How Does She...Laundry PART 1

Jealousy doesn't normally rear it's ugly head around here...I only covet a few things in life and they usually are in sets of two.  Two dishwashers, two ovens...are you feeling it yet?  TWO SETS OF WASHERS AND DRYERS.  Oh be still my heart!!  Forget Louboutin shoes, Prada handbags, or Louise Vuitton....my heart moves for washers and dryers in sets of two.  :D

But, that is a dream far down the line and may never happen.  For a family of 8 or more, laundry is one of those tasks that pretty much consumes.  I shop in bulk for laundry sheets, stock up on good detergent when it goes on sale with a coupon, and I have a variety of pet-peeves related to it that make my teenagers want to pull their hair out.  They'll need therapy for the rest of their lives over the laundry in this house.  But atleast they'll have clean clothes to go in...just sayin'.

I digress....today's "How Does She" post is devoted to all things laundry.  And, no, it doesn't include a fairy. But it does include a few easy steps for helping make laundry a skosh more enjoyable and functional.  And who doesn't need that in their life??  Be sure to check out all 6 posts for how I master the laundry in my very busy household. 

STEP 1: ORGANIZATION

You will HATE your laundry space if it is cluttered, disorganized, or chaotic.  I hyperventilate just thinking about my last laundry space.  It was teeny tiny, and I avoided it like the plague.  Which, truthfully just made it worse, because then it became the most loathed space in the house and the one I used the most purposefully.  Ugg.  So, when we moved, and I was lucky enough to have the most amazing laundry space ever, I took that as a sign that I needed to get my act together and make it functional.  It took some time to find just the right system for me but it really helped and I'm glad I worked through my issues  the kinks. 

Now, I have a system to my madness.  And that really helps with the other steps I'll be sharing throughout the week.   

This is my laundry room looking out from the washer and dryer and yes, I'm grateful for the space.   Everything has a place or a purpose.  If it doesn't, well...It goes.  This place is a like fine oiled military unity and if you ain't got a purpose, then you gotta go Jack.

Everyone in the family has a CLEAN basket with their name on it.  I fold and put it in the basket.  They put it away.  That's how it works around here.  I do teach my children how to also DO their own laundry (their spouse will thank me some day), but if I can at least get it washed and folded in this crazy world, they can put it away. Later in the week I'll tell you more about how I enlist my family and even taught my boys to iron.  I have seven of them and I better get a very large hug from their wives someday. Again, I digress. Sorry.  The tag is a simple laminated piece of cardstock printed with their name which is then attached to the basket with a binder ring.  

The kidlets are responsible for bringing their dirty clothes to the laundry room if they want them washed (or when I nag appropriately with some Love and Logic tools I've learned along the way).  They then sort their dirty laundry in to the baskets.  This is where my OCD kicks in to overtime.  Zippers banging on t-shirts create little holes.  Whites should not be dingy because they were washed with the darks.  Towels cannot stink.  You know...little things.  I don't have a zillion dollars to clothe my darling family, so I choose to be OCD in the laundry room to make our clothes last longer and look better.  

So my baskets are tagged the way I want them.  Even my little 3 year old has mastered how to sort his dirties in to the baskets.  This will hopefully make my life easier when he's 14 (or not) and gives him a sense of accomplishment when I praise him for it.  Double whammy...LOVE IT!  There are 5 baskets:  Darks (with Zippers), Darks (Without Zippers), Whites, Towels, and Delicate/Miscellaneous.  I have a 6th smaller basket that sits on my dryer and that is where all of the kitchen rags/towels go.  Those get washed in their own load -- I don't want them growing mold somewhere in the clothes basket until I get to them later in the week.  That's gross.  :) 

My laundry room also flows a certain way.  I did this on purpose.  I can literally take clothes from the dirty baskets to the wash.  From the wash to the dryer.  From the dryer to the folding table.  From the folding table to the baskets.  It's all about efficiency in that room...I'm not even kidding here.  I used to have this terrible habit of taking the laundry to my  bed to fold.  Then it would hit the floor....then it would have to be re-washed or would get all wrinkly and it might wait for days. It was a nightmare and I break out in hives just thinking about the mountains I would leave on the floor.  Ugg...I made a promise to myself  when I got my big laundry room that clean clothes could no longer be placed on the floor or on my bed.  

I had a friend who once commented that spouses need a "retreat" from the rest of the house.  I don't know why I didn't appreciate that comment much sooner in my blissful marriage.  Mountains of laundry on the bed and floor are certainly not conducive to a retreat.  I've since tried to create a place for the hubs to be able to kick of his shoes and relax and it has worked WONDERS for him (and as a result, me).  And why shouldn't he be pampered just a bit after a long day at the office.  :D  For those of you who don't have the luxury of a folding table in your laundry room, please think twice before you put it on the bed.  Unless you are an overachiever who immediately folds the pile as soon as it hits the bed.  In that case, I want to be you when I grow up.  

In the corner of the laundry room is a garment rack.  This is where I hang clothes that don't get dried and clothes that I don't want wrinkled in basket or will get hung later.  In our house, we hang all of the big people shirts (including t-shirts).  Top wrack is for mom and dad.  Bottom wrack is for younger folk with better backs.   They are responsible for clearing out their hang-ables when they snag their baskets.  It's win, win.  Not perfect, but certainly better than the pile on the floor I was going for in my early marriage and mommyhood days.

Be sure to check in tomorrow for Part 2 of my laundry adventures.  

• Part 2:  LEARNING THE RULES OF THE {LAUNDRY} ROAD
• Part 3:  ENLISTING THE FAMILY
• Part 4:  BE PICKY...IT'S OKAY
• Part 5:  DO IT...DAILY  
• Part 6:  SOCKS, SOCKS, SOCKS (I loathe you)

I'd love to hear what works for you and your family in the laundry department.  Do you have a secret organization trick to share?  Sound off below.  

Stay Happy, 

~ B

Funny Things Happen at Church

Today was Fast Sunday at Church -- and today I felt especially grateful for my herd of children, wonderful husband, and journey that God has us on.  So, I decided to bear my testimony.  I made my way up to the front and sat quietly waiting for a very nice gentleman to finish.  That was probably a bad idea.  From a few rows back, I could see my toddler's eyes lock on my position and start to squirm in his dad's lap.  Worse idea.  I wiggled my finger at him and up he came to sit on my lap.  Worst idea.

When my turn came, I quietly stood and picked the toddler up.  I took him to the microphone and encouraged him to repeat after me.  He however, thought it was more funny to practice his heavy breathing over the sound system. I gently pulled him back and started to bear my testimony.  He squirmed some more and after thirty seconds or so, my husband came up to grab him which caused more squirming and I'm pretty sure some screaming about "mommy".  I continued to bear my testimony and apologized for the interruption only to look down and see that my other preschooler was at my feet, who starts to engage with the other in pushing and gentle fighting about who could hug my right leg. 

This is comical by this point and I begin to notice a lot of broad grins and chuckles spreading across the chapel in front of me.  I start to cry -- not because I am totally crazy and overwhelmed by these two now fighting preschoolers at my feet -- but because I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father loves me so much to send these beautiful creatures to me and that I get to be their mommy forever.  And even in the midst of their little squabble, I am grateful for the gift of patience, love, and grace to manage the many moments of motherhood that could turn south quickly if I didn't have these gifts.

Atleast a dozen people thanked me today for my testimony, which is funny, because I was sure they only saw the circus at Church today.   :)

Post Holiday Crunch

I've been dreading this moment...sitting here at my computer trying to find any motivation whatsoever.  Ugg...my heated blanket and the TV are calling my name.  Seriously.  Well, maybe that's just my inner-self needing a much needed down time.  The last 8 weeks have been grueling and physically and mentally I'm exhausted. I kept thinking if I survive X, then I can rest....well when I hit Z I think the alphabet started over and I'm still trying to survive.

First, the big move.  Second, bringing our kiddos home.  Third, my papa passed away.  Fourth...Christmas! It really feels like the last few weeks have just been a blur and now I have to put my feet on the ground and get back in to reality.  Before I know it, school will be in full swing, FFA Convention is just around the corner, and then of course, everything else.  I must get myself organized and ready to tackle the 2013.

And...I don't want to.  My heated blanket is really tempting at the moment and the basement feels like it's getting colder.  Should I call it a night (at 7:30pm), and tuck myself in??  Oh.so.tempting.

"Life by the Yard is Hard"

The last 60 days have been grueling.  Well, to be honest the stress for me started on New Year's Eve of last year when we received the first "notice" on the front door of our rental home.  Inside...I freaked out.  How could this happen to us when we were paying on time?  Where was our family going to go?  Would we have to go?  When would we have to go?  And, every time another letter was hung on the door or someone stopped to take photos or do a check to see if someone was living in the house, I freaked.  It was hard not to.  I had no control over what was happening, even though our family lived there.  My husband, who is my rock, was steady.  He was patient.  He listened and reassured.  I still freaked.

This morning, this quote by President Monson struck me:

“Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it’s a cinch. Decisions Determine Destiny.” 

In the last 60 days, we have moved, traveled, and adopted.  Phew.  I am exhausted just writing that sentence.  Change has been hard.  It has felt like a marathon that just wouldn't end.  It wasn't a completely unexpected move because we had sensed that there was trouble with the bank for almost a year.  But unexpected to move in them middle of November.  But through it all, when we let the Lord handle things by the yards and we focused on the inches, things have worked out beautifully -- a new home for a great deal and two beautiful new children.

That doesn't mean that change is easy.  Leaving our church family is HARD.  Moving is HARD.  Unpacking is HARD.  Making new friends is HARD.  Did I mention that moving is HARD??   Keeping a preschool open while moving is HARD.  Making friends with new neighbors who have been traumatized by large Mormon families (lol) as their neighbors is HARD.  Working with Health and Welfare through our adoption is HARD.  Knowing that BK is struggling and not wanting help from his family is HARD.  And yet through it all, I've been at peace knowing that the Lord is handling all of the big stuff.  He's cool like that :)

Why do we insist on living by the yard?  Why do we insist in knowing what is better for us even though we can't see the full road ahead?  I can only speak for myself, but I am fiercely independent and want to be self-sufficient.  The last 6 years have required us to put all of our trust in Heavenly Father for providence.  We had to humble ourselves through lost jobs, failed businesses, loans that needed repaid, medical bills, more medical bills, the passing of mark, more medical bills, job changes, 4 moves...and yet through it all He could see the road ahead while we trudged along.  He could see the cliffs, pitfalls, 90 degree turns, and the end.  But I still insisted in driving the car!

It's something I'm learning to change -- I need to be more like my husband -- steady, patient, and not freaking out when things are out of my control.  (Note...I don't literally freak out....but I do freak out on the inside and lose sleep, hair, and a whole lot of years off of my life just to be clear :) )

These experiences, even with how HARD they have been, have strengthened my faith in the Lord.  That I need to let Him lead my life and quit trying to drive.  That I need to focus on the inches instead of the yards.  And that I need to continue trusting in my awesome, spectacular and fabulous husband.

Big Changes are Coming....

There are so many things happening in our life right now that I don't even know where to begin.  Are we adopting?  When is that process going to speed up or slow down?  Are we moving?  Are we staying?  So many decisions to juggle, to pray about, and in some cases, jump off the cliff with a LEAP of faith!

So, to keep it short...here are the TOP 5 areas where BIG CHANGES ARE COMING....

1. Our LOCALE....

Turning my Brain Off....

What is the process for adoption?

Working through the adoption process often feels like this....Hurry up, wait, need more information, more paperwork, hurry up, wait.....It's a long process and it can be frustrating.  BUT IT IS WORTH EVERY MINUTE OF FRUSTRATION!!!  I can't wait to have the kids come home for a weekend visit.  

I believe in forever families and it makes me so very sad that I can't help every single child in foster care find the forever family of their dreams -- a family that won't change next week, next month, next year;  a family that comes to sports games;  a family that stands by them even when things get yucky;  a family that