Thursday, July 15, 2010

Keeping House

My garden is doing so much better this year than last. Little by little the dirt is improving. It will still be quite a few years before I can say I have good dirt. I love the fact that we now have so many birds in our backyard because of the garden. The gold finches make me the happiest, and the humming birds.

One thing I don't really post on my blog is pictures of how dirty my house can get. Everyday I fight back thoughts of annoyance that I can't have 5 children AND a spotless house (or at least a very clean house). At this point my typing was interrupted to go fish a washcloth out of dirty toilet -- UGH!

I do have priorities, and they run something like this: laundry, bathrooms, floors. But I just don't seem to be able to have most things clean at the same time. :) And, I just can't seem to get to those projects like wiping down the cupboards and the baseboards and the walls. You might say those aren't necessary. Well, after a year of dirty hands, they are!!!

Most aspects of housekeeping I enjoy: cooking, ironing, gardening, and to some extent laundry. I don't really enjoy cleaning, and maybe that's why I get frustrated because I feel since I don't like it I should do it or I'm being lazy. :) I sure do enjoy "stocking the larder". Put me in front of a jam pot or next to a pile of berries to freeze and I'm in bliss, although the berries always seem to arrive when I'm strapped for time!

I'm sure most of you already have heard of the term "Renaissance Mom." Well, I just learned it this week. I think (I think) that's what I'd like to be. At least according to the definition in the above link. Maybe I need to work on the fitness aspect of it a bit more. :)

Now, I must get back to work. It takes a lot to get out the door with 7 people for 5 days away!

3 comments:

Heather Anne said...

Years ago I heard Dr. James Dobson say that a home should be clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy - by the dirt and dog hair accumulating on my floors this week, I'd say we are really quite happy!
Sometimes I wish I was more like my Mum in that the home I grew up in was always clean and uncluttered! I don't thrive in a mess, but there are times when I just don't have the energy to clean! My Mum had tremendous back pain, but as a type A driven sort of women with tons of energy, she was fastidiously clean. She did a lot of it while we were at school during the week so there was time for fun on the weekends after we cleaned our rooms.
I often think the homeschooling lifestyle is a choice to let go of the idea of perfection and embrace the 'lived in' look - because we are using our homes as a tool for learning, not a showplace for a magazine spread!
Enjoy your time away!

willow said...

I think you manage to accomplish an awful lot, homeschooling, your craft and knitting, gardening plus all the cooking and looking after five children. Cleaning is important but there are many things that are more important and you are doing lots of those!
How is the duck getting on in your garden, any ducklings yet?

Have a good week away.

Lovella ♥ said...

I have no idea how you do it. .you surely do work hard enough for one mom. The house does have to have some semblance of order now and then to make girl feel sane. .but you just have to let some things go. Washclothes out of the toilet is important. .I agree.
Have a fun time away.