Clean vs. Not Clean

My closet is clean.
My kitchen is clean.
My laundry room shelf is clean.
The kitchen cabinets are clean.
The playroom is clean.
Both kid's closets are clean.
My bloglines are clean.


My car is not clean.
My bathroom is not clean.
My craft room is NOT clean...not even close to clean.
My dresser drawers are not clean.
My windows are not clean.
My fridge is not clean.


Clean 7. Not clean 6.


Things are getting done. I am getting closer to my goal. Once caught up, I am going to throw myself into my scrapbooks. I can't indulge myself in this yet, but I am getting closer.

Bargains waiting to be found, then sold.

I love garage sales. The lazy Saturday drive through neighborhoods, stopping at a house full of goodies. The thrill of the hunt. The casual glances at one's make-shift store. The slow drive-bys to determine whether or not to stop. Fall ushers in opportunities in every neighborhood. A chance to connect with people that you wouldn't normally connect with.

In September, Skip's family hosts our annual "Trash to Treasure" swap at his sister's house. Every year I think this will be the year that we will be organized. Every year I come crashing down to reality. Every year we start preparing mere days before the big event.

But this year is the worst. Stomach flu and general busyness has found us very ill-prepared. In just 2 short days, I will need to go through every nook and cranny in our house and find our "trash". We will look through and debate each item for any possible usage or significance. We will bargain with the kids about their sale items. We will haggle with them about the Beanie Baby they haven't touched in 3 years. Then we will swear to NEVER do this again.

I have several late nights ahead. Several hours of pricing, sorting,cleaning, displaying. I wonder if its worth it.

Then Friday and Saturday roll around and I realize why we put ourselves through this. I love meeting the people that come to look at our "trash". I love talking with Skip's family. I love watching the kids play outside all day. Listening to them "sell" their items. I love the jokes and stories told over McDonald's breakfast. I love snuggling in sweatshirts, then peeling them off as the day gets hotter. I love seeing families leave with their newly found treasures. I love laughing about the oddball things we try to sell--one year we had 4 toilets in the front yard!

Every year we look forward to the next garage sale and the time we get to spend together. Just wish me luck that we can find something to sell in this short amount of time. Any garage sale advice would be handy! What works for you? How do you stay organized throughout the year so you are not frantically scrabbling just days before?

This is so me. I would rather blog about having to get ready for a garage sale, than actually getting ready for the garage sale. Better run....

Drama, drama, drama.

Yesterday, spider killing. Today, stomach flu.


We are like the weather around here. If you get tired of one thing, it will change by tomorrow. Life is never dull.

God made creatures big and small. UPDATED!!

God made tarantulas. This I know. But I am sure He did not intend for one to take up residence on my front porch.

I nearly DIED when I picked up my watering can and there was the hairy beast! People, this is why I procrastinate. Nothing good comes from doing chores.

"GET OUT!" I yelled. No response.

Made a quick call to brave husband asking him how to KILL the tarantula. He said, "Don't kill it. Wait till I get home so we can play with it."

Did he just meet me? Never in our 12 years of marriage have I ever wanted to play with tarantulas. I feel the same about not wanting my offspring to either. Dead spiders in glass jars are fine to look at, but to play with? Seriously.

After my brief period of indignation, I made my second call to Shelley because she just experienced this same thing. Her tip was to put a glass bowl over it and let the kids look at it. Hmmm. This presents a problem since I poked at it and it crawled up the wall by the front door. I am sure the neighbors thought I was getting murdered based on my screams (although no one rushed out of their houses to save me.)

Shelley also mentioned that we were having a tarantula migration this season. This is not good news. That means we can expect to see more.

Currently I am blogging 12 feet away from the hairy and all I can think about is how it will DIE. Instead of taking action, I am cooling my jets until Skip can home so we can all PLAY with it.

Over my dead body!


Update:
Skip finally came home and inspected our intruder. He informed me that it wasn't a tarantula but a wolf spider. Rendering him at a complete loss as to how to handle the situation. He was, however, very helpful in maintaining my level of anxiety by yelling "BOO!" repeatedly. He is a funny, funny man! But in the end, victory was ours.

Trust me this thing was huge and hairy. The scale of this picture doesn't do it justice. It warranted 2 frantic phone calls and lots of jumping and screaming.

The children are safe and secure outside the KILL zone! I am happy to say that Skip really wasn't in the mood to play with big hairy spider. He kept saying that it was the biggest he had ever seen. Needless to say, the children are safe.

The murder weapon.

You are not so scary anymore, MR. DEAD SPIDER! Ha! You messed with the wrong house.

Three

Three is the number of calendars I have in our house. That sounds pretty efficient, right? Could someone please tell me how I managed to miss a meeting this week and wish a friend "Happy Birthday!" on the wrong day. Hello? What is wrong with me?

I took a week off of blogging to get my priorities straight. But I am still a mess, so I might as well blog my little heart out!

There are still projects that need completing. I have started lots of them, but completed...one. I am feeling defeated and seriously overwhelmed.

If anyone wanted to nominate me for a TLC organization show, I would not be offended. Seriously, that and "What Not To Wear". I need a little of Stacy London in my life and the $5,000 that she brings to the table.

Nominate to your hearts content people!

But I digress. I still have much to do. But my number one project is to update all my calendars. Otherwise I might be decorating for Christmas tomorrow or celebrating Martin Luther King Day. Either one.

Savoring the moment.

He didn't know that I was secretly watching him.

Watching and waiting to see what he was doing for his sister.

Her little face held the glow that only admiration for a hero can hold.

Her brother was helping her. Her world was just as it should be.

Did he pour the milk perfectly the way I would have?

No, but he was attentive. He was loving. He was compassionate.

They left the kitchen with full cups in hand. He invited her into his inner sanctum...his room.

They played without fighting. They giggled. They pretended.

My heart soared.

I savor moments like this when I see the seeds of friendship blooming in my kids. I pray that they will develop and nurture a bond that will last a lifetime. Oh, how I hope they will trade in the bickering for a real relationship. I pray that my son will rise up and become a protector of his sweet sister. I pray that she will trust him enough to confide in him. I pray that we will be a family that finds wealth in our relationship and not in our assets.

I am glad I choose to watch from the sidelines and not interfere in this moment. It gave me a chance to see what lies ahead for them.

Friendship.

Making some changes.

Summer is gone. With that are the relaxed, lazy, do what you please days. I will miss summer, but I have been looking forward to the Fall schedule. I thrive on routine. I thrive on a schedule. This summer was the worst for productivity. With so little time to spend with the kids, I let everything go.

After months of playing, I need to reclaim my house. Everywhere I look I see remnants of a disorganized life. It is driving me crazy. I have to make some changes.

My number one change is the blog. I have been living for the blog. It has become my one of my main focuses. I am not proud of the amount of time spent with this computer in my lap. I am not proud of how many TV shows my kids have watched while "mommy's blogging again." I have been a slave to the blog. Time spent here has added to the chaos everywhere else.

At first, I attributed the mess to the kids. But after some analysis, I realized that it is all my stuff. Sure they can be mess monsters, but I always make them clean up. They didn't make the mess in my craft room. They didn't make the mess in the storage closet. They didn't make the weeds grow. They didn't cause my underwear to multiply and overflow from the drawer. They didn't cause the suitcases to remain unpacked for a full month after vacation.

It is all my stuff. All my work. It is far too easy for me to get grumpy about this work. I have other important things to do. I can't be bothered with organizing underwear or cleaning kitchen counters. I want to do fun stuff. I need a break. I deserve it.

I was reminded earlier this week that this IS my job. I have the privilege of staying home and being a homemaker. It is time that I grow up and assume responsibility. It is time that I start praising God for the ability to remain out of the workplace for a few more years. This is my home and I want it to honor our family. I want our home to be orderly and calm. I know that I feel better about life when things are in their place. I feel better when I tackle a project that has become a huge mountain of procrastination.

So, it is time for work. Time to put the blog aside and use it only as a reward when the work is done. It is time to tackle the mess that I have allowed to take root.

My first and most dreaded project was accomplished. Our flower beds have been invaded by crabgrass and it was making me quite "crabby!" It took 2 days to get the problem under control. In addition to weeding, I also trimmed a couple of bushes, scrubbed the front door, changed over to Fall decor, planted mums, and mulched the flower beds. (My mom will be smiling when she reads this!)

There is joy to be found in the work of our hands. I am honored to stay home and raise my family. I need to be careful about what I am spending my time doing. So this Fall, I am saying NO to some things. I am clearing up my schedule and cleaning up my life. Pray for me that the changes I need to make will not be pushed aside and forgotten. Pray that I will be able to protect my time and find healthy limits for extras. Pray that I can keep family first.

Thank you, friends. I will be around to read your blogs when I get my work done.

That is, if I haven't fallen into bed with exhaustion.

Proverbs 31:27 "She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of laziness."

Words cannot describe the joy I felt.

I have tried since I got home on Sunday to recap the weekend Spa retreat with my mom. I still have yet to form an intelligible sentence since my return. My mind simply turned into mush as did my body at the hands of the professionals. Since my thoughts are not coherent, I will try to paint the picture with simple phrases.

Beautiful resort.
Ambassador's suite.
The best Reuben I have ever eaten...cheesy and gooey.
Great view.
The lake.
Rainy day.
Plush robe.
Three chic flicks.
Chocolate cake.
The quietness of the "Ladies lounge."
Roman bath.
Aromatherapy.
Warm bed with silk sheets.
Hot, steamy towels.
Weak at the knees.
Room service.
Fire drill at 6:00am (on a night with no kids...go figure!)
Attention to detail.
Courtesy and respect.
Recipe sharing.
Scalp rub.
And did I mention the quiet?

But the best part for me was spending time with my mom. I don't say it enough...

I love you, Mom. Thank you for such a special treat. I can't wait until Loulabelle is old enough to join us.

So girls. Grab your mom, daughter, sister or your best friend and head to a spa. It will be the best weekend of your life!

Even if it turns your mind to mush.

beep.beep.beep.beep.beep.beep.beep.

We're sorry. The blogger that you are attempting to reach is unavailable. She is disconnecting at a local spa and won't be in service for the next 30 hours.

Hopefully she will be able to disconnect from the stress of cooking, cleaning, school readying, THE LOOP ranting, soccer practice times two-ing, toilet bowl plunging, things lost retrieving, organizing, blogging, babysitting, carpooling, grocery shopping, gas guzzling, window cleaning, nose wiping, snack preparing, cell phone losing, hair straigthening, car breaking, snuggle stealing, kiss mooching, dollar saving, bedtime reading, blanket washing, telemarketer hassling, imaginary role playing, drum beating, car seat buckling, laundry sorting, only water for drinking, toenail painting, homework pending, husband tending, dog walking, treat supervising, freckle counting, pantry locking, Eskimo kissing, family loving, schedule coordinating, and heaven forbid... occasional spanking.

Please log off and try your search again.

Here is to the coolest, sweetest mom ever.

No, it's not me. It's my mom!

Tomorrow afternoon we are stealing away for a Mother-Daughter sleepover at a local resort and SPA. For those of you that live in my town, it's The Chateau. You know that I am smiling from ear to ear right now!

She is pampering me real good. Not only is she treating me, she has also booked us for facials and massages. When she first brought up this idea, it was in the midst of a relaxing, lazy summer. Sure, I agreed but didn't necessarily need the break.

But now. NOW, I need the break. Three weeks of the fall season and my body is worse for wear. I am more than ready to have my back in the hands of a professional. Ninety minutes, people. One and a half hours of working out the tension that has taken up residence between my shoulder blades.

Heavenly.

I can't go without some good SPA advice. What should I wear? What is the cute factor at a spa? What is the appropriate modesty level for a massage? Should I take music? What is your best spa advice? Help me, o wise spa people.

Mom, I can't wait. Hopefully we can make this an annual tradition...hint, hint. Seriously, I don't deserve this. I would have been happy with a $5 back-scratcher and unlimited chips and salsa. You really outdid yourself. I am really looking forward to our time together...just you and me.

We are busy little beavers around here.

Ahhhhh. Silence. Silence is golden, isn't that what they say? Z and Lou are off to school this morning and I am enjoying the moment. I can't sit long or all my time will be gone. I have a list to end all lists of jobs to tackle. I have two short hours.

The last week seems like it came and went with a bang. It was action-packed and memory-filled. I thought I would share our highlights with pictures!


Our little Cub Scout. Yes, I was able to sew on the patches and they look reasonably straight. I hope no one will inspect the inside of his shirt...the stitching was a mess. Anyway, he had a Community Service project on Saturday. Good time was had by all...especially dad. He enjoyed playing football and watching Z climb trees.

On Labor Day, the boys headed to the ballpark in St. Louis. This trip was made complete with both grandpa's. Papa is in red and Pa is in gray. They had so much fun that they want it to become a tradition. Too bad the Cardinals lost, 11 to zip. Bummer.

On Tuesday, Loulabelle started Preschool. She has a great teacher who loves her, plus two best buddies. Now, Lou is one to be extremely helpful. Will was trying to complete his craft when she performed Operation TAKEOVER. I don't think he minded, but we did talk with her about letting Mrs. B be the teacher! She was full of smiles on this special day. I was the Parent Helper so it was a joy to see her in action. She brought her "Jammy Baby" for show-n-tell and got to pick out the snack: apples, bananas, carmel dip and Teddy Grahams. All her favorites!

The fun wouldn't be complete without soccer. This is Lou's first chance to play organized sports. I am sure it will be a riot! She has most of her friends on the team: AJ, Will, Elizabeth, Adrienne, and Cassidy. This will be the cutest soccer team ever...complete with pink cleats and bows!

Well, I better sign off. My free time is ticking away!

Date Night

The steaks are marinating in the fridge.

The shrimp have been skewered.

The salad is tossed.

The potatoes are baking.

The table is set.

The audio-visual entertainment has been selected.

The kids are safely tucked in at Grandma and Papa's.

The grill is being prepared.



WHAT!!!



The propane tank is empty.

To Whom It May Concern...

Dear Cub Scouts International,

First of all, let me just say how excited we are to be part of your organization. We believe you stand for family values and character building in our youth. We look forward to several happy years together.

However, the tradition of sewing on the patches is a tad outdated. Let's move you into the new millennium with Iron-On patches. That would make this frazzled mommy super happy. Now, I will admit that I procrastinated and finally got around to the intricate sewing 1 hour before my son had to be at a Community Service project. But that is not really the issue. The issue remains that your organization would be better suited with Iron On patches. I hope that you will consider this matter with all seriousness.

On a positive note, the shirt is made with the finest of material. The right sleeve withstood being sewed together twice. After close inspection, I realized that my ripping...ahem, gentle seam removal warranted no damage to your product. Nicely done.

So if your organization is as sturdy as your shirts then we look forward to many meaningful years together. And I am sure this will not be the last time you hear from me.

Sincerely,
Frazzled Mom

PS...Are there rules against sewing on a purple patch with navy thread?

___________________________________

Dear Skip,

Yes, I agree with you that a sewing monkey would have done a better job. But since "sewing monkeys" are not readily available in our neck of the woods, I suggest you just say thank you.

With love and respect,
Your personal sewing monkey

__________________________________

Dear Pack Mother,

Please know that Z is really excited about Cub Scouts. He is willing and able to do the work involved. Please excuse his tardiness at today's event. It was not his fault, nor mine. I am blaming Cub Scouts International for his lateness. I am working with them to correct any future problems by initiating Iron-On patch preparedness training.

Sincerely,
100% Committed Mom

________________________________

Dear Sewing Machine,

Your days are numbered.

With much hatred and ill-contempt,
Product Control