My tackle for today and the rest of this week is to re-create and get back onto a better schedule. As some of you know I have been setting up a fun new shop (www.SnuggyBugz.com) and so much of my time and energy has been going into that. The problem is that I have been seriously MIA on all of my blogs and even visiting blogs. I usually go around and read posts a couple of times a week to keep up to date on what is happening with other mommy bloggers out there!

I am tired too which doesn’t help matters any. Last night was the first night we got a fairly solid night’s sleep. For 5 nights in a row one or both babies were up in the night making sleep very difficult or impossible.

Well, there you have it . . . nothing major, but this week it needs to be fairly basic!

For those who are wondering, yes - I’m still alive! I know I don’t normally go so long without posting here, but I guarantee you I have an excellent reason!

In addition to trying to stay sane while we all adjust to summer break we have started a new business - I know it’s a little crazy, but it was hubby’s idea so off I went! It’s been fun and exciting though, and we look forward to seeing where it will go. I’m not going to go into too many details since the grand opening isn’t until August first and we are still building our product lines, but if you want a sneak peek into what we already have to offer . . . go to www.SnuggyBugz.com and check it out!

We are actually doing many tackles today - I have two and the boys have one. Mine are - get the house clean for tomorrow (woohoo, the fourth of July!) and to get a couple more products up in my store. The boys . . . a competition to see who can get the most rocks from one area to another. The great part about the boys’ tackle is that the end result helps their daddy! Clearing an area that he needs to work on getting mowed down - can’t do that with all the rocks. Our property is gorgeous, but incredibly rocky!!!

Well, that’s all the time I have right now!

Well, this week the boys got a bit ambitious and did our Tuesday tackle on Monday! While they are on summer break we will be doing one (or two) large projects a week - one outside and one inside. This week it was to clear off a large sandy area we have off of the back deck that had been filled with rubble during some of the work under the house. They decided to get it done yesterday and because I didn’t know they were jumping ahead I didn’t have a chance to get a picture - it would have been great to have one for you too, it was a real mess!

So, even though that was completed we still do have some inside projects to complete and we will be attempting to get the kitchen organized today! I guess you could say we still have a Tackle for today! So off we go to get the kitchen useable!

Hope you have a successful tackle day too!

I actually completed the teacher gifts today! I have to admit that they didn’t turn out exactly the way I’d envisioned, but they were nice. I put gifts for two of the teachers and the bus driver in a Create A Can and another teacher’s gift in a fun tin basket (I forgot to order her can - eek) and each gift was filled with a gift card to Starbucks, a couple of votives and/or other candles. I had hoped to put in coffee mugs and chocolate covered coffee beans instead, but was running out of time and energy.

Beyond that I have been a bit surprised to find that tackling much of anything during the time the Peas are awake is a problem. They are determined to kill themselves the moment I leave the room by climbing anything they can find and promptly falling off. So all of my tackles are small.

Here I am late in the day and the most I’ve been able to accomplish is a couple loads of laundry, sweeping the floor, running the dishwasher and wiping down the table and high chairs. These things are an ongoing process though so even though I technically got something done, I do these things all day long every single day!

So what did I actually tackle? That’s a very good question! I think the only true tackling that was done today was when Son1 tackled Sir Lion as he wandered out into the road this evening. Daddy was unloading the fishing boat and although he knows that the road is forbidden (he is almost 4) he decided to place his hairy little toe over that proverbial line . . . once again! Crazy thing is he isn’t even supposed to be in front of the house - only in the back part of our property. He just happened to be there watching Daddy - sigh! So Son1, blessing that he is, saves the day by doing a truly great diving tackle to take down Sir Lion!

Once again it is Tuesday and I have to decide on a tackle! Todays tackle is to get some things planned!

I have to plan 2 birthday parties and get invitations out for both of them, just for starters! I feel tired just thinking about it! I used to love planning the boys’ parties so I feel a little odd admitting that since I was pregnant with the twins I haven’t felt quite up to the task!

Part of the problem is that I really can’t plan having a party at home - it’s too small! Although that’s nice in the cleaning department, frankly I’m kind of burned out on Pizza Parlor Parties! So I’m hoping and praying that maybe soon we will be able to have them at home again if we’d like. I digress . . .

I also have to plan end of the school year events and a basic routine for the summer to keep everything moving - no chaos. School ends next week so I have to get all of the teacher gifts finalized as well as making sure that all loose ends are tied up for the year. Then there’s the whole summer learning thing . . . my boys get a week or so off and then there is about 1 hour a day that they spend working in workbooks or some sort of learning adventure for the rest of the summer. That won’t work every single day or even every week since football camp is thrown into the middle of it all, but they do this for the most part.

So there you have it, this week’s tackle - I’m off to design a party invitation now, trouble is I don’t have a clue about a theme this time around . . . any suggestions?

I think I have found a good tackle to do today! I have a huge bin of clothes that has been growing as various kiddos have been outgrowing them (weeds that they are) over the last couple of months. I need to go through and separate them for the next child to grow into and put them in the appropriate “waiting” drawer in the other room. The clothes that the Peas have outgrown need to go to goodwill or consignment.

I’ll post before and after pictures later! I’ll be back . . . . .

I usually participate in Tackle It Tuesday, but today I am finding it difficult to come up with a particular tackle outside of my normal maintenance routine.

I think this is mainly because we have been “tackling” SO many things lately. We have been on a crusade to organize our tiny little house. I think it helps us pretend that 8 people can live in 1050 square feet haha!

Anyway, over the weekend hubby bought me a rack for my pots and pans as well as a shelving unit for the kitchen. We realized later that we needed to attach a second unit to the first one and we completed that yesterday, so now I have 6 shelves in my kitchen. It is open for the world to see, but functional anyway! So the process of getting the kitchen more organized continues.

We still have a long way to go in the kitchen - put in the new cabinets, counters, sink, fixtures and dishwasher as well as getting a bench for the eating corner. We also have to repaint the wall behind the table where the kids’ chairs have rubbed off the paint, but I’m not doing that until there’s a bench back there. So, it’s one step at a time!

Well, It’s that time of the week again and I need to tackle something! I’ve actually already gotten off to a pretty good start this week and have most of the tackle done - yipee!

I am working on my Living Room this week. In general this room is the most organized place in the house thanks to one entire wall of Ikea storage solutions That said though, it does occasionally become overly cluttered, and that is the state I found it in this morning. So, I put away as many clothes as I could (realizing as I did so that we’re going to have to weed out some of the boys’ clothes again - ugh) put baskets where they needed to go, threw the big rug in the washer (another Ikea find and I can simply throw this 4′x7′ rug in my wash machine!!! - oh and it was only $20!) and swept the floor.

There is still stuff that needs to be done though! I still need to sweep and finish clearing up the entry, Son2 needs to deal with a few issues with his clothes and such when he gets home (all of the boys except Son1 have their clothes in the storage unit in the Living Room) and I have a basket full of clothes that need to go to Goodwill as well as a basket of outgrown clothes that need to be sorted and put in various locations until the next kiddo down is ready for them. I think that about covers it LOL!!!

Off I go to finish the job! Hope you have a great week and accomplish much with your own tackles!

This week’s tackle is a little different than usual! First I always have my laundry to tackle and I find it interesting that although I say that Monday is my laundry catch-up day I get far more done on Tuesday - go figure!

But my main tackle today is to get rid of all of the chemical-laden unhealthy cleaners throughout my house and I am replacing them with safer ones! Both safer for the environment and my kiddos health! I am so excited!!!!

I know that to some people this is a very strange tackle, but for me it is a long time coming and I feel so good about it! I’m tired of knowing that the cleaners I’m using are contributing to my kids’ health problems and I’m especially tired of knowing that I’m not using the safest products for them! There was a time when I didn’t know how horrible all of my cleaners were and I did think I was doing the very best for my family - I don’t regret that! I’m simply in a different place right now and so I have to change the system!

So, there you have it, my Tackle It Tuesday project!

Just a note: The products that I have chosen to switch my household over to is Melaleuca! Once I began understanding the impact of the store cleaners on my family and the environment I began actively searching for the perfect safest and most trustworthy products - that’s when I found Melaleuca! For more information on making your home healthier too simply visit www.HealthyMomAndFamily.com.

Remember to check out GreetingFlix.com and let me know what you think! They are still waiting to hear from my readers so be sure to comment over at www.allmomshops.com/allmomblog.html!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!!!

What am I tackling today? Well, I am experiencing laundry overload!

I know that many of you are laughing and thinking to yourselves “When doesn’t she have laundry overload?” Yes, I have tons of laundry to do on a regular basis and I am NEVER caught up! Here’s the math - 6 boyz, 3 acres, lots of rain, mud, sloppy eaters, one occasional potty trainer (ugh) and a bedwetter (sorry it’s simply a fact)! They have separate school and play clothes which means that although they look very decent when they leave for school (note that I don’t mention that they look good when they come home!!!!) - my laundry level is often doubled.

Having said all of that though keep in mind that life is relative! My current laundry state is only overwhelming to me today because it is bursting out of it’s baskets. For another person who isn’t used to the amount of laundry I do daily and weekly what is normal to me may put them into an institution (LOL)!

Well, gotta go get the clothes out of the dryer, switch the washer to the dryer, put my 3rd load in for the day, sort some of the escapees from various baskets throughout the house, fold two loads (since the twins are napping) and put it all away!

Really quick though I want to mention that I like to put the clothes into the washer, switch from washer to dryer and I don’t mind sorting but I absolutely HATE folding and putting clothes away! The reason I mention this is that I am absolutely amazed by our differences! There are many women who adore the parts that I detest and vice versa! My suggestion (haha) - form a laundry coop! You go to your neighbor’s house and do the parts she hates and she’ll come do the parts you hate! Problem Solved!