Messy house, happy hearts

Of all the things I imagined stay-at-home me would be capable of, maintaining a tidy home seemed like the first battle I would be able to tackle. Which is yet another joke on me and my lofty ambitions. If anything, our house is less tidy and more chaotic since I have been home with the kids. At first, I felt really guilty because if Nick was working to let me stay at home with the kids, the least I could do was keep the house clean for him. Luckily Nick doesn't even imagine such demands, because keeping a tidy house is just about at the bottom of my to-do list these days. 

It wasn't always like this. Those first few weeks, I ran in circles chasing the children with many arms like some Shiva, picking up toys as they fell to the floor and following up with a vacuum, constantly tidying and maintaining some order to things. And then we had a few busy days and I realized it could all happen at night once the kids are in bed. And then I realized that at the end of the day I either wanted to do something for myself or spend time with Nick, or both. And then there is the issue that I am fairly useless at the end of the day, mornings are my productive time (I told myself), so it will wait to the morning. I will get up early! Before everyone else! And have some quiet time drinking coffee and cleaning! But then someone or another would keep me up and I would somehow be the last person out of bed in the morning and the house would still be messy, with a breakfast mess on top and then we would all be out to the door to preschool and meetings and whatever else is going on and I have only barely managed to drink 1/2 a cup of coffee, let alone picked up the blocks. 

So, I admit it, the house is messy. Almost always messy. But there is more love and play and laughter here than ever before and I think we are all happy with a messy house full of lots and lots of love.

All chairs moved to fort position, probably been like this since dinner last night, and for the record, this is actually pretty clean for us

Eating cereal off the floor (they spilled them on purpose and I didn't say a word)

Singing to herself in the prone position on the floor, no other open surface to lay her sweet head upon, poor little thing (kidding)