Cleaning Frenzy Slower than Slow!

Getting only half of a room cleaned last week and only a couple of tests corrected, doesn´t count for a frenzy. Does it? I mean, I have a right to throw a Mama Fit!  ( My friend NINA and missionary neighbor in Portugal started these fits.)

Every time I get started working on something, I get interupted by something else. The boys needing something, needing to get dinner, English classes, exercise, well, just about my whole daily schedule gets in the way of this summer cleaning frenzy.

Today, I started with good intentions of finishing the grades before I posted this, but the baby cried abit more today inorder to sleep, the boys had Spanish class, I had to feed the baby, and I had to clean the kitchen. Well, you get the point.

I didn´t throw a literal fit. Just here on my blog.  It makes me feel a little better to vent. I didn´t take it out on my family, I promise.

Today, I am doing the Making my Home Sing  meme by going with the flow. Praying to be able to get to some more cleaning and grading done by this evening.

Here is my new list for the whole Summer:

Finish the boys room

  _X_ Clean under and behind beds

  _X_ Organize and sort their clothes to give away unused stuff

  _X_ Organize toys to give away unused stuff

  _X_ Make a list of things needed for Furlough.

We are going to visit the States August 9- January 13. Seven weeks and counting.

 the Schoolroom

  _x_ Organize all school books

  _x_Clean and dust whole room.

  _x_ Clean all the cupboards, drawers and under the bed.

  __ deep clean the windows

Kitchen
  _X_ Deep clean behind dryer and the corner shelves.
  _X__  Clean Microwave
  _X_ Scrub down dryer and washer
  _X_ Clean windows and curtains.
  ___ organize, sort and clean cupboards.
  ___ Clean above the cupboards.

Bedroom
 __ dust and deep clean
 ___ sort clothes in closet move them to Hubby´s side to make room for those who will be staying in our place while we are gone.
___ sort all drawers.

Clean the pantry and sort.

Living room:
 ___ clean and dust all
 ___ clean under and behind sofas and inside.
 ___ organize and sort entertainment center
 ___ organize computer cupboard

Bathrooms
 ___ scrub all tiles
 ___  organize cupbords - clean them out.
 ___ paint ceiling

 ___ Plus finish grading tests and recording grades.

I will keep plugging away at it. While taking care of my family and this new sweet addition. Yes, you read right.. A BABY!

Meet Ester. 

She and her mommy come to our church services. Her mommy had to start work, and I offered to take care of Ester so she didn´t have to go to child care. She is a good happy baby, and a joy to have around.

The boys love her!

How are you getting ready for the summer? Will you all be visiting family or going on long trips? How will you get ready for school next year?

Catching UP - Camping in Cudillero

I have been missing in action too long. Not on purpose, mind you. There is SO much to write about, I don´t know where to start catching UP.

We had a church excursion at the beginning of the month of May. I wanted to post pictures of that. We have been biking and picnicing, and we finished school. What pictures do I choose? Where do I begin?

I choose CAMPING! 

We take an annual end of school camping trip almost every year. We all look forward to it, but it seemed I had to really push hard for it this year. We were all so glad I did!

 You may remember our camping trip from last year. Our dog rolling in .."ehem". If not you can read about it HERE after you look and comment on this post. None of this browsing and not commenting business, please.

Here I am with my Spanish bread we got every morning.

Our camp and first days breakfast.

Then hiking to the beach.

We even had wifi! 

(paid a little for 2 days worth)

Of course the freedom to wrestle and ramble!

Our last evening, we went out to the small port town, Cudillero.

Hubby treated us out to a seafood grill. Meal for two split 5 ways.

Cudillero at night. (pronounced Cood ee yairo)

Our view on one of our hikes. (the Bay of Biscay)

So my young Knights say a farewell and hope you have enjoyed catching UP with our camping trip.

Back Together Again and Then "Babywise".

I have been wanting to post about my hubby´s return from California. He went away for a week to be in his youngest brother´s wedding. We were so happy he could be there but it´s always hard to be apart. It sure does make being together sweeter.

Here is Michael our youngest with Daddy on Tuesday night when we picked him up from the bus station. He had had a full day flight and then a 6 hour ride in bus to get home.

Here we are enjoying the Meatloaf, rice and corn on the cob welcome home dinner.

Ahhhhhh!!!! A week is a week and I won´t ever like being away from him.

and for


This is then.

2001



Three under the age of three. Three in diapers! Three sets of everything!
THREE!!!!

I thank the Lord for the book "On Becoming Babywise".

Click on book to purchase at Amazon.com

My mom and grandma were thousands of miles away and this book helped me schedule my babies´ metabolisms so that they all were taking naps together and going to bed together by the time the youngest was three months of age. ( a week of his second month was spent in the hospital undergoing tests for his extra large heart murmur which was later operated on when he was a year old.)

Every baby is different but every baby has a metabolism. The theory behind Babywise is a Christ centered home, not a baby centered one. So we schedule the baby. (with flexibility of course. This took me time to learn)

The key is this...

Baby eats

Baby has wake time

Baby sleeps

And the cycle repeats, but the importance is the order. The happy wake time. Not too much not too little. The goal is a happy baby who sleeps well. Sleep is of utmost importance to a baby, because it is when a baby develops most.

The milk the baby gets is important too. Which the book explains in detail as well. It explains why a baby who falls a sleep nursing is not getting the full milk necessary. The baby should nurse for the full nursing period and then have wake time. I stress this because this is what regulates their metabolism.

Of course, I am summerizing a whole book in one paragraph. My reason in doing so is, I feel, a strong burden to share this, not because I was perfect at it, but because it was a blessing for us, for our marriage and our family. It was a base that we could build upon.

I rarely give advice on my blog. I rarely get preachy, ( I hope I don´t anyway) but I pray this can be a blessing for those of you new mommies out there or those veterans who maybe wondering why "this" baby is so different or for those who have multiple babies.

I enjoyed reminiscing with you all today.

God bless you and your little ones!