Organizers Anonymous

I'm placing all my cards on the table.  I'm sure you all know this about me.  I L-O-V-E organizational items.  Plastic boxes, wooden bins, fabric bins, bookcases, etc.  LOVE them.  They make me happy just looking at them.  Seriously, I like to cruise the organizational item isles at Target and dream of the possibilities...

I think I have a secret desire to have everything in my house to have a "home."  A place where it belongs.  The new house brought many new (and exciting!) opportunities for this.  However, I struggle to convince all the PEOPLE in my home to return THINGS to their "homes."  That's a story for another day, though.

Today I want to talk about this:

The "this" would be that cute little black shelf at the bottom.  New today.  To organize my junk.  Best part about this little part of my house: it's not seen by anyone but the family coming in through the garage.  It's a quick reference for all the happenings in our life.  Now there's a handy-dandy place for the incoming and outgoing mail, the scout books, the returns-to-the-stores, markers for the white board, etc.

Why does this make me SO happy?  Cuz I'm a squirrel who likes to make piles, but now my piles have an organized place to live.  AND that makes for a happy and content squirrel.

Thank You Blogger

Thank you Blogger for making better backgrounds.  Thank you for fixing some of your painful processes.  I wonder if I will be able to post pictures without wanting to throw the laptop across the room.  I ignore blogs for awhile and look what happens to blogger.  I couldn't be happier.  So far...

Don't Wanna, but I should

Why don't I want to blog?  Laziness?  Out of the habit?  You take your choice.

Can't believe it's been over a month since I last wrote.  (Actually, I can!)

School got out on June 17th.  THAT day, we started the week long Smith Family Reunion.  Then, Boom!  Father's Day, VBS, Basketball camp, and we were off to Utah for 10 days.

We got home from Utah a week ago.  Matt has been at cub camp this week.  However, it's been nice to find our new normal, meet some of our neighbors (this neighborhood looks great for summer fun!), and fall into a summer routine.

This week cousins come here for a visit while Trevor heads to scout camp.

Next thing you know, summer will be over.  Crazy!

Oh, big news:  We got bikes yesterday.  We are (finally!) a family of bike riders.  Jenna is still on training wheels, but she can truck along nicely.  I forgot how good it feels to ride a bike!  I quite enjoyed it.  (Although, a softer seat could have advantages!)

The Secret Room

(Also Known As: The Club House)

We capitalized on a secret space in our new house.  There was a little cubbie door leading to the space under the stairs.  When we added a built-in entertainment center, it made access to the cubbie door impossible.  No worries.  Chad had a plan.  We asked our Master Carpenter friend (who was building the entertainment center) to build a little door that would lead to the hallway behind the entertainment center that would lead to the space under the stairs.  (Did’ya follow that?  Here’s some pictures to help:)

Here’s the “Alice in Wonderland” door in the closet.

The Hallway behind the Entertainment Center

Inside the “secret room.”  Hope you have the “signal” so you can get in.  The kids were getting nervous that I added shelves for the art supplies.  They didn’t want me taking THEIR space with “storage.”  We had kept the extra carpet from our old house.  We pieced it so the secret room would have a soft-ish feel.

The “room” continues under the stairs.

You can see the kids have taken it over.  You have to give a “signal” to enter.  If you don’t know it, no worries: Jenna will tell it to you (much to the disapproval of her brothers).

Now we can be just like Harry Potter.  We’re just not sure which kid should have to live in the “cupboard” under the stairs.

Sundays

What is it about Sundays that brings out the crazies?  I remember MANY times as a child having to run around the house to get out our "energies."  Today, that same tradition was desperately needed at the Hancock House.  I didn't care that it was raining.  That's what coats are for anyway, right?

The truth was this: The Hancock children were exploding with extra energy.  It was crazy.  It was loud.  It didn't feel like a Sunday.  They were sent out for laps.  There were several who needed additional laps.

In the end, it was just what they needed.  A little fresh air mixed with moving muscles.  Funny how that can work the "crazies" out of them.  The house is back to an acceptable state of ...Sunday.

Is This For Real?

Can it be that my little girl is turning 5? My baby is 5. Wow! Where did those years go? Man, I feel old. Yet, I’m really enjoying this stage of our lives. Life is good. Here’s some glimpses of my growing girl.

Happy Birthday Sweet Jenna! Our world would not be the same without you. You add a little more sweetness, a little more fashion, and a little more laughter to our home. Enjoy your day!

Graduation Day

My little girl graduated from preschool today. She was thrilled! She was ready to move on and ready to have an excuse to have a party.

Chad informed me that I graduated too. No more kiddos to teach preschool to at my house. Eight years of the past nine years have been spent teaching preschool. In the "off" year, I was developing preschool curriculum (spending WAY TOO much time attached to a laptop). It was "decade of preschool" for me.

Pretty crazy. I think I'll miss it.