Need MORE time, people!

 

Stuff takes time.  Sometimes too much time, leaving no time for other stuff.  I have a lot of stuff.  Who doesn't have a lot of stuff?  I would like to know so I could share some of my stuff.  I am not sure where people find time to do some of the stuff they do.  I, personally, need/like/want sleep.  So, therefore, I choose sleep over doing some of the stuff.

 

So, on top of the normal stuff that is supposed to be getting done around here, my new-found addiction to Pinterest in piling up other stuff that wants to get done.  Yes, the stuff on Pinterest wants to get done at my house. :-)  It told me, the stuff did.  It's very excited about coming to my house.  It finds my house a little on the boring, un-finished side of the spectrum and therefore is just trying to help.  It said, "you haven't had window treatments on your front room for at least 4 years, for heaven's sake!"  It also asked, "Why haven't you done that cool decoration for your dining room that you've talked about for at least 4 years, for heaven's sake?  And why haven't you ditched the ugly, army green, non-matching bed skirt that doesn't stay on the bed correctly for at least the last 4 years, for heaven's sake?"

 

I really haven't been able to figure out where to start with some of the stuff from Pinterest.  It's quite a debockle, really.  So, after returning from Las Vegas this week with three new scarves, which is after my lovely niece Sunny Lynn gave me three or four more scarves, I am now the proud owner of . . . oh, maybe like 7 scarves.  I kind of didn't know how to store them, but luckily for me, I have an addiction to Pinterest and I found a great solution on there.  I didn't even have to go buy anything.  I pulled out a hanger from the closet.  I dug out some unopened, new shower curtain rings from the boys bathroom that have probably been in there for at least the last 4 years.  I used a glue gun - that stuff is super hot when it comes out, by the way, and voila!  I made a scarf holder-thing-a-ma-jig.  The glue didn't hold like I thought it would, which is likely why the Pinner I borrowed the idea from used tape.  I reinforced with some Gorilla tape; it's good.  Luckily, I am not worried about aesthetics on this masterpiece.

So, there you have it.  I completed a project.  Yea me!  Oh, but don't get too excited as I do have a couple of unfinished Christmas projects laying around.  I did finish one of those today too, but I have a couple more that I had planned on doing . . . maybe tomorrow. 

There's some other stuff that needs to get done as well - you know that stuff that gets you organized for a week of school/work/ball practices/etc.  Yep, that's the stuff.  I realize that most of the world has Monday off for holiday, but I do not.  So, I will be doing some organizing/cleaning/prepping stuff tomorrow.   There's also that pesky task of taking down the rest of the Christmas decorations - luckily we didn't put that much up and we took down the tree the day after Christmas or sometime real soon because it was dried out.  I just need to stuff the village houses back into their cozy boxes and get the stuff off the mantel into the attic.  Sounds easy, I know.  I need to get the stuff organized for taxes.  It's about that time of year.   I hope it's still good news this year.  I have that dreaded unpacking stuff to do as well - which means laundry . . . ugh.   Always laundry stuff to do - I have not yet embraced that in my life. 

Speaking of unpacking, we did some fun stuff in Las Vegas this week.  Grandpa Livingston stayed with the boys.  I am sure he returned home Friday and took a LOOOOONG nap.  He's a trooper.  The boys enjoyed having their grandpa here for the week.  Anyway, back to the fun stuff.  We went to two Cirque Du Soleil shows - Zarkana and Kà.  We got a "locals" deal on of them and the other got at the discount ticket place.  They were still a little on the spendy side as far as entertainment goes when you are from hickville, but I think it was worth it.  Google them - watch the trailers.  It's amazing.  They are so awesome, you can't really describe them.  I liked Zarkana better - the acrobatics were insane - but maybe we were just too tired the next night too.  At any rate - it was some cool stuff.  We did find out that Blue Man Group changed up their show and so we might have to hit that one next year. :-)

Well, I might have emptied enough stuff out of my head for the night.  Might . . .

Might need some serious help

Hi.  My name is Tina.  I think I have a addiction . . . to Pinterest and Dr. Pepper (caffeine free, of course).

I do NOT do diet soda.  Yuck.  I probably should, but no.  Just can't.  So, really it's better to just lay off the hard stuff for a while.  Soda seems to be the one thing that makes the scale tip a little further each week.  During times of travel, like we've done the last several weeks, we buy soda.  We usually don't buy it a lot during "normal business" hours, but once the travelling as subsided for a bit, we have to ween ourselves back off it.  Yes, I am drinking one now.  IT. IS. DIVINE.  I love Dr. Pepper.  It is very sad I can't purchase it caffeine free from the fountain; that would be a bigger problem for me.  I'd be down at that Circle K daily - for sure.  Eighty-nine cents is a steal of a deal for 44 ounces of delight.  I am trying to think what else I could cut out in order to keep the Dr. Pepper in the fold, but alas, that might not be the best choice.  Bummer. 

I realize I am late to the party on the subject of Pinterest, but it is seriously addicting.  I am just browsing the DIY & Crafts section and next thing I know it's an hour later and I can't stop!  This might be a problem.  Might. 

I have seen some pretty dang cool things on there.  Some of them are things I would like to do or make.  Some of them are just cool things that I probably will never do.  I perused the Women's Fashion section and saw some really cute outfits that I would love to own.  I would have to definitely bring my "pin board" shopping with me.  Some great cleaning tips, which I probably should pay more attention to.  There's lots of organization awesomeness that I definitely need to incorporate in my life.  I swear I used to be organized . . . not sure when, I am pretty sure I was.  But anyway, it baffles me the amount of just stuff on there - there's some amazingly talented people in the world.  It's awesome how technology allows us to share that talent around.

So, we'll see if I can get some motivation to actually DO some of the cool stuff - organize something, make something cool to decorate the house.  We've been here 5 years in this house and I still have white walls in places - bleh.  Really need to do something about that one of these days.  I have a hard time deciding on colors in fear of doing too much of the same colors in every room.  Anyhoo . . . I really need to get some browsing of Pinterest in tonight and I really should fold some laundry; less than 40 minutes before my bedtime so I better get on it!

It's all about starting over.

 

There is a little rebel in me at times and I really just go against the grain, especially when it comes to New Year's Resolutions.  They are so cliché and it kind of bugs me. But, nonetheless, I do kind of need them . . . just about once a month.  So, I try not to get discouraged and I try not to get too gung ho all at one time.  We are always starting over with something.

 

I like to think we have a routine, but there's always a hurdle or speed bump.  So, I guess we should just work that into the routine and not let it really derail us.  Why don't we do that?  Rhetorical question, you don't have to answer me. 

 

So, as we start the new year, it's time to start over again and get back on track.  My kids despise when I say those words.  "Back on track" cuts into their video game playing time.  I have a love/hate relationship with video games.  I love that they can entertain themselves for hours on end . . . until I need something; then there's lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth.  In reality, I just want them to go to bed on time, eat meals at regular intervals at the table (not in front of the TV) and a few other things, as well.  I don't think that's too much to ask.

 

The holidays were a whirlwind and a little out of the ordinary this year.  I think we are all still trying to recover and it may take a while. Maybe I just need to document for the sake of documenting.  I don't really know how to describe it all, but it's been exhausting.  We travelled to see my grandparents one weekend.  Paden almost didn't survive without Internet and Netflix; luckily we only stayed two nights. :)  It was nice to see them - probably need to do that more often.  The boys didn't have school that next week, but I did go to work.  The next weekend (12/21), we loaded up the bag that hadn't been unpacked from the weekend before and headed up to my in-law's house, just for the weekend, as we wanted to be home on Christmas. We arrived and no one was home.  My mother-in-law was in the hospital.  She's been in/out several times in the last several months.  Her health had been declining over the last year and pretty rapidly the last few months.  We came home Christmas Eve; she was still hospitalized.  Long story short, she passed away on Christmas night.  I know some people believe that it's awful timing.  It might be, but I am thankful for that gift.  The gift that she is free from pain and suffering; free from medicines & doctors.  I am thankful for the time I knew her on this earth and I am thankful for her raising an awesome family.  It's going to be weird taking the kids to see their grandpa and not having their grandma sitting in the chair watching BYU or Gonzaga sports or HGTV.  It's an adjustment . . . I think that we were only partially prepared for the last several months.  But, there is no reason for anyone to "be sorry for our loss" as we don't feel we've really lost anything.  I guess I am sorry for those who don't believe in Heaven, the resurrection or eternal life.  We are good.  We are adjusting, but we are good.  2012 will be memorable.

 

So, we are starting over.  A new year, new adventures, new habits, new whatever. I am sure there's some things that could stand to be started over . . .  Paden has already started his Christmas Wish List for 2013.  Dang kid - can't barely recover from one Christmas before he's starting over preparing for the next one.