Spring Cleaning

Ok, I know it's not Spring yet, but...we are close and it's time to rid your home of clutter.  Especially if you are getting ready to put your home on the market, now is the BEST time!  I moved to a much smaller house back in July and thought I got rid of a LOT of stuff, but I'm ready to get rid of more and more and more!  I keep threatening the girls that I'm gonna start throwing away their toys if they don't start picking them up, that threat is kinda working, but I know they see right through me.


So, where to start.  Well, when I clean my house I usually start in the kitchen, so I should start there.  I do have an excessive amount of bar glasses...but you never know, GO may decide to have Happy Hour at my house one day.  :)  


Purging your home and life of useless or rarely used items is so liberating.  
You can donate the items to your local goodwill, homeless shelter, church, or like in my neighborhood you can post t it on your local listserv as "free on curb" and it will be gone in minutes!!   You can also sell your items on craigslist - note: baby items go the quickest.  


Peter Walsh, a professional organizer, lists the Top Ten Tips to keep your home clutter free:
How to Keep Your House Clutter-Free:

• Tackle messes one room at a time.
• When you buy something new, practice the "in-out rule:" For every one new item, get rid of an old one.
• Create intimacy in the master bedroom. Remember that improvements in one room can spread to the rest of the house.
• Make cleaning up fun for your kids.
• Create a vision for the room you're cleaning.
• Teach your kids how to sort.
• Use a hanger system to determine which clothes you wear most.
• Ask yourself if you really need something. If you hesitate, you don't.
• Establish a "magic triangle" in your kitchen between the stove, refrigerator and the sink. Keep the items you use most in that area.
• Identify useful utensils with the cardboard box test. - 
  If you want to see what utensils you're really using, Peter recommends the cardboard box test. "Take all the utensils out of your drawers, put them in a cardboard box," he says. "For the next month, whenever you use one of these utensils, put it back in the drawer. If after four weeks it's still in the box, you don't need it."

So turn on some inspiring tunes and go to it!

Mood Shifters

Ava Marie & her Valentine candy bag!!

Whenever I am having a bad day, or feeling down all I have to do is spend time with my two precious girls and my mood is instantly shifted to a happy!

Jaclyn aka Hollywood and her new shades!

People I Admire - Part 1

The people I admire the most are my mom and dad.  They got married at a young age,  and have been married for over 40 years.   I know it wasn't always easy, and they had some rough patches, as most marriages do, but they stayed together for better or worse, richer or poorer...  


We moved away from our family, and all they had ever known when I was 8 to a much different place, where we knew no one, but made friends fast and grew to love our community.  When I was 13 we moved to a very small town in NC  and bought a farm!!  wt????   It was quite an adjustment from growing up in a big city, like St. Louis, but with time we grew to love it there.  We had Arabian horses for a while, Angus cows, and my dad was quite fond of using my brother and I, and our friends for "free" labor around the farm; stringing wire fences in the bitter cold, worming cows, saving the family dog from icy pond waters, etc.  If you are reading this blog, you know which friends I'm referring to.  :)  Their marriage even survived my terrible teenage years, and they tell me all the time how happy they are I have twin daughters, because payback is HELL! 


My dad lost his job when I was 16, just after we had built a new house, and they ended up starting their own business, the local ACE Hardware in our town.  When my brother and I moved out and went to college, there was the empty nest.  My dad started a new company and they began traveling quite often to the Caribbean.  I think that is where my dad developed his passion for adventure!  


My parents got a sailboat about 7 or 8 years ago and have been sailing ever since.  They went down to the Caribbean and just kept going.  They have traveled to many beautiful, exotic places and have met many, many wonderful people who inspire and motivate them.  I have had the pleasure of meeting some of their sailing friends and traveling to some wonderful places on their boat.  They are currently in New Zealand traveling by car and will set sail again in a few months headed for Australia.  I look forward to many more adventures with them, and can't wait to take my daughters to experience their nomadic lifestyle!


So...why do I admire my parents?  Because regardless of what life has thrown at them, they have stuck together, they have set goals, made plans to achieve their goals and are enjoying a life few people get to experience.  They are truly an inspiration to me, and I am forever grateful to have such incredible role models, who have always encouraged me and pushed me to achieve my goals and desires. 


Thank you mom and dad!

What Makes A City or Town a Happy Place to Live?

So, why do we live where we live?  Why did you choose where you currently live?  Happiest city in America is apparently "San Luis Obispo" - well, maybe in California, BUT... I definitely think the triangle has some pretty amazing cities!  


We have three major universities, Duke, UNC and State, each with their own personalities and die hard fans!  So, what makes a city a happy place to be?   According to a recent poll:  outdoor activities, bike paths, outdoor walking, outdoor cafes.  


Downtown Raleigh has several nightlife venues, outdoor cafes, Alive after Five, art galleries and even rickshaws, and in the winter the outdoor ice rink is a great place to try your triple axel jump, just kidding.  http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/


Downtown Durham's motto is "Find Your Cool" and speaking from firsthand experience, Durham is very cool!  They have the DBAP, the DAP, the new DPAC, american tobacco district & american tobacco bike trail, Brightleaf Square and many, many cool new places in the heart of downtown:  http://www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com/


Downtown Chapel Hill is best known for Franklin Street & its many shops, bars and restaurants. Did you also know that it hosts many walking tours of local art & gardens?  The many bike trails in Chapel Hill & Carrboro are a great way to spend the day.
http://www.downtownchapelhill.com/


There is so much to do in the Triangle, and Cary, Apex, Carrboro and Hillsborough host their own unique experiences.  We live in a fantastic area, with so many things to do and so many events to attend. Spring is coming, so check out your local community calendar and go enjoy where you chose to live!!

Pep Talks

Somedays you just need a "pep talk."  Whatever life throws at you, big or small, you know deep down you can handle it, but sometimes reaching out to a friend, peer, or family member is what you need to get back on track.

As a single parent of 3 year old twins and recently divorced, I have had MANY moments in the past 2 years where I have felt overwhelmed, inadequate, or just plain blah.  When this happens I do not hesitate to reach out to my GO TO's and I find these "pep talks" invaluable.  

I know I am not alone in needing these, because everyone needs a "pep talk" every now and again.  So, when you need one, don't hesitate to ask for one, because you know at some point you will be called upon to give your own "pep talk" to a friend in need. 

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." - Shel Silverstein