Purple Prose [Search results for relax] 

Okay, this is a tad bit embarrassing. I'm not sure why, but it is. For a long time, I wrote fan fiction. I LOVED fan fiction (okay, I still do). What did I write fan fiction over? Well... Twilight (I know!), The Mentalist (seriously!), and The O.C.

And where did I put these gems?

At www.fanfiction.net.

(I can't believe I'm telling you all this... )

I met a great friend there, though, Kathi-Ann who still writes awesome fan fic! I'm not embarrassed of fan fic... just some of the stories *I* wrote ;) Head-hopping... OH the head-hopping.

BUT, I believe that those stories got me where I needed to be to write novels. Were they perfect? (oh... suuuuuuuure they were ;) ), but did I learn from them? ABSOLUTELY!

I learned:

• Negative reviews are par for the course
• Did I mention head-hopping?
• They didn't call me the 'Queen of Cliffhangers' for nothing..
• Trust your Beta
• USE a Beta
• Rough drafts are your friends, as long as you don't publish them
• Not to be afraid to let others read my stories... because it's very scary the first few (hundred) times you do it.

Enjoy (BTW, this was originally published in 2009... and I edited it a bit for this blog... I had to do it ;) )

Flight Plan Kimball Cho leaned back in his cushioned seat and closed his eyes tightly. He was trying to hide the fact that he was terrified of flying, but it wasn't seeming to work. Normally before trips, he would take a pill to help him calm his nerves. Unfortunately, that morning he had grabbed the wrong bag, and as an effect was without his little helpful aides.
It was annoying. He was Kimball Cho. Serious. Calm. Not afraid of anything Kimball Cho... so he had gotten on the plane, his insides screaming for him to run like a little school girl, and had found his seat.
Now all he had to do was keep it together on the short flight between Sacramento and an airport in Northern California. There had been a murder (wasn't there always) and the CBI team had been assigned to it. They could have driven, but Minelli said they had to arrive within the day. So there he sat, eyes clinched, hands gripping the seat, praying that the flight would be over soon. Hoping that no one would...
"Cho, looks like we're seat buddies."
Oh for the love of... "Jane. I'm a little busy here."
"Yes, I can see. It's hard work being terrified." Cho heard Jane sit down in the seat next to him and settled himself in.
"I'm not terrified."
"No. No, of course not. But you can see how I would make such a grievous error. Your eyes are shut tightly, or they were before I pointed it out. Your hands are clammy. There is a bead of sweat trickling down your forehead--"
As Jane prattled on, Cho hoped that if he ignored him, he would leave him alone. He knew that would never happen, but still.. it was worth a shot. "I can help you, you know?" Jane's voice said, still invading his preferred darkness.
"No thanks."
"I can."
"No."
"You're be ing unreasonable, Cho."
"I am not. I'm being very reasonable. If I were unreasonable, I would elbow you in the stomach right now." Cho deadpanned, making Jane wonder if he was kidding. "I'm not kidding." he said as if reading the 'mindreaders' mind.
"Ok, fine. Don't accept my help. Have a fear of flying for the rest of your life." Cho felt Jane's elbow so he knew he'd crossed his arms and he heard him whistling a happy little song softly. He opened one eye to him, just to see what he was doing. Jane was sitting arms crossed, like he had suspected, eyes scanning the plane with a joyful expression on his face. "What can you possibly like about flying?"
Jane looked at him, amused. "All these people. Stuck together. They can't get out. They can't leave. They can't hide. If you are on the same flight long enough, you can figure them out. Learn their entire life story."
Cho raised a brow. "You're lying."
Jane shrugged nonchalantly. "You'll never know. You just sit back and shut your eyes like a scared kitten again. It's ok. Go ahead."
"I am not a scared kitten."
"Could have fooled me."
Cho huffed agitated and leaned his head back against the seat. He had been afraid of flying as long as he could remember. Even when he was in the army, it took lots of medication to get him onto the plane. His comrades nicknamed him Mr. T in reference to the mohawked man's character, B.A. Barakus, on the A-Team and his fear of flying.
"You don't want to be Mr. T forever do you?" Jane asked, causing a reaction from Cho. "How do you do that?" All he got in response was a chuckle. "Come on, let me help you."
He knew what that meant. What 'help' it would be. Hypnosis. He cringed at the word. He also cringed at the thought of being on the plane without any medication. Cho sighed and nodded defeated. It would be a long flight if he had to deal with Jane pestering him, and actually, he did want his help... or thought he did. He did until he saw Jane's childlike glee at the prospect of 'helping' him. Then his stomach just knotted in dread. "Fine." he rolled his eyes. "But don't make me do anything stupid."
"Like what?"
"Like you did Rigsby and have me kiss Grace."
Jane's brow raised. "Do you want to kiss Grace?"
"What? No."
"Then it won't be a problem." Jane shifted in his seat so that he was facing Cho. "Just close your eyes and relax." he said in his most soothing voice. "The others are at the front of the plane. We are back here. They won't see you. They won't know what we are doing. So just sit back, relax, take deep breaths."
Cho tried to comply. It was harder than he imagined, though, to relax in the fuselage of a crowded plane shooting through the sky.
"Now, imagine you are at a fair. It is nearing sunset. You can see the sky changing from a light blue into a mix of reds and oranges. There is a slight breeze blowing around you. There are people, but you aren't crowded. No one is in your personal space. You are walking up through the entrance. You see the Ferris wheel. To the left is the Cleopatra boat swinging up and down. Up and down. Underneath is a line of people that snakes all the way through the midway. In the midway are games. Shooting games. Throwing games. Dart games. People selling cotton candy. Walk through the midway now."
Cho imagined the place Jane described and walked through the midway. To his left he saw a woman breathing fire and to his right a man throwing baseballs at little milk jugs.
"Good." Jane's voice was hypnotic. "At the end of the midway is a tent. The tent is tall and red. There is a man outside like a ringmaster beckoning you to come in. You go inside. The tent is empty except for a few gray folding chairs and a large movie screen in front of you. Once you sit down, the screen starts to play. There is a spinning picture like an old flight control monitor. In the middle is a countdown starting with five. Then four... three... two... one. The screen changes and you see yourself. You are on roller skates and going down a long road---"
"I can't picture that, man." Cho's eyes flickered open and he sat up. "I would never be on roller skates."
"Well, would you ever be in the midway of a small town carnival either?"
Cho thought a minute. "No."
"Well---"
"Fine." he leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes.
"No need." Jane said. "You're already hypnotized."
Cho's eyes opened and he looked at Jane confused. "Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am--" Jane held his hand up to stop him. "Do you feel fear? Right now, do you feel fear?"
"Right now I feel frustration." he admitted, agitated that he'd let Jane mess with him.
"Frustration, but not fear." his companion pointed out.
Cho opened his mouth to speak then shut it. Jane was right. He didn't feel fear any more. He must really be hypnotised. "Hm. How long will this last?"
"As long as you want it too. I've embedded a suggestion that every time you see a plane, it will automatically kick in. You won't need medicine any more and you won't be afraid."
"Hm.. Thanks man."
"Anytime." It was Jane's turn to lean back and close his eyes. He couldn't help himself as a wide grin crossed his lips. Sometimes people didn't need to be hypnotized.. they just needed to think they were.

ey were.

Every mom knows about Multi-tasking.

You have 2 hands... and 2 feet... and a mouth... so you might as well use them at the same time, right? As Mamas, that's about what we have to do to get through the day.

In the mornings when I'm feeding the baby breakfast in her highchair, I usually have the other hand either doing something with the other girls, flipping through my notebook to see what I have to do that day, eating breakfast, fixing bills, etc.

I can't just be sitting and watching TV. I have to be doing 'something' while sitting there. A lot of times I write. Sometimes I read. Sometimes I play with the girls.

The point is that most of the time.. I can't just 'task'. I can't just focus on one thing.

My husband is a good 'tasker'. He focuses on one thing. One. At a time. One.

He ponders it.

He considers it.

He looks at it from all angles.

He cuts out all background noise so he can focus on said ONE task.

And he gets it done.

And do you know what? More times than not, its actually done right.

Wanna know why? Because he actually took the time to think about it... and do it... correctly.

Me?

Well, me. The 'multi-tasker'... the eternal 'multi-tasker' (and it pains me to admit this) sometimes... well, a lot of the time, messes things up because I'm not focused on one thing. I'm doing about 4 things at a time.

And multi-tasking can be a good thing! It sure is easier to juggle 3 kids and only 2 arms when you do it. But sometimes... when the kids are in bed... and we are 'trying' to relax (I know... ), we need to (somehow) retrain our brains to relax... to chill... to focus on ONE thing if only for a few minutes.

As I write this, I have music streaming through headphones... and I'm talking on skype. And I shouldn't be. I should just be focusing on this ONE thing. I wonder what I could do if I was more like my husband. If I focused on one thing at a time. If I 'Tasked'...

Much Love,

Kelly

Linked at Women Living Well Wednesday

When you take portraits, or photos of kids, it’s always a great idea to take more than one shot.

With portraits, it usual takes a few pictures before your subject starts to relax, never mind the issue of blinking at the wrong moment. Professional photographers know this. And if you’re taking candid shots, you never know when the unexpected happens.

Of course with digital cameras, we have no excuse to not to keep shooting photos as long as the subjects are willing.

(I took these photos of my daughter when she was 11 months old. She's sitting on a pillow, in case you were wondering.)

It's time for Thankful Tuesday again :)

I love Thankful Tuesday! It's nice to sit down, relax, and reflect on what I'm thankful for. Of course, I'm thankful for more than these things, but this is a nice start. A way to get the gears rolling so to speak.

10 THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR TODAY... (In no particular order... )
1. I'm thankful for air conditioning.
2. I'm thankful for Jesus, who never gives up on me even when I would.
3. I'm thankful for Dentists... don't like them... but thankful for them anyway.
4. I'm thankful for the game Monopoly. My oldest ladies and I played it for the first time this week. We did better than at Candyland...
5. I am thankful for a husband who isn't perfect... but is perfect for me.
6. I am thankful for being able to have a great summer off with my family.
7. I am thankful to get to to back to work Wednesday (NOT that I'm looking forward to it lol... but because I'm grateful to have a job, especially a job I love.).
8. I am thankful for playdough.
9. I am thankful that I got up this morning.
10. I am thankful for my mother and all of my family.
******** Now, it's your turn :) Please link up below and share what you are thankful for this Tuesday. Link-up should open at 9 pm central time. Don't forget to link back here. You can grab the code for the button on the sidebar.
Stay tuned for the "Big Announcement" coming Wednesday here on Oh that Mom Again. The big question "Why in the world do I have to 'Save the Date'?" will be answered :)
Much Love :) Kelly

Last week, I had the opportunity to take author photos for my friend, Janet Gutler (Weight of Bones, Spring 2011). It was the inspiration behind this post. But even if you aren’t planning to have author photos taken anytime soon, the same suggestions work for regular portraits.

Most people hate having their picture taken (yours truly included). Here're some pointers to make it less painful, and to help ensure you end up with photos you’ll love:

• See if you have a talented photographer friend who would be thrilled to take them for you. The advantage of this is you already have a great relationship. You’ll end up looking relaxed in the photos, instead of looking like you’d rather be anywhere but there. Take it from someone who had her wedding photos taken by a person more annoying than a mosquito (This was before I knew anything about photography.). It’s not a good sign when your adorable four-year-old ring bearer wishes the photographer would fall off the ledge, and the rest of the wedding party agrees with him. Believe me, it shows in the photos.

• Weather permitted, see if the photographer can take the photos outside (or a place you feel comfortable). People tend to feel (and look) more uptight in a studio setting. The added benefit is there’re more interesting things to look at than in a studio. This, too, will cause you to relax.

• Let the photographer know if there’s anything you feel self-conscious about. They may be able to pose you a certain way to overcome that. But remember, chances are great only you notice whatever’s bugging you.

• If there’s a picture you love (e.g. pose), bring it with you to show the photographer. Most will welcome suggestions. For Janet’s photos, I showed her pictures I cut out of magazines. It gave her a visual so she understood what I was after, and we worked from there, going beyond what was seen in the picture.

• Dress comfortably and for the weather. I seriously don’t know how Janet survived the photo shoot in just her t-shirt. I was wearing a thick hoodie and windbreaker, and I was still cold.

• Bring several items of clothing or props with you. Janet also wanted photos of herself in her jacket and scarf. It gave the picture a more sophisticated look. My favorites, though, are the ones where she’s freezing her butt off wearing just her t-shirt (and pants).

• Expect the photographer to take a lot of shoots. Even if you’re friends with her, it usually takes a few minutes before you feel more relaxed in front of the lens.

Does anyone have anything other suggestions?

Ok... not like *that*...
But I am quite enjoying having him around more often.
Background... My husband has worked either nights or 2nd shift every since we got married 8 1/2 years ago.
That's through 3 kids...
So it's been basically me...
All by myself...
All the time...
Except on weekends...
With small kids... 
It was hard.
And I was miserable.
I was thankful he had a job of course in this economy, but I missed him (and truth be told, it got really hard taking care of 3 kids basically from sun up to sun down by myself.. I don't see how you army wives or single moms do it! You ROCK!)
A few months ago, he got an opportunity to take first shift.
*I* was overjoyed!!!
(Him not so much... only because he'd never worked that shift before... )
I'm not going to lie... it took a while for us both to get adjusted to it.
 I was used to having my own way.
He was used to being by himself.
It was hard.
But it's so much better now!
It's so much easier now, that I've started taking advantage of the man...
He's cooked supper every night...
He washes the dishes...
He goes to the store after work (which is why I haven't had any Wal-mart stories this week... )
I've started to become dependent on him... already. After only a few months.
I've gotten used to supper being finished when I get home from work now.
Is that a bad thing?
well, not really. I mean, the man does need to help around the house.
But I seem to be forgetting something.
In all of this, I've forgotten that I need to continue to be a help to my husband.

I don't need to give it all to him and then relax (though that would be SOOOO easy)
I *might* have possibly said in the last few weeks, "I've done it for 8 years... it's your turn now... "
hehe...
Sigh...
Yeah, as much fun as it's been, I need to start helping again.
Because I'm his wife and that means to help him--- not lump it all on him.
Even if he is a *much* better cook!
*************
Don't forget the Bible in 90 Days program starting on January 30th here on OTMA. If you want to participate, please sign up here.
Much Love, Kelly (who should probably get up and do something) 

Linked with: Women Living Well Wednesday and Winsome Wednesday
  

Could you use an extra $320 this Christmas? TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO ENTER!! :) CLICK HERE TO ENTER... This is a 12 day series on the STRESSES of Christmas. Day 1 was... MONEY
The second stress of Christmas is...

TIME

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The second stress of Christmas that really gets to me... Time spinning faster.. and not having enough Mon-ey...

2. Time
Gracious... TIME! Folks, it's already the 10th of December... DECEMBER!!! I have no idea when that happened. The last I checked it was January (I'm not entirely kidding about that... ) Rush here... rush there... when all you really want to be is home and watching Christmas movies on TV.

My kids get so tired of me going, "Run, Hurry up! We're gonna be late for school!" If it's not every week morning of this world, it's at least the ones that end with 'Y'.

In short... Time doesn't seem to be a plentiful resource.

And why is that? Sure, this time of year we have lots of things to do, people to see, plays to put on (that's what I should be doing right now instead of blogging... ), etc. I can be on the computer writing, blogging... perusing Amazon... and it can be an hour later in no time.

Maybe the reason time is so fast is because we don't take time to just relax. At my house, normally the tv is on (my oldest thought it was broke once because it was off and thought we should buy another one lol), music from youtube blaring, someone on the computer, phone... something... When you fill your head with all of this, time gets sucked away from you (I'd to see how many hours I've 'wasted' playing games... and checking my Amazon ranking for CROSSING THE DEEP ;))

We can't do anything about the places we have to go, people we have to see, programs we/our kids are in... but we can decide how we spend our 'free time'. If you are rushing here and there, is there a reason? Do you spend too much time on the computer at night and either wake up late or have to do the things you could have done at night in the morning while you are yelling at your kids to hurry up and get ready? (Yeah... I admit... that's me some mornings... sigh.)

What would happen if we slowed down, took a breath, and just enjoyed this time of year? The same 24 hours happen every day, but some feel longer than others. Pray about your time. If there is something you can cut to make things easier on yourself (and it's not a calling God wants you to do)? Are there things you can cut to make your mornings run more smoothly?

Why do you feel like time flies by so quickly during this season? Do you feel like you don't have enough time to get everything done? If not, how can you change it? (I'm asking myself these questions as well... ) ~Kelly Lord, please show us how to use our time more wisely. Let us enjoy the time of the season and not overwhelmed by it. Make sure we know that it's okay to take a breath and reflect, meditate, or even not be on the move 24/7. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

Sooooooooooo, on a mommy board I'm on (a lot) it was mentioned that I should start a blog (because I tend to talk... a lot ;) ), and it happened to occur to me that I already HAD a blog... as in, way back in 2007 I started one, posted a few times, and then forgot about it.

So, I did some digging and found it :) It's so cool to look back at what you said years ago. I mean, my 4 year old NOW, Chloe, was 8 months old then (the same age as my now youngest, Everlee). I'm hoping that I can keep this up and have a place to look back when my ladies get bigger.

A little about me first...
My name is Kelly. I'm a southern girl with a wicked southern accent. I can't tell you who to imagine is talking when you reading this because, IMO, there aren't many actresses who can do a convincing 'Southern'... so I guess you should read this as if I'm the female version of Matthew McConaughey. You're welcome for the visual.

I have a husband Brandon and 3 little girls. Katie is 5 and in Kindergarten. Chloe is 4, and Everlee is 7 months. And that is it for us. Unless some act of God happens (which I admit could happen) then that's it. I love my little family and all of my ladies.

I feel as though I should 'explain' myself some. I'm a CIO using (not really crying... more fussing), epidural getting, formula feeding, Pampers buying, working Mama. Basically, I'm not a natural mama by any means. A general term is 'jello' (ie, if an AP mama is 'Crunchy' than a non-AP mom is 'Jello' aka, the most non crunchy food ever lol) I say that I DO LOVE those Mama's who do that. I love readin earth Mom blogs and the like, but that's not 'me'. I'll give you the old addage of 'my kids are fine' because they are lol. I hope not to get into that much, but knowing me, I will lol... I don't like to get on a soapbox with that (much ;))

I don't intend for this blog to be a serious thing... but I may have to post some 'Very Special Episodes'. Who knows? I won't ever talk about my job (I'm a teacher and I like my job SO I don't want to get fired for saying something or it being taken the wrong way). And I probably won't talk about my marriage much (not bc I don't love the man, but because I don't want to say something in the heat of anger that my followers... er. follower) might read and then I'd feel about saying it later. I'll mainly talk about my kids, my tv addictions, my life being a Mommy (maybe a wife at times), and whatever random stuff pops into my mind. (Be warned)..

Anything else???????????????????? Dang, well I feel the disclaimers are out of the way... are you still with me? Have I scared you off? I hope not bc I'd love for this blog to be a happy place where you can go on after a hard day to just relax... and laugh at poor ole Kelly lol. That would make me the happiest. If I can make someone smile, then I'm happy...

Ok, that's it. My first blog post in over 2 years... Here we go... again!

Well, friends. I made it home from my adventure in one piece. It was touch and go for a while. It's really NOT fun being lost in Nashville. I was caught alternating between cursing like a sailor and praying like a saint.. SO I decided that wasn't doing any good, and cut out the cursing. And a miracle happened! I was supposed to be looking for 'Frankin Pike'. I got turned around somehow and ended up back on the interstate (nice!). Anyway, I was freaking out, turned on the first road I saw because I was going to turn back at the redlight at the top of the ramp... ONLY the ramp didn't stop at the redlight. It just kept on going. SO (freaking more and praying like the dickens), I went on and decided to turn around again at the next road to take me back to the road I missed, to take me back to the interstate, to take me back to the road I made the wrong turn on (I know, makes a LOT of sense lOL). Anyway, as I started to turn I looked up and saw the road sign 'Franklin Pike'. I almost cried from happiness. And turns out it was the right road and the right direction!! I found the place easily after that. I could have kissed the ground when I got there though LOL.

Now, the meeting was an autism training for SPED teachers. It was interesting... after the first hour when I couldn't stop looking at other people's hair color and wondering how ugly mine really was. Finally I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, decided I didn't look half bad, and went back. I focused the rest of the time.

The end of the day was very interesting... since I had absolutely no idea how to get home. But I love trying to get home from Nashville without directions. This is going to sound corny probably, but it makes me think of my Daddy and smile. My Daddy didn't talk a lot, but he did give good advise. One of those was that when getting home from anywhere, always go toward Knoxville. I kept thinking that over and over, which would have been wonderful, if the first crossroads I came too weren't "Nashville" and "Huntsville". I prayed, chose Nashville (deciding I'd rather stay in Nashville that go all the way to Huntsville. It turned out to be the right way and after getting off of several interstates (I-65, 24, 440, and 40), I ended up home... finally. It was actually really fun coming home. Going, not so much.

**I think I've mentioned this before, but I don't feel nearly as confident or attractive with this new hair. I feel awkward and self conscious... very self conscious. I"m going to try to dull it. I can't take it much longer.

Ok, off to relax with the family. Watch some Dancing with the Stars (I'm rooting for the Olympic man to go this week). It's not wrong to have a SMALL crush on an 18 year old is it... Cody Linley is adorable! He's definitely my favorite to watch this season. Makes me feel like a dirty old woman LOL

Well, friends. I made it home from my adventure in one piece. It was touch and go for a while. It's really NOT fun being lost in Nashville. I was caught alternating between cursing like a sailor and praying like a saint.. SO I decided that wasn't doing any good, and cut out the cursing. And a miracle happened! I was supposed to be looking for 'Frankin Pike'. I got turned around somehow and ended up back on the interstate (nice!). Anyway, I was freaking out, turned on the first road I saw because I was going to turn back at the redlight at the top of the ramp... ONLY the ramp didn't stop at the redlight. It just kept on going. SO (freaking more and praying like the dickens), I went on and decided to turn around again at the next road to take me back to the road I missed, to take me back to the interstate, to take me back to the road I made the wrong turn on (I know, makes a LOT of sense lOL). Anyway, as I started to turn I looked up and saw the road sign 'Franklin Pike'. I almost cried from happiness. And turns out it was the right road and the right direction!! I found the place easily after that. I could have kissed the ground when I got there though LOL.

Now, the meeting was an autism training for SPED teachers. It was interesting... after the first hour when I couldn't stop looking at other people's hair color and wondering how ugly mine really was. Finally I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, decided I didn't look half bad, and went back. I focused the rest of the time.

The end of the day was very interesting... since I had absolutely no idea how to get home. But I love trying to get home from Nashville without directions. This is going to sound corny probably, but it makes me think of my Daddy and smile. My Daddy didn't talk a lot, but he did give good advise. One of those was that when getting home from anywhere, always go toward Knoxville. I kept thinking that over and over, which would have been wonderful, if the first crossroads I came too weren't "Nashville" and "Huntsville". I prayed, chose Nashville (deciding I'd rather stay in Nashville that go all the way to Huntsville. It turned out to be the right way and after getting off of several interstates (I-65, 24, 440, and 40), I ended up home... finally. It was actually really fun coming home. Going, not so much.

**I think I've mentioned this before, but I don't feel nearly as confident or attractive with this new hair. I feel awkward and self conscious... very self conscious. I"m going to try to dull it. I can't take it much longer.

Ok, off to relax with the family. Watch some Dancing with the Stars (I'm rooting for the Olympic man to go this week). It's not wrong to have a SMALL crush on an 18 year old is it... Cody Linley is adorable! He's definitely my favorite to watch this season. Makes me feel like a dirty old woman LOL

©Stina Lindenblatt

Since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, I thought I would do something different in honor of the day. While I love stories with hot make out scenes, I also love those tender moments where it’s about the emotional connection between the two characters. So here’s an excerpt from the NA novel Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens.

I nodded and laid my head on his chest, fighting back the sudden guilt at the mention of Denny’s name, and at the simple affection that Kellan wanted from me. I carefully put a leg over his and an arm over his chest. He signed again and leaned his head against mine. His heartbeat was steady and strong. I felt like mine was all over the place.

“Is this okay with you?” he whispered into my hair.

I forced myself to relax. This simplicity was all he wanted, and I was enjoying his closeness. “Yeah . . . it’s nice. Are you okay?” I absentmindedly traced a circle on his chest.

He chuckled softly. “I’m fine, Kiera.” He gently rubbed my back, and my leg. He pulled me tighter in response and we simply held each other.

Do you write tender moments between your characters? Is this something that comes easy to you or do you struggle to get the words right?

Reminder: Next week is the free online conference for writers thinking of self publishing and those who already are. It promises to be great. Be sure to check it out.

(Note: Monday is a stat holiday where I live. So there will be no post that day. Have a great weekend!)

I feel awful!

Like Sick awful.

My head hurts. My nose hurts. My body hurts... I just... hurt. It's allergies. I thought I had made it through the spring without having them, but Mother's Day hit me hard (flowers at church... *sniff*)

Why am I telling you this?

Well, I wanted to say that even if you are sick (I mean 'under the weather' sick. Not with a virus, flu, strep, or anything else that needs medical attention... if you are contageious sick, rest and relax.)... If you are 'under the weather sick' don't let that take away from your daily cleaning.

But? But? BUT??????

I KNOW!

That's why I have 10 chores that I do daily. No matter how much my head hurts, my eyes water etc (unless, like I said, I'm can't get out of the bed sick). These are the 10 that *I* feel are the most important to my family/household. These, if done daily, will keep your house in tip top shape and will make you not embarrassed when company unexpectedly comes over (raise your hand if THAT has ever happened to you *yeah... I'll raise both of mine*)

First of all, however, lets pretend that you aren't like me... your head isn't pounding and elephants are playing kickball with your eyes (if you can relate... I'm so sorry). I like to do my big cleaning on Saturday. It gives me a good cornerstone to start my week with (even if my house is only 'clean' for a few minutes). If you haven't started your cleaning yet and are feeling totally overwhelmed (like I TOTALLY did) make this checklist, take a day to complete it, and check off when you have finished the task.

I should say that I didn't come up with all of these on my own. I tweeked some ideas I got from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/, http://clutterbug.me/, http://www.tipjunkie.com/, and LOTS and LOTS of youtube videos (search cleaning or organzing and you'll find a ton). I'm going to give you MY list though which incorporates things from all of them plus some things I added for my family.

MAKE A HOMEMAKING BINDER!!!! Forgot about that? Click on this for a reminder: http://ohthatmomagain.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-homemaking-binder.html It's one of the the most useful things I have ever had... in fact I'm using it now (to remember all of this lol)

So, here we go: Make this into a checklist... Add your own personal touches...

Day 1: The big 'Saturday' Cleaning
~Laundry: Fold, Hang up
~Bathrooms: Sweep, Disinfect sinks/counterops, Clean toilets, baby bath, tubs, mirrors, and swiffer
~Kitchen: Declutter table, Clean off island, wash countertops, Dishes, Sweep, Swiffer, clean out refrigerator
~Living Room: Dust, put up Toys, Vacuum (whole house)
~Kids' Rooms: Toys, Dust

And that's it. You can add to it, take away, but that is the extent of my 'big' weekly cleaning. It's all it takes. I usually tackle some big project (like my clutter room or the girl's closets), but those are the tasks that I have to get finished. It is also a great starting point if you are feeling overwhelmed with where to start. If you are staring at your mess and thinking, "O.M.Gosh" (or some variation there of) take one day and do your 'Saturday' cleaning. The first time will take longer, but after that it will go much faster.

Ok, after you have your initial purge finished, here are my top 10 daily maintance chores (I know, FINALLY, right? Bare with me. I apparently have a lot I want to say... ). These are the 10 chores that I do unless I'm really really sick. I did them today, and like I said, my head is killing me. I could have easily not done it. Said I wasn't going to. I'm sick. But like I posted Mother's Day, I HAVE to have a routine or I get out of whack and before I know it, I have to start back over at square one.

My TOP 10 DAILY CHORES: (pretty basic... I'm not re-inventing the wheel here... ;) )

1. Start off the day reading the Bible.
Ok, I know what you are thinking... A) that is NOT a chore and 2) Really? And the answer to both is yes. Yes it is. Even if you aren't spiritual or religious or whatever, starting your day reading the Bible or some other inspirational book helps you focus, start your day hopeful, makes you take some time for yourself, and gives you good postivive energy to start your day. If you are sad, down, or not feeling positive, it is really hard to make yourself clean/enjoy your house.

2. Load of clothes before/after work.
I used to wait until Saturday to wash all of my clothes. The problem with that is 2 fold. A). I ran out of clothes. B) The dirty clothes were scattered out everywhere making my bedrooms look cluttered which caused a vicious cycle of clutter throughout my house (ARG!). The solution for me is to wash a load of clothes in the morning and at night (or at least once daily). I go through the house and pick up everything on the floor, throw them in, and turn it on. If you are the type that have to separate your clothes (which is probably better, but I don't do it) then you could have separate hampers in your laundry room. The point is to not let dirty clothes stay on the floor. Ever..

3. Cook Supper
I have a confession. Its SOOOOOOOOO easy to go through the McDonald's drive thru and get something after working all day. I'm tired. I'm cranky (sometimes). I just want to go home and kick my feet up. But I don't. Once a week I will get drive thru, but for the rest, I cook. It saves money, is usually healtier, and makes me feel good about myself if the kids like it (I said IF the kids like it lol)

4. Clean Table/Highchair/Sweep Very Well right after Supper
I used to be such a procrastionator. I'd wait until maybe nearly bedtime to clean the table and even then it was a light sweeping. Now, I make sure to clorox the table and the highchair right away to get it over with. Same with sweeping.

5. Clean Kitchen Countertops
It takes literally a minute, but running a lysol/clorox wipe over the kitchen countertops makes you declutter and makes you put everything back in it's place.

6. Wash Dishes Daily
Not when the sink is full... not after every meal (unless you have a lot), but Daily.

7. Fold Clothes
I'm not as good with this one. I have to make myself to it because I hate folding clothes, but if I wash everyday, then I have to FOLD every day (just how it is lol)

8. Wipe down bathrooms
This is a new one for me. I used to just do it weekly, but now I've seen the error in my ways and do it daily. I do the sinks, countertops, and toilets every day (front, back, and sides)

9. The Five Minute Pickup
I absolutely LOVE the 5 minute pick up! You take 5 minutes (duh) to go through your house and put things back where they belong, throw away, straighten up, etc. I have my kids help me with it and its just really fun for me. That's why I don't care so much about messes any more. I know we will pick it up at the end of the day before bed anyway.

10. Fix Folder for the next day
I'm a very big scatterbrain. I'm not sure why, but I totally am. I have everything written down 3 times in my binder (once monthly, weekly, and daily) so I won't forget. So, that's what I do at the end of my day. After the girls go to bed, I kick back, looking at my clutter free living room (thanks the the 5 minute pick up), and look through my binder, fixing my daily sheet for the next day. I get mine at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/. It's under household managment printables and is totally customizable. LOVE IT!!!

SO there it is. My top 10 daily chores for a less cluttered home. You can add to it or take things away, but that's what I have found has helped me and my home. In summary, start with a good cleaning (the Saturday checklist), then do the maintance daily. This maintance is for a working mom, but you can totally make it for a stay at home mom.

I hope I have given you some ideas (haven't been all over the place), and I hope some of this has helped. It sure has helped me. (have I mentioned how much I love checklists ;) )

Much love... and happy cleaning!
Kelly

Ok, first of all, thanks so much for the replies to the last post. :) I'm actually really excited to blog about household things (My poor great Aunt, Lady, would roll over in her grave if she heard me say that lol... she used to laugh that I didn't do 'work'... anyway... I hope I'm making her proud)

So, basically, I got up 15 minutes early today to do task 1 on my list: Read my Bible. I'm such a Bible reading slacker so I wanted to do that first. I read. I wrote. I prayed. I was off for the day...

Then I did my normal morning routine, but instead of having to remember everything and worrying about forgetting something ("Did Katie need something?" "Did I remember to brush teeth?" etc.) I just had my notebook open on the table and when I went by I scanned and checked off. It made the morning go by so much easier. I wasn't frazzled. I KNEW what had to be done and we did it. The girls were happier. I was happier. Score ONE for the Home Making Binder (HUZZAH!). I put my load of clothes in the washing machine and headed on my way.

Dropped the littles at Nana's and took K to school with me. We did our daily things. When 3 o'clock got here, I was SOOOOOOOOOO tired and SOOOOOOO not wanting to deal with my "What the heck was I thinking?" Binder. I might have been cursing myself around that time *whistles innocently*

Got my little ladies and came home to "THE NOTEBOOK" (dun dun dun). So, I sucked it up and opened it... I had forgotten, but the quote I chose for today was 'Never Give Up"... so I sucked it up some more and started supper... which was SUPER easy...

Wanna know why?

Because last night I had planned ahead and cooked my hamburger meat and placed it in the refrigerator. Plus I had bought some Bob Evans Microwaveable Mac and cheese and Potatoes with a coupon so I was ready to go. I warmed my mac and cheese. Added it to my re-heating hamburger meat and added a can of Rotel (my family LOVES THIS!!!!). I heated up my potatoes and opened a can of green beans and I was finished. Total time today 20 minutes!. Score TWO for the Binder!!!

Got everyone fed. Followed my list to wash dishes, clean table and high chair. Then I gave my kids a bath and folded a load of laundry...

And it was just 5:30!

Now, this is the point in this where I should tell you that my evenings don't normally go this smoothly. I'm usually overwhelmed (I deleted the overwhelmed post, but I have felt that way for a while). I'm usually just trying to doggy paddle with my head above water trying my best to do whats best for my kids... get what they need... tidy the house... run this way... run that way... AHHHHHHHHHHHH! And by the time the last kid usually goes to bed at 7, I'm usually so run done... and nothing looks like it's been accomplished.

So, at 5:30, I looked around. I had 3 happy kids. I had a semi-clean kitchen (I DO still have a family so perfection is NOT a goal). And I had... time.

Yes, actual... time. Not time for me to get on the computer. Not time to be scurrying around...

Time.

Because I was almost finished with my list.

The 2nd load of clothes were washing.

The kids had been bathed.

The kitchen had been cleaned.

I was almost finished with my list.

So... do you know what I did?

I sat down...

... and looked at a magazine.

I mean, I had gone from having no time to even just sit down... to having time to sit and look at a magazine. Actually, it was one of those *All You* magazines from Walmart and the oldests were helping me clip coupons (their new favorite thing to do with Mama).

The baby got a bottle at 6 and went to sleep.

Right before my oldest 2 kids went to bed, we did a 5 minute clean. They loved it! My middle child asked if we could do it again tomorrow lol.

The oldest 2 went to bed at 7.

I looked at my list and folded the second load of clothes and made a gift basket for school tomorrow. I have tomorrow's meal planned for tomorrow... and I'm finished.

And it was only 7:15!

I know this is only the 'official' day 1, but I never EVER thought I'd have MORE time while DOING more. I have a semi-clean house. I have 3 happy kids... and I'm able to relax and not think about tomorrow or how cluttered my house is... or if I need to wash some clothes.

If every day with the binder is as good as today, it will be well worth it.

Lets just hope the other shoe doesn't drop...

Is anyone else doing this with me? How were your experiences?

Much love,

A newly energized (but still very tired) Kelly (who still can't wait for her printer... )