Love at Home

I am a bit of a homebody. Given the choice, I'd just usually rather be at home (of course, occasionally I'm crawling to get away!). I have a friend (Tammy) who has a really nifty organization system she uses for the many parts of her busy-mom life, including her home.

We moved into our house about 1 1/2 years ago. In some ways, it still feels like we're not quite moved in. The boxes are unpacked and all, but there are little things that bug me; for example, when we moved in we just stuffed things into the kitchen cupboards and I'm realizing that everything isn't where I really want it. Also, and this may just be a function of having kids, but I feel like our house is in a constant state of disorder. Ever since I was a kid I've left a "trail" behind me, so it's not as though I'm naturally a neatnik (which is too bad for Dan, because he is).

When our home is in order, which hasn't happened since Hunter was born, it feels beautiful and peaceful and...still. It's best features can shine through. The sun soaks through in the afternoon and washes the house in light. I can go about my usual stuff and know, secretly, that my linen closet is in perfect order, and that a stranger could come over and find any pertinent item with ease. The kids would have just enough toys and the parts of each one would be together (as opposed to now, where they're spread over the upstairs, downstairs, basement, and occasionally, the van.).

There's something cathartic about cleaning. This is my point. My mom used to say this. I'd ask her why in the world she'd spend her Saturday on picking up the house, vacuuming, doing yard work, whatever, and she'd say, "I don't exactly like doing it, but I do like the result." Dan and I have worked together to clean up the basement before, and we have revelations, and conversations, and a tidy basement to boot.

I'm taking the longest route ever to tell you this: I found this website, www.flylady.net, that can take someone like me and give me a system that isn't obsessive but promises to leave your house at least acceptable for unexpected company. (You know that feeling: I have spit-up on my shoulder from 3 hours ago, I nearly broke something tripping over that toy vacuum, and there are crushed Cheerios over every horizontal surface and WHO IS AT THE DOOR?). It's wonderful. Actually, I relied on it last year to help me get ready for the holidays, with at least some success.

Rest assured I am NOT writing this post for anyone but me. It isn't like I wasn't raised to keep a clean house - think hospital, museum, etc. - but I realize the value of it without being able to get it that way.

Hurry, Hurry!

Hunter just went to sleep. Aidan went home with Andrea. Helena's out with Aunt Christina. Dan's putting his work stuff away in the basement.

Now's my chance to BLOG!

Okay, okay, don't get all worked up. It has to be short.

Today has been an exhausting day, right down to my weary bones. As a youngster, I used to think having a house full of kids would be bliss beyond compare. At this point I'm seriously reconsidering this! Do parents of many children have some kind of energy pill I can't access?

I was tagged, like, 3 weeks ago, and have I done anything about it? Absofruitly not. But I've been thinking about it. I am going to give 6 things about myself that aren't things I like, or things I do, or things I want. I'll describe things I AM, right now.

1. I am curious. There is NEVER enough knowledge in the world for me. I've been downloading random podcasts to learn more about everything, from "NOVA" to BYU's Kennedy Center Lectures. Being curious is good, but when I'm really entranced in a book or something I have to force myself to return to the reality at hand.

2. I am too self-aware. Or self-conscious. Don't know which is a better descriptive term. But what I mean is, I'm too concerned with how I look, or what I said, or whatever. I'm more cautious now in my relationships that I used to be. I'm not exactly sure why this is. Seems like I had confidence to spare in high school (maybe I was just a snotty and obnoxious teenager. Sorry to all of those reading this who put up with me then as now!).

3. I am more creative and capable than I let on. Now, I'm not tooting my own horn here (I'm a violinist and pianist, no horns for me!), but I've discovered since I had kids that I have these resources WAY on down inside of me that come out at the most fortunate times. I can remember the words to complete songs to entertain the kids. Or I make up a song. I can think of activities to do for our Friends Preschool that actually make sense. I can create my own recipes (not that I usually feel like it.). I really can cook, no matter how much I joke about my inadequacies in that department. But I wish I had more of a handle on the "homemaking arts" like sewing, knitting, canning, decorating, etc. Thanks to Holly's recent Halloween efforts I know it's not too late!

4. I have a cheerful nature. Of course, now I have more to bog me down (as Dan puts it) because I have more responsibility, but fundamentally, still there. I am also compassionate and really pretty soft-hearted behind the wall of humor and stoicism. I want to get rich someday but not to live in one of those disgustingly hugh McMansions and wear flip-flops with rhinestones...more money means I can help the people I love and the people who actually need it. (To someone reading this in Kenya I already live in a McMansion, and hey, at least I have shoes!).

5. I have learned how to take on and fulfill responsibilities. I think dependability is one of the greatest characteristics of God. I've also learned how to ask for help (at least occasionally) and decline with grace (once in a while.). I am not perfect in this area yet, clearly.

6. I have high expectations of myself. This is both good and bad, obviously. While it inspires me to be better it also creates guilt when I fall short. Also, it translates into having higher expectations for other people. On the other hand, I can understand and accept that, both for me and for others, we have the person we ARE and then person we want to BE and they're rarely one and the same.

Thanks to Caity for tagging me. This was a good chance to think about myself, my favorite thing in the whole world to do! (Just kidding.).

I have one other thing to say: There are a few principles in life that will lead to righteous living. But the great thing is, there are an infinite number of practices that support those principles. Here's a good example: Families. Some people have 4 kids in rapid succession. Some people have 4 kids spread over 20 years. Doesn't matter - each family did what worked best, and all of them "multiplied and replenished the earth." They all lived the principle but practiced the gospel in a different way. Neat, huh?

I noticed tonight that Helena knows a lot of songs. We were driving in the car, listening to a song (by Queen), and she said, "Will you turn it up?" A minute later I hear, "Oh how I want to break freeee" coming from the backseat. And Hunter, who gets more adorable by the second, has started to say "Maaamaaa" when he's upset and giggle whenever I put the phone up to his ear. In fact, he's giggling a lot. It's an awfully cute giggle.

If You Love "The Office"

I think it's pretty obvious that I DO love "The Office," and I'm not ashamed to declare my feelings for a fictional television mockumentary.

If you love "The Office" too, sign this petition supporting the Writers' Guild of America. They are on strike, trying to achieve just and fair compensation for "new media," like the internet, Itunes, etc. The long and short of it is, they have stopped filming the show and will not continue for the duration of the strike. I don't know how much our signatures will make any difference but it can't hurt.

click here

Fall Fun

This year's Halloween was busy! Helena was a firefighter, Aidan (my nephew) was Elmo, and Hunter was a monkey. We had fun carving pumpkins (well, Dan carved them, let's be honest here) and went trick-or-treating twice: once at my mom's office, cubicle to cubicle, and then around the neighborhood and to our family's homes later on. Actually, Helena refused to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood because our across-the-street neighbor is entirely lacking in good sense and has an absolutely TERRIFYING Halloween display. It's loud, it's dark, it features a scary mask and strobe lights. Everybody was scared of him.

But this fall we've had lots of fun just being outside, too, in the leaves mostly. I had Tanner and Aidan over (along with Hunter) while Helena was at Caity's for preschool, and they had a blast. Then Saturday we were all outside, either raking leaves (me) or jumping in them (everybody else.) I think that sort of weather is gone. Today we had snow, rain, hail, and more or less constant wind at various times. In a way it's kind of exciting: time for sweaters, gloves, hot chocolate, blankets, and figuring out how to skimp on that home heating bill! This morning our power even went out. It was timely, in a way, because we'd just had a family home evening last night about Emergency Preparedness. Although the power went out at about 9am, and it was already light out, Helena's reaction was to tear downstairs and find a flashlight immediately. "Come on, Mom, we have to get the candles!" Maybe something sunk in last night!

Happy Halloween!

I don't have any deep thoughts to share BUT I have some pictures! As good, or better.