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If you should need me over the next two weeks during night or weekend hours, you'll most likely find me in the front room sorting through years worth of filing gone wrong.  Yesterday I had the house to myself was home alone with the cats working.  And boy were they helpful.

 

Gush Worthy

I always forget the before picture of a project.  SIGH.  So let me use a little imagery with you.  Imagine GREEN indoor/outdoor carpeting...from the 1970s...in a laundry room.  Yes, we lived with that for nearly 3 years in this house.  With cats using this room as their primary space.  Ew-ww.  We* finally tackled 95% of the project this weekend!

 

 The laborer at work.

 

Next up, the last bit of floor when our NEW WATER HEATER gets installed in 2 weeks!  THIS is the kind of shopping that delights me!

*Let's be honest: Doug did all the hard, physical work.  But I did all the planning and supervising! :)

Secrets from a NON-Domestic Goddess

Most everyone knows that I'm not a very good housekeeper.  But I do have a tip or two from time to time.  For instance, everyone wants more room, right?  I have a magical trick for making your rooms seem larger.  Step 1: Pile up lots of crap into the desired room.  Step 2: Leave it there for several months.  Step 3: Walk around it, often stubbing your toe, for several months.  Step 4: In a moment of insanity, clean up said room.  You will be amazed at how much bigger your room now seems!

Apparently, the same concept can be applied to weight.  I've been at my current weight before.  But when reaching it the first time, it was unattractive to others.  But since passing it and then returning to it, apparently it's a fantastic weight.  Go freaking figure.

Not a Lost Cause After All

Domestic overall I am not. But there are some things that save me from worst wife, mother and housekeeper of the year. So, behold, the reorganized hall closet:



And the below addition of the message board and key holders made me so excited that I squealed, clapped and danced all at the same time, earning myself a look of pure bafflement from Doug:

Now, it's a good thing you can't see the rest of the house...

One Year Later

Several times during our vacation I would remember that in 2008 we returned from vacation to move in LESS THAN TWO DAYS and have a fence built. I still need immense and intense therapy for that string of stupid decisions. But here we are, one year later on Broad St and enjoying our space so much. We have 600 more square feet, rooms that are well suited to our furniture, a bigger yard, more storage...a good move. But it occurred to me a month or two ago that we might all benefit from a bedroom switcharoo. Now, let me explain that this is not a new house (I hate new construction), so if you are picturing a master suite you are sorely mistaken. In our 80+ year old house, a bedroom is a bedroom. So after much consideration and mental planning, we switched Elliott's room and our room yesterday. So far, I'm digging it. Our room looks H-U-G-E. Elliott's room looks well proportioned for a child's room, but I am having a little trouble fitting all his toys in there. I am not opposed to a past due toy purge, and I might have to consider a bin or two in the living room. But other than that, it looks really good as his room. And in an effort to attempt to get him in his bed, I caved and put a DVD player in his room. I have lots of mixed feelings about this, BUT he did go to sleep in his own bed last night and stayed there until 4 am. And at that time, he did not wake up in total meltdown like he has in the past. I woke up to the tiniest "Mami" whisper in my left ear. He had calmy (I suppose) walked from his room to ours and was standing beside the bed. Blow me over with a feather. Now, I was pretty confident I could get him to fall asleep by himself. By as Doug sometimes suffers from lack of brain, he blew that plan and did lay down with him. But I am so very proud to say that from 11 pm to 4 am he slept IN HIS OWN BED IN HIS OWN ROOM ALL BY HIMSELF. And I am saying to myself and all other parents who are struggling with some issues or another, just think of how much progress can be made one year later.

Cross your fingers for tonight.

Surprise Domestic Goddess

We've always had a rule in our house that before you can go on vacation the house has to be clean and the car has to be clean (inside and out). For the car, this is usually the only time a year this actually happens. I have carried over these practices from childhood to adulthood, so on top of packing and preparing to leave work each year, there is all this extra stuff to do! But how good it feels to come home to a clean house.

The past few years at the townhouse have brought out an unheard cleanliness in me. It could be because it doesn't belong to me and I'm less forgiving of other people's dirty. It could be that there are more people staying in less square footage (and people who are no longer used to living together) that makes me more willing. But I suspect the main reason is that the condo is free to me (thanks, Daddy!) and so I feel a need to pull my weight. So ye of little faith, know that for a few weeks each year, I obtain a higher level of domestication! Don't worry, it doesn't take long for me to fall back into my terrible habits.

It's always interesting to see which amenities will surpass or not meet those of home. I decided to compile a list this year:

• Shower size: Home is the clear winner.
• Hot water: Townhouse is the clear winner.
• Kitchen size: Home.
• Kitchen cleanliness: HOME!
• Mattress comfort and linens: Home.
• View: Townhouse by a long shot.
• Peace: Townhouse. And it wins bonus points for being cat free.

Until next year, Premier Townhouses! But psst, please let #2-6 be available. No more #1-8.

Not For the Faint of Heart

A warning to those who are OCD and/or have clean houses: you might need a paper bag in order to make it through this entire post. And Julianna, please make sure there is a defibrilator nearbye. I cannot be responsible for such a young, fit person having a coronary.

I have a friend who says his family has Flat-surface-itis (kudos PRS). I don't think I can be diagnosed as such because there are places in my house that manage to stay free of crap. And then there are the numerous areas that didn't have a protection charm placed upon them. I prefer to put myself into the Has-a-problem-with-mail-bills-and-paper-in-general-itis:

Breakfast Room Table

Breakfast Room Sideboard

Office View 1

Office View 2

Office View 3

Elliott's Room - Daycare Tree Killers 1

Elliott's Room - Daycare Tree Killers 2

Dining Room

Hall Made Infamous in Previous Post

Kitchen Counter 1

Kitchen Counter 2

My friends and family are probably suffering from contact embarrassment right now. Probably not a good sign that I find it so amusing.

On a side note, though, if you are reading this and have not heard from me in several days, might need to send a bulldozer my way. Could be buried alive.

How To Lose An Argument

Man, my house is so bad right now.

Girl, you should see mine. I just got back from a trip!

I knelt in the hallway and sorted mail on the floor last night.

I think you win.

Kung Fu Folder

As you probably know, Elliott likes TV waaaaay too much. It's quite worrisome. I'm on Mission 1000 to get him to stop watching so much. I have moved his "activity basket" into the breakfast room and have asked Doug to try and coerce him into coloring, etc. when they get home in the afternoons and while Doug is cooking. I figure that would kill two birds at one time: less TV and more quality time with Daddy. But who am I kidding? He's been coloring all day; I wouldn't want to color when I got home. I would want to do what he wants to do: sit down and watch TV!

Well, last night I decided my laziness was too much and that the laundry -- dirty AND clean -- needed to be conquered. So I talked Elliott into coming in my room with me while I folded. And he, post shower and in his Kung Fu Panda pajamas, was most interested in helping. He got up on the bed, stood up (apparently when you are only 3 feet tall that is the optimal position for folding), and helped me fold clothes for close to an hour. It was so freaking cute. Almost too cute to write in this blog ;)