Making Our Home Sing Monday - Behind the Scenes

Momstheword is hosting Making Your Home Sing Mondays, and this is our second one. Moms is talking about the art of hospitality and Kate over at LoveAphid is tackling some Spring Cleaning stuff. As for the Nagle5, we're tackling behind-the-scenes things, so our home will sing "Whistle While You Work" this week. These are those things you all might not see or know about if you visit, but they cause us some serious stress or, at the very least, angst if they remain undone.

This weekend I tweaked things to make them flow a little better. I tweaked the furniture in the supposed-to-be-the-dining-room-but-we-don't-use-it-that-way and removed a rocking chair, an ottoman and a rug and added instead a small table with two chairs. Now the kids can be upstairs with me when I'm cooking, even if they have some schoolwork to get done. Even Mr. R thought is was an improvement - wow! Additionally, we tweaked our food storage by bringing the extra freezer in from the garage and putting into our basement utility room. This way it won't be dirty all the time, won't be part of "garage stuff" and will be under my auspices. The decision to do this meant we cleaned out the freezer, washed the freezer (too many melted, leaking otter pops from the summer - ugh!) and put everything back in neatly.

As for today and the rest of the week, we are reorganizing our food storage area in our basement, getting our holiday items stored in their new home in the garage (and out of the basement), getting some seeds started for our summer garden (and this year we're using popsicle sticks in every single planter!), and continuing to refine our successfully-disciplined schooling schedule.

Our food storage has been a pantry project that took a year to do. First, we had to figure out what we used regularly and what we really don't use. Now that we've figured out what we use and don't use, I've got to make sure that I'm storing it in a manner that makes sense. Stuff you won't see if you come over, but stuff that I know needs to be handled.

So, the holiday decorations. Holiday decorations are one of those pain the in rear organizing issues. YOu need them, you need them to be kept safe and accessible, and at the same time you only need them once a year, so you don't want them taking up valuable real estate. The holiday bins are a pain...and where they are right now isn't working for any of us. They are hard to get to, so the kids just dump stuff near them rather than in them and, since I don't always follow up, I now have a big mess. Superman and I have decided that there is place in the garage that will be perfect for them. This week, we will get this project off our list once and for all, which will lighten everyone's hearts and definitely encourage some singing!

Our spring garden! Superman built a growing table, complete with grow light, to help in our quest to have strong, healthy plants to plant at the end of May (did you know that if your plants are stretching for light, they grow spindly stems and are weak their whole lives?). The kids and I are going to fill our pots with dirt and label a bunch of popsicle sticks today, in preparation for seed planting. (Superman is designing raised beds, so the number of seeds will be dependent upon his plans.) We're looking forward to red bell peppers, zucchinis, watermelon, broccoli, onions, corn, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and other stuff I'm sure I've forgotten. Additionally, we're trying to grow our own little flower plants rather than buying a flat at Home Depot. Definitely singing material! (We'll be like those singing flowers in Alice in Wonderland!)

Finally, we'll stick to our new discipline for schoolwork and chores. Everyone is so much happier when our boundaries are clear and enforced.

Nothing earth shattering, but all very important to the health and welfare of the Nagle5. Happy Monday to you!