Ok...I am going to be real with you all :) Lately...my reality at home looks like this a lot. And it drives.me.crazy!!!
I sent these pictures to my mom earlier this week and asked her if she was having a difficult time breathing :) Hehehe...
I have to give my mom credit, growing up...our house NEVER looked like this...EVER! I am actually embarrassed to post these, but it is life and truth and a memory of a season in my life. These pictures represent what happens when I do no cleaning or picking up for 24 hours. We had gone to a really fun birthday party the night before, and then we had church the next morning.
Seriously...I'm not working now and this is what my house looks like. Any one have any tips for me? Help? Advice? It really does drive me nuts and I want to be different. My difficulties come when I clean up one area or mess only to find two more areas destroyed by "little helpers". :) Love them, but man they are tornadoes. The other issue is sometimes I choose to play Wii, or board games, or read books and then by the time everyone is in bed with everything they all need, I am exhausted and ready for bed myself.
Monday in our home is grocery shopping day. I loath taking all 3 kids to the grocery stores, so taking just Miss B is nice. And even though she has a mind all her own, we have fun adventures such as our time at the "monkey store" as my kids call Trader Joe's. She insists on pushing the "baby cart". We load all our items up and then we have to find the monkey.
The employees hide the monkey in a different spot each day. If the kids find him they ring the bell and give them a lollipop. The monkey was "hiding" way up high today, but no worries, Bella found him. :)
It never fails that something I see on our Monday grocery shopping days reminds me of my dad. This white van is from a retirement home called Van Vista. My dad used to deliver food to residents of that home when our church had the food bank. It made me smile to think dad might be watching at that moment.
A quick run through Starbucks drive thru to grab my favorite drink before our next store is part of the routine. The little voice from the backseat pipes up and asks, "I have ice water pease?" She has her routine too :)
Our final grocery stop is Winco. We pick up a few things and Bella "helps".
Part of my weekly grocery shopping routine is renting a Redbox. Silly I know...but its fun to look forward to renting any movie I want.
But even as I type this, I am looking at my family room floor where dirty clothes, toys and a back pack have escaped. Its a never ending battle, a season in my life that I am trying to embrace. :) I think it's time to watch my Redbox...the mess can wait!
That is so real life! As for advice, last year I cleaned one room each weekday. Like bathrooms were on Tuesdays, the kitchen on Fridays, etc. That way, even if they were messy, underneath the mess the room was clean!
ReplyDeleteI also make sure that in the morning before I even leave my bedroom, that the bed is made and that room is tidy. If I know at least one room in the house is clean, and going to stay that way, I feel a little more sane.
:)
Thanks Shelly for your advice. I will try keeping my room clean and at least I can walk in there if I need a break! :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are on your way to your summer break! Safe travels :)