Oops

Remember this list?? Well, I sort of forgot about it. Its been in the back of my mind and I've done or am in the processing of doing some of them, but I haven't gone back to re-visit it in a while and I thought it was about time.

* Read a good book - I think "The Shack" is on my list. So many people have read it and I'd love to be able to form my own opinion and join in on the conversations.
* Try a new recipe at least twice a month (I already try to do this, but I want to be more conscious of it)- Yes, I have been doing this! I'll post a few below, just to prove myself!
* Develop a better strategy to manage our house - Ummmm, not so much....
* Be more intentional with friends - Check! It's so refreshing to have dedicated girl time!
* Plan date nights regularly - In the process of doing this one. In fact, we made a list last night (go on a picnic, become tourists in our own city, play golf, wine and tapas at Oeno, etc)
* Redo the living room (this one should be starting soon!) - In the process - you already saw the couch, the loveseat should be in any day now and the buffet is ordered!
* Save money for our NYC trip - Oh yes! We actually looked at plane tickets last night :)
* Exercise more (it's tough for me to be specific about this one - it's a struggle!) - Surprisingly, this has happened!!! I try to get on the treadmill at least 3 times a week and believe it or not, it's actually working!!
* Weed through my old clothes and shoes and donate them to Goodwill - Ugghhh! I'm putting this one off for as long as possible...

I've also added a few to this list:

* Develop a quiet time - I want to spend more time in the Bible and pray more
* Work ahead more in all areas of my life or this could read "DO NOT PROCRASTINATE"
* Start a new blog dedicated to all things "home" :) Stay tuned...
* Take and print more pictures
* Hand-write notes

And, to end, here are a couple of new recipes:

Creamy Italian Chicken and Pasta

1 lb. grilled chicken, cut into cubes
1 lb. bow time pasta
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 c. chicken broth (or water)

Grill chicken and cut up into cubes. In the mean time, bring a pot of water to boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions. While pasta cooks, saute bacon until crispy and then remove from the pan. Drain the grease and return to burner. Add mushrooms and saute until tender. Add tomatoes, broth and cream cheese. Simmer until cheese is melted and thoroughly combined with sauce. Add chicken and pasta and mix together. Serve with a tossed salad.

Margarita Dip

8 oz. package reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 c. frozen limeade concentrate
2 T. orange juice
1/2 tub fat free cool whip

In a glass mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, limeade concentrate and orange juice. Beat with electric mixer until soft. Fold in cool whip. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with fresh fruit, vanilla wafers or graham cracker sticks.

Jenga! Jenga! Jenga!

Tonight we had our small group over to our house. We are in between studies, so we decided to do something a little different. We kind of took an old college drinking game and turned it into a personal game by writing different questions on the Jenga pieces. It was fun to learn new things about some of our group members! Here are a few pictures:

And, since Valentine's Day is in just a few days, I decided to make Valentine cupcakes, mostly so I could use my cupcake tree :)

The Effects of Eye Surgery

Brandon had eye surgery on Friday. We arrived at the doctor's office around 1:00 p.m. and we were walking out of the door around 1:50 p.m. and Brandon basically had 20/20 vision - AMAZING!!

After the surgery, the nurse pulled us into a softly lit room and gave us a bag full this stuff:

She also gave him strict instructions to use ALL of the eye drops at least once a day, most of the 2 or 3 times a day. She also told him he must go home and take a nap to let his eyes rest. Then, she said he needed to take it easy for the next 5 days!! So, this weekend, we've been doing a lot of this:

The irony in all of this is that Brandon doesn't feel bad. He feels perfectly normal, except for the fact that his eyes feel like he's been a pool for far too long. So, if you know Brandon at all, you know he's still been his ornery self, while trying to milk this "recovery" for all its worth!! If he doesn't want to do something, he tells me he has "...doctor's orders to sleep."

Now, in his defense, his eyes have been pretty sore today, so I've been giving him a little slack. But, Koby and I have been so bored. You can just see it in Koby's face, can't you??

My boredom resulted in this:

A clean kitchen :) (Among other things like clean floors, clean laundry, a picked up basement, etc.)

I also remembered to take a picture of the new couch! We ordered the matching love seat last week and it should be here in a few weeks! What do you think?!?!

All in all, it's been a pretty relaxing weekend, which has been good for all three of us! Brandon has to take tomorrow and Tuesday off work as well and then goes for his final check up on Wednesday. I'm sure Koby will enjoy the extra company.

Answers

Alrighty - Here are the answers. I know there are more of you out there, so if you still have questions, ask them! Don't be scared!!!

Very broad question...who inspires you?? It could be anything too, cooking, decorating, way of life, spirtually etc.
Well, I think there are a lot of things that inspire me, but most importantly, I am inspired by my Grandma Mentha, my mom's mother. I admire her because she was a very strong woman. She owned and operated her own business for many years while my mom was young and didn't close the store until after my sister was born. She was also very generous - always offering to help people in need. She was a strong Christian woman and I am so thankful she passed those values down to my mom, who then passed them down to our family. She was truly the cornerstone of the family.

If you could be featured on the cover of any magazine, which one would it be and why?
Hmm, this is a good one - I have a shallow answer and a not-so-shallow answer. Since I have a slightly embarassing obsession with celebrity gossip, I think it would be really fun to be featured on the cover of People or US Magazine having lunch or shopping with some fun celebrity. I also wouldn't mind being featured on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens for having this really awesome home and yard.

If you could go back and time and live one memory over again - what would it be? and would you change anything about it?
I would certainly re-live my wedding day. It was one of the best days of my life. However, I think I would change my bridesmaid dresses. I would also relive a few of my high school or college days and try to have a little more fun - I think I was too guarded at times.

If people were to describe you in one word - what word do you think it would be (you can't ask brandon.)
Strangely, I can think of several words people would not use to describe me, but if I had to choose just one word that I think people would use to describe me, I guess I would say "easy-going". Come to think of it, I think this might have been an interview question and I am pretty sure I drew a blank then, too.

Q & A

So, as I've been perusing other blogs, I've noticed some people are doing Question and Answer blogs, in order for their blog readers, known and unknown, to get to know them better. So, I thought that might be kind of fun to do on my own blog.

So, here's your chance! Ask away! I'll try to answer most everything, unless it is something that is too personal for the world to know! I'll try to post my answers this weekend!

I can't wait to see what you all come up with :)

What's your mood?

As I was standing in the gift shop of the Museum of World Treasures this morning, directing traffic at our monthly Sunrise Scrambler, I noticed a little box of mood rings and my curiousity peaked a bit - I hadn't put one of these little things on in ages! So, during a lull in traffic, I decided I should try one on. I chose one with cute little flowers all around it and slipped it on my finger. And, as I waited, I kept willing myself to be relaxed or romantic and alas, after waiting for at least a minute, staring at the stupid thing, it stayed the same, boring Amber color - anxious and nervous, the same as I always remember; however, I was not feeling anxious or nervous as I had nothing to be anxious or nervous about.

So, what does that say about me?? Am I or have I always been an uptight person, waiting for the next disaster to come my way? I don't think so, but maybe I've been wrong about myself all these years. After all, mood rings are the best personality indicators, right???

Today...

Today, we got A LOT done! Unlike most typical Sundays (usually spent lounging, surfing the internet, watching football and napping), we decided early to get stuff done around the house. The inside needed to be cleaned, desperately (I'm honestly not sure I've really really cleaned since Christmas and I'm sad and embarrassed to admit that), the laundry needed to be finished, the garage needed cleaned up and organized, the kitchen table needed to be cleared and the Christmas lights needed to come down. Yes, we're the neighbors who still had their Christmas lights up (disclaimer: in a typical neighborhood this would be a sin, but for those of you who know our neighbors, it really isn't so bad). So, we did it - almost all of it. I still have a pesky guest bedroom that needs to be picked up, but that is an entirely different post.

After we accomplished our tasks, we loaded up Koby and Tucker (we're dog sitting this weekend) and went to Sonic for our weekend soda treat, took the pups to Petco, washed Brandon's truck and went to Home Depot. Brandon had a gift card to spend, so he got a cool work light and some door sweeps for our front and back doors. We have laminate flooring in our house and our doors were a bit drafty, thus causing chilly floors.

Now, I think I will make us some whole wheat baked penne and a nice salad for dinner! The dogs spent quite a bit of the afternoon outside playing, so I could get the house cleaned and now, they are both conked out sleeping - they've had a big day! We had a big day too, but it felt good to get some stuff done - even if I didn't get my nap!

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

I'm feeling a strong urge to blog, but its hard to know where to start. We've been so busy lately that I haven't had too much time to write or capture what's been going on, aside from "dieting". So, here are a few small snippets:

• We spent New Years weekend in GC. We had a great time and slept in waaaay too much - so much that my body still has a hard time waking up for work. I hope to have some pictures soon :)
• We celebrated Brandon's birthday last weekend. We went out to dinner and used a gift card, thanks to my Aunt Donna, tried, unsuccessfully to go see a movie, then, we made a leisurely trip to Gap and I walked away with a sweater for $20 (intially $70) - I know it was Brandon's birthday, but I just couldn't pass it up.
• We had the Shine family (or part of them) over for a birthday lunch on Sunday. I made this brisket recipe and it was To.Die.For.!!! It doesn't even need bbq sauce. I also made a reduced sugar and reduced fat birthday cake, which Brandon said he actually liked better than the real thing - who would have thought!
• This week, us small group girls started the Women's Boot Camp at our church. The topic was Spiritual Gifts. We took the spiritual gift evaluation and my gifts were exhortation, administration and giving. I'm not sure if this is the link to the exact evaluation that we took, but it is quite similar. You should take it - it would be interesting. Now, I just have to figure out the best way to utilize my gifts in the church, after all, that is where your gifts are supposed to be used.
• My job has kept me busy since I've been back. We've had a lot going on and a lot to get ready for, so that has been fun. I like it when I look down at the clock and realize it is 4:00 when I think its 2:30 or something!
• I've been sucked into "The Bachelor" this season. I tried and tried to talk myself out of it, but I just couldn't. I'm such a sucker for this show...
• I've also started to get more suspicious of my beloved "Jon and Kate Plus 8". I've found this blog and it has really made me think. Now, if you visit that link, remember it is the internet and it is uncensored, so anyone can pretty much say anything. However, after reading some of the posts and then watching the show, it does start to make some sense. I'll let you decide for yourself.
• I like iced tea now - I guess it's a good substitue for pop....SIGH!
• I really, really need to pick up/clean/organize the house. It seems that we just organized the storage room, but since Christmas has come and gone, it's full again... And, so is our closet and our garage and every other nook of the house. And, that darn computer cord - if I could just find a place to house it, I would be happy! It seems it shows up EVERYWHERE!!! I guess that is part of having a laptop now.
• Brandon is having eye surgery in a couple of weeks. The doctor said he is a perfect candidate, so he'll finally be able to see again - Halleuia!!! Now, if I can just be a patient and loving nurse.... (Mercy was not one of my Spiritual Gifts, by the way).

Well, that is about all I have time for now. Have a wonderful weekend!

Eliminate the Guessing

So, part of my struggle with this diet thing is guessing how many calories I consume and how many I really burn when I exercise. Yesterday, I downloaded nutrition guides for some of the restaurants I visit from time to time, which is helpful when I go out. But what about the other stuff? Like meals I prepare or something that doesn't have a label? So, during a frustrating moment today, I decided to Google "How many calories are in a miniature York Peppermint Patty" (someone graced my empty candy dish with this delightful treat). When I clicked on one of the first links it took me to The Daily Plate. After a little exploration I discovered that this thing is pretty cool! Basically, all you do is enter your age, weight, height and weight-loss (or weight-gain - those lucky people) goals and it will calculate how many calories you should consume in a day to reach your goal. It also has a food tracker where you can search out different foods, like Miniature York Peppermint Patties, click on the "I ate this" button and it will add it to your list. Then, you can enter what kind of exercise you did and for how long and it will subtract your burnt calories from your total intake and calculate your net calories.

Now, I'm new to dieting, so this may be very elementary for someone else, but I figure it will help keep me on track and also help me learn how to eat a well-balanced diet. On top of watching my calorie intake, I'm also trying to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables I eat, while eliminating pop and excess sugar.

Also, on a side-note, we FINALLY bought a new sofa this weekend! It's a pretty funny story that I will have to write about sometime, along with posting a few pictures! But, I am very excited about it!

Update

So, after another weekend of holiday eating, the time has come to start the "diet". So far, today wasn't bad; I had a yogurt for breakfast, a salad and an iced tea for lunch and refrained from snacking throughout the day. Then, I came home, finished my menu and grocery list and headed to the store. We stocked up on healthy meals, full of veggies, healthy options for breakfast and lunch and even snagged a few good snacks. And, once I got home, I ate a bowl of cereal with a banana and hopped on the treadmill for 30 minutes.

I also have a lot of people around me who are committed to trying to be healthier this year - Brandon is doing a "Fat Man" contest at work, my coworkers are all trying to trim down and we're doing a competition with Brandon's family - so, I have some motivation.

And, in case anyone reading this is trying to do the same thing as we are, here is a smoothie recipe that we intend to try for breakfast:

1/2 c. low-fat yogurt
1/3 c. frozen fruit (we chose blueberries and peaches)
1/2 banana
A splash of orange juice
A few cubes of ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

A New Year, A New Me

This is my personal blog, so I'm going to get a little bit personal today. I've never really been one to make New Year's resolutions because I don't want to set myself up for failure by announcing to the world that I'm going try to do X this year and then not end up doing it. But, this year will be different!

Over the past three years, I've had an office job, where I mostly sit all day and work on a computer or attend meetings. Then, after working a full day, I come home and cook dinner, because cooking is a release for me and it's something I truly enjoy doing, then I tend to want to relax on the couch with Brandon or run errands or do something else to fill my time. Never have I wanted to work out or try to fit a work out into my routine, simply because it is not something I've ever had to do. I was fortunate enough to be able to maintain a fairly manageable weight thanks to cheerleading and dance in high school and walking to and from class in college. But now, I've come to the realization that this routine I've developed is unhealthy and plain stupid. I only have one body and I need to take care of it.

So, this is where my New Year's resolution comes in - I'm going to set a goal to work out three nights a week and stretch every day. I'm also going to be more conscious of my eating habits, especially at work. Instead of snacking on leftover bagels or muffins from a breakfast meeting or snagging a leftover chocolate chip cookie from a lunch meeting, I'm going to pack healthy snacks and only let myself indulge once in a while. I'm also going to start cooking more vegetables. I have always shyed away from this becuse Brandon doesn't especially like vegetables, but I'm just going to fix them anyway. I'm not going to set a magical weight goal because I know it will only bring me down, so I'm just going to focus on exercising and eating a more healty diet and the weight thing should follow.

Another goal of mine, not necessarily a New Year's resolution, is to figure out how to get more organized. I know I've mentioned this on my blog before and it is actually part of that list I made a while back, but I've got to figure out a solution FAST!! I only have so much storage space, so I have to get creative with how I organize. But, as my mom allued a few weeks ago, my cupboards are slightly cluttered, similar to my grandma's cupboards (my grandma liked to keep a lot of stuff around and would stash things in every nook and cranny possible. Right after my parents got married, my mom took it upon herself to organize the cabinets in my grandparent's home....), so that was a real sign that I need to do something!!

We are leaving for Garden City tomorrow, so I hope everyone has a Happy New Year and I'll be back in 2009!!!

Christmas Recap

Well, we have certainly been on the move since last week, so here is a brief recap:

• We headed out the door towards Pratt at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday to spend Christmas with the Bohn family. Believe it or not, that was actually a slow morning for me ;)
• We attended a very brief Christmas Eve service with the whole clan and then made our way home for our new Christmas Eve tradition - the Christmas Story Play! That's right my friends, my brothers and sisters and Brandon and I each got a role in the Christmas story and acted it out for my nieces, who happen to be two and one. Yeah, you can imagine how that went. I think it might have lasted ten minutes, start to finish and that included wardrobe!! Here are a few pictures for proof:

(I was Mary and Brandon was Joseph, unfortunately, Koby was not allowed to be Baby Jesus)

• Christmas Day was spent doing a lot of lounging, eating and gift-opening. I scored a new brown tweed coat and Brandon received a new watch! It almost didn't feel like Christmas because the weather was soo beautiful, so Friday, we spent the day outside at the park with the kiddos and the dogs. Brandon and Natalie also experienced their first pizza taco for lunch!
• Saturday, we made our way back to Wichita for the Bohn Family Christmas celebration. We had to stop by our house to pick up a few gifts and drop the dogs off, but as we walked in we realized that it was cooler than we expected, so Brandon checked the thermostat and sure enough, our heater had gone out - it was 56 degrees. After a call to the repair man, we decided to suck it up and be cold for a few days rather than paying a crazy amount of money to get it fixed over the weekend. Not wanting to waste any time in the frigid house, we headed to my aunt's house. Again, there was lots of food and lots of presents. It was great to catch up with family - one of my cousins recently got engaged, so I was happy to talk wedding plans with his lovely fiance!
• We came home late and holed up in our bedroom with our space heater, two down comforters, a fleece blanket, a really warm dog and season 2 of The Office (one of Brandon's Christmas gifts)!
• Yesterday, was spent hanging out with my aunt and her family, since it was still FREEZING in our house. It was a great day of lounging - the girls watche Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 and 2, while the boys watched football and Iron Man.
• And, today, we got the heater fixed!!! I was so happy to get up and move around without 72 layers of clothing on! I also had a fun girly day with one of my friends - we shopped and had lunch and took advantage of a couple of good after Christmas sales!

The weekend was a perfect mix of relaxtion and fun and now, we're resting up for another celebration with the Brungardt family!

Merry Christmas!

Dear Family and Friends!

The Christmas season is upon us and I’m just now getting around to writing our letter. It’s hard to believe that it has been two years since we last sent out an update! This year has been exciting and fun and full of changes!

Brandon was promoted to Project Manager at Key Construction back in June. He is now in charge of his own projects and typically has anywhere from three to five jobs going at once. This past year, he wrapped up one of Key’s largest projects in Columbia, South Carolina and has completed several other jobs here in town. It is always fun to get the inside scoop on what companies are expanding or coming to town! It has provided me with great fun to be the “first to know”!

Brandon has also kept busy working on our house, an area of constant change! We have painted (inside and out), installed new landscaping, hung light fixtures, installed new countertops and backsplashes and painted some more. And, I use the term “we” lightly – I come up with the ideas and Brandon generally makes them happen! In addition to these projects, he took on a large tiling project for my aunt this summer that provided him with some great experience. So, if anyone needs a handyman, give him a call!

I experienced a pretty significant change this year, as well. After two and a half years as an account manager at Armstrong|Shank Advertising, I decided it was time for me to expand my abilities. In July, I began working at the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce as the manager of Marketing and Public Relations. I am responsible for developing the newsletter, the e-newsletter and promoting Chamber events. I will also be assisting with a website re-development and the development of new marketing pieces in the New Year. It was an exciting move for me and the last few months have literally flown by!

I have also gotten more involved with the children’s ministry at our church. Due to an expanded program and a new facility, more volunteers were needed to assist on the weekends. I began volunteering at the check-in center and have just been asked to lead a team of volunteers that I have deemed the “First Impression Team”. Basically, I will be recruiting volunteers to make people feel welcome as they drop off their children. This is a big responsibility, but definitely something I look forward to.

Together, Brandon and I started a new small group through our church. In a step of faith, we volunteered to lead a group of four couples, including us. It was certainly challenging at first, but God has really taught us a lot and we have made some excellent friends through the process.

And, we can’t forget about Koby, our Boston Terrier! He is still leading a pretty comfy life. His days consist of a lot of sleeping and playing fetch in the back yard. He also enjoys outings to Sedgwick County Park and Petco. He is such a loving dog, we just can’t imagine what our days would be like without him!

As we reflect on the changes we have experienced this year and the changes our country has and will experience, it causes us to pause and think about the one constant thing in our life, the one thing that will never change – our relationship with Jesus Christ. He will be there for us, no matter what. Our prayer this Christmas season is that each of you will also find comfort in Jesus and make him your constant partner in life.

Merry Christmas!

Brandon and Tessa

P.S. - Koby has not been taken over by demons, he was just having a bad day and didn't really want his picture taken...

In the Mean Time....

It has been a while, I know. Between Thankstiving,a trip to Pratt, house guests, 60 some dozen cookies, Christmas shopping to think about, trying to finish a family cookbook that was to be done this summer, Christmas parties to attend, a short trip to Oklahoma and not to mention the uproar of things at work, I've been and will continue to be a little busy :)

However, to tide you over, go here: Moms Like Us. Yep, that's right - it's Pioneer Woman!! Just in case you don't get enough of her funny stories here, you can get your fill at the other site. Speaking of too much to do, I wonder how she finds the time to blog, let alone blog with a purpose and make sense!! Maybe someday I will be like her :)

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

The lights are up, the tree is decorated and all is well - except for one thing. Has anyone else noticed the cars that are decorated for Christmas??? You know the ones I'm talking about, the big wreath with a big velvet bow on the front of the or ribbons hanging from the mirrors. Well today, I think I saw a car that took the cake. It was a cute little SUV that had poinsettia garland wrapped around the luggage rack on top, topped off with 4 cute little bows at each corner! GAG!!!! I understand wanting to be festive and all, but I really can't handle the car decorations!!!!

And, as I mentioned, we have our decorations up, but I haven't had time to take any pictures yet, so I will get some posted soon!

Priceless

Waking up with a stiff neck = Miserable start to the day

Trying to decide on furniture fabric over lunch = Frustrating (but glad my mommy was there to help!)

Stiff neck turning into one nasty headache during a REALLY LOOOOONG meeting = Awful

Coming home to a wonderful husband who picked up the house and made the brownies for small group = PRICELESS!!!

Sometimes, it's the little things that matter the most! I love you, honey!

Autumn Leaves

I love autumn leaves - the colors, the textures and the sound of them as they crunch under your feet. But, do you know what I love the most about autumn leaves??? The smell!!! You think I'm kidding right?? Well I'm not!! Thanks to this

I just might have the scent of autumn leaves in my house all year round! This is a must-buy candle if you like a warm, homey smell, take my word for it!

Christmas Shopping and The Couch

Today, I officially started my Christmas shopping!! A friend and I spent the afternoon shopping and I made my first purchases of the season! I can't say who I bought for because they might read this, but I'm very pleased with the purchases! I also bought a few things for our Christmas tree - a couple of larger ornaments and some fun "sprouty" stuff for the tree topper. I tried to convince Brandon that we needed to change the tree decorations, but I'm actually happy he told me "No" because I found some fun stuff.

While we were out, we stopped by the furniture store where I've been shopping for furniture. The sales associate who greeted us said "Oh, hi - are you back to look again?" - I was so embarrassed! They probably think that I'm never going to make a purchase. However, I did find some fabric today that I think just might be perfect for the couch below (which is the one I've decided on). It is green, but not too green and has some texture and a slight pattern. Now, I just need to find a good coordinating fabric and I might be set :)

The perfect day...

...for soup!

It was cold and rainy and dreary today. The wind was blowing, the clouds were thick and there was a constant mist in the air. What I really wanted to do was crawl back in bed, but since I had to work, I decided I would pretend we had been home all day, snuggled in our sweats. So, I made chicken and rice soup, caesar salad and cheesy biscuits for dinner and it was perfect!! So, in honor of a cold day meal, here is my chicken and rice soup (I actually stole it from my aunt Sharon!):

1 package chicken breasts
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 chicken boullion cubes
2 c. water
1 box Uncle Ben's wild rice, 5-minute version

Place chicken in stock pot and cover with water. Add boullion cubes and celery leaves (my bunch was dwendling, so I used the hearts of the celery). Cook until chicken is done, approximately 20 minutes. In the meantime, chop your vegetables. When chicken is cooked, strain the liquid and return to the pot and chop your chicken. Add vegetables and 2 cups of water and cook until crisp tender. Add rice and seasoning packet and cook for 5-minutes. Add chicken back to the pot and cook an additional 5 - 10 minutes.

Enjoy! And, stay warm!! It's finally November!!!

I might be on to something...

You know the list that I made last week?? Well, I might have started to figure out my strategy to keep our house clean and organized!! I finally figured out today that the reason I feel so burdened by housework and organization is that I tend to put it off and then try to accomplish everything at one time. Then, I can't figure out where to start and I just get frustrated. So, today, I took the time to clean our floors (the #1 dreadful task) - I vacuumed then mopped. Then, I picked up the kitchen - emptied and loaded the dishwasher, picked up the "piles" and wiped off the counters. And, to my amazement, my house felt clean and tidy! I didn't worry about our bedroom or bathroom or the basement. I can accomplish those items throughout, one at a time.

So, here's my theory... If I can accomplish one major task on the weekend and focus on one smaller task each day of the week, the house will seem to be in order and I won't dread a major cleaning day! I also discovered another clever idea to cut down on clutter by taking a pre-determined amount of time (60 seconds, 5 mintues, etc.) to attack one area and then stop when the time is up. I tried it out earlier this week when I realized my car was locked in the garage (long story, but we had to get the garage fixed professionally) and I felt much better leaving the house knowing I wasn't coming home to a messy kitchen :)

Now, I should give Brandon some props because he does help. He did all of the laundry today. But, it was a negotiated deal. He didn't want to help clean, because he thought I was doing a major cleaning day, so he said "If you do ALL of the cleaning, then I will do ALL of the laundry" and I said "Deal!". He later told me I was being tricky... :)