Organizing the Kitchen/Homework Area/Family Central

I've said before that it's not that I'm not an organized person as much as I am a huge procrastinator.   That is an understatement really.  Why do today what you can do in a rush tomorrow? 

But that's why this happens.   

That is my kitchen table covered in about a week's worth of life. 

I actually like being organized.  I even have systems set up for organizing.  But I learned recently that because of my personality type they often do not work.

I need to see the things I need to do.   If I don't see them, I forget to do them.  


Often when people organize, they put things away.   That makes sense - part of the beauty of organizing is to cut down on clutter.  So you organize the clutter away.

Which is just not good for a person like me.  Out of sight out of mind.  It can be frustrating.

So, I decided this year that I had to figure out some systems that worked for me.  Because things are starting to get busy around here and I don't expect them to slow down with another child coming this Summer.  

A couple things have helped me so far.

Google Calendar - I update it weekly and print off the month. I color code it, highlighting things that are new to the week like doctor appointments and such, and magnet it to the fridge.  Daily reminders on my computer help me to remember what's going on.   On busy days, I can even print off an agenda.  I can also check my calendar and add items from my phone via texting - without internet connection on my phone.  Love it!  Now, if I could only find away to get this new Palm Pre I could have it with me all the time.  Hubby?

This homework station for my kids helps A LOT!  Everything is neat, organized and still cute but also practical and in plain sight for them. 

 

 Colored Pencils, markers, crayons, pens and pencils are all handy.

 

Hubby finished this bench to match our kitchen table and I can stash games and other miscellanous things the kids need out of sight.  And I can seat a bunch 'o kids at this table if needed. 

A calendar, school lunch menu, neighbors phone numbers on the inside of this cabinet door where phone books, medicines, vitamins and such are also stored.    There are my pens, Sharpies, scissors, hand lotion on the charging station for our phones. 

This is the side of my fridge with a memo board, paper to make lists, photos, and file holder with cute file folders for all of the kids paperwork.  The little Ritz envelope actually has coupons I can just grab on my way out the door.    The kids track out calendar is there, extra keys, nails, tacks and all kinds of stuff in those little magnetic tins. 

   That is how I made my table look like THIS!  Ta-Dah!!

 

Oh, and as a little sidenote here:  this table used to have SIX placemats.  One day my son spilled his milk on his and I set it aside to take it to the laundry.  Elmo found it and it looks like this now. 

What this dog will eat never ceases to amaze me. 

The last thing that helps me not to forget things is the garage door.  It is metal and for things that I absolutely cannot file away and need to have right in my face for a short time - I place them there with a magnet.  I don't have a picture, though.   It's stuff that you might put on the front of your fridge.  I personally like the front of my fridge uncluttered so the door works for me. 

Check out more tackles at Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom

Also, great weekly lessons learned at What I Learned This Week at Musings of a Housewife.  

The $130.88 Pack of Bubble Gum

Yesterday evening after Tea Kwon Do and a very long day, I headed to the grocery store with my kids to pick up something quick for dinner.  I have no idea what happened to the dinner I planned out earlier that day and had waiting in a slow cooker...oh yeah... that was a dream.

Anyway, we were checking out and there was all this gum on sale for 88 cents.  So, I let each kid pick up a pack.  We went home, made and ate dinner, watched some Olympics and then headed up to bed.

Which is when I found the remnants of the outside cardboard box of one of the packs.  Extra Classic Bubble Gum - Sugar Free.  Not a piece of gum in site.   Not even a wrapper.  This stealthy dog of mine somehow managed to get the pack of gum off of my son's desk and eat the ENTIRE thing.  

Now, you may or may not know that there is a sugar alcohol in most sugarless gum and candy called Xylitol.  And it is toxic to dogs.  Even after only one or two pieces in a 50 pound dog.  Imagine what 18 pieces will do to a 38 pound dog.

No Hubby home.  8:30 at night.   Poison in my dog. 

I call the emergency vet and they instructed me to induce vomiting by giving my dog a TBSP of Hydrogen Peroxide. 

Did they know I just got new carpet?
And kinda have an aversion to dog vomit?

Yeah, if we don't start vomiting he could go into hypoglycemic shock.  Really?
Really - it is true.

So, while I wait for him to start ridding his body of this toxin (on the wood floors) I start a search on the ingredients.  Luckily, Extra does not have Xylitol in it but another type of sugar alcohol which is not toxic to dogs.  Whew.    (Orbit and Trident both have Xylitol in them, just fyi)

But I still needed to bring him in.  Really?

Yeah, the gum could obstruct his intestines.   Especially 18 pieces with the wrappers. 

It is good to have your mom living 5 minutes away.   Thanks Mom, for rushing over. 

So, $130 and two hours later the emergency vet was able to rid Elmo of his bubble gum party and we were back home resting safely.

Knucklehead Dog.  

In other fantastic news, you might remember my B having surgery a couple months ago.  Well, yesterday was her follow-up appointment to make sure the surgery was successful.  It was!!!  Yay, no more surgeries for her.  That was truly a relief for all of us.  So, we headed to the mall to celebrate over a sandwich and markdowns at Justice.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

This is MY Chair

This is MY chair.

For 10 years, I have sat in this chair every single night to watch TV or read or whatever.  If you look closely, you can see how worn  it is.   For those 10 years, my little white dog, Buddy,  has sat in that exact spot - right beside me, every night.   For the record, he weighs 6 little pounds and does not shed.

My new brown dog, Elmo, is none too happy about the fact that there is not room for him on this chair.   He actually paws at Buddy to get him to move so that he can take that spot. 

I shoo him away to his own bed.  I feel a little bad for him but he is 38 pounds and sheds on my furniture.  A dog mommy must have some boundaries.

Like a good puppy, he obeys...that is until I get up from my chair.

THANK YOU for all of your incredibly sweet and encouraging comments yesterday!  You cannot even know how good they made me feel.     You all are the best!!!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Pup

I indicated I would be posting something about what gifts are good for the entire family but I'm saving that until Monday.  I think more people will be available to read it and we have a day full of parades and parties today!  'Tis the Season!

Today is Elmo's birthday.  My kids are so into celebrating the dog's birthdays.  It's cute. 

Last February, we decided to adopt another dog.  It's been exhausting, to be completely honest.   I don't want to sugar coat the amount of energy and work it takes to raise a new puppy because I don't think many people realize this until it's too late.    So, yes rescue those sweet dogs but make a long-term plan on the work to train them.  It will make a happy dog and you will be a happier dog owner. 

  For his birthday, we gave him a new bed so he won't sleep in mine and dog obedience training.    He is doing so great with his new training.   Well, we are having a little trouble with the sleeping in his new bed part, but we'll get it soon.   It's just a matter of me really being more firm with him.    

We love him very much and consider this crazy sweet boy a part of our family.  We'll do what it takes to make sure he is confident and happy here in our little pack.  So, happy birthday Elmo! 

The Training Continues...

Apparently, training your pet is an ongoing thing.  Kinda like raising kids.  So the dog trainer told me today after our visit.   He's coming back for the next four weeks to work with the person in the house that is most responsible for him but the least consistent in training him.  That would be me.

I hate to even tell this story because this dog is so sweet, that I don't want you to think badly of him.  Like he will ever know, right  Anyway, he bit my Bubby.  In defense of the dog, my son was trying to take away a can that Elmo got out of the recycling bin, he was being chased by several kids who were also trying to get the can and it was over Thanksgiving when his home had been descended upon by 7 more people and another dog.   I think he was a bit stressed.

As I was cleaning up my son and after I got over my anger toward the dog (because it's really hard not to be mad at your dog who just bit your child), I just got sad because I've heard that once a dog bites a child that he will do it again.  And we have tons of kids in our yard all the time.   I was really afraid that finding a new home might be necessary.  

So, on a recent vet visit, she recommended the dog trainer and some encouragement that a young dog/puppy can be trained not to bite again.  Whew.  

The diagnosis for our sweet Elmo is that he has fear-based aggression.  Both the vet and the trainer have said so and that we need to work with him to fill him up with confidence so he won't be fearful.   Think obstacle courses!  He already knows very basic commands so we just need to reinforce those.  Also, the trainer suggested we not give him bones and rawhide and thinks they actually can cause some aggression in dogs.  They look to the bone as prey, they hide it, they guard it - makes sense.  

He actually has always been submissive and it hurts me to think that he might have been abused as a very small puppy but if I so much as raise my voice at him, he rolls over, lowers his ears and often runs and hides.   This dog is not aggressive by nature.  Why why why are people mean to animals? 

Anyway, I haven't been consistent training him.   I've made all the mistakes.  For instance, the first question the trainer asked me is, "Where does he sleep at night?"

Really?  I'm going to get the first question wrong? 

Yes, we finally succumbed to letting this 38 pound dog sleep at the foot of our bed.  I knew it was not a good idea.  He just has the biggest brown eyes and I felt sad for him being the only one on the floor.  Because yes, our 11 year old, 6 pound Maltese also sleeps with us and that dog will never be sleeping on the floor.  'Cause you can't teach an old dog new tricks - for sure.   But 6 pounds vs. 38 pounds is a big difference in many ways.  A 6 pound untrained dog is easy to pick up and just ignore.  A 38 pound dog is not.   Oh, and by the way, he is 8 pounds overweight according to the vet.   sigh.  Could I just do one more thing wrong with this dog?

Apparently, you cannot treat dogs like humans.  They are unique creatures who have their own habits and need to be trained according to those habits.   Again, I know this.  Really, I do.    Just like I know that if I allow my kids an inch, they will take a mile.  The dogs will too. 

It's just easier sometimes to give in.  Easier at the moment.  Harder later when the dog starts to think he is equal to other people in the house and bite them.

So, here I go - working with my dog some more to make him the most confident, obedient, sweetest dog ever.    The trainer is very confident that we can train him just the way we want with lots of practice.  I have homework each week.

Anyway, I learned this week that teaching a dog is ongoing.  It's not something you can do the first 4 months and then forget about.  I have to be consistent and not take the easy way out for the moment. 
   

For More Lessons Learned this week, head over to Musings of a Housewife.

Play With Me

I think he wants to play with the ball, what do you think? 

Every SINGLE time I sit down at my computer he brings his ball to me.  If I ignore him, he places the ball on my keyboard or some area close by.  Then waits for me to throw it and sometimes he even catches it in mid-air.   He is seriously too funny.  

Critters Where They Should Not Be

Squirrels in the bird feeder.

Deer in my back yard.

Dog on the kitchen table.

Critters where they should not be!

 Who, me?

"Camping Out"

I've never been camping.  Unless you count the time I camped in the back of my parents station wagon with my two brothers while we drove from Missouri to Arizona.    Oh, I guess there was that time I went with a friend and his family in their pop-up camper.    But an actual "sleep in a tent and cook my food by a fire" kind of camping?  Never. 

My husband and daughter started camping last year with their Indian Princess tribe and to be prepared for those trips, he bought a tent, blow up mattress and sleeping bags.   Now he wants to take the whole family for a camping trip.  Bless his heart.  Does he not remember who he married?  Alas, he ignores forgets this and is determined to take a camping trip.

A camping trip that does not include reservations at the Hilton.

However, we first felt it necessary to practice before we plan this "big trip." 

Because this family is used to staying at the Hilton.  Or the Comfort Inn, anyway. 

We are, by nature, not the camping type.

So, we decided to "camp" in our backyard.   We have a pretty rustic backyard with woods behind us and a big open field on the side of our yard.

Who needs a campground?  We saw deer in the field behind our house, squirrel scampering around and little frogs on the patio.  Oh, and plenty of mosquitos.  Plenty of those things around. 

So here are some pics from the weekend.

Here they are putting up the tent.  Oh look!  There's Spiderman all ready to help!

I love this next picture because if you look really close in the background you will see B on the swing and Elmo watching.    I'm behind the camera and not sure where Spidey went - so it looks like Dad is doing all the work!   Poor Dad.

Here is my addition.  Y'all, It.Is.August.  Need I say more? 

All Ready!

Buddy was the only one who found his spot, curled in and settled in for the night.  Elmo barked at EHVAARYYY SINGLETHINGTHATMOVEDINTHENIGHT.  Seriously, that dog needs to learn some camping manners before we take him to any respectable campground.   His barking woke the kids and then they remembered that they were hot...because y'all, It.Is.August...And we were tent in our backyard.  Behind our house that has wonderful cool AC cranking through it.

Finally, about 2:30 in the morning, I guess we all had enough.  It just took one wimper from Bubby for all of us to suggest we should spend the rest of the night in our cozy beds.     We headed inside and determined we might need a bit more practice before heading out on a real camping trip. 

All in all, it was fun.  A great family time and I can honestly say, that I would be very open to camping.  In a campground.  Where there are bathrooms and showers close by.  And security.   I'm just sayin'.

Apparently

It's a sad day here.

It has come to my attention that one of the hermit crabs died.

I'm pretty sure it was Sandy. Well, the kids are pretty sure.

I think he was molting and we just could not leave him alone. He seemed so sleepy and we just wanted him to play. Apparently, they don't like to play during molting.

Apparently, they like to dig themselves into the sand and kind of hibernate while they shed their old exoskeleton.

Researching molting would have been a good idea BEFORE we sprayed him with water, gave him a bath and let him to play with the dog on the deck.

I guess seeing some of his old legs laying around in the tank should have also been a sign. Not a good one but also one that we would have know about had I researched it a little more. Apparently, they lose limbs during this process. Yuck.

Apparently, you are supposed to leave them alone during this process because it is extremely stressful on their little crab bodies. Bothering them can encourage a quicker demise.

And it this case it did. Apparently.

Because this morning when I went to check in on them?

The smell.

Was, well...really really really bad. Like dead fish.

Which is the only way you can tell a molting hermit crab from a dead hermit crab.

Apparently.

So it goes. I guess we are off to PetSmart to purchase a new crab. Which I said I would not do. But I feel if I would have researched, I could have been a better crab mom. So, I need a second chance. Well, a third chance and the other crab needs a playmate. Right?

Check out more stories from moms over at My Cup 2 Yours for Mom-Monday.

Sandy and Shelly

I think I forgot to tell you about our newest members of the family. Well, really I was just waiting to see if they lived past a week. Because the last time we had a hermit crab, well, he did not live past a week.

But this time they have. So, I am officially introducing you. Actually, right before this post, I checked on them and thought one was dead. But I revived him by spraying him with water. (see comprehensive care list below)

Meet Sandy and Shelly.



'Cause my kids are original if anything.
Sandy like the sand and Shelly like a shell.
You see? Original.


Here is Elmo checking them out. This is pretty fun actually because they hide when he comes near them and when they poke their heads out he runs away. Ahhh... fun times with our critters.



Did you know that hermit crabs should really be called TEMPERAMENTAL little baby crabs?

Seriously, I did not know they required the care that they do. It is no wonder our other one died in a week.

YouTube has videos on how to bathe them. Oh yes, they do.

Really? Give them a bath? Seriously? Who gives them a bath when they living in their natural habitat?

Another tip is to make sure their temperature is between 72 and 82 degrees. Ummm, hello? Like, don't they live by the ocean and doesn't it get above 82 degrees there sometimes?!?!?

Today, I bought them sand and they refuse to sit on it. Guys?!!? (I think they are guys) Remember the beach?!?!? (update: they are burying themselves in it now and seem to love it)

They've changed shells already. How fast do this darn things grow anyway? Will I need a 5 gallon aquarium soon or what? And just where will that go? (update - they have moved up to a 10 gallon tank which now lives in the playroom)

Just two more things for me to keep alive. The fun never ends around here.

Oh, and just in case you would also like to know more about the tempermental baby crabs here is a comprehensive list from a friend who has managed to keep hers alive for almost 3 months now! And I do mean comprehensive.

***

1. They really need to drink salt water or water that has no chlorine. You can make your own salt water by using 2 heaping tablespoons of sea salt (found in grocery stores) to one gallon of water. Put the water in a mister and mist your crab and its sponge.

2. They really need to move to a bigger "crabitat" then what we bought to be "happy."

3. They are social crabs - they want friends - other crabs - someone to 'crab around with' - (joke).

4. They like to eat fruit (mostly sweet fruit), popcorn, veggies, herbs - parsley,cilantro, rosemary, and basil. They like organic vegetables because they have not been sprayed with pesticides. They need protein - they can eat dog or cat food if soaked in water. They also like small cricket, fish bloodworms, freeze- dried clams, shrimp, plankton, water fleas, eggs, and fish and turtle food. They don't seem to be too picky. yeah, right.

5. When they decide to 'move-up' they want a 'crab-shell' similar to the one they are living in now - and if they don't like their new shell - they will NOT go back in their previous shell - then they will die (sounds picky)

6. If they are aggressive with their crab mates they need to have "time-out" - put the more aggressive one in his own crabitat and turn the lights out and leave him/her in the dark until he calms down. (really)

7. They need a bath in salt water - they need humidity in their crabitat or they will die.

8. They are nocturnal and they don't mate in captivity.

9. They also make noise - a squeaky kind of noise.

10. If a crab gets a hold of you and does not want to let go (fear of falling) put cold or warm water on him/her until they let go.

11. They like to climb - so put stuff in their crabitat to climb on. They also need places to hide - so put a broken pot in their bed for them to go in. Petsmart actually sells all kinds of things for these guys.

12. I don't even want to get into 'molting' - it sounds gross.

13. The temp in their tank should be between 76 and 82 degrees - anything above that is too hot (go figure they sit in the sun on the beach but once they move in then they get picky. They actually sell warming mats in Petsmart to warm a part of his tank - so he can go to that side when he needs to warm up.

***

Well, there you go - EVERYTHING you could ever want to know about how to take care of a hermit crab. If you do want to know more head over to YouTube.

What I Learned This Week - Puppy Food

Because I'm on a roll with the lists lately. Another one...

• Stuffed animals including beady eyes
  
• Squeaker toys including the actual squeaker
  
• Yogurt containers or anything from the trash that ever touched food
  
• Dog Beds where he is supposed to sleep
  
• Star Wars guys and miscellaneous other toys
• Sea Shells - yes entire sea shells
  
• Aluminum Foil
• WHOLE rawhide bones

I learned this week that the above list only touches the surface of what my 8 month old dog will eat and that anything he decides to leave behind can be found under my couch.



For more lessons learned this week (lessons that are probably much more important than mine) check out Musings of a Housewife.

All Without Coffee

1. Popcorn and seesening
2. Awsome pjs
3. LOTS of stuffed animals
4. Blankets
5. BFF
6. Hermit Crabs
7. Dogs
8. Candy
9. Favorite Coloring Book
10. Scary Stories

And there you have it. An 8 year old girl's list for the perfect sleepover on a summer night.

Which we are having tonight. On a Monday night. 'Cause I'm just a cool mom, ya know? Or crazy. Mostly crazy.

Already today, I have watched a Teddy Bear fashion show. A play about a duck, hula girl and kung fu fighter, taken three kids to see the latest Ice Age movie, made PB & J's for lunch, pizza for dinner and cleaned out a hermit crab cage. Not to mention the laundry. Really, let's not mention it.

ALL. Without. Coffee.

Yes, I woke up on a Monday morning with not a speck of coffee in my house and it was down-pouring outside. I thought it would not be worth it to make the trek in the rain so I made a cup of tea instead. Then I stubbed my toe on a chair. And my dog peed inside because he's just too precious to go out in the rain, ya know. The cable was out for a bit this morning so that my son could not watch Cartoon Network (the horror).

ALL. Without. Coffee.

I have proven to myself today that...I.Am. A. Survivor.

God Plays Volleyball?

Last night I went to tuck Bubby into bed and he was drawing in his prayer journal again.

I asked what he was drawing and he pointed to each picture:

"This is me and God playing volleyball.
And this one is of me and God camping."

As far as I know he has never played volleyball and I know for sure he has not been camping, yet.

Bubby is a little bit afraid to do some activities and lately very afraid of new situations.

For instance, he gets scared to play golf because there was a thunderstorm one time while he played with his dad. Now, he associates golf with thunderstorms.

A near drowning at age 3 makes him very cautious in the water. This is a good thing most of the time. My mommy heart rests much easier knowing this. This past weekend, he would not enter into any ride behind the boat, though. Even with Hubby and the fact that he would be completely safe. He just did not feel safe in the middle of the deep lake even though we reassured him his life jacket and one of us would keep him safe. "Maybe when I'm 6, I will try it," is what he told us as he sat firmly in his seat on the boat.

He doesn't enter into new situations easily and I have learned that I need to prepare him by explaining what I think will happen. Remember the Kindergarten orientation a few weeks ago?

So, I find it comforting that he is drawing pictures of himself with God doing things he has never done before. How cool is it that he would imagine our great big God right there with him playing right along and keeping him safe.

***

In other news today, the puppy ate my night mouth guard. That thing cost $200!!! Nice.

B is home sick with a fever and sore throat and we leave for the beach in 2 days! I really hope she feels better soon and that none of us catch whatever she has. It will be a bummer to be sick at the beach.

I am getting a lot done at home today, though. I'm all caught up on Facebook now. :)
Happy Thursday everyone!

Not Your Perch - Wordless Wednesday

What? This is not a good place to sleep?

(That, by the way, is the back of MY chair. And no, he is not allowed to sleep there. But he is testing the boundaries, that's for sure.)

For More WW head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom.

Legs- WW

A bigger bed maybe?

Wasn't me.

Pulling toilet paper rolls from all the bathrooms in the house is exhausting.

We consider him our own little reindeer. Just look at those legs! He is taller than he is long and it is sooo cute. We think that the rescue center had it a little wrong, though - maybe less Chihuahua and more Coonhound?

For more great Wordless Wednesday photos head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom.