We Are Making Do

 We are making do here in our hotel. We only have a few weeks left. Then we are homeward bound for a few days. Our kitchen is all gutted out and I keep trying to get someone to get me some pics, but everyone keeps forgetting. I would love to see the progress instead of just hear it everyday. 

I have a few hacks I'd like to share with ya'll. First is how to get more space out of your packing. I have learned how to pack things to create more space and how to plan outfits and fold them properly. In the first pic, I picked out a pair of pants and found multiple shirts to go with them. One pair of pants, 3 shirts, in one bundle. Lay the pants down first, fold each shirt longways in half and lay on top of the pants. Then start at the bottom of the pant leg and roll up into a log. Viola! You can put several bundles into your suitcase this way. Or you can fold an outfit up for everyday this way. Sometimes I roll a pair of pants, the shirt, underwear, bra and socks (if any for that outfit) all in the bundles. Or there is another way.

Packing Cubes. These things are amazing. You can put your bundles or several into one packing cube or you can put like items into one packing cube. I have done both. In one, I have my pj sets. In another I have all my socks. In another, underwear and bras. 

Here is an example of how much these things hold. I have two long sleeve shirts and 7 tshirts in this one cube. The cubes are designed to compress the clothes and make them tight into the cube. This creates more space. I could have packed a pair of jeans and shirt bundle and put them into the cube, but I have so many jeans that these shirts will go with so I just did them this way. 

This is how I fold my jeans and jeggings or leggings if I am not rolling them with a shirt into a bundle. I could put all my blue jeans into a packing cube, but I didn't have one  that size. These things come in all sizes. When they are all packed, you know what is in each one and when you need something, you just grab the cube and put it back instead of shuffling through loose clothes and messing up your suitcase. These keep everything in your suitcase organized. I love them. 

Next, is making the most space in your little refrigerator in your room. I can only shop  for groceries for about two meals at at time. There is a little freezer at the top which I keep a little bag of ice to keep me from going down to the ice machine so much and it all melting before it gets used. Yes, that is alot of jello. When I had Covid, Dallas has bought me a bunch and we put them into the fridge. But when it was time for me to go and I had to clean out the fridge, I brought it with me instead of wasting it. So, at night, if I get a little snacky, I grab one. You have to shop small not just in quantity but size as well. I try to find the smallest size of something I can find. 

This is our little snack drawer and place to hold some non-refrigerator items. 

I have had to learn to get creative with cooking. I watch some videos on air fryer meals and instant pot meals. It is a learning process. I'm getting there. Dear hubby does not say a word, he understands that I have never just relied on these two appliances to make our meals. He's very patient. I would like to add that not all hotels will let you have a set up like this. Some hotels want let you bring appliances in. You will have to check with management. I talked to the manager of the hotel and she gave me her permission since we are a long stay for a while. She is really nice. All the staff are. Of course, Dear hubby has been coming here for three years, so they know him. There is a washer and dryer too downstairs and I can wash a little load at a time, but sometimes I want out, so I will take the laundry to a laundry mat and it doesn't take long at all. They have extra large capacity washers and dryers. You can wash two regular loads just about versus one at home at a time. Housekeeping knows I clean our room, so the only thing they have to do is give us fresh towels and trash bags everyday. 

I took some scraps from the girls ponchos and made them some matching little drawstring bags for play. 

Then it was time for me to make me a little something. 

I'm working on putting up some more videos on YouTube on our channel at Keeper of the Home at 4D Farms. 

We still haven't gotten any letters from Dallas yet, but I guess no news is good news. It's the not knowing that is killing me. I know the first 2 to 3 weeks of Basic is extremely busy and intense, so I also know he is not getting any free time and I know he's probably exhausted. This week they have a 5 mile march to complete. 

 Well, it is time for me to go and find something to do. I try to stay busy doing the same things I would do if I was at home. It helps the time go by faster so we can get back and see our girls. Everyone is saying that me and Poppie is all the girls are talking about. Atleigh has been telling mommy that she want Gmaw. She is missing me. We found out that Caroline has to have tubes put in her ears and her adnoids taken out. She is beginning to have the same issues as Atleigh did as a baby. Atleigh had to do the same thing when she was 2 yrs I think. Not long ago, one of her tubes fell out in my hand when I was carefully cleaning her ears. They are designed to fall out after they have corrected the ear canal. It still freaked me out. Caroline will have surgery next Monday.