Book Review for Eternal on the Water

Title: Eternal on the Water

Author: Joseph Monninger

I participated in the Barnes and Noble First Look Book Club for the book Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger. Here is my review:


After reading the description of this book for the BN First Look Book Club, I had to read it. I thought it was going to be such a wonderful and touching love story; however, I just couldn't get into it. The writing style didn't bother me (although I felt like there was a 'he/she said' written after almost every line of dialogue, so I had to make myself ignore those endings), I thought it was pretty good actually. The story itself didn't capture me. I never felt like I wanted to read more of the story when I would have to put it down. The love story between Cobb and Mary seemed almost 'too perfect' and it was unbelievable, to me anyway. I did read this through to the end (once I start a book, I have to finish it) but I never really felt connected to any of the characters and I never yearned for more. I would be interested in reading more of his books and suggest that you read this one for yourself as you may enjoy it. After all, this is just my opinion, yours could be completely different.

Noisy Neighbors

I have some very noisy neighbors. Unless you've ever had them, you truly don't know how annoying and frustrating it can be. I don't understand why they have to blast their music so loud that it's to the point where their neighbor's (that would be me) bed and floors vibrate.

Let me explain a little. My husband and I own a townhouse. Our home is on a corner lot of a row of 5 houses, so thankfully, we only have one house connected to ours (the noisy neighbors). When we moved in this past September (2009), the house beside ours was still for sale and vacant. The only other house that was occupied in our row was the house in the middle.

About 6 weeks or so ago, the for sale sign in the yard came down, and 2 college aged kids moved in. My husband and I were under the impression that they were renting since their plates say they're from a different state. However, a couple weekends ago we saw them outside in the yard doing some yard work (digging up old stones and replacing them with new ones). Now, we're not so sure if they are renting, or if "daddy" bought the house as an income property. Either way, it doesn't really matter because they should be respectful and considerate of their neighbors no matter if they "own" or not.

The day they moved in is the day the music started and it hasn't ever stopped. Every Friday and Saturday nights (sometimes on the week nights too -- oh lucky us!) they have a party, and a loud party at that. The street fills up with cars by around 8PM, as well as our drive-through, which is a fire-zone (and no parking is allowed). Once it hits 10PM, if they are still loud, my husbands calls the police. Since my state doesn't have a noise ordinance (again...lucky us!), all they can do is ask them to turn the music down. Most of the time this works, however, there have been a couple of times where the music will start booming through our walls again and the cops have to be called back out.

As of a couple days ago, the HOA has sent two letters to them telling them to cease and desist, which means they've had one extra warning than they should have had. The next time the HOA receives a complaint about them, they (or the owner) will get fined.

Well, this afternoon the neighbors decided to blast their music and play their drums so loudly that I was able to feel the floors vibrating in the living room. I could also hear their music over my t.v. I'm anxious to see what the HOA is going to do about this problem. I really hope that they fine them this time. I'll post an update as soon as I find out what happens with this situation.

Annual Tasks

Annual Tasks are the tasks that I feel need to happen only once a year.

Here is my list of my Annual Tasks:

* Check Fire Alarm/Carbon Monoxide Batteries
* Check and re-apply caulk as needed
* Clean out filing cabinet

To integrate these tasks into my cleaning routine, I like to pick one day out of the year (usually a Saturday) for each of these tasks to be completed. I write it down on my master calendar, which will then be transferred over onto my monthly calendar (dry erase that I keep on my fridge). By doing this, I'm able to see a month in advance when each of these tasks are scheduled.

Monthly Cleaning Tasks

Monthly cleaning tasks are tasks that don't need to be done, daily, or weekly, but need to be done more than once or twice a year.

Here is my Monthly Cleaning Tasks list:


* Change Furnace Filters (or as needed)
* Organize Storage Room (or as needed)
* Wash Pillows and Comforters
* Clean Washer and Dryer
* Check Stock Pile

I like to add one monthly task into my Daily Cleaning Schedule. This way, I don't have to spend one weekend each month making sure these tasks get done. By adding them into my Daily Cleaning Schedule, I'm able to divide them up throughout the month, and by the end of the month, all of my monthly tasks are done.

Weekly Tasks

When I was trying to come up with my weekly tasks, I tried to think about everything in my home that needed to be cleaned often, but not every day, such as changing the bedding and paying the bills (my favorite thing to do...gag).

Here is the list that I came up with for my weekly tasks:

* Laundry - Changing sheets on bed and crib, blankets
* Dust - baseboards, furniture, blinds, fixtures, door frames, stairs, fireplace
* Weekly Kitchen Tasks - clean out fridge (throw away last weeks leftovers that weren't eaten, food that's expired)
* Update calendar - I have a master calendar and I have decided to purchase a dry erase calendar for the fridge)
* Trash - I go around and collect all of the trash from the bathroom waste baskets, diapers, etc. and put them in the garage, ready to be taken out on trash day
* Vacuum - all floors, furniture
* Pay/Schedule bills
* Plan meals
* Couponing
* Weekly Bathroom Tasks - Clean Mirror, mop floor, organize closet
* Zone cleaning
* Paper Tasks - File, shred, trash, letters, Thank You's
* Clean out purse
* Grocery store
* Errands - Post Office, Library, buy presents, etc.
* Clean out car
* Sweep porch and deck
* Yard work - I live in a neighborhood that has an HOA, therefore, I don't have to do much yard work, but we are responsible for trimming our bushes.
* 1 Monthly cleaning task


I know this looks like a lot(and it is),but, if you break these tasks down and do a few a day (include them in your daily cleaning schedule), then it won't be as overwhelming, and they will all get accomplished by the end of the week.

Before Bed Routine

The following is my Before Bed Routine:

* Load dishwasher
* Vacuum kitchen floor
* Clean Counters, stove and sink
* Straighten up

I always do these right after dinner. And luckily, my husband helps me. These tasks hardly take any time at all to do, and once they're done, the rest of the night is mine to spend with my family.

By diving my tasks up throughout the day, I'm able to take breaks and I won't burn out. At the end of the day, I'm able to go to bed with a peaceful mind because I accomplished what I set out to do, and I have a sparkling, shiny and clean house to show for it.

Afternoon Routine

The following is my Afternoon Routine:

* Fix lunch (11ish)
* Put meat out to defrost (if having meat for dinner)
* Prep dinner
* Sort/recycle mail
* Zone cleaning (Thursdays)

I never do my Afternoon Routine while LM is taking a nap - that is my "me time" and I spend it doing whatever I want to do (unless we're having company over and I have no choice in the matter). Therefore, I usually don't start my Afternoon Routine until 2 or 2:30 (except for fixing lunch).

Morning Routine

After I made my daily tasks list, I decided that I needed a time frame as to when I should do these tasks. Flylady.net suggests that you have a Morning Routine, an Afternoon Routine, and a Before Bed Routine. I took this suggestion and broke my tasks down into the time of day that would be the most practical to do them.

My Morning Routine is as follows:

* Make Bed
* Swish and Swipe
* Get LM up and ready for the day
* Check calendar for appointments
* Empty/load dishwasher
* Start laundry
* Start crock pot dinner (if having a crock pot dinner)
* Potty time (while potty training LM)

I am more energized in the morning than later in the day so I try to do as much as I can in the morning. As the day goes on, I get tired and exhausted from chasing LM around the house and I don't feel like doing as much. Maybe you're more energetic in the evening and doing more then would work better for you. Do what you think will be the most efficient for you and your home.

Note: Visit Flylady.net for more information on routines.

Project: Organization

If you read my post, A New Year...A New Resolution, you would know that one of my goals for this year is to be organized by the end of 2010. Well, over the last week or so, I've been writing down what organization projects I want to tackle and accomplish. Here is what I have come up with so far (I'm sure the list will grow while working on other projects):

* Master bedroom closets
* Paper
* Pantry
* Bathroom closets
* LM's closet (small walk-in)
* Long dresser
* Tall dresser
* Kitchen cabinets
* LM's toys
* LM's art supplies
* LM's out-grown clothing
* LM's to-grow-into clothing
* Storage room
* Night stand
* Mail
* Bookshelves
* Files
* Laundry area
* Office
* My desk
* Fridge
* Lazy Susan
* Spices
* Office closet (average walk-in)

As I accomplish these projects, I will update my list, as well as post any pictures and tips that I may have. I will also try to post and review any items I purchase for projects, just incase you happen to be interested in them as well.

As always, any ideas and tips that you may have are always welcome.

Daily Tasks

When I think about daily tasks, or chores, I think of the ones that need to be done everyday in order to keep my house from falling apart. An example would be the dishes, or laundry. It's a good idea to think this way when making your own daily task list to make sure that you cover everything.

As an example, for your convenience, here is my daily tasks list.

* Make bed
* Swish and swipe bathroom
* Get LM up and ready for the day
* Check calendar for appointments
* Empty/load dishwasher
* Start laundry
* Start crock pot dinner (if having a crock pot dinner)
* Potty time (while potty training LM)
* Fix lunch
* Put meat out to defrost (if having meat for dinner)
* Prep dinner
* Sort/recycle mail
* Vacuum kitchen floor
* Clean Counters, stove and sink
* Straighten up

Remember, this is my daily tasks list. What works for me, may not work for everyone else. That's why it's important for you to think about what tasks you need to do daily for your home.

Note: If you need more help coming up with your daily tasks list, visit Flylady.net for more ideas.

Cleaning

Cleaning is apart of my daily life. I can't say that I love to clean, but I don't mind it either. What I do love about cleaning is that it makes my house sparkle and shine (hopefully). I love being clean and having a clean house; I feel so much better and am a happier, healthier person when everything is clean (just ask my husband!).

Take a minute and step away from your computer (yes, right now). Walk around your house and see what mess looks back at you. It can be very overwhelming to see everything at once. If you're anything like me, your mind is probably going a thousand miles an hour trying to figure out what you're going to do and how long it's going to take you to get your house in perfect order. It's important to remember that your house didn't get into this state over night and it's not going to get perfect over night either. Take it step-by-step, day-by-day, and before you know it, you'll be living in, what I call COAT (Come Over Any Time).

I'm not a cleaning expert by any means (I'll leave that to Flylady and others of the sort), but I do have a cleaning method that works for me. I absolutely hate and I mean hate "spring/fall cleaning"; I would rather climb Mt. Everest or put myself through a last chance workout with Bob and Jillian from The Biggest Loser than clean for a week straight. Therefore, I break my cleaning tasks down into smaller, more manageable tasks.

1. Daily Tasks
- Morning Routine
- Afternoon Routine
- Before Bed Routine
2. Weekly Tasks
3. Monthly Tasks
4. Annual Tasks
5. Zone Cleaning
6. Creating A Cleaning Schedule

By breaking my tasks down into these categories, I don't feel overwhelmed and it helps me to stay on track. I'm also able to see progress in a short amount of time, which encourages and motivates me to keep up the good work. Remember, "Slow And Steady Wins The Race". It may take longer than you would like for your home to sparkle and shine, but in the end, it will be all worth it to live a COAT lifestyle.

Saturday Morning Breakfast

I love Saturdays. I can get up, not have to worry about doing my daily tasks, and do whatever I please, which usually entails spending time with my DH and LM in our bed. Little Man loves to get in our bed with us and snuggle, and I have to admit, it's one of my favorite things to do. I always cherish every minute of this time because I know it won't last forever.

After DH and I tickle, snuggle, kiss, and play with LM, I sneak out of the bedroom and make my way to the kitchen, hoping LM doesn't notice (he's not a very happy camper when he see's me leave the room). While DH is playing and keeping Little Man happy, I make breakfast. This morning I made whole wheat pancakes (I would've added blueberries but I was all out) and some eggs.



Mmmm Mmmm. Boy was it good. In-case you don't know, I'm trying to watch how many calories I eat, as well as eat healthier. So far I'm doing really well. Two tools that I use to help me do this are the Biggest Loser Cookbooks.



The pancake recipe came from this book and they were delicious. I made 4 batches of them and put some in the freezer to have for breakfast during the week. Two pancakes (I doubled the amount of batter per pancake because I like larger pancakes - the recipe has 4 pancakes per serving, but 2 of my large pancakes would equal 1 serving) are 1 serving and their caloric intake is very low!

One serving of pancakes is only 140 calories. I also had two eggs, which are 78 calories per egg, for 156 calories.

So....

Pancakes: 140 calories
Eggs: 156 calories
Total: 296 calories

My total caloric intake for this meal was 296 calories!

Graco Stroller Recall

The CPSC put out a recall this morning for Graco Strollers that were purchased between October 2004 and December 2009. If you have one or know of someone who has one, be sure to read the recall information. These strollers have defective hinges that can lacerate or amputate fingertips. If you think you're stroller is effected, please look at the article linked above to find out which models and model numbers are being recalled, as well as how to get a free repair kit.

A Typical Day At Home

A typical day at our house usually begins around 8 in the morning, when Little Man wakes up. I drag my still sleepy body, up, out of the bed, and try to make my way up the stairs without falling. When I walk into his room, he's usually already standing up in his crib, smiling, and holding his arms out toward me as far as they will reach. After our hugs, snuggles and kisses, I grab some diapers, pick out his outfit for the day, and we make our way back downstairs.



First things first - it's time for a diaper change (oh what fun!). After I change his diaper, he immediately goes to sit on his big boy potty...and just sits and sits (at this point in potty training, the most he's ever done is make a "pssssss" sound with his mouth - it's really cute! At least he has an idea of what's suppose to be going in the potty.).



After potty time, it's time for breakfast. I turn on the coffee maker (mmmmm)



and get breakfast started for Little Man. This morning he had applesauce, yogurt, cheerios and milk. When he's finished, if I'm a good Wife that morning, I'll make my husband some breakfast too while Little Man plays in the kitchen.



When breakfast is over and my husband has left for the day, I check the calendar for any appointments, get myself and the baby dressed, brush our teeth, and I wash my face (if I'm going out later in the day, this is also when I'll go ahead and do my make-up and hair). While LM is in the living room "watching" t.v. (I have the t.v. on Disney for background noise, he never actually watches except for when Imagination Movers comes on), I start emptying the dishwasher



and then clean up after breakfast. I usually start a load of laundry around this time

(after I took this picture, I realized how dirty the washing machine was so I immediately cleaned it)

and then I'll swish, swipe and tidy up the bathroom. After the laundry and bathroom are taken care of, I make my way to my bedroom to make the bed (usually LM follows me and we'll play peek-a-boo with the covers - his favorite game!).

When I'm finished, I look at my menu planner and see what's for dinner. If it's a crock pot meal, I go ahead and put everything into the crock pot and turn it on. If not, then I move whatever meat we're having from the freezer to the fridge for it to start to defrost.

After this is done, I go and play with LM until it's time to prep for lunch (which usually only takes a few minutes) and then it's back to playing. I start making lunch around 11:15, in the hopes that we can eat, change his diaper, go to the potty, and be ready for nap time by noon.

Nap time is when I have my "me" time during the day. I don't do anything during nap time, except things that I want to do, such as reading, blogging, crafts, watching a movie, etc. The only time I ever do anything during nap time is if we're expecting company and I need to use this time to do some cleaning.



After nap time, I prep for dinner, sort/recycle mail and do my zone cleaning, if it's zone cleaning day. I usually use this time, until it's time to make dinner, to just play, and spend it with LM, doing any arts and crafts, etc.

In the evening, I try to have dinner ready around 6, so that when my husband gets home, we can eat. After we eat, my husband helps me put everything away, tidy up the kitchen, wipe down the counters, stove and sink, and load the dishwasher.

After dinner, we spend time with LM, playing with him, reading to him, etc., until it's time for him to go to bed (7:30). We do our regular bedtime routine (potty time, bath, brush teeth, story) and then put him down for the night. The rest of the evening is mine and my husbands, to do whatever we want. Sometimes we spend it together, and other times we have things that we want to do on our own. I usually go to bed around 11:00 or 11:30 so that I will be fully rested and ready to do it all over again the next day.

Note: I try to break up my daily tasks into a morning routine, afternoon routine, and an evening routine. I don't have a set time for each thing to get done because, in reality, I'd never be able to follow that type of schedule. There are only 2 "tasks" throughout the day that have a set time for them to happen - nap time, and LM's bedtime.

If you want to learn more about morning, afternoon and evening routines, be sure to visit Flylady.net.

5 A Day

I love being able to stay-at-home with my little man everyday. He and I have so much fun playing, doing arts and crafts, learning, etc., and I wouldn't trade this opportunity and experience for anything in the world. The only thing I wish is that my husband could be here too; however, someone has to bring in the money to pay for this beautiful home we just purchased and all of the other bills that reveal their ugly heads once a month.

Since we are a one income family, at least right now, I try my best to make my husband's paychecks stretch as far as possible, which includes using coupons on a regular basis. I don't understand why more people don't use them...it's like throwing away free money! I'll get more into using coupons another day, but there are several ways to get coupons other than the Sunday paper, many, most people don't know about. One way I like to get coupons is by writing to the companies that produce products my family likes to use. It's that simple.

Writing to all of the companies at once takes a lot of time, time that I don't have to waste. Therefore, I came up with 5 A Day. I write to 5 companies a day, complimenting them on their products, and in return they send me coupons in the mail! It's that easy and it only takes about 5-10 minutes out of the day. I have a non-specific compliment written out, so all I have to do is fill in my information and copy and paste my generic compliment into the form.

Picking the companies to write to is a pretty easy task. Make it easy on yourself and start with your pantry or your refrigerator! Just open them up and write down the products that you see. Use this as a starting point for your list and keep adding to it when you think of more products. When you're ready to start, make sure you have your list with you (I have my list in an excel document saved on my computer so it's always there when I need it) and check off products as you go along. This way, you'll know where to begin the next day. Before you know it, you'll start receiving coupons in the mail (often times for high dollar amounts, and frees) daily.

Note: I also like to keep track of who sends out coupons and who doesn't, as well as the dates I write to them. This way, when I'm ready to start going down my list again, I'll know who sends out coupons and who doesn't. Most companies, I've heard, store your information in their database for about 3-4 months. This is where the dates come into play. If I notice that I haven't written to a company in 3-4 months, then I write to them again.

A New Year...A New Resolution?

....No. I've come to realize that whenever I set a New Year's Resolution it never works. Sure, the first few days, sometimes even weeks, are great and I'm able to accomplish whatever "resolution" I've made for myself. Then, the motivation leaves, and alas, I'm back to where I started, making little to no progress on what I set out to accomplish.

Well...

This year I've decided not to make a resolution, but instead, make a new habit. I'm going to get organized - and I mean everything is going to get organized: house, purse, calendar/planner...you name it, and I'm going to make sure it gets organized. I'm going to call this, Project: Organization (I know, what a creative and unique name!), and I'm going to hold myself accountable by updating my progress here. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to try to make a to-do-list for Project: Organization, and I'll share that with you as soon I finish my list.

The reason I've decided to start this project is because I'm tired of things not having a proper home. I'm tired of living in what FlyLady calls CHAOS - Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome. Now of course, I do have people over, but not before an hour long 'hurry up and clean before they get here' "party"; which, let me tell you, my husband just absolutely loves! I would love to be able to hear that someone is on their way over and sit back and relax, while waiting upon their arrival. Therefore, I have decided that PO (Project: Organization), is my new project and I hope to have it finished by the end of the year. I will be sure to post before and after pictures of my mini-projects.

Note: If I have inspired you to start your own organization project, feel free to e-mail me what you plan to do and any before and after pictures. Or, if you are an organized junkie and would like to share organizational tips/pictures, please e-mail them to me as well. All tips and pictures sent will be given credit to whomever credit is due.

About My Blog

My name is Erin and I'm a stay-at-home mom (which includes but is not limited to, maid, cook, teacher, CFO - Chief Financial Officer, etc.) to my 20 month old little man. After reading blogs for some time now, I decided that it was time for me to have one of my own. Here, I plan to share with you what it's like being a stay-at-home mom, my organization project (I'd love to be organized by the end of 2010) which includes my daily cleaning schedules, etc., how my family and I live on one income, and wherever else my heart leads.

I named this blog Don't Forget To Breathe because sometimes us moms get so busy and overwhelmed that we don't take time out for ourselves, even if it is just long enough to take a few deep breaths. I hope that when you read this blog, it will remind you to take a few minutes out of each day to just relax, do something you want to do, have a little "me" time and pamper yourself - even if it is only long enough to take a few, deep, relaxing breaths. You deserve it!

My hope and goal for this blog is to be an inspiration to other stay-at-home moms, or even all moms, hoping that this little glimpse into my life will encourage you and support you in one of the most important roles of your life.