Laundry List

Wish I'd Done That: I've been cleaning cabinets, closets and drawers. You're supposed to get organized in January, right? I throw lots out, but the remainder I take down to Goodwill. Someone might get some use from that stuff; I just don't need it anymore. It is freeing to cart stuff away. If that's true, why does buying more give me such a buzz sometimes? Hmmmm....
.

10 Things Wrong with Keeping House

1. Cleaning toilets

2. Dusting window blinds

3. Cleaning baseboards

4. Ironing (unless there's a good old movie on TV)

5. Doing taxes/accounting stuff for LauraSartin.com

6. Changing seasons of clothes from upstairs to down

7. Doing dishes

8. Going to Wal-Mart

9. Washing windows

10. Cleaning bathrooms

Lists

Wish I'd Done That: In honor of 2009: give yourself a break! Relax! Don't worry about - taxes, the economy, getting into Harvard, what's for dinner, etc. Just enjoy the day. You've put away Christmas decorations, and straightened up the house. Isn't that enough? Play games, and have a ball!

Things to Do in 2009

1. Treasure each day. God has given me this day, take advantage of my opportunity!

2. Pay attention to my family: husband, kids, siblings, parents. Consider my chance to make their day a special one.

3. Love my friends. God has blessed me with some great ones.

4. Employ random acts of kindness. Let the impatient one in line behind me go first. Let the nice lady in line behind me go first. Go to a playground and sprinkle a roll of nickles under the play stuff-kids love that. Give someone an anonymous present.

5. Make God's Word and time with Him my priority.

6. Love my pastor and his family. Show them I love them.

7. Tell others how to know Christ.

8. Disciple my Sunday School class to love the Word.

9. Read lots of books.

10. Get healthy.

Christmas Open House

Wish I'd Done That: Buy (or make) a Christmas calendar for your little ones. This will make the time go faster until the big day. I made the ones with a treat or a very small toy behind the door. You can buy them almost anywhere now, and that would be easy! Let your kids count down the days until all the excitement!

Christmas Open House

Only 5 days until our Open House for http://www.laurasartin.com/. We have some really great savings for all who attend. I'm making some treats, and there will be hot cider to ward off the cold. Do your Christmas shopping with your friends. If you have one of our invitations, (or if you mention this blog!), we'll give you 10% off your whole order!

This painting is great framed in an antique gold. I've got it in my bathroom. Your mom and/or sister would really like this!

This one below is on sale Saturday. You'll be able to buy 3 16 X 20's for $90, plus an extra 10% off! A $115.50 value, you can get 3 for $81! That's a great buy, and the prints are easy to mail, too.

Buy this one (remember, they are double-matted), for all your friends with little ones, or those who are pregnant. We sell so many of these - they are really a unique and wonderful gift for babies.

All three of the larger sizes are on sale if you buy 3 of the same size, so come see what's new.

Laura has done 2 new prints, so you'll want to check those.

We have gifts for everyone; men, grandma, sister, mom ~ even something for yourself.....

Come by and get started on your Christmas shopping, or just stop by to visit - we can't wait to see you!

Computer Problems

Wish I'd Done That: I always bought my little ones' clothes one year ahead. I could sort of predict their sizes, then I'd shop at the end of the season for the next year. If I made a mistake, I gave it away as a birthday gift!

I HATE Computers!!!

Last week, I had a glitch or something with my Outlook Express. I couldn't access my mail for our website, www.laurasartin.com. Now, since it's coming close to the shopping season, I want to be able to get and fill any orders that come in. For some inexplicable reason, it wouldn't accept my password, and I got that dreaded error message: "There was a problem logging onto your mail server" I decided to try to fix it myself - I need to learn these things, after all.

OK. I tried. Followed the "help" stuff from Outlook; the whole 9 yards.

(I never read directions for anything, so you can understand that this was major for me to follow the steps from something technical.)

Yesterday, Donna called about a prayer request, and I happened to ask if she had a computer person in her house. (Her husband, James, is REALLY great at that)

He got on the phone to try and help. He even came over to work on the machine himself. No luck.

I finally emailed (on the other account) my website guy, Jared. He asked for my password, and I gave it to him.

He emailed me back that he'd had success; I should try myself using my password. (I'd already done this, of course)

I typed in the password, and of course, it worked! Why?!

I just don't get it.

Anyway, to all you computer geniuses out there ~ way to go. I don't get it, but I'm glad you do......

Praying for Sharon, Chris, Mattie, our kids in Iraq/Afghanistan, and our great country.

Retail Theraphy

Wish I'd Done That: Set up a station by the back door (or in your garage) with bins for each one of your little darlings. (Maybe include your husband, too) Drop in backpacks, shoes, papers, coats, etc. You will know where the homework is and where it should go when finished. It might help with the early morning rush out the door.

Today, after a morning of training newbies at the Taster home, I headed south for some early Christmas shopping.

Now, don't hate me, but I had an idea, and when I get an idea for Ace, I've got to act on it, or I'll forget.

I will be hard-pressed to better last year's gift: a remote starter for the Chevy pickup. Ace has really enjoyed it; nothing is better on a cold morning than getting in a warm truck.

However, I think I've got a good candidate, but I had help from my grad school kid up north. I got it on Ebay: gosh, I'm such a techie...

Anyway, while shopping, I did manage to come up with a few things for myself, too. I'm not really a marathon shopper, but once in a while, it's great fun.

For the kids, tho, I've not started. Kids in college like gift cards to coffee houses, bookstores and restaurants.

Laundry and forgetfulness

Wish I'd Done That: Go to your library before a trip and check out books on tape. Your kids will love this, once they get used to it! Their imaginations will swell (?) and they will be taken to another world as you travel......Anyway, they will really like this, once they get used to the idea. Start while they are young, and your kids will develop imaginations and be really smart, and go to Harvard........

OK, friends. How many of your ordered your Rotato Express yesterday? That's what I thought. You'll be sorry when Thanksgiving rolls around, and you are stuck in the kitchen with Aunt Myrtle peeling 25 tons of potatoes for your 52 cousins and their offspring. Don't say I didn't warn you...

I came home from work today (testing brats...not brats-the kids...) and wanted to move the wash to the dryer. Of course, the dryer was full, so I removed the laundry from the dryer, took it to my "folding station" - the couch, and folded it. While folding, I remembered I wanted to get a list together to copy 5 X 7 prints for next week's open house, and I went to the office to do that.

That caused me to see the disgusting state of the office, which required cleaning said office, and then....

2 hours later.....I went to the kitchen and saw the dryer open in the adjoining laundry room. I remembered my original idea of laundry.
Do you ever do that? hmmm.

Hey, no one is going to win the free 8 X 10, so you might want to post a blessing sometime today......