Woolzies Dryer Balls: {Review & Giveaway}

*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.*

I did try to make sure there was no underwear peeking out in this load!

I've posted on laundry before: specifically how much I love it!! (NOT!) However, it is a necessity in our house and I am usually the one doing it.  My goal is to do one load a day.  I try to start one in the mornings before I go to work, fold it on my lunch break and put it away in the evening.  It doesn't actually happen that way, but that's the goal!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the people at Woolzies to do a giveaway.  I've passed on a few other giveaways because they didn't seem to fit in here, but laundry is definitely something I know about!  They sent me a box of their dryer balls to try out and blog about.

Woolzies dryer balls are handmade from New Zealand wool.  They claim to help reduce static and drying time for 1,000 loads of laundry.  They are also good for the environment and do not introduce harsh chemicals into your laundry.  They are unscented and hypoallergenic.

When I got them in the mail, I was actually a little bit excited to do some laundry so I could try them out.  I had a few questions I wanted to answer for myself:

• Do they work?
• Will my clothes be static-y?
• Will my laundry get dry faster?
• Are they loud, clunking around in the dryer?

So I've been keeping up with my laundry since last week and feel like I've had a chance to decide for myself what I think.

Firstly, my clothes are not static-y.  Nothing has been sticking together and I haven't been getting shocked.  I heard a few crackles when I shook out a shirt; but when I tried to shock myself while holding it, nothing happened.   So I will say that these do work to reduce static.

Do they help with dry time?  I don't have a good way to assess this because I am not typically home to see how long the dryer runs.  I have a setting on my dryer that says "more dry."  The theory is that the dryer senses the humidity inside the machine and stops when the clothing is dry.  I will say that my clothes have been dry and fluffy each time I have gone to get them. Sometimes, previously, when I would retrieve a load it would be not quite dry.

As for the sound? They are actually quieter than the other, plastic dryer balls I have used before.  Plus, these are a bit heavier and tend not to get lost inside the laundry.  With the plastic kind, I was constantly missing them as I put the laundry in a basket, so I couldn't use them for the next load. Then, when they got upstairs the kids found them and used them as toys.  The Woolzies dryer balls, however, don't cause that problem.

I left the box on top of the dryer and as I put laundry into the basket, I can easily fish out the dryer balls and put them in the box.  Then they are easily put back in the dryer for the next load.  I haven't lost one yet!

If you'd like to know more about Woolzies dryer balls, I'd be happy to answer your questions about my experience.  You can also see the FAQ at their website or buy them on their website.

 
*I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.*

Laundry Left-Overs

I think everyone I know has found some loose change in the washing machine at some point. It's like a little reward for doing laundry! I've found bills a time or two and that's fun as well. I feel certain that I am not alone in adding tissues, grocery lists, and chapstick to my "list of things found in the washer."  However, I have discovered that having kids leads to some very interesting discoveries in the bottom of the washing machine.
First there was the mulch.It threw me off at first because it didn't really look like mulch, if you know what I mean.  I got used to seeing that quite regularly because the playground at the kids' preschool was covered in mulch.  It came home attached to the kids clothes and socks, but more often than not, it was stuck in their pockets.
I also find rocks. Lots of them since Benjamin decided to start a collection.  To tell the truth, the washing machine isn't the only place I find rocks (the car seat, the van in general, the bathtub, his crib...).  That boy cannot pass a rock garden or gravel pit without filling his pockets!!
I find stickers. Those are frustrating because if you don't catch them before the dryer, that gook gets heated up and sticks to your clothes forever!  I try to look for stickers before things go in the wash, but I am not always successful.
Toys are another common find in our washing machine.  Polly pockets, Matchbox cars, Batman figurines; if it fits in a pocket, it has probably been washed.
I found an earring in the washing machine last week.  That makes me sad, because I only found one and I don't know where the match is. And I liked those earrings.
Yesterday I thought it was strange because I found a plastic heart-shaped magnet in the washer. I had a hard time getting that out because it kept slipping out of my fingers and sticking to the inside of the drum.
I thought Ken's discovery this morning would take the cake! The strangest thing we've found in our washer so far were the two packets of mustard he found.  He brought them up and commented, "I thought we were trying to remove mustard stains in the washer...not create them!" I know they didn't come from me or from Ken. I am going to assume that Frances had them in her pocket from a lunch at camp at some point. Probably yesterday's hot dogs.
You are probably thinking that I should check pockets before I wash clothes.  That would be a great idea!! NOT! I don't even sort laundry anymore! I used to sort it all the time: whites, darks, dress clothes, sheets and towels, etc.  And I had laundry piled everywhere! I would wash one or two loads a day and get close to being finished. Then I would look at the piles and none of them would be quite enough for a full load, so I would skip a day. And then just like hangers, or bunnies, or pens in the bottom of your purse; the laundry piles would multiply exponentially overnight! So I started throwing loads in together. And nothing came out looking horrible. Then I just stopped sorting it at all.  I take the laundry down to the basement and pile it in front of the washer. When I switch loads, I pick up a few handfuls and throw them all in together. Works for me!  Except for all the strange stuff I keep finding in the washer.
But I've never found anything as strange as this

and until I do, I'm not going to sort my laundry or check my pockets. (Click that picture for the full story.)

So, what's the strangest thing you've found in your washing machine??

10 on Tuesday: Things in my Washer

I've posted lots before about my love affair with laundry. Truthfully, I don't completely hate it.  Washing, drying, and folding are fine with me.  I just hate putting it away!  And, frankly, that's sad; because my kids put their own laundry away and so does Ken.  I only have mine...and Benjamin's...and the sheets, towels, rags, napkins, tablecloths...see?!  Anyway, laundry is on my mind this morning, so I present to you...

10 Things I've Found in My Washer Lately

1. Clean clothes--technically the only thing I should be finding in my washer.
2. Tissues--standard washer fare, right?
3. Mulch--As I told someone yesterday, I have probably found the equivalent of an entire tree in my washing machine the past few weeks.
4. Mustard Packets--Finally figured this one out! Frances gets them off the condiment bar at school and then eats them.  The mustard, I mean.  As in she sucks the mustard out of the packet and then sticks the packet in her pocket.  We had a conversation about this and she's either stopped eating mustard or she's started throwing the packets in the trash.
5. A Matchbox car--Not sure which son left it in his pocket. 
6. Grocery coupons--I guess I have to claim this one. I must have left them in my pocket after a shopping trip.  Thankfully they were the ones I wouldn't have used.
7. A baseball--I have no clue; don't even ask!!
8. A Hanger--Gives you an idea how well I sort my clothes before I put them in, huh?
9. Foam letter--Our bathtub toys sit right next to the hamper, so I guess it fell in the pile that way.
10. Nothing--That's right!! For one day last week, I was totally caught up on all the laundry. (Only lasted a day though.)

P.S.: Still lovin' my Woolzies in the dryer!!  No static, even with summer heat!

A Very Peculiar Saturday

Scene: Me cleaning behind the couch.
(Stop laughing!! This is fiction. I can pretend to clean behind the couch!!)

"What's this back here?" I mumble to myself as I reach back and pull more crap out from the far reaches of the netherworld behind the furniture.

It looks to be a plastic bottle of some sort. Is it something from the play kitchen? I thought I got rid of all that stuff ages ago! It's got weird green and gold designs on it. It doesn't look like anything I've ever bought before. I hope there's nothing in it. I was quite excited to outgrow the "sippy cup of cheese-ified milk under the bed" stage.

I take the bottle into the kitchen to open just in case there is something in it and I have to dump it out or clean a mess. The lid seems to be stuck.  I dig through the drawers to find the jar opener. I know it's in this drawer somewhere. Ugh! Never mind!!

I bang the lid on the counter ever so gently. Tap. Tap. Tap. Crack! Doggone it! Now I've got a mess in the kitchen. What is this stuff? It smells sweet and slightly tangy. Like peaches in the summertime. It's not sticky, or really all that messy, actually. After a quick wipe with a rag, the mess is all gone, even what splashed on my shirt. The bottle is empty, though, so I toss it in the recycling bin and head back out to the living room to finish cleaning.

"Mommy!  Look what we found!" giggles Frances. The kids are apparently taking a break from their screen time and congregating in the living room. They've dug out the rest of the toys from behind the couch and are happily playing with them though, so I put the couch where it was and get out the vacuum.

"Can I do that?" ask Benjamin. That goofy kid loves playing with the vacuum!

Not a vacuum, just a cute picture

"Sure, whatever. Just let me know when you're done so I can go back over it."

I head to the bathroom to do some clean-up in there, but Henry is using the toilet. I start putting some laundry in the basket to take it downstairs to start a load of washing. Surprisingly when I get downstairs, there isn't that much down there. I guess I got further ahead than I thought. There must be a ton upstairs to fold. I swap loads: clean stuff into a basket, wet stuff into the dryer and a new load into the washer. I manage to have just enough room to finish everything that's down here.

Grabbing the basket of clean clothes, which happens to be all towels, I head upstairs to add it to the pile on the bed so I can start folding. When I get to the bedroom I find Ken, just finishing up all the other laundry I had left there.

"Do these go in the second drawer or the third drawer?" he asks, holding up a pair of my jeans.

"Ummm..whichever one has more room, I guess." I answer in confusion. Not only did he fold all the laundry, he's putting mine away. Not one to question industry in my family, I dump out the towels and together we quickly fold them and get them put away. I don't mind folding laundry when it's all rectangles that go in the same place!

With the laundry done, I head back to the bathroom to see if Henry's done.

"Mommy, I accidentally made a mess on the toilet, so I cleaned it up. Can I use this too" he asks, brandishing the scrubby wand.

"OK, sure, I guess so." I reply slowly. Is my son really asking permission to clean the toilet??

Bewildered, I pass the vacuum in the living room and hear a strange sound in the dining room. I walk, hesitatingly towards the sound, unsure of what I will find.

I peer through the doorway and Frances is just putting the last toy into the bin. I pause. Should I ask her what she's doing or just let it go? The curiosity gets to me and I have to ask: "What are you doing, Sissy?"

"Those toys we found behind the couch went with a set of other stuff, so I came in here to look for the rest. Something else was in my way, so I started to get that where it belonged and I guess one thing led to another and I just re-organized all the toys."

"MOMMY!!" yells Ben from the living room. "I finished with the vacuum, but I can't move Daddy's chair!"

I start to head that way, but Henry comes dashing in. "I'll do it!" he laughs and together he and Ben shift the chair so Ben can clean underneath it.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point. I was just planning a few light cleaning tasks for this Saturday morning, but I've barely done any work and now the whole house is clean. The only thing I really accomplished was finding that small bottle behind the couch, and I made a mess of that. Something strange is going on.

Heading towards the couch to sit and think for a moment, I am sidetracked by a knock at the door. It's the neighbor from next door.

"Hey! I forgot to let you know that John and I are headed out of town for a week. We're actually taking the cats this time, so you don't need to watch them, but we wanted to let you know we'd be gone. Also, we had these sandwiches left over from a party tray last night and we don't want them to go bad. Would you and the kids want them for lunch?"

"Sure! Thanks! Have a great trip!" I say, as I shut the door on yet another odd occurrence. "Hey guys, you want lunch?"

With that small announcement, the kids rush to the kitchen to grab plates, cups, and silverware. I didn't even get the chance to ask and now they're running over me to set the table. Ken comes in from the bedroom and sits down at the table.

"I just changed the sheets and put away that last basket of stuff." he says as the kids sit down and say their blessing. I'm feeling a bit off, and as I start to load my plate with food, I hear a loud buzzing sound. I can't quite figure out where it's coming from and things are starting to go hazy. I turn my head to the side and squish my eyes closed tighter.

"Why is the alarm still set on a Saturday??" Ken mumbles and he gets up to turn it off.

"Ugh! Sorry, I forgot to turn it off. Whatever, I was going to do some housework today anyway," I tell him as I struggle to get out of bed. "I just had the strangest dream, though."

"About what?"

"You know, I don't really remember now. It's all kinda hazy."

And I get up more quickly than I had planned because I can hear the argument starting in the boys' room. I rush in there to head things off and I can already tell this day is not going to go how I planned. They are both upset because they have no clean pants to wear today. I guess I'll be doing a bunch of laundry then. I had planned on tackling some deep cleaning in the living room, but I guess that will have to wait until next weekend. No big deal. What could that possibly hurt?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Welcome to a Secret Subject Swap. This week 14 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. 

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

http://www.BakingInATornado.com                          Baking In A Tornado

http://berghamchronicles.blogspot.com/              The Bergham Chronicles

http://www.thediaryofanalzheimerscaregiver.com/   The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver http://dinoheromommy.com/                     Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

http://www.southernbellecharm.com                        Southern Belle Charm

http://notthatsarahmichelle.blogspot.com                   Not That Sarah Michelle

http://mybrainonkids.net                                           My Brain on Kids

http://thelieberfamily.com                              The Lieber Family Blog

http://batteredhope.blogspot.com                     Never Ever Give Up Hope

http://www.someoneelsesgenius.com                   Someone Else’s Genius

http://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/          Confessions of a part time working mom

http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com/             Spatulas on Parade

http://www.angrivatedmom.wordpress.com                The Angrivated Mom

http://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com                           Climaxed

My subject is "You have a bottle of pure Luck, but you have to use it quickly.  Otherwise it rots and becomes Bad Luck."  It was submitted by http://www.someoneelsesgenius.com.

If you Ask a Mom to Bake Brownies

This post may or may not be based on actual events...that happened to someone else...

If you ask a mom to bake brownies, she will gladly accept, because...umm...brownies!

She will turn the oven on to pre-heat and miraculously remember to check inside to see if any pans are drying inside.

She'll put away the pans she washed two weeks ago and forgot about.

While she's putting away the pans, she'll re-stack all the cookie sheets that keep falling over.

Seeing the cookie sheets will remind her that she set out to bake brownies.

She will get the mix out of the cabinet and look for a bowl to mix things in.

While looking for the bowl, she'll realize that it's in the dishwasher.

When she tries to open the dishwasher, she'll notice the groceries she never finished putting away after the last trip to the grocery store.  She'll put those away.

After organizing the cereal and stacking the cans so they don't fall over, she'll remember the brownies and go back to the dishwasher to find a bowl.

As she's opening the dishwasher, she'll step on the wet towel soaking up the leak (and curse the guy who got the address wrong last week and never showed up to look at it).  Seeing the towel will remind her to go run a load of laundry.

She'll gather up the laundry the kids threw in the bathroom and take it downstairs to stick it in the washer.  Of course, that means taking dry clothes out of the dryer and transferring wet ones to the dryer.

She'll take the dry clothes upstairs and sit down on the couch to start folding it.

The *beep beep beep* of the oven will remind her that she preheated it to bake some brownies.

She'll go back to the dishwasher and finally open it to find the bowl.

Once she's got the bowl, she'll mix up the brownies and stick them in the oven.  While the brownies are baking in the oven, she'll go back out to the couch to fold some more laundry.

The incessant beeping of the oven will wake her up and remind her that the brownies are done cooking.

She'll go to the kitchen and grab a glass of milk and cut out a piece of brownie for quality control purposes only.

She'll eat her brownie, drink some milk and fall back asleep folding laundry on the couch.

Cat Herding and Parenting

Cats. They are cute little balls of fluff...when they want to be. They can also be complete jerks. It all depends on the angle of the sun and the soil acidity in Kathmandu. Actually, I made that up. There is no formula for understanding cats.



Then we come to today's holiday celebration: Cat Herders Day. Cat Herders Day is a day to ponder all those tasks that we try to accomplish on a regular basis that are accomplished as well as herding cats. That is to say: not accomplished at all.



Being a parent often feels like a never-ending battle against the frustrating and seemingly impossible task of trying to figure out what you're doing. Trying to get your kids to do as they're told and treat each other like fellow humans while they're running in three different directions really makes you wonder what you've gotten in to.

1. Laundry. I don't think I need to say much else. Laundry is a never ending task. When you get the last sock, in the last basket matched and put away, you can barely take a breath before someone pees in the bed, or throws up on the couch. And there you have it: more laundry.

2. What's for dinner? Who knows! Just because somebody enjoyed something last week doesn't mean they'll actually eat it again. Over the weekend my family stopped at a taco truck. I asked Benjamin several times what he wanted to eat and he said, "I don't like that food. I'm going to eat at home." So I didn't order him anything. When we all sat down with our food, he looked at me and said, "Where's mine?"

3. Physics of appetites. We also went to a restaurant for Frances' violin concert. We weren't planning on eating because it was 3:00. We ate before we got there. My parents ordered pizza anyway. Henry ate some. And he drank a whole bottle of root beer. Then he told me his belly hurt. "Son, what happens when you eat even though you aren't hungry?" "I get a belly ache?" "So why did you eat the pizza?" "I don't know." Repeat ad naseum until he figures that one out.

4. Language acquisition. "MOMMY!! Benjamin called me a butt face!!!" "Do you know where he learned that word???" "Me?" "Yes, dear. You called him that about 10 minutes ago."
Why is it okay for to call someone a butt face, but not to be called one yourself. I believe this is the question Descartes was really pondering!

5. Habit forming. "Mommy, I'm done eating breakfast. What should I do next?" <--My daughter, every morning before school.
"Have you brushed your teeth? Combed your hair? Washed your face? Looked at the chart I made you?"  <--Me, every morning before school.
"No."  <--Her, every morning before I lose it.



6. Husbands: "Honey, have you seen the <fill in the blank>?"
     Wives: "Did you look <in the place where it belongs>?"
     Husbands: "Hey look! Here it is!"

7. Kids: "Mommy, where are my <fill in the blank>?"
    Moms: "Did you look <in the place where it belongs>?"
    Kids: "Hey look! Here it is!"

8. Me, Friday afternoon: Do you have any homework?
Kids: I don't think so.
Me, Saturday morning: Is there anything you need to clean out of your backpack?
Kids: No.
Kids, Sunday evening: Do we have any glitter? I have to turn in this project tomorrow.

9. Kids: Can you get me cereal? I can't reach it.
    Kids: I can't wash my face because I can't open the closet to get a wash cloth.
    Kids: I can't put away those toys. The shelf is too high.
    Kids: The milk is too heavy. Will you pour it?

    Me: Who ate the candy that I hid in the back of the freezer underneath this bag of ice???



10. Them all day: FIGHT YELL SCREAM HIT ARGUE
      Them at bedtime: <hug each other> "Good night." "I love you." "Bubby, you forgot your hug!"
      Me: WHAT?!?!?!

Herding cats could never be as rewarding as finally getting to see that your kids really do love each other.

What "cat herding" routines do you go through on a regular basis?

An InLinkz Link-up

Please note this is our last regular #TuesdayTen linkup of 2015. Beginning in 2016, we'll be posting once a month, so check back for details and topics!

Ten Things I Forget to be Thankful For

I've seen a big focus this month on thankfulness. It's nice to see because we often don't take the time the be thankful for things.  Some people have posted daily on facebook or on their blog about things they are thankful for, and while I haven't done that; I am thankful for a good many things.  Most of the time when I am thankful for someone or something, it is easy to acknowledge.  On the other hand, I often find myself complaining or wishing away other things that I really shouldn't.  Today, instead of making a list of all the things I am thankful for, I want to list some of the things I forget to be thankful for. The things I tend to forget about, complain about or not even notice.

1. My house-I often say it's too small and I have been known to complain about only having one bathroom, but really? I am thankful to have a sustainable roof over our heads.  It's far from being paid off, but it is ours and we have made it a home.  Ken and I moved into this house when I was 7 months pregnant with Frances. We've brought all our babies home to this house and celebrated a number of birthdays, anniversaries and plain old Saturdays here.  I really hope that we are able to find a house with another bedroom and another bathroom, but I know it will be hard leaving this home that contains so many memories of our family.
2. My bank account-It's never full, but it refills itself on a regular and consistent basis and for that I am thankful.  We don't have money for extras like vacations (or new homes), but we always seem to have enough for what we need.  Of course,, having enough for what we need also ties into...
3. My parents-Sure, they annoy me.  They do those awful grandparent things like loving my children and letting them eat cookies after dinner even if they didn't even eat any food.  I am very grateful for the love and support they give us.  And even (or maybe especially) for the times when they don't step in and let us figure things out for ourselves.  They love me even when I am selfish, ungrateful or plain old rude.  They want the best for me and for my family and for that I am truly grateful.
4. Ken's parents-His mom is gone and I find myself missing her more as time passes. I am sad that my kids won't get to know her and that Frances is likely the only one with actual memories of her.  His dad is a good man who raised a good son. I can tell that Ken learned his integrity and work ethic from his father.  
5. Those trials I went through.  I spent a lot of time crying over a lot of things in the past.  And I know that more trials are ahead, but I also know that going through those trials and the ones yet to come are what have shaped me as a person.  I have learned things about myself I wouldn't have otherwise learned.  And some roads that I thought were deadends, actually turned out to be cul-de-sacs where I just needed to turn around and go a different way.  I didn't enjoy the trials, but I am thankful for the lessons they have taught me.  
6. My appliances- I was without a washing machine for about a month and then transitioned nicely into a leaky dishwasher.  I complain about the chores of dishes and laundry, but I am truly ever so thankful for these time saving appliances to help me.  In all honesty, I am also thankful for...
7. Laundry-Doing laundry reminds me that we have clothes to keep us warm (and somewhat fashionable).  I get annoyed with having to do a load everyday, but with further thought I am thankful to have enough that I don't have to do it more often than that!
8. Dishes and cooking-I truly don't mind cooking. I actually enjoy it, but I would likely enjoy it more if I had more time and space for it.  But cooking and then doing the dishes reminds me of how fortunate we are to have enough food to eat three (or more) times a day, seven days a week.   
9. My bills-I don't like paying them, but I sure do appreciate having clean water that miraculously comes out of the faucet when I turn it on. And toasty warm heat during cold winter days.  Those bills represent the fact that I am very blessed in terms of modern utilities.
10.  The mess in my dining room-I get annoyed that we don't have a better place to put all the kids' toys. Then end up in the dining room, which should more realistically be called the "multipurpose room" but that makes it sound huge and IT ISN'T!  But all those toys represent people who love my kids and want to give them things, so I guess I shouldn't complain about them (as much).

2012 in Review: A to Z

I wanted to do a year in review and I thought an alphabetical list would be fun. So here are some of my favorite 2012 moments:
A--Apple Picking in Charlottesville
B--Benjamin turned 2!
C--Calming Caddy for Henry
D--Dance Recital for Frances
E--Eucharist-As in Frances' First
F--Frances turned 9!
G--This giraffe story is still a favorite in our house
H--Henry turned 5!
I--"Ice cream" and other words we can't say in our house
J--JMU is the place to be and I spent a full year at this amazing job!
K--Ken is teaching the kids how to dance
L--Laundry, laundry, laundry! Does it ever end!?
M--Meals and menus made a big difference in our evening chaos
N--New schools were started this Fall
O--Ordination of Fr. Joe
P--Pumpkin patches were visited (3 times!)
Q--Quiet time was much appreciated
R--Riding horses was one of Frances' favorite summer activities
S--Strawberry picking was a blast!
T--Triathlon fun for the boys
U--Unlucky numbers were mine for the PowerBall jackpot
V--Violin lessons were started by Frances:
W--Wedding chaos ensued (3 kids in one wedding was more fun than I thought possible!)
X--Xpress, As in Candy cane Express-The fun train we got to ride on
Y--Yummy recipes can be found here

Z--Zoo fun in Richmond

Chores I'd Gladly Give Up Forever {#TuesdayTen}

I am not a slob. I promise. My house is not neat and organized, but it's not a pigsty either. And I've decided that life's too short to stop inviting people over if the house isn't immaculate. So if you'll wait a minute while I move this laundry off the couch, you're more than welcome to come over and have a snack and chit chat for a while!

As most people there are a few chores I don't mind doing, and a few more that I can't stand. In honor of No Housework Day (A holiday I celebrate more often that I should!), I'm listing 10 chores I wish I never had to do again!

Having it all Together

I have set some goals for myself recently and been working on some self-improvement things. I have been trying to walk more, eat healthier and teach my children (and myself) good cleaning habits. I made a dinner menu that we are on the second cycle of and still tweaking.  I wear a pedometer, take daily walks and participate in friendly, encouraging smack talk with a co-worker who is also trying to get in shape. I made a two-week cleaning schedule that includes daily tasks as well as a 30-minute concentration on one room per night.  We've done well at all these things.  I feel better, my clothes fit better, my housed looked better...And there is the problem! I can accomplish all of these goals separately, but I can't seem to do them all at once. 
Three weeks ago, I was cleaning and eating well, but not getting in as many steps as I would have liked.  I made a point to concentrate on walking. I devised a route around this hobbled-together building that I work in that hits 10 different staircases and gets me about 1,200 steps in 7 minutes. I walked my butt off last week. I averaged 8,290 steps per day last week. And I know that because I keep track of it all on a spreadsheet on my computer.

 

I am on week 31 of keeping track and usually getting more steps than the week before. I felt like I had a good handle on the steps and dinners were nice and stress-free. I had all the groceries bought. I had all the recipes ready.  I tweaked a few things so we could take dinner with us the nights that Henry had soccer practice and Frances had ballet. I had the steps and the meals under control. Then I took a look at my house and got mad!

Right now there are 5 baskets of clean laundry in my living room, toys all over the dining room, clutter on my kitchen counters and laundry overflowing the hamper! I can handle two tasks, but apparently not three.  The thing that gets me is that they aren't unreasonable tasks. I don't think I am aiming for the pinnacle of motherhood here. I just want an organized, healthy family.  Is that supposed to be so difficult?? I feel like I can carry things in both hands, but I can't juggle. 

The thing is, I know better than to give up. One cookie does not completely ruin an entire diet, just like one day of sitting around too much doesn't ruin an exercise regimen, just like seven really full baskets of clothes doesn't ruin a clean house--well actually that doesn't work. I don't think you can have a clean house that involves multiple baskets of laundry in various stages of clean. What I guess I should say is that one messy living room does not ruin a plan for a cleaner house.  I will keep on trucking. I am moving in the right direction, and as long as I can keep sight of that things should be fine.

I think the cleaning thing will be coming together again soon. How do I know that? Because now meals seem to be falling apart. I shopped for all the things on our list and I have the plan and the recipes ready. But twice now this week, we've run out of essentials and had to run to the store again. Tuesday night it was milk and last night I got halfway through making pizza crust and ran out of flour!! I had 3 bags of sugar though!!

Maybe one of these days, we could have it all AND have it all together! (Although, "having it all" is one of my cleaning issues. I need to get rid of some stuff!!)

What personal goals are you struggling with? What goals are you achieving? Want an accountability partner? I can do that well!