Let the Cleaning Begin!

Well, it's that time of year again!

Pull out the brooms, buckets, rubber gloves, paper towels and the complete arsenal of cleaning supplies.

Spring cleaning around here begins today. This is something I look forward to, I know that sounds nutty.

There is just something so rewarding about cob web removal.
The whole idea sends a thrill right through me.

Plus the fact that I will get to use my favorite Christmas gift of 2008-

Yes, that's right! I am the proud owner of a Little Giant. While many women request gifts of clothing, perfume or jewelry, all I have wanted for a very long time is this amazing orange A-frame.


In my experience, spring cleaning requires a carefully planned course of action. Room by room is my preferred method. I impose a strict rule on myself that I must completely finish the room I started in before I move on to the next.

I also like to visit cleaning websites and talk to friends to get new and useful cleaning tips. If you have any please let me know.

So, here's to:

decluttering
dejunking

organizing
polishing

and scrubbing!

Let the cleaning begin!

Words to Live By

A friend gave this poem to me when the twins were babies.

Once in a while I pull it out to remind what is most important.

To My Child

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us both to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so that you can have both toys.

Just for this evening I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening I will snuggle beside you for hours and miss my favorite tv shows.

Just for this evening, when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

And when I kiss you goodnight, I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then that I will thank God for you.

Special thanks to two amazing people, Gracie and Emilee.

Although I never had the opportunity to meet either one of them, they have touched my life and taught me much.

(Google will redirect you to their blogs by clicking on their names)

If You Give A Toddler A Piece of Chocolate Cake

(Loosely based on one of my favorite children's books, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.

Unfortunately, the following account is true, accurate and completely non-fiction.)

If you give a toddler a piece of chocolate cake, she is going to want a cup of milk to go with it.

When you notice how tasty her cake and milk look, you will slice your self a piece of cake and pour yourself a cup of milk too.

By the time she finishes her cake and milk there will be a huge mess.

You will have to get her in the bathtub to get clean.

While she is in the bath, she will notice her new favorite thing: her belly button.

"Bee Bup!" "Bee Bup!" she will shout excitedly.

Next she will want to see your belly button.

You can try to distract her with tub toys but it probably won't work.

Sooner or later you will have to show her your belly button.

Sorry, picture not available.

When you show her your belly button, she will clap and giggle.

This will cause you to feel slightly self conscious.

You will turn around and look at your own belly button in the mirror.

To your horror, you notice a small roll of flab surrounding the area in question.

Your heart may start to beat a little faster as you walk anxiously toward the scales.

You courageously step on the scale only to discover that somewhere over the last three months you have gained seven pounds.

Right then and there you vow to never eat anything sweet or chocolaty again.

You dust off your running shoes.

You retrieve your ipod from your son's room.

You pack the toddler into the jog stroller.

You step outside and start running. The air burns your lungs, your legs want to revolt but you push forward. Between gasps you curse the person who invented chocolate cake.

After your run, you feel better.

You're glad this problem was called to your attention.

You enter the house with renewed will power.

All this fuss has made your toddler hungry.

She will point to the last peice of chocolate cake.

"Mmmm" "Peez" she will say to you in her sweetest voice.

DO NOT GIVE IN to her pleas.

Toddlers are cute, they are made that way on purpose. However, you must not allow yourself to be manipulated by a silly, 12 toothed smile.

Because, if you give her a piece of chocolate cake, she is going to want a cup of milk to go with it. And chances are...

you might just join her.

Ten Signs You're Not As Young As You Used to Be:

1. Your optomistrist informs you that you should be wearing glasses while driving.

2. Soaking in the sun and an occasional visit to a tanning booth are no longer on your list of things to do.

3. Your eleven year old daughter offers to use her own money to buy you a pair of shoes with a heal on them.

4. Your hair dresser wonders if you would like the special formula to color those stubborn grays.

5. Coupons for wrinkle cream are starting to catch your eye.

6. You find that it is nearly impossible to stay awake until midnight.

7. When the bag boy at Maceys' calls you "Miss" instead of "Mam" it makes your whole day!

8. Cartwheels hurt.

9. and 10. Your thoughtful eleven year old son informs you that he has the perfect birthday and Mother's Day gifts picked out:

One is a nifty mini recorder to carry in your purse to remind yourself where you parked the car. The other is a handy ear piece that fits conviently inside your ear to magnify your hearing while at a movie or watching tv.

Test Your Baby Talk Comprehension

1. Kee-Tat
2. Bee-Oh
3. Oggie
4. Ca
5. Budda
6. EEE-See
7. Pub
8. Pup
9. Peez
10. Tank-Ew
11. Teet
12. Nigh-Nigh
13. Boon
14. Tite
15. Bane-Kee
16. Mo
17. owtz
18. boodie
19. deenk
20. cacker

Bonus Word:
Bee-Bup

Answers:

1. Kitty Cat
2. Bear
3. Doggie
4. Car
5. Brother
6. Sister
7. Tub
8. Cup
9. Please
10. Thank You
11. Treat
12. Night Night
13. Balloon
14. Kite
15. Blankey
16. More
17. Ouch
18. Birdie
19. Drink
20. Cracker

Bonus Word:
Belly Button

Scoring:

0-5 Not so good, perhaps you need a baby to borrow to help you brush up on your skills.

6-10 Fair.

11-15 Good job.

16-19 Wow! Very impressive!

20-21 If you scored in this range, please let me know. Apparently, you spend most of your day conversing with a 16 month old too and I will need to buy us both lunch (no, not Happy Meals).

Dear Blogger Friends

Dear Fellow Bloggers,

Hats off to you!

Last night the kids were tucked into bed, the house was quiet, Mark was reading and guess what I was doing?

One of my most favorite activities....
catching up on the past week of posts.

I spent one fun hour clicking from blog to blog to blog.

I read up on:

exciting car choices,

baseball games that made me cheer out loud,

sweet husbands,

the adventures of fabric shopping,

tropical vacations,

a bike to covet (especially that seat),

the fun kind of heart attack,

waiting for baby and baby,

two of my favorite birthday girls,

one amazing mom,

and the story of an inspirational little boy that brought me to tears.

So, if you're ever wondering..

"does anyone really read this stuff?"

"who cares about my vacations?"

"do other people truly get how cute my kids are?"

The answers are:

YES! I read.

I love to hear about your vacations!

I get how adorable your children are and enjoy reading about their special moments.

If you haven't posted in a week or two, I would appreciate it if you would get busy.

If you happen to be reading this and you don't have a blog, I wish you much guilt and humbly request that you start one.

(ahem Angie, Deborah, Kim, Nancy, Jen, Sarah, Laural, Tammy, Kirsten, Roni, Nina, Amy, Mindy, Tonya)

Here's to blogs and the friends who make them worthwhile!

Thank you all!

Love,

Kimberly

On the 12th Day of Valentine's...

Here are twelve of my favorite memories:

1. Two seventeen year olds having a picnic of bread sticks and tomato sauce on a starry summer night. Planning big dreams and how they hoped their life would go. High School, mission, college, marriage, kids, a dog, a happy life.


2. My dream come true day. I didn't pick out the dress, the cake, the bride's maid dresses, the reception location. I didn't care about any of that. I just wanted to be married to you.




3. This is one of those pictures in my mind that time can never dull. In this moment I was so overcome with happiness that it took my breath away. I still have not come down from the thrill of this day.


4. Going from this:

To this:

And all the moments in between.

Going from this:
to this:

And all the moments in between.

5. Sandcastles, snorkeling and sunsets on Maui.

6. The best four legged friend any family could ask for.

7. The milestones.

8. Rachel's first date to the Princess Ball

Lincoln walking into Fenway Park
9. Telling the twins that a baby was on the way.

10. Getting ready for Sami.




11. Meeting her. Wondering how we ever got by without her.






12. The ordinary moments that don't seem like much until you string them all together and realize that this is happiness.





Sure, there have been some disappointments, there have been some heartaches. But I can honestly say that all those big dreams we talked about over twenty years ago have all come true.

Thank you.
I love you with all of my heart.