I Finally Broke Down . . .

I finally broke down and listened to FlyLady's advice about wearing shoes in the house. Now keep in mind that I was taught that the shoes come off as soon as you step through the door, and I've always taught my kids the same thing. But I have been reading the benefits of wearing shoes, especially the part about doing away with rough heels, and I thought I might give it a try.

So I went to the Shoe Department at the mall and bought a pair of white canvas Keds. They're lightweight and comfy, and they will never be worn outside. I'm letting my family know that when they see the shoes, mom is flying! :)

I also bought a digital kitchen timer at WalMart for $9.97. What a neat tool! When I taught students with learning disabilities, I used a timer in the classroom to help them break down tasks into smaller steps. I never thought about using one in my home to help me with baby steps!

I did my weekly "home blessing" this morning, and I was amazed at how much I got accomplished in small spaces of time. I cleaned the master bath and bedroom (dust / mop / vacuum / mirrors), vacuumed the stairs (two sets), cleaned the entire middle level (dust / mop / vacuum / mirrors - living room, family room, dining room, foyer, hallway and kitchen), and cleaned the basement family room, including reorganizing the kids' game systems into stackable crates. All of that took me less than two hours!

Cleaning goes so much faster when there is no clutter to put away and when things have been kept neat and tidy.

The really cool thing is that when my older son came home from school today, he came downstairs and commented about the game systems. They're noticing what I'm doing and they appreciate it. AND they are starting to buy into the whole thing and help me out.

Dinner time is a breeze thanks to the menu mailers I get. The planning is done on Sunday evenings -- I look over the menu and make the grocery list. Each day I know when I wake up what I'll be making for dinner, so that major headache is taken care of. The recipes are yummy, and we all love the variety.

The best benefit of the menu mailers is that they're Weight Watchers friendly. I don't have to do any modifying. The weight is still coming off, and I'm within a fraction of a pound of changing my middle number. Huh? My weight is 1## -- that number in the middle is about to go down by one. Get it?

Okay, I'm making it sound like everything is perfect. No way! I still have a way to go. I still have closets, drawers, pantries, and a whole office that need work. I still have a child who is way too picky with his eating. We have lots of old habits to break and new habits to establish. But FlyLady is teaching me that it's okay if it's not all done right now. Baby steps. How liberating those two little words are!

Here's to shiny sinks, comfy shoes and jeans that fit!