Monday, June 9, 2008

Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning

Perhaps its because I have had such a cruddy year, or because it feels like the walls are closing in on me, I don't know which, but....I have started my yearly decluttering. Several people, neighbors, friends, family....have given me bags & bags and bags of hand me downs recently. That in its self is very nice, and now I have plenty of clothes for both Emily & Amy for school next year....buuuuttt... After the fifth large bag of clothes I start getting very picky with things. So today after going through all the bags and cleaning out one drawer in my own dresser, I took three very overstuffed bags of well stuff to the Salvation Army. I don't know where the mountains of clothing ends up but they happily take everything I want to dispose of.

This weekend the swamp cooler overflowed and leaked into my utility room. AAAAAAhhhh! I was not a very happy camper. All the sheets, tools, ect. had to be rewashed and the room smells terrible now. I have just about got caught up on the laundry. So, my goal for the week is to go through each of the kids' dressers and get rid of about half of the unused, too small, clothing so that the house cleaning will not take as much time. Lets see if I can do it.

I have also been diligently planning our February Hawaii cruise. That is not really work but it is what I spend a lot of time on. Our plane tickets are bought & paid for. Money to pay for the cruise itself is in the bank, so now I just need to save for activities and such. Alans dear cousin Stephanie & her sweet husband Jeramy have so graciously agreed to stay with our kids the week we are gone. Steph married my third cousin Jeremy Easter from Purcell Oklahoma. Always room for another Easter in the McCracken Clan. I need to get chore list and such done for the kids for while we are away. Another thing to add to the growing list.

Alex had a terrible flu last week. Poor little guy. He just doesn't do sick very well. He is feeling better now and went back to Summer School today. He is really enjoying that. There are only 5 kids to each teacher, so he is learning a bunch.

The kids are loving the new swimming pool. It is very cold water though so I don't manage to stay in very long. I don't think Alan has been in it at all. Hopefully it will get warmer soon so we can enjoy it.

I must go now and get busy with more cleaning. You all have a nice week.

9 comments:

Sylvia said...

Good for you. I love it when I get grow into clothes for the kids. Then I have a terrible time thinning it down to what they will actually use. It is a lot easier to clean house when you have less junk.
That Hawaii trip sounds like a lot of fun. I hoe you and Alan have a great trip.
Hope Alex gets better soon.

Kim said...

The trip to Hawaii sounds GREAT! I hope to get there someday.

Sabriena said...

You have a nice week, too. Sounds like you've been getting a lot done - I guess that it feels nice to sometimes just concentrate on your vacation, and dreeeeeeeeeeeammmmmmmm.....

JoAnn said...

Yes Neena,

My mom always said that half the fun of taking a vacation was in the planning. I tend to agree!

Cherrie said...

I want to go back to Hawaii. That sounds like a blast.

meNmykids said...

Good for you, keep up the work, come visit me and clean my 8 kids closets PLEASE? Fine then, I'll do it myself. Maybe. Hope the trip goes good, fun thing to plan, maybe take some of the sting out of the sorting etc.

Jules said...

That is awesome that you had so many clothes that you could pick and choose. Nothin' wrong with that :) I do the same thing, I just take gobs of things to Salvation Army/Goodwill and let them go through it. That's what they are paid to do. It can be overwhelming. That is awesome that you have most of the trip paid for. I'm sure that you will be able to save some money for activities. IT sounds so fun! That is nice of Steph and Jeremy, they are good people!!! Sorry Alex was sick, that's always a bummer :( Glad you guys are enjoying your pool! IT is a lot of fun to have one :)

Marisela said...

I need to do the same and go through all my girls clothes and just get rid of some stuff.
Planning trips are a lot of fun. I hope you have a great time on yours.

Tish said...

Ok, now you've made me feel guilty. Here I am reading blogs when I have so much cleaning of my own to do. I guess now I'll have to take a break from the blog world and get busy!

I'm envious of your Hawaii trip! Someday maybe Matt and I will go.