Location: Laundry Room. My dryer always has an interesting collection. Most of the items come from Alec's jeans. When I found the thermometer, it cracked me up. He has always been "into stuff" and it was no surprise that instead of being in my medicine cabinet, I found it in his pockets. Tickets that he has earned from kid's church, candy, the dice, a pencil, chapstick and small tape measure. All from Alec.
Location: Matt's room. His nightstand not only has a half inch of dust, but also some interesting items. Guy stuff. Everyone has a hunting knife on theirs, right? WAREHOUSE sticker from the good old days of the skate park. Cool Mountain Dew decorative pop bottles. They will be worth something someday, right?
Location: Rachel's room. Since finishing up a christian teen girl book that I bought her for Christmas, she has concentrated on reading her Bible nightly and writing in a journal. Her journal reads like her personal prayers. Beautiful. Touches my heart. Cute purple lamp from Grammy for Christmas. Bunch of Kleenex from when she had a slight cold and a ton of hair ties. That is where they are, been looking for them! Her pink Nintendo DS that she really doesn't play with anymore.
Location: Me and John's Room. I always have had an assortment of books on my nightstand. The pink teddy bear was a gift from Rachel that she bought with her own money at a school store several years ago. I can never get rid of it. Always cups of water from nights before on both of our sides of the bed. Have to have chapstick applied before I go to bed everynight. I get to choose from mint or cherry. The purple ceramic like dish is one that Rachel made in art last year. It is also a keeper. The remote control is for Alec's tv. I catch him quite often watching it when it is supposed to be bedtime for him. I started wearing bobbie pins in my hair, especially to pull my bangs back when I get home. So they are everywhere.
Location: Me and John's Room - by our bathroom, "the make-up area". Rachel and I both get ready in this spot. She has her own drawer and I have my own for all of our "stuff". This is what is most often looks like, because we are always getting ready to go somewhere. I'm glad John doesn't complain about it. It is quite a mess!
Location: Alec's room. He doesn't have much of a nightstand, so I took this photo of inside his closet. It is only organized due to him being forced to clean out his room and closet a few weekends ago when John installed the new closet organizer. Looks a ton better. He has a few books, an old plastic deer that for some reason, he still has, even though he doesn't play with it. Hamster food that needs to go elsewhere, since Mr/Ms Hamster died about a month ago. Cars and Legos that will frightfully disappear soon. Mason and Micah go straight to his room when they come over to get them out. I guess I'll keep them for our future grandkids when he tires of them.
Location: Basement stairway. This is where we started taking measurements of the kids' height years ago. When John recently painted it, it was his idea to "frame" that area so not cover it up. It is a treasure. Grammy, Johnny and Brooke S. are even on it!
Location: Josh's room. The calendar that Krista made him is hanging on the wall. Pictures of her, of course are on his desk. He got this desk free from a guy he works with. Receipts, mail and candy litter it. Books from school can be found on the lower shelf. On the right side of the desk you can see part of his gas powered orange rc car.
Location: Kitchen. Josh's lunch box, which he takes only every so often. I wish he would pack his lunch instead of get fast food as much as he does. Poor guy is always so tired though. The black hat is for Alec. His friend let him borrow it for the "Wax Museum" at school tonight. Alec is Henry Ford. I will be so glad when that is over. What a project that has been. Actually, more of a project getting him to do the work that was needed. As always, at the last minute it was completed. The bamboo plant was from Krista's open house last summer. And my sink full of dishes, that goes along with the territory around here.
Location: Laundry Room. John's daily. He has always carried a lunch box, coffee mug and a large containter of water with him to work. I can always tell when it is him coming in the door from work. The sound of him putting all three on my washer is a given.
Location: Laundry Room. With six people in the house, even with the shoe organizer there are so many pairs of shoes parked all over. Someone took their insoles out and left them on the floor.
Location: Kitchen Table. Alec's green binder along with his tablet of construction paper for his project. "Oust" spray, my new favorite for fresh and clean around here. Got two cans really cheap with my coupons. The pile of vacuum bags and filters that I ordered a few weeks back. I was in dire need of the filters when I ordered them, not realizing it would take so long. The filter that was in my vacuum was quite old and full of dust and dirt. When I vacuumed, the whole house smelled of yuck. So last Saturday when I needed to vacuum and didn't have the new filters yet, I took one of Alec's old cotton lightweight shirts, cut a square out of it and used it for a temporary filter. It worked! No more smell. But I'll be glad to fit the new one in today.
Location: Kitchen. The green box was a gift that we received last week. It was unexpected. We found out it was from the lady that we refinanced our house through at the bank. Inside we found the most delicious molasses cookies that I have ever tasted. The bakery was called "The Dancing Deer Bakery". Super duper good. The pan is on the counter from yesterday. The DeClerck family returned it to us. I had made some soup and muffins and took it over after finding out their twenty-six year old son had unexpectedly passed away two weeks ago. I called her this morning to let her know that I was thinking of her and made plans with her to start walking together. My bag of Eight O'Clock coffee beans that I grind fresh every morning. The green box of Mike & Ike candies are from me buying treats for Micah to store in my purse. One of the pictures on the fridge is of my nephew Johnny and I when we went to Chuck E. Cheese in January. I can't forget the priceless picture that hangs on the wall. Matthew painted that for me when he was in first or second grade. I loved it then and love it more now.
Location: Kitchen. The bottle of Miralax. Something that has been and will be in my house for a long time. Alec needs the extra help in that department. Enough said. My small package of new kitchen washclothes that I purchased last night. Once I put them through the wash with bleach they probably won't look so bold and colorful. Medicine bottles that are full of doggie meds. John took Gracie to the vet and found out she has a heart murmur, enlarged heart, fluid in her lungs and low glucose. This was after he and Rachel had a scare with her last week outside. She could barely walk and acted really strange. As much of a pain as our dogs can be, we can't stand the thought of something happening to them. Especially John with Gracie. The bucket of gourmet popcorn is from Kristie. And lastly, my toilet bowl gel stuff that I also love.
Location: Dining Room. Computer Desk. Our Mac computer with a picture of Gracie on the desktop. Pictures of me and John, the kids and one of Krista. There is also a Kroger ad. I love the Kroger ad and look forward to it every week.
Location: Dining Room. BBQ sauce left over from dinner last night. Tupperware Salt and Pepper shakers that I have had for years and years. Bunnies that I have out for spring. I forget where and when I got them, but I remember that in my kitchen at our old house, I had a bunny theme. Someone's straw, which after I picked it up dripped chocolate milk. The Meijer ad with some expired coupons.
Location: Living Room. The dvd Fireproof. Such a great movie. Glue stick from Alec's project. Kristie's Blockbuster dvd rental "Madagascar" that we watched the other night. Gray Rubbermaid tote on the floor is full of home videos. And always a stack of magazines. I don't even want to know how much money I have spent on them throughout my years. I have always enjoyed reading them.
And there you have it. A glimpse into our messy lives.
