Spring Cleaning Post #2

Ready for a spring cleaning update?  Well, I have continued with the spring cleaning, but I was sick for a while, so I was unmotivated for a little bit.  And, it wasn't a kind of sickness where I was using it as an excuse...I had a fever for a few days, and flu-like symptoms...a lot of achy feelings and headaches, except it wasn't the flu.  Anyway, I am better now, but there were several days where nothing was cleaned or organized.  When I began feeling better, I began cleaning and organizing once again.  Like I mentioned in my last post, cleaning on top of the daily cleaning is difficult.  Here are some scenes around my house on a daily basis:

 

June and Annie hanging out with Diego and Wendy Waters.

The Clemson Barbie crusin' in her pick corvette with Wendy Waters.  (Wendy is quite popular.)  They just ran over a spoon.

Babies resting on Boppy pillows.  (Mercy takes good care of  her babies.)

The small random dinosaur here and there.

a Clemson helmet (next to a pink shoe...which should be in the bench)

Dinosaurs...yes, they are in the bucket!

Now we have sporting equipment around.

And, lastly...you name it all over the floor.

So my first step to organization began with this: 

I cleaned all sorts of old papers and stuff and threw some items away.

 I bought this:

to shred up old bills and stuff that were in the dresser.

 Next, I cleaned off our counter tops.  Sorry for the lack of a before picture.  But, it does look much better.  Some of the important stuff that used to be on the counter tops I moved to the dresser (from above).  Also, I found the paper organizer that I bought a couple years ago, which you can see in the picture.

Alright, as embarrassing a this may be...here is a before picture of our Baker's rack!  I know it's bad!  hahaha!

 And, after!  I even wiped down the wall all around the trash clean.  It looks so much better, and really, our whole kitchen does!

Stay tuned for more spring cleaning updates!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Mercy Cate!

Happy Birthday, Mercy Cate!

Our sweet girl is 3!  Wow!  We love our girly-girl and her love of all things pink, princesses, and babies!  Mercy loves being a big girl and also playing with big girls.  She enjoys dancing, singing, and taking good care of her babies! 

 

Our day started out with Mercy and I going out to do some shopping.

 

First, we headed to Walmart and Mercy bought a Cinderella toy with some of her birthday money.  Next, we went to TJ Max to buy some lip glosses that Mercy spotted several weeks ago.  I was thankful they still had it!

Mercy with her lip glosses.

Next, we went to get our toes painted.  Mercy loved it.  She has been waiting a LONG time for this.  We have been talking about it for months.  Mercy picked out our color...pink, of course.  Neon pink to be exact.

Mercy getting her toes painted.

an upclose shot of her toes

our toes together

We headed home and met up with Ryan and Aedan to go out to lunch.  McDonalds was Mercy's choice.  I was trying to get her to pick Blue Coast Burrito.  But she said, "No, I don't want that.  I want McDonalds."  hahaha!  Nice try, I know.

Mercy and Ryan

When we got home for lunch, we let Mercy open her present from Papa.  She got an Aurora Baby and also the DVD of Beauty and the Beast.

 

We watched Beauty and the beast together.  It was a cold and wet day, so no outside play for us!

Mercy and her cake

Mercy's cake

Mercy and I

Mercy with her dress from Gigi!

 

 Friends came over in the evening for pizza, cake, and presents!

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Mercy Cate!  We love you!

Game 2

Last night was Game 2.  Wow.  Let me start by saying that Aedan's team did win.  Aedan hit well, and made it home every time.  When he was in the in field, not many balls went to him.  Actually, none did.  (During Game 1, the ball went to him several times.)  The team struggled on defense, though.  It is a little nerve eating to watch the outfielders.  And, I know, I know....it's just a game and they are kids.  But, wow.  The front line is pretty much the same as last year, but we have LOTS of little new guys in the outfield.  There is A LOT of dirt playing and chase going on.  And, when the ball did make it to the outfield, most of them would fall onto the ball like it was a fumbled football and then proceed to fight over the ball.  It's actually a little humorous until you remember that the other team has runners scoring.  hahaha!  Last nights scoring went like this:

1st Inning: Braves-7, Stars-7

2nd Inning: Braves-7, Stars-7

3rd Inning: Braves-7, Stars-3 (I think)

7 is the max you can score in an inning, so the Braves had to stop them in order to win.  Otherwise, they would have tied.  One of the kids on Aedan's team, Landon, caught a fly ball to get the third out and win the game.  It was pretty awesome since usually no one catches fly balls in T-ball.

getting ready to bat

batter up!

waiting for the ball

running to second

running to third

cheering at the end

after the game!

Aedan's first game

Baseball season has begun!  Aedan's first game was last night and he played great!  He had some great hits and some good throws to first.  Also, he got a runner out by tagging him as he was running to first.  The Braves won 23-11.  It was a great start to the season.  He has about two games a week through mid-May and then there is a tournament.  It does seem a little more intense out there than in the fall.  I'm sure the intensity will increase when we get to the tournament.

 

Aedan in his position.

Aedan at third waiting to run home with Coach Kevin.

a dugout shot

Aedan had quite the cheering section for his first game.  Some of the church staff came out to see him play.  Shane and his boys came and Michael did as well.

Josiah with the Bowling boys.

Even Ariel came to cheer on Aedan!

No T-ball game is complete without a little dirt playing.

Josiah with Nathan and Wesley.

Once our team was up and there was no way for the other team to win, Brandon switched around the positions for the last inning.  He put Aedan at pitcher!

Ready!

Aedan with Michael and Nathan.

After the game!

Aedan with Mr. Shane and Wesley.

 

A couple of videos:

 

Look out Kindergarten...

HERE COMES AEDAN!

 

Kindergarten registration was this past Tuesday.  Ryan took Aedan to registration in the afternoon.  He was so exicted and ready to go!  Ryan took in all the paperwork and Aedan was able to go from classroom to classroom.  Mrs. Moss (Josiah's old teacher) was very excited to see Aedan.  It's always nice to hear multiple teachers say they want your child in their class.  Originally, the plan was for me to take him, but I have been sick (and Josiah) this week (but that is a different story).

Looking good...representin' the Tigers!

So cute!

Why I love the Walking Dead...

 

I love this show.  I really do.  I know it is a very unCatherine-like show.  I began watching it on a whim before the 2nd part of season 2 aired.  Ryan got me hooked.  I watched two episodes and I was in.  Here are some of the many reasons I love this show so much:

 

~the writing.  The writing is absolutely excellent.  It is unpredictable.  I love the conversations.  The sweet ones, the intense ones.  I never want to miss a line.

 

~the acting.  Once again, superb.  The actors have matured or changed (or died) throughout the seasons.  The actors are on a journey as they adapt to the new world of a zombie apocalypse.  It is exciting and scary to watch their relationships with each other and the tensions that arise in their group and between other groups.

 

~the symbolism.  these are the little things you see or notice as you watch, like the spiritual hues. 

 

~the cinematography.  There are times where the camera angles or close ups make a scene.

 

~the laying down of a life for a friend (or helping each other).  There have been numerous times where this has happened.  Whether it be saving someone from a zombie (or humans), or giving yourself over to them for another to survive.  These are the moments I love.

 

~the smiles and hope.  I love the times when Beth sings, and the other moments of peace in a world where peace would seem to be impossible.

 

~the humanity.  I love the true portrayal of the depravity of man.

 

~the community.  The group is and dependent on each other.  They know each other and have to trust one another.  This can cause problems at times, but it makes for good writing.

 

~Daryl and his cross-bow.  That's all I have to say about that.

Spring Cleaning

I have recently been inspired to do some cleaning/organizing throughout the month of April.  I saw this post on moneysavingmom.com and decided that I would give it a try.  I originally was going to go by their list, but then decided to do my own.  Seth and Stacey came this past weekend for pre-marital counseling, so my cleaning schedule wasn't going to fit theirs from the start.  My goal is to clean or organize one thing a day throughout the month of April.  By one thing, I am talking about something extra that I wouldn't normally do on a day-to-day basis.  (for example: cleaning the fridge)  Some days I may take on greater tasks, like my oven..hahahaha, while other busy days it might be to clean just one ceiling fan!  For me, doing all of the extra cleaning is hard to do on top of everything else.  Hopefully, this will help me.

 

Here is what I have done each day so far, starting which April 1st.  I have some pictures and hopefully, I will have some before and after pictures later this month.

 

April 1- cleaned the boys' room and decluttered and cleaned 1/4 of our counter tops.

 

I realize that 1/3 of the picture is floor.  Yes, that is significant.  hahaha!

 

A clean counter top.  Before, this area was super cluttered with random stuff.

 April 2nd-  Cleaned inside the fridge.

 

April 3rd- Cleaned Mercy's room and Ryan cleaned the bathroom.  Cleaned another 1/4 of our counter tops.  Also, I found a bread box at TJ Max to help with the declutterization of our bread and to help it look better on that side of our kitchen. 



 

 

April 4th- dusted the living room

 

April 5th- wiped down the back glass

 

April 6th- cleaned out the bathtub

 

There you have it!  The cleaning and organizing has begun!  It is the 7th and I have not cleaned anything today yet.  Guess I better go find something to clean or organize...wait....I did organize today.  I put away all of the clothes from the consignment sale.