Confessions (from an Aspiring Un-Perfectionist)

For the most part, I like (like many moms and bloggers, I think) to post things on other blogs and this one that inspire me (although, I like to think that this is my most real-life, reality-based blog even though I haven't told you my real name), beautiful things, creative solutions, ingenious ideas and so on. My life is certainly not a reflection of my "inspiration" blogs...all beauty and perfection and creativity.

So here are some confessions, just for the record...

1a) Whatever is left undone a half hour before company is due gets thrown in a laundry basket (or baskets!) and shoved into my closet (the closet that guests are least likely to snoop into if they are secret snoops).

1b) I have three laundry baskets. I only ever have one free for hauling laundry.

2) Sometimes I use the impossible-for-adults-to-open baby locks to keep adult guests out of my cupboards. You know, the guests who really want to be helpful and "get that for you."

3) Putting on a show for my kids while they eat breakfast is the only way I ever get the dishwasher emptied and the only way they eat more than two bites for breakfast (and I got this idea from a weight loss magazine that said you eat more when you are watching t.v.).

4) Last Christmas I put up two fake trees and one real Charlie Brown tree for Christmas to make up for not having our annual Christmas party. Instead of cleaning and shopping and preparing food and entertainment for others, I erected this Christmas forest and called it a holiday.

5a) I took my doctor's advice and only bathe my children once a week.

5b) I only brush my daughters' curls once a week too. When their hair gets really messy, I give them pony tails.

6) Before we moved in, I remember actually nodding in sympathy with my landlord when she talked about the last tenants never weeding the (never seen) side yard. I actually lied to myself, convincing both her and I that I would keep up on that.

7) As much as I'd like to be "green" I have never tired to make my own baby wipes with paper towels and I love, love, love using those disposable Clorox and Lysol wipes for cleaning the house.

8) We are hiring a house cleaner. We've scheduled two already who haven't shown up, but I am not deterred. There will be someone soon.

9) When I go to my grandma, my mom or my sister-in-law's houses I constantly remind myself that I have other things to do besides keeping my house sterile. I remind myself that there really are things that I can do that they can't. This helps, some of the time.

10) And lastly, I still work hard, every day to not feel guilty about all of this.