Thursday, April 17, 2014

This Post...

is going to kind of be all over the place today. :)

1. I have a blog post that went up yesterday over at Craft Your Nest
for Workspace Wednesday with a fun storage find at Target. If you are interested, please go by and check it out!

2. I spend a lot of time up at Evan and Erin's school throughout the week. I know being mostly a Stay at Home mom (doing a little part time work subbing and tutoring) makes it easier for me to volunteer and help when needed. On Tuesday, I tutored, helped in Erin's Kindergarten classroom and then I assisted with art class in her room as well.
That morning, we walked over to the Dragon Grove which is their school community garden. It really is a wonderful resource for the children. This is a picture of the flowers on one of their pear trees. They have two pear, two peach and two apple trees planted. Plus a myriad of vegetables and herbs.
I feel very fortunate to be so involved in what is happening at their school. I get to see first hand what their days are like. I am getting to know the staff and students well and I feel very comfortable knowing they are happy there.

3. I have to say though that just because I am a "Stay at Home Mom", it doesn't mean I am not busy. On the contrary, I feel extremely busy and it seems like the days are flying by. I mistakenly thought when Evan and Erin were both in school full time, I would get tons done at home. Maybe I am just overly ambitious in my to do lists some days though.

For example, back on February 10th (and I have the blog post to prove it *Here*) I began
"The Closet Project". You know that closet in Erin's room I have talking about off and on. The place where everything that didn't have a place to go was dumped. Well, I am STILL working on it!
but I am oh so close to being finished. Here is my "punch" list for getting the final steps done. I needed to Focus and just take on one thing at a time for the most part. The closet was actually all cleaned out and now I putting things back inside. Number six on the list is actually kind of separate because my scrap office is another room entirely. But it is also kind of related since there was a lot of scrap stuff in that closet. They go hand in hand almost.
As you can see, two items have been crossed off.
The circled items are the ones I am currently working on. When I am tired of sorting and boxing up photos, I work in my office for a little bit. Which is how my storage post on Craft Your Nest came about. :)
Next I will do #4 and am saving #5 for last. Dreading #5. That is going to be tedious and involve some serious paper shredding.

So I do get things done. But tasks such as cleaning the house, paying bills, grocery shopping, laundry, exercise, necessary phone calls, doctor's appointments etc...I like to get it done while the kids are at school. With their dad traveling so much for work, I feel it is important for me to be able to focus on them from 4-8. This is our homework, dinner, bed time routine, and just hanging out together time.

And it's exhausting sometimes. Being alone most of the week without Mike. Especially when I am up at 11:30 on a Wednesday night trying to unclog the toilet, which I was successful at I must say. But it's a job that Mike used to do when he was home full time. And I am sure I took it for granted at the time. Not anymore. :)

4. And now that you have had that fun little peek into my life, I want to end by giving Paper Issues a little plug. There is a ton of new product in the store right now from companies like Echo Park, Pink Paislee, Simple Stories, Webster's Pages and Fancy Pants. You can see the "All New" section *Here*.
And you can use my code MARYJO to get 20% off your orders any time! I do get a little discount when people use my code which is a nice benefit of being part of the team.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you have a great weekend!


20 comments:

  1. love those little bins- too cute
    have a great weekend

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  2. Totally did an order with them last night and FORGOT the discount code!!! DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kicking myself now :( Loving the photo from the garden! What a great thing that they have going with that!!!

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    1. Julie - I guarantee you if you email Cassie she will still give you the discount!

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  3. Everything looked so nice and organized, Mary Jo! I hope that writing this post helped to relieve some weight off your shoulders and you could see in black and white how much you've been accomplishing. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  4. It is funny how we take things for granted...... I really do not envy you that toilet job. As for shredding, I keep clogging up the shredder, so hubby does it now, I am glad because it was a job I hated too. Love the beautiful blossom picture, I had no idea that a pear blossom could be so beautiful. Hugs, Anne x

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  5. Love those little baskets! I'm always looking for little things like that, and I "need" to stop at Target anyway .... LOL ;) (read: thank you for enabling me!) Keep your head up, Mary Jo! Being a MOTHER is one of the most important jobs in the whole world, and you are doing amazing!!! :) :) :)

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  6. It's great that you can spend time volunteering at their schools. Enjoy your weekend!

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  7. Love those baskets! I love using storage containers!
    IKWYM closet projects seem to take forever! When John not home thurs night until Sat. I do the same thing and even when he is home 4-8 family time which yes is so busy and flies by.

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  8. I saw those baskets at Target too, but couldn't think what I would use them for. Love what you did! Also love the baskets from Michaels and how you put your flair and dots in there!! I have to have my stuff out where I can see it, or I won't use it. You know, I can be the worst at time management. I will leave work early sometimes, just to clean the house up so when the girls are home I can be with them. I'm always running a load if laundry so I don't get behind, it's easy to do when the girls change outfits multiple times a day :) Kudos for fixing the toilet! You rock!!

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    1. Glad to know Erin is not he only one who changes her clothes so often! Lol

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  9. Love the Target storage bins! How I wish that I had more room to keep stuff out like that... Sounds like you are making progress on the closets. Maybe not as quickly as you would like, but you're getting there! Have a great weekend. :)

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  10. The little Target bins are perfect for your embellies. I may have to try that since I feel like I'm outgrowing the system I have.

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  11. Great post...we all have been there...or are busy procrastinating being there! lol
    I have a list too and mine includes serious shredding as well. Don't know how my scrapbook room becomes the dumping ground for all paperwork that needs worted or shredded! lol
    I think shredding is mind numbing!

    The blossoms at the school garden are gorgeous! This is such a wonderful time of year. Love to see all the new growth and blooms!

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  12. It is nice that you are able to spend time at your children's school. When my kids were little I loved working part time so I was always there to send them off to school and there when they got home, best of both worlds (For me).

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  13. Love those baskets!!!
    I think it's great that you are able to spend some much time with your boys! They will grow up remembering you always being there for them!!!

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  14. Yes, us stay a home moms are busy and like you, I tend to bite off more than I can chew.. But, I've decided to turn over a new leaf...I mean what's the rush?? LOL! :) Evie

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  15. I was a stay at home mom/work at home mom, and I loved the flexibility of volunteering at the school and going to all the events they held.
    So nice to see blossoms, it may be a while for me to see them here.
    As for the recipe for my chocolate eggs…here is a post I did on them a while ago http://tracystreasures-tracy.blogspot.ca/2012/04/chocolate-marshmallow-eggs.html

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  16. You are such a good Mom with investing your time at school. Emma will start public school next year. I have a feeling I will get involved too. Love the pictures. And I can see how busy you are!

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  17. Ha...#3. I am (mostly) a stay-at-home mom too, working only a couple of days a month, yet there is NO TIME to get it all done.

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  18. I am so with you on the toilet. The one in our guest bathroom stopped filling up the other day. I had no idea what to do. Fortunately, my dad fixed it...but not until after we had taken the top off and had water spray everywhere. Apparently the hose thing had some off. So that was fun.

    I can imagine how hard it is to get everything done, even with the kids in school. I had this past week off, and I thought I'd have so much time to do errands, chores around the house, etc. Not at all. And I don't even have kids to take up any of my time, just AJ! I seriously think my to do is longer after break than it was before!

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