Maid needed

I am a little frustrated, and a little overwhelmed. Will my house EVER be neat and clean?!?!? I am baffled at how it always seems so cluttered and messy! David and I will clean it and it will look awesome... for about 5 minutes!! I just don't get it. I go to some peoples homes and they are neat as a pin, no junk anywhere to be seen. Kitchen counters are spotless, nothing on the floor, no dust, no clutter, just an immaculately clean, spotless, clutter free home decorated perfectly and beautifully. So, my question is this...
HOW?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Please someone share your secret with me. And I don't want to hear 'you have 5 kids' because that is not it. I was recently in someone's home and she has 4 LITTLE kids. It was Perfectly spotless. So what is it? Do you all have a room that is your 'dump' room? Do you not buy toys for your kids? Do you not have junk anywhere? I feel like I am swimming in papers from school, pictures and notes that my kids color and write for me (this happens daily!!!), kids shoes all over the floor, toys everywhere, just stuff everywhere! I am in awe that even after losing everything in the fire, we still managed to have a messy home! How is that possible? Maybe I just need to come to grips with the fact that it will never be clean. Any suggestions for how you keep your home clean and neat??? I welcome any hints or tips! Please help...

Hairstylist in Training?

Ok, so some of you know this about me and some may be surprised to know this. I always thought I would be a hairstylist when I grew up. I always loved playing with my sister's hair and really thought it was what I was meant to do. Well, life took me in a completely different direction and it never happened. When we moved to AZ, and completely started over with our lives, I looked into cosmetology school as an option of something I could do. After the shock of the price wore off, David convinced me that I shouldn't do it. It would take me 2 years to complete school, then how long after that would it take me to build a clientelle to where I would actually make anything at it? So, I put it back on the shelf, so to speak, but have secretly yearned and often thought about just going for it. What I'd really like to do is open a Salon, now that would be fun! Ok, so I wouldn't have the first clue about what goes into a salon, but I guess that business side of me kicks in and I think it would be fun! That way, I am around it, but not doing it... Anyway, Christina and I were at the store the other day and we were in the beauty isle. Michael wants to bleach his hair blonde for the summer and Christina wanted highlights. I wasn't going to take her anywhere to have it done, it costs too much! So, we bought a highlight kit and came home. She has asked everyday -multiple times- 'When are we gonna highlight my hair?' I finally had enough of the question this morning and pulled out the kit! Note: I have NEVER colored my hair or anyone else's from a box! A friend of mine colored my hair from a box waaaaaaaay back in my single days, but I have never done it!! So I am reading the instructions, trying to figure out how to do it. Put a cap on and pull the hair through the holes... WHAT?? That made no sense to me. So I did what any other hands on learner would do. I pulled out my foil, combs, made a 'board' out of a cardboard box and started applying the 'creme' like I have seen my hairdresser do for 15 years. I was not nervous at all. I was completely confident that I could make this work. How hard could it be? My hairdresser made it look so easy! Why was I paying $150 for her to do mine? It looked so easy!! Well, it wasn't as easy as she made it look. She did, however, have much more experience than I did. But I am proud to say, that it only took me an hour to do all the foils. I did the whole top and sides. (and partially down the back. The last time I got my hair colored (at the hair school, it took the girl 2 hours to do my foils!) So I was feeling pretty good. Then I checked the first foil! Oh, did I leave it on too long? It looked really blonde! I pulled the foil and wiped the cream off, then pulled a few more. Let the sides sit a little longer and then eventually pulled them all off. Christina went to shower and when she got out I was very excited to see how I had done. I have to say, I think I did pretty good! Especially for a first timer! I love the way it looks on her. It is subtle and not too stiped. I 'weaved' in the highlights so it would have a more natural look. So, take a look and let me know what you think. Maybe I do have a future in hair? Maybe I should consider the Cosmetology School thing again? The only thing is -as my sweet friend pointed out tonight- ALL the girls there could be my daughter!!! I would be the OLDEST one there! That might be a little wierd!! But, maybe it wouldn't matter. If it's something I wanna do, I should go for it, right? Even though I am almost 40 years old! Yikes that sounds old when I type it! Anyway, let me know what you think of her hair! I love it!





So I don't have any 'before' pictures, but if you scroll down to the earlier blog post of Amanda & Christina's haircut you will see what it looked like before.

Nothing to say

So, I am reading everyone's blogs, and enjoying it very much. I have not blogged in a while and as I sit here trying to figure out what in the world I would blog about, I come up BLANK!! Is my life really this boring?? YES!!! Do you ever feel like you never do anything really that exciting? I know this whole blogging thing is still somewhat new to me, but I guess you can say whatever you want, right? I guess you have to decide 'WHY' you are blogging? Are you blogging to boast about your life? Are you blogging to impress others? Are you blogging as a journal and who cares what anyone else thinks? Are you simply putting into words your thoughts and feelings? Are you documenting your life by the minute? hour? day? week? Maybe I just haven't clearly defined in my own head WHY I am blogging. I thought I did this for my family who is far away, so they can see how the kids are growing, keep updated on what we do, etc... But we really don't do anything! We work and that's about it. So, maybe I am realizing just how BORING my life is! Yes, that must be it. I could talk about everything I did today. -I went to work, had a swim party at my house with the acheivement day girls, fixed dinner (tacos), sat by the pool watching my kids and husband swim while I missed my son -who is at scout camp- and then put the kids to bed. But does anyone really care what I did today??? Really? Do people make lists of things they want to blog about? I guess I always thought that when you blog, you had to have something profound to say. Something that makes people WANT to read your blog. Something that makes others think. Something that 'touches' other peoples lives. But do you? Can't you just have a post that is simply nonsense???