Organization, whats that??

Ok, so anyone who knows me well, knows that I am basically a scatterbrained mess most of the time. I usually know where things are, but there is no logic to why it was placed there, and if someone else went looking for it they would probably end up in Egypt before they found it. So, I amazed even myself yesterday when I took on the task of organizing the boys' room. And not just cleaning it, but really coming up with a system for them to be able to successfully clean it on their own, and for me to retain some of my sanity at the end of everyday.

Up until now there really has been no system, and everyday around 4pm the battle of wills starts when I ask them to clean up their toys, which usually involves lots of crying, whining, pleas for "a special treat when I'm done" and other such nonsense. But, now hopefully no more!!

First I went through their room and got rid of a garbage bag worth of broken and/or unplayed with toys and ripped up books. Then it all went back into the bins in categories (cars in one, animals in another...), the bins were all labeled, puzzles where seperated out and into their own bags, and the books reorganized on the shelves. Now the way it works is each boy has their own set of bins they are responsible for every week, those are the bins they clean up at the end of every day. Their play kitchen is both of their responsibilities, but the bulk of that clean up will fall to the child with the least to pick up that day. The books are now on a 'take one at a time, unless you ask permission' policy, along with the puzzles both cardboard and wooden.

If on any day one boys refuses to pick up a bin, or if it is lazily put away (not all of it contents are picked up, or the toys are just thrown into other empty bins), that bin gets removed for the remainer of the week. If I see either one of the them with more than one book, or one puzzle out without having asked permission, then those get taken away for the remainder of that day. My only flexability comes when they are sick, or away, then I will clean up their bins for that day.

At the beginning of each new week, which will be on sundays, the boys get to pick three bins that will be their responsibility, and then I divy out the rest. I also set up 2 bins, each one has their name on it. Those are bins where they can put any special toys or treasures they have that they do not want their siblings to touch.

I am hoping this system will work out well. I have really struggled with how to divide up the responsibility of cleaning their room since they both share all their toys and have bunk beds. It isn't fair when one is being lazy and they both get punished for it. Hopefully this way things will even out and become more fair, and now the boys know exactlly what I expect from them when I say 'clean you room'. Of course there will be issues that need to be ironed out as the first week progresses, but I think I have made a good step forward.

Now I just need to see how I can get Kenzie to stop pulling out all of her socks from her drawer and stuffing them around her room. :-D

Mackenzie's Birthday Party!!

Yesterday we had Mackenzie's birthday party here at the house. We all had a great time! The kids were generally very good, and Mackenzie seemed to really get into it. Our wonderful friend Beth brought over her two sons, Alexander and Jack, so Collin and my Alex had some friends to play with, which was great. And I always have fun spending the day with my family. Kenzie got some great gifts too, lots of clothes (which is fantastic because she desperately needs some cold weather things), shoes (which Kenzie loves, she is a shoe freak), several babydolls which have kept all three kids occupied since yesterday (even the boys amazingly, they are very sweet with them, it is very cute!), and my mom made the best picture collages to hang up, one is of all three kids and in it she typed out the little songs they sing, and another one (which almost made me cry) was a picture of kenzie on one side and then on the other is a little letter my mom wrote to her and a poem that my grandmother wrote about her children around the time she had my mom, and then also two other pictures one of all three kids and another of Kenzie from her first birthday. I love stuff like that because I am horrible with printing out and framing pictures and all, and because I am a sap at heart and love personal gifts like that.

So, thank you to everyone who came out! it was a wonderful day and we all had a great time!


This is Kenzie with one of her babydolls, she just loves them! She spends all of her time pushing them around in their little strollers, and last night she even gave one of them a bath! LOL.

cupcake time!!

As an activity I let the kids decorate halloween cookies. Of course, didn't think about the fact that I was loading them with sugar!! (Sorry Beth!!LOL) But they seemed to have fun with it. What I thought was really funny is that my kids ended up covered in icing, whereas Beth's Alex was totally neat and clean the whole time. I wish I knew how to get my kids to do that!.

This is Kenzie decorating her cookie, she needed a little help from GaGa, but she seemed to have fun licking all the icing off afterwards.

And of course, this little princess herself. Those little boots she got from my dad and stepmom, and since I opened the package on friday she has not taken them off. She LOVES them!! Of course they are really like slippers, but she wants to wear them everywhere. Just too cute!

Happy Birthday Kenzie!!

This morning my little girl turned 2!! I can't believe it, she is my baby! She was born 6 weeks premature and was in the NICU for 11 days. She was a tiny 4lbs 8ozs and 18 inches long when she came home. Oddly enough she was the same weight coming home that Alex was, the difference is that that was pretty much her birth weight, where as Alex had actually doubled his. Crazy to think of them being that small. She is such a spunky, opinionated little girl, she keeps me on my toes, and she can definitly hold her own with her 2 big brothers.

So, happy birthday Kenzie!! We all love you so much!! :-)

This is Kenzie a few weeks ago

This was Kenzie at her first birthday party a year ago, what a difference a year makes!!

Update

Things have been busy around here, but good. Luckily Alex got over his strep throat pretty quick, and tolerated the antibiotic very well. And it managed not to spread to anyone else in the family. He is also doing great at school, and really enjoys going. A new little girl just joined his class, so now there is an even 3 girls, 3 boys in his class. On the 8th he has picture day, and on the 16th he has a field trip to Ridgefield Farm, which is a pumpkin patch and orchard. He will get to take a school bus for the first time on that field trip, so I think he is gonna have a blast!

Collin and Mackenzie are doing very well too. On monday Mackenzie turns 2, yay!! I can't believe my baby is gonna be 2! We are having her party next saturday the 10th, which should be fun, hopefully it will be a nice day.

Today I think I am gonna take the kids to a local orchard that is having a fall festival type thing today, and then probably go to the store to start buying things for Kenzie's party. I know, my life is just sooo exciting. LOL. But I have to say I am so glad it is fall. October through New Years is my FAVORITE time of year. I just love the holiday season, it brings back so many wonderful memories of my childhood, and now having kids of my own I get to do all the fun kids stuff all over again and experience it from their eyes.

My one goal for this fall, learn how to make an apple pie that doesn't turn to mush. Seriously, everytime I make an apple pie it tastes good, but turns so watery it barely respembles a pie. Anyone have any great tips for making an apple pie that holds together well?

Ok, well, better get my day going. It is beautiful here, like 65 and sunny, better go an enjoy the day! :-)