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Ellie and Addison

Productive Weekend

I just spent the last few minutes happily checking off a very long to-do list.  I had the most productive weekend I’ve had in … well … forever!  Why was I so productive?  

Because I had three less people to take care of!  On Friday afternoon Kenny packed the car and took the girls camping for the weekend.  Kenny and I grew up camping and it is really important to him that our daughters have the same outdoor experiences that we did growing up.  Since I’ve become more of a once a year “glamper” instead of a once a month camper Kenny decided to join a group of dads that do fun activities with their daughters once a month.  Most of the time they camp, but they have also done other fun things (horse back riding, ice skating, etc.).  The girls LOVE this special time with their dad.  It seems they have a bit of their father in them and really enjoy camping!  Kenny LOVES that they are spending time in the great outdoors.  And I LOVE that all of this is taking place without me having to sleep in a tent.  :)  Win win win.

 The captain of the ship.   

And his overly excited crew. Ready for another adventure.  
In flower and strawberry sunglasses no less.  
Because the best rule of camping is to come prepared.  
And because they also have a bit of their mother in them too.  :)
So!  Back to me and my most productive weekend!  While the girls were roasting hotdogs and marshmellows over an open fire, Kole and I were having our own little party at home.  We woke up early on Saturday (thanks to my two year old alarm clock who still hasn’t learned the beauty of sleeping in) and we headed out on a walk.  It was a beautiful morning.  Sun was shining, birds were chirping, and the ocean breeze felt better than ever.  I just knew it was going to be a productive weekend!  After our walk, we ran a few errands – including a stop at Staples which is always a favorite because of my never ending love for school suplies.   Then we came home and while Kole took a nap, I tackled to-do #1:  organize my magazines in my new magazine holder!  

Ta-da!  Isn’t it beautiful!?  Kenny hung it a couple of weeks ago for me and I haven’t had two seconds until this weekend to go through my magazines.  I tossed the ones I didn’t need and filed the keepers.  Best birthday present ever!  :)
The only spot we had to hang it that made sense was this corner next to the TV.  I wanted it close to my couch (Kenny and I each have our own) so I could access it easily during my down time at night.  My goal after 8:30 PM is to land on my couch and not get off of it.  Unless it’s to get some popcorn.  Or to plug in my laptop.  Or now, to grab one of my favorite magazines.  

I cut out some fun yellow scrapbook paper and labeled each cubby:  Miscellaneous (for magazines like Pottery Barn, Ballards, and In Style that I get in the mail and want to save), Organizing and Decor (some of my favorite magazines ever!), Kitchen and Bath (my largest stack of keepers), and Church (for all of our church magazines).

Isn’t it lovely!?  Everything has a home.  I can’t wait to move it into my scrapbook room in the new house!  It’s a good thing we’re moving because I’m running out of space to decorate in my current house.  There isn’t a blank wall left!  And that is a true tragedy.  Indeed.  

Below my white beauty sits my little stash of baskets.  Tucked away behind the couch with all of the essentials we need to get through the day.  The girls have their books.  Kole has his diapers, wipes, and toys, I have my treasured magazines in a beautiful organizer, and Kenny has a happy wife.  Once again a win all around!

Aside from organizing my magazine stash, here are a few other to-do’s I tackled during Kole’s nap time and bedtime:

– mini clean out of the fridge, freezer, and pantry
– cleaned out my purse and balanced my checkbook (I’m not in the negative Kenny – rest easy)
– organized all of the girls’ recent school work and Kole’s baby stuff for PL albums 
– touched up a few walls with paint (something I’ve been wanting to do forever)
– watched the movie City Slickers while I cleaned out my in box.  (I love that movie.  Always makes me want a pet cow.)
– took lots of pics for future blog posts
– washed all sheets – including Kole’s crib sheet – which aside from cooking is my least favorite chore.
– cleaned the entire house top to bottom
– caught up on ALL laundry

 Just in time for my campers to come home and unload.  Bringing half of the outdoors home with them.

And a whole lot of new laundry to fold.  
:)
xoxo, Erin
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30 thoughts on “Productive Weekend

  1. Gorgeous magazine holder!!! I want 1 too… But I have already run out of wall space in our home.
    Sounds like a nice relaxing weekend :)

  2. What a great weekend you had! I am so envious of your clean house! I have a newborn and a two year old at the moment so I am a *tad* behind on my cleaning!

    Love the new magazine holder! Have a good week!

  3. I hear you on the camping ! We get a cabin, still have the fire & the lake, roasting marshmallows, but we sleep inside:)
    Sounds like you had a productive weekend.
    Love to hear also what magazines people like. I love the Internet but still love a good magazine !

  4. Washing/changing the crib sheet is my least favorite chore too! Those buggers are near impossible to get off!!!

    Loved hearing about your productive weekend, have a great week!

  5. Wow! Caught up on all laundry?? That is my dream :) What a fun trip for the girls to spend a weekend with their dad. Sounds like you picked a good one. Glad you were able to get so much accomplished!

  6. I totally know what you mean about changing the crib sheets, I dread every time I have to do it. Definitely my least favorite chore, or at least the most annoying. LOL :) Love the new magazine rack!

  7. Sounds like a GREAT weekend!! I love when my hubby and kids take a trip and I’m able to stay home and tackle projects like this. You did a great job getting so much done during a nap too; that’s awesome!

  8. Thanks everyone!

    Karen – Congrats on the new baby! So exciting. Hang in there – it’s a hard stage but it goes by so quickly. Your house will be clean again before you know it. :)

    The paint color in my family/living room is called “Stucco Greige” by Kwal. Hope that helps!

  9. Cheryl – I got all that done during 2 naps and 2 evenings after he was in bed. Some of the cleaning I did while he was awake. He loves the vacuum. :)

  10. 1. I love the idea of a MONTHLY father/daughter bonding time. That’s really special. We usually are more like bi-annual around here. : )

    2. I second the comment of how on earth you got all that done with Kole still in the picture??!! Um, if I got all that done, I would be sitting with my feet up for the week? Especially the “clean house top to bottom and caught up on all laundry” parts!?!

    WOW! I am realizing I need better nappers around here.

  11. I don’t know if you’ve seen those Anne Taintor items (illustrations of women from the 50’s with sassy sayings) – I love them. Anyway: one I like is a women lying in her bed dreamily staring into space with the caption “I love not camping”. My sentiments exactly!

    And if I do go camping, it’s NOT a vacation, it’s a chance to spend time with family in the great outdoors. Vacations are supposed to be less work, but camping is MORE work than you do at home. Once a year would be plenty for me!

  12. Hi Erin! So you mentioned Project Life albums. Did you come up with a plan for how you are going to do the albums?

    And I think you should have question and answer day! You know how Becky does Feedback Friday? Not that often so that it doesn’t take away all your other great posts. I always have lots of questions for you. Wish I lived in San Diego!

  13. Ashley – the magazine organizer was from Ballards. Kenny ordered it for me on-line in December and it was back ordered and didn’t come until March! So I got it for my birthday instead of Christmas. :) They do have them, they just take a while!

    Anonymous – I need to do more question/answer posts! That’s a good idea to do one maybe once or twice a month! :)

  14. Wow. You really got tons done for one weekend. I’m not one for bed linen duty at all. I feel like it takes so much to take them off, wash them and put them back on. Kudos to you for all that you’ve done. It’s so nice that the girls get to hang out with Daddy like that too. So when are you and Kole gonna take trips like that together? :-)

  15. Your magazine rack is brilliant:). My favourite mag is The Friend, even tho I’m 53 & don’t gave any children. I like the Ensign too, especially now that they’ve made the articles a lot shorter:)

    I really enjoy reading your blog:)

    Best wishes from the UK where we’re having flooding, in the midst of a drought:)

  16. I found your blog recently and just wanted to say how much I enjoy it. I really liked a post you had on designer jeans. Keep up the good work!!

  17. I still haven’t come down off of my “productive weekend” high and it was weeks ago! It feels sooooo good to climb back on top of things! Even if just for a short time. Even though I am back to playing the laundry cat h up game, I still have the warm memories of tackling all those to dos! It keeps me going! Here’s to the next productive weekend! May it come again soon:)

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