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Today I choose to embrace
July 14, 2008
scrubbing the bathroom and kitchen floor, having clean kitchen counters (hoping to avoid the dreaded after supper build-up that makes me a cranky best-friend and mama) and de-cluttering my son's room. It's difficult to embrace these homemaking tasks in the midst of summer. The garden calls my name...
The kids also call my name. As much as I involve them in home maintenance (trust me my 5, 7 & 9 year old are active participants in laundry, cooking and cleaning) there's only so much you can make your kids do before they declare mutiny or call child protective services.
So, today as I tackle projects they sit around pestering each other, start crafts they can't finish without my help and occasionally complain "I'm b***d" (kind of a swear word around here). Before bad mommy guilt kicks in I remind them that on a weekly basis we go to the library, the beach, the farm, have picnics in the park, read lots of stories, tackle craft projects with mommy's help - yada, yada, yada. A kindly spoken "figure it out" is my response of the day. Oh, and an afternoon video (sheepish admission).
I used to enjoy cleaning. Back in the days before children, oh so long ago, when you'd wash the floor and it would stay clean for weeks or tidy the book pile in the living room once a week whether it needed it or not. I also used to dust in those days. Looking back I have no idea what I actually dusted as I don't remember those early apartments ever being as dusty, dirty or finger-printy as my house now.
What non-glamorous homemaking tasks are you choosing to embrace this Monday, this week, this month? Know that in doing so you make your house a home. And at the very least it is a momentarily tidy, clean refuge from the outside world. Oh, and if you can, pick a bouquet from outdoors to brighten those indoor work days.
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Spring on July 22, 2008, 12:50 a.m.
I am finally catching up on my friends' blogs, as I got sinfully behind. :) So I just read this today... and it was a message I desperately needed to hear. As I look around my house, the result of weeks of travel, severe headaches, and too much busyiness, I dread tomorrow morning... the day to face it all. But I am now inspired to embrace it, to make my house a home again (instead of a drop-off place), and to get a bouquet of flowers to put on the table to enjoy the fruit of my labor. :)
Thank you!
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renee on July 22, 2008, 2:16 a.m.
I wouldn't consider it a sin to be behind on friend's blogs. A lapse of judgment perhaps smile. I'm so glad you were encouraged...I read your blog and you're in my thoughts and prayers.
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Cindy on July 15, 2008, 1:41 a.m.
I have two questions: Does dusting sometimes consist of a great big puff of air? Quick! Blow it off, while someone is coming up the driveway!!! The other question is....what program are you using for your photography? Your photos are absolutely gorgeous, especially this flower one!
renee on July 16, 2008, 1:10 a.m.
Sure. That works! My kids actually love dust motes - they think they're beautiful in the sunlight! Ah, kids are great!
Re: Which flower one do you mean? The bouquet or the new nasturtium header? The hydrangea bouquet was a SOOC (straight out of the camera shot). The new header I tweaked a little in GIMP, boosting the color a bit and also of course cropping and adding the text. GIMP is free software. Be warned once you get started editing photos it's addicting!
Renee