Stay-at-home mom... focusing on the home

I'm not sure this post is going to be about exercise, or food, or P90X.  That's okay, I never signed a contract stating this blog wouldn't take a detour to the typical, "I'm a Mommy and I Love it (Most Days)" style now and then.  I love the mommy blogs!  My most favorite person (and blogger) that I've never met is http://www.kellehampton.com/  I am completely inspired by Kelle.  She captures the little moments in her amazing photographs and paints the clearest pictures with captivating descriptions of her everyday life.  I say I'm inspired to see the beauty in those simple moments and appreciate these fleeting moments with my kiddos, but then I stop and give myself credit for having already done that.  She does inspire me to go above and beyond at times, which is a good thing.  I will never regret doing more.  And I also give her credit for inspiring me to take more photos!  

Moving on to the topic-- I have been a stay-at-home mom for 9 1/2 years and I feel so incredibly blessed to have had this opportunity.  Truly, truly blessed.  My first son was born in July of 2002, the second in July of 2005 and the third in April of 2009.  By the time one started preschool another would come along to keep me company.  Perfect!

I feel that SAHM = laundry done, house clean, bills paid, fridge and pantry stocked, social calendar kept, family fed well-balanced home cooked meals, everything organized and everyone in order.  As I edit this, I realize I left out what I believe to be the most important- playing with the kids (happy kids) and teaching them about their world (successful, independent kids.)  I think I have control over that part, maybe that is why the more challenging things came to mind first.  About those chores... My description of a SAHM seems ideal, I didn't say it was practical.  It may work for some but that is not how it works for me.  At least not every day.  Most days we put the kids to bed and I wonder, "Where did this day go?"  Now that I have added in a daily afternoon workout, it is that much harder to fit it all in.  Nap time is a great time to get stuff done, but that is when I have to workout.  If I do a cleaning marathon when the little guy is up, I am neglecting him while he watches too much TV and gets himself into trouble.  See example.



Seriously?



I am often overwhelmed with everything that should be done.  I go from one project to the next, one room to another, leaving things started and unfinished.  Baby powder messes and poopy diapers derail any progress I was making in the other room.  I begin wondering if it's just procrastination and lack of focus or something more, maybe a little bit of ADD?  What I do know is that I am constantly reading other stay-at-home moms saying the same things, so I try to let it go without letting it get too far "gone."  Five people live in this house which means that every day we use three bathrooms, cook with pots and pans, eat from many dishes, use far too many cups and glasses (anyone else?,) drop crumbs, dirty our clothes, play with toys, and jump out of four slept-in beds to get ready for each day.  Every day. 




Edit:
 A friend just posted this on Facebook.  Love it!

That is my beautiful life, one I am lucky to have.  I am not complaining.  Like the sayings go, this means we have a happy home, children are fed, the kids are playing, blah blah blah.  (I actually love those sayings.)  These are all days I want to cherish and that I'm going to miss, so accepting that I can't get to it all every day is pretty easy.  Alright, maybe too easy at times.  I am never going to wish I had ignored the kids to keep the house ready in case Better Homes and Gardens stopped by for a photo shoot.  I assume most parents I know would agree with me there, I'm just stating the obvious.  Today it simply hit me in a different way during a sweet walk with a special boy (more on that in a minute... or maybe a separate post!)  Like some new revelation, I realized that the items on these lists are never going to be checked off.  "The cycle of laundry," anyone?  Whatever you wash or put away is going to become dirty and get dumped out again, probably within the same hour.  So what?

Not being able to see an end in sight is often a deterrent to getting started, at least for me.  You still have to get started, though, or you have chaos.  It helps me to break projects down into smaller steps and enlist help from other family members when they are home, but the daily to-do list for the sahm often leaves me wondering, "What did I get done today?"  Feeling accomplished in the "home" and also that I spent quality time being "mom" is a challenge at times, but there are those rock-star mom days where everything fits perfectly, too.  Perfect or chaotic, I love every minute of it.   

I do have to say, I don't go to bed with dirty dishes left anywhere except inside the dishwasher.  :)