SETTING THE BAR

Why am I THE "Mother of Chaos"?  This blog is an example. 

I started this sucker in December of 2009, over 3 years ago. I made one post, then got sidetracked with a new baby at the end of that month, and completely FORGOT I had a blog. For about 2 years. Then, I remembered a little over a year ago when I saw some friends' blogs. I didn't want to start a new blog from scratch, but darned if I couldn't remember what that stinkin' blog I started was called, where it was hosted, a URL to get there, or any password information on it. I knew it was out there somewhere, floating around in cyberspace, but that was about it.  

I finally just found it, on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, when I'm supposed to be making preparations for tomorrow's big Day O' Green. Instead, I'm sitting here realizing that since no one remembers that this blog exists, the chances of anyone reading it are ridiculously small. I kinda like that idea… like a little diary in multimedia form maybe? 

Anyways, feeling like a crappy mom tonight. I'm actually doing this because I've got so much to do for tomorrow that I'm overwhelmed, and doing this seems like cathartic avoidance, albeit unproductive.  I've been sick all week, and so have 3 of my 4 kids, so all the things that I would normally do for the holiday tomorrow I haven't done.


For example, for St. Patty's a couple of years ago I decided to "set the bar", figuring I could always add a few things and tweak a bit in the coming years.  I planned about a week in advance, making sure I had all my supplies, and did the following:

• Turned all the toilet water green (including the tank water for a 2-flush surprise)
• Got hubby a green mustache to surprise the boys
• Had matching green hats for all 6 of us which we wore at mealtime
• Had matching green shirts for all 6 of us
• Made a leprechaun trap the night before with my oldest boy, who was then 4
• The kids woke up to huge tubs full of green presents.  There was a green footstool, a green football, green colored gardening supplies, green butterfly nets, green packaged treats, St. Patty's books, etc. Also included was a note from a leprechaun that came to our house.
• Breakfast was Lucky Charms with milk that turned green as we poured it into the bowl and green orange juice that did the same, with a shamrock straw
• Lunch was served on St. Patty's Day plates and consisted of green grapes, nuggets, green mac-n-cheese & green lime Kool-Aid to drink.  There was green cotton candy for dessert
• Snack time brought us green fruit smoothies that turned our tongues green
• Dinner was traditional corned beef & cabbage, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, green cauliflower and biscuits

This year, I've turned one toilet green, because I happened to notice that I luckily have some green coloring left.  I saw a leprechaun trap on Pinterest made from an empty Kleenex box - it looked like it would take about 10 minutes to do - so that's what we did tonight about 10 minutes before bedtime.  Besides, we had plenty of Kleenex boxes to use since we've all been sick. 

That's it. The entire scope of my plans and efforts so far this year. I have no special meal for tomorrow planned or bought, although my hubby did buy a box of Lucky Charms last week that isn't completely gone yet, so there's that. I have no decorations up except a few window clings on the fireplace & front door glass that my hubby brought home on a single sheet and helped the boys put up. He also bought some fake green facial hair, but I haven't even begun to think of how to use it yet. I know I've been sick, but this could have been planned a week or two ago! What happened?!?!  My sweet angel boy is 6 this year, and VERY excited about that leprechaun trap.  He can't wait to see if we catch the leprechaun or if he plays tricks on us. Next year, he'll be a wiser and older 7, and may not really care anymore.  We've been doing St. Patty's Day themed schoolwork all week in homeschool, building the excitement, for what? I HAVE DROPPED THE BALL!!

I sit here looking at my new Silhouette Cameo that I haven't had time or energy to cut anything out yet with in preparation for tomorrow, wondering what on Earth I'm going to do, and blogging to release the stress so I can think more coherently.  I'll tell you one thing, internet diary, next time it's time to "set the bar" on something, I'm setting it lower!

Baby Names and House Stress

Well, we're in the final countdown now for this new baby.  Still have no name for a boy or girl, but I'm sure it will come eventually.  I've prayed for God to give us the name and it hasn't happened yet like it did with Ben, but I just realized something.  Why would I want to be surprised about whether it was a boy or girl and also want God to give us the name before the baby is born?  If God gives us a consensus on the baby's name before it's born, we'll know by the name what it is! 

I've been stressing over not having a name yet and wondering what God was waiting for, and the whole time God's got to have been muttering to himself about my inability to realize I was asking Him to ruin the surprise!  Duh.....  I'm sure glad God is smarter than me....  So, we probably won't have a name we all just "know" is the right one until after we've seen our lil one, but suddenly I'm OK with that.  There are worse problems to have in life than what to name your new baby!  :0)

Hubby's dad and brother are coming over Saturday to help us start getting the studio set up.  They'll be taking a cabinet downstairs and installing the slat wall so I can start hanging up stuff.  I can't believe we're putting this in the front room! 

One of my biggest frustrations is my house - making it function best for us, finding room with the wierd setup, etc.  I had gotten to the point where I'd rather a tornado destroy it than try to contemplate **AGAIN** paint colors, furniture placement, lighting or traffic patterns.  The biggest obstacles seem to be:
1.  Hubby and the girls have ideas for what they want the house to look & "feel" like that are very different than what the architecture of a traditional colonial seems to dictate.  I'm almost sorry I asked.
2.  Pulte apparently does not believe in lighting, so we have to install and design all our own.
3.  I have a really hard time letting myself consider just doing what works for us, without worrying about what others will think if it's not something that's "normally" done.

#3 is my biggest problem.  You know that saying "Just be yourself"?  What if what is "us" as a family means that when you walk in our front door you immediately see to the right of the foyer two big 8' folding tables and art supplies hung all over the walls, along with the paper racks, computer desk, and maybe a few "projects in progress" sitting out?  Not closed off with doors, or even a divider, mind you.  Just THERE.  In the front room that's "supposed" to be the formal living room.  Now, this studio is important to us as a family - it's what we "do" - and the front room just happens to be the room that works best to put it in because of space and such.  But it would drive my mother INSANE!  And because, like her, I tend to be stressed when my house doesn't look like a magazine cover, I know that even if I make peace with it for myself and my family, I will always be worrying about it when visitors come to the house.

I keep reminding myself that we're a young family and will be for quite a while.  The inner pep talk is something like this:  "Use those bold, bright colors Rob and the kids want in this house whether they "match" the house style or not!  Create the unexpected! Go with the flow!  It doesn't need to look like a showplace or be the "beautiful" home you always dreamed of.  That will come later in life - fun and casual is what you need now.  Think outside the box, you coward.  You're trying to create a place for young kids to live and grow up in, not a museum.  The kids will love it and so will the friends they bring home, even if the parents think you're an odd egg.  Who cares what other people think anyway, right?  What's so great about "normal"?  You're the one who has to live here, not anybody else!" 

But, I still hesitate.  Why is it I can buck trends on just about everything else, including more important things like home schooling, but THIS drives me to the point of panic?  I blame my mother, bless her heart.  And my Aunt Linda.  And Meme and Misty and LaDonna and Aunt Weenie and all those other women related to my mother.  These women in my family have such great taste and their houses reflect it so well that doing anything less than a house worth a photo spread in a mag (seemingly effortlessly, no less) would make an outsider wonder if I inherited any genes from them at all.  It's not that I don't know how, mind you, it's just not gonna work for us like that for a while.  I am one messed up bird....

So - in case there was any doubt - yes, I'm insane.  But my house will be FUNCTIONAL and FUN, which is much more important than beautiful or normal.  Right?  Hello???  Can I get an amen?  Grrrrr...