Generational Welfare - Something To Be Proud of???

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/05/generaltional-welfare-something-to-be.html

To Those Who Served and To Those Who Gave The Ultimate Sacrifice - We Salute You.

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/05/to-those-who-served-and-to-those-who.html

Put One Foot In Front of The Other...

OK, so a few days ago, I posted my blog about cleaning out our spare bedroom/office. My plan was to do this cleaning project in four stages. However I failed to inform you, that this plan only works in my house during the week days. If I even tried to accomplish a large cleaning project on the weekend, my entire family knows that means I have to be in or be put in a bad mood. What’s that old saying, oh yes I remember, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." I think that is why my family opts for the happy mom and lets me slack a bit on my progress on the weekend.  Well I am proud to announce that I have started, what I promised, working on this cleaning chaos  that I thought was going to be well planned, easy, simple, never feeling overwhelmed, want to scream, project - not, not, not, not, not, and NOT. As you know, I am easily side tracked. Here is a perfect example; Radio on, washing floors, Cindy Lauper "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" comes on the radio, mop gets put in the bucking, phone gets picked up and two hours later, I am hanging up from a very winded conversation on big hair bands of the 80's. Then I pick up the mop, reheat the water with new floor clean, and attempt it again. Well unfortunately it's been one of those weeks, but I did however, manage to get part of the project done. Many of my distraction were edits needing to be done on my soon to be release book "Deemed Crazy", which is a fictional story...really it is. (Smile). Then our kids needed to be taken here and there for school. (Can't wait to share that blog. An event that was so crazy that I recorded it on my phone so I won't forget any details when I start writing it). I am also getting paper work together to file our newest in VA Claims - I'll be bald soon as it is a hair pulling experience. (Smile). I know, sounds like more excuses, but seriously, being a stay at home mom, means you do all the jobs and then some.

My hope was to get the room clean and get some of the new accessories up. Before I started I went to Home Depot to pick up some new switch plates and outlet covers, Yes a form of self-motivation that I believed would work, and it did a little - A very little. While I was there something bad happened, something I feared - The garden section was screaming and begging for me to wander through. OK, I didn't fear it because I am not afraid of plants; my fear is that I can't say to no to pretty flowers. My youngest son warned me of my lack of will power to say no to the pretty flowers. He was so right. We are now the owners two new plans, one of which is a hibiscus plant. (I'll get back to the bedroom/office progress in a second; see I am side tracked already).

I also got a Boston Fern which I have the ability to get those things to grown to ginormous sizes, so before it gets any bigger, let me provide you with a before photo and then at the end of the summer, I'll provide you with the after photo. All the plant items were 50%, 60%, and 70% off. Normally to buy both of these plants would have sent me back $53.00 + 6% sales tax (Thank you Maryland, please learn to budget better and stop taxing everything). But I got them both for only $15.00. I so love a bargain! OK, so by now you can see, I get distracted pretty easy, unless I am watching the movie Highlander, A Knights Tale, Hunt for Red October, Pretty Woman, or enjoying private time with the honey...OK, OK, TMI! Enough of my ramblings. So You want to know the answer to the the burning question of the day..."Stacey did you get your clutter crap cleaned up yet?" Yes and No.  Below is a picture of my progress on my newest clutter clean up.

I can finally open the closed door. The book shelf is better; it's holding a few books and music binders. As you can see by the next picture, I cleaned my desk off. I got the things off the floor. The stuff on the bed is what was in the closet. I didn't have the kahunas to show you that monstrosity. So, I can say, I got two parts of the four step plan complete. I am hoping that by Monday, I will be able to present you with a room so clean you'll wonder whose house it is. (Smile).  So day by day I am kicked my addiction. What addiction you ask? My addiction to keep things because for some reason years ago, I honestly believed that my things were the only way I could keep my memories. Dumb hua? I seriously thought that.

But after a while, my things were now only keeping bad memories in my mind, as the things made my house look bad, made my family feel bad, and kept our friends away. With the house now in a rapid decluttering state, I feel like a million dollars, but don't have any urge to shop. I also don't feel any connection to the things like I once did. Well unless it is photographs and those types of mementos. But a magazine dated 2007, seriously needs to go. I can clean and say to myself - Do you really want that? Do you really need that? If you keep it, where will it go? Most of the time I don't have to ask myself all three questions as the first one is more than enough. My garbage guys used to hate us, but I can safely say we now have a normal trash pickup. No more mounds of garbage bags pilled in our driveway. We use only two trash cans and that is it. I've come a long way baby. (Smile).  So, again to all my loyal readers and those with your kind words of inspiration, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Who says you need therapy when I have the whole world to answer too. Thanks everyone for your support and the storage ideas are awesome. When I get enough of those, I am going to put a blog together on everyones suggestions. Well until next time - Blog you later.

 I love this quote and I wanted to share it with you. Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing. ~Phyllis Diller, Phyllis Diller's Housekeeping Hints, 1966

P.S. As you may now know, I have started in a new endeavor to raise money for Gulf War Veterans - One book at a time.  I am asking that you go to the webpage on facebook entitled; "Through the Barracks Window: A Time of Waves", There is no cost to anyone, just the click of the "Like" button is all that I am asking of you and then send the information on to all of your friends and have them do the same, and so on and so on. This will help us advertise our cause without the high costs of advertising companies out there. Again many thanks for your continued support. Until next time, blog ya later.

"Worth The Cause - For only one click of a button"

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/05/worth-cause.html

"Getting Back on Task - Can I really do it?"

Hello to all in blogger land. Today is a quest to complete the newest in organizational projects - finally organizing our home office/spare bedroom. As ashamed as I am, I am posting a before picture to show you what I am up against. Lately I have been a bit side tracked as you probably have noticed with my other blog site. I found that the last week was both challenging and rewarding. The most challenging part was trying to teach my children about personal boundaries and why they should practice this all of their lives. A topic that I try not to harp on, but there is a few out there who just put themselves right smack dab into the middle of my soapbox, which I vented about enough the other day, but I know the lady in question read it, or was told about it, as she and the other lady was on their best behavior at the barber shop when we went in again for my other son. "See I knew you could be nice, ladies!" But ya know what. This isn't about them today so I'm moving on to an even better topic in addition to my getting back on track with this clutter chaos in our home. So what is better than seeing my clutter chaos unfold for all to see...?

20 Years Ago May 6th, 1992

 My husband and I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary on May 6th, WAA WHOO! WE MADE IT! I will say it was a wonderful day/weekend that was spent with dear friends that we have adopted as family. My husband and I spent most of that weekend hanging out at an event called "BayBBQ", that was hosted by the Annapolis Rotary Club to raise money for youth community programs. Food was delicious, over 32 bands played for two days. It was a great time. It also gave us time to sit and do something we haven't done in a while. Sit and just talk and remember the great times we have had over the last 20 years together. What I found to be the best part, neither of us has any regrets as to our choice to marry and we are hoping that the next 20 are less eventful, meaning medical issues, family drama, and extreme life challenges. However with all that we have endured in our marriage one thing stands true, and believe you me, we have had people and things really try to push us to the brink of separating, our love just gets stronger and stronger. Won't they ever learn....they are only making our bond stronger than ever the more they try to pit us against each other?

20 Years Later - May 6th, 2012

With my husband going through testing for Gulf War Syndrome, I see a new focus on our lives together and he knows that, just like he did for me when I fell ill, I will stand by him, whatever the outcome brings. I feel like I have my best friend back. He calls during the day just to say hello and believe it or not, that means more to me than flowers, cards, or candy. Now as I have said before, the power of positive thinking can move mountains and with the card that he gave me for our Anniversary. His written words, and our special conversations about us and our future, was all this lady, meaning me, needed to get in the complete mindset that I can accomplish anything. My goal this week get the projects finished that I started and got so distracted, that they never got done. So my project for the rest of this week, not two hours or in a day as this project will be tedious, I am going to completely organize our home office/spare bedroom. I will keep you posted on my progress.  What I have planned is to cut the room into four quarters and do a quarter a day. Less overwhelming, more progress...ok, that's my mind set, give me a chance. (Smile). So I must begin my newest quest now, as my previous plan to get the bathroom redone, did not work with our budget at this time. Have a fantastic Thursday and remember....depending on where you live in the world, It's either almost the weekend or is the weekend. WAA WHOO!  Until next time - Blog you later.

TOTAL CLUTTER CHAOS!
MY NEWEST PROJECT IN TAMING THE CLUTTER MADNESS!

TALK ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL - HOLY MOSES!

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/05/now-thats-loaded-question.html

"Nuclear Energy - Friend and Foe"

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/05/nuclear-energy-friend-and-foe.html

"The Red Pills" Innocent UNTIL PROVEN guilty.

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/05/innocent-until-proven-guilt-red-pills.html

NO NUTS IN THIS KITCHEN!

Let’s get right to it! You saw the before and now - Ta Da! The kitchen clutter has been conquered. It wasn't easy and it took two days vs. the one morning that I had hoped to have it done in. My next task, not only de-cluttering, but I am also redecorating the bathroom, which includes removing the possible mini looking mold from the ceiling. I will be posting before, during, and after pictures along the way. I will say the icing on the cake is that the best part about all of this - I love to paint and redecorate. To do these things, the house must be clean. See where I am going with this. One of these days the new molding will come in to put over the kitchen cabinets, but for now I will live with the gap.  Watch for my next blog: Bathroom Blunder turned Beautiful.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR NUTS ARE????

Well dang it's been sometime since I have updated you on my progress in the war against clutter in the household. Lately I've been in the midst of a small battle that seems to want to play out in my kitchen. Now my kitchen is compact. Leaving a dish or two on the counter and the place looks a mess. But the pictures below is the result of not planning our time better on a busy weekend (Two days is all it took to clutter up like this). Space is extremely limited and finding a place for everything seems to be a losing battle for me. Course, do I really need three slow cookers? I'd say yes if I entertained guests on a regular basis, so right there is two cookers worth of space. Do I really need five various sized spatulas? No, but for some reason (and maybe you'll agree) each one flips a little different than the other. Then it’s the pantry that has cereal boxes that are filled with a severing no larger than for "Fat Squirrel" that got his name because he gets all the spoiled breads, moldy muffins and what’s left in the cereal boxes. With all that I feed him, I think he forgot where his nuts are - meaning the nuts from a tree. (Made ya smile, but caught your attention).

Being that the day started out grey and gloomy, my first thought was to climb back into the softness of our bed, turn on a movie or find a marathon of NCIS. Then my computer started calling out "COME PLAY BUBBLE WITCH ON FACEBOOK...YOU KNOW YOU WANT TOOOOOOOOOO." Yes, I have a new addiction. Dang that Bubble Witch! Smile. Now I have attempted to complete this blog five times, but a knock at the door, the phone rang a couple times, I had ideas for a new book that I am in the process of editing, and I can only hold my bladder so long, a blog that I had planned to have complete by nine this morning, is now already running an hour and forty-one minutes behind. So I'm cutting to the chase - Below is the before pictures of today’s cleaning project. Wish me luck - I'm going to need it as I still have to do some running around out in town. My master plans, get this clutter clean in the kitchen done, and then go out and finish my arrons. So until tomorrow - let’s hope that my waundering mind filled will all kinds of projects, stays on task today and in a few short hours I won't have to wait until tomorrow to show you my after pictures. Smile.

"Life Happens"

http://bu3-ret-staceybolin.blogspot.com/2012/04/life-has-way-of-just-happening.html