Can you say stress?

Since January, we have had two accidents in our household. One resulted in a concussion. The other resulted in a torn rotator cuff and dislocated bicep. 

Our college age daughter ended up with a concussion after an inebriated friend flipped a chair she was sitting in.. Our flex spending and insurance could handle this ONE accident. It was a bit of an inconvenience to our budget, but a few cutbacks and we were ok. 

Then,  I heard those fateful words on Easter Sunday. "I'm bored.." This resulted in a quick bike ride around the neighborhood, a blown out front tire on a brand new bike and a trip to the emergency room. After a couple of different doctors and an MRI, my husband learned that he had a massive tear of the right rotator cuff and a dislocated bicep. He had to have surgery and it had to be as soon as possible. 

Here I was, ending the school year with a husband who needed surgery. I pushed the kids to finish their lessons so that I could take the last couple of days off before the exams. I guilted the doctor's office into changing the follow-up appointment so that I could review with my students the very last day of class before the state test. After all, wouldn't you want your child's teacher to be there for the very last chance to review before taking a test worth 20% of their overall grade? The testing coordinator and the principal at school changed the exam schedule so that I was free in the afternoons during exams to take my husband to his doctor's appointment and Physical Therapy.

Now, those bills are pouring in. Our little budget could handle ONE catastrophe, but this second one is really causing a financial strain. No more hair color...no more mani-pedis - at least for while. I even had to give up the chance to make some very serious money this summer because the training was too soon after the surgery. 

My daddy always said that the Good Lord sent us the broke times so that we appreciate the good times. I am hoping that I learn the lesson the broke times are teaching and that I learn it soon. The stress of learning this lesson is feeling like more than I can handle at the moment.

Older Skin

I just love looking a fashion magazines and make up tutorials. I have always been a sucker for the latest makeup trend. Let's face it, I am a makeup junky.

My entire adult life I have purchased the best makeup and skin care products that I could afford. I have always taken very good care of my skin.

These last few months though, I had to make a serious admission. I no longer have a clean slate. I have wrinkles and sags and bags. I no longer have young skin. This realization is extremely depressing.

I spent an entire weekend purging my makeup stash in the dressing room. I hate to admit it, but I have so much makeup squirreled away, that it will probably take another weekend to purge what is in the linen closet of my bedroom. Honestly, I have to be in a purging mood or it isn't going to happen.

In the meantime, I can still look at fashion magazines, ideas on Pinterest, and new makeup trends. I just have to focus on those trends that are more age appropriate. 

90% finished

The bathroom is 90% finished! We need to put down the floor and install the new faucet.  Other than that...it is done.

I chose some flooring awhile back, but have decided not to use it. So, I am back to the drawing room on that. The flooring I was going to use will now be used in the laundry room. That's ok. I know what I want - I just have to get it. My husband and I can put the flooring down anytime. At least now the bathroom won't be in total disaray when our daughter comes home for spring break next weekend.

Here are a couple of before and after pics of the sink, cabinet,  and entire bathroom. Please excuse the faucet in it's box on the toilet. That should get installed this afternoon.

Bathroom Project

I got to work on the upstairs bathroom today. Seems like when I have time to work on the bathroom, my daughter is home. I don't know if your college kid does this, but when mine comes home she wrecks her bathroom. There is absolutely no working on it during school breaks. AND, since I teach school...we tend to be on the same breaks! This little project seems to be taking forever!

Anyway, here is how the vanity looks with two coats of paint. I still have to paint the doors and attach the new hardware and knobs. But, I think this project is coming along very nicely.

A short hiatus from organizing

I was on a bit of a hiatus from organizing as I worked on a special project for the state. It took three weeks of my life, but did result in a little extra cash which is always a good thing.

Now, I am back at the organizing. The daily organizational calendar that I have been using still has three weeks of activities that haven't been crossed out, but I am just picking up where I left off.

This morning, I have been cleaning out my recipes. Because I have the world's brownest thumb, I keep tons of cookbooks, recipes and magazines in my planter window.  However, over the years, I have allowed that shelf to be overgrown with paper and books -  some of which I have had since we were first married.

I am going through every piece of paper and every magazine. I can tell which magazines are the most loved because they seem to be sprouting post -it notes! There were some old favorites in these magazines that I had forgotten all about! In the papers I found hand written recipes from dear friends that I haven't heard from in years. I realized that my favorite cookbook is starting to fail the test of time - it is going to have to be put away in some type of box to keep it from getting anymore exposure to the elements. I found some paper recipes that had been printed from the internet more than once...obviously, those were family favorites at some time.

I have been heartless and cruel. I have purged many old magazines, newspaper cuttings, and cookbooks. However, I refuse to purge my Paula Deen magazines or cookbooks I even bought special dividers for those. I don't think I have ever tried a recipe of hers that my family didn't like. That is truly saying something because I live in a house with an extremely picky eater~

The local Habitat for Humanity store is going to get several cookbooks this week, however. I hope that there is someone out there who can use them.

Still DeCluttering (Is that even a word?)

I am still decluttering. This week, I have gone through several drawers and the dreaded food containers. I have to admit...I saved that one for last.

However, the biggest challenge was actually the kitchen junk drawer. I made the mistake of pulling everything out of the drawer with my husband present. That was a big NO NO!! He had a reason for saving just about everything. Oh my goodness! Luckily, I was able to convince him that we really didn't need the wrapper for the batteries. I could put them in a little basket so that we could find them easily.

In that drawer a found a brand new box of chalk for our message board that I didn't know we had. I put it in another basket to keep it all together - old and new. I also have to say that my family found it quite entertaining to watch me break the new chalk. They had never seen anyone do that before. Are there any teachers out there who have used chalkboards? Did you break your new chalk? I always did (and still do) because I found that the edges on new pieces of chalk don't write as well. My husband and daughter watched me do that today to the new pieces of chalk and found it hysterical! Old habits die hard, I suppose.

My daughter went back to school this morning. Tomorrow I will tackle the mess she left in the bathroom. Wish me luck!

DeClutter 365 Challenge

I joined an online challenge that I found on Pinterest. The challenge encourages you to set one goal each week and work about 15 minutes per day on that challenge. January is the month of the kitchen. The website lets you sign up for a

Actually, the kitchen is relatively easy because I reorganized it at the beginning of summer. However, I didn't do a few of the things that the daily challenge recommends. I hadn't thought of creating zones, for example. I love that idea.

Since my daughter will get her first apartment next year and has a storage building, I have a big plastic bin from Home Depot marked "Rachael's Kitchen." Anything that I think she can use I put in there. She is home for break, so I have been checking with her. A couple of things we have put into the donate box downstairs and a couple meant to much to her to take to college where they might get lost or stolen. (Those were put way back in the cabinet to save for a couple more years.)


I think it is easier to declutter and donate things when I know it is going to save me money in the long run. (I won't have to buy this stuff to get her started next year.)

Here is a link to the website that I am using to get decluttered.

http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/