THIS WEEKS 'LOVELY' CHAT (02/13 - 02/19)

[DeniseM]

Hello all. did some catching up on blogs this morning so no time here. Hope you all have a lovely Valentines Day!!

[AnnaB]

Hi, I finally had time to read back properly. I hope everyone is having a lovely Valentine's day!

TL, I'm so sorry to hear about your nan. *hugs* I hope you had a nice day in Oxford!

I hope your "snow day" was nice Olivia!

Lisa, your evening with dinner and concert sounds so fab! And yes, I'm so excited about Tuva being on the cover (of Scrap365)!

Denise, how awesome that you got some free time, and the new kit as well!

Margrethe, how wonderful seeing Romeo and Juliet. I haven't been to the theatre in ages...

Marie - how fab that Max did so good!

Nothing special is going on here, but I've still been very busy. I've been creating quite a lot, and I have several projects going on, that will be posted on my blog later on. Tuva has a bit of a cold and I'm pretty sure she had a slight fever during the night, but she was pretty ok this morning.

Looking forward to our International Reveal tonight!

[Olivia]

My snow day was quite nice. We actually ended up getting very little snow and ice and probably should have come on to school. The weather was predicted to be much, much worse.

This week will be very busy for us with the basketball tournament, so having a relaxing day yesterday was very nice and much needed.

Denise- I was wondering what part of the house you start on when you clean houses? I have gotten really behind on serious house cleaning and there may still be a Christmas tree up. My days are pretty easy at work, but when 3:30 hits it is like we can't slow down. By the end of the day I am exhausted and just want to go to bed.... Plus there is tons of paper clutter lying around. Any suggestions??

If you lived closer I would love to hire you, Denise...but with the mess I have right now... I wouldn't be able to afford you! LOL

[DeniseM]

Olivia, I know how you feel, with kids and all the running around we do with them, it's hard to get anything done after dinner besides sit like a zombie. I would help you out if we lived closer!!!

When I clean other people's houses I go to the interior of the house and work my way out toward the door, does that make sense? I enter a room and start to the left of the door and work around the room counter clock wise. Top to bottom. for the most part. dusting first, then cleaning (say a bathroom-sinks,mirrors, toilets, tub/shower. floors last. next room. That way you don't skip something or lose track of where you are. I don't clean my own house this way but if I did it would take less time. The reason why it takes us so long to clean our own homes is that we get side tracked and distracted. Take on a room at a time. I think the biggest problem I notice for people is that they have too much stuff. Get rid of whatever you don't use or love. Be ruthless. It helps to keep things looking nicer when there is less around. Trust me, my house is not as clean as I want it to be. Wish I could help.

making dinner now and will be back later to see what's going on.

[DeniseM]

Oh and Olivia, about the clutter. Get some boxes and throw it in there unless you can just chuck it in the garbage. If not, put the boxes in the attic and then in 6 months if you aren't missing anything or can't remember what is in the boxes, bring them to the dump. I would de-clutter as much as possible first. It will make cleaning so much easier.

[Olivia]

Ooo thanks Denise that is great advice! I can definetly use all the help I can get. Right now I feel so overwhelmed with the mess! I try to set small attainable tasks for myself each day and work from there. If I accomplish it great. If not there is always tomorrow. I refuse to let the state of my house dictate my time. I'd rather spend time with my family than have a clean house.

Tonight I am going to tackle the dishes and possibly a few loads of laundry.

[AnnaB]

Decluttering is really something we should do and we are so bad at throwing things away... I am so frustrated because of the mess, and I guess that's why I should do something about it... I too refuse to spend every spare minute cleaning, but I guess getting rid of all the junk would make the rest so much easier.

We got quite a lot of snow yesterday and during the night and even if I really do long for spring, it's sooo beautiful and nice when everything turns white.

[Olivia]

Oh Anna I am so envious! We were out on Monday for snow, but it didn't snow much. More ice and sleet, but very little snow. I wish we could have at least one nice snow day with 4-5 inches of snow, but at this point it is rather doubtful that it will happen.

I did manage to get the dishes done last evening and folded all the laundry that was on our love seat.

Tonight I am going to finish cleaning off the bar in the kitchen and put the clothes away that I folded last evening.

[DeniseM]

Olivia I was thinking of you last night as I had laundry to fold as well. blech. I wanted to just sit and do nothing!

Making dinner here in a bit and then off to clean an office. I hope you are all having a good evening.

[Funky Fairy]

Hello,

We are having a good week with the kids home.
I'm trying to balance work and still do nice things.
Tues I worked til 5am -1pm. They sleep in, have breakie, chill and watch tv, did some homework. So it works well. We then got Lou's hair cut and popped into town and then came back and had coffee and cake a friends over the road.
Yesterday Ade was home and did home work with the kids. I worked 6am - 12.30 and we all went out.
Ade and Louis to watch Starwars 3d and Hollie and I to see The Vow. Then we met up at our fave burger place. Gourmet Burger Kitchen
We love it there. It's really fresh and just yummy. Plus when you go to the movies you get 25% off.
Works out a really cheap meal out.

Kids are going out with their Dad for the day today. He's been really hard work lately. I've been having the same horrible feelings that we had when we were together. He keeps calling and I get really nervous and I don;t want to answer and when I do he's not very nice and when I talk he talks over me and doesn't listen to me and twists everything I say so when we talk the next time says I have said different things to what I have said.
I really hate him. Sorry I know that's strong, but 7 years after splitting I hate that he can still make me feel like this. Cold and so on edge, watching what I say and almost practising what I need to say before I speak to him.
It all started as Hollie wants to die her hair bring ginger red and I said no not at the age of 12. So she spoke to him and he's booked her a hair appointment for today. Thye did it behind my back.
The he called me last week questioning my relationship with her and how she obviously can't trust me and how the tables have turned that she can obviously talk to him better now.
I know this isn't true and she can't have her own way and knows she can by going to him. She's just used him.
As a result she's been punished for going behind my back and I've told them both she's not to get it done. Hollie has been fine with it, he hasn't.

Anyway....

Glad you had a not so snowy snow day Olivia

I find re the tidying/cleaning. When it is done it's little and often for me.
I always hoover every morning. The kitchen is always completely cleared away after breakfast and other mealtimes. The family room is always cleared. I can't leave anything out. It gets tidied when the kids go to bed, the cushions get fluffed when we go to bed. The bathrooms get a quick clean every couple of days.
This way I never have to spend loads of time cleaning and tidying.
I just wish Ade would live this way too

[mison]

Yea, I would love if I could do it that way too Lis

I just took the day off cleaning today. Mostly anyway. I went over the whole house yesterday, but still have to change the beds, other than that I´m done. And it feels so good! It always do...

Denise you´re cleaning advise are good. I try to do it "your" way and it really makes it a lot easier. Right now I do need to sort out a lot of rubbish.. I think we have jackets for a whole football team And a lot of old magazines. Sven keep collecting them, and I try to sneak them off to the bin when he doesn´t see. He has never ever missed one yet, even though he motivates the hordering with that he want to read them again.

Really nice weather here today. If you don´t mind -24 celcius that is.. But the sun is shining and the snow´s glittering. The light is coming back and it makes me feel a lot better. Soon time to start exploring the seeds.. Some of them need to be planted in February, like tomatoes. Do ladies you plant seeds? Have a greenhouse or a garden? I know Anna talked about it earlier, that she was looking forward to growing stuff this summer.

And Denise - you never answered me about the sock color

[mable]

Aw Lisa, I can't imagine what your going through and if he still makes you feel Uncomfortable and on edge etc. it's so difficult because of the kids being involved. I don't know what to say as my relationship with Martin is still quite a friendly one despite everything he's put me through.
As for questioning your relationship with Hollie, well, to be honest, that's none of his business and to me he's just trying to stir things to get a reaction from you . Just keep ya chin up x

I've been sick all week. I went to Oxford on Tuesday full of cold and Tonsilitus. The boys have loved it as I've lost my voice and I'm unable to speak or tell them off lol. Today is the best I've felt all week. I can actually function. It's been that bad that when we got back from Oxford, I had my Feb kit here and some flowers waiting for me I have any just opened my kit and it's blooming fab just need to find the energy to scrap now.
Martin arrived back last night to spend a few extra days with the boys, so, I might be able to scrap

[DeniseM]

So sorry Lisa. It is terrible that some people actually can affect you in such a negative way. He sounds so manipulative and actually quite scary. Hang in there. Jameson just asked me if he could pierce his ears. I said no for now. They want to grow up so fast.

TL, hope you feel better, it sounds like you have had a rough go the past several days. Scrapping will help though wont it?!

Marie, I love all colors so surprise!!

I have had my new kit sitting in my room and yet have not created anything all week. I have been very tired in the evenings. I really haven't wanted to do much and have actually been falling asleep watching tv. I never do that, wondering if I am fighting off a cold. Have had a bit of stuffy nose and sore throat in the morning but then just power through it. Need to get some extra energy though!!

More coffee in a bit and off to work ladies.

[Margrethe]

Sorry to read about what you're going through, Lisa...

Had a good day at work today and did get a lot done preparing for the next period (work, unemployment, welfare, etc.) for my social studies classes. Yay! And, going to the theater to see Lord of the Flies with students tonight

[Olivia]

Lis, it's awful how terribly your ex treats you and makes you feel. It is amazing how much influence people can have over us, even when we don't care for them and don't have a relationship with them anymore. It says a lot about him that he can still put you on edge 7 years later. Hollie has defintely figured out how to work him against you. I am glad you are strict on her.
My best friend's 3 nephews constantly play their mom against their dad and the parents constantly end up fighting. All three boys get to do what they want, when they want, with very little supervision. Their parents are much more caught up in arguing with each other to notice. It is a very bad situation from the outside looking in. I hate it for the boys because I am fearful they will end up in serious trouble since two of the three are of driving age and have girlfriends.

I got absolutely nothing accomplished last night since we were in the basketball gym till after 9 last night. I know that we could have gone home earlier since our team wasn't playing, but our boys were playing the late game so we stayed until half time to cheer them on.

I am so tired today and developing a sore throat. I know I am just run down because of all the go..go...going lately. Gotta slow down or I will end up really sick... It is much easier said than done.