Dealing With Kid Paper Clutter

Despite schools adopting more technology and digital instruction, there was still quite the avalanche of papers that came home daily with my kindergartners this school year.  As someone who doesn't like a lot of clutter, I made it my mission to stay on top of all the school papers this year.  I wanted to get some systems and routines in place that I can stick to throughout the rest of their school careers.  Having those routines and systems in place will cut down on some of the daily decision-making that can overwhelm me.

The first thing I have my kids do when they come home is to hang up their backpacks.  Adam added this set of hooks before the kids started preschool and they are still just as pretty and functional as the day he installed them.  After I get the kids settled with a snack, I go through their backpacks.  As they get older, they can do this step themselves.  But as kindergartners, I just do this for them.  I immediately put their lunch trays in the dishwasher and their lunch bags in the cabinet.  Then I take care of allllll the papers.  Lyla neatly placed all her papers in her folder each day, whereas Archer just wadded up his papers and shoved them in his bag.

 

From there, I put the papers in one of four places.  For papers that I needed to reference at a later date (like class newsletters, flyers about upcoming school events, or papers with login information) I clipped on the side of the refrigerator.  I just got two heavy duty metal magnetic clips and wrote each kid's name on one in Sharpie.  This way, I always knew where to find the important papers.  

Any schoolwork or artwork, I clipped onto our metal clothesline that lives in our kitchen.  I put this up when the kids were just babies and kept ripping their artwork off of the fridge.  It continues to be a great way to showcase all their creativity.  Since we can see it from our kitchen table, it serves as great talking points during dinner.  Adam and I can ask about their pieces and it helps jog the kids' memories about what they did in school each day.   

The other two places I put their daily papers in is the trash can or the recycle bin.  Sometimes we wound up with other kids' work or flyers that didn't really apply to us.  So those items immediately went into the recycle bin (paper, cardboard) or trash (things with stickers,tape or glitter can't be recycled.)

Eventually, our clothesline would get pretty full so I would pull everything down and sort through it.  I kept only the most precious items and threw away or recycled the rest.  Those few precious items went into a file box I keep in each of the kids' closets.  I put a file folder for each grade to keep just a few items for me to look through in the future and for the kids to have when they are older if they want them.  My mom asked me awhile back if I wanted several boxes of schoolwork of mine she saved and I just didn't.  I am not a sentimental person and just didn't want more stuff.  So keeping a small file box per kid seems manageable for me.  As I added more items to the file box, I would often get rid of items I had previously saved.  There is probably about 7-10 pieces I saved per kid from their kindergarten career.  One other thing I did was make up a sheet for each kid where I could include their picture and record their school, teacher, friends, favorite subject, favorite part of school, what job they want when they grow up and a place for their signature.  

Those simple steps really helped to combat all the school clutter this year.  It worked well, so I plan to continue when they move into first grade in the fall.  I'm sure this summer they will be creating far more artwork.  To manage all the artwork they create here at home, we have two places for them to keep their creations.  They each have an "art box" in their closet which is just a plastic lidded bin.  If it gets full, they have to go though it to make space for new creations. 

They also each have some wood strips with clips that Adam whipped up for them in their rooms.  They can display anything they want on here.  If definitely helps the kids to have some physical boundaries for places they can put their creations.  I'm sure as they get older and want to add posters to their walls, we'll revisit what we're doing now.  But as kids who can easily end up with twenty pages of artwork each day, this helps us to keep from drowning in paper.  And at this stage, their artwork is more about the process than the finished product.  I certainly encourage their creativity and provide lots of opportunities to make lots of different types of artwork.  

Hopefully these ideas can help out others who might be drowning in stacks of paper on their kitchen counters.  Best of luck to you in this never-ending battle against paper clutter!  

A Little Preschool Preparation

Somehow my children are old enough to go to preschool!  It is baffling to me because just yesterday they were unable to hold their own heads up.  Now they are ready to go to preschool without me.  I know that I will have a harder time adjusting than they will, so I am throwing myself into getting all the details sorted out.

One little detail I wanted to sort out was creating a place for Archer and Lyla to hang their backpacks.  I am all about every item in our home having a place to live.  You know, a place for everything and everything in its place.  I wanted it to be somewhere visible and somewhere Archer and Lyla can easily access.  That way they can be in charge of keeping track of their backpacks.  

I found the perfect spot for their backpacks right by our front door.  It was practically begging for some hooks!  I threw around the idea of just hanging some hooks directly into the drywall using some drywall anchors.  But my kids tend to be a little rough and I had visions of them tearing the hooks out of the wall the first time they picked up their backpacks.  So I decided a wood board behind the hooks was in order.  That way, the board could be directly screwed into the studs and the hooks could be directly screwed into the board.  

Lucky for me, I knew the perfect guy for the job.  Just look at how excited he is to have one more task added to his already lengthy to do list. 

Adam has lots of scrap wood lying around, so he found a piece of poplar that would do the trick.  I told him I just needed it cut down to size and stained, but he wouldn't stand for just that.  He had to add his woodworking skills to the job and decided to route the edges to give it some more character.  

Once the edges of the board were routed, he stained it using some old stain we already had on hand.  It's the same stain (General Finishes Gel Stain in Nutmeg) we used on our DIY growth ruler that we made several years ago.  Then he finished off the wood with a satin topcoat.  Once the board the was dry, he added the hooks and screwed the board right into the wall.  Two sets of screws went directly into the studs.  The far set of screws just went into the drywall, so Adam made sure to add some drywall anchors into the drywall before securing it to the wall.  To hide the screws, he added some wooden button plugs.  It turned out beautifully!   

The new set of hooks fits in nicely with the rest of our little makeshift command center.  The brass hooks tie in nicely with my thrifted brass mail center.  And I'll be sure to take a "First Day of Preschool" picture with the kids holding our letter board sign.  

We made sure to hang it at the perfect height for our kids.  They can easily hang up and take off their backpacks from the hooks.  I asked Adam to include four hooks so they would also have a place to hang a jacket or coat.  Having these hooks will help us keep track of the items they'll need to take to preschool and also foster some independence for Archer and Lyla.  They'll be in charge of hanging up their backpacks when they get home.  

We've got all the supplies we need and are ready to start preschool!  We even made sure to get their teacher a little something to let her know how much we appreciate her.  Our preschool made it easy for us by including a list of each teacher's favorites on their website.  So Archer and Lyla will be bringing their teacher a Target gift card and Snickers bars when they head to preschool.  They also each made a little card.  Having been a teacher before staying home with Archer and Lyla, I remember how much those small kindnesses are appreciated.  

Now we're all set for the start of preschool!  And I'll try my very best not to cry as I drop them off.  

Not Bad For A Pair Of Old Jeans

It's always a sad day when your favorite pair of jeans decide to give up on you.  I'm someone who finds a pair of jeans that I like and then I wear them every day until they start to fall apart.  When my latest pair of jeans decided to rip, I was about ready to find somewhere to recycle them.  But then I stopped and asked myself if I could use them for something else.  

I briefly looked at Pinterest for some inspiration and saw lots of clever ideas out there.  One idea that caught my eye was a tool belt.  Archer would love a tool belt!  I just cut around the waistband and back pockets.  The original waistband was obviously too big, so I trimmed off the excess and just cut a new button hole.  I didn't worry about finishing off the edges or anything.  

It was a hit with Archer!  He was so excited and couldn't get his tools in there fast enough.  He's worn it all morning and wouldn't take it off for rest time.  Not bad for a pair of old jeans!  

Of course I couldn't leave Lyla out.  I decided she would adore a purse, so I got to work piecing together the rest of my old jeans.  I didn't follow a tutorial or pattern; I just kept sewing random things together.  I used the denim from the legs to make the bulk of the purse and sewed on the little coin pocket to the front.  I braided some long strips together to make the handles.  Then I used some scraps of denim to make some cute flowers using this technique.      

While it's far from perfect and a little wonky, Lyla was delighted by it!  She told me it would be the perfect way to carry her night night (the blanket she sleeps with) so it wouldn't drag on the ground.  

Finally, I wanted to find something to do with all the leftover seams.  This idea caught my eye and I thought it would be perfect to use as a hot pad for hot pots and pans on the counter.  I only ended up with enough seams to make a coaster, but it still turned out pretty cute!  

Creating some new items for my kids was the perfect use of this rainy day!  And it was the perfect use of a pair of old jeans!  I really do enjoy doing crafts and putting my creativity to the test.  Doing these projects reminded me I need to make more time to do stuff like this.  It's important for Archer and Lyla to not only see me doing things I love, but to also model how to use our old items in new ways.   

I was also able to find another pair of my beloved jeans on Poshmark!  Poshmark is an online marketplace for secondhand items.  I found another pair of my exact jeans that had only been worn once and cost a fraction of what they would if I were to have bought them new!  Not too shabby. 

These Are My Confessions: Threenager Edition

I'm back with more confessions!  As the mom to two feisty three-year-olds, my parenting skills are tested daily.  I adore so many things about this age!  I can have some pretty in depth conversations with Archer and Lyla now.  They aren't shy about telling me how much they love me.  And I love watching their unique personalities develop.  But good grief do they know how to test my patience!  The speed at which they can switch from being happy-go-lucky to supremely pissed off makes my head spin.  So allow me to share some of my most recent confessions: 

I don't understand how they manage to always have their shoes on the wrong feet given the 50/50 shot they have of getting them on the correct feet.  I try to tell them to switch them around, but sometimes I just don't care.  If they wish to walk around with their feet feeling all funny, then who am I to judge?  This is not unique to shoes.  For instance, Archer and Lyla just checked the mail with me.  While they ran ahead of me, I noticed that Archer's pants and shirt were inside out and I'm pretty sure his underwear were on backwards.  And Lyla's shirt was on backwards too.  

Speaking of clothing, I've been known to ruin Lyla's whole day by picking out the wrong shirt for her to wear.  Sometimes if I just lay out an outfit, she'll put in on without complaint.  But heaven help me if I verbally ask if she'd like to wear a particular shirt.  Geez!  

I tell the kids how important it is to be honest and tell mommy when something happens.  But also, sometimes the grocery store inexplicably runs out of ingredients for cookies.  

 

I often wonder how my children can find a tiny green marble in an I Spy book, yet be completely oblivious to the socks directly in front of them when I'm asking them to put on their socks and shoes. 

I'm impressed with Archer and Lyla's willingness to own up to their behavior at this stage.  "Archer, why did you flip your mattress over?"  "I did."  "Lyla, why did you get water all over the living room carpet?"  "I did."  "Archer, why did you push your sister over?"  "I did."  I'm looking forward to hearing what reasons they come up with for their behavior in the future.    

I don't understand how they can make a mess out of anything.   A tiny nubbin of chalk can end up all over their outfit and face and hands.  One tiny insignificant puddle can result in an outfit change.

I've considered writing a parenting book.  I plan to have people ask me questions about their kids for me to answer.  Except my answer for every question will be, "It depends on the kid."  

When we were working on potty training, I bribed/positively-reinforced Lyla and Archer with candy when they went poop in the potty.  They still get candy every time they go poop.  I'm afraid of what will happen when I stop giving them candy. 

Apparently I say the following things on a regular basis, "Ope!"  "Whoopsy!"  "It's good to share."  "Maybe tomorrow."  

My neighbors probably think my children are insane with the amount of screaming that goes on while we're playing outside.  Luckily it's generally not me screaming.  Not usually.  

It takes so much freaking patience to let them do things by themselves!  I try really hard to let them be as independent as possible, but sometimes it makes me want to pull out all my hair.

I usually turn into a crazy person when I'm trying to take a picture these days.  My ornery children will not look at me when I'm trying to take their picture!  So I usually end up yelling, "Look at Mommy!  Please just for one second?"  And then I'll try to make a funny face or dance some sort of jig without making the camera wobble.  Yep, I'm sure I look ridiculous.  But I do have 1,347 pictures like the one below if anyone wants to see them.  

Archer and Lyla have these kitten Beanie Babies that they love.  They like to pretend they are the kittens and talk in the the most obnoxiously annoying high-pitched voices, because apparently that's how kittens would sound if they could speak.  They were driving me bonkers!  So I might have told Adam to hide the kittens while I distracted Lyla and Archer.  Then when they asked me where their kittens were, I might have said, "I don't know where you put your kittens."  *See previous confession about honesty.  

I have a new appreciation for pockets.  I don't think I ever used pockets before I had kids.  I didn't really even like to put my cell phone in my pocket.  But we recently went on a walk while I was wearing jeans and a jacket.  I had my keys, dog bones and two snack cups crammed in my jacket pockets.  And my jeans pockets featured my phone and wadded up toilet paper.  But my hands were free!  

My kids know me too well.  They know I'll always pick them up or snuggle if they ask.  Sometimes they will ask me to pick them up or they'll snuggle up in my lap only because they need a tissue and will proceed to wipe their nose the length of my arm.  

Sometimes my kids drive me so crazy that I don't speak to them as kindly as I should.  Then one of them will say, "Maybe you will feel better if I give you a kiss?"  And then my heart melts and I feel horribly guilty.  And they are completely right.  I do feel better after they give me a kiss.   

Choosing Secondhand First

In an effort to live more sustainably, I have been trying to choose secondhand items before buying new items.  Giving used items a second life prevents them from ending up in landfills and it saves me money too!  There are an overwhelming number of secondhand options out there.  It's been surprisingly easy to find specific, quality items. 

I also find myself enjoying secondhand items more than new items because they come with a history.  For example, the table Adam recently refinished for our kitchen was from his childhood.  We found out from his dad that it was actually bought in Guam, where his parents were stationed when Adam was born!  How fun is that?!  We also recently bought a Pottery Barn bed for Archer on Facebook Marketplace.  After talking with the sellers, we learned it had been their 15 year old son's childhood bed.  It made me happy to know it would continue on in another little boy's life and I think it made the sellers feel better knowing it would live on as well.

My goal in sharing about my love of buying pre-loved items is to help normalize secondhand shopping.  Secondhand items often get a bad rap.  People tend to assume they somehow have lesser quality and there's a social stigma for using secondhand items.  I grew up going to garage sales with my mom and getting hand-me-downs from my cousin Becky.  I've appreciated those items just as much (often even more!) than new items I've received.  

Here are some of my favorite ways to get excellent-quality secondhand items: 

My Buy Nothing Group 

I recently came across something called The Buy Nothing Project.  The mission of the project states: "We offer people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide network of hyper-local gift economies in which the true wealth is the web of connections formed between people who are real-life neighbors."  Basically, you can join a group (the groups are on Facebook at this time, though they are working on a separate app) based on where you live.  Once you've joined a group, you can gift items you no longer need or want or ask for things you do need or want.  It's such a special way to connect with your neighbors.  

I have been able to pass along a lot stuff I wasn't using and give it to people who could actually use it.  I have also greatly benefited from my neighbors' generosity!  I have asked for and received tomato cages for my garden, a mini muffin pan, a shepherd's hook for my hummingbird feeder, dresses, doll clothes, board games and more!  The gratitude piece of the project really makes the group special.  I shared some of Archer's pajamas that he outgrew with someone in our group.  She sent me a picture of her son wearing Archer's outgrown pajamas and it warmed my heart so much!

My enthusiastic participation in the group led me to become one of the group admin.  I highly encourage you to see if there's a group in your area.  And if there's not, consider starting one yourself or with a fellow neighbor!  

Facebook Marketplace

I've also had a lot of luck buying items on Facebook Marketplace.  Almost all of the people I've bought from have been good at communicating, priced things fairly and were honest about the items' conditions.  I typically pay attention to the seller's ratings and am not afraid to ask questions about the items.  I always ask if the items come from a smoke-free home.  I ask specific questions about the item's condition (for example, are there any rips, stains, scratches, etc.)  Facebook Marketplace is a great way to find toys and other kids' items since kids tend to outgrow items well before they outwear them.  I bought snow pants for the kids this winter.  I've also gotten tons of toys, usually in like-new condition.  I even gave the kids some "like new" Melissa & Doug floor puzzles for Christmas that I found on Facebook Marketplace.  I will usually check Facebook Marketplace first before I consider buying something at a store and usually I can find it!  Archer wanted a bike basket for his bike and I found one for a couple bucks.  I also found twin sheet sets for the kids' new big kid beds.  I'm not afraid to buy anything that can be washed in the washing machine or thoroughly cleaned by hand.  So far I've only bought items that I can pick up locally, though many sellers offer shipping.  

Thred-Up

I tried to limit the number of public places I went this past year due to the pandemic.  That meant shopping for clothes in stores was off the table for awhile.  I tried out Thred-Up and was happily surprised with the results.  Thred-Up is an online consignment store that has secondhand clothes and accessories for women and kids.  It's easy to find what you're looking for using their filters.  Lyla liked a particular brand of jeans, so I was able to find some in the next size up for her.  I also bought a few tops from there for myself.  Buying clothes online is always gamble and you're never quite sure how they'll fit.  Most of the items have a restocking fee of $1.99 if you want to return something.  So I tried to buy only brands that I knew typically fit me well.  Some of the items seem a little high-priced for me, but you can usually find some promo codes to help bring the cost down.  It's certainly not as cheap as some options, but it made for a fun way to get some new clothing items during a pandemic!     

Thrift Stores and Consignment Stores

I am so excited to hit up thrift stores again once I reach full immunity from my COVID vaccine!  I adore thrift stores and it feels like going on a treasure hunt every time I go.  I have gotten quite a few items for my kitchen from thrift stores.  Some of my favorite Pyrex mixing bowls came from thrift stores, along with some very cute cloth napkins.  I also found a gem of a clothing thrift store that I love to get items from.  It's the Savers in Overland Park, KS, if you are in the Kansas City area.  It's kept clean and well-organized.  I've gotten quite a few clothing items for myself and the kids from there.  

Speaking of kids' clothing, my favorite place to get kids' clothing from is Once Upon A Child.  It's a kids' consignment store and they have locations all over the place.  The prices are very reasonable and the clothing is always in very good shape.  We've been super fortunate to have hand-me-downs for Lyla.  (My cousin Becky has two girls and have generously clothed Lyla for her entire life!  This is the same cousin who shared her hand-me-downs with me!)  The majority of Archer's wardrobe has come from this store.  

I've never gotten into selling our used items, but a lot of people do so.  You can sell your kiddo's outgrown clothes and use the money you earn to buy them the next size up!  

The Library

While libraries aren't technically "secondhand," they do offer many resources that you can take advantage of, along with your community members.  

Libraries hold such a special place in my heart.  I remember my mom taking me to the Topeka Public Library and bookmobile as a child to check out books.  I worked at the Columbia Public Library while I was in high school and college.  I helped out at a middle school library for a couple years.  Reading and books are just plain magic and I love that libraries offer up all sorts of these precious resources to their communities for free!  I'm not someone who typically reads books more that once, so checking out books from the library is the perfect option for me.  I read every night before I go to bed, so I always have a stack of library books on my nightstand.  I also still have a DVD player and check out all sorts of DVDs from the library.

Since Archer and Lyla have stopped being so rough on their books (for the most part) we've taken full advantage of checking out all sorts of books from the library.  Public libraries tend to have extensive, diverse, inclusive collections.  It's so important to me that Lyla and Archer are exposed to all sorts of different people, cultures and lifestyles, so we check out a vast array of library books all the time!  

Most public libraries have all sorts of kids' programs (though many are virtual now), like story time and concerts.  They offer up adult programming, like computer literacy and classes led by local business leaders.  They offer assistance for English-language learners.  They have licenses for many online newspapers that you can access with your library card.  The resources they offer their communities just goes on and on!  I definitely encourage you to utilize your public library to access all sorts of resources!  

Choosing secondhand items has had a positive effect on Archer and Lyla.  They are just as happy to receive a secondhand item as they are a new item.  I find that they are happy to share their own items with others easily.  When I told Lyla that my friend was going to have a new baby, she excitedly ran up to her room to get some of her baby doll clothes to share with the new baby.  They see Adam and I setting out items for others to pick up and they are internalizing the importance of sharing our abundance with others.  

While I certainly don't buy everything secondhand, I definitely try to look for secondhand options first.  It's good for the environment and it's good for my wallet!  Happy (Secondhand) Shopping! 

Three and a Half Years!

I start every single one of these posts the same, but I can't believe Archer and Lyla are already three and a half years old!  They are both growing like weeds and reading stories to them while they're both on my lap is tricky since I can't see over their heads anymore!  But I still manage.  I will let them sit on my lap as long as they like.  

They are both happy and thriving, despite spending the majority of the past year without seeing any other kids.  I have worried so much about their social development and how much they are missing out by us trying to do our part to end the pandemic.  I am so incredibly thankful they have each other.  They continue to practice (though not always successfully) sharing, being kind to each other, taking turns and creatively playing together.  Their relationship continues to blossom and they truly do love each other and enjoy spending time together.  Their favorite things to do lately are run around the house with their Paw Patrol toys, singing at the top of their lungs, riding their big kid bikes, doing any sort of craft and making tents out of blankets.  

They continue to have hardy appetites and I can tell exactly when it's time for a snack or meal based solely on their level of crabiness.  In an effort to think of things that are fun and can be done while still "staying away from germs," I took them to the donut store drive thru for donuts and the Starbucks drive thru for cake pops.  So now each and every time we get in the car, they request we go get a donut or cake pop.  I have to break their hearts quite often.  

We've kept our local library branch busy by placing lots of holds on books.  Picking them up at the drive thru window is a very exciting activity.  It's really important to me that Lyla and Archer be exposed to all kinds of cultures, lifestyles, people and experiences through reading.  So we get a wide variety of books and devour them all!  Both Archer and Lyla are starting to tell me what kinds of books they are interested in and I make sure to honor their choices.  I feel pretty clueless about being a parent when it comes to many topics, but I feel confident that I'm doing everything I can to help them grow into lifelong readers.   

We drive around looking for empty playgrounds several times a week.  Archer and Lyla love playgrounds!  And they are at the point where I don't have to constantly follow them around to make sure they don't get hurt on any of the equipment.  They also enjoy walking on trails and I can still convince them to hop in the stroller for a ride around the neighborhood.  I know my walks with the stroller are limited, so I'm trying to savor each and every one.  More often than not, they want to ride their bikes while we take Jazzy for her daily walk.  Now it's more like a daily run to keep up with Lyla and Archer, but they do a really good job of stopping before they cross any streets and waiting for me and Jazzy to catch up.  Grandma and Grandpa got them a new swing, rings and a trapeze bar to replace their baby swings on their swing set Adam built them.  It won't be long before they are jumping off the swing!  

Archer continues to be very active and agile.  He's constantly climbing and jumping off of things.  He loves to run around outside.  He also enjoys digging up the grass in the yard with his construction vehicles and digging in the mulch in the flower beds, despite how many times we tell him not to.  Archer is a big fan of his fire truck and ambulance, along with all of his other cars and trucks.  And he loves building complex train tracks with Adam.  Lately, Archer has been very interested in helping me cook and will tell me "I saved you a spot" when he wants me to sit next to him on the couch.  

Archer has started virtually visiting with a speech and language pathologist weekly.  He is working on a few sounds and loves getting to see his speech teacher each week on the computer.  He's also excited to complete his speech homework each week and we've definitely seen some progress in the short time he's had his visits.  We are very grateful our Parents As Teachers educator caught these speech concerns early and has helped get Archer the resources he needs to be as successful as he can be with speech.  We're hoping these early interventions will get him back on track before he starts kindergarten.  

Archer is such a sweet, silly, generally easy-going kid.  I love hearing him belt out his version of Paper Route's Tiger Teeth.  He still willingly gives me hugs and kisses.  I adore watching him continue to grow up!  

Lyla continues to know exactly what she wants and generally knows how to get it.  She's not afraid to show her sassy side!  She's also incredibly empathetic and loves to talk about how important it is to be kind and share.  Lyla is incredibly independent.  She loves to pick out her outfit each morning and enjoys vetoing any options I present to her.  She can get her coat zipped by herself and fasten buttons.  Lyla also loves to dress her baby dolls in all sorts of ensembles.  I've taken advantage of her independence and have her help me out with a variety of tasks like getting ingredients from the fridge while I'm cooking, feeding Jazzy her dinner and helping me vacuum.  

Adam and I have to be very careful what we say around Lyla these days.  She likes to pay very close attention to what we're talking about and asks all sorts of clarifying questions.  Lyla enjoys building tall towers and playing with her many stuffed animals these days.  Just the other morning she tucked her stuffed giraffe in bed with Adam while he was sleeping in and it melted my heart.  

Lyla is strong-willed, but kind.  I like to imagine she'll be the kind of person who gets what she wants out of life and will stand up for others.  When I ask her for a kiss these days, she'll give me her cheek.  But she's more than happy to snuggle up with me when I ask.  

These beautiful little people bring me so much joy and excitement (and exhaustion and frustration, if I'm being honest.)  Archer and Lyla continue to teach me as much as I (hopefully) teach them.  It's a privilege to watch them continue to grow up and I truly love my role as their mom.  

Making Over My Living Room For Free!

Spending more time at home during this pandemic has made me a little stir-crazy!  It's been trickier to try to find things to do to keep myself entertained.  While I was sitting on our couch the other day watching Cocomelon for the thousandth time, it dawned on me that I should rearrange my living room!  I realized that as soon as you walk into our living room, the first thing that stands out is the TV.  While it lives on a very cute cabinet, it's still not the prettiest thing to look at upon walking into my living room.  So the gears started turning in my head and I considered what it might look like if I swapped where the couch and the TV cabinet were situated.  I decided a nice view of the couch would be more welcoming than the TV.  

So I whipped out my measuring tape and measured our sofa table and couch to make sure it would fit beside the fireplace.  According to my measurements, it would just fit.  Now, I'm a very visual person.  I typically need to see something in person before I make a decision about it.  So it was a little bit risky to swap around my whole living room on a whim.  Switching things up meant I'd also have to move artwork, fill in nail holes and repaint.  Plus, I'd have to deal with all those cords behind the TV cabinet.  After hemming and hawing about it for a few days, I decided to just go for it.  What else did I have to do?   

So while Adam gave the kids a bath, I got to work.  I decided our couch cushion covers could use a good cleaning while I was at it.  Luckily they are removable, so I took all those off (along with Archer and Lyla's chair covers) and started the laundry.  Then I got to work doing the heavy lifting. 

While moving around the couch and TV cabinet, I took the opportunity to give the carpets a good vacuuming and I dusted all the baseboards.  I thought my house was clean, but my baseboards behind the couch told a different story!    

It was at this point in the evening, when I started to regret my decision to rearrange.  But I continued on!  

As I got the sofa table and couch in their new home, things started to fall into place.  I knew it was the right call and was glad to have made the switch!  Even without all the cushions on the couch, it seemed so much more welcoming!  (You know, for all the guests we have these days.)

Once the couch cushion covers were dry, I wrangled those back on the cushions.  Boy, was that a job!  I was sweating by the end of that task.  I also plan to never remove those covers from Lyla and Archer's chairs ever again.  I think I burned 1,000 calories trying to get them back on!  

But let's take a look at some before and afters so you can see what I'm talking about: 

So much better, right? 

I took advantage of some more space in the corner next to the TV cabinet to make a little reading nook for Archer and Lyla.  I tucked in their chairs and toy basket to make them a space all their own.  While Lyla and Archer have free reign of the living room, it is nice to have their chairs and toys tucked into the corner.  Plus, it gives them more room to spin around and dance and build train tracks.  Archer and Lyla have certainly taken full advantage of all the new space! 

Adam and the kids were happy with the changes, but poor Jazzy took some time getting used to the new setup!  She had a designated spot on the couch where she would look out the window.  I moved her blanket over to the other window, but she wasn't too excited about her new perch.  The day after I rearranged, I would find Jazzy in a different spot on the couch each time I walked into the living room.  She couldn't quite figure out where she was supposed to sit! 

But some treats helped her get it all sorted out.  I'm sure she'll have a Jazzy-sized dent in this new couch cushion in no time at all. 

So there you have it!  I completely transformed our living room without spending a dime!  So if you're bored like me, wander around your house and try to find a room to tackle.  Even sitting on the couch now makes me feel like I have a whole new point of view.  Happy rearranging! 

Three Years!

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but Archer and Lyla turned three years old on August 3rd!  It still baffles me that my sweet teeny tiny babies are now full-fledged three-year-olds!

Just as surprised as I am to have two three-year-olds, it's even more surprising to have two three-year-olds in the middle of a pandemic!  We are extremely fortunate to be in the position we are in.  I get to stay home with Archer and Lyla, while Adam gets to work from home.  We have a roof over our heads and plenty of food to eat.  We've been very careful and have made every effort to keep our family safe during this crazy time.  Archer and Lyla haven't been to any stores or public places since March, with the exception of some nature trails and empty parking lots to ride their tricycles.  We're very lucky Lyla and Archer are still young enough to not really grasp what's happening and just how small their little worlds have shrunk.  And I am so happy they have each other to play with and continue to grow their social skills.  I keep reminding myself this is a temporary situation, but I'd be lying if I said we weren't suffering from cabin fever.  

Craziness aside, both Archer and Lyla are thriving.

Both are incredibly active and like to play "little monkeys jumping on the bed" (and couch and ottoman and hammock...)  They enjoy racing and chasing each other and avoiding near catastrophic injuries an insane amount of times each day.  They are professionals at getting stains on their clothes and are quite skilled at finding even the smallest trace of mud.        

They both still adore reading, which is no surprise since I read to the kids every day and Adam and I make sure the kids get to enjoy books before bedtime each night.  I would be lying if I said I'm sad when they pick the short ones.  Both Lyla and Archer have mastered their alphabet, both lowercase and uppercase letters.  They have even learned what sounds each letter makes and several words beginning with each letter.  I wish I could take credit for these newfound skills, but they just enjoy watching educational shows on Netflix. 

They've each memorized several books apiece and like to "read" them to us.  I still have to brush away a little tear each and every time they do.  I love how much they love reading.  They miss going to story time at the library and picking out books to check out at the library, but we've taken full advantage of curbside pickup to bring some new reading material into our home.  

I adore how their relationship continues to deepen.  Of course they have their squabbles and there's a lot of "NO, MINE!" being shouted every day, but they do truly love each other.  I catch little moments of their love all the time, of course never when I have my phone handy to record it.  If one falls down outside, the other runs over to offer a helping hand to pull them back up.  If one gets a boo boo while playing in their rooms, I'll hear the other one ask where they need a kiss.  Archer climbed in his swing the other day and I looked over to see Lyla pushing him.  Lyla said she was sad the other day and Archer retrieved her night night (aka her blanket) saying "this will make you feel better."  There's a part of me that's sorry they will never get the chance to be an older brother and sister, but then I remind myself that they have a connection that not every kid gets to have.     

 

Archer is a wild man and rarely sits still.  Even when we're sitting together reading a book, he squirms and wiggles and has smacked me in the nose on more than one occasion.  He will snuggle with me when he first wakes up for approximately 30 seconds and I eat up every second of it.  He does like to give us kisses and hugs and his little arms wrapped around my neck are pure magic.  He enjoys making tracks for his trains and playing with his cars and trucks.  Archer loves to sing songs and I often hear him singing different tunes over the monitor when he should be napping.  His naps are few and far between these days, but I still make him go up to his room to "rest."  He'll still come up to me and say, "you snuggle me?" and it just melts my heart.  I love him so stinking much.  

Lyla continues to be confident and knows exactly what she wants.  She doesn't always get it, which can lead to some screaming from time to time.  Generally speaking, she's a happy girl and her favorite thing to do these days is take care of her baby dolls.  She's a very good mommy and even requires that Adam or I help her put on her baby's pajamas each night before we put Lyla to bed. Lyla is always very curious about what I'm cooking for dinner.  She'll wander in the kitchen and smile at me and I will give her a little bite of whatever I'm cooking.  She also always asks to help stir if I'm mixing something up.  She's very adventurous with her eating and will try just about anything.  She's been waking up in the middle of the night lately calling for me.  Even though I yawn a bit more these days, I don't really mind rocking her in the middle of the night.  I know some day she'll be too big to rock with me, so I'm trying to just eat it up while I can.  

They both got new big kid bicycles with training wheels for their birthday (thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!) since they have mastered their tricycles.  Archer has taken off on riding his, but still needs to practice with the brakes!  It's a workout when he rides his bike!  Lyla has been more cautious with riding her new bike and still prefers her tricycle, which works out for me so I can run after Archer.

I decided to record a birthday interview of each of them and hope to keep the tradition alive in years to come.  They didn't exactly sit still or answer the questions as thoughtfully as I had hoped, but here they are in all their glory:  

Archer's Interview

Lyla's Interview

Celebrating their birthday this year amidst the Coronavirus pandemic was a far cry from our celebrations in years past.  Adam and I didn't feel comfortable with a big family get-together this year, so we spread out their birthday celebrations.  Two weeks before their birthday, we celebrated with my parents.  We had a small party with some low-key decorations and games.  I raided the recycling bin and made a coconut tree similar to the one from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and let the kids run around the house finding letters to put in the tree.  We enjoyed some pizza for lunch and cupcakes after singing "Happy Birthday!"  Both Archer and Lyla were quite adamant that I make them chocolate cupcakes with blue icing for Archer and pink icing for Lyla.  I was more that happy to oblige.    

Adam and I celebrated with the kids on their actual birthday.  The weather was unseasonably cool, so we took full advantage and went to a walk on a nature trail.  The trail is close to some train tracks, so we got to see a real train, which added to their excitement.  We went through the drive-thru at Lion's Choice and brought home lunch which we ate picnic-style on our front lawn.  After lunch they had a socially-distanced visit from their Grandpa Dave and Sherry.  Archer and Lyla were very happy to see them, but were bummed when we had to remind them we couldn't hug them.  They requested stroganoff and broccoli for dinner, so stroganoff and broccoli they got.  

This past weekend Lyla and Archer got to have yet another birthday party with Nana and Ted!  The kids are obsessed with watching the video of them hunting for Easter eggs, so I decided to let them hunt for some eggs during this birthday celebration.  Not your traditional birthday activity, but it made them happy.  

I love these little knuckleheads so very much and am so lucky to be their mom!  Watching them grow and learn is truly an honor.  I can't wait to see what this next year will bring for them!