Weekend Update

This was a pretty busy weekend at the Benzick house. We spent Saturday finishing up some odds and ends from the clean sweep project, which as of last night is officially finished. My house is officially, completely purged! Saturday Paige spent most of the day acting very tired. She even volunteered to go take a nap. Should have known then something was up! The kids played outside some as the weather was really pretty. Sunday's weather was even better so the kids got to stay outside all day. We had some friends over to watch the Super Bowl. We had way too much food, but we had a good time. That night Paige complained for the first time that her throat was really sore. Took her in Monday and we have our 3rd case of strep throat. Poor girl has had it every 6 weeks since school started. Pediatrician says they won't refer you to an ENT until they've had it 6 times in a year! Excuse me? That's a little excessive if you ask me. So I called the ENT that I saw when I was sick and he said they will take them out after the 4th time having strep. So, if Paige or I either one get strep again this year we have to have our tonsils taken out. I just feel so sorry for Paige having to be sick so much. Plus she picked up the stomach bug and has had tummy issues since last week. 6 kids were out of her class yesterday. So she's home playing with Jamie and Addie while mom works and daddy's got training. Poor guy is in child abuse class today. Says it's horribly sad and depressing. The things he does for his job amaze me.
So my SIL and MIL came over last night to officially finish up the clean sweep project and start planning for redecorating. We've got lists of things to buy. We rearranged the guest bedroom and it looks very nice! I think I'm starting with curtains in the living room as I've wanted those the longest. I think it will change that whole area. Empire flooring (sing it with me now....eight hundred five eight eight two three hundred, Empire!) is coming out tomorrow to give us an estimation on flooring. I'm kind of afraid of what they will say, but I must know! Commercial says they are having a 60% off sale, but I'm sure it won't be on what I pick out. We'll see, here's hoping.

Super Friday

Yesterday was insanely busy! Got up and ready, dropped Paige off at school, ran to Jamba juice for a small smoothie and oatmeal for me and a surprise smoothie for Aaron. Ran back home to grab forgotten cell phone, drop smoothie off on top of Aaron's car as surprise when he took Addie to school. Spent a few hours at Paige's school making 100th day t-shirts with the kids. Cannot get this paint off my hands!! Went to Benihana for lunch with Aaron. Oh my gosh was it good! Ran to walmart and finally found the laundry basket I've been in need of for the girls' bathroom. Picked up Addie from school, then Paige. Went straight to the doctor for Addie's 3 year well visit where she proceeded to act like a clown and run around the office in her panties with nurse Heather. We all laughed so hard. She performed in the 4-6 range on her performance chart of things she knows how to do (dress herself, jump on one foot, identify animals and their characteristics, copying print). Measured in at 50th for weight and 75th for height. She's started eating a lot more so she must be having a growth spurt. Then it was off to Best Buy to pick up a wireless something or other for the new printer and Party America for Superbowl plates. Then home to get ready for a church function at 6 with Aaron's sister that I was sorta not looking forward to. It wasn't painful at all, but I'm always a little leery of new churches. I had a good time for the most part. I was TIRED when I got home at 11:15 or so. Crashed hard. Missed the last part of Lost AGAIN!
More organizing today and small Super Bowl party tomorrow. Aaron's getting off work early tonight and off tomorrow! Wahoo!

My new obsession

I've been obsessed with Jamba Juice for years. I mean years, people! Way back before it was even called Jamba Juice. It started as Zuka Juice here in Dallas. Well, didn't they go and outdo themselves this time! I've tried nearly all their smoothies and short of the ones with peanut butter or chocolate (yuck!) they are all awesome. Today they entered into new awesomeness! Steel cut hot oatmeal with blueberries and blackberries! It was heavenly!!! I printed out a coupon to get one tomorrow for $1!! Wahoo!

Slow Day

Well we did actually have the ice storm and it was a doozy.  Luckily it warmed up by noon Wednesday and everything melted off.  But they did cancel schools for the day. We had about 1/2" of solid ice as it sleeted and rain heavily most of the night and was 23 degrees out.  Aaron was not a happy camper out in it.  So we didn't do much today.  Went to the dentist and had dinner with daddy, a real treat for us when he's working with a rookie.  Dickey's BBQ, yum!!

Tonight I'm organizing my photos.  I bought some nice looking boxes with smaller boxes inside and I'm going to light the fireplace, get all cozy and organize those pictures!  Tomorrow Aaron's suppose to finish up the computer closet and that should be the end of all the closet organizing.  My Lord is that boy slow at this!!  I have the kids school papers in there to organize if he'll ever get out of my way!  Still need to create better workflow for my desk too.  Next week probably. 

I swear my heater has run non-stop today.  Can't wait to see that bill!

Have a warm night everyone!!

Ice Storm

So, we're getting ready to have the worst ice storm we've had in 6 years. We'll see if it actually happens. By the time we pick up the kids from school it's suppose to be ugly and by the morning it should be a nightmare. 1/4" of ice accumulation doesn't sound like much, but we don't know how to drive in this stuff down here so the morning commute, if there is one should be nasty. That's if the storm gets here at all.....it was due 30 minutes ago.

I've noticed lately that I can get ready a lot faster now that I have an old fashioned wall clock in the bathroom. Something about the digital one in the bedroom never got me motivated, but seeing that big hand inch closer and closer to time to go gets me sped up. I'm probably just weird that way.

Last night at the dinner table Addie told me it was so cold in the house (the heat was on 73, don't think I was freezing my children) that she was going to catch moo-no-nya in the house. To which Paige corrected her, "it's pnumonia, Addie. To which she yelled back, "that's what I said, mo-noon-ya!" Cracked me up!

Paige is still hanging on to that snaggle tooth. It looks so goofy now just hanging there and she talks funny because of it. Come on pillow!!

Addie informed me last night in the form of a dramatic display that Arial kisses Eric like this mommy! And she tilts her head to the side like a big movie star kiss. I'm in so much trouble with this one in 10 years or so.

Paige is starting soccer next month. I'm so happy she's getting into team sports. I was a team sports nut by her age and I hope she enjoys it as much as I did. I didn't play soccer however so this will be a new one for both of us.

My wonderful cleaning lady, Miss M, is at the house today. Love coming home after she's been there! Gymnastics for both girls on Wednesday. Both girls are going to the dentist on Wednesday after school. Wait, now that I typed that, they can't do gynastics on Wednesday if they have dentist appointments. Must rearrange gymnastics. I also have a police wive's meeting Wednesday. Thursday is bring your teddy bear to school day. They are having a teddy bear sleep over at school. Fun! Friday Addie has a doctor's appointment for her 3 year well visit. I'm also going to a church function with my sister in law on Friday called girl talk. Should be fun. This is a busy week!

Snaggle Tooth

Yes, I'm aware that this is a goofy picture of Paige, but I had to take it quickly tonight trying to show how crooked her front tooth is because it's so loose!  I ordered her a tooth fairy pillow and it should be here Tuesday or Wednesday, but I doubt it will make it in time for the first visit from the tooth fairy.  It was only slightly loose last week, but it's barely hanging on tonight.  She's beyond excited for it to fall out.  I'm purposely not telling her that if she would just give it a few good wiggles it would fall right out.  Her friends will probably let the cat out of the bag tomorrow.  The school nurse, whom Paige is in love with, gives out special treats for lost teeth and Paige just can't wait to get hers for this tooth.  

In house cleaning news I spent the entire day today cleaning out the mess of a closet that belongs to Aaron.  Well, actually I helped him get started on it and tear it apart this morning, then I spent the rest of the day filing, purging old files, shredding (oh my gosh all the shredding!), and throwing away crap we didn't need in the filing system.  Remind me exactly why it was that I still needed every Explanation of Benefits from my pregnancy in 2003??  Yeah, that bad.  But not anymore.  What was a stuffed full 4 drawer file cabinet, plus a huge rubbermaid tote full of old files is now 3 drawers loosely filed of active files, one drawer of legal size house closing papers, and one small drawer with old files that I don't want to chunk (ie old jobs, cars, continuation of coverage papers).  I'm giddy at how organized they are!!  Then I got the wills out, which had never been filed properly, put a sticky note on them listing who provides both our life insurance policies and who our investments are with, and filed it all in the safe where they should have been 9 months ago.  It's freeing, it really is.  Now I can get hit by that bus.  (You have to know me for that not to sound sick). 

Tomorrow it's off to Goodwill and getting started on the office.  For as clean as the other spaces in the house are, my desk is a disaster......but not for long.  The clean sweep team is headed it's way.  

Hope everyone has a great week!

Kinfolks said Jed move away from there!

Minus one closet that I've been threatened with bodily harm if I touch, I'm completely through minimizing and purging and organizing in my house.  With the AWESOME help of my mother in law and sister in law, we've organized and minimized in literally every nook and cranny in my entire house.  From nightstands to junk drawers, from the laundry room to under the kitchen sink, from Paige & Addie's room to my closets, it's all been done.  We've filled up the SUV twice from front to back, floor to ceiling and my Tahoe's back end is completely full of Goodwill donations.  I'm still going to get in the attic and give it a good purging, but it was too cold today (shut up, Michelle!).  I did get the little attic cleaned out.  Oh and I have to go back and do a big organizing of ALL my printed out pictures (Container Store, here I come again, I'll try to contain myself).  And I do have to finish the filing projects I haven't looked at in forever, but that's part of that closet I'm not allowed in without Aaron.  So maybe I'll get there tomorrow.  I've taken to singing, ahhhhhhhhhhh, every time I open a closet door now.  My closets sing, even if it's only me that can here it.  I know my junk drawer looks great because little Addie opened it today and goes "wow, who did this?"  I had to laugh.  Paige flipped over her newly organized closet and her's wasn't even that bad before.  Everything has a place.  Martha Stewart would be so proud!  

So, once the next closet and office are all done, it's on to decorating.  Paige and Addie's rooms aren't getting too much of a makeover, but somewhat.  Paige is getting a new desk and chair and a new chest of drawers and getting rid of her wardrobe.  It's just not functioning like we need it to.  My SIL found nicely priced ones of each so those will be ordered shortly.  They are both getting new wall paint and curtains.  Oh and Paige will get a bulletin board like thing.  A few lamps and accessories and they are done.  

The guest bath is getting new paint, new shower curtain, paint treatment on the cabinets and a few pictures and rugs.  Nothing major, but I bet it will be a huge change.  

The office will be getting a makeover, but I don't know any details on that yet.  Definitely some curtains being added, but that's as far as I've gotten.  The biggest changes are going to come to the kitchen and living room.  Depending on tax returns, I'm hoping to get new countertops and appliances.  And I'm in desperate need of drapes on the HUGE wall of windows on the back of the house in the kitchen/living room....will change that room completely.  Our kitchen is not bad, don't get me wrong, it's just very builders grade and nothing I'm in love with.  Very basic.  We're staying here for a long time (have you seen interest rates??? you need to check them out!) and I want to love my home, not just like it.  And eventually the master bath is getting gutted.  Ripping out the bathtub and shower and replacing it with a HUGE walk in shower.  Tile in place of the busted up linoleum.  New countertops and maybe cabinets, but we'll have to see.  So in the beginning it's curtains, curtains and more curtains.  I've been here over 4 years and have exactly 3 sets of curtains in the whole house....one cheap Ikea set in my bedroom that I don't love, one black set in each of Addie and Paige's rooms, mostly to block out light, but they do match.  

So, as long as I manage to stay employed over the next 6 months, big changes are coming to my house!!  

Nothing else is new here.  I'm insanely behind at work from being sick for so long so tomorrow I'm going to continue crawling out of that hole.  Was hoping for a lazy Sunday afternoon, but not looking good right now.