Monday, February 02, 2009

the state of our home

Happy Birthday Dad!  (it was a couple weeks ago)  Hope you are having fun on the beach while your grandchildren are being blown away!



I am pretty much just along for the ride these days.  Just coasting along in this life doing whatever.  We have no schedule and not much out of the ordinary going on.  It seems either I look homeless or my kids look homeless or my home is a little too lived in.  But, it's awesome.  It's always a surprise which one of the homeless beasts Derek will come home to.  But, he loves us.

I read this the other day in a book 'The LDS Mother's Almanac' ...'Trying to keep a house clean while raising a family is like trying to string beads without first tying a knot in the end of the string. You can work as hard and as fast as you want, but when you look back at your handiwork to see how nice it looks, nothing's there.'  So, it's just got me thinking about what really is important in my day to day life.  And yes, I like to have a clean house and I would prefer it spotless everyday, but some days, you just gotta let it go.

And this is my most favorite line. 'If there's one thing you'll learn during your mothering career, it's that good housecleaning ideas don't last for long.'  Oh WOW!  Come on, I know every single one of us has had that BEST idea ever.  Yeah, how's that best idea ever working for you?  Not doing it anymore are you?  I know I'm not!

So I'm kind of a mean mom.  Among many mean things about me, I have never made play-dough for my kids.  They have played with it plenty of times at other places, but I hate play-dough.  The smell, the mess, the mess, bleh.  I know, I'm mean.  I guess I'll make it someday, but not until I trust James.  I also don't have any paints for the kids.  I mean, the mess alone, the kids can't handle felt markers (note James' face in the pics) and that is a stepping stone to painting.  But we go to stay and play and what do the kids do half the time?  Paint and play-dough.  I'm so mean, it's all they want to do.  So Rhonda let me in on a little secret.  Paint with water.  Genius.  You give them some colored paper and the kids think they are really painting.  So that is what the homeless kids did today because yet again, we couldn't go out in the hurricane.  And for the record, I as well was homeless, and let's just say I finished the 4th book so the house was very lived in today.  But, as long as the kitchen and living room are clean at the end of the day, I'm good these days.

So I'm too lazy to post the pictures throughout the post.  Here's the homeless children enjoying an activity from their BEST mom ever!


This is funny because he wasn't crying, that is his sheer joy for the camera and also the reason why you never tell your kid to say cheese for the camera.  He is saying it honestly and true with every fiber of his body.

Note the felt lips?!

And I will cut James some slack in the ratty looking department.  He has been sick with the croup since Thursday.  He has the cutest raspy voice you have ever heard, with a bark of a cough.  The other day it was taking every muscle in his body to breathe (that's the night we spent in emerg) but it doesn't even phase him.  He's just the same kid with snot running down his face.  He'll come up to me and say 'neenex?' (kleenex) in his horse little voice.  So he even learned a new word from all the sickness.

26 comments:

Life Is Golden said...

I know that you don't know me, but I know you... "a little", sounds creepier than it is... I promise. I know the Baldry crew pretty good (Brett and I have broken pinkie buddies, Kristy married a Barnwell-ite, I could go on and on) and we've got dear sweet Britt Clark in common. Anyway, I'm just trying to convince you that it's not totally scary that I just read your blog.
Okay... to the point. I laughed out loud several times while reading. I thought I owed you a written thank-you for that.
- I think you've inspired me to tackle the bathroom tomorrow... how nice would it be to go to bed tomorrow night with a clean kitchen, living room AND bathroom?

Karen said...

Lindsay,
Just in case you are "READY" here is a fantastic play dough recipe that doesn't stink!!!
5 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 Tbps. cream of tarter ( nice but not necessary)
4 packages of Koolaid
mix that in a big bowl
41/2 cups water
1/2 cup oil
bring the water to boil and add the oil
pour over the flour mixture and stir till you think your arms will fall off!
Let it cool down a bit then kneed till it's nice and soft and irresistable!
O.K... go out and steal a camping tarp from Dereks stash, bring it in throw it down under the table and let those poor homeless children of yours experience the "real" joys of being kids!!!!!
When they are done just take the tarp out side and let the crumbly remains of their FUN blow away!!!!
You're the best! Thanks for the early morning chuckle!!!
Karen

ashley b said...

You are too funny Lindsay. I guess I am a mean mom too. I don't even think Porter knows what play doh is. I was planning on waiting until spring so we can have the mess outside (see I'm worse than you!) anyways have fun tonight- I wish I was coming with ya!

Christal said...

I love your blog ! You are so real! Love the quote too so true eh!! Don't worry about the paint and play dough in our house play dough is a summer activity outside on a table because a. I don't have to pick it up b. they can make a mess and I don't care! As for paint I've never had that in my house and your lucky to find a felt in our house too! Why struggle with it eh! well have a great week!! ttys

Ashley Dawn said...

Apparently being mean is one of my talents....so I'm good. I love the beast comment (although I read it breast at first and was a little shocked). I love the paint with water idea. I NEVER let my kids paint or play with playdough. It's just SO not worth it. Anyway, way to rough it up and just let it go. That takes a big person to do (although I might just be trying to make myself feel better - haha).

whitney said...

Romans playdough time is when I am making dinner. He knows it only stays at the kitchen table. And it is a bit of a mess, but it all sweeps up after dinner with the food that falls on the floor.
I have a recipe for flubber if that is more your style! Not as messy, but not as fun either.
Markers - I have the crayola ones that only work on their special paper. Works great.
As for paint, I figure he has to have something to look forward to at stay and play! Actually we got him an art easel thing for his bday. I think I will just keep the paints hidden somewhere very high and I'll just have to watch him when he paints.
see ya tonight!

Caylee said...

Lindsay! You need Color Wonder ASAP! They only make colors on the paper, kinda the same idea as your water and construction paper but with cool pictures. You are a great momma, my little orphans are watching TV right now so I can play on the computer! :S But seriously go grab some Color Wonder, it's great for sacrament meeting too!

Melissa said...

SO TRUE! I love that i'm not the only one that has homeless looking kiddos and a disaster of a house sometimes. At least you let your kids paint, mine have lost that privilege.
And i love James' jersey, Peyton has that same one.

Anonymous said...

lindsay this just made my day!! my house is probably my biggest stress and it is NEVER clean so it sucks but i think i need to read this book it has already made me feel better!! or maybe brady should read it hahahh. you are a great mom and i don't think i would do markers or paint in my house. nash already had a sweet time with crayons, he doesn't get to color unless it is in the tub. brooke

Susie said...

I LOVE james! You managed to capture his personality on camera. Look out I'm gonna do a random drop by and Really see what you guys and your house look like. I want the truth. miss ya

Tisha said...

If your kids aren't allergic to nuts, you could try peanut butter playdough. TJ loves it! And its ok if he eats it. Also, he only tried eating regular playdough once because he learned very quickly it doesn't taste remotely good!

Just Rhonda said...

play doh is a mess. And once they have it at home - it's all down hill from there!!!
Glad you like the paint with water. :) And you should see our house today too.... i really should sweep up the food off the floor from under the table.......

Anonymous said...

I love play dough because its my regular time killer for sunbeams and they stay quiet. Looks the jerseys are a regular for James.
Brooke

Christy and Brett Bevans said...

OK, could you have the cutest kids ever. To me they don't even look homeless, they just look CUTE!

I am going to find those quotes in my LDS mothers almanac and read them off to Brett so that he stops making me feel guilty for not having the house spotless everyday!!!

My mom always let us play with Magic Mud. I think it was corn starch and water. In the container it is liquid, then you pull it out and it goes solid. It truly was magic.

Alysha Sladek said...

you mean your kids look like the rest of ours? hahahaha glad i'm not the only one that feels like that. your kids are cute.

Tyler and Kristin Smith said...

you win the award for most popular blog. Seriously, share the wealth of comments?! I just told Whitney, and I'm telling you too, that I added you to my blog list. Hope that's alright with you. Your kids are darling - they don't look homeless, just happy! That's what you want!

Annette Bailey said...

You and me Lindsey - we know how to parent! I've gone one step further, bought the paints and still won't let the kids use them. Like you said, "It's just not worth it!" They get to paint in play school anyway...

Hope you survived the hurricane - nasty Alberta winters!

Jacklyn said...

I always call my kids orphan's when they look all ratty. And so true with the "new idea's" cause usually a plan lasts for like a week. And I have done paint but that's with Luke who is abnormally neat, For Lily I'll have to break out the water paint. And I too hate the smell of Playdough, and I hate when they mix the colors haha

Jacklyn said...

haha I knew I should have explained the football man on my wall but I thought it would be distracting but you summed it up well...oh ramsey
and PS it's in the basement not seen by many

Rashelle said...

I agree, some days my kids and I look pretty rough as well. I still don't think that Mark completely understands what we do all day. I hope James gets feeling better.

Susie said...

did I miss the giveaway or something? never seen so many comments. If your giving away Alli I'll take her, if its james well I can't resist him either. Just let me know when I win could i be so lucky? Or could YOU?

lynz said...

ok seriously....who gets 21 comments on 1 single post?!?! you are far too popular in the blogging world! i can't get enough of james' cheese sheer joy but looks like sheer pain picture - soo cute!

McCandless Co. said...

JAMES!!! Need I say more..he made me laugh once again, and I was in my bathrobe until 5 pm dreading that someone might come knocking on my door. seriously I thought you said you didn't have many friends and look at you...I don't think I have 23 comments with all of my blogs combined

The Jensens said...

I also had to comment! I dont know if you remember me (Radelle Albers) but I was jacqui iversons best friend and we hung in some of the same circles in YSA (which seems like fooorever ago!) and I married Adam Jensen (heart). Anyways, I love your blog and how real you keep it. There are a lot of LDS moms who feel the need to put on such a show, and I love that you are you, and truly adorable for that. awesome post.
(oh and if you want to read my blog just send me an email radelle@hotmail.com cause its private)
have an awesome day!

Oler Family said...

I've learned to only clean my house once a day...when my kids are asleep. I also HATE the smell of play dough, yuck but it does come in handy when I have something that I need to get done. My kids could play with that stuff forever! The idea of "painting" on colored paper is genius!!

The Lowry's said...

Maybe you got so many comments because we can all relate so well. The day that my house isn't cluttered/messy etc will be the day. If my living room and kitchen are clean and tidy, I say my whole house is tidy. I do let my kids do playdough and painting but I think I am lucky because Jaycie isn't too messy and well Bryce, I haven't let him yet...so I guess I should change that do kid, singular.