I did manage to reset the hallway closet. I decided to keep the blankets and sheets out of said closet as much as I can for now. The hallway closet is our access to our attic/crawl space and the hatch that leads to the attic isn't 100% tight of course, so I've noticed that I get dust and crud leaking from that hatch down onto the shelves, which isn't a big deal with "stuff" in there but when you have clean blankets? That wasn't working for me.
So, I ended up space bagging up all of my antique quilts and shoving them under my bed and then emptied out the trunk at the end of my bed by doing that. Then I put as many comforters/blankets and sheets as I could fit in there, which definitely cut down on the pile that develops on the recliner in the bedroom. Wish I had a better solution, but for now that's as good as I can do until I can get my bedroom closet emptied and put a better system in place.
In the hallway closet, right now, I have my table clothes unceremoniously shoved into available spaces where they are protected from dust fall and I have my canner, jars and bands stored in there right now until I get my canning for winter done for the year. It's better than having them hanging around in my living room over by my kitchen :).
I decided it was definitely time to figure out a skirt or dress for myself and sat down yesterday with the fabrics I'd hoped to use to make them only to find that I didn't have enough of the one fabric I wanted to use for the bodice of the dress and as for the skirt...the pattern which I thought would fold outward width-wise didn't...it goes vertical in a thin line and goes super long (the problems with getting fabric used sometimes), so to make a skirt I'd end up with a ton of panels to make it happen so the pattern wouldn't end up sideways on the skirt, which with an intricate pattern to line up...I don't have time to mess with that right now *scowl*.
So, those projects got put on the back burner until I can find better fabric (and more prolific fabric) to work with or just plain get more time to focus on doing a more intricate project than I had in mind. I hate it when you think you have something all figured out only to find that you have nothing figured out *sigh*.
When it came to anniversary plans this week, my husband and I actually ended up getting into an argument about it. I wanted to do something fun that wouldn't cost anything (the argument started just by me suggesting making one of his favorite dishes for dinner but a bit cheaper done). My husband kept obsessing that we had no money to do anything and therefore we should do nothing, put it on the back burner indefinitely and just call it a normal day. I finally got tired of trying to convince him and tired of getting my feelings hurt because neither of us was getting our point across to the other very well, so I just gave him his gifts today and called it good even though it's not our anniversary yet. I'm depressed about how that went down, I'll readily admit.
Between that and just not feeling great for a good portion of the week due to anemia...I wish I'd gotten more done. At least I did get some things done, though, so it wasn't a total loss.
At least my goals for the month are looking decent overall as I look over my list. I still need to deep clean the kid's rooms, which is kind of hard when your daughter won't go through her things and your son is a one man destruction unit (he's taken to chewing on DVD's and destroying VHS tapes, so I have to watch him CONSTANTLY to avoid collateral damage).
I am hoping to get some of that done this week, however as next week my husband is going out of town, which means things are going to be harder for me to get done as I'm going to be juggling the kids and everything 24/7.
So, yeah, onto this week's goals.
Sewing Goals:
- Work on Christmas gifts a bit (I have a few projects I found that I want to get prepped and out of the way)
- If have time see about working on paneled skirt.
- Mend husband's work jacket (at least one)
General Goals:
- Get daughter through dentist appointment (the dentist appointment last week went well overall. The son didn't have any cavities that the dentist could see, my daughter has one cavity, but it's in a tooth that she should lose within the next year so he's going to let it go if he can and the only thing she has to get done is a filling accidentally got yanked out with her braces, so we have to get that replaced) .
- Work on goals for next month
- Work on shopping goals for next month
- Update canning list and figure out what needs to be filled in pantry-wise.
- Decorate table for 4th of July.
- Try to find refill kit for DVD repair machine (I put it somewhere "safe" and now I can't figure out where "safe" is).
- If I find the elusive repair kit, repair as many DVD's as possible to try and keep up with son's chewing on them.
Canning Goals (weather permitting on this one):
- Can BBQ sauce
- Can honey mustard
- Can cherry jam
And there you are folks. My goals for this week. You up to anything this week?
Oh my goodness....I am a champion at putting things Inna safe place, and then never finding them again. It's horrible. I keep telling my husband for Christmas to get me a big box, mar, it, safe spot, and then I might not lose it, but no luck.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about your anniversary. My husband is a little the same on that, but he's been on a wanting to do date nights (why after almost 15 years and never do g them, he won't say) but when I tell him ok, fine, let's just watch a dvd at home or do so e other free or inexpensive thing he gets upset. But we totally don't have the money to pay for a sitter, and do dinner out, and a movie, etc. He thinks no big deal, just put it on the credit card, but he doesn't see that it really adds up and then when the bill comes in, it's almost impossible to pay. It's so upsetting. It's o e of those things I always dread when he brings it up. And I know it mostly stems from his brother back in Texas, and he and my sister in law go out a time or two a week, stuff like the movies, or the theatre, or, recently 2 weeks in Aruba without their kids but they also dump their kids with a sitter every chance they get, which I think is awful. But they both work and his is a really high paykng orperate job, and they have probably 4 or 5 times they money we do. But, Now the kids are do detached fro their parents, there's very little affection there. Anyway, it stinks he's always thinking in so many situations about what he doesn't have, instead of what he does. Makes me fustrating and sad. So I understand how you feel. You've proved over and over on your blog a little work and a little inguinity goes a long way into making something special.
Last night, on pintrest, was looking for easy diy Christmas gifts and saw someone making fabric bookmarks (they looked padded, but I didn't look too hard since I can't sew) and thought that might be a quick one
for you!
Yeah, I think that's a part of what is going on with my husband too. He sees friends and relatives doing parties and things for anniversaries and just gets frustrated that he can't do those things, even though honestly I doubt he'd want to if we had the money for it anyway. Even if we had a credit card to go out to dinner or something, like you, I wouldn't want to do it as for one I'd have to ask someone to watch the kids (which I hate to do as I know how much work my son is) and I also just plain wouldn't want to spend the money. I'd prefer to use the 50.00 it would take eating out to buy more groceries to prepare for winter. I'm way too pragmatic sometimes *laugh*.
DeleteAs for the bookmarks, thanks! I'll check it out. That's one of the ideas on my list of gifts to make for people this year for sure (I think it would be a GREAT gift for a teacher if nothing else :).
DeleteSorry the anniversary plans didn't go as well as you had hoped. My husband is not a "romantic" kind of guy, so I've stopped expecting him to think of something nice for special occasions. In fact, I've also stopped trying to do something nice for him as it is never reciprocated. It keeps me from feel disappointed.
ReplyDeleteIf you decide the fabric won't work for making yourself a skirt, perhaps you can use it for a Christmas gift.
I really enjoy reading your posts. I'm looking forward to see your accomplishments for the week!
Yeah, I should have known better, honestly. I learned a long time ago not to make a big deal out of holidays with my husband's family, but this being our 15 year anniversary and all I thought we should at least attempt to do something kind of cool for it. I'll know better once our 20th rolls around after this. Har!
DeleteThe fabric I keep thinking on. It's a really pretty blue metallic like fabric with an oriental theme to it, so it has phoenixes flying on it and things. I thought it would make a really pretty skirt, but while it might not work for me I might be able to turn it into something else...maybe slippers or something. I've got to think on it some more, but at least I have time till Christmas to figure it out :).
DeleteYour flower is beautiful! And the picture really captured it. Maybe you want to use a free 8x10 when Walgreens has them and hang that somewhere indoors to enjoy during the winter.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your anniversary. I had a holiday like that too, I just try to forget about it and remember all the many wonderful ordinary days we have. Many men (including mine) get stressed about holidays, like they feel pressure for it to be perfect and afraid to disappoint, so for them it's all or nothing, not sure if that could be at play with your husband at all. Supposedly $$ stress is even worse for men than us because it's supposedly emasculating, whereas I don't feel any less a woman to struggle with $, I just feel the struggle.
Gosh your canning goals sound delicious!
You know, I don't know if my husband feels that way or not, but I could definitely see that playing a part in things. He always thinks that doing something special for a holiday or something requires eating out and things, which I can never understand as I'd prefer to stay home and make a special meal. I could see where there would be a different kind of stress with men, though. I mean I get stressed and it's overall stress about everything. Kids needing clothes, groceries needing to be bought, work that needs to be done, not sleeping with my son, worry over both kids with their separate issues going on, worrying about my husband and his health and happiness, etc. I could see men focusing just on one stresser at a time and freaking themselves out over one certain thing to a huge amount. Something to think about. Thanks :).
DeleteI hate to admit, but I'm the one who has forgotten stuff like that in the past--too much on my mind. Yikes!!!! My husband is the hopeless romantic....he never forgets. I don't know how he puts up with me sometimes:( But he has for 33 years! So, every family is different.
ReplyDeleteThe nasturtium is lovely. I didn't plant any this year, but usually do. I love them.
You are doing great figuring out things for Christmas, and sewing. I'll bet whatever you make from the fabric will be awesome and super creative.
I hope your son quits chewing on movies. Some kids like to chew so much, it's hard to know what they will chew next. Hang in there.
Yeah, chewing is part of his sensory processing disorder (goes hand in hand with autism it seems). In the past he's chewed on carpet, dirt, uncooked white rice and cardboard. He still does the white rice and cardboard, but seems to have lost the others (thank goodness) for the most part. The new thing with him though is loving smooth textures rubbed against his teeth, which is where I think the chewing on DVDs is coming in. He doesn't MEAN to bite down on them hard, but he just loves the feeling so much he doesn't realize he's hurting the DVD. I'm trying to get him to watch as much as he can on the I-Pad right now via You Tube and things to save my DVDs and VHS tapes from abuse. Here's hoping it works.
DeleteMy son recently repaired a video game disk with some white stick deodorant and toothpaste. He found video on you tube. Not sure if it would help your situation until you find the repair kit. Bless your husband with the meal you had in mind anyway ;) I know things aren't always easy but you really are doing a great job. Hope you find a way to relax and not stress. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI already tried it *laugh*. The toothpaste does OKAY at removing surface scratches, but the bite marks are just too deep. I'm either going to have to find that darn repair kit or go through a tube of toothpaste trying to sand down the disk enough with the toothpaste to hopefully make it work again. Frustrating as I KNOW I just saw the repair kit a little bit ago. Ugh.
DeleteAre you water bath canning? I would be super interested in barbeque sauce if you would share your recipe.
ReplyDeleteI always lose things in their safe spot!!!! Glad to know I am not the only one! One nice gift teachers have always loved from me is tea. I would guess you have some herbs in your garden that you could dry and then save for a loose leaf tea! Just a thought.
I tend to water bath can more than pressure can just because I never know when my son is going to drag me away from the canner for something. The only thing I'm planning on pressure canning (which I hope I have a good bumper crop to do it) is potatoes this year. So, in short (I know, too late ;) yup I'm water bath canning.
DeleteI will be sure to dig up the link and post it in my Frugal Friday post. I'm babysitting BBQ sauce on the stove as I type, so finding the link on the I-pad is going to be too much multi-tasking for me.
Would it work to give your son one or two CD's that are his to chew or would that be too confusing for him? Sorry about your anniversary. You worked really hard on the gifts. You deserve a nice meal so I'd cook it anyway. Also, maybe telling your husband that it's good for the kids to see you celebrate your anniversary would help. when we make a big deal about anniversaries it sends the message that marriage is a positive thing that is important and valued. The celebration doesn't have to be big or expensive just joyful!!! Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, no, that wouldn't work as he does something once and he thinks it's okay and gets confused. Which is why I have to be REALLY careful with what he uses for chewies as if they are close to something real (like say a necklace) than anything resembling that object is fair game later (like my daughter's play necklaces).
DeleteWe did have a beef roast prepared a special way (takes hours to cook it, but it comes out really tender) so it was nice. At least you didn't notice that the beef roast was in fact a chuck roast "glamored up" ;).
Would you possibly consider posting a picture of your husband? I've seen your picture and your cute kids. It would just be fun to have a visual of the whole family. I so enjoy your blog. It's so real. Thanks, Lynn
ReplyDeleteI'll try at some point. My husband hates having his picture taken. If you look at the framed photos I made for our anniversary, he's the person in the photos with my son holding his hand and things :).
Delete