Yes, I have a chore list for the kids that they follow at the same time every day. I keep trying to tell myself that it's okay to have toys across the house. But it's not just that, I'm pretty sure my kids change their clothes several times a day unneeded because the laundry piles just grow faster than it actually should. Cleaning up after themselves no matter how many times I remind them is almost nonexistent. I LOVE to bake with all my heart, it's a therapy for me, but the clean up in the kitchen is a monster. Even though I did freeze some meals, I didn't do the full 30 days. Instead I'm freezing meals for Sundays so I don't have to cook. That leaves me 6 other days.
I love, love, love, love having a large family and wouldn't trade it for a hand print free home. I wouldn't trade it for my old desk job. Nor would I trade it for my 40 hour a week paycheck. I think moms just go through these times that she feels more like a super loser than a super mom. Especially after having a bad day or a really hard and unproductive week.
I decided it's about time for some serious, serious decluttering. Every day I have to AT LEAST find 10 items to donate. It's really hard for me to do that. Not because I love things but because I always find a use for everything. Just sick of the clutter that is making cleanup so hard for us as a family. It's not fair to my husband, me, or my kids. I have to SIMPLIFY badly. When I first moved into my home we didn't have any of this clutter. Maintaining the house was SO easy that I got to spend a lot more time playing with my kids and taking them fun places. I need to get back to that.
Anyway, by Saturday I told the kids "We HAVE to get out and do something! So I took them swimming since the weather is beautiful. We had a lot of fun and it just felt really good to just let go of the frustration I was having and get out of the house. Sometimes getting out is good medicine for a homemaker. Coming back I always feel really refreshed. Especially after church on Sunday. I really need to learn to have a weekend off from everything and just have fun on the weekends. That's what I did on Saturday and Sunday and suddenly I don't feel so weighed down anymore.
Pssst...can vote here!
I will praise you in this storm.
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth.
Pssst...can vote here!
5 comments:
I totally know what you mean and only have two kids. :-) I am a real task oriented person. I like to complete a task and see that its done. Homemaking is a never ending cycle of repeating the same taks over and over again. Sometimes it can get me really down. The only thing that seems to help me is when I look at it as a ministry. God has given me these children and my husband. Caring for them is a way in which I worship God. That helps.
Swimming is also good! ;-) Hope you had a great time. I can't believe how big the kids look!!!
I'd been doing so well with making menus/meal plans...but now have no ideas at all--as in nothing sounds good (unless someone else is cooking it!)...and then we got sick and so that limits me on what to make anyway...gotta get back on track..
I am delurking to tell you what an awesome mom you are. You are the mom I wished I had been when my kids were growing up. I was always worried about the undone chores and unwashed clothes. Our adventures were few and far between because I just couldn't have fun until everything was just so. My kids are all grown and gone now and I deeply regret not enjoying them more. To me, you have a great balance between your duties as wife and mom and your time spent just playing with and enjoying your kids. Take it from me, it goes by way too fast.
Blessings
Kim Chrisman
Oh my gosh, Kim. You really touched my heart. Thank you and I will take your advice. I feel so blessed by it. I'm not being cheesy. I really felt like crying because you helped put things back into perspective for me and you were kind enough to take the time to write me.
you always have so much good stuff going on in your posts. i agree about taking the weekend off but it is hard! i love my kids more than anything and i hate when people say they would hire a nanny b/c i would hire a HOUSEKEEPER and a cook!!! as for decluttering, it makes a BIG difference! i swear the less you have to move around and clean, the easier it is when you do it yourself or ask the kids to 'clean their room' or 'pick up the living room" ... i also love having a big toy ottoman where we can hide everything quickly ... even the baby can throw things in! i just realized we have the exact same family except you have one extra older boy and are about 9 years younger than me!
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