I Like to Move It, Move It...

   That's right, we're moving! Such a big deal for a mere second blog post. But, we knew this day was coming and still somehow lost all track of time and sanity. We are going from a small city in north Florida to a growing city just south of Nashville, TN. Not only are we trekking all of our earthly possessions several hundreds of miles away but we are also have to DOWNSIZE. For those of you with kids you know that this concept is just over the tipping point of hysterical.
   We are going from a 2,200 square foot home to a 1,700 square foot home with.no.garage. This means getting rid of approximately 2 rooms worth of stuff. So we did what any self-respecting small town American would do: we had a yard sale. It went really well, probably too well since we are now eating our meals on the couch or the floor. There is something mildly depressing about an empty house, don't ya think?

But on the upside my floors have never been cleaner! Thank you, Clorox, for picking up the slack. I'm sure the new tenants would like to thank you, too.
  Another thing I am trying to downsize is my sewing/crafting stuff. This should actually read: said husband is threatening to "misplace" some of my sewing/crafting supplies and items if they don't find new homes soon. For this I have a magical solution. It is sale time in my etsy shop which can be found here http://quarksandwidgets.etsy.com. There are many finished items and some fabric destashing as well. My shop has a coupon listed but an even better one is MOVING30 which will get you 30% off your entire purchase. This coupon expires June 10th.

These are just a few of the things that I have in my shop. Even if you aren't in the market to buy anything I would love to know what you think! Feel free to leave me a comment. Gotta go make some dinner and put some stuff in boxes but I hope to have more time to blog soon.

An Introduction

As I've gotten older, and infinitely busier with kids and life, I've realized that I'm losing memories. Memories of my kids, funny things that have happened to our family, and even just the plain everyday stuff that one day will make my kids laugh at "the things we used to do". So, I thought this blog might help capture this stuff and some of my crafty meanderings!
   First off, my name is Melanie. I am a trained clinical microbiologist. I LOVE(D) my job, but gave it up when my fantabulous husband moved us to a rural area in northwest FL and we had a second kid. With this move I also became a full-time housewife. I had never been solely responsible for all of the day to day chores and childcare before and it turns out, I'm a crappy housewife!
   Cleaning isn't a problem, the motivation to clean is where things get sticky. (Notice I am blogging and not folding the laundry or doing the breakfast dishes.) It all gets done, it's just a matter of time and hopefully some of it is kid free. Didn't somebody once say "cleaning your house when kids are home is like brushing your teeth while eating oreos." Seriously, I am not going to clean if my husband isn't even going to notice. Besides, if my husband really wanted the house cleaned all he would have to do is invite someone over. That'll get me moving.
   Cooking is another issue entirely. I don't like to cook. I won't go so far as hate, but it's a fine line. I'm no good at it and freakishly impatient. Baking I can handle, probably because it's more of an exact science. But according to said husband, you can't just eat that crap all the time. Clearly he's right but the occasional cake for breakfast can't hurt, right? Thankfully, the hubs doesn't mind cooking and he's not too shabby. I do have a few specialty items that I rotate in for good measure and constantly resolve to cook more.
   Childcare is my main focus. You know, keeping them alive. It's harder than you think with 2 young boys that consistently attempt things beyond their reach. Thank the good Lord for daily minor miracles and Neosporin. We should buy stock in band-aids and thank all that is holy for the advent of ice. Plus, these little minions are busy-school, sports, friends, arguing over whose turn it is to clean the lint trap on the dryer. People say there is never a dull moment with kids, but I disagree. The whole first year is mostly dull and sleep-deprived with few moment of amazement worked in (think first steps, first words, and how did something so small manage to make something that big and smelly). After that, it gets more interesting as their personalities and voices (read volume) really begin to grow. We are in the throes of these fun years which are now simply speckled with tedium. For instance, we have the nightly arguments discussions about showers and brushing teeth but Saturday mornings have turned me into "that Mom." Saturdays are soccer game days for both kids. I am hoarse by the end of the games but my kids surely know that I am watching! This is the happy part of the happy, crappy housewife. How could you not like watching little kid soccer and knowing that your kids are amazing? Not just because they scored a goal, but because they congratulated their friend on the other team for his game-winning goal!
   The other happy part of staying at home is that I have some time to sew. I started sewing as a way to distract myself from the fact that my husband was deployed in a war zone and to de-stress after putting the kids to bed. Turns out, I love to quilt and am quite the fabric addict! Although said husband would prefer that I be cooking or cleaning something a-la-1955, he graciously relents and gives me some freedom of budget and time to sew. Love that man!!!
   So, that is my life in a very condensed nutshell. A reluctant housewife that is glad for the opportunity to stay home with her kids but looking forward to a day when she can get back to work. But, that day can wait for now. Now, it's time to get to the laundry and dishes then rush over to watch kindergarten field day!