Rebecca Talley's Blog, page 21
September 29, 2011
A Blue Rose
This is circulating on the internet. Thank you to my sister for passing it along to me. I do not know who wrote it, but this sweet story beought tears to my eyes and I wanted to share it with you. May we all acknowledge the blue roses around us.
A Blue Rose
Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.
I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."
It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's your name?"
"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded proudly.
"Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve."
"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked. "
Yes," I answered. "How old are you, Denny?"
"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle.
"You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by."
I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement, because he was the center of someone's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.
Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him.
I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.
She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, "Who are you?"
Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion, but I sure love living in God's garden."
She reached out, squeezed my hand and said, "God bless you!" and then I had tears in my eyes.
May I suggest, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.
From an old dandelion!
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God.
"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel!"
~ Anonymous ~
A Blue Rose
Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.
I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."
It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's your name?"
"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded proudly.
"Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve."
"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked. "
Yes," I answered. "How old are you, Denny?"
"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle.
"You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by."
I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement, because he was the center of someone's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.
Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him.
I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.
She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, "Who are you?"
Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion, but I sure love living in God's garden."
She reached out, squeezed my hand and said, "God bless you!" and then I had tears in my eyes.
May I suggest, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.
From an old dandelion!
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God.
"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel!"
~ Anonymous ~
September 28, 2011
A Perfect Family Day
On Saturday we took the whole family to watch their brother's soccer game. After the game, we took a trail near the river and walked to one of our favorite restaurants, Serious Texas BBQ, for some Texas Tacos. WE finished lunch and then made our way back along the river stopping to play in the water. My husband taught the kids how to skip rocks while my youngest just played in the mud. The cool water was the perfect compliment to the warm day.
After a stop at Sonic for some refreshments, we drove home. I cut the boys' hair and then made pizza for dinner. We watched, "How to Train your Dragon," for our family movie. Cute show.
It was a relaxing, fun day that we spent entirely with the family. We don't often get days like that. Usually we are running from here to there to everywhere with lots and lots of activities. It was a nice day and each of the kids commented on how much they enjoyed it.
I am thankful for simple days like that remind me of what really matters.
Here are some photos from our day:
After a stop at Sonic for some refreshments, we drove home. I cut the boys' hair and then made pizza for dinner. We watched, "How to Train your Dragon," for our family movie. Cute show.
It was a relaxing, fun day that we spent entirely with the family. We don't often get days like that. Usually we are running from here to there to everywhere with lots and lots of activities. It was a nice day and each of the kids commented on how much they enjoyed it.
I am thankful for simple days like that remind me of what really matters.
Here are some photos from our day:
September 23, 2011
Speech Therapy Rant
I am quite aware that my son has Down syndrome. I have been aware of that for over five years. I also freely admit that he has a speech delay and may have other struggles down the road. It is no secret that he has Down syndrome and I took off my rose-colored glasses years ago.
I have never sent any of my children to pre-school or kindergarten. I am a SAHM and I have chosen to teach all of my children to read and do math so when they enter school in first grade they are prepared. My children enter school reading 2-4 years above grade level. I take my responsibility as a parent very seriously and want to make sure my children are life-long learners. Not all parents would make the same decision as we have regarding pre-school and kindergarten. We are fortunate that we have the opportunity and freedom in our country to make the decisions we feel best serve our individual children and it does no one any good to be judgmental of those decisions.
For the second day in a row, I was judged for my decision to homeschool my son. I was chastised by a professional today who has never met my son and knows nothing about him. I was calling to get information about speech therapy in my area and instead was treated like a horrible mother because I did not enroll my son in school at three years of age so he could receive all the services he needs. Umm, excuse me? How can someone who has never met my son decide what services he needs? Unless of course he's lumped into the "Down syndrome box" where every child with DS needs every available service. Any child that needs services should absolutely receive them, but I strongly disagree with the idea that all kids with Down syndrome are the same anymore than all kids without Down syndrome are the same. Not all kids with Down syndrome need all services. My son no longer needs physical therapy and has never needed occupational therapy (according to his doctor and previous therapists).
He does need speech therapy but because he is not enrolled in school he cannot receive it unless it is through a private speech therapist. The problem? Finding a private speech therapist is next to impossible. So, my taxes go to pay for these state services but my son cannot use any of them because he isn't in school. Did it occur to anyone that one of the determining factors for my husband and I to feel comfortable in sending him to school will be his ability to communicate verbally? The very service they are denying him is exactly what he needs to be able to attend school in the future.
My son is not ready for school away from home yet and we can make that decision because we are his parents and know him and his abilities better than anyone else. In fact, he is currently enrolled in a virtual kindergarten program we do every day at home and he's doing fine. He can match letters and recognizes all the letters of the alphabet. He understands "the same" but not "different" yet. He is also learning his numbers.
Don't get me wrong, he can totally communicate but he needs to be able to do so verbally. All I want to do is find a therapist that can help him do that.
I have never sent any of my children to pre-school or kindergarten. I am a SAHM and I have chosen to teach all of my children to read and do math so when they enter school in first grade they are prepared. My children enter school reading 2-4 years above grade level. I take my responsibility as a parent very seriously and want to make sure my children are life-long learners. Not all parents would make the same decision as we have regarding pre-school and kindergarten. We are fortunate that we have the opportunity and freedom in our country to make the decisions we feel best serve our individual children and it does no one any good to be judgmental of those decisions.
For the second day in a row, I was judged for my decision to homeschool my son. I was chastised by a professional today who has never met my son and knows nothing about him. I was calling to get information about speech therapy in my area and instead was treated like a horrible mother because I did not enroll my son in school at three years of age so he could receive all the services he needs. Umm, excuse me? How can someone who has never met my son decide what services he needs? Unless of course he's lumped into the "Down syndrome box" where every child with DS needs every available service. Any child that needs services should absolutely receive them, but I strongly disagree with the idea that all kids with Down syndrome are the same anymore than all kids without Down syndrome are the same. Not all kids with Down syndrome need all services. My son no longer needs physical therapy and has never needed occupational therapy (according to his doctor and previous therapists).
He does need speech therapy but because he is not enrolled in school he cannot receive it unless it is through a private speech therapist. The problem? Finding a private speech therapist is next to impossible. So, my taxes go to pay for these state services but my son cannot use any of them because he isn't in school. Did it occur to anyone that one of the determining factors for my husband and I to feel comfortable in sending him to school will be his ability to communicate verbally? The very service they are denying him is exactly what he needs to be able to attend school in the future.
My son is not ready for school away from home yet and we can make that decision because we are his parents and know him and his abilities better than anyone else. In fact, he is currently enrolled in a virtual kindergarten program we do every day at home and he's doing fine. He can match letters and recognizes all the letters of the alphabet. He understands "the same" but not "different" yet. He is also learning his numbers.
Don't get me wrong, he can totally communicate but he needs to be able to do so verbally. All I want to do is find a therapist that can help him do that.
September 19, 2011
Exercise is Killing Me!
I used to play basketball in high school. In college, I took aerobics classes and then found exercise shows on TV after I had kids. I loved working out to "Gilad's Bodies in Motion" in the 90s. I then found "The Firm" and "Tae Bo" videos/DVDs. I've worked out over the years, some times more than others depending on pregnancies.
One of my older daughters has returned home to go to a local college that is far less expensive than her out-of-state first year. And she's discovered P90X, a new exercise program on DVDs. My nephews have been doing P90X for a few years and talked a lot about it but I never thought much about it.
What is P90X? Well, it's death by exercise. No kidding--Tony Horton, the creator, is an exercise madman. This guy is definitely the inspiration for the Energizer Bunny. He's 45 and totally ripped. He looks better than most guys half his age. But, the guy really belongs in a torture camp.
This exercise program is not for the wimpy (me). It is a serious program that boasts a complete body change (if you stick with the program and follow it closely) in 90 days. I think all it will do to me is send me into cardiac arrest. But, I am going to stick with it nevertheless. My daughter will make sure of that.
I did Plyometrics this morning which is one of the 13 DVDs and is basically aerobics on crack. Lots of jumping and barely any time to breathe. But, if I can keep up with it without sucking so much air by the end of 90 days, I will really accomplish something. I want to be in better shape as well as take some weight off.
Wish me luck!
One of my older daughters has returned home to go to a local college that is far less expensive than her out-of-state first year. And she's discovered P90X, a new exercise program on DVDs. My nephews have been doing P90X for a few years and talked a lot about it but I never thought much about it.
What is P90X? Well, it's death by exercise. No kidding--Tony Horton, the creator, is an exercise madman. This guy is definitely the inspiration for the Energizer Bunny. He's 45 and totally ripped. He looks better than most guys half his age. But, the guy really belongs in a torture camp.
This exercise program is not for the wimpy (me). It is a serious program that boasts a complete body change (if you stick with the program and follow it closely) in 90 days. I think all it will do to me is send me into cardiac arrest. But, I am going to stick with it nevertheless. My daughter will make sure of that.
I did Plyometrics this morning which is one of the 13 DVDs and is basically aerobics on crack. Lots of jumping and barely any time to breathe. But, if I can keep up with it without sucking so much air by the end of 90 days, I will really accomplish something. I want to be in better shape as well as take some weight off.
Wish me luck!
September 8, 2011
Book Review: Ribbon of Darkness
Back Cover:A split-second decision could change the world's darkest hour to one of triumph--but who is willing to pay the price?
Kennedy Campbell has been running away for a long time--using her position as an international journalist to escape the ghosts of her family's past. She finds some solace working in an Afghan refugee camp, until the Taliban attacks them and Kennedy is forced to flee. She is pulled into a terrorist's realm of darkness as she fights to save those around her, but will it come at the expense of her own life?
Ethan Barak leads a double life, helping MI-6 bring down arms dealers all over the world until his father is murdered by an old associate. Ethan makes his next mission a personal vendetta by tracking down the killer to Indonesia.
While there, he finds himself in a position to either avenge his father or stop a terrorist attack on the Malacca Strait that will jeopardize innocent lives across the world. Can he look past his father's murder to save others?
The line between justice and mercy is blurred with each passing second, and international intrigue becomes intensely personal as the age-old struggle for redemption is brought close to home.
Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? Well, let me tell you, this is one fast-paced, gotta-keep-reading novel. If you love suspense, this is one book you have to read. And, if you haven't experienced a suspense novel, this one will hook you for sure.
Page after page I kept thinking, "Okay, I have to go to sleep now," but I couldn't because I had to keep reading (or clicking since I read it on my Kindle). I had to find out if Ethan was going to be a good guy or not and if Kennedy would ever get out alive. I also had to see if there'd be enough smooching--there was. I kept finding my heartbeat speeding up either because of the action or because of the smooching.
I loved Kennedy, she was strong yet feminine. She wasn't about to take anything lying down and she was with Ethan throughout the whole ordeal despite his attempts to baby/protect her.
Bellon does an excellent job with her descriptions. I felt like I was right there handcuffed to a pipe in the bathroom or in the middle of the boat or hiding in a closet trying to keep my breathing quiet so I wouldn't get caught. I could "see" the setting and the people. Bellon is a master storyteller and this book will keep you hooked until the last page.
And, I love the cover, too.
I definitely recommend this book. You can purchase it at Amazon. It's available in paperback or for your Kindle.
This book is also eligible for a Whitney Award.
PS I won this book in a contest. My opinion is my very own and no one else's.
September 3, 2011
Great Bench Building Eagle Project
Two years ago my then 13-year-old son got approval for his Eagle project. Behind our elementary school we had a bunch of dirt. Some parents got together and decided to make that area useful by turning it into a learning garden where they could plant different types of plants to teach the kids about different growing zones of the country. Another young man took the planning of the garden and its initial creation on as his Eagle project. He then named the garden area after his older sister who'd passed away at age 12.
The garden has grown and has some really cool features like the peace pole and a shade area and unique paths. The kids work in it during the fall and spring (when it isn't too cold). It's a great place to sit and watch birds and insects, except there was nowhere to sit. Until now. My son's Eagle project has been to build benches for the learning garden so the kids can observe nature and write in their journals.
The original plan was to build these benches two years ago but then my oldest son decided to get married and that threw all of us into a tailspin as we planned (and I sewed) for the wedding and reception. Then it was too cold to work on the benches so we hoped to complete them last summer.
As part of the project, my son had to solicit a donation to pay for the supplies. He wrote a letter and then patiently waited for a reply. The reply didn't come and didn't come and we discovered that the company had never received his request. So he had to wait again to go through the process and when the approval came through, it was too cold to build and polyurethane the benches.
This summer he finally had the funds and we had no wedding to plan. So we embarked on the Great Bench Building Project of 2011. It has taken us all summer to get them built between all the summer camps, trips to Utah, and family visits. We've been polyurethaning them for the last three weeks. My son has had to organize and supervise building and then polyurethaning parties and it's taken so long because while we've had an extremely dry summer, every time, and I mean every time, we've pulled the benches out to polyurethane them, it's rained.
I guess we don't need an Indian Rain Dance we just need to try to finish an Eagle project to get it to rain in our area. And not sprinkles. No, we've had downpours. And we've had to rush outside and haul the benches inside the garage and stack them up to keep them out of the rain.
But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We only need one more coat of polyurethane. And what is that I hear outside? Oh, yeah, it's thunder . . . .
The garden has grown and has some really cool features like the peace pole and a shade area and unique paths. The kids work in it during the fall and spring (when it isn't too cold). It's a great place to sit and watch birds and insects, except there was nowhere to sit. Until now. My son's Eagle project has been to build benches for the learning garden so the kids can observe nature and write in their journals.
The original plan was to build these benches two years ago but then my oldest son decided to get married and that threw all of us into a tailspin as we planned (and I sewed) for the wedding and reception. Then it was too cold to work on the benches so we hoped to complete them last summer.
As part of the project, my son had to solicit a donation to pay for the supplies. He wrote a letter and then patiently waited for a reply. The reply didn't come and didn't come and we discovered that the company had never received his request. So he had to wait again to go through the process and when the approval came through, it was too cold to build and polyurethane the benches.
This summer he finally had the funds and we had no wedding to plan. So we embarked on the Great Bench Building Project of 2011. It has taken us all summer to get them built between all the summer camps, trips to Utah, and family visits. We've been polyurethaning them for the last three weeks. My son has had to organize and supervise building and then polyurethaning parties and it's taken so long because while we've had an extremely dry summer, every time, and I mean every time, we've pulled the benches out to polyurethane them, it's rained.
I guess we don't need an Indian Rain Dance we just need to try to finish an Eagle project to get it to rain in our area. And not sprinkles. No, we've had downpours. And we've had to rush outside and haul the benches inside the garage and stack them up to keep them out of the rain.
But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We only need one more coat of polyurethane. And what is that I hear outside? Oh, yeah, it's thunder . . . .
September 1, 2011
Winner of Blog Hop
Thank you to everyone who participated in the blog hop. Wasn't it fun? Thanks to Tristi Pinkston for sponsoring it. If you haven't read any of Tristi's books, you are missing out! Be sure to visit her blog and learn about all of her books--she's multi-talented for sure.
Without further ado, the winner of a copy of my book The Upside of Down is . . . . (drum roll, please) Alison. Yay!!! I hope you enjoy the book, Alison. I'll contact you for your address.
Thanks again for the support! Happy reading!
Without further ado, the winner of a copy of my book The Upside of Down is . . . . (drum roll, please) Alison. Yay!!! I hope you enjoy the book, Alison. I'll contact you for your address.
Thanks again for the support! Happy reading!
August 29, 2011
Awesome August Blog Hop
Welcome to the Awesome August Blog Hop, where bloggers from all over the Internet have come together to throw a summertime party!Every blog on this hop is offering a fun prize, and entering is quick and easy. Simply follow the instructions on each blog, leave a comment, and bop right along to the next blog. You can win multiple times, so be sure to check out all the participating blogs!
On my blog, you can win a copy of my book The Upside of Down
To enter:
1. Become a follower of my blog.
2. Subscribe to my newsletter (located in the right hand column). I promise not to spam you. I send out a newsletter every quarter or so.
3. Leave me a comment and tell me that you've done both things. If your e-mail isn't available through your profile, I'll need you to leave that, too - I can't tell you if you've won if I can't contact you!
This blog hop runs through Wednesday night at midnight, so be sure to enter before then! The winner will be notified by e-mail.
Now that you've entered my contest, come meet all my other blog friends and see what fun things they are offering!
Awesome August Blog Hop Participants1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author
2. Karen Hoover
3. Michael Young
4. Kristy Tate
5. Cindy Hogan
6. Julie Bellon
7. Margot Hovley
8. Laurie Lewis
9. Mandi Slack
10. Melanie Jacobson
11. Joyce DiPastena
12. Renae Mackley13. Debbi Weitzell
14. Donna Hatch
15. Carolyn Frank
16. Marsha Ward
17. Stacy Coles
18. Bonnie Harris
19. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan
20. Diony George
21. Lisa Asanuma
22. Susan Dayley
23. Christine Bryant @ Day Dreamer
24. Stephanie Humphreys
25. Ranee` Clark
26. Tamera Westhoff
27. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
28. Heather Justesen
29. Rebecca Talley
30. Jennifer Hurst
31. Aimee Brown
32. Cheryl Christensen
33. Rachelle Christensen
34. Imaginary Reads
35. Andrea Pearson
Learn more about Awesome August Blog Hop here.
View More Awesome August Blog Hop Participants
Get The Code
Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.
Good luck!
August 23, 2011
The Whitney Awards: Nominate a Novel
Have you read a great novel by an LDS author? Would you like to recognize that novel? You can! Just visit The Whitney Awards and nominate your favorite 2011 titles (yes, my book, The Upside of Down, is a 2011 title). The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2011.
If you aren't familiar with The Whitney Awards here's some info:
What are the Whitneys?
The Whitneys are an awards program for novels by LDS authors. Elder Orson F. Whitney, an early apostle in the LDS church, prophesied "We will yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own." Since we have that as our goal, we feel that we should also honor those authors who excel and continually raise the bar.
The Whitney Awards honor novels in the following categories: General Fiction, Romance, Suspense/Mystery, Speculative Fiction, Youth Fiction, Historical, Best Novel of the Year, and Best Novel by a New Author. Novels can be nominated by any reader (via this website or by mail), and nominees are voted on by an academy of industry professionals, including authors, publishers, bookstore owners, distributors, critics, and others.
The awards were founded in 2007 and operate as an semi-autonomous subsidiary of LDStorymakers.
Who are we?
The 2011 Whitney Awards Committee is comprised of six members:
•Josi Kilpack (President)
•Annette Lyon
•Heather Moore
•Jana Parkin
•Sarah M. Eden
•Luisa Perkins
For more information about the roles and responsibilities of the committee, see the official rules.
The Whitney Awards are sponsored and endorsed by LDStorymakers, the authors guild for the LDS market.
For more information on The Whitney Awards or to nominate a book (yes, go nominate one right now!) you can visit The Whitney Awards here.
If you aren't familiar with The Whitney Awards here's some info:
What are the Whitneys?
The Whitneys are an awards program for novels by LDS authors. Elder Orson F. Whitney, an early apostle in the LDS church, prophesied "We will yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own." Since we have that as our goal, we feel that we should also honor those authors who excel and continually raise the bar.
The Whitney Awards honor novels in the following categories: General Fiction, Romance, Suspense/Mystery, Speculative Fiction, Youth Fiction, Historical, Best Novel of the Year, and Best Novel by a New Author. Novels can be nominated by any reader (via this website or by mail), and nominees are voted on by an academy of industry professionals, including authors, publishers, bookstore owners, distributors, critics, and others.
The awards were founded in 2007 and operate as an semi-autonomous subsidiary of LDStorymakers.
Who are we?
The 2011 Whitney Awards Committee is comprised of six members:
•Josi Kilpack (President)
•Annette Lyon
•Heather Moore
•Jana Parkin
•Sarah M. Eden
•Luisa Perkins
For more information about the roles and responsibilities of the committee, see the official rules.
The Whitney Awards are sponsored and endorsed by LDStorymakers, the authors guild for the LDS market.
For more information on The Whitney Awards or to nominate a book (yes, go nominate one right now!) you can visit The Whitney Awards here.
August 16, 2011
Purging the House
I can't believe the summer is almost over. It makes me sad. I love having my kids home. We've accomplished a lot this summer.
We cleaned out, purged, repainted, and moved kids into different bedrooms. I love having clean bedrooms. I didn't repaint my bedroom, but I cleaned it out. Surprisingly, I eat a lot of granola bars and fruit treats, play with a lot of toys, drink a lot of water bottles, and wear a lot of small socks and underwear, at least that's what I found under my bed. My room seems to be the most popular room in the house and my kids hang out in it all the time.
I also purged my linen closet of old towels and blankets. I think some of those towels I'd gotten as wedding gifts--yeah, it was way past time to purge. I cleaned out our utility closet and all my kitchen cabinets and our china hutch. I've donated lots of items and thrown away others. I think we've been through every room in the house now and it feels wonderful!!!
Now to keep it up and not allow the mess to build up again.
We cleaned out, purged, repainted, and moved kids into different bedrooms. I love having clean bedrooms. I didn't repaint my bedroom, but I cleaned it out. Surprisingly, I eat a lot of granola bars and fruit treats, play with a lot of toys, drink a lot of water bottles, and wear a lot of small socks and underwear, at least that's what I found under my bed. My room seems to be the most popular room in the house and my kids hang out in it all the time.
I also purged my linen closet of old towels and blankets. I think some of those towels I'd gotten as wedding gifts--yeah, it was way past time to purge. I cleaned out our utility closet and all my kitchen cabinets and our china hutch. I've donated lots of items and thrown away others. I think we've been through every room in the house now and it feels wonderful!!!
Now to keep it up and not allow the mess to build up again.
