I’m not saying it would be right (because it wouldn’t) but haven’t you ever really wanted to do this?

I’m just sayin’.

I guess he takes after his sisters:

Now, see, this is the benefit of having a Mac. Without Garage Band I wouldn’t be able to make videos of my children risking life and limb in pursuit of fun.

Note: No children were harmed in the making of these videos. Good thing, since I was so taken with their new-found talents (as of today) that I didn’t even notice the safety net wasn’t zippered (like it’s supposed to be) until I watched the video back. Oops!  Little Prince was trying to get the kitty to come in. Unfortunately I had already turned the camera off when they pulled both cats inside. It’s a weird thing to holler: “No cats on the trampoline!”

1. Mother’s Day - hehe!
2. The days start feeling longer.
3. It’s the last month with really nice weather. (Where I am. June starts getting too hot.)
4. Barbecues
5. Picnics
6. Gardening
7. It’s the best month for field trips.
8. The school year ends. (Not for us, but for some of our friends - more play dates.)
9. Usually the first month we fire up the grill for all our (my) summer cooking.
10. Finally get to pack up the last of the cool weather clothes. (We hope.)

What about you?

I’ve made a tutorial video for homemade dishwasher detergent. How awesome is that?

You know, I have to admit it was a lot weirder watching myself on camera than I thought it would be. I was surprised how self-conscious I am about about my teeth when I’m watching it. Of course, you probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t pointed it out. Go ahead, notice. I’m over it. See? Forgotten already.

It’s up on Imperishable Beauty, so go check it out. Also, I’m asking for constructive criticism, for the making of future vidoes, so hit me with your best shot.

Today I’m attempting to toilet train my 2 1/2 year old. (Am I crazy?)

So all day today he has been running around in his little boy undies, cold turkey. (Have I completely lost my mind?)

Even in the midst of getting school done, giving Princess a practice math test, and doing all our chores. (Yup, I’ve lost my marbles.)

So far we’ve had zero successes and two three accidents. (Not a single marble left.)

Because apparently I love cleaning up accidents. (Bonkers.)

Can’t get enough of them. (Cuckoo.)

So all day today I’m hoping for a success AND trying to keep my house clean. (Completely. Off. The. Deep. End.)

Tackle it Tuesday hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom.

I remember way back when, okay about 8 years ago, when I eagerly anticipated the arrival of my first child. I remember setting up the nursery, lovingly folding all the teeny little onesies in a drawer; my husband and I tossed names back and forth; I tenderly laid a couple of stuffed animals in the crib; I thought about holding her for the very first time.

I knew it wouldn’t be perfect. I knew that there would be midnight feedings. I knew there would be poopy diapers. I knew there would be terrible twos, and terrible threes, and precocious fours.

Boy, I didn’t know all the things I didn’t know.

Oh, all the things I know NOW.

• I know that the best thing for getting gum out of hair is peanut butter.
• I know how important it is to always have a backup pacifier.
• I know what it’s like to drive to Walmart at two o’clock in the morning for a replacement pacifier.
• I know pennies can be eaten. And passed.
• I know that pee and poop can travel across an entire room if you don’t change a diaper fast enough.
• I know that puke can travel faster than the speed of sound.
• I know that toddlers like to play in messy (and gross) things. See above.
• I know that babies have a death grip when it comes to pulling hair.
• I know that toddlers have a propensity for cutting hair.

But there’s more. So much more.

~ I know how sweet babies smell after a bath, and how there’s nothing like nuzzling a clean baby neck or smelling a powdery fresh baby’s head. I know how it feels when they cuddle up close and rest against you in complete and total peace. I know how my heart swells when a baby grasps my finger or clings to me while feeding.

~ I know the pride that comes with each milestone and the joy that accompanies each new discovery. I know how it feels the first time they say “momma” and the first time they reach to be picked up.

~ I know the wonder and excitement as they begin to crawl, walk, talk, run, and learn. I know what it’s like to discover each step with them and teach them the way.

~ I know what it’s like when they’re old enough to interact and converse and say “I love you,” “Come play with me,” or “I want to hold you.” I know how neat it is when they begin to color and draw and read and write.

But yet, it’s still so much more than that.

I now know what it feels like when they recite their first memory verse, talk about God and say their sweet little prayers. I also know what it feels like when they come to Christ, accepting him as their Lord and Savior. I know how it feels to see them beginning to make decisions on their own, choosing right from wrong and picking out their way.

More than that:

~ I know how my heart freezes and my breath stops each time I imagine some kind of harm that might hurt them.

~ I know how my heart aches to think about how quickly they are growing up, and how little time I really have with them.

~ I know how my heart is burdened to prepare them as best as I can for all that life will bring.

~ I know how my heart yearns for them to know God, really know God.

~ I know how my heart feels every second of the ticking clock as the sands of time slip through my fingers.

Still more?

I know that nothing else has a hold on my heart that same way that my children do. I love God first, I love my husband second, and I love my children more than anything else in this whole wide world. Because of that, I’ll keep bandaging booboos, cleaning up messes, settling arguments, disciplining disobedience, training, teaching, guiding, growing, and giving.

Imagine, just imagine, all the things that I don’t even know that I don’t know right now. Imagine all the things I’ll know in another 8 years, or 18. Imagine how sweet it’ll be to know those things then, and how fun/hard/enjoyable/amazing it will be learning them all along the way.

Read “What I Now Know About Motherhood…” at This Thing We Call Life.

Wow, last week was kind of weird, I think. It feels odd, like it went by in a blur and took forever at the same time. For one thing, my car is down again; this time it needs a new water pump. We’ve had to juggle the other car around to get some things done. Also, I think we’ve been passing around a little stomach bug. Today I’ve laid around and slept and watched movies. All. Day. Long. Well, I fed my family. But that’s about it. But the new week waits for no man. Or woman. Tomorrow is going to come and I am going to need a game plan. So let’s make one, shall we?

1.) Bible Study: Morning devotions using this site to study my bible chronologically.

2.) “MUST Do” List:

• Stick to my daily schedule (as God allows) for morning devotions, taking care of the home and home-schooling
• Iron Big Daddy’s clothes for each day, as a labor of love.

3.) Taking Care of My Home:

Daily Chores and then focus on these areas for weekly chores:

• Monday - Kitchen; Wash Lights
• Tuesday - Dining Room; Wash Darks
• Wednesday - Living Room; Wash Towels & Little Prince’s Bedding
• Thursday - Master Bedroom & Bathroom; Wash Lights & Master Bedding
• Friday - Kids’ Rooms; Wash Darks & Girls’ Bedding
• Saturday - Wash Whites; Kids’ Bathroom; Clean Up Yard/Car

4.) Training My Children:

Starting this week, for the next three weeks, we’re going to be focusing mainly on Math and Language Arts. In addition to testing at Sylvan near the end of May, a homeschooling friend of mine is going to include Princess on some placement test wile she tests her son. Monday she’ll do a spelling placement test. Next week it will be math. We’re going to have all the bases covered for making Big Daddy happy.

5.) Menu Plan Monday

This week I’m just planning the suppers, we’ll probably have sandwiches and leftovers for lunch.

• Monday - Calzones
• Tuesday - Family Casserole
• Wednesday - Meatloaf
• Thursday - Something in the crockpot
• Friday - Taco Soup
  
• Saturday - Hamburgers
• Sunday - Enchiladas

Monday Meanderings is hosted by Tiany and Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Laura. Thanks ladies!

I can’t believe it’s May already! Yes, Mother’s Day is just around the corner (hint, hint) and Tiany at Less of Me, More of Him has put together a list with a bundle of Mother’s Day contests - which by the way I think was very sweet of her! Stop by, check out the contests, give Tiany a “hello” and don’t forget to check the deadline on each contest since we’re getting kind of close to Mother’s Day already.

By the way, May is Kids’ Rooms over at OrgJunkie’s Organizing Round-Up. Check it out.

Gas prices got you down? Check out this list of average gas prices around the world. Holy Chihuahuas!

Here’s another educational gem for you - I recently downloaded Bridge to Reading (for FREE mind you) and the girls have really been enjoying it. It’s reinforcing spelling for Princess and introducing reading to Drama Queen. I give it two thumbs up!

Next week we’re introducing multiplication so I’m on the prowl for resources.

• Multiplication.com
• Dosity.com (Multiplication Section)
• Multiplication Idea Bank at mathcats.com

Well, that’s about it. Have a great weekend!

Laura’s challenge for this month is the master bedroom. Seriously? Man, mine is still organized from the spring challenge last year!

Amazing, isn’t it? I mean, yes it has gotten a little cluttered and dirty sometimes, like when we got behind on laundry and it backed up in our room. But then you do laundry and it’s clean again.

But we’re not talking about clean. We’re talking about organized. And as far as organization goes, everything is still in place. It’s still working. With a few minutes of clean-up I’m able to transform our room back into the sanctuary it is supposed to be.

Hallelujah and praise God! God can teach an old messy some new habits!

So back to the challenge…the only thing that I really didn’t organize before was the small drawers across the top of my dresser. I think I did one of them. Sadly most of what was in them had probably been in there for a loooong time. Here’s the before:

What you see here is:

• pair of old glasses, 2nd pair of current glasses which needs a screw replaced, old prescription sunglasses in case, empty glasses case, glasses cloth
• cover for dvd player, 3 remotes
• Power of a Praying Wife/Husband prayer card books
• 1 screw, 2 buttons, 3 pushpins
• hand lotion, foot lotion, 2 wooden back massagers
• old purse
• necklace, a wooden jewelry box
• loose change, $2.22 to be exact
• box of small ribbons for a quilt my mom made when I was little - that I do still have in the closet. also a small bag of ribbons that should be in the box.
• miscellaneous receipts
• dental floss
• keepsake garter from my wedding
• 2 extra cartridges for my labeler
• an eraser, and a rubber stopper - from my baby gate?
• hair clip
• taper candle
• 2 boxes of matches - for all the candles!

It doesn’t like look like all that stuff is in there, does it? Yeah, well, it is!

The first step was to pull it ALL out.

The next step was to assess what I had, what I wanted to go back in the drawers and how I could group them together. After putting everything else in the trashcan or a new, more appropriate home, this is what we’ve got now:

1. I know what I’m putting there but I’m not showing you!
2. The current book I’m reading for before-bed reading, and a place to store my glasses when I put the book back.
3. Boxes. The jewelry box, which doesn’t fit in my standing jewelry armoire. The box of ribbons that I haven’t decided what to do with yet. The box of matches, again, for all the candles. I like candles. I have them all over my house.
4. Everything related to the skin - the lotion, the floss, the lip balm, etc.

So that’s it. It was a quick and easy task, really. Which is great because with all that we had going on in the month of April, I didn’t have time for BIG challenges.

So hats off to all who accomplished something for the Roundup, whether it be big or small. A step in the right direction, regardless of size, is still a step closer than you were before.

The Monthly Organizational Round-Up is hosted by Laura at I’m An Organizing Junkie.

Seriously, try it.

Don’t use your expensive conditioner, though, buy something inexpensive and moisturizing. You’ll save money and your skin will be moisturized, too.

‘Nuff said.

Works For Me Wednesday is hosted by Rocks In My Dryer.