You Do What You Can

Can you believe how much the Little Ones have changed over the past year? I snapped a photo of them yesterday and was comparing it to a photo of them from last year this time. Whoa!

While we were away on our road trip to Florida last week Scott's aunt stayed at our house and lovingly took care of our home, pool, dogs, cats and chickens (and yard - our yard was MOWED when we got home! We LOVE her!). And there was food waiting for us when we rolled into town around 9pm. We felt spoiled for sure. I spoke to her while we were away and she told me that she has been enjoying the welcoming vibe at our place and commented that I was "so organized". I like to think I TRY but I am not quite there. I cleaned the house before we left but there are still so many areas (basement) that are in need of some deep cleaning and organizing (master bedroom) and some decorating (entire house) and energy management (drapes in the sun room). Our home is clean and livable but definitely not "white glove" clean at all times. Especially during the summer months when we'd rather be outside playing (or doing yard work).

When I called her to thank her profusely for taking care of our home and pets, she said she did not see how we did it with so much going on. Taking care of the house, pets, yards and pool. I told her simply that we don't get it all done. We do what we can and we're okay with that. Keep in mind that we had the kids with us! It's a full time job keeping the house spotless and we already have 2 full time jobs + kid + pets + yard + pool. Not complaining, but if you come to my house and see smudges on the glass doors, dirty floors or heaven-forbid, DUST on the bookcase or piano, please forgive. My house is lived in and I don't mop floors before pool parties because, ya know, they are going to get dirty from the in/out traffic anyway.

I have definitely gotten better at letting things go and saying it's good enough. My house, like my life, is a work-in-progress and accepting that helps me to not go crazy when I notice a bunch of crabgrass growing in between the bricks of our walkway when walking guests out to their cars after a particularly fun gathering. That's what's important to me, the FUN, not the overlooked weeds.

We were looking forward to having a couple of weekends of "free" time to take care of projects around our place (getting rid of that awful eyesore hot tub, taming the wild jungle that is our back drive, painting the fence in the back drive, cleaning out the pond, yada, yada, yada) but friends and family have "stolen" the next few weekends so those projects will have to wait. I can't complain because we are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.

David and Aubri started their new school this week and we have a new more relaxed routine (no more driving through rush hour traffic twice a day) and once Emi starts 4th grade in a month (I know!) we'll have another routine to get used to and I look forward to that and the cooler temps that Fall brings. Meanwhile, I could use a nap!