Scheduling our days

I created a weekly schedule for us to help keep us all sane, so check that one off the to-do list. Here it is. Wish us luck.

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To do update: I decided not to bother calling the chiro until I know what’s up with our insurance. Still haven’t called Kris. I’ve been putting it off.
To do on Wednesday: Call Kris; grocery shop; pick up computer and library books.

 

To do: Organize kids’ bedroom closet

Mark and I cleaned out and organized the closet in the kids’ bedroom the other day kind of by accident. I just started picking through a few things while the kids were watching a movie in our bedroom to wind down for bed. The next thing I know, we’ve got everything pulled out and a pile of stuff to donate:

We added Connor’s dresser out of the playroom; all the pictures and knick-knacks we don’t have room for right now out from under my desk; a box of childhood scrapbooks out of our bedroom; and the wrapping supplies out of our closet.

We moved the Halloween costumes, out-of-season outwear and a box of clothes that are too big for Connor to Grace’s closet (in the playroom) and a pile of blankets to the living room.

Finish product, with an empty shelf to spare:

And the next project:

 

Good to be back

So, how did I spend my Internet-free and nearly-kid-free week? A read a whole book (Thin is the New Happy, highly recommend it), watched three movies (none of which I recommend), did a few digital scrapbook pages, ran some errands I’ve been meaning to do for a while and slept a lot (yet still not enough). I also (with an assistant) installed a programmable thermostat and did some laundry, but that was the extent of the cleaning.

It was pretty easy to stay offline at home and the first day of work (Wed) when it was really busy. Friday during down time at work, I started reading a book I got for Christmas and have already learned a lot in theory. We’ll see if I can put it into practice. Saturday and Sunday were rough because there was not a lot of work to do, but somehow I made it through. Opening my e-mail Monday morning was a little overwhelming but I’ve finally read everything. (The women I met online mostly communicate through e-mail now, not on a message board so there was a lot to read.) I haven’t caught up on any blogs except digiscrapping download ones.

And now on to the rest of the week:

I spent Christmas Day in Onalaska with the in-laws and this past Sunday at my parents’ house for Christmas celebrations. A good time was had by all. And this week we made room for the new toys. We cleared out a few bags of things to donate and bought these boxes from Ikea and labled them (with words and pictures):

While sorting books, Grace told me she didn’t need a particular Santa book because:
“I know everything about Santa.”
Me: Oh, do you?
G: Yeah, like he comes down the chimney. But if you don’t have one, he can come in the front door.
Me: Yes, that’s right.
G: I learned that one from Grandpa, not from myself. Cause I didn’t know that afore.
(She did know right away that we didn’t have a chimney. That’s when Grandpa told her about the front door. She also made sure I didn’t put out the reindeer food on Christmas Eve because the kids weren’t going to be there Christmas morning and we didn’t want to confuse the reindeer.)

Grace likes the newly organized playroom. So much that she wants to keep prying parents away:

Although, she did let daddy in to hang up her art (and Connor’s on the right):

 

Falling into the rebate trap

I just discovered the $18 worth of rebates slips I had for CVS expired on Sept. 4.

I can’t find the receipt I need to claim $13 in Walgreen’s rebates. I have until Oct. 4 to turn that in.

I can’t find the mail-in slips for $10 worth of rebates from Pert.

This is why stores/products offer rebates instead of coupons. To make money off of stupid, disorganized people like me.

 

things that make you go ‘GRR’

At Target on Tuesday, we bought a new tent because the zipper on ours is totally shot; diapers; three shirts, two pairs of paints and two pairs of shoes for Mark to wear to the convention (and whenever he needs to look halfway decent. Spent about $250. The next day, I get a 10% coupon in the mail because I’d reached my Target Visa rewards total. GRR

Yesterday I tried to reattach the rearview mirror in the car. But it was too hot out and the glue just kept running and wouldn’t hold the button. So I had to clean it all off and will have to try again when it’s not so hot. GRR

Yesterday on the way to work I stocked up on Pepsi products and Pedia Sure and a few odds and ends at Walgreens, all on sale. Spent $75. Got to work, checked my blog reader, and saw the Walgreens issued an online coupon for $10 off when you spend $40 good only for today and tomorrow. I could have waited, printed two coupons, broke my order in two and saved $15 plus added in $5 extra worth of stuff free. GRR

Today my dad was over installing our new bathroom sink. He asked for drill bits. Remember how I expertly organized our tools the other week? Well, I couldn’t find the case of bits anywhere today. Did they get up and walk out of the toolbox? GRR

While I was reading to Grace this morning, Connor dumped an entire, newly opened box of Kleenex in the toilet. GRR

 

To do: Try something completely different

We decided a few weeks ago it was time for Grace to move from her toddler bed to a twin-size bed. We hoped it would help with her sleeping troubles if she felt more grown-up. After earning 10 stars for having good nights, she got her bed, which she had picked out. We picked it up Monday and set it up right away.

At the last minute, I thought it might be nice to have the kids share a room. I don’t really know why, just a feeling. We were a little torn though so we explained the two options to Grace — switch rooms (hers was too small for a twin bed, her bookshelf and rocker) or have a shared sleeping room and a playroom.

“Share? Like you and Daddy? I want to share with Connor.”

That settled it.

The new playroom:

So far, Grace has been pretty good about helping keep the room “ornanized”:

Grace slept in her toddler bed inside her bed frame for 5 days until we picked up the boxspring and mattress from her auntie. Her favorite part of the bed is the canopy (currently made of an extra sheet from our bed): Testing out the new bed Saturday afternoon. No, she’s not sleeping:
And just ’cause he’s so cute:

So far, both kids have done very well. Much less fighting from Grace at bedtime and virtually none during the night. Connor has been awoken a few times when we’re in there tending to Grace but except for the first night and tonight, went right back to sleep. He’s out of sorts right now. I hope the little bugger settles down soon for Daddy.