Winner is: Bonnie – email me please Bonnie @ kim (@) mommyknows (dot) com to claim your prize.

Before I sold thebabymarketplace, I was always busy. I had an excuse for NOT keeping a tidy and organized house (or so I told myself). Well the excuse is sold (thank GOD) and all I am left buried under eight years of clutter.

I gave myself the summer off (buying time). Finally late last week, after much procrastination, I started tackling the kid’s rooms.

Georgia’s room ‘was’ bursting with ‘stuff’ (dreaded stuff … it’s suffocating me). Every nook and cranny of her closet was full and overflowing.

You thought I was kidding, didn’t you? When all the closets and drawers were full, I started piling clothing she’d out grown on the toy bins. You’re probably thinking that tower of clothing fell over a lot, right? Well it DIDN’T … because I am talented like that!

Which makes me wish I had more useful talents, the chances of me getting a full-time clothing-stacking job is pretty slim. Then again, work is over-rated, hence, my retirement.

This is the part of the cleaning and organizing job that I hate. The middle part, where you’ve pulled out and emptied every shelf, drawer and skillfully arranged clothing pile; and you realize that you’ve 10x the amount of work you anticipated and 10x the crap! Just don’t give up.

Holy fricken’ crap, was I on crack? What child needs than much stinkin’ stuff?! “NO MORE”, I say.

Just a few hours later, some sweat and a few difficult decisions (goodwill? ebay? garbage? back in the closet?) later, and things are really looking UP and empty. Bliss!

A nice pile of ‘gently used’ stuff for goodwill. This is where the handy-dandy Mr. MK comes in. I only take trash and recyclables as far as the door.

I also managed to sort all of the ‘like new’ items into boxes for ebay. Georgia had so many clothes that were barely worn. Gorgeous clothing that could use a good home. It took me about 4-5 hours to clean out her room, and about 8-9 hours to get the first auction up on ebay. NOT because I am clueless, but because it is so large and I wanted to be thorough and precise. If you are looking for quality girls clothing in size 2T – 3T—> check out my auction. This auction is for about $2500+ clothing, auction starts at 99 cents with NO reserve. Would you tell your friends?

Several more to come in the next couple of weeks. I am ashamed of myself for even having that much stuff.

My office area is next, I want to crawl under a rock.

All comments and back-links for this post will be entered to win a $10 Starbucks Gift Card (includes shipping and handling) in my ‘Have a Coffee on Me’ Contest. If you comment and blog about the contest you’ll receive two entries (too easy). I have a whole ‘schwack’ of Gift Cards to give away, so make sure and come back often for a chance to ‘have a coffee on me’.

MK xo
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Summer is flying by. This is our last week before school starts. I’ve been battling a 4-5 day head-ache. The pain-killers are making me so lethargic. I finally forced myself out of the house today.

I took dozens of photos. Most of them stink (I can’t get the lighting right, shadows everywhere). A few worked out OK (after a lot of work). It’s extremely frustrating. MUST. READ. THE. MANUAL. It’s just that with the head-ache the last 200 pages of the camera manual aren’t at the top of my list of things ‘to do’.

Here are a few that turned out OK.

I am not sure why she has her tongue stuck in her bottom lip like that?! Regardless, I loved the colours, especially her eyes and the highlights in her hair. Note to self: buy Lizzy lipsmackers.

Georgia picking flowers. I took a dozens of photo’s at this spot. Her hair is really hard to photograph … too white. Unfortunately, she often ends up looking like the off-spring of Einstein (we’ll take the hair if she gets the brains that go with it). To those of you wondering, YES … I brush her hair.

This is ‘C’ a friend of Lizzy’s. Isn’t she gorgeous? She was also extremely cooperative, unlike my own children, who have a tendency to frown/glare at the camera or just refuse to look at it all together (Georgia … I’m talking to YOU).

Are your kids back to school? Are you ready? Are they? Sigh … so NOT looking forward to it.

All comments and back-links for this post will be entered to win a $10 Starbucks Gift Card (includes shipping and handling). If you comment and blog about the contest you’ll receive two entries (too easy). I have a whole ‘schwack’ of Gift Cards to give away, so make sure and come back often for a chance to ‘have a coffee on me’.

MK xo
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OK … I’m BACK! We’ve been so busy. I’m OK healthwise … I’ll write about all the gory details some other time.

For now I’ll catch you up on the busy month of June. Some of you might remember that June is ‘Birthday Month’ in MommyKnowsVille. Last year, I encouraged you all to ‘throw a crap party’ ... so that we can all breakaway from the ‘party extravagance’ that plagues us all. This year, I went a step further and we didn’t have parties – just family, cake and a best friend (EASY).

Here’s the month in pictures!

On June 14th Hayley came home from Brazil! Lizzy was overjoyed I think you can see it in this picture. (Hayley brought home a terrible rash that covered her face … I promised not to publish photo’s).

Did I mention that Lizzy was happy?

Sam turned eight the same day. Hayley’s return was a great birthday surprize (although he confessed he was hoping for a motor bike).

A few days later Georgia turned three. She was thrilled with the whole process. She and I baked and decorated the cupcakes (messy). She was on cloud nine ALL day.

We didn’t have birthday parties, BUT I didn’t get away with cancelling the festivities ‘scott free’. I offered what I thought was an enjoyable and ‘less-stress’ alternative—> a family trip to Drumheller. Drumheller is the Dinosaur capital of Canada.

Mr. Mk shows Georgia a fossilized hadrosaurus tibia. A guided hike from the Royal Tyrrell Museum was a hit with all the kids.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum is outstanding! Georgia is crazy about Dinosaurs.

The weekend was a family event. My parents, my sister and her family and my Grandma were along for the fun. Everybody except Great Grandma had a go on the go-carts.

My sister and her family live in Louisiana, so these cousins are thrilled to get together!

When the weekend was over … I wasn’t quite ready to head home. Georgia and I went home with my parents for a few quiet days at the farm.

We went hunting for tadpoles at this pretty little pond.

Along with dinosaurs and tadpoles, Georgia loves the farm … and dandelions.

We have all kinds of fun planned for July. Trips, contests and more … come back soon!

MK xo
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Now that Sam isn’t just ‘BIG hair’ with legs, I am enjoying seeing just his face again. I love his smile! When he smiles his whole face smiles, and especially his eyes.

SEE!

Mr. MK’s getting sick of me saying, “just look at that cute face, I forgot about that cute face!”—> so, I am telling you instead.

Stop that! I can hear you groaning …

MK xo
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That’s right you heard me correctly … I’ve been hiding from Mormons. It’s not what you think though. I haven’t been hiding from all Mormons, and it’s not that I have mormon issues. In fact, I do on regular basis invite Mormon missionaries into my home for long chats and refreshments (lunch, juice, cookies …). They are really nice kids and I enjoy having them stop by and chat. So don’t label me a ‘Mormon basher’ because I am not. I’ve had dozens of kids visit me and although we’ve never made it past lesson 2, I know all about each pair of kids that comes knocking (parents jobs, #’s of siblings, grandparents, home town, future aspirations, love lives on hold). I am pretty sure they have me on the list of ‘safe’ homes to visit. The current pair always brings freshly baked chocolate chip cookies … it makes the hiding all the more difficult.

The real reason is (it’s so not like me – REALLY), due to my recent illness I am tired, tired, tired. Needless to say, when they arrived to visit me twice this week during the afternoon I was lying in bed still bra less (too much info?) and still in my pj’s. I am sure, if they’re not permitted to drink coffee, watch t.v. or surf the internet, they certainly shouldn’t be cavorting with scantily clad, middle-aged ladies with no undergarments! Right?

In reality, grabbing Georgia and ducking under the covers while whispering, “shhhhh … shhhh … quiet … hide … no talking … don’t look out the window … hide”, well it’s probably the most decent thing to do … honestly … (did I mention I’m a double DD?). That and it beats the hell out of flying out of bed, scrambling to dress and then politely telling them you aren’t taking visitors today. The disappointment … I always feel so bad!

I need to get some GUTS.

MK xo
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Psst … I’m feeling OK … just tired.

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