Homemaking is an Art

Today Taylor and I took naps on the couch for almost the whole day. You would think that I would be refreshed after such a restful day, but instead, I am just as exhausted as before, and annoyed at the general condition of my house. Before bed tonight, I made everyone pick up everything on the floor, because I want to vacuum tomorrow, and I can’t pick up AND vacuum on the same day, because that would require energy that I do not have. I never thought that I would get to the point where I negotiate housework with myself. (This is where all the ladies that have known me over the years fall off their chairs in shock.) This is because I can’t stand dirty houses. I can’t. I can’t even watch TV shows where people’s homes are dirty because they make me crazy and itchy. Cleaning is my love language. It’s why my mom likes when I visit. It’s also why my sister doesn’t like when I visit. I can’t help it. I come, I clean, I feel better. It’s not that I’m passing judgment, it’s just that I’m a really exceptionally quick and thorough cleaning person, because I have mastered that art. And yes, housework is an art.

All homemaking is an art, really.

Getting kids out the door for the bus on time, making sure that snacks and lunches are packed, making sure that everyone’s notes and papers are signed and money is turned in, and hair is combed, and teeth are brushed…. There are hundreds of little things that must be done each morning before 8am. And it’s even harder when your kids are older, because they do things like brush their OWN teeth and pick out their OWN clothes. My kids haven’t figured out that when they give me a kiss in the morning, it’s my secret way of testing whether or not they HAVE actually brushed their teeth, because kids LIE about things like that. They can’t help it, they just have more important things to do in the morning, like eat individual grain of oatmeal on it’s own. It’s just what they DO you see.

The crazy thing about the housework is that I had just figured out the best way to clean this house. You know that every time you move, the hardest part is figuring out the best way to divide up the household chores. Especially if there are certain physical limitations placed on anyone. For example, not everyone can carry laundry up and down flights of stairs. Therefore, it becomes an intricate dance involving multiple partners that are as fickle as the wind. And while some people may be able to bring laundry DOWN, this does not mean that they can bring laundry UP. The same goes for groceries. I will rejoice when the bread can consistently be brought up the stairs without getting smooshed. Have you ever tried to unsmoosh a loaf of bread? It’s not exactly easy.

And with that deep thought, I bid you good night.

Family Feature Friday: Thaddeus

Thaddeus is in 2nd grade this year. He’s a very big helper around the house, and is 100% all boy all the time.

He likes to pretend to be Indiana Jones (he needs a satchel) and thinks that reading is cool.

 

He’s pretty goofy and likes to trick people and play jokes.  He cracks himself up and laughs so hard that he can’t breathe.

Thaddeus is a teeny bit prone to dramatics, which means that everything is REALLY, SUPER EXCITING or REALLY, TERRIBLY AWFUL.  There is no middle ground.

He also is a very black and white person. You are right, or you are wrong. Things are this way, or they are that way.  He has a very definitive view of the world, which I find refreshing.

Thaddeus is also very logical and mechanically minded. He asks questions until he understands something completely, and then he uses and applies that information. He learns about a particular subject until he is satisfied with himself. Subjects he has taken on include the planet Neptune, Abraham Lincoln, and Dragons.

Thaddeus can fold about 10 different kinds of paper airplanes (also a heavily researched subject) and will fold different planes for certain wind factors. His favorite paper airplane fold is the Sea Plane.

He’

Thaddeus likes to wear his hair his way. Sometimes he’ll grow it out long like a surfer, and sometimes he sports a mohawk. He actually understands hair color better than some of the adults I know, and will sometimes tell clients how HE thinks they should do their hair. It’s pretty much awesome.

Those Darn Kids

My children have started a blog.

It’s the cutest thing ever, and is also slightly incriminating.

I know understand why my mom sometimes asks me,

“Are you going to blog about this?”

Because I am suddenly way more paranoid than usual.

Danged kids, they know just how to keep me on my toes.

The Measure of Love

I think that the word Love is thrown around too much.

Love, as I understand it to be, is not something that should be used flippantly, or when talking about things.

To me, love is a measure of affection, devotion, and care, and true love requires that you step outside of yourself.

I do not believe in soul mates. I don’t think that there is only one person out there in the world for you. The very idea makes me sad.

I think that if two people commit to each other, and to building a life together, that they can learn to love one another.

I don’t think that love just happens.

It requires work… painfully hard work at times.

It requires sacrifice, blood, sweat, and tears.

It needs to be cultivated.

It needs to be looked after daily.

It needs to be cherished by both parties.

True love isn’t one sided.

And it doesn’t mean that one person is more than the other.

Love is a partnership.

It requires teamwork, and communication.

Love takes time.

True, deep love is built on trust and on friendship.

True love is passionate.

True love isn’t about holding hands and doodling your names together on a notebook.

True love is about creating.

Creating a life, creating a home, creating a family.

True love is always building up, never tearing down.

True love can get buried in the details. It can get lost in the day to day minutia of life.

But if you look, really look, it can always be found again.

True love isn’t always gentle, but it is always kind.

It’s more than butterflies, and it’s more than roses.

True love takes root deep inside your soul, and forever changes the person you are.

True love will help you become the person you’re meant to be.

That is the measure of love.

That is the measure of life.

The Golden Hours

A little over a month ago, I made a very simple change that has had an enormous impact on how I view my days.

I have always referred to the evening hours, when dinner needs to be on the table, baths need to be rendered, and homework needs to be completed, as the witching hours.

From the time my children step off the bus in the afternoon, until they are tucked safely into their beds at night, our house is a mass of activity and confusion. There are notes to be signed, bikes to be ridden, Frisbee's to catch, and dinner to be made; Teeth to be brushed, lunches to pack, scriptures to be read, and chores to be done.

Somewhere along the way, I began to dread those hours, and I didn’t like that I couldn’t look forward to those moments, when my family was gathered together, with true happiness.

I thought long and hard about what I could do, because my attitude set the tone for our home.

If I was stressed out, my kids would be stressed out. If I was rushing, they were rushing. If I got loud, they got loud.

I didn’t like the environment that my home had become, and I decided that I needed to do something about it.

So I decided to call these busy hours “The Golden Hours” .

This small decision was exactly what I needed.

Instead of dreading the busyness, I embraced it. I look forward to those hours, because they are full of magic.

It’s my privilege to have the opportunity to stay at home with my children .

It is my privilege to be the one that patches up a skinned knee.

It  is my privilege to discipline my child, and it is my privilege to teach them that their brothers and sisters will be their best friends for the rest of their lives.

I am lucky that I get to cook for my family, and that we get to sit down to dinner each night as a family, and talk about our days.

Do we still argue with each other? Yes. Is dinner sometimes late? Yes, and sometimes it even comes from Taco Bell.

But at the end of the day, I know that we are happy, and that my kids feel loved, and they know that the relationships we have with each other are the only ones that matter.

I now look forward to those few special hours, because they truly are golden, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Wedding Pic Overload

This last picture is mostly for my family. I am slightly shorter than most of my family, which usually isn’t noticeable, because I wear high heels… except that was about 2 ankle injuries ago. So this is the first family photo in 10+ years in which I am wearing FLATS.  You’re welcome.

Dear Mom & Dad,

I just wanted to say “thank you” for all of the amazing skills you taught me.

I am beginning to realize just how amazing of a gift this was.

I can hardly remember a day when you weren’t teaching us something, be it a life skill, or just a value that would help us eventually.

Because of you, I can make my princess dresses  and superhero capes.

Because of you, I can change the oil on my car.

You taught me how to garden, and how to appreciate fresh food.

You taught me the basics of cooking, and encouraged me to experiment in the kitchen and build upon those basics.

I can clean a bathroom, from floor to ceiling SPOTLESS, in less than 15 minutes.

I can split an outlet, fix a broken pipe, and patch the drywall.

I can paint the bedrooms, and I can paint murals.

I can read music, play the piano, and sing.

I can budget, I can save, and I can say “no”.

I know my way around power tools, and really enjoy making something with my own hands.

I go to church, my kids are nice, and I’m not afraid of work. 

I am the person I am, because of your blood, sweat, and tears.

Thank you so much… for everything.

xoxo,

Caroline

- - - -

This post was inspired by a question from the 365 days of blogging prompts, Tribute to Mom or Dad Series. 

It has been entered into a contest for a chance to be published in a book that will be available for purchase at the Story @ Home Conference that is being held in conjunction with Family Search, Cherish Bound and The Casual Blogger Conference.

For more information about the Opportunity to get your Essays published in our new book, please visit the Publishing Contest Page.