Spring Cleaning Still...?

Please Note: This post was written 10days ago.



I did it... Most of it that is! 'But... It isn't even a month yet', you say? That is the problem with being ADD with OCD, I say. After Saturday's episode and health issue, the prognosis came out as 'everything normal possibly stress'... So I gave it some thought and I have decided that I am going to eliminate off my plate everything that gives me stress. I had to finish the Spring cleaning first. (if I am to have a heart attack, it better be in a clean house) And so... i set out to do what all was reachable and do-able. I must say, I have accomplished a lot ... here is my check list:

1. Gather your supplies-Done
2. Declutter -Done
3. Clean out the Fridge and Freezer -Done
4. Clean the Pantry -Done
5. Clean Cabinets and Appliances -Done
6. Finish Cleaning the kitchen -Done over and over and over
7. Linen and Medicine cabinet -Linen Done but Medicines need redoing. i found more meds! (Now, I have more and more meds too!)
8. Clean bathroom fixtures, walls and floors - Done
9. Master bedroom and Guest bedroom bedding - partly done. Laundry needs doing
10. Adult wardrobes - Done
11. Master bedroom and guest closets and storage- not done
12. Childrens's bedding wardrobes storage toys - All done
13. Office and crafts - Not done
14. Organise DVD, Books and CDs - Not done
15. Laundry room appliances etc -Done


I clubbed the list into half. You can see the original printable version that Mandi Offers here.

The Burnout!

credits

I have been sick. Very sick. The past two weeks, the only thing that I have been thinking over and over again is that, 'Only in sickness do we really remember health'. That... is when I am sad but on the brighter note, 'Aaah! so I needed a break and this was how to get it!'. I have been dragged away to live with my siblings till I am better enough to take care of myself and my two and a half kids. (Hubby is only half my kid... the rest of him is his mother's.)
The only drawback to being a SAHM is that you never get a holiday. You are a full time mum and your home is your place to work, play and relax... only you forget to relax and then... you end up like me. The past 10months since I had Lil' One have been hectic. I went on a working holiday and came back to work again. I have been so busy cleaning, crocheting, crafting, cooking, coaching and compromising that my heart just gave way. (Notice all the Cs)
I have since joked about, 'See, how I use my heart more than my brain... proof there!'... to complained 'What? My heart cant be where my heart is supposed to be?' but then I have had to calmly accept that this time I overdid it. I owe it to my kids to be healthy and strong. What good is being a SAHM, if you are just going to scare your kids by getting so sick that others have to move in to take care of them?
I am a bit better now... and hopefully will be discharged from Sibling Care to go home and look after myself and my kids. I have learned my lesson... or so everyone here says... yes, I have, I say. I have learnt it well.

If you are a stay at home mum... or a dad... you should learn this from my example : You owe it to your kids, to be strong and healthy. This is one of the reasons why you stayed at home in the first place: To be strong and healthy in mind and body for yourself and your family.

Happy and healthy Parenting.

Under CONSTRUCTION!!

PLEASE DONT MIND

Spring Cleaning is not going as planned. *sigh* I have taken ill. On Saturday, I had to be taken to the ER with serious chest pain. I am still having breathlessness and we are still making the doctors rounds. It isn't clear what is wrong with me so... until I get well... there isn't going to be much decluttering or dusting and sadly... very sadly, there will be no crochet or tatting either.

But... there is good news. I will be blogging and I can now pursue my newest hobby : CSS!

Oooh... YES! I am now so in love with tweaking and learning CSS. You will see me go CSS Crazy here.

Wanna join in and play along?

So, I read...

I had read:

If your dreams don't scare you... They are not big enough.

Then, I read:

There is no fear bigger than your Faith.

Eye Candy?

'So what's been on on the crochet front...', You ask? 'A couple of things...', I say. Some finished projects and some still crawling on... definitely, a lot of new lessons learnt... some from mistakes and some not.

I finished my longest ever project this year. A shawl and matching booties for my new little nephew.

A gift box for a boy

I made more booties. They are a total flop idea! Lil' One kicks them off in less than one minute. No, all that lace doesn't help. The pattern is my own nd I am too ashamed to share something that didn't work.

All that hard work..*sigh*

Son wanted a cap.. 'a blue cap'... I had seen this fabulous pattern I just so wanted to try... more than half way through, son remarks that he didn't mean that 'blue'. Anyway, I had to finish it and so I did. It didn't fit anyone but our Lil' One and so, she has a big blue slouchie waiting for her to grow up and wear it. I am in love with the pattern and I just love how it turned out to look like knitting. Pattern Page1 and pattern page 2.


The Blue Slouchie

Another cap... the real 'blue' one with a pattern to die for. This is just one of those patterns and yarn that I cannot stop but love love. It is not knitting... it is front and back crochet. The pattern is from here and I must remark that she is a genius!

 

Diamond Pattern Beanie

Please Note: THIS PATTERN REQUIRES ADVANCE CROCHET SKILLS. Please, do not attempt if you are still a beginner or intermediate level crocheter. It can be very frustrating to figure out the diagram. The Pattern and site are in Russian but there is a diagram which is quite clear.

And on the tatting front, inspired by Jon Yusuf, I tried this with cording.

With Cording, anyone?

 

 It is quite big and the cording twisted a lot but... it was enough for me to realise that I can make place mats with it. I am going to go shopping.... ooooooh yes!

 

Spring Cleaning: Day 2, 3, 4 and 5

Mandi Ehman on Home- Your way is Spring Cleaning and I am joining her to do mine! Here is the update on my progess.

I did not update in five days.... But... I did get a lot done.

When I am too excited about something, (I have said this before) the kids make sure I stay away from it as much as possible. Before things got out of hand, I took control by making do with where ever I could. I got a chance to clean up my Living Room on what should be considered Day 2.
Day 3 and Day 4 were the kid's Play Area. The first day was spent in sorting, decluttering and arranging the toys and books. The next day, we moved things around to get us more floor space. We got both of them a box on coasters that will be used to move toys around the house. Believe it or not, we have toys in every room. There are the bedroom toys that stay in the wardrobe or under bed in their boxes, the kitchen toys that go into drawers, the living room toys that aren't supposed to be there and then the play area. It is so hard to get them to keep everything where it is supposed to be. We had decided after our Lil' One got mobile, that we would change all our trash bins and get taller more efficient foot pedal ones. So this Wednesday, Hubby took us to this place which had all sorts of plastic stuff. I spotted these boxes which were perfect for storing clutter and they came with coasters. I needed something small enough for even Lil' One to push or pull around but big enough to house what all I wanted in there. These were the perfect size!

What I have done with them is, I got son to choose all the stuff that he likes moving around the house and dump it in there. He is only allowed to move this box around the house and if he ever wants something else we will have to swap (everything has to fit in the box). He can take it anywhere he likes but when he is done he will bring it back. He likes the idea and the past three days, Thankfully, we have no toys lying around.

The second box is for Lil' One's stuff. I needed something for all her teethers, cuddlies and all that stuff she mouths. I was having a hard time finding what she needed and there was always the fear that it wasn't safe for her to hold as it could have fallen off anywhere or collected dust. Now, she has a box of her own and... a rule of her own too. Everything that is once taken out of the box will only go in after it has been washed, wiped and inspected. As all little sisters, Lil' One likes to follow her brother in everything; she must have what her brother has, she must eat what he has and do what he does! Now, she can! He plays with his box and she plays with hers.

Day 5 was today. I finally got the fridge, freezer and appliances done today! Yay!! I am so glad for the printable list that Mandi offers. It doesn't matter if I am following the list in order or not... I still am ticking out chores and all those ticks feel... gooooooood!

So... Anyone else tackle Spring Cleaning, yet? Wanna join me?

We have a baby...

Add caption

'I am really wavy sorry Ms. Manal... the baby ate the subtraction home work'!!

:D

Musing over...

If there was a blog conference here, I wouldn't go.
If it was in India, I would.
If it was anywhere else...
I would.