Our House is a DISASTER!

We started the re-arranging-the-rooms-before-the-baby-comes-adventure today.

Kimber wanted to paint her room purple, to match her new bed spread, that she got from Grandma C., b/c she is getting Allison's old bed (which is queen size). We bought the paint last weekend, late on Saturday night, and hadn't done anything with it since (not that she didn't ask about 1,000 times....).

This morning Konrad walked into her room, all geared up in his painting clothes (am I the only one in the world that doesn't have "painting clothes"? I obviously don't paint often enough), and looking at the utter-chaos, that we call Kimber's room, turned around and said, I think the blue is staying. I being the nice wife that I am, sent him to the store to buy yellow paint for Sam and Allison's new shared room, and told him I would take care of the de-cluttering and removing of stuff from her room. It took us a good hour and a half to remove all the stuff from the walls, sort through all of her "collections", clean out under and on top of her bed-dresser-desk-etc, and get the room almost ready to paint (Konrad of course had to remove nails/screws, fill in holes, and tape) - then the painting happened. This all took so long though that the girls, who were sooooo excited to help paint, had all given up hope and were all playing with friends instead of painting.

At this point, we still only have one coat of paint on Kimber's walls - the other will happen shortly, seeing as though Konrad just got back from a church meeting.

As we were waiting for the first coat to dry, we headed into Sam's room (which was to be Sam and Allison's new shared room), to start the painting preparations. As we are looking at the beautifully painted blue walls and the daunting task of taping/filling holes, etc - I got smart.

Sam and Allison chose yellow for their room - Allison's current room, happens to be yellow. I wanted the baby to be in Allison's room b/c it is closer to our room - so we had planned to put the girls in Sam's room. BUT who wants to paint a room yellow, when you have a perfectly painted yellow room already down the hall. So the executive decision was made - baby gets the blue room (nice, seeing as though the baby will be a boy....) and the girls get the yellow room. (too bad this executive decision wasn't made until AFTER the paint was bought....anyone need yellow paint???)

Then we loaded two twin beds into the room - stuffed way too many clothes in a closet (my children have WAY too many clothes) - and tried to figure out where to put all their junk. We were hoping the twin beds would fit in there and still give them room to "live", but it's just not big enough. We'll be buying bunk beds soon.

So, at the moment, I have a queen bed hanging out in the loft, piles and piles of old comforters and pillows in my room. Kimber's bins of stuff-I-can't-live-without, her reading chair, and furniture in the hallway.

The babies room is pretty empty now though - Sam's dresser is still in there - won't fit in the new room until we have bunk beds, as well as her desk. I doubt the desk will make it into the new room...which I'm thinking isn't such a bad idea, all it does is collect clutter anyways (my girls tend to think cleaning their rooms = putting everything from the floor onto their desks).

Kimber is sleeping in the loft - we'll see how that goes. Sam and Allison are sleeping in their new room. Allison is hoping she doesn't move around too much and fall off the twin size bed, she is used to her queen size one.

I'm exhausted and ready for bed - but we've got to finish painting so we can clean up the disaster we are calling "upstairs"!

Oh, and did I tell you we have a new couch as well? So we moved our old ones up stairs, our old one from upstairs is hanging out in hallway downstairs, and the new one is being enjoyed in the living room.

Oh, and a new washer and dryer!

Things are changing in the Crabtree house....can't wait until it's all done!!!!!!

Can anyone tell me....

Why preschool age children get upset when someone wants to put a something away for them?

I deal with this issue on a daily basis "Miss Ashlee, So-and-So put my puzzle away" or "Miss Ashlee, So-and-So wants to help me clean up my art stuff" "Miss Ashlee, So-and-So pushed in my chair" - many times tears are included with these statements.

Just tonight, I sent my girls up to clean the loft (which was a DISASTER) and within 2 minutes of being up there Allison is screaming her head off. Seriously. Now me, being tired and lazy - sitting comfortably on the couch reading my book - just told myself to ignore it and keep on reading. I figure if she's really hurt or anything she'll come get me. I soon realize she is BEYOND mad at Kimber. She is in her room continuing to yell at her sister for a good 10 minutes. (then of course the yelling from Kimber and Sam starts about how Allison isn't helping, etc)(which leads me to call Konrad and tell him I need his work dinner more than he does - or really that the kids need me to have it more than he needs it so they don't die tonight). In the end, I finally head up the stairs to see what the problem is. Allison meets me on the stairs - eyes red and puffy from crying, barely able to catch her breath - and says "Kimber wouldn't let me put the lamp away".

Really!?!

15 minutes of crying b/c someone wouldn't let you put something away????

Anyone who wants to come and clean up my mess is more than welcome. In fact, I may even give you a cookie or two for it.

I'm Obsessed

With my new toy.....

My Bodymedia Calorie Counter! This thing is similar to a BodyBug (what the contestants on Biggest Loser wear) - but a bit cheaper. Not sure what the difference are between the two - but for me cheaper is always better :).

Konrad got me one for Christmas b/c ever since starting to lose weight way back when, after Allison was born, I've been very interested in how many calories I burn verses what I consume.

I debated on even keeping it, b/c at the moment I am obviously not trying to lose weight (being pregnant and all), and even after the baby I'm hoping there won't be a ton to lose - because it will all come out with Mr. Baby right? (who am I kidding???). Anyways, I decided to try it out, at least for a month and see if it would be worth it.

Right now I am pretty obsessed with it - wearing it all the time, logging in my meals every day and checking how many calories I've burned. Not sure how long that will last (getting on everyday), but it is pretty fascinating.

I am doing a Healthy Living challenge again this year with my friend Jenni (and 30+ other people) and this new toy is helping me out. I'm hoping to put a stop to the huge weight gain I had last month (being Christmas time PLUS being pregnant was not good on my body). Now I know how much went in, but also how much I burned.

The only thing I'm not sure about is the fact that it tells me to eat a TON of calories (it doesn't even know I'm pregnant, so that's not why - there isn't a "pregnancy setting" - just weight loss and weight maintenance programs) - I don't even come close to eating that amount of calories it suggests, and I am in no way starving myself. Anyone know how many calories someone like me should be eating? And how many more calories do you eat if you are pregnant? I've done some online research, but just wondering what you all have heard.

Anyways - this new friend of mine is on sale at Costco through the 16th - if you are serious about losing weight I suggest investing the money and time (of logging your meals) - I really think it would be helpful!

Free Advertising: Preschool Registration Starts Soon

Registration for the 2011/2012 school year starts on Jan. 18th.

I will only have one class starting in September - a 3 day class, held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoons from 12:30-3:00.

There is a $35 non-refundable registration fee (due with registration form) and tuition will be $120 per month. Registration forms will be available starting today.


The registration process is as follows:
Jan. 18th - returning students
Jan. 19th - siblings of current/past students
Jan. 20th - open to everyone

Registration forms can be turned in between 9:00 - 4:00 on each of those days. I will be accepting 12 students for that class.

Please let me know if you have any questions!