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I have a lot of what I call “quiet clutter” around my home. It’s not a huge mess, but there are clusters of clutter quietly sitting here, there . . . well, all over the place.
· There are piles of books on the floor in front of the TV in the living room that my children are either reading, or have read.
· There are piles of their workbooks next to the coffee table.

· There are bags of school clothes piled next to the refrigerator until their closets and drawers are gone through (lots of clothes that don’t fit).
· My work stuff is scattered in corners, on the “hidden” side of the love seat, and on the “hidden” shelves of the coffee table.
· There’s a pile of unused picture frames in the master bedroom (still in bags, no less) waiting to be used in the living room.
· There’s a pile of “I don’t know what the heck to do with this stuff” stuff in the master bedroom hidden sort of out of site.

See what I mean. Quiet clutter all over the place . . . waiting to become controlled chaos . . . which will eventually lead to disorganized madness if I’m not careful.

We’ve lived like this for so long that it’s normal. Some of it, like the school clothes and the books, will be taken care of in a week or so. The other things, like the picture frames, will sit there until we finish painting the house.

Do you have what I call “quiet clutter” around your home? Does it bother you, or do you find harmony in this habit?

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Posted By: Jenn Hollowell - Category: family

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Starting School: Missing Things

August 26th 2008 13:37

Even though I’ve been looking forward to the start of school so I can begin working full time without disruption, there are so many things I’m going to miss:
· I’m going to miss our weekly trips to the library. We all love it there so much, and the time is comprised of nothing but quality.
· I’m going to miss waking up to the sounds of my children reading. Hearing the three of them reading from different areas of the house sounds like a chorus to this proud mama.

· I’m going to miss working on “practice homework” out on the deck with them every afternoon after lunch. This has been a great opportunity for them to exercise their thinking muscles, as well as stay connected as a family.
· I’m going to miss hearing their laughter in the background as I work on housework, or outdoor tasks. It fills me with such a feeling of love, happiness, and contentment just listening to them play.

Yes, the beginning of school is a positive transition in this household . . . but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be things I’ll miss throughout the school year. We’ll be able to enjoy some of these things on the weekends, so all will not be lost.

What do you miss when your kids return to school?

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Posted By: Jenn Hollowell - Category: family

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Testing & School Preparation

August 25th 2008 13:07

My youngest went to school for his Grade one reading and writing test this morning. While he was taking his test, the other two kids and I read on the carpet in the corner of the classroom. So, we all had a nice and quiet morning.

His teacher said he did GREAT. She kept saying, “that book was way too easy for you, can you read this one?”

He was so cute and nervous before going in for his test. It’s not a pass or fail kind of test, but rather an assessment of where he is and what kind of individual direction he may need in the areas of reading and writing.

I said, “how did you do during the writing part? Did you feel nervous?” He said, “I did awesome, Mommy!” :

hew::

Now, that that’s over with, it’s time to focus on clearing out all the clothes that don’t fit so I can figure out exactly how much needs to be purchased for school clothes. It’s a huge task (lots of hand-me-down’s that seem to be collecting year after year because my youngest is growing s.l.o.w.l.y.) . . . and I’d rather just put it off!!

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Setting Up Manageable Menus

August 23rd 2008 20:41

Meal planning has become a reality in this reality mom’s household. I used to incorporate this practice in my week-to-week schedule when my youngest child was first born (in 2002), but I quickly slipped out of the habit in 2004. I haven’t managed to make my way back into the habit, which will soon change.

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Posted By: Jenn Hollowell - Category: food

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Reminder: Seeking Interviews & Quotes

August 23rd 2008 20:10

I'm writing The WonderDads Handbook for Raising a Girl Ages 0-10: A Month-by-Month Look at What to Expect, Developmental Tips, and Ideas For Activities. Between now and November 30, I'm seeking parents of daughters between ages 0-10 to participate in a book project I've outlined here. If you're interested in participating, feel free to email me at writerjennh @ aol . com (remove the spaces), comment here, or comment within that other blog post.

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Time For Mom

August 23rd 2008 19:41

When the kids return to school, I do plan to work more than I have been during the summer. This is, of course, for obvious reasons. I’ve already started putting this plan into action.

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Mommy, He Said a Bad Word

August 23rd 2008 19:26

My children were taught at a very young age what were bad words and what weren’t. They all seemed to grasp the concept very well, and so went on our lives. Despite being surrounded by adults who like to swear like pirates, I think they’ve done quite well.

The other day, while watching the Disney channel, one of my children said the boy was using bad words on the show. So, I watched for a moment and it was true. Words that I had taught my children not to use for various reasons were being used in regular dialogue as part of their comedic script

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Posted By: Jenn Hollowell - Category: parenting

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Finally, ONE School Supply List Arrived!

August 23rd 2008 19:15

Yes, that’s right, one of the teachers sent out her school supply list. We’re still waiting on three more. THREE. School starts September 2nd, so I’m hoping too much time doesn’t pass. I’m bringing our youngest to the school Monday morning for his Grade 1 reading test, so I think I’ll receive his supply list then.

It looks like I’m right on target with what I’ve purchased so far, so no extra shopping yet. I’m thankful I held on to the supply lists from last year because this ONE that we’ve received looks to be the same. I know, how difficult could it be to buy school supplies for a first grader, two second graders, and a tenth grader, right? Well, it is! J

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One-on-One Homework Time

August 22nd 2008 18:06

My children have been responding very well to one-on-one homework time. (Note: In our home, we refer to anything related to education either in or out of school, as homework.) It’s part of our normal routine to work on educational projects, papers, and reading for between one and two hours per day.

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Child Safety Seat Laws

August 21st 2008 13:51

Do you know what the child safety seat laws are in your locality? I didn’t realize how many people, including parents, did not know this information. What baffled me the most were parents I saw debating the topic simply because their child didn’t want to sit in the seat any longer.

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Posted By: Jenn Hollowell - Category: parenting

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August 2008

22 Posts

July 2008

15 Posts