Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The House Schedule

I've been asked by a couple of friends how I have been keeping up with the kids and the new house. So, I thought I'd share my schedule. Laundry for 6 people is nuts...but I think I came up with a do-able solution and I stay on top of my housework too.

Monday
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Deidra's Laundry
Deidra's Bedding
Wash Towels
Pick-up and Vacuum Downstairs
Deidra Cleans Bedroom and Vacuums Room
Cat Boxes

Tuesday
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Baby J's Laundry
Baby J's Bedding
Pick-up Downstairs
Boys Clean Playroom
Sweep and Mop Floors
Vacuum Boys Room
Budget
Cat Boxes
Bath Night

Wednesday
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Baby D's Laundry
Baby D's Bedding
Pick-up Downstairs and Vacuum
Clean Bathrooms
Boys Pick Up Playroom
Cat Boxes

Thursday
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Little J's Laundry
Little J's Bedding
Pick-up Downstairs
Little J Cleans Bedroom
Budget
Cat Boxes
Bath Night

Friday
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Wash our laundry
Wash our bedding
Pick-up and Vacuum Downstairs
Movie Night
Clean and Vacuum Bedroom
Cat Boxes

Saturday
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Budget
Cat Boxes
Bath Night


Sunday
------
Grocery Shopping
Cat Boxes

Surprisingly, it goes pretty well. The girls get notes from the House Fairy and prizes once in awhile when she's been watching for awhile and they've stayed on top of their messes and have practiced their manners. So, they're always eager to help. Baby D helps me unload the dishwasher too. The House Fairy has definitely made a difference in our house! They know that they have to keep things clean and picked up if they want her to visit, but yet they also know that she doesn't leave surprises every time..but yet she could be watching at any time. So that keeps them on their toes. I didn't put dishes or anything else down either as I have to do them sometimes once a day and somedays we run the dishwasher a couple of times per day. I just do it as we need to. I try to sweep the kitchen floor once or twice a day and it's mopped once a week. Anyway, that's how we're keeping up with the house and the chores. The girls take turns doing the cat boxes now too...they think it's fun...hey, if they're willing to help...we'll let them. We just make sure that they scrub their hands really well once their done. Usually one girl does the ones downstairs and the other girl does the ones upstairs. Otherwise they fight over who's night it is to get to do it. We help too of course!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Christmas Shopping for the House -- Our Wish List

So many people have asked us what our wish lists for Christmas were going to be. We both agreed that we just wanted stuff for the house this year. So, we went and made our list at Target entitled "Our New House List" and it's searchable by mine, Andy's, or Deidra's first and last name. The event date is Christmas. We also have an ID number for our list if anyone wants it: 012399301061426. This is what we have picked out for each room and we've been picking up things little by little. It's exciting to see the house come together slowly!

We have our security system now!

Our security system was installed tody! So much to remember, but very cool. It tells me on chime mode when the doors are opening so that I can keep track of the kids at all times. And when we leave the house or go to bed, I can arm the alarm so that if anyone breaks in the police are automatically notified. There's also a way to call the police and fire dept right from our alarm and if anyone ever followed us home and told us to turn our security alarms off, there's a hostage alarm that they'd never even know about...they'd just think we were disarming the alarm. The police would instantly be notified. Very cool! Not bad for $30 a month for the extra security.

Some house shopping...

Well, we had Deidra's birthday party this weekend in our brand new house. I wanted our small little guest bathroom to look nice since so many people were going to be using it. So, I went out and got the accessories for it along with the little hand towels that match. So, it looks spiffy! I also got the kids their matching toothbrush holder and hand towels that match their froggy pattern in their bathroom. Everyone thought their bathroom was so cute! I've been buying things little by little for it and it's almost complete.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Our new vacuum!



We have been in need of a new vacuum cleaner. Andy found this one when I was sick with the flu after we moved in. We got it from Home Depot on sale! It works really well and it's nice to see what's being sucked up in the container!

Features:
The Dirt Devil i is an innovative new bagless upright vacuum cleaner with Advanced Cyclonic Technology that provides powerful suction at the nozzle. Designed to have the best performance and ease of use, the i vacuum is loaded with features that take the hassle out of cleaning. Right at your fingertips is an on/off Brushroll switch that allows you to effectively clean on all surfaces in your home. Turn the Brushroll on to clean deep within your carpets, or turn it off to safely clean hardwood floors. An Automatic Cord Rewind eliminates messy tangling and with the push of a button, automatically retracts--eliminating time spent wrapping up the power cord. A live, easy grab hose with attachment tools gives you extended cleaning ability to get into those hard-to-reach areas for thorough cleaning. The Rotating Power Brush Tool is perfect for vacuuming stairs, pet hair and upholstery. With a Clean Release Bottom Empty Dirt Cup, you can easily empty vacuumed dirt into a trash container with the push of a button--no messy bags to replace and no more dirty hands! Lifetime HEPA filtration traps 100% of common dust and allergens in your home--perfect for those who suffer from seasonal or pet allergies!



Notable Features:

Advanced Cyclonic Filtration means powerful suction at the nozzle!
Auto cord rewind
Fingertip controls with on/off brushroll
4 Seasonal Scented HEPA Filters
Rubberized, no-scratch wheels safe on all surfaces
Live, easy grab hose
Bagless technology - Never buy another bag!
Lifetime belt
5 year warranty