Full Spaces

Ever tried to move four people into an already crowded 1200 square feet. Yup, I'm still shifting and will be for some time. Kirk said it's a good time to sort through things and eliminate. Good idea in theory I'd just like to know exactly how to fit it in between breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper and the pile of laundry mounting up each day. We have a three year old beauty queen in our mist who walks down the runway, a... hallway, numerous times a day in a different outfit. She is also a color artist, yup so far she's managed to color the television, the stove front, the table the... Would love to figure out how to keep her under control. Don't tell me leave crayons on the table with a large sheet of paper, tried that. We've had art projects every day and still... If you manage to keep the monkey out of the pens and crayons then she moves on to toothpaste, and anything else that can be smeared. So I'm calling on all mothers and grandmas out there, help!!!, I need solutions I kind of liked my decore the way it is.

It's funny how fast the organizational things I did with our children I'm wanting back. The six towels in one bathroom and the four in the other that I picked up today to put in the laundry has got to change. Color coordinated towels are going to make a come back. I bought two different shades of purple ones for the girls a few years ago for their house and we'll have to get those so the girls can re-use the towels two or three times for baths before I have to wash them. Then we need different style of glasses for each person so they can be used all day keeping the clutter of numerous glasses off the counters and I wondering which one is who's. I'll wash them each night and have them ready for the next day.

Then we'll move on to the scheduling. Each person will need to have a different color on the dry erase board and calendar so we can tell with a glance who has something on that day. For instance blue is for the oldest grandchild, red for the middle child, the youngest will skip a color since she won't have outside activities, so their mom can have the green color. With the color denoting who the name can be skipped saving space on the little squares on the calendar.

Swimming lessons 2:00 pm

that would be for the oldest for example would be on Tuesday and Thursday space on the calendar

ballet 4:00

for the middle granddaughter would be on the Wednesday space on the calendar

In this manner it takes up less space because you don't have to put their name down. Also the kids can tell at a glance they have something on that day.

Menus will once more become a big deal and careful grocery lists. Certain days I do the laundry, clean the bathrooms etc. will have to become more rigid. There is no way I can do a one two clean on the house again in one day with the munchins. Many other chores will appear on a regular basis that was only done once in a while like washing the glass on the bookcase and the television where hand prints regularly appear now. Charts for chores will go up for the kids and livestock chores well it will be interesting but I have had our daughter bring the child backpack carrier.

I'm sure I'll learn as I go along but grandmas who've had grandkids come back to live with them, I need ideas on how to adjust to a greater work load with a lower amount of energy. Our daughter has found work and today is her first day so we will begin to be able to schedule our lives. I can already see naps are going to be a challenge with all of the munchkins sleeping in the same room.

As for emotional adjustmens so far the middle child has requested pictures of her family which include her Uncle Kalob and Aunt Toni, Grandma and Grandpa on her bedroom walls so we've gotten the pictures ready and they'll go up today. I'm glad they each have nap quilts that I've made to snuggle under and luckily they have beds here that they've always slept and since they are bunk beds. They are way cool or so they think. The littlest one is in a toddler bed. Easter was scaled down as much as needed done but none the less it was a delightful day.

Chicks are scheduled to start to hatch tomorrow and seeds starts in the basement are in bad need of repotting. I plan on tonight beginning to work on posts telling you what plans for spring I'm in the middle of. They have somewhat changed too but a smaller garden is not one of them. It will need to be as large as ever. So I'll get back to you soon but he kids are needing a walk their Aunt Toni who is visiting with us can use a break.