, just haven't finished!  And I plan to eventually put up a new light fixture and some neat pictures of my children.  I will have to post the finished product soon.

I am sure you might be wondering where all the toys went.  Surely I wouldn't give them all away?!  No, we did part with some, but most of them are tucked away in our bonus room closet with new shelving that Adam worked on a few weeks ago.  I would share a picture, but I will spare you.  Besides it is just a closet and I am still working on getting it really neat.  But, remember my kids are in and out of there, so I am not working REALLY hard on the neat part!!

Lastly, here is an updated picture of my counter tops.  No, they are not new counter tops...just decluttered!! 

I still have other decluttering plans, so stay tuned!  And be inspired!  Because if I can do it, anyone can!!!

Sorry this picture is blurry...not sure why?!?

Three Generations

Okay,  here is the three generation comparison.  I know, I know, she does resemble her daddy a lot. I will admit it.  But I wasn't just an incubator either!! 

Any resemblence???

Okay---I can't resist this tonight.  I just got this precious picture of my mom when she was somewhere close to my daughter's age.  And it stunned me how much resemblence there is!  Let me know if you see it too.

Wordless Wednesday

Having a BLAST @ Nana and PapaBob's!!!

A Celebration of THE RISEN Savior!!!

"Arise My Love" by Newsong.  This is one of my favorite songs.  It is powerful.  I hope it speaks to your heart on this Easter weekend as much as it does mine!  I think it is a great song for the celebration of this glorious Easter weekend.

"The SWEET sound of Victory so loud and clear.  Sin where are your shackles, death where is your sting?  Hell has been defeated!!  The Grave can not hold on me! Arise my love, the grave no longer has a hold on you.  No more death sting.  No more suffering.  Arise, Arise, Arise!!"

Thank You Jesus for your sacrifice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMHyGh0RgCA

Good-bye Sweet Little Mullet

I am not a fan of MULLETS.  You, know the hairstyle with business in the front and party in the back. Yes, I grew up in the 80's, so I sported one in my younger years...but they were not called MULLETS back then.  At least to my knowledge.  If they would have been called that, I might not have had one!  But anyway, my precious daughter has been sporting a little mullet for a few months now.  It wasn't really a hairstyle for her, just the sweet way her hair had decided to grow in.  And, I just didn't have the heart to cut it off.  Afterall, it was the bulk of her hair!  But, it was really beginning to look unkempt.  So, in a quick moment (without daddy present) I decided to let her great aunt Moi give her a trim!  I am glad I did, as I know she needed it.  I am not sure Daddy was impressed as he just thought it was cute!  Besides he said, you sure can't ever put it back!!  He is right....but now I am waiting patiently for those nice long locks of hair to replace it!!!

What a Birthday!!

Today was my middle man's 5th birthday!!!  And he had a day! 

Here, I have been in the bed since Monday with strep throat.  Finally was diagnosed yesterday and have been on antibiotic just long enough to feel human again!!  So, I was thankful to be able to get his presents wrapped in time!

His daddy went to bed last night with a low-grade fever so first thing this morning he went to get his throat swabbed!  Daddy was negative for strep, but was given the antibiotic anyway!!

A few hours later Daddy took BOTH boys for their well-checks at the peditrician's office.  And while he was there he mentioned mama being home with strep.  So, the dr. felt around Nate's neck a little and ordered a strep test for him.  He tested POSITIVE!!  So, she ordered the test for the birthday boy!  It took daddy and the dr. holding him down while another nurse held his nose to get him to open his mouth for the swabbing!!  (yes, I am very thankful I have a willing daddy to take them to the dr!!) And by the way, holding his nose didn't even work.  He had that jaw clenched!!!  Daddy had to tickle him!!  Poor little guy!  But, now, here he is:
5-years-old!!

3 booster vaccines in his leg, 1 shot in his bottom for the POSITIVE strep test, 1 throat swab and 1 finger prick!!  All for a 5-year-old!!!  I bet he doesn't ask for another 5th birthday anytime soon!!!  He handled it like any 5-year-old would!! And daddy took him for ice-cream afterwards!  Now he is only limping a little from the pain in his leg!!!