November 29, 2014 at 01:12PM

We have a working dishwasher!!!!!!! We've been using the old dishwasher as a super sized dish drainer for about a year and a half now. The new one not only dries the dishes, but it actually washes them too! ;) ;) And it's SOOO quiet. Ahhhh. Lovely. via Facebook

November 25, 2014 at 09:49PM

I like lists. And charts. And organization (though you wouldn't know it by my house most of the time). AND a fabulous deal on things I'd like to buy. Black Friday planning is, therefore, very fun for me. I cannot go out and join the party any more, but I have learned that I can buy the same things, at the same time, from the same places, at the same prices.... all without getting dressed or leaving the house. I love the internet. I have had my charts, lists, notebook-with-envelope-to-organize-receipts ready for a week or so now. I have created profiles with each online shop so my checkout information is saved for me. I was checking through the websites again today and discovered that two of them have already started their Black Friday sales online! Some (such as WalMart) have had a few special deals, but these stores have started their full Black Friday deals online only. SOOOoooooo between what I've already salted away and what I have now ordered I'm almost ready for Christmas. I have about 10 items left to purchase from two stores that haven't started their sales yet. Then I just need to pick up a handful of special groceries in the next month and Christmas can come whenever it wants to! It really is SUCH a relief to be able to sit back and enjoy the holidays now. Without worrying about gifts I can enjoy them instead! Also, over the next month I'll work on wrapping the presents (yes, I have the wrapping paper, scotch tape, and a pair of scissors hidden so nobody can lose it for me) a few at a time while everybody is off to work/school so I don't have to hide away while I'd rather be playing. I started doing that the last couple of years (even when I didn't always have all the presents) and it's very helpful. I'll even put on ribbon, but not bows, or they get crushed. Come Christmas Eve all I have to do is slap on bows and tuck things in stockings and under the tree. All that gleeful excitement shared, I really don't care if you are the 'buy the presents the last week before Christmas, stay up all night Christmas Eve assembling and wrapping, etc. etc. I've done it that way too. And there's nothing wrong with it. Stress is really hard on my body, though, so I do what I can to avoid stresses I can see coming. The holidays can be incredibly stressful so I'd rather save up my energy for spending time with my family rather than having to crash. via Facebook

November 23, 2014 at 03:04PM

Utah County friends -- anybody know an easy to access area with plenty of evergreen trees? I have more photo shoots coming up and with the fall leaves gone and winter coming I want an evergreen environment. Alas, just popping over to Oregon isn't an option ;) via Facebook

November 21, 2014 at 10:08AM

Last night before going to bed I hid the Christmas list. Naturally I cannot find it this morning! via Facebook

November 17, 2014 at 07:39AM Artist Imagines What Thanksgiving Dinner Would Look Like Prepared By Famous Artists

This is pretty clever!

November 14, 2014 at 06:24PM Mom Sews Incredibly Accurate Disney Costumes For Her Daughter To Wear At Disney World

I love this. I'd love to DO this!

November 14, 2014 at 07:55AM

Particularly for the music teachers to enjoy --- but this is fabulous no matter who you are :D

November 12, 2014 at 11:14AM What Normal Looks Like

There was a beautiful, though short, period of time between the challenges of particularly small children and the challenges of chronic illness when my house was pretty clean almost all of the time. Not immaculate clean; we live here! But clean enough to know which basket of laundry is clean, when the last load of dishes was run, and I didn't want to melt into oblivion when a surprise guest dropped by. Unfortunately, we're not normal any more! The great room is pretty darn messy. Yeah, I know. BUT what you don't know is that it's an ongoing game of chicken with an ADD child who can sit for three hours staring at the wall perfectly happily. The kitchen is a disaster most of the time. BUT it's also the only room left entirely to me. And the dictator of the kitchen is going to nuke the entire nation if they don't learn how to throw away their own garbage and rinse out a dish before piling it on the counter top! It's currently hostile territory. Don't worry, though, I only cook for others when things are clean enough to prevent the spread of ebola. It may be messy, but it's not going to kill anybody, and darn it -- I'm working on it! I could go on and on. It's part of life when mama has severe chronic pain. Part of the every day juggling act to get things done without overdoing anything. My house isn't messy because we don't care, because I don't know how to clean, because I don't want it clean. It's messy because we are surviving.

November 11, 2014 at 06:23PM

Finally finished the most recent urgent project! Now, on to the next 10 on the list.... *deeeep breath* via Facebook

November 08, 2014 at 10:49PM Artist Removes One Letter from Famous Movie Titles and Illustrates the Results

This actually had me laughing for reals out loud. Naturally I have a soft spot for number 1. And 17. And.... well, they're quite good.

November 06, 2014 at 04:28PM We’re guessing you to be 41 years old!

I feel 80, the internet thinks I'm 41, my brain thinks I'm 25, today I actually turn 35. At least we're all sure I'm well out of my teens ;)

November 04, 2014 at 08:48AM I am 40% Girly, I am a Mixed Breed. How Girly Are You?

Sounds about right :P

November 04, 2014 at 07:03AM "I Teach For Seven Straight Hours In Stilletos And Never Stop Smiling"—What Stock Photos Tell Us...

For all the teachers out there. May your classroom have 7 students who raise their hands, work independently, and may you never run out of apples in your immaculate classroom you grinning fools, you!

November 02, 2014 at 03:57PM

November 02, 2014 at 03:57PM via Facebook