Yesterday, my friend Lizzy cracked me up with her issues about lists.  I, like Lizzy, am addicted to lists.  They make my world go ’round, skirt fly up, and all that other jazz.  However, also like Lizzy, my lists often don’t get done – more times than not, the list gets lost or destroyed before I have a hope in hell in completing the stinkin’ thing, so I create a zillion more through out the week.  As much as I would love to blame this on giving life to two monsters (like I blame my forgetfulness, love handles, self diagnosed narcolepsy, crankiness, and any other less-than-wonderful qualities), well, even I can’t stretch it that far (I know, shocker!).

Since I was running out of things to blame my scatteredness on, I decided to search for a solution. 

I’ve always been a HUGE fan of Franklin Covey planners.  They offer a weekly layout that works perfectly for my odd brain – I need my days all lined up at the top with appointment times going down, that way I know if my mornings are more busy one part of the week or visa versa.  Here’s my problem though, there was plenty of space for all of my appointments, but not near enough room to keep track of lists.  This meant that I had my planner for appointments and then another notebook for my lists (and by notebook, I mean one of 5 different notebooks because I usually lost one they seemed to periodically self-combust, a random piece of scratch paper, a post-it note or 10, or something along those lines).  So, lists were not easy to keep track of.

Another problem – I always had the classic (rather big) size binder and just purchased the refills.  This was all fine and dandy, until I had kids and can’t seem to go anywhere without 4 bags in tow (purse, diaper bag, laptop case, lunch bag, and sometimes another bag just because for giggles).  I knew I could blame something on the monsters.  =)   The binder wasn’t practical to drag around with me everywhere, so if a client called while I was out and about, I’d have to either remember the appointment I set (yeah, not such a great idea with my mother memory) or jot it down on a scrach something or other from the bottom of my bag (and that’s just plain scary).

Then I found my love – the Franklin Covey “Perspective” wirebound weekly planner.  There’s enough space on top for all (or almost all, depending on the crazy day/week) of my weekly appointments, but more importantly, there’s a ton of space for my lists!I can have two sections for my work to-do’s, two sections for my personal to-do’s, a section for groceries, a section for things I need from other stores, and still some space left over!  It’s perfect space alotment for me.  Another huge thing….  it’s wirebound and not the binder!   This mean’s it’s literally 1/4 of the size!  It’s still the “classic” size so that I don’t have to squint to read things, but it’s so much thinner!  This easily fits into my purse, which means it’s always on me.  If a client happens to call when I’m grocery shopping, no problem, I can set the appointment right then (since I have my planner out anyway, looking at the grocery list I wrote down in there).  If I’m with friends and we’re setting a date for next month’s get-together, no problem because I have my purse with planner right there!  No forgetting the date again! 

Ok, I realize it may be odd to be this in love with a planner, but I just can’t help myself.  If you’re in the market for a new organizational tool, try it, it just might make your skirt fly up too.

It’s Monday morning, and although my planner is jam packed with to-dos for the week, I’m just not feelin’ it.  So, instead of doing something productive, I’m going to share with you my procrastination aids.  These are sites that I love to check out, especially when there’s something else I could/should be doing.  Hope you enjoy!

www.thepioneerwoman.com – seriously, love this site!  Be careful though, it could turn you on to many new hobbies.  It’s dangerous.

www.thebigmamablog.com – she just cracks me up.

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com – this one’s great for DIY (do it yourself) projects.  Great ideas!

http://www.thenester.com – again, a home decorating site, but there are some great ideas on here.

http://www.hollymathisinteriors.com – I know, shoot me, but it’s another home one.  She links to lots of other great sites too.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen – this is the brainchild from PW (www.thepioneerwoman.com).  It’s amazing for new recipes!  Be very careful though, do not go to this site when hungry, it’s just evil then.

Hope this makes you as useless as me.  It’ll make me feel better to not be the only one procrastinating like it’s my job.

Happy Monday!

If you know what’s good for you, you should probably steer clear of me this week.  I have not been a very patient or nice person these last couple days, and no, Aunt Flo is not here for a visit.

Of course, truth be told, I think it has nothing to do with me.  I believe these people were exceedingly stupid.

 

It started out Monday morning with me being a bit snippy and matter-of-fact’ish, which wouldn’t have been too much of anything, except that my lovely patience seemed to get shorter and shorter as the day went on. 

In the afternoon, I had to deal with Mr. Slimey at the car dealership.  He was lucky that his balls were still intact when I left.  Using phrases like “I don’t know where you’re getting your information,” “that hasn’t been the case since the 60’s,” showing me a Suburban when I specifically said Acadia, and then calling me later with information on a Traverse when I at no point in time mentioned this rig, are sure fire ways to loose a ball or two when dealing with me.  Really dude, I realize I look like a high schooler, but I’m thinking you need to be treating everyone, even high schoolers, with more respect than you treated me.  And for future reference, when I layout EXACTLY what I’m looking for and tell you that I will NOT negotiate on any of these terms, that means don’t try to sell me anything that’s not on my list.  It could seriously curtail your lifespan.

Then yesterday rolls around and I had the wonderful task of going in to the cell phone place to have them fix my phone since it decided that it no longer wanted anything to do with email.  Stupid thing.  The owner, the gal who always fixes my phone issues and is a gem, wasn’t there.  I should have just walked out at that point.  Instead, a high school girl took my phone, fiddled with it, then said she knows nothing about Blackberries and looks at me with a blank stare.  Alrighty then.  So I ask when my gal (she’s now mine, I stake claim on her because I adore her) will be back, and I get the great answer of “uh…”   So, I suggest that she call/text/whatever to see when she’s coming back as it’s clear no one else will be able to be of any assistance.  She takes my advice and comes back to tell me that my gal will be back any minute.  And 20 minutes later, nothing.  Ugh.  I tell her I’m leaving to run another errand and she tells me that my gal should be back any minute.  Really blank-stare-girl, any minute?  As in another 20 minutes?  No apologies, no offer of help, no coffee, no questions, no stinkin’ nothing.   I realize she’s only a high schooler, but seriously, a 10 year old could have done something more than she did – sitting there with a blank stare does nothing.   I have a thing with incompetent people.  Sorry.

Luckily, I haven’t wanted to rip anyone a new one today, and the day’s halfway over, so maybe the week is turning around.  Anyone else have those days/weeks/months where you swear that everyone you deal with is a rambling idiot?

Well, the time has come.  It is time to start looking at new rigs (yes, I said rigs, it’s much easier than saying “vehicle”).  My poor Honda, with about 230k miles, has seen better days and it’s time to get the ball rolling on something a bit more spacious.  We’re in no hurry, but in about 18 months (when we plan to add the 3rd and final munchkin to the Briels bunch), my car will no longer fit us – 3 carseats in an Accord just isn’t something I want to try.

New rigs mean car lots, and car lots mean car salesmen.  Slimey, icky, yucky salesmen.  I realize there are some great people that work in the auto retail industry, I do, it just seems that I never get to deal with those folks.  I get the know-it-all, sexist pig, who thinks I’m some dumb chick who doesn’t know my head from my ass.  

Now, I may not know everything, but I pretty much always know what I want.  This means that when I say I want a GMC Acadia, 2008 or newer, front-wheel drive, and seating for 8, that’s what I want.  Nowhere in that last sentence did I elude to wanting a suburban.  That, however, is exactly what the slimey  lovely salesman tried to sell me today.  Don’t get me wrong, I love suburbans, but their gas mileage doesn’t fit so lovely with my lifestyle of driving 75+ miles a day.  So no, a suburban is NOT what I want, thank you Mr. Salesman.

Anyone else deal with this lately?  Am I just overly bitchy?  Nevermind, don’t answer, I’m going to live in my world where I think I’m sweet at pie.

So, one of my favorite people asked for photos of the kitchen.  Because she’s one of my favorites, I’ll give in.

A few warnings…

• There aren’t many photos (and the ones I do have, all seem to look the exact same).  I was able to quickly snag these before moving on to other things (I have two kids under two years, I’m never at a stand still).
• There are a few unfinished touches in these photos – the moulding and light above the sink have not been installed, the undercounter lights are absent, there’s no faucet (it’s now in place and located in the middle of the window – there’s a sink there too, I swear.) and the trim/molding that goes under the upper cabinets has yet to make its debut (unfinished – story of my life).
• There is nothing on the counters in these photos.  That was short lived.  The kitchen is now definitely lived in.  Please do not think that if you come to my house,  you will actually be able to see the countertops – they are once again piled high with crap.
• Ok, I think I’ve said my piece.

Please note the cement column in the last photo – still waiting to cover that in river rock.  Oh, and that white stove that’s haning out next to the cement column, that’s now gone.  Also need to find some bar stools for the island. 

This kitchen is absolutely nothing even remotely close to fancy, but if you could see the kitchen that was here when we bought the house, there would be a world of difference.  We’ve been living with pieced together cabinets, partial countertops, and lovely construction zone conditions for almost 2 years – you can’t imagine how thrilled I am with all of this, to finally have a real kitchen!

One of these days, I’ll post photos of what the house looked like when we bought it and what it looks like today.  The difference is pretty crazy.

Some husbands use things like candy, flowers, or jewelry to show their  better other halves that they love them.

I say jewelry, schmoolery. 

On those mornings when Brandon heads out for an early morning duck hunt, I wake up to this.

Ok, so maybe there’s no foam heart, but there IS a lovely, hot cup of coffee waiting for me in the coffee maker when I get up.  He even goes so far as to reset the warmer so the darn thing doesn’t turn off and allow my coffeeto get cold.  And when it’s been a particularly long night because of the little monkeys, he makes sure to leave extra. 

Good guy I tell ya.  He knows all the right moves (like the two kids aren’t living proof of that one, pff).

Please note, I said jewelry schmoolery, not flowers schmowers.  I’ll still take flowers anytime I can get them, but in the early AM, coffee is the stuff dreams are made of.

Nothing too exciting, but here are a few photos of our Red and Green festivities. 

Coop, enjoying his new beenie and his favorite gift….  wrapping paper.

This would be before Christmas….  Nolan developed a love of unwrapping gifts since last Christmas.  I rewrapped numerous gift thanks to his new found love of ripping paper.  Whenever it got quiet, it was a safe bet he was steeling gifts from under the tree.

I was lucky enough to snap these photos one evening while Nolan was playing under the tree.  I love the outline of the little monkey against the tree.

All in all, a great first Christmas at home.  We look forward to many more.

I’m all about the feast and famon thing.  As much as I hate it, I must, on some level, love it because it seems to be more than just second nature to me.

So, be warned, I’m going to be playing lots of catch-up on this blog tonight.  Both boys are fast asleep, B’s in town switching trucks over (work trucks), and I’m catching up on the DVR, eating chicken nuggets, so I think I can catch up on this stuff.

So, here’s a quick re-cap of what’s been going on in our little world over the past few weeks…..

• We celebrated Christmas at our house this  year!  This was a first and will be our tradition from here on out.  Now that Nolan’s old enough to understand Christmas, he’ll be waking up in his own bed every Christmas morning until he moves out.  I’ll have photos and more in another post.
• We headed to Seattle a couple days before New Years to visit Brandon’s mom and step-dad.  It was a great visit and more to come on that later. 
• From Seattle, we headed down to Portland for a couple days to visit some dear, dear friends.  B got more duck hunting in, I got some girl time with friend’s I don’t get to see near enough, and the boys got cuddles and colds.  Again, more to come.
• All of the boys were dealing with colds.  This made for a couple miserable weeks for me.  And of course, once they were all better, I caught their colds.  Ugh.  So much for my mommy germs that keep me from getting sick because there’s just no time for me to get sick.
• Cooper’s cold brought on some asthma-like symptoms for the little bugger.  For now it’s nothing to worry about, although we do have a nebulizer and some Albuterol on hand should he need a bit of help.  As he gets older, we’ll keep an eye on it to see if it turns into asthma.  Again, no big worry – I have asthma, my mom has asthma, and numerous other family members have it.  If that’s the worst of what my kids get, I’ll take it.
• After approximately 2 years, out kitchen is finished!  That’s right, finished.  No more pieced together countertops, cabinets that have been moved in and out of the house 5+ times, plywood floors, protruding electrical wires, dishes in totes, patched walls – nothing, it’s all finished.  I’m in love. 

I’m sure there’s more, much more, but I just don’t have it in me to think that hard about it.  I’m now off to revel in teh quiteness of the house.  Oh, the glory of it.

Our Christmas got off to an early start last weekend.  My dad came in from Alaska on Saturday, then my sister and her crew came down to visit as well.  Since everyone has other families that they’re trying to balance, we decided to do Christmas with this crew early.  It was good practice for Nolan, although it seems that the practice was not needed – since last weekend, everytime the boy goes into the formal living room unsupervised, I seem to find wrapping paper covering the floor and an unopened present in the monkey’s hands.  Ugh.  Here are some photos from the festivities…

Nolan and Kaytlyn playing.

Me and my sister - don't mind my greasy-haven't-showered-for-a-couple-days look.

Brandon with his behemoth thermos. Thanks sister!

Kaytlyn being introduced to the joys of the original Nintendo. That would be Super Mario Bros 2 she's playing. I love old school games!

Cooper on the rocking horse. And no, he didn't break the horse's back.

These two enjoyed the chocolate fondu a bit too much.

Nolan's favorite thing to do with Grandpa.

Hope your holidays are off to a great start!  I’m sure there’ll be more fun stories to share in the next few days, but it’s very doubtful I get them up before the new year.  Merry Christmas everyone!

Tis the season.  The season for many a Lifetime Christmas movie that is.  I can’t even tell you how many “low budget” (that’s what Brandon calls them) Christmas movies I’ve watched over the last couple weeks.  It’s a weakness of mine.  Besides, I need the other movies to throw in the mix here and there so that I don’t watch White Christmas 50 times nduring the month (25 times is quite enough as it is).

If you haven’t seen this movie, put it on your to-do list – it’s a must.  Because I’ll only watch it during December, it’s almost always playing in my house – I try to get my fix before the holidays are over. 

Nolan has actually started watching it with me.  Well, “watching” may not be quite the right word.  He more so dances and sings along with the skits.  That’s my boy, appreciating the classics!  I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

How ’bout you?  Any favorite holiday movies that really make it feel like Christmas in your home?