Kidnapped!

I kidnapped, Prince Charming and took him into the basement so that we could do something  have been wanting to do for a while . . . go through all our books and novels!  Today we did all the novels and next we will go through all the hardcover books and other reference books.  I am so proud of Prince Charming, he was willing to get rid of SEVEN boxes of books!  I am amazed.  That will make seven less books to carry onto the bus and seven less boxes of books to try to find a home for in our new home.  And the local used bookstore will benefit from having seven boxes for free that they can add to their shelves.

New . . .

I tried a new way of approaching things with this move.  I attacked the corners and closets that scared me the most first.  Those places that are full of storage and who knows what bits and bobs, that take forever to go through . . . I did those first.  Those easier areas that were a simple matter of putting everything in a box, no matter what it is, those areas I did later.  That way, I am not finally getting at the hard areas when I am exhausted and tired and don't feel like going through them.

When I did that in the past, I ended up just putting everything in boxes and not going through them at all.  This new house has less space to store things, so this is a perfect time, to whittle down my piles and only keep the things that are important to us.  In the last two weeks, I have donated 5 bags of things to a local charity and thrown out at least 24 bags of garbage (I lost count at that point, there may be more).  I felt no need to be weighed down by all those papers and junk that I have no use for.

I also went through our holiday decorations, got rid of some old and worn ones that had no sentimental value, so another bag of garbage there.  I put all the things I wanted to keep in plastic containers, that will be easy to recognize when I am looking for them and will also keep them safe.

I truly feel like we will be prepared long in advance.  Everything seems to be falling in line:

1. I have a place to live
2. I have electricity arranged.
3. I have cable and internet arranged
4. I have phones arranged
5. I have the truck lined up
6. I have driver for truck lined up (Thank you Princess Tigger)
7. I have all the appropriate reservations arranged
8. I have the movers to unload the truck arranged
9. I have help to load the truck arranged
10. I am getting packed up 
11. I have scoped out the neighborhood for the location of grocery stores, Tim Horton's, drug stores, convenience stores and even take out places. 

The two only things I have let to do is:

1. Figure out how to get the things to the dump that are too big for local garbage pickup but are not good enough to take with us. 
2. Forward the mail

Gratitude Sunday

Sunday's heart felt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

Here are some things I am grateful for this week:

1. listening to my children play together, hearing the giggles and stories always makes me smile.

2. Watching my girls love each other, having them argue with me that they must be twins because twins love eachother and so do they. 

3. Watching my boy spend more time out with us as long as he can retreat to his playpen when he needs it.  

4. Two little girls who love each other so much that they insist on sleeping and napping on one bed. Even though they each have their own bed, one bed is all that ever gets used.

5. Giggling as I try desperately to get a picture of the two of them both looking and smiling and failing miserably, but having fun trying.

6. Getting a good picture of my beautiful, growing girl, who is soon going to be a teenager and I am SOO not ready for that!

7. My boy who seems to have a lot on his mind (even if can't say it yet), who is always in a hurry as he watches and investigates everthing around him.

8. Finally finding a sound I can make that will sometimes get him to look at me, making it easier to occasionally get a picture with him facing the camera.

9. These adorable girls running back and forth from outside to inside, loving the warm weather.

10.  A little girl who is finally very proud to be dressing herself even if her pants may backwards or inside out, whose underwear is constantly sticking out of her rolled up waistband and who runs around all day only wearing one sock.

New, Easy, and Interesting Natural Ways to get Headache Relief

Since I have a headache today and I tend to get them quite often, I thought this would be a good day to share some ways that you can try to get relief from headache pain

Try almonds

Drink the tea that matches your headache

Or try this technique

This drink may be a yummy way to get headache pain relief

Apparently two glasses of Gatorade may be a good choice to relieve your pain

You could try simply resting in this position my help

And here are 7 more DIY headache cures that could be good to try.

These foods are said to fight headache pain

Crush it with cayenne.  Dilute a ½ teaspoon of cayenne powder in 4 ounces of warm water. Soak a cotton swab in the solution and stir it around to make sure it’s covered-the powder can sometimes sink to the bottom. Apply the moist swab gently to the inside of each nostril until you can feel the heat. It may be a bit unpleasant at first, but take the burning sensation as a sign that it’s working. When it subsides, your headache will hopefully be wiped out, or at the very least better than before.

Find some feverfew:   Add 1 ounce of fresh or dried feverfew flowers to 1 pint of boiling one. Steep for 10 minutes, and then strain. Drink half a cup twice a day as needed.

Apply an apple cider vinegar compress.  Pour ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar into a large bowl, and then fill the bowl halfway with boiling water. Place a towel over your head so that it drapes over the bowl, trapping the steam, and hold your face over it. Make sure your face isn’t so close that it gets burned by the steam. Do this for 5-10 minutes, or when the water starts to cool down, breathing in and out deeply the whole time. When you’re done, use the towel to pat your face dry, and go drink a glass of cool water.

Place a cold or hot compress on your forehead and relax. At some point, try switching to the back of your head, or the top, depending on where the pain is concentrated. You can also try a cold compress at one location and a hot compress on another, either on your head, or place the hot compress on your shoulders if your headache is from tension.

Saturday Photohunt: Skies and Portrait

The Saturday PhotoHunts for this week are: Skies and Portrait.  I took this picture this morning.  I wanted to get a nice portrait style picture of Princess Belle with the beautiful blue sky behind her.  She is growing up so much, it amazes me every day.  I can't believe the young lady she is becoming.

Technorati PhotoHunters and Photohunter Facebook

This Moment: Sleeping Sisters

A beautiful and fun Friday ritual. Inspired by SouleMama.

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. – Amanda Soule

Creative uses for milk crates

If you have some milk crates around, here are some great ways that you can be creative and use them in your home

Crates turned into cute bins!

Or covered up on the outside and super-cute!  Like this

Or like this one!

You could also do a little weaving and come up with this cute idea!

DIY Crate Bench 

Milk Crate Stool

Build a a floating corner bookshelf 

Another creative idea for shelving

Make a bed frame for free out of salvaged milk crates

Crate Storage Shelves and Cubbies (I'm doing this one!)

Repurpose Milk Crate into additional seating

Milk Crate Container growing for small spaces

Milk crate desk

Build classroom bookshelves out of milk crates and 2x8's (I'm doing this one!)

DIY Milk Crate Swing

CHICKEN COOP nesting boxes from milk crates

Sorry . . . .

I know yesterday I seemed a little grouchy.  I guess lack of sleep and exhaustion from working so hard to get this move on the way, left me with a little less patience and understanding than usual and when someone kept making assumptions about my freedom to be at their beck and call, I got grouchy.  I shouldn't have.  For the most part, I like doing this for people and it does not good to complain about other people.  So with a deep breath, a loving heart, and a fierce determination to get everything done, I am setting out to get things done.  Counting down the days until this move is over and I am free to settle into our new home, where Little Prince can get the help he needs and we can enjoy all the other things we are looking forward to.

Throwback Thursday

Here are some pics from June 2010 back when Princess Snifflefritz was about 6 months old.

Princess Magpie with daddy visiting a horse

Princess Belle watching the horse

Princess Snifflefritz.