29 Apr 2010

So I got thinking today about the many things that make life easier with multiple families in a home. Wanted to share - in case it might help anyone else :) So - here we go:

In no particular order....Here is the hair chair. It is very useful for getting the girls up high enough for me to do their hair. Just a swivel barstool from the local thrift store. :) Behind that (on our dresser) is the other hair supplies - all on a metal tray (also from the thrift store).

Here's my office. I brought down my comfy chair so it's quite comfortable. It's a bit messy on top - but I can find things easily. A couple of folding chairs make for a nice netflix theater. Behind the chair you can see the hanging shelves that I put the girls school work in. We sort as needed - probably a couple of times a year - spring break and at the end of school/sometime during the summer. I'm just getting our school of life albums really organized.

Here is a recent addition. More hanging shelves. Each of the girls has a column. I put the older girls by their color curtain. The younger ones hang from a bar in the closet (down low for them to reach). When it's time to sort the laundry they are supposed to load up the shelves for the following week. When I'm in there helping them it does get done and makes getting ready in the morning much easier.

Ok- this is a classic from when I was younger. Grandma Sue rigged up a dowel to hang down low enough for the girls to reach and put their towels on. A temporary solution to a temporary problem! On either end yarn secures it to the real towel rod.

Also something we couldn't live without. We don't have much space in the little bathroom - so we maximize it with this gem. Got the idea from Sheila - when they were here they had something similar. Thanks Sheila! It isn't super organized but it holds alot.

Our shower caddy! It is currently the home to all of our scrubbies. Color coded of course! We have a window well on the upper right hand of the picture where we can put soaps and shampoos. Really helps!

A recent Target find. Not my favorite pattern/color - but it works for the girls room. It has all their colors on it! It was in the yard/outdoor section. I think it's a lawn/garden pop up carrier. It works wonders as a laundry bag. Fully collapsable (downward) with little hooks to secure it. Already looking forward to taking a trip with this! They had one other color option at our Target - black and white. I might have to upgrade my laundry bag! The fabric feels really durable - some sort of coating on it!

I saved the best for last. We don't have any really little ones that we need gates for - but Grandma had a gate that solved a chronic problem. This is the coat closet that is over the stairs (and has a slanted floor). We just placed the gate inside of the closet and we don't have mess falling out every time we open the door!

Hope this is helpful. Or entertaining. Or both! Just had to record some daily things around here!

Make it a great day!

28 April 2010

It's been a good week. Monday I was outside in the beautiful weather - did a bit of weeding and lawn mowing (and laundry). Yesterday was cleaning my room and cooking. Today has been family history day. Not really sure what is coming tomorrow. Having lots of fun!

Got the best deal! Found that my old cell phone had a mini memory card in it - so I took the card out and got the pictures put on a disk at Walmart. Only cost me $2.50! Even got the preview pictures. Felt so good about that!

Well, that's about it for now. Stormy weather outside so maybe I'll get to post more. Have a great day!

21 Apr 2010

It's been a nice full day. I had the best of intentions of posting earlier - but our power was out here for about 6 hours! So nice to have a generator - but the internet was still not on....

My report is still coming along. I want to hit it really hard tomorrow - and get down to our small branch of the story - then I can pick Gene's mind for more details....I noticed I had completely left Lola's part off the chart! Alas!

I sorted my scrapbook pages today. That was another adventure! Now I'm waiting for the photo albums I ordered to come in. They are going to look so nice. I even did a scrapbook page today! It might become a habit if I'm not careful. So many of my older pages I just put chronological pictures together - not even scrapping about a single thing on a page. I'm going to disassemble them and redo some things - I got pretty inspired as I was looking at these pages. I did one today. Want to see? It's white with a picture and words - pretty basic. Here it is:

I think it should go big for you to be able to read this cute story. It had to be scrapped! It's the first page I've done for her school of life/all about Hinks book. I am finally getting going on the sorting/categorizing/etc. Not sure about what I want to do with that. I am going to do a life lessons book - love the blog idea, Becky! So many stories to be told! It's got me quite excited. Just now I was thinking of the story about not overloading a trailer - I know I have a picture of that somewhere! I've got some pics on my old cellphone I think. Not sure how to get them off. I've lost all my phone numbers in the phone switch. Maybe I should stop by RadioShack for some help?!?

Anyway - it should all be entertaining for you - I'll post my progress. Well, it's after 10 and DJ is here - so I need to be present. So little time with him these days. More later!

19 Apr 2010

I have been so busy with the genealogy! I got a package from the Lucas County Historical Society today. What fun! I've been busily inputing the information and seeing how much further it takes me. Newspapers are wonderful things!

Well, it's late and I still haven't made my bed since I washed the sheets today. Monday - laundry day. My sheets made a great tent for the girls as they hung on the closeline. Simple pleasures! More later

15 Apr 2010

Had such a great experience last night. After gimping around all day I pulled myself together to take Kimball to the temple (with the ward youth). I had the cards printed in the office and then went to the baptistry and the ward helped Kimball do the baptisms! It was really special. 2 in particular that I sat in on the confirmation - Independance Bryan (who never married or had children) and Arthur McDowall (who died in WWI - in Italy - also single and no children). What a day! Don't worry Lori, if you're still game - I have plenty more special family names.

So I'm still trying to get feeling better - it's been a long week. Taking it easy as much as possible. I have my comfy computer chair that I totally relax in to work at the computer. That really helps! I've been thinking about all of you - hope you are all doing well. I catch up on the blogs now and then. My focus has really been on family history. So - everything else is taking a back-seat to that. I am so grateful lately for that States that did/do State Census' in addition to the Federal. Iowa and Kansas I love you guys! You are great! They have answered some questions and resolved some things for us. Right now, I'm waiting to get some obituaries in the mail from Chariton, Iowa. There is a wonderful site where they have the local newspapers indexed alphabetically so you can see in an instant if your person is there - and roughly what the item is about. So excited about that! I know - I'm a bit boring. I've been thinking about that lately - having been accused of being a stick-in-the-mud. Well, I'm so grateful for my boring life. It goes pretty smoothly. Makes it that much more fun to find the drama in the stories of the dead!

Well, that's probably enough of an update. Aaron is making great progress. I didn't talk to him last night - but I did the night before and he sounded great! Tired, but great. For the members of my family site - don't forget to vote on QV's height poll. I know only so many read this blog - so I'll give you a clue - No one had guessed right as of my last look at it ;) It's going to surprise you!

Love being busy - plenty to do! Hope your day is great!

12 Apr 2010

I'm really not doing well on blogging lately! Can't really explain why. I'll just try to do better.

I overdid it today - loaded up a couple of boxes - winter coats - and strained that breastbone again! So tomorrow I'll be taking it easy and trying to just relax.

My mind is with Aaron now - he's enjoying the Family History Library and extra research help. :) Wishing I was there!

Well, it's getting late and this is short - but still, it's something, right?

8 Apr 2010

So I've missed blogging a couple of days. Tuesday was busy - as was yesterday working on my descendancy report. Still not done - but making excellent progress. Today I didn't work on it at all - took my girls shopping for trip supplies. I know it's early - but is it ever too early? We need something to look forward to. My chest is feeling much better. A couple of days taking it easy helped - as did the Ibuprofen. We got a card in the mail today for the Biscut (thanks GG & Bruno) and a package (thanks Grandma Kaye). Wanted to let you know they arrived. She is so excited about this weekend. Can't imagine why?!? DJ is working longer and longer hours - which is good. It's tricky to make sure he's getting his rest.

That's about it for here. More tomorrow!

5 April 2010

Had to chuckle about being frugal! I'm sure you know how frugal we are here :) I keep telling myself to hang in there!

Looked up my pain on the internet - Costochondritis: a fibromyalgia thing aggravated by my sitting over the computer. Because I'm so frugal - I wasn't going to go to the doctor for a diagnosis. So, taking it easy - and sitting in a different chair :) Hope that helps!

Today my goal is to get more of the stories on the internet. I've been adding pictures to Ancestry - and I'm putting the stories on there as well. There's definately some satisfaction with putting pictures to names - in the hopes that their descendants will be able to get the pictures as well. I know how exciting it is for me to find previously unknown ancestor pictures. I have to give back - Mimi had such a treasure-trove of pictures!

Today my girls are going through their stack of papers from this year - a great time to do this. I've told them to pick out their best work. Saves me going through it and they really enjoy the process.

Well, I better get to work! Have a great day all!

4 April 2010

I was surprised to hear that some still can't watch conference at home?!? What's up with that? I even sat and listened to a session while working on family history on the computer (had it streaming at the same time!). I guess I'm luckier than I thought :)

Had a great day today - got a strange new pain going - probably from the fibro....either that or someone trying to stop me from doing Family History! IT WON'T WORK! I'm doing it anyway. Chest pain always concerns one....so far I'm OK, though. Strange stuff - random pain and all! It all started last night after the spicy lemon tacos. I'm going to do some research and see if I can figure it out. Chest wall pain. Alas!

Well, the girls are still on break tomorrow so we'll try to have some fun. I think this has been the best Spring Break yet. Lots of family and fun. More tomorrow!

3 April 2010

Wanted to post a picture of our Conference activity this morning:

The girls are using my paper punches to get rid of all my little scrap paper. This afternoon they get to make Collages out of their punches :) Have a great conference!