Exhausted....

Today was a tiring day.... I was up early and was out the door by 10am (not my best time, but I dawdled over coffee and the net). Anyway, I went out to a few used bookstores, looking for some curriculum. I am seriously thinking of switching things up a bit next year to make learning more hands on for the boys. But more on that another day. I found very little of what I was looking for, just some multiplication and division flash cards. I did find 2 books named The First 1000 Words, and My First 500 Words. I got this idea from Carey who is also adopting from Russia. GREAT idea to help us communicate with our children by pointing to pictures and saying words...so they understand. Although they are not Usborne books, I only paid $1.00 each for them.

Then it was home for a healthy stir fry lunch, and then off to Upwards basketball. Both boys played very well, and Chris coached well too. (Assistant coach). I saw Jeannie at the game and we talked about what else? Saving money! lol! It was great to see her, such a surprise! While I was watching the game I was writing out my two week menu for the 2nd time...yes that's right....2nd time. After spending a good deal of time making up that menu, I lost it. I actually think I left it on the counter or in the cart at CVS. Bummer! That thing was so difficult to put together (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinners). I have learned a lesson and will be typing it and saving it from now on. I was lost without it! What do I cook, what should I thaw? etc. etc. etc.

Then after 2 hours of basketball, I came home to cook a dinner.... Chinese Chicken Salad for the family. After dinner I just looked around and around. I mentioned that my pantry was out of control. A complete mess, and I couldn't find anything. Plus having stocked up on so many items recently at the grocery store, I had cans and cereal boxes everywhere. Plus the dishes from lunch and dinner, and well just a BIG OL' MESS! So as tired as I was, it was time to "just do it", as the Nike slogan goes. Dishes washed, everything cleared out of the pantry and the laundry area. Do you know that I had 8 cans of cream of chicken soup? 8 cans!! I hardly even use that stuff! lol! Oh, and do you know what else I found??? I had just emailed my homeschool group to see if they knew anyone who sold tupperware. I wanted to buy those cereral storers so I could consolidate some of the boxes of cereal I got. I found 3 Tupperware Cereal Storers...the large ones! lol! I was gonna buy one on ebay... or contact a local rep to get them new. I'm so glad I didn't!

So, the pantry is organized. In the laundry area (which had recently become the junk area), we pulled quite a bit of stuff for our yard sale. Please don't look in my dining room, as that was the temporary spot for all yard sale items we found. The table is covered...and I'll have to clean it up before we actually entertain guests again. :-) I feel better about my whole organization of the kitchen, and I can look in the pantry and tell what I am low on, and what I need to buy in bulk. Let's just say Cream of Chicken soup isn't one of them. :-)

Here are some pictures of the mess that was my kitchen. I can promise you that it is usually clutter free, (neat freak here). I'll post after pictures tomorrow of the pantry and kitchen and how much better they look. It feels like a Tackle it Tuesday today...even though it's Saturday! I'm ready to lay down and read a good book... I don't even want to think about the coupons or the CVS flyer that is coming tomorrow. :-)