Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Today I am going to tackle my winter clothes boxes.  I HAVE to get them sorted and put away...before next winter. 
*As you know, in Minnesota, it could be winter in four short months!*

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Today I get to perm my Grandma's hair.


(Isn't she cute??  Grandpa is, too!)

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Today I am going to tackle....


business calls.

My house is a horrible mess and I don't think that I will ever finish my laundry.

Today, however, is committed to business calls.

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

I have been busy doing stuff away from home for the past two weeks, so this week's tackle is all about my family.

I plan to tackle all of our laundry!

(The never ending pile of laundry.)

(How do you get rid of your "never ending pile of laundry"?
One load at a time!)

What are you tackling?

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

FINALLY TACKLED!!

My blog has been redecorated!!
YIPPEE!!

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

My tackle this week is to change the background of my blog.
I am not loving this Easter background.

I am on the hunt for a Spring webset that I love.
Any suggestions?

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

We are having my extended family out on Saturday for our first ever family game day.
My tackle this week is to get my house cleaned and ready for company.
(This seems to be my standard tackle lately.)

Here is my list:

• vacuum and dust the living room
• vacuum and dust the dining room
• organize the kids' homeschool books
• clean out the main floor toy box - put toys in the proper bedrooms
• clean out underneath the couches
  
• clean the kitchen counters and bars (the never ending piles)
• wash the kitchen floor
• clean the main floor bathroom
• vacuum and dust the exercise room
• have the kids clean their bedrooms
• have the kids vacuum and dust their bedrooms
• clean my bedroom (the catch-all room)
• vacuum and dust my bedroom
• vacuum and dust the stairway
• vacuum the main floor hallway
• vacuum the upstairs hallway
• have Adrian put the clothes boxes in the basement (still not done)
• buy food for game day
• clean out the game closet

UPDATE:
I got most of my list done.
YIPPEE!!
Family game day was very fun!

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

It would definitely take me less time to share what I did get done from last week's tackle than to share what I didn't get done...because I only got one thing done.  The kids and I had a sock matching party!  (It was really fun...all the neighbors were jealous.  We had lots of socks all over the floor and "Deal or No Deal" on the TV.)

I thought I had completed a tackle from two weeks ago, only to discover I hadn't.  I thought I had gone through all of our kids' clothes, but my husband found bags and bags of clothes in the basement while trying to organize our shelves to make room for the boxes I had completed.  Instead of finding a place to store our clothes, I sorted through the bags and boxed them up by sex and size. 




We still have to find somewhere to put all of the boxes....even after my husband spent hours trying to make room in the basement.
(Who knew that having seven kids would mean so many extra clothes!?!)

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Last week I had a long list of things that I wanted to get done.
I didn't get everything done.

This week I have an equally long list because of the unfinished things from last week's tackle.
This week I want to:

• Find out how/where to sell my unused curriculum.
• Choose and order a new grammar  curriculum.
• Schedule an appointment to get our family photos taken.
• Schedule an eye appointment for myself.
• Have a "sock matching party" with the kids.
• Find a place in the basement for our, now organized, clothes boxes.

I am hoping that everything will be crossed off of my list this week!!

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Today I am posting a tackle for the week.

This week I am going to:

• Transfer all of our too small & too big kids' clothes from plastic bags to plastic bins.
• Transfer all of my maternity clothes from my closet floor to plastic bins.
• Figure out where/how to sell my unused homeschool curriculum.
• Schedule Ayden's 2 month well check.
• Choose & order a new grammar curriculum.
• Schedule an appointment to get family photos taken.
• Schedule an eye appointment for myself.

I will cross off my tackles as they are completed!
Hopefully everything will be crossed off by next Tuesday.

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Adrian and I have decided that it is far past time that we get ourselves healthy.

We invested in two pieces of equipment to help us -

an elliptical and an exercise bike.

My tackle this week is to get a good start on getting healthy.

I plan to:

• set my weight goals
• find several healthy recipes to try with my family
• establish a healthy exercise routine
• encourage Adrian in becoming more healthy

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

I am back on the "Tackle it Tuesday" bandwagon.
Yippee!!
(There is nothing like making chores blog-worthy.)

Today I am going to tackle:

• Kai's home therapy appointment
• Ayden's home health nurse visit
• 3-4 loads of laundry
• clean out main floor toy box - take toys that do't belong to their proper places
• look at new character curriculum
• clean my bedroom (again!) - my room seems to be the "catch all room"

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

This week I have a huge tackle.
We are hosting my extended families' Christmas at my house on Sunday, so I have a lot to get done.
Sigh....
Last week's tackle was much more fun --
we were busy welcoming Baby Ayden home.
Awww....

This week I need to tackle:

• Clean the kitchen and wash the floor.
• Clean the dining room and wash the floor.
• Clean the living room and wash the floor.
• Clean the sitting room and wash the floor.
• Clean and scrub the main floor bathroom.
• Clean the main floor hallway and wash the floor.
• Vacuum and dust the stairway/stairs.
• Vacuum upstairs hallway.
• Clean my bedroom.
• Vacuum and dust my bedroom.
• Clean and scrub my bathroom.
• Clean and scrub the girls' bathroom.
• Clean and scrub the boys' bathroom.
  
• Have the kids clean garbage out of the yard.
• Have Adrian and the kids clean off the back porch.
• Have Adrian carry Chloie's old crib, and the extra crib, to the basement.
• Have Adrian break apart and burn the boys' old bunkbeds.
  
• Put a curtain up in unfinished laundry room doorway.
• Water dying/dead houseplants.

The kids' rooms are clean!!  WOO HOO!!
The attic stairway is clean and vacuumed!  Another WOO HOO!
The attic is clean!!  Yet another WOO HOO!!

Add to my list:

• Keep up daily household chores.
• Nurse Ayden every 2-4 hours.
• Change 300+ diapers daily.

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Today my tackle is to finish up a few things a lot of things before the baby comes.

• I need to finish my nesting tackle. 

Here is my newest list:

1. clean off kitchen counters (again)
   
2. scrub kitchen floor (again)
   
3. scrub living room, dining room, sitting room, and hallway floors
4. dust living room, dining room, sitting room, and hallway
5. clean out living room toy box
   
6. clean and organize boys' bedroom
7. clean boys' bathroom
   
8. dust and vacuum boys' bedroom
9. clean and organize toy room
10. dust and vacuum toy room
11. vacuum attic stairs
12. dust and vacuum main floor stairs and stair rail
13. organize homeschool stuff (again)
    
14. clean and organize my bedroom
15. dust and vacuum my bedroom
16. dust and vacuum girls' bedroom (again)
17. clean girls' bathroom
    
18. dust and vacuum Kai's bedroom (again)
19. clean Kai's bathroom
    
20. dust and vacuum Chloie's bedroom (again)
21. clean Chloie's bathroom
22. clean main floor bathroom
23. clean and vacuum upstairs hallway
    
24. find and wash bassinet
25. find and clean up baby swing

• finish buying a few Christmas gifts for friends and family
• finish buying kids' stocking stuffers
  
• bake cookies and breads for friends and family
• pack a labor/delivery suitcase to have ready for when it's "time"
• sort and wash laundry

Hopefully I will be back on soon with finished photos.  I think I will be busy most of the week.

What are you tackling?

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

Today I have to tackle Christmas cookies -- LOTS of them -- for a cookie exchange at my friend, Theresa's house.

Here are a few of the yummy recipes I will be using:

Brownie Crinkles

1 package fudge brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fat-free, cholesterol-free egg product OR 1 egg
1/2 cup powdered sugar


1. Heat oven to 350º. Grease cookie sheet. Mix brownie mix (dry), water and egg product with spoon about 50 strokes or until well blended.

2. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Roll in powdered sugar.

3. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.


Amish Christmas Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light molasses
1 egg, beaten
4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in molasses and eggs.

3. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into molasses-egg mixture. Roll out dough on lightly floured board and cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

4.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.


Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

* 1 cup butter
    * 2 cups granulated sugar
    * 2 eggs, well beaten
    * 2 tablespoons milk
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 3 cups flour
    * 2 teaspoons baking powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * granulated sugar

PREPARATION:
Cream butter; beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla extract; stir to blend. Combine and sift flour, baking powder, and salt; add gradually to creamed mixture, mixing thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place 2" apart on greased baking sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass that's been greased and dipped in granulated sugar. Bake at 375̊ for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to racks immediately to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen Christmas cookies.

I am still working on my nesting tackle, as well.  (Where IS that bassinet, anyway?)

What are you TACKLING?

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

My tackle this week is a continuation of my last tackle -- NESTING.

Here is what I have finished so far:
The sitting room.

Kai's bedroom

Chloie's bedroom

Abbie and Phoebie's bedroom

I also managed to go through all of our winter coats, snowpants, hats, gloves, and boots.  I have a list of who needs what, and plan to have all of the kids set for winter by the end of the weekend.

Rooms left to be done:

• living room

• dining room/homeschool room

• kitchen

• Ike and Gabe's bedroom

• play room

• my bedroom

• upstairs hallway

To see more tackles, click HERE.

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

• Living room
  
• Dining room / homeschool room
• Sitting room
• Kitchen
• Main floor bathroom
• Main floor hallway
• Chloie's bedroom & bathroom
  
• Malakai's bedroom & bathroom
  
• Abbie and Phoebie's bedroom & bathroom
  
• Ike and Gabe's bedroom & bathroom
  
• My bedroom & bathroom - bassinet cleaned and in place; baby clothes washed and ready.
• Upstairs hallway
• Attic playroom
• Infant stuff cleaned and ready - baby swing, car seat, etc...

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

My tackle this week is laundry.
Now, I know what you are thinking... 
I tackle laundry EVERY week!!
This week is different -
I don't have a dryer and have to hang my laundry outside on the line.

Note:
The average morning temperature in Minnesota has been 25-30 degrees, the average afternoon temperature has been 40-45 degrees.  Burrr......

And....
I keep losing clothespins in the leaves.
See how that could happen??

I sure hope that my husband's tackle this weekend will be to fix my dryer!!
Boy do I love that invention!

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

AT LAST!!  I got it done!!
My tackle from over a month ago is complete!!
(Click here to see the "before" pictures.)
My dining room / homeschool room is clean.



(You don't see the hangers in the doorway...  Those aren't really there.  I am doing laundry, but I am sure that I took those down for the photos!)

Whew!  It feels so good to be done with this tackle! 

What will I tackle next week?.....
Chloie's bedroom, maybe. 

Posted in Tackle it Tuesday

I have yet to finish my tackle from several weeks ago.
*Embarrassed smile*
I have had two sick babies for much of the week.
Soooo.......
My tackle today is.......


.......taking care of Chloie and Malakai.

Please send up a prayer for complete healing for my family.
We are passing a bug around and we need it out of our house!
Thank you!