Friday Quick 5

Is it really Friday again?  Where has this week gone?  You'd think with a snow day I'd feel the week dragging by, but no.  (I do, however, feel nap time flying by and live in fear that I will hear Eliza's plaintive tones signaling the end.)  So here goes another five things:

1. There's a site called ListPlanIt that I've been delving through.  Actually, a blog called Keeper of the Home is running a give away for a membership to ListPlanIt.  I'm thinking about entering.  And if not entering, maybe downloading some e-planners.  Let's face it folks, I am the furthest thing from organized, and in starting to get so I'm always at a loss.  It seems maybe a list to help remember household chores, do the meal planning, organize files, might just be the handy thing I need (especially if they come with suggestions).  Why not make your own lists, you say?  Well, I think it's because these people are far savvier than I am.  Sometimes, I don't even know where to start, and these would be a helpful guide.  Go ahead and check it out.

2. I am in the midst of reading two books: Total Truth by Nancy Pearcy and Persuasion by Jane Austen.  Total Truth is for during the day time of alert hours, those quiet moments I can steal when Eliza is not demanding complete attention.  If I try to read before bedtime or when I first get up, or just when I need a nap, I find I take absolutley nothing in.  And I want to.  It's a good and compelling book about Christianity, culture, and the ability to use our minds.  I'm sorry to say I'm reading it far too slowly, especially as our youth minister gave it to me and wanted to talk to me about it.  (I'm sorry, Travis.  I really am reading it and still working through it!  I just want to think about it while I do!)  Persuasion is just for the other purpose.  I've read it before, so I read it in bed before going to sleep and I don't care at all if I fell a sleep a few paragraphs in and can't remember what I read.  Same for naptime.  It's nice to have a good, enjoyable book to do that for you.

3. Eliza is saying "Mo-ma" with more definitiveness now!  (Daddy, too, for the record.)  We always knew she could, but she didn't seem to really care to.  There was a moment of motherly care towards my now-toddler (can you believe?) where I was trying to clean something off her face, and she shook her head and said quite clearly, "No, Mo-ma."  Sigh.  The joy of hearing your baby call you mama at the same moment she tells you no.  I am still looking forward to the day when she wants a hug and comes up to tell me so by name.

4. Simon's approach is becoming more of a reality for me thanks to my sister's impending delivery.  I've begun looking around Eliza's room and trying to imagine whipping it into shape while holding two.  See, here's where I can use one of those List-Planners to help me accomplish the project!  There needs to be room for a second crib, room in the closet to hang up his clothes, room in the dresser to fold away his clothes, or maybe just room for a second dresser (though I don't know where we'd find it).  Not to mention toys, diapers, books...  Poor Eliza has no idea what she's in for...  Maybe the nesting is kicking in, but I have a sudden desire to go in there and start rearranging furniture.  Thank goodness it's naptime and I know Nick would kill me for doing it!  That will keep me from making a mess and instead think about what I'm doing.

5.  I actually have three other things I could put in here for numero cinco.  I opted for this one: now that my house has been relatively clean for a few weeks (have I finally found maintenance mode?), I need to have my sister-in-law over to hang pictures.  I'm hopeless at it.  I may have more than I have wall space for and I'm not entirely sure where to hang what.  But she has this indefinable knack to come in, survey the options, look at your decor, your wall space, and put everything just where it should be.  The only reason I haven't is that our bedroom is the last refuge of complete disarray.  I need to get files cleaned out, new ones put in, things filed away, and everything picked up before I can open every door to her and say, "Have at it."  (Winter, are you reading?  Call me.  Maybe that will kick me in the rear to get it done!)

Okay, I'll leave it there for the quick 5, as I'm not entirely sure how quick that was.  So, without further ado, adios!