My Name is Jen... And I'm an Wannabe Organizer

I am so inspired by all of the creative and super organized bloggers out there! While I have the makings of being organized (I am a great planner, I know where everything is, I manage time like no one's business), I am not the most creative person or good at executing. I have a vision, I just don't know how to bring my vision to life. But Lord knows I need to figure it out! My house is a hot mess 90% of the time. Domestically challenged Mister is a stay at home dad; he and the kids can jack up a clean house like a tornado can jack up Dorothy's day!

So here is my plan (see I told you I'm good at planning!):

1. Come up with a list of about 5 projects to complete with a deadline of 3/31.


2. Assign time lines, shopping lists, and other resources needed (ie. Mister's muscles)


3. Scour blogs and magazines for inspirational ideas. (I am loving Honey We're Home's organizing series!)


4. Schedule specific time to prep, shop, execute!

Here is my list of projects for Q1 (please forgive the quality of the pictures. My camera needs to go to the shop and I am borrowing anothers).

1. Pantry- We are going to be moving in the next year and don't want to overhaul the shelving so I plan on laying MDF on top of the wire shelves.


2. Master closet- It's a beautiful closet overwhelmed with shoes, purses and clothes that no longer fit.
3. Garage (for the second time this year!) Thankfully my 17 year old nephew and brother are staying with us which will be extremely helpful to Mister's muscles as I sit and point.


4. Kid's rooms/closets- No explanation needed.


5. Book case- I am an avid reader whose book collection has grown to insane proportions! I have got to edit and plan on donating most of my books to the local VA hospital.

6. Pictures- My grandfather took pictures of everything! EVERYTHING! and I have inherited all of those photo books. Many of the pics can be thrown away (pictures of snow falling, of the car accident by his house, his new driveway, of the ball dropping on New Years on tv); however the rest are irreplaceable and need to be scanned and protected. His pictures from WWII, family pictures going back the 1920's, every birth in our family, dance recitals, baseball games, Christmases, etc.

(Ok, I said I would chose 5 and I've got a list of 6. Maybe I'm not such a great planner??)

I'll do my best to document my progress and maybe, just maybe, I'll end up being an inspiration who also suffers from being a Wannabe!

This is my first time participating in a Blog Hop; Java's (at Never Grow Old) 30th edition of Meet Me on Monday Blog Hop. The purpose of this Meme is so that you can get to know your favorite bloggers just a bit better.


Here goes:1. Have you (only you..not a group) ever won first place in anything? Hmm. Let's see. When I was in elementary school I rode 20 miles in a bike-a-thon for Cystic Fibrosis and won the grand prize of 10 speed bike. I was really proud of that since I wasn't (still aren't) very athletic.


2. Are your toes always painted (sorry guys...this question for girls only)? My toes are ALWAYS painted. But alas, today, they are a bit busted. Time for a pedi!

3. What color eyes do you have? Hazel that on some days look blue. I'm always excited to have a "blue eyed day"!

4. Look to your left....what do you see? I see a side table full of junk; fireman costume, ipad box, Weight Watchers book, tissue box, coupons and a grocery list.

5. Soft cookies or crunchy cookies? Soft but I refuse to discriminate against the crunchy. Its not the cookie's fault after all.

To join in the fun, please, Copy, paste and answer these 5 questions on your blog and add your link to the blog hop list:1. Have you (only you..not a group) ever won first place in anything?2. Are your toes always painted (sorry guys...this question for girls only)?3. What color eyes do you have?4. Look to your left....what do you see?5. Soft cookies or crunchy cookies?Your link MUST include your Meet Me On Monday post or it will be deleted!Also PLEASE either put the Meet Me On Monday button in your post or link your post back http://nevergrowingold.blogspot.com/search/label/Meet%20Me%20On%20Monday.

Don't Tell My Husband...

Since my husband spends all of his computer time on Facebook and YouTube, I feel confident my confession will remain a secret. I've never said these words aloud and probably never will however (my heart rate is increasing with the contemplation of even typing the words); I am ready to silently express my feelings. I love our dog.

Wow! I said it! A deep breath brings me a feeling of relief and release!

Let me introduce you to Liberty Rose aka Libby.

Libby is a two year old red tri Australian Shepherd who came to live with us when she was only 8 weeks old. The day we picked her from the breeder, I was fully prepared to become totally in love with the little fuzzball. And I was! Until we started the hour long journey home with her in the crate in the back of the SUV. She cried all the way home. The high pitched puppy scream that you can only understand if you've experienced it. The crying would have been manageable; we could have held her, cuddled away her anxiety but no. No, instead she decided to start pooping. I swear she pooped for 45 minutes of the 60 minute drive. She was no longer cuddle-able. The SUV stunk to high heaven, the dog is crying horribly, the kids are starting to get cranky and Mister... Mister was driving home with a look of adoration on his face. Despite the poop and the cries, he was in love. Me however, I was ready to commit puppycide.

From that first day, life with Libby only went downhill. Sir was only 18 months at the time; toddling around learning the ropes of life. Libby, being a rambunctious puppy who was half his size and a herder by nature TORMENTED him. She would nip at his heals, knock him over and pounce on him when he was down. I could go on and on about how bad things were. Life in the Casa was not nice. Everyone was miserable most of all me. I hated her. I pleaded with my husband to get rid of her. I begged, cried, offered all kinds of bribes. We even had the breeder come to the house to pick her up! (I stared through the window with a heavy heart as she drove away with a red fuzzball still at Mister's feet.)

Fast forward to today. Libby has grown to the wise old age of 2 and has made a 180 in her behavior and in my heart. Our "understanding" (as I would come to call it) started with her joining me in bed to watch TV at night. Who knew that she loved The History Channel as much as I did? When Mister would come in and question what was going on, I would answer that we had come to an "understanding". Our "understanding" has evolved to me taking her with me to run errands. I came out of the dog hating closet and now publicly pet and cuddle her. I have even come to enjoy her so much that I am weighing the idea of getting another dog. With all of that said, I still have not said that I love her. Because that would mean that my husband was right in keeping her. And if he was right... well, that would mean that I was... no... I might confess that I love Libby but you'll never hear me say I was wro....

Happy 2011!

I have never been more happy to say good bye to a year. 2010 tested me, humbled me and left me a shattered woman. Thanks to an awful bout of flu, bronchitis and pneumonia in my house from the beginning of November to just before Christmas, I had plenty of time to lick my wounds, reflect and adjust my attitude. While I have not made a long list of resolutions, I am taking advantage of turning the page of the calender to re-prioritize some things.

#1 I have to recommit myself to my relationship with God and pursue fellowship of like minded people. Only He can make me whole again and give me the peace and understanding that I crave.

#2 I have to take better care of me. Mind, body and soul. I have to let go of the pain of the past so that I can fully embrace today. I have got to feed my body with heart healthy nutritious food in order to be the best mother, wife and me I can be. I have to not feel guilty about the time I do take for me or the money I spend on taking care of me. I deserve it. I have to let others own their own problems. Boss makes a bad decision? Her issue, not mine. Family keep their lives in a whirlpool of turmoil? Their issue, not mine. I own me. Not others.

So that's pretty easy, huh? Only two things! I'm positive, refreshed and taking it one day at a time.

Home Alone

With Christmas quickly approaching, I felt no guilt the other night cuddling up with the kids to watch Home Alone. While widely pigeonholed as a Christmas movie, I find it to be a good family comedy that is to be enjoyed all year long. Its one of those movies that I must watch whenever I see it on tv. My husband on the other hand is a pigeon holer and thinks it should be saved for the month of December... but I digress.

So the other night, Sir, Ma'am and I were cuddled up laughing over Kevin's crazy antics. It was one of those nice simple nights that I will hold in my heart for a long time to come. However, I seem to have under estimated how close Sir would hold that night and movie to his heart. Ever since Monday night, he has found several reasons why he needs to live alone. Time for bed? "Fine! I'm going to wive awone." 18 year old cousin moves out of the house? "I'm moving too. I'm gonna wive awone." Brush your teeth? "When I wive awone, I'm not brushing my teeth."

Oh and when he wives awone... he's going to find an adult to help him pour his milk, put toothpaste on his toothbrush and do all of the things that he finds insurmountable. But he's still going to be wiving awone!

I'm a Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Or maybe I'm a commitmentphobe or I bore easily or I really am the busiest woman on the planet... Or maybe I'm a combination of all? But most of all, I think I might be a "Blogger Tease". That's right, I say I'm going to do it, I give a little taste but then I back out, leaving the world (ok, maybe 3 readers) wondering what the heck happened.

So this time, I make no commitment. No sweeping gesture of stick-to-it-withness. I'll blog when the creative juices hit me or when I need it to act as my silent shrink agreeing with everything I say. Maybe every once in awhile, someone will stumble across it and be either humored or helped by my witty insight. And maybe in the process, I'll figure out a little more about myself. Up until recently, I thought I knew myself very well. Thought I had it all figured out. Come to find out, not so much.

As I venture into what I am calling my "quarter life crisis", I will use Three Little Birds as my soapbox and window to my soul.

Ladies and Gentlemen, "Hang on, its going to be a bumpy ride".

Daddy Daycare: Day One

This is the first post in a series of posts this summer that will be entitled Daddy Daycare. With Ma'am graduating from Pre-K last week and Mister's business being somewhat...dead; we decided that the kids would stay home with Daddy for the summer. We signed up at the YMCA, have annual passes to Busch Gardens and Disney and have a bevy of exciting activities for Daddy and kids to do. With all of the preperation and thought that went into this decision; Mister still had a look of fear in his eyes this morning as I kissed them all goodbye. I've only called to check in once so far and they were at the Y happily playing in the water park.

I'm sure we'll have lots of great stories to share as I chornical the ups and downs of Daddy Daycare!