It is a classic line, Moms and Dads have been yelling it for years. “Clean your room!” I think I heard that from my mom more than I heard her say she loved me Now that it is back to school time, the kids are doing other things and they don’t want to clean, (Not like they ever wanted to) so keeping a good organization system will really help. It makes clean up much faster when everything has a home.

Before the holidays start and all of the new toys start coming in, it’s time to figure out what to do! I used to live in a 2500 sq ft 5 bedroom home so finding places to put things was ever an issue. There was plenty of space but then, during my divorce, my boys and I moved to a 2 bedroom 900 sq ft apartment. You want to talk about having to come up with new ways to organize things? Toys were the worst and at the top of my hair pulling list.

I wanted to share a few tips on how I organized them to keep my sanity and not kill myself walking around. If you have a small space, this may help!
1. Limit the number of toys that your kids have. You don’t have to deprive them but did my boys REALLY need over 100 cars? NOPE!

2. A big thing for us is Thomas the train. Every type of train, every color of track etc. I found a cube unit on clearance years ago and it has really come in handy in my small space. Blue Bins have plastic trains, red bins have metal trains and so forth. Each of the bins are labeled as well so the kids can clean up quickly. (It’s not a great pic but I included one below)

3. Organize them by how often your children use them. You want those things easily accessible. put other things away and rotate the toys. If they want something different they can ask for it.

4. Keep like items together. All “odd” toys or nothing that goes to a set, I keep in one bin.

5. Get your kids involved. Chances are if they help you figure out where to put things, they will remember better.

6. Throw away the fast food toys! Yes they are cute for the first few days but they really make a lot of clutter. If you MUST keep them, put them all in one bin as mentioned in #5.

7. If you have the room, create work stations. Have an area for reading, a corner for crafts etc.

8. Every time a new toy comes into the house, an old one has to leave. The boys have learned that someone else would really appreciate their old toys and they like being able to find things now.

9. Do not use the closet for storage.. Why? I learned the kids see that as a toss point… open the door and toss it in! Doesn’t matter if you have the best system in there, it gets to be a disaster.

10. DONATE DONATE DONATE! We just filled up 3 garbage bags full of toys in the past 2 days. You would be amazed what they don’t want, have outgrown or is broken.

I am secretly hoping that when we move to our new house that I will have a lot more space ad the kids can have a rocking play area that is so organized I even amaze myself! Small spaces are so tough to organize, especially when there is no storage room to begin with. We may have some toys on the floor but love grow best in little houses right?

Companies in favor of S.O.P.A. Some of them are not shocking at all and some surprised me. There are some pretty big companies on this list!

1. 1-800 Contacts, Inc.
2. 1-800-PetMeds
3. 2b1 Inc
4. 3M Company
5. ABRO Industries, Inc.
6. Acushnet Company
7. Adidas America

The two don’t seem to go together do they? They just might…..So where have I been? What has been going on? Why have I been neglecting the site. How much time do you have? You might want to refill your coffee coffee/tea cup. After this post you should know why my blog is called Delightful Chaos.

I don’t know about you but I am so happy to see 2011 behind me. December was an extremely hectic month for me. Some good and some bad but all around it was nothing short of chaotic. All in all we had a fantastic Christmas and a fun New Year.

I am happy to say that I am officially divorced, I can close that chapter of my life and continue with the new one. That was a long road to go down and no one wants to be divorced. It was the best thing for both of us though. I wish it had gone a little better but it is difficult to see past the anger and bitterness sometimes. On to happier times!

While driving home from my lawyers office, after signing my divorce papers, I receive a phone call from my Mom. She was hysterical crying. Right away I began to cry because #1 she almost ever cries and #2 I have not heard her that upset since 2008 when she called to tell me my Dad had died. I really didn’t want to hear what she had to say next but, there was no avoiding it. My Grandfather had passed away. He would have been 88 years young on December 27th, 2011. The worst thing for her was she had to be the one who found her. There is no describing the difference between hearing that someone died, having a hospital call you compared to actually finding someone. Especially a loved one. The closest I have ever come was when I had to have my dog Crystal put to sleep. She was my first child and the daughter I didn’t get. I held on tight to her as she died and it was the most painful thing I had been through up until then. I can only imagine it felt something like that.

December 9th: I pack up myself, a 4 year old and a 9 year old and drive 500 miles from Toledo, OH to the Poconos in PA. It took us 10 hours because I just took my sweet time.

December 10th: I spend the day with family and friends getting things settled with my grandfather. My trip went something like this.

December 11th: I drive 2 hours to NJ for his viewing. This was an extremely long day. We were there from 1pm am until 8 pm. I drove the 2 hours back to PA and get to bed about midnight only to wake up the next morning at 6 am.

December 12th: I drive back 2 hours to NJ for the funeral and 2 hours back to my Mom’s again.

Spent a few days helping my Mom get his things in order, letting the boys cheer her up a little and drove the 500 miles back to Toledo… again. I saw people that I have not seen in 10+ years. It was so wonderful to see them but not under such sad circumstances.

December 23rd I turned around and did it all again until January 2nd. I am so tired of driving. My next trip with be in an airplane!

If you have never been to a Military funeral, I don’t wish it on you. Between the soldiers, the flag folding, them giving it to my Mom, the speech, the Taps…. It was heart breaking. I had managed not to cry the entire few days up until then. They even saluted him as the casket was taken out of the hearse.

I watched the soldiers very closely as they went through the motions. I had never been to a Military funeral before (nor do I ever want to again!) so I was quite interested. You could just see how difficult it is for them to conduct. Handing that flag over is extraordinarily tough I am sure. This task is usually given to a military chaplain or flag officer. We were told it’s an absolute, utter honor, the very least the nation can do to honor them. My Mom now has 2 military flags on her mantle. One for my Dad and one for her Dad. Can this woman please get a break?

The hardest part is that regardless of conditions, they have to do it right. It has to be 100-percent correct. It’s an honor because they are there to make sure that everything is done, everything is efficient and they do the best that they can. For the family, this is the last thing the Army’s able to do for them, for their family member. This is often the last thing they will see from the military. It has to be the best one of them said. I could see the nervousness in their faces. I almost felt bad as he tried to get his footing while folding the flag, on the unstable makeshift ground next to the coffin. It was almost as if his face said, “Dear God Don’t let me fall and mess this up.” It was hard to watch from their end as well.

Royal, my 9 year old, insisted on wearing his Army hat that morning. Oddly enough, he had no idea what was going to take place so I said it was fine. After it was all said and done, the Soldiers stood on the side as we were getting ready to leave. Since I come from a Military family, many went over to shake the hands of the soldiers. Royal asked if he could go as well.. He saluted them… I could see the smile and approval on the Soldiers faces as they tried not to beam with pride. It was a wonderful moment that I wish I had captured on film.

Almost one month later, 2500+ miles on my Jeep and way to much money later, we are back home trying to make sense of what comes next. 2012 has a lot of firsts coming for us including my baby starting school! To all of you I wish a very happy and healthy New Year ahead.

P.S. I think I repaired all of my typos in this post but, if I missed one, I don’t care because I am just that tired today

Parents are like kids sometimes. I only see my Mom three or four times a year and it’s never a dull moment around her. She often comes out with things that should be filed under “Parents say the darnedest things.”

While driving to New Jersey last week to attend my grandfathers funeral, my Mom had the radio up and she was going to town singing. The conversation went like this.

“*words I can’t make out* Stupid Face” – Mom

“What?” – Me

“What What” – Mom

“What are you saying?” – Me

“I’m singing that new Nicki Minaj song.” – Mom

“Which one?” – Me

“You know, Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, he got that stupid face.” – Mom

Long Pause

“Mom? She says Super Bass.” – Me

“I saw her on Ellen. She says Stupid Face!” – Mom

We get to the Funeral and while we are waiting,  I am looking up the lyrics tothe song and asking all my young cousins the lyrics. I knew I wasn’t wrong but I needed back up. She still swears Nicki Minaj changed the lyrics when she sang it on Ellen because that’s where she heard the “Stupid Face” lyrics. Way to confuse my poor Mom by using the wrong lyrics Nicki!

Some days a migraine will pop up at the most inconvenient time. Isn’t that always the way?  Being a single Mom there is no time to go back to bed and live in the dark until it goes away. Believe me, some days that is all I want to do when they sneak up. I mentioned, I just don’t take medication but when I came across Excedrin Migraine, and it worked for me, I stuck with it.

I have not quite figured out how to avoid getting migraines yet but one of the things that really helps me is a combination of a cold eye mask followed by a shower as hot as I can stand it. The water running on my head feels great. Sometimes it feels good until I get out but, I will take the temporary relief over none at all! These are things that work for me personally. I would really love to hear your tips and suggestions on how you deal with Migraines and what works for you!

Headache Prevention Tips

• Take short breaks during your busy day to stretch. This will help to relieve excess stress!
• Make sure you keep a consistent sleep schedule. Sleep deprivation can lead to migraines and headaches.
• Vary your diet! The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have been found to reduce the frequency of headaches.
• Print this Excedrin Migraine $1 off coupon to get you started!  http://bit.ly/ExcedrinCpn

ENTER TO WIN USING RAFFLECOPTER!

• A therapeutic neck wrap that can be heated or frozen
• ChicBuds Swarovski Crystal Ear Buds to listen to relaxing music
• A soothing gel eye mask
• $15 iTunes gift card to purchase relaxing tunes
• $50 American Express gift card for additional stress-free needs
• Foot massager
• Back massager

Disclosure: I was not paid for this posting. I did receive a gift basket by One2One Network on behalf of Excedrin.  The views and opinions expressed in this blogs content are solely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product should be verified by the above mentioned manufacturer, PR Agency or product designer. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to twitter, facebook or any other network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC and/or its above sponsor. The product itself did not persuade my personal beliefs or views. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

One of my dear friends had a baby about a week ago. Her oldest is almost 13 so it has been quite some time since there was a baby in the house. I love watching her Facebook feed go by to see what has been happening. Some of the things she posts are so funny to me, of course it is because it’s not me and I remember those times! It has been many years since there was a baby in my home. (but who knows, I am still young enough!) This morning, I saw this one on her wall::

I couldn’t really do anything except laugh. It always seems to work out like that doesn’t it? After reading this I remembered a funny memory about when my oldest son was born. His father was so proud and wanted to change the very first diaper. Hey great, have at it, one less I have to change. (After 30 hours of labor, I wasn’t at all unhappy to just rest.) I wonder how many of you are laughing right now because you remember what that diaper was like. If you haven’t had the pleasure of this encounter, consider yourself blessed… In short, it is pretty much like tar. Kind of nasty huh? After about 8 wipes later, watery eyes and red face from the smell, he handed the duties over to me. Kudos to him for trying but clearly it was a job for Super Mom.

“GoGo” is really an idea and a way of looking at the world. People tend to over complicate things when the truth is a simple fact right in front of them. “GoGo” is the simple unstructured and active play that is pure goodness for kids (and the kid in all of us). “GoGo” is about having the imagination to create delight in any situation.

At GoGo squeeZ, their mission is to make it easier for kids & families to be a little healthier and happier. They work in the magical space where kids are happy and parents are affirmed. GoGo kids ask for healthier snacks and love to play outside. GoGo moms get to say YES! more often. Our purpose is to spread more “GoGo” love. They invite you to join them. They invite you to play. The more the merrier.

If it’s a snack the boys can eat in the Jeep and not make a mess, I am all for trying it! Combine that with healthy and we are good to go. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t give my kids a lot of junk food. I don’t keep soda in the house (even if I did they boys are not permitted to have it), I don’t buy cookies, cakes and candy. If there are any cookies it’s usually something we baked from scratch. At least I know what they are eating then. We don’t even buy ice cream anymore, only frozen yogurt and the boys really like it so I am happy!

GoGo squeeZ is a version of plain old applesauce made fun. It is available in 5 flavors, Apple Apple, Apple Strawberry, Apple Peach, Apple Banana and Apple Cinnamon. They range from 45 to 60 calories each, No added sugar, gluten and dairy free, no artificial flavors or preservatives!!

When I first saw this I found it almost amusing. The boys will take the applesauce cups, peal back the top only 25% of the way and “drink” it when we are on trips or something to avoid a mess. I always said it would be cool if someone made it “drinkable”! FINALLY!

Go Go Squeeze is perfect for kids!  All they have to do is twist off the cap and squeeze it into their mouths.  No spoon, no mess, no hassle.   Each pouch is one serving of fruit.  You can purchase GoGo Squeeze at Stop N’ Shop, Whole Foods and Kings.

Disclosure: I was not paid for this article. I did receive product for my testing purposes by GoGo qsueez.  The views and opinions expressed in this blogs content are solely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product should be verified by the above mentioned manufacturer, PR Agency or product designer. This article is not endorsed, sponsored or connected to twitter, facebook or any other network that may have been mentioned on this article.  This article is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC. The product itself did not persuade my personal beliefs or views. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

Heelys, they both were beyond excited! When the boxes came they flipped out! I have to tell you I was very geeked to see these in action. I’ve seen kids all over the stores and streets rolling around. It peeked my interest.

The boys wanted to put them on immediately and immediately they both fell on the butts. If you are thinking roller skates, think again. Royal gets very frustrated with things so he tried it for a little bit and then got upset. Spencer on the other hand had a little easier of a time since they have Heelys for younger children which have 2 wheels on each sneaker. This makes it much easier. Less balance is required because you can actually stand on them.We watched a ton of how to videos on YouTube and it really looks easy, however, it’s not. In my personal opinion, I wouldn’t buy these if my child were the clumsy bull type (which Royal can be!) or a child that gives up easily. Unless your child wears a size and get one of the double wheeled versions. Since these are not your $20 shoes, you don’t want to be out the money either.  (The price range is pretty big. From $30 to $100) These take some practice to master! If you are feeling like a dare devil, they make them in adult sizes to. I actually laughed at this and considered it… for a second… then I got over it. At that point I have never broken, sprained or fractured anything in my life… I wanted to keep it that way.

They come in sizes for Men/Boys: Children’s 12, 13, Adult 1-12; “D” Width, whole sizes only. Women’s Sizing: Children’s 13, Adult 1-9; “B” Width, whole sizes only. Two-Wheels: Children’s 13, Men’s 1-8, whole sizes only. Heelys sizes run very true to your normal shoe size.

ENTER TO WIN A PAIR OF HEELYS

(YOU MUST DO THE FIRST MANDATORY ENTRY ON RAFFLECOPTER BEFORE ANY OTHERS)

Disclosure: I was not paid for this posting. I did receive product for my testing purposes by Trizcom Inc on behalf of Heelys..  The views and opinions expressed in this blogs content are solely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product should be verified by the above mentioned manufacturer, PR Agency or product designer. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to twitter, facebook or any other network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC and/or its above sponsor. The product itself did not persuade my personal beliefs or views. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

Discover endless riches when Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove comes to your hometown!  Disney On Ice sets the gold standard with its newest skating spectacular.  Get tangled up in Disney’s 50^th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and enter the worlds of your other favorite Disney princesses –Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and of course, the one who started it all, Snow White.  Ahoy, Mateys!

Set sail with Peter Pan, the always sassy Tinker Bell and the cantankerous Captain Hook and his pirate pals on an adventure beyond Never Land!  Trek the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the ‘Circle of Life.’  Tick-Tock!  Tick-Tock!  Don’t be late to a very important date with Alice and the Mad Hatter as they march with the Queen of Hearts’ Army Of Cards.  Be sure to see this show full of memories guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove will be playing the Huntington Center Dec. 15-18.

Show Times:
Dec. 15 – 7pm
Dec. 16 – 7pm
Dec. 17 – 11am, 3pm, 5pm
Dec. 18 – 1pm, 5pm

Disclosure: I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting. I did receive tickets for my testing purposes by Feld Entertainment .  The views and opinions expressed in this blogs content are solely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product should be verified by the above mentioned manufacturer, PR Agency or product designer. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to twitter, facebook or any other network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC and/or its above sponsor. The product itself did not persuade my personal beliefs or views. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

I don’t ask for votes to often but the last time I asked for your help, nephew won! So I am asking again for help on his behalf! There is NOTHING to sign up for, he doesn’t win anything for winning except recognition and it will literally take less than 30 seconds of your time.

If you take a moment to vote you can use it as an entry in any of my giveaways. Just post on the giveaway comments that you voted.

He has been doing MMA/Wrestling for as long as I can remember and he is amazing. To my knowledge he doesn’t win anything for these awards but they are very important to his being able to be listed as a professional fighter in the future. Every win looks great for him. Georgia Fighters Awards Fans Choice!

I do not like the setup of this site much so the easiest way to find it is to go to the page and hit control F on your keyboard. This should bring up your find feature. Type in Mike Graves and it will take you to it. Or you can scroll about 25% down the page to find them. He is in the following categories (Link above)

Submission of the Year – Mike Graves vs Ja Lowery – For the ISKA 170 Amateur Belt in Gainseville, 2nd round rear naked choke after a very active first round.