The Garden is Planted

 Over view of the majority of the garden.  This is the new fence that we put in this year.  There will be two layers of 2x4's on the fence.  One on top to make it taller to keep the deer out, and one in the middle to help stabilize the fence and keep the fencing more secure.

 Along the fence is spinach and lettuce on either end.  Zucchini, yellow squash and cucumbers between each fence post.  This way the fence can be used for them to climb up and save space on the ground for other plants.

 This corner is dedicated to three different varieties of potatoes - purple, red and yellow.

This corner has onions, carrots, pumpkins, and beans.

Now it is time to water them and get them starting to grow.  Further pictures to come as the plants start growing.  The plants along the fence are hollyhocks.  Hopefully this year we will have two different colors.

3 Hours Done!

Boy was that work and I definitely need a shower now.   It was a frustrating experience to go through the back room.  It made me REALLY NOT want to buy anything else for the kids ever again.  They show very little respect for their stuff let alone anybody else's stuff.  I broke down in tears after I cleaned up quite a bit, found my troll doll broken and really dirty (which has been on the top shelf in my bedroom for quite a while), then smashed my fingers while trying to shut a door.  It felt good to get the cry out.  I was able to get more accomplished by the time the cry was out.  So are you ready for the before and after.  I was even shocked, especially since more was added today.  How that is possible?!?  This room is hooked to the back of the garage.   It is outside and used as a storage area.  The kids have gone through box after box and just through it all over the place.  They  have emptied the bookshelves and they are all over the floor.  Water has seeped in from melting snow and ruined a lot of stuff.  I don't get along with weather very well so I go out only when I really want to, especially to do a big job like this.  It has been way too long since I have been out to do anything about this room and it really shows.

 I opened the door to find this.  Yes the big box is right in front of the door, you had to step over it to get inside.

 

 The Before's!!!!  That is one scary sight.

 

The 3rd Hour After Starting.  A long ways to go, but a great start.  Who knew there was carpet under all that stuff.  Hey brother - could really use you to come back and clean this carpet.  It is in desperate need of being clean.  Hopefully seeing this progress in just 3 hours will help me keep going.  I am taking back my house and property!!!!

May 28 - June 2 Chores Breakdown

Here is the break down for the chores for this week.  After today - if I can get this all accomplished I can do all the rest with ease!!!

May 28 - Jun 2 Chores

Laundry
Back Room
Garage
Church
Plant Garden

Laundry:

• Get it all caught up by Saturday - including put away in all the rooms, in the proper spot.

Backroom and Garage Doable Vision - To be able to walk in without tripping and know where everything is when done.  Have lots ready for yard sale, give away or throw away.

Backroom:

• Books on shelves
• Toys boxed up
• Crafts organized
• Material washed (nasty mice!!!)
• Shelves organized
• Back opened for boxes coming from house.

Garage:

• Shoes in boxes - get rid of lots
• Decorations - go through and purge
• Find Floor
• Reorganize shelves
• Organize
• Organize
• Organize

 Plant Garden

•  Plant all that can be planted before last frost

Church

• Do both church cleaning assignments

I picked the hardest first - didn't I :)  Just wait until you see the before pictures - you will more fully understand!!!!

A New Start

So I didn't end up doing the Simplify 2012.  Too much going on around that time.  But now it is a time to purge and clean.  I have until the 21nd of July to get the house in order.  We have an exchange student coming to stay with us for a month and I need some sanity.  I need a house of ORDER!!!  While it is messy, my mind is a mess!!!  While there is clutter, I can't organize my thoughts or emotions.  It is time to do something about it!!!!  So this is what I am proposing.  I sat down the other day and made a list of what needs to be done before my deadline and listed it out by what to do each week. Here is my list:

May 28-June 2:
   Laundry
   Back Room
   Garden
   Garage
   Church

June 4 - 9:
   Boys Room
   Girls Room

June 11-16:
   Upstairs Bathroom
   Hallway

June 18-23:
   Master Bedroom

June 25-30:
   Downstairs Bedroom
   Living Room

July 2-7:
   Gone to Utah and Idaho

July 9-14:
   Kitchen
   Dining Room

July 16-21:
   Laundry Room
   Whatever else needs done

Each Sunday I will sit down and look at the chores to be done that week and break them down to more doable portions. 

Each day I a plan on working one hour in the yard, whatever needs to be done and do a load of laundry. 

Then the rest of the week is going to be working on those areas.  I want to get rid of my "Elmo's World" walls (walls covered in crayon, marker, etc) and each room organized and extremely purged.  The are going to be fairly empty so that we can start over and learn to take care of a little.  As we are able to learn to take care of a little then we will add a little more at a time.

This is my self made goals for the next 2 months.  I will try to blog as I can so that you can see the progress.  Even if it just me that sees the progress, that is enough for me.  Just a warning in advance though.  I am going to be taking some before, during and after pictures.  The before pictures can be really scary.  For example, I am getting ready to head out to the back room.  I literally can't get into the room without stepping on books, toys and who knows what else.  It is a very scary room and can't believe I have let it go this long.  It is outside and I am a wimp to the weather so I have let the kids just make a mess of it.  I shouldn't say let as I discourage them from being in there, but I haven't made them take care of it either. 

Today I have already got a portion of the garden planted.  I have planted the stuff that can be planted before the last frost hits and hopefully it will come before they plants are up and then stay away until late Fall.  I will get a picture of this and then we will see the progress of the garden growing this year also.  Have a great day and off to do the Back Room.  Wish me luck that I don't get lost in the mess out there :)