Back into "life and other projects" after a week away

Hi Bloggy Family!

Cutie pies Dex and Adam

I have just had a week away in Wellington with my lovely hubby and my cute (if not currently in the throes of toddlerdom) wee man, Dex. Prior to going away I was getting pretty stressed out and worked up, and over the stupidest little things. 

The Desert Road

So I have decided on a couple of initial things that I want to change. There is more than a couple, but it will be a long post so I will spread it out over a couple of posts.

My wardrobe, mid clearout

Problem:
I have waaaay too many belongings. Items. Stuff. Before leaving I had been reading up on minimalism. Now any one who knows me would agree that the thought of me downsizing all my stuff to a "minimalist" level, is pretty damned hilarious. We are a 3 person family with a 3 bedroom plus garage house, and we are still bursting at the seams. 


Solution:  Even if I am the worlds most unlikely minimalist, that's not to say that I can't get rid of a whole heap of stuff. I had started before we went away but now it's time to get ruthless.

The beginnings of "Crafty Corner"

Problem: Housework. Many of you who are Stay at Home Mums, or work part time like me, will agree that although you in theory have a whole day to do the housework, this is not the case. I have struggled with getting everything done since Dex was born. I go out too often, I spend too much time on the internet, and some days, Dex is having a bad day and I just won't be getting anything done. Then the Mother in Law came to look after Dex for 3 hours while I went to work. I came home and she had done the dishes, swept and mopped the floor, cleaned the bathroom top to bottom, cleaned the stove top and done the dishes. When I said I struggle to even get the dishes and washing done some days, I was told that it is easy, just give Dex a cloth and he will help. Maybe when he has nanna/daddy to play with which is a novelty. Not so much when it's mummy, who he sees all day every day. So my response was to cry. After she left. But still, as nice as it was to have a clean house, it made me feel INCREDIBLY INADEQUATE. 


Solution: Continue as I had started before our holiday, turning off the computer more so I am not tempted to sit down and waste away my morning facebooking, blogging etc. Revise the routine now that I have new work hours and stick to the routine! Go out less.

My first attempt at a tutu, made for Miss A

Problem: My goal I had set at the start of this year to complete 2 of my crafty projects each month this year. So far I have completed 3 projects in total. So a bit of catching up to do there.


Solution: I am in the process of setting up "Crafty Corner" in the laundry corner of our shed. Hubby has his man cave in the garage also, so it will be a shared space. This is a space that is further away from Dex's bedroom and so will be easier for me to work on crafty stuff/blog stuff when he is in bed at night, rather than wasting hours just watching tv.


So that is my first 3 problems and their solutions. There are more, but this is already a long post so will leave it  for next time.

Productive Mummy

So I've been quite productive lately. I'm pretty proud.

Sunday afternoon hubby took the boy on a "boys outing" to give me some quiet time. Which I of course proceeded to spend doing housework. In the couple of hours they were gone I did dishes, washed washing, hung washing, folded some more washing, vaccuumed, cleaned toilet, sent some emails and made a big start on sorting all my Trade Me stuff and pricing it all to put it in a flea market/garage sale instead. Hoping I can sell more that way.

Then while Dex was having his afternoon sleep, I wrote this article, for my other page that I write with Miss Bonnie from The Baby Bump. I was quite pleased with it and have had some good feedback. Oh. And I also baked muffins and a Banana Choc Chip Cake.

Yesterday Dex and I went for an hour or so walk in the nice cool sunshine, then more washing, vacuuming and dishes and visited his nanna and even napped.

Today is a home day, at least until it is time for me to go to work at 3.30. Tomorrow will be much of the same, as well as going to the supermarket and a catch up with Rhiannon from Remarquable Junque.

Only 7 weeks til we go to Wellington for a week!! I really can't wait!! I haven't been there in years and it will be our 11 years "together" anniversary and 4 year Wedding Anniversary while we are there, so it's extra spesh.

Multi Tasking Mummy is really multi tasking! And loses .5kg in the process!

Ok so I know .5kg aint much. But guess what? I'll take what I can get! :) So that brings me down to 87.3kg. Next weeks aim is 86.9. I seem to be sitting on around .5kg a week so I won't aim too high to disappoint myself!

Off to Bon Jovi this weekend, CAN'T WAIT!!! Baby daddy is driving me, a mate and my mum up to Auckland, we are having a feed at Sylvia Park then he is dropping us off at Vector and going to hang with friends til it's time to pick us up and head back home to Tauranga. Will be a long night for lil D but it's a one off and I'm sure he can handle it.

I wrote an article/blog for Kiwi Mummy Blogs recently, to be published... next week I think? Anyway, it was on Time Management for Mummies and how to find time for yourself. I send out a few questions to lots of mums that I know to get some advice on how they manage their time, and got some great feedback, all of which is in the article (you will just have to wait until it comes out!) and all of which I have taken on board myself and tried to incorporate into my daily life to try and keep house tidy, be a good mum, be nice to my mum and take her places, and still work a couple of nights a week and have some time for hubby and I as well.

It's a big ask I tell ya!

Especially lately with being sick and so when lil D has his morning sleep I have been going back to bed instead of being productive. I'm still catching up on sleep now even so am off for a sleep shortly but hubby was nice the other night and cleaned up the lounge and kitchen for me when I was at work, which has given me a head start. That and he promises to fix the washing machine so I can stop taking loads to mums or spending an hour each day trying to make it go!! That should free me up heaps!

I wanted to show you what I am contending with in terms of sorting out the playroom/office. It is a bombsite!! I am selling loads of stuff on trade me, trying to downsize before #2 is in progress and subsequently arrives and wants a bedroom. Currently he/she would have the hot water cupboard and I think you will agree that is no place for a baby, especially in the summer months!! (I'm kidding, baby wouldn't sleep in the hwc, maybe the garage? jokes again of course)

So I'm being brave, see below for where I started on the playroom/office and feel sorry for me trying to clean it up with a 15month old who likes to "help"

Will check in again on Monday, bye!!

Above - There is a desk under there SOMEWHERE!





Cheers Dex, you're really helping!










THIS IS SPARTAAAAAAA!! Even Sparta dude got scared of the room and hid behind the mountain of Trade Me Boxes!