Housework Tuesday!

I have decided to create a weekly post titled “Housework Tuesday.” You know kind of like Margarita Monday or Champagne Thursday, only maybe a little less fun! Each week I will chronicle the challenges of keep a clean home as well as share tips I have found or amazing cleaning supplies I have stumbled upon. I hope other bloggers are inspired to share tidbits of valuable information as well!

For my debut entry, I would like to complain about housework! It really is my least favorite aspect of being a wife/newlywed. When Steven and I purchased our first home, I was thrilled. I was incredibly motivated to keep our home immaculate at all times. Now, a year and half later, let’s just say my enthusiasm for cleanliness has waned slightly. I know, I know, cleanliness is next to Godliness and all the stuff…but really, who enjoys laundry and doing dishes?? I enjoy having a clean home and feeling of accomplishment I feel when my house looks great. I do not, however, enjoy spending two hours cleaning my hardwoods! I swear, the more I clean, the dirtier my house gets.

For example, what is the deal with laundry?!?! I can spend an entire Saturday washing load after load and folding basket after basket. After I hang the last article of clothing in my closet, I breathe a sigh of relief. Whew! I sleep easy that night knowing that I can rest easy for the next couple of day as my closet is under control. But then, somehow I wake up two days later and everything is a disaster again. How is this possible?!?! It’s like gremlins come into our home while hubby and I are at work, try on every piece of clothing we own and scatter them all around our bedroom. I swear! I find dirty clothes in the closet that I haven’t worn in ages! Maybe Dixie and Bauer are pulling our clothes of the hanger and laying on them when we aren’t looking? I honestly do not understand how two people can manage to go through so many clothes each week.

To make matters worse, I despise folding clothes. I don’t really mind the sorting and the washing part (thank goodness for the industrial revolution and washing machines!) It’s the folding and putting away part the drives me crazy. Steven becomes exasperated with me because I will wash all my clothes and leave them in the “clean clothes basket” until I want to wear them again. It really is a very clever way to avoid folding your clothes! Thankfully, hubby is *very* particular about the way he likes his clothes folded. Shortly after we were married, we agreed (it possibly was more like argued) that if he did not like the way I folded his clothes, then he could fold his own clothes. And I have not folded a single thing of his since. :) But still, if only I didn’t have to fold my own clothes – that would be so nice!

So now that I have complained about how much I hate doing laundry, I realize that I have piles of it waiting at home for me. Maybe I will wash and fold while watching 90210 tonight. A girl has to find a way to bring some entertainment into an otherwise torturous evening!

Happy Housework Tuesday!

More Blog Awards - Monday Is Looking Up!

So it's been a kind of crazy/dreadful Monday!  While I am very excited about the progress I have made in figuring out my grad school situation (or at least making a game plan), I am not so excited about my first Monday back at work.  After almost two weeks out of the office, today was almost torture.  Over 150 e-mails to return and my boss left me a beautiful laundry list of items to complete.  But I am, as always, grateful for my job and the success I have had so far.  But still - Monday's stink!

So imagine my surprise when I get a sweet little note from Julie at Brown Eyed Belle giving me two new blog awards!  It just perked my sullen Monday right up!  Now I can snuggle up in bed and read "The Last Song" by Nicolas Sparks with a smile on my face.  Thanks Julie!!!

The "Chic" Blogger Award

Your Blog is Simply Stunning

So in an attempt to pass along some Monday cheer I would like to give these awards to the following bloggers.  Over the past few weeks I have started reading blogs from these ladies and absolutely adore everything they have to say! 

- Natasha at A Day In The Life

- Leesie at Newlywedded: Life, Love and Me

- Ashley Carole at Grad School Prep

- KatieB at Tale of a Grits

- KatieF at The Life of an Army Wife

Please feel free to share the wealth lovelies!

Knocking Out Those Resolutions!

Yay for me! I am only 4 days into the New Year and I already am underway to completing my New Year’s Resolutions (or at least one of them!)

I believe I have figured out what I intend to do concerning graduate school. ECU (Eastern Carolina University) has a very well ranked on-line MBA program. As I am a NC resident, the total tuition for the program is incredibly affordable (well – for a graduate degree anyway – why is college so expensive!?!?!) My real-life friend as well as blogger friend, Tess- Adventures in Being a Homeowner, is currently taking courses through ECU’s on-line program and recommends it.

So, in my classic A-type style, I have been doing a great deal of research today. During lunch, I emailed the office of administration to determine *exactly* how many courses I will be required to complete. I researched scholarship possibilities as well as determined how to complete the FAFSA (stupid form I have to complete so the government can tell me they will not be giving me any money to help pay for school!) In order to begin classes in the Fall of 2010, I will need to submit my application along with undergraduate transcript, official GMAT scores, and scholarship applications by June 1, 2010. Considering that I have not taken the GMAT – I really need to get my butt in gear.

Speaking of the GMAT, did you know it costs $250 just to take it?!?! Honestly, paying $250 to sit through hours of testing. That’s almost as bad as paying $60 to run 13.1 miles. Apparently I am gluten for punishment! So, in order to submit my application on time, I will need to take my GMAT no later than mid-April. There is a test on Saturday the 17th, so it looks like that’s the one for me (for an A-type personality, I really procrastinate too much!) January and February are already booked solid which leaves me the month of March to study for the stupid test. OYE – it’s been 2 ½ years since I have taken a test!

I also will have to gather 3 letters of recommendation for my application and scholarship application as well as write two personal essays. Ahh…the world of academia.  How I have missed it! :)

So here’s hoping that 1) I get a great score on my GMAT, 2) I complete all necessary steps to submit my applications, 3) I get accepted into ECU’s on-line program & 4) I get a FAT scholarship!!! I’m thinking the later is a little bit of a stretch, but a girl can dream! If all goes according to plan (which honestly, when does that happen!?) I will be a student of higher education by Fall 2010! Which is actually 6 months ahead of schedule.

On a lighter note regarding New Year’s resolutions: Hubby and I are probably booking a trip to Vegas for my 25th birthday! We have found a great deal on a hotel at Planet Hollywood as well as free flights (the only good thing about him traveling so often is his frequent flyer miles!) So it looks like I might get some of that travel I’ve been wanting to do in this year as well.

Now if only I could find a way to lose 15 pounds and become the perfect wife/cook/friend over night my list would almost be complete!

Hoping you all are having success on your goals as well!

I'm The Smelly Kid

I woke up this morning and realized I needed to make a quick run to CVS for some medicine for Bauer.  Without thinking, I threw on a pair of jeans with the sweatshirt I had slept in, pulled my hair into a ponytail, snatched my glasses (I'm blind without glasses or contacts) and ran out the door.  That's all I did - notice, no brushing of the teeth, no hairbrush through my hair, no glancing at myself in the mirror.  Just a quick trip a quarter mile down the road to CVS.

So I ran into the store, grabbed my items and headed to the checkout counter.  As always, there was a 10 minute line so I entertained myself with the latest celebrity gossip.  Imagine my surprise when I caught a quick glimpse of myself in the reflection of the vending machine!  OH MY LORD!!!!  My hair, generally blonde and straight, was so greasy that it was matted and *brown*.  My husband's sweatshirt looked like an oversized dress. I looked appalling.  When I glanced down I noticed my sweatshirt was completely covered in dog hair and a very large stain - possibly cheese???  When did I that much cheese???  No wonder I was getting crazy stairs from the dressed up church goers in line (it was early - I hadn't even gotten ready for church yet!).  I was so disheveled that I almost looked threatening...  I stood in line still as a bug (doing my best not to draw anymore attention) wishing desperately that I had a breath mint until I was able to pay for my items.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief once I entered the safety of my car.  That was until I actually looked at myself up close in a mirror.  YIKES!!!  Mascara from the night before littered my eyes.  My complexion was awful!  In the bright sunlight I could see that not only was my hair matted and greasy but it also had something in it - is that cheese again?  Where in the world did this come from!?!?!  To make matters worse, in the confines of my car I could actually smell myself.  I mean honestly - I had showered less than 24 hours ago.  I have completely no physical activity since then.  HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!?!?!?! 

So needless to say, I'm back at my home and completely mortified.  I have learned my lesson.  My Mema always said that a proper lady never went to town without her "face" on.  Staring at my reflection in that vending machine, I fully grasped the severity of heeding my grandmother's advice.  If nothing else, I will at least brush my teeth, throw on a baseball cap, and fresh clothes before I head into town again.  Thank goodness I didn't see anyone that I knew!

Please tell me that someone else has had a similar experience.  I cannot be the only woman on earth to be so embarrassed by her own reflection.  Oye - I'm going to take a shower!!!