Laundry Update

Well, I am so happy to report that the Lord answered my prayers on how to do laundry in our house more efficiently! We have been doing our new method for about a month and a half now and it is working out wonderfullly! Here's what we used to do:

Three laundry bags labeled "Darks and Brights," "Lights and Whites," and "Miscellaneous Specials" were in our Laundry Room. Everyone was responsible for getting their own dirty laundry to the Laundry Room and sorting it in the right bin. I then was responsible for washing, drying, sorting, and folding. We had 8 shelves on top of the dryer for each person and they put away their laundry unless they were under 6 years old. My oldest does her own laundry (14). The problems I encountered were children would put clean laundry in the bins instead of hanging up clean clothes and I wouldn't know it until it was under the dirty ones and too late. Also, children wouldn't sort correctly and I would end up having to re-sort. We often have lost socks and mismatched clothes because they were tossed in the different bins (white shirt that goes with dark blue shorts, etc.). Not to mention I was working too hard!

New Way:
I turned those three bags around and they now read "Room 1," "Room 2," and "Room 3" to represent the three children's rooms. I have one more bag for mine and my hubby's room. Now the children put their laundry in one bag with their room label on it. As the bag fills I put all the laundry in the wash on cold (I wash the undies and socks separate - usually). I am now responsible for washing and drying and that's it! No more sorting, no more folding. Once dry it goes in one of the brand new laundry baskets (from Target) that I bought for each room and then it heads to their rooms. The children have to sort their clothes out and put it away. There are only two children in each room so only two children's clothes are in each bag or basket. Very easy. No more lost socks either! Plus! All of my children from the 6 year old on up wants to do their laundry now and they can since it's all washed on cold and they are doing their own laundry with their room mates. I haven't had the bags overflowing one time since I started this - it's working like a charm. Mon-Wed. we wash clothes. Thurs I was sheets and towels and Friday is clothes again.

I also make our own Homemade Laundry Soap.
We have been doing this (inspired from the Duggar's) for about a year and it is so easy. I encourage everyone to try it out. My 12 year old Sarah usually makes it for us too.

I'm hoping to make some more progress in the other areas. Hopefully I'll get some pics up to show before and after.

Illness

This has been a season of illness for me. I normally don't get sick much at all, but I am currently getting over my second case of pneumonia since January. I also have something wrong with my left arm and back pain from my cough. I feel like I'm falling apart. My ear has been hurting me lately from the tumor as well. My surgery isn't until May 17th.

I have been thinking about all of this and wondering if I shouldn't be spending more time with God asking what I could do to change something in order to have better health. I will be turning 40 this year and I don't want my  health to start declining just because I am getting older. I want to be a Grandma and and Great-Grandma someday and I need to be healthy now in order to reach those years.

I know for one that I could eat healthier than I do. I could cut out the sweets and definitely eat more fruits and veggies. I still have about 20 pounds to lose since having Eliana and I could exercise more too. With the pneumonia and the cough that goes with it I feel like I've even gotten more lazier in the area of exercise and healthy eating. It's a vicious cycle. I get sick so I stop exercising. I'm tired from being sick so I can't plan our meals and I eat fast food/junk. I stay sick because I'm not eating right. The cycle continues.

I know I need to change my ways. I want to start eating and taking care of my body how God wants me to. I pray that He will show me what His plan is for me and that I will have the courage to make those changes. I have learned that I can't copy what works for someone else, I need to pray and follow God's special plan for me. He made my body and knows what is best.