Housework support group!!???!!

GramE

OMG, my feet hurt just looking at them.  With my luck I would fall over before I took one step or need a crane to lift me up on them... LOL.   Thanks for the laughs.

mom2two

kmc as long as you're gonna be kind of tall in those shoes, could you change a light bulb or two for me??

hollyann

LOL  You ladies crack me up!...No housework for me today!....I have to be at work at 3 today and work til 11~........Sucks!........

kmc I need those shoes!......The heels would make great bulb planters!....LOL   And the toe part could be the hammer I've been looking for!.......

bkc

Ok ladies. We are doing MAJOR  clutter removal today and I need HELP!!!!!!!! My girls have 5 BIG plastic storage containers overflowing with toys. The girls are 5 and 4. WE HAVE GOT TO GET THIS DOWN TO AT LEAST 1 CONTAINER PER CHILD!!!!!!! You can't even walk in their room.

I tried the old give to a little girl who doesn't have anything ploy and it IS NOT working!!!!!! Everything has sentimental value to them. This came from Nana or that came from Bubba etc.

 DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS?????? I'm ready to toss everything in the yard and strike a match!!!!! Pulling what little hair I have out or just shutting the door and pretending the room doesn't exist.

GramE

Toy idea:  you cannot get a new toy unless  you give away 2.  Worked for my only son, only grandson when he was young. AND one toy does not mean ONE marble or piece of a puzzle... Has to be the entire equipment involved with that toy.   

Other idea:   for each toy or group of toys given away, the reward is his/her choice of movie, meal, snack.   Make up "tickets" (print on computer on index cards).    

shiny

bkc, another idea.

Often it is the sentimental value that is holding them back, so get them a scrap book each and they can get make a special album about their fav toys each.

 They, or you take a digital pic of each toy they get rid of ("won't it be cool to give that same thrill to a new little girl. how kind and special of you!"). Each toy or toy category gets a page and then, together you help them to write who gave it to them, why it was great etc. Then they will ALWAYS be able to look and remember and enjoy the memories of their toys (without them getting in the way of more space and space for Santa's sac?).

We do loads with pictures in our house, and it feels great to record things like that. Hope it helps..

Has someone found Coonie?? have you tried Walmart?

take care all. xx Shiny

arnie

 Why didn't we think of Walmart!!!  hehehe 

Great ideas flowing up their ladies...  I've got guests coming for a bbq so gotta run... but I'll check back in if they leave early.

mom2two

Sometimes bkc   you just have to say "We're the parents and these are the new rules"  one toy box for each of you. Now either you pick which ones or daddy and I will pick. They may fuss and cry but believe me in the end you will be happier and so will they. Too much clutter isn't good for anyone.  I usually sit down with mine and let her say keep or give. You can usually tell that way which ones they really want.  Eighteen years of parenting has taught me the hard way about reaching a balance in giving in and knowing when to stand my ground.  Just take a peek at those sweet sixteen reality tv shows and see what letting the kids have everything their own way gets the parents, its not a pretty sight.  So you and hubby decide whats best for you and the sanity of your family and then have the kids follow suit. You will find that while at first they may fuss they will have a much better feeling of security to know you have set boundaries.  Then when you are facing the teen years you will be so thankful that they are use to obeying those boundaries and you won't find yourself facing the heartache alot of parents do.

bkc

Thanks for the ideas ladies. I have incorporated a little of everything you said and this is what we came up with.

 Each girl got a medium sized plastic container with a plastic lid. The rule is anything they can fit into the container and still get the lid on they can keep.They can choose 2 items to add to their hope chest. Any broken toy goes in the garbage. Anything else goes to the giveaway bin on the front porch. And tomorrow we will take everything to our local shelter and give it to the kids there and they can take pictures to put in their life books.

I can see their floor and the closet is clean. We are still working on under the bed but that is almost done. I have carted most of the things they gave up to the van already(so they don't have a chance to change their minds) and I am almost pooped.

My son is almost 19 and he has always been very neat to the extreme. He kept his hot wheels on a long shelf and always knew if someone had moved or taken something. He never really asked for much of anything and never cared if his clothes were name brand or not as long as they were clean and neat. So I guess  we were lucky.

But with the girls it is totally different! They want everything that their friends have and if we don't get it they ask Nana and Nana spoils them rotten. I know she means well and she lives so far away that she feels bad about not seeing them more. But it has gotten to the point that the first thing they say when she calls is WHAT DID YOU SEND US?  I HAVE GOT TO HAVE ANOTHER TALK WITH HER!!!!!!!

Anonymous

I think Coonie is having too much fun in the big city to check in. 

faithandfifty

"Hooooovering" thru with best wishes and hugs, prayers and love....

Can't wait to hear Coonie's stories.

count me in on the round robin box -- what fun that would be!!

xx00xx00xx00xx

mom2two

Faith pm me your address and I'll put you on the list. I'll let you all know when we have enough signed up to start. We already have a great start.

arnie

julz & dh!!!  Here's hoping you have a great day together!

Mornin' ladies.... 

GramE

I am up and working on cup of coffee # 1.  Probably no housework today as I will go over to Arlington National Cemetery - husband's ashes are there.  Here's hoping the rain holds off.

arnie

lefty...  I watched a movie last night called "Taking Chance"  a very emotional tale about an officer volunteering to take a fallen soldier across the country to his home to be put to rest.  Very touching, very moving...   Thank you for your husband's service to our country... I'm sure your visit to Arlington today will be very moving...

Marple

Lefty, gentle hugs. I'll be thinking about you.............

GramE

Thank you arnie.  Yes, it is always a very moving time when I visit.  If there is a funeral going on, which most times there is at least one, it makes my heart stop and I have to catch my breath.  The riderless horse, the playing of taps, gun salute, honor guard, folding of the flag, and when there are bagpipes... oh my goodness do the tears flow, even after 6 years.   There are a group of bag pipe players who regularly visit and play as they walk around.  They take requests and will NOT take a donation, just do it as a tribute to the fallen heroes.   I am already all teary eyed and have not even gotten a shower and dressed yet.   

arnie

I wish I could go with you lefty... I love the "honor bestowed "  on the men and women that have served our country.   I cry and get very emotional too,  when I hear taps,  bagpipes etc. 

 I'm walking in the luminary ceremony at our relay for life this coming Saturday night and there  is alway a bagpiper leading us... very emotional, this year especially for me because we will have three new luminaries... one of  for my father-in-law, brother-in-law and my dear sweet sister Margee who all passed in 2008. 

GramE

Thank you again, arnie.  I take roses and pick off the petals one by one, saying " I miss you, I love you" instead of he loves me, he loves me not.   And I have shared roses with others and cried with them and shared stories of our loved ones.  One man  I met takes yellow roses over for his wife.  

Spouses are allowed to be buried or ashes placed, even if they die first.  Both are put in the same place.  If a plot,they are put face to face (so to speak).  If ashes, both urns go into the same crypt.  My ashes will go in with my husband's when I die.   

Only on Memorial Day do they allow other items besides flowers.  I have seen teddy bears, poems, rosary beads, pictures, can of beer, yellow ribbons, all kinds of statues, knick knacks - cars, horses, boats, dogs, cats, you name it.  

Each grave and each crypt has a flag placed - all done on one evening.  The website has information about it.  This year it was done on May 21.  That is the most awesome site you can imagine.   Tens of thousands of flags.

I am so sorry for your losses.  Hugs and Blessings. 

arnie

lefty...  whisper a little prayer of thanks from "Arnie" to all those there today... will be thinking of you...

arnie

 

coonies back....coonies back! ladedahdedah

lovinmomma

LEFTY....Thank you and your husband for your support. Gentle hugs for you especially today. I hope that you know we are all there with you in spirit.

coonie

Good morning dust bunnies!!! Awwwhhh.....I missed you ladies!!! Had a wonderful time, but it sure is good to be home!! I've got alot of reading to do to catch up with you gals. hehe............such a chatty bunch:) I thought of you all everyday.

Did alot of riding in the back of cabs (sure did improve my prayer life) hehe......hope everyone in treatments, tests, etc are doing good!! Happy Memorial Day to all of you!!

Took a pic of this flag next to the State of Liberty.....it was so pretty with the sun next to it....

This is the view from our room in Times Square......

This was taken from the ferry on the way out to see the Statue of Liberty...

And.......here's our Lady

lovinmomma

So great to see you Coonie!!!!  We were having Coonie-withdrawls.

mom2two

(((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))) Arnie and Lefty.

Welcome back Coonie, the pictures are beautiful, but since I totally hate elevators I don't think that hotel you stayed in would be my number one pick to stay at.  Looks like you were on the 450th floor or something!

ebann

Hi Mom;

How are you doing? It sounds like you are doing much better on that housework. I still need prayer in that area but working on it. Kind of been over doing things with the excitement of being cancer free. It really catches up with me though. How is your work going for you? My business is picking up again. Which I am happy about. Busy with church which I have missed dearly and is such a joy to be back. My daughter is busy with school and work. She will be done with school in August and we will start planning for her wedding. Looking for the wedding dress she would like to have will is going to be a challenaged. I am blessed that my husbands work at american express was not laid off. They laid off 4000 people just in AZ.  There is a 6% lay off internationally with AMEX. Big and scary. I truly feel for those. I go in for a colonoscopy Tuesday. I am not looking forward to that. Just praying everything will turn out okay. My mother had colon cancer when she was 35 and she is now 63. She is an inspiration to me. The ladies in my family are fighters. Though have to admit I had moments I wanted to give up but God had other plans for me. I have missed not chatting with you. I think the Round robin letter sounds like a wonderful idea.

Love you and my thoughts and prayers are with you.

mom2two

Still smiling big happy smiles with you Ebann on the cancer free status and what a wonderful time of life to be getting ready for your daughters wedding. Just enjoy every moment of the hustle and bustle that comes with it.

As for the house, it was starting to look like a tornado had swept through my house again but I finally quit just looking at it and got things cleaned back up again yesterday. The major clearing out of the excess proved its worth in that I was able to get everything done in just a short time instead of it taking eons to get things clean. But Ebann remember I only had the surgery and it took me months to get it to this place. You had the full treatment menu plan so you don't have to get caught up till......oh.... how about sometime in the year 2012.

So putting out my best tea set for you if you ever find your travels take you through Lexington my friend. God Bless.

ebann

Hi Connie;

I was in NY in 2007 before my dx with cancer. I actually fell down the stairs at a broadway show and crushed my shoulder. Such a fond memory. Did not go the the hospital there. I hoped on the train to my brothers place. Then slept on the couch. I had some of my brothers Vicadin and flew home the next day and my dh took me to urgent care right away. It is a neat place to visit. I took my daughter for her 18th birthday along with graduating.  Great accomplishment and my brother lives in Long Island. Beautiful place Long Island that is. Glad you had a great time.

kmccraw423

Yea - Coonie's back!!!! Let's all get together for a drink!

sahalie