Prayers for Darren

Today my prayers and thoughts are with Darren, my friend Valerie's husband. Darren is having brain surgery today. May God be with Darren, Valerie and their family as they get through this very difficult day and may good news be just around the corner for them.

Old Friends

I recently connected with some old friends and former co-workers on Facebook. What an interesting experience to see pictures of and hear about the lives of old friends. I really do appreciate all of the people in my life -- past and present -- for being a part of my own life path. I feel honored to know and to have known such wonderful, intriguing and fun people.

It is interesting to think that there are people out there in the world who have a shared history with me. We are not family and our lives may have taken many different directions. Yet our history ties us together in a unique and special way. Perhaps it is even through an unheard thought put out to the universe? I know that I have thought of different pals, peers and school chums over the years. But I was just shocked to find out that a former school mate said she had thought of me just two days before I connected with her on Facebook! How wow is that?!

I don't know if I would have a lot in common with my former peers and friends today if we were friends in real life. But I do know that I cherish them all and would open my doors and my life to them as if we were children once again and our friendship never missed a beat. It is fun to connect with yesterday ... and the memories of my youth.

"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold." Do you remember that song? I am just reminded of it today because two of the former friends I connected with used to be Girl Scouts with me. It makes me want to be sure and get my girls involved in scouts someday :) I really don't like to camp at all as an adult, but I wouldn't trade those childhood memories for anything!

Friday Five

I am borrowing this title from the blogs of some great people I know. I thought it would be a great way to get organized with my thoughts and goals today.

Here are Five things on my mind this Friday --

1.) It is time to get back on track with my healthy breakfast and daily water drinking and health goals. How hard is it to choose water over milk?!!! For goodness' sake!!! But, I haven't been doing it.

2.) I want to bake peanut butter pies, an oreo cookie pie and some brownies sometime soon because I am loving my "new" stand mixer that now sits on my counter. (Note: This might cause some challenges for goal #1.)

3.) Declutter, declutter, declutter -- why is it such a slow process?

4.) Money, money, money ... some thoughts I have are: Are we, in my family, experiencing deflation with the 5 percent pay cut we have had to take recently? Will everything (prices and salaries for others too) continue to deflate and not go back to normal rates for a good long while? Are we on our way back to the 25 cent candy bar? Is this just a sign ... one step down the ladder, then another and another?

5.) I am excited about my new toy, a Reynold's Handi-Vac! http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldskitchens/handi_vac/en/home.asp
(Yes, I splurged today... but it is payday and it was only $10 and included a box of bags too!) I am excited because I like to freeze foods and I hate to squeeze air out of the freezer bags. It's going to be a blast!!! (Maybe there is a bit of Betty Crocker in me after all!)

Decluttering

I am in a decluttering mindset and I have extra motivation now that we have decided to try again to refinance our home mortgage. We need to have the best appraisal possible, so we have decided to fix our house up almost as if we were trying to sell it.

Here is a list of some things I want to accomplish as soon as possible:

1.) Unpack remaining two boxes of basement cabinet items
2.) Permanently get rid of the tiny little pieces of this and that on the kitchen island
3.) Go through books and get rid of those I am done with
4.) Go through girls' toys and box up things they are done with
5.) Spend some time in ds's room decluttering and then making it look nice. (His room has a way of being a pit, but not always looking like it is.)
6.) Unpack the few totes of items left to unpack in garage and sort, discard and/or put away items
7.) Complete laundry and keep it up!
8.) Box up all girl clothing that no longer fits
9.) Review toy storage and perhaps buy some storage baskets from the Container Store to more nicely store toys.
10.) Declutter girls' dressers (tops).
11.) Declutter girls' room.
12.) Unpack boxes in my bedroom
13.) Declutter my bedroom, including dresser tops
14.) Clean bathrooms often and declutter toys on main bathroom floor
15.) Keep dishes up so that the kitchen stays nice looking
16.) Create box for Goodwill, Half Price Books, SIL and the resale
17.) Clean off fireplace mantel
18.) Clean crayon markings off walls
19.) Straighten up bonus room
20.) Walk the house and create of list of what is left after doing all of the above.

Okay, another day

I think tomorrow is going to have to be the new day with the new start because I feel terrible still today with this nasty cold and ds stayed home from school today with a sore throat :(

We are just not in a normal mode here yet.

Slow Start

This new year is getting off to a slow start for me. I think I am a bit sad that dh went back to work today. Ds goes back to school tomorrow and I will miss him too :( It has been so wonderful having dh home for two weeks. I have also just adored not having to get up and do the school routine each day.

But, tomorrow, it's back to business as usual .... probably not a bad thing ... life can't be one solid vacation. So, hopefully tomorrow my ducks will be more in a row.

If only I didn't have this nasty cold and the girls are both still not totally recovered from it either :(

Tomorrow is going to be a new day with a new attitude. Today I am just kind of grumbly.