I Made it Through

One thing I really enjoy about growing up is that I can handle more busy days in a row, without having to succumb to a headache halfway through.  I also like the fact that I can get by on less sleep.  I guess that is what having teenagers does for you.  You lose sleep, but you don't have to pick up after them.
Fourth of July week was one of those weeks I thought would never end, I just went from high point to high point, or from one event to another.  With the holiday on one end and a baby shower on the other, I had to keep things tidy and going.  My daughter and family were here from Sunday to Tuesday.  We had two days of picnicking, fireworks, swimming and food.  This was my daughter's baby shower, she's expecting another this summer and we are eagerly waiting his coming. An old friend came early with her mother so I was getting ready with extra company.  Luckily, they were perfect company, helping when I needed help and staying out of the way when I didn't.  We had 'home meetings' both Sunday and Wednesday here, which helped keep the cleanness going.  Thursday was the big day, and my youngest daughter hosted the party beautifully, people stayed to visit.  We tidied up enough to keep the bugs away and went to bed.  My mom did the big washing up in the morning, our company left and we were back in business.

Then it was some shopping business with my mom.  It was nice to have her here for a couple of days, and to do some fun things together.  I actually bought a new skirt and top.  I haven't bought anything new for a VERY long time.  Usually I only see the inside of the Good Will when it is time for new clothes.  (And very nice ones, have I found in there, you just have to look.)

So, then, Mom left Sat. On Friday evening, hubby went to get grandson number one for the weekend. So, we weren't done yet, but I began to wish I was.  I wanted to have some time to sit down and regroup.  And that for sure doesn't happen with a toddler.  But, Sunday rolled around again, I cooked supper for my daughter and family and some extra friends with three teenagers again, everybody was gone by 9, and I WAS DONE.

Then we got a call that detasseling starts in two days, and it was time to start planning again.

Ah, real life, what would we do without it?

Now It's My Turn

Last weekend, I was the company.  My family and I visited my folks for one last visit before some of my family moved across the country.  Since starting this blog I am more aware of my actions and how I behaved at my folks.  When I was first married and even when I had young children, I could find a lot of ways to stay out of the kitchen.  It was mostly I didn't like to do the work, and I was TIRED in those days.  I remember visiting my grandparents, and mom and all the aunts would be working away in the kitchen at meal times, cooking and cleaning up, and the kids were usually as far away as they could get.  I supposed someday it would be my turn.  My turn has come, and strangely enough I don't mind it.  I wonder if it is because I know I won't have my mother with me forever (we are all getting older and it is happening way too fast), or if it is just that I just do it since I'm supposed to be a big girl and big girls help out.  Big girls don't let someone else do everything for them.  And they don't let their mothers, who might be great-grandparents now, do it all either. It was nice.  We cooked, and I cleaned counters and dishes as I went.  I saw things that needed to be done and did them.  No complaining, no fussing. (inside or out), just see the job, find the job and do it.
This attitude has been coming on for a few years, but I'm recognizing the fact today that I'm there. I'm working in my mother's kitchen and enjoying it. I never wanted to do housework for so many years, and part of it is I would rather do something that I like to do instead of something that will promote someone else's happiness and the happiness of my home. That idea is really just selfishness, "I don't want to work so I won't, I just want to have fun." I try to have the attitude around home, 'do the tidying up and cleaning first then play'.  I do find I have less time to play, but I'm enjoying my tidying up so that is part of the fun.  I don't spend all my time cleaning either, and I would spend less if I could focus on the jobs more effectively. It's one of the things I'm working on.  Even a little bit done is better than nothing.

Working at Home

My daughter and family were visiting overnight yesterday.  They live close enough to visit fairly often. When they called I was just trying to plan a bigger supper for my son's friends, and then just added them too, since the original supper planned for three wasn't going to work for nine.  I am really thankful I have plenty of hamburger in the freezer and I bought buns earlier in the day.  Nothing like a quick and easy supper of grilled hamburgers to feed a lot of hungry people.  Earlier in my life, I very likely would have left the kitchen in a huge mess because I was tired.  But, I'm learning not to live like that anymore.  It helps when my kids are company, because then I act a little more like they are company too, and clean up the kitchen. I like to wake up to clean dishes and a fairly tidy house.  In fact, I actually felt anxious about not having a chance to get everything cleaned up while they were here!  There is a time to spend all the time cleaning and a time to spend enjoying your family. It's not like I worry so much about getting things cleaned up right away on regular days.  That is the goal, but it doesn't happen EVERY time. I puttered around getting the most important things done, told the anxious feeling to go take a hike, and spent some time following after my grandson and chatting with my daughter and husband. When they left, I relaxed instead of getting right on the cleaning up which is against the rules I'm trying to follow.  The next day, instead of waiting until the very last minute, like I used to do, I did get started in good time to have the kitchen clean and supper waiting when my husband came home.  It was a good one, too, steak.