Dustin off my Chore Packs

First things first....getting the children back on board with their chores. Yep, with school being done, long summer days, and feeling like we're still on vacation, we as a family can fall into "lazy mode". Who wants to do anything when friends are ringing doorbells at 9 AM. Yeah, they come earlier everyday....geeze, don't their parents give them chores....LOL. My kids feel like they need to be out the door as soon as their buddies come knockin'. They do try to sneak out without me noticing....nope doesn't work. "Did you do your chores!!?" I ask with a frustrated voice. Of course they didn't. Mooooom has not been putting those nifty Chore Packs up, so why do they have to do chores.

There you have it....true confessions of the frazzled homemaker!! No wonder I've been feeling overwhelmed. I've been doing it all myself and the kids walk around and make messes. "Help me Lord"....Aha!!!.....the Chore Packs!!! YES!! They are sitting in my junk box collecting dust. I need to pull those out.

So yesterday, I went on the Managers of Their Home Chore Ware site and made up new Chore Packs for the children. Today we were back on track. I have to admit, Chore Packs have been the best investment I've made yet. They are so easy to use and really do work. The key is to be consistent.....Making sure the kids are doing them daily and mom doing inspections. Easy as that!!! Riiiiight!! I guess it is easier said than done. I am still working with being consistent. LOL

Today was a productive day. The children were excited about starting their chores again and Mom has realized....."I can do this after all". I can manage my home and my children. Yay!!! (can you tell I had a good day...he he he he)

Chris

Overwhelmed, just a bit

As I walk around my house, my heart starts beating and then suddenly I feel like I am about to cry. Cry.....over the overwhelming feeling of "so much to do". I throw myself on the bed and in the back ground, I hear the kids laughing, some fighting, one on the computer, the little boy next door is ringing the door bell, and the baby needs to be held and nursed once again (I had just laid her down about 15 minutes ago). More tears start to well up in my eyes. "Quick, I can't let the kids see me like this!" I get up and walk around my room and start by making my bed, at 1 in the afternoon. I then take a few deep breaths and ask the Lord, my very best friend...."Why do I feel this way..."Why can't I seem to get it together, you would think after so many years"...."I don't know if I can do this".....I take another deep breath, while still making my bed. Once my bed is made, I start picking up the clutter on my dresser. I can hear the baby in the living room crying. I then hear the Lord speak to my heart...."This is a season"...."Take small steps and small chunks"..."Soon enough, before you know it, the baby is going to not be so needy, she'll be all grown up"...Then I say..."Yeah, and then I will want another baby to hold...LOL" I finish up cleaning my room and have realized the panic I was feeling is gone. I start feeling better and walk into the living room, pick my little baby up and hold her oh so very close to my heart. I breathe in the smell of my ever growing 4 month old, remembering that just the other day she was born.

Yes, on occasion I feel this type of anxiety. And oh so quickly do I run to the Father for His help and guidance. He knows all things: how to manage my home, manage the screaming babies, and fighting children. I am so thankful he is quick to ease the feelings of torment that come from feeling inadequate and not able to run my home smoothly. How do I manage this chaos??....Lots of "help me's" to the Lord. I come to Him while I am making the bed, changing a diaper, loading laundry, teaching math. When panic rises up, I know who to go to.

There is so much to get accomplished. So many places to begin. When I start to look at the BIG picture, I feel so stressed and so helpless. I know I just need to take one step at a time..... One room at a time......One dresser, closet, or drawer at a time. Soon enough the one dresser, closet, drawer will turn into one whole room, and then into the entire house....(just hoping it stays that way..LOL)

(Bedroom closet--before)

(Bedroom closet--before)

(bedroom closet--after)

(bedroom closet--after)

(bedroom closet--after)

(I organized my closet a few days before leaving for vacation. And like I said....one closet at a time and soon enough the whole house will be in order.....yay--I still want to organize this closet better. I need some of those little baskets.)

Chris

Home Improvement--highly needed!!!

Yes, I am starting a new blog!! A blog devoted to home management. Actually, a journal of my journeys of home management-- The "ins and outs" of the "nitty-gritty" of putting my house in order while raising my eight children. BEWARE: The following pictures are of my house in "messy" status...this is what it looks like after having a busy week and neglecting our ChorePacks.

( Before: School books all over the desk, after this weeks evaluations)

(After: My oldest son cleaned up the school room--yeah, for teenagers)

(my unorganized laundry room with lots of baskets of dirty laundry)

(dishes to wash)

(my neglected bedroom with dirty clothes to be washed and carpet to be steam cleaned)

(toys that need to be sorted and gotta get rid of some)

(my front closet that needs some order)

I must confess, the one thing that has been highly neglected (at least just maintained), while having bunches of babies, has been my home (better the home, than the children...LOL). Throughout my childbearing years, I've had to "let loose" on many house goals and on how clean I want my house. Most of it has been from not having much time, not having much energy (mental and physical), and not being a "natural born" housekeeper. Yes, the children do help, all the time, but a child's sense of what is "clean" is not as crisp as an adult's. Also the more children you have (especially many little people at once), the more taxing on the house it can be. To name a few: Toys--EVERYWHERE; handprints and footprints on the walls, hot wheel marks on the my new coffee table; crumbs on the floor (good thing for my dog), oatmeal stuck on the blinds; food in their clothes drawers---ewww; nasty, rotten sippy cups under the couch; pee pee underwear in their drawer--not knowing my 3yr old messed in his pants and changed and decided to put his dirty undies back in his drawer with clean clothes---then me and the rest of the children trying to figure out where the stink is coming from, oh yeah...a big ewww; and yes the list can go on and on and on.... I hope I am not the only one with a messy children--LOL

Now that my "dirty laundry" has been exposed, I hope you will join me on this journey (long, short, or never ending...LOL) of putting my home in order. I am looking forward to sharing what I am learning along the way. I would love it if you could help me by giving your input. Leave your comments or email me with some organizational, cleaning, or house keeping tips. Anything is helpful, because I am not a "natural born" tidy person. LOL...

Sooooooo....... till then....

Chris

P.S. If you want to catch up on my family life and other things on my mind...continue to visit my other blog Joyful Mother.