Cleaning, agenda, question about decor

I am worn out today.  It feels like I have been cleaning all day, only to see that the house still looks dirty.  It’s like I am treading water with picking up things.  As I clean one area, the kids are completely destroying another.  I think it is time for another toy purge.  They can’t possibly play with all of them, and they make a huge mess scattering them.  Not to mention, Ethan’s birthday is in a couple of weeks, which means an influx of more toys. 

Tomorrow’s agenda includes scrubbing the trim in the kitchen, bathroom and dining room.  I need to take a scrubber sponge and scrub the floors.  I use a swiffer mop, and occasionally steam mop, but it still seems to accumulate gunk that has to be scrubbed up (thanks to kids who drop all sorts of food and candy!).  Oh, and I need to scrub the walls of the kitchen next to the kids little table.  I also need to shampoo the carpets and couches (hopefully I can get this done tonight).

 I wrote about some time ago that we recently purchased a new bed.  We decided to take out the sleigh bed and just use a simple frame.  We’ve been debating on whether we want to purchase a headboard or make something to put in place of.  Jamie bought these wall decals last night for us to try out.  I put them on the wall today.  What do you guys think?  Do they work, or do they look weird or tacky? (our bed isn’t against the wall on the side, dunno why the pic makes it look that way).  Sorry the pic isn’t too bright/clear. 

Owen’s preschool teacher just stopped by to drop off some more of his work that she found in her classroom. (Did I mention she lives a couple houses over?)  I tried pointing out her house to Owen one day, but he just tells me "No mommy, Mrs. Bailey lives at school".  Funny kid.

We are going out for Chinese food for dinner.  Yum! I haven’t had chinese food in a while, and I love it.  I need to get Ethan to take a quick nap, or else he is going ot be a little jerk.  I’d love a quick nap myself, but yeah that isn’t happening.

I found some pencil grips online that I want to order for Owen.  I think some of the problem with him not writing is that he can’t grip the pencil.  I’ve tried showing him, and manipulating his fingers to the correct position, but he just can’t seem to hold it.  I’m hoping that maybe these grips will help him.  They are designed for sensory kids (hello, thats Owen).  http://www.nationalautismresources.com/medium-claw-pencil-grips.html  We were practicing writing his name today, and he understands the letters and writes but I think if he could hold the pencil correctly, he may be able to make more legible letters.  I’ve got some educational goals that I’d like to work on with the boys this summer, and writing is definitely on the top of the list.  I may write about my plans in a future entry.  I have basically came up with my own curriculum that I want to go through.  I need to either buy a new printer, or purchase some more ink for mine and hope it fixes it.