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Just not enough......

Well its been so long since I last posted on my Blog.. Its been so busy around here.
I must let you into a couple of secrets ....
Firstly, I have been following my Daily Weekly Fortnightly household chores list and its been amazing the difference..
As I said in my last post, I thought I was organised, but writing it down and following the list, gives immense freedom..I say to myself when I am about to clean an area not on todays list "thats not on todays list". I then move onto what is on the list. The only thing that is still not under control is the Office. I am working on it though.

Secondly, Brid has increased her hours for Ballet, so with her Jazz and Itish Dancing it keeps us pretty busy in the afternoons. Her teachers Miss Kristy & Mr Rider are very happy with her progress, and are learning her aspirations.

Last week I did some research into shelving for our laundry.It clearly needed organisation, but what will what to do? After careful consideration I asked Dermot to come with me to investigate my research. We purchased the rails, the bands and all that was necessary for giving our laundry more storage and effieciency. I purchased a drying rack and several shelves, just enough to get my baskets and washing up off the appliances. We have our resident cat, Bailey, using the laundry, so we are unable to put anything at floor level. He needs room for his bedding and food etc. He doesn't climb so high shelving and washing baskets are safe from cat fur.

We helped a dear friend move into her new  home. Her first ever home that she will own.. We are so pleased for her. It was exhausting, but lots of fun, and having moved just in the last few years we knew a few tricks to help out on moving day..such as strip one room at a time once the all the furniture is gone, so it can then be placed in the similar room at the next house. Hanging clothes can be put straight into the wardrobes saving on sorting later.
So thats been our happenings and Its been  very busy time of late.

 

encouragement night

Our Last encouragement night saw some 9 or so women listening to a very organised homeschool mum discussing,  organising your household chores whilst homeschooling.

Wow, I was pretty impressed.

I thought I was organised.! I just hadn’t written it all down.
It took me a few days to take in all the information and process it all. I wasn’t sure how to go about this but I knew I could use this information.
I began drawing up my chores list. My zoned areas. How will I break it down. Hmmm.
You see I use Enjo and its pretty easy cleaning a home with it. No chemicals just a cloth and water...after 20  years of nursing in intensive areas my hands could do with a break...
So where did I start. I worked out the zones- mine are kitchen, laundry, lounge, family, bedrooms, bathrooms, office, outdoor. I am not going to be able to break these all up into individual days because for us Sundays are not work days.
Firstly, I looked at the jobs required daily for each zone. Then worked out the extras I wanted to achieve each week, fortnight, month, 3 months, 6 months and yearly.
Once I had it all on paper, it seemed really easy. I have drawn up my lists and placed them n my pantry. I used Saturday to do a complete houseclean and with enjo, it was pretty easy. The longest task was vacuuming.

Monday saw me enjo mop. Tuesday was my ironing day. I was meant to dust the lounge area but it was just attended to, so I began on some long term projects- wash main bedroom window and wash the curtains. Looking sparkling.

It has been quite freeing, as I had in the past kept all my records in my head- now they are laid out on paper and I can tick them off as I they are completed. I liked that Tuesday is my ironing day. No other extra job and it got done.
I have Brid do a job or two for me outside instead of sitting reading for her break. It has made a difference to her concentration level.  Dermot is helping out as well.
I have set myself a task do all my jobs before I sit down for a morning tea break with Brid. It certainly has given our home order.

So thanks Mel for your great tips and ideas. I was totally overwhelmed on the evening, but we have embraced a new order in our home.  

A Birthday Present...

Brid celebrates her birthday the day after mine, and it has always been said that she was my birthday present.
Each year Brid is Blessed to have a party to celebrating her Birthday...How indulgent you may say. I look at it differently, it’s an excuse to gather her family and friends around her and celebrate....I love figuring out what theme we should use every year. Its lots of fun planning and creating.  
Brid is Blessed to have a great group of teens to socialise with in her area.
So what did they get up to, you may ask? Well, inspired by a recent Body Shop party we attended, I suggested to Brid that we have a Pamper party.. Yes, that sounds fun.
The guest list was drawn up. The invitation were designed by Brid, The rsvp date  set and then the invites were send out.  A few friends were unable to come, but they were there in spirit.

The girls were gathered together and we began soaking feet, exfoliating and massaging with a gorgeous foot moisturiser. We moved onto hands where we soaked, exfoliated, massaged and then filed and painted their nails. There was lots of chatting and laughing, along with eating of yummy party food.
Brids sister, Louise popped in to join the party, it certainly made Brid’s day.

I thought several hours would be plenty of time for feet, nails, Hair and makeup. I was wrong; we could have another whole party with the activities we missed, buts that ok. Everyone got into the swing of things pampering each other and doing each other’s hair. The straightener, the Curler and the hair accessories were working overtime.

We barely had enough time to open the well thought out presents, sing Happy Birthday to Brid, cut and eat a slice of Cheesecake, before it was time for our guests to go.  
It was such a great afternoon, and a perfect way to spend your 14^th Birthday. It was only topped off by family arriving for a family dinner, just as guests were leaving. Busy busy day, but it was lots of fun.  Phew,,now to recover...!!!!

A movie we just.......

Brid & I love watching girlie movies, particularly when Daddy is out. The last week we have been watching The Princess Diaries.
Yes I know they aren't period dramas, but they have such appeal. So much to talk about. A real feel good movie, and I love Julie Andrews. So does Brid.
There are so many funny things that happen, so many threads running through the movies.
Have a little look at these images...

discovering she is a Princess...

At school before her life changed forever

transforming

A princess waves like this

being presented to her country

A shawl would be nice, but its a lovely shot

She plays any role well

Another monumental moment

enough said

Truly transformed .......

An embarassing moment, and a saved moment all in one

she played a great Queen

Did she get married?

               I hope you enjoyed looking at these images of these movies we really enjoyed

DIVINE MERCY 2012

  

On Sunday, 30th April, 2000, (the canonisation of Saint Faustina and Feast of Divine Mercy), Pope John Paul II announced to the world, "It is important that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter (first Sunday after Easter), which from now on throughout the Church will be called 'Divine Mercy Sunday'." We are looking forward to celebrating this feast day this Sunday.

Marriage: it’s time to clear away the fog

Marriage: it’s time to clear away the fog | CatholicHerald.co.uk
Can a man marry a man? Can a woman marry a woman? Can a man simultaneously marry several women, or a woman several men? Can a man simultaneously marry several men, or a woman several women? Can a man marry his sister or his mother? His brother or his father? Can a woman marry her brother or father? Her sister or mother?
All of these questions are now on the table in our culture. They cannot be properly answered unless we know what marriage is. As Catholics, we have an incredibly rich body of teaching to draw from in order to understand the meaning and purpose of marriage. Let’s begin with a basic definition drawn from Canon Law and the Second Vatican Council. Then we’ll look at each of its parts.
Marriage is the intimate, exclusive, indissoluble communion of life and love entered by man and woman at the design of the Creator for the purpose of their own good and the procreation and education of children; this covenant between baptised persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.
Intimate communion of life and love: Marriage is the closest and most intimate of human friendships. It involves the sharing of the whole of a person’s life with his/her spouse. Marriage calls for a mutual self-surrender so intimate and complete that spouses – without losing their individuality – become “one”, not only in body, but in soul.
Exclusive communion of life and love: As a mutual gift of two persons to each other, this intimate union excludes such union with anyone else. It demands the total fidelity of the spouses. This exclusivity is essential for the good of the couple’s children as well.
Indissoluble communion of life and love: Husband and wife are not joined by passing emotion or mere erotic inclination which, selfishly pursued, fades quickly away. They are joined in authentic conjugal love by the firm and irrevocable act of their own will. Once their mutual consent has been consummated by genital intercourse, an unbreakable bond is established between the spouses. For the baptised, this bond is sealed by the Holy Spirit and becomes absolutely indissoluble. Thus, the Church does not so much teach that divorce is wrong, but that divorce is impossible, regardless of its civil implications.
Entered by man and woman: The complementarity of the sexes is essential to marriage. It’s not that two men (or two women) could marry, but the Church won’t “let them”. If we understand what marriage is, we will see very clearly that it is impossible for members of the same sex to marry.
At the design of the Creator: God is the author of marriage. He inscribed the call to marriage in our very being by creating us as male and female. We, therefore, are not able to change the nature and purposes of marriage.
For the purpose of their own good: “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). Conversely, it’s for their own good, for their benefit, enrichment, and ultimately their salvation, that a man and woman join their lives in marriage.
Procreation and education of children: Children are not added on to marriage and conjugal love, but spring from the very heart of the spouses mutual self-giving, as its fruit and fulfilment. Intentional exclusion of children, then, contradicts the very nature and purpose of marriage.
Covenant: While marriage involves a legal contract, a covenant goes beyond the minimum rights and responsibilities guaranteed by a contract. A covenant calls the spouses to share in the free total, faithful, and fruitful love of God. For it is God who, in the image of his own Covenant with his people, joins the spouses in a more binding and sacred way than any human contract.
The dignity of a sacrament: Marriage between baptised persons is an efficacious sign of the union between Christ and the Church, and, as such, is a means of grace. That is, marriage – in as much as the union of man and woman truly symbolises Christ’s love for the Church – really communicates Christ’s love to the spouses and, through them, to the whole world.
We must find ways to respond charitably and forthrightly to the challenges posed by the modern move to redefine marriage.
Christopher West is a research fellow and faculty member of the Theology of the Body Institute in Exton, Pennsylvania and founder of the Cor Project. His latest book is called At the Heart of the Gospel: Reclaiming the Body for the New Evangelisation (Image, £9.57). For more information, visit Christopherwest.com