Oooh, yes, big, big plans!
Exactly one year ago I took on an administrative assistant position for our kids' sports program. That's 4 sports, 11 teams, 10 months of the year.
My house has . . . ahem . . . suffered. It has been neglected, overlooked, disregarded.
At Easter, I asked my husband, mom, dad, and brother to help me hide eggs all over the house for the kids. I was mortified . . . MORTIFIED . . . at the dust and other dirt . . . lurking.
So this summer, I've divided the house into as many areas as there are weeks of the summer and we're doing spring cleaning all summer long.
This week was Oldest Son's room.
There were memories and laughs around every corner. Oldest Son purged bins, buckets, and boxes; Oldest Daughter patched holes and touched up paint; I shampooed and scrubbed. The other kids peeked in to view progress and then scuttled away quickly . . . unwilling to be sucked into the vortex of cleaning action.
Ah, these bins. Empty now. In the garage waiting for a yard sale.
I remember when there was a bin for rock collections, one for GI Joes, one for springs from our old trampoline, one for plastic lizards and dinosaurs and snakes, one for Matchbox cars.
Oldest Son found his harmonica . . . buried for years. And he sat on the end of the bed and played it. Yes, all three notes.
"Let me take your picture playing your harmonica, Oldest Son."
"Awwww, Mom, you have got to be kidding."
"Okay, just hold the harmonica and smile. You know, the smile that melts my heart and has gotten you repeatedly out of all kinds of trouble?"
Yeah, that one.
Do you think there are any kinds of awards for moms who give up their dreams of a surf-themed room, an adventure-out-of-doors-themed room, a madras-plaid-themed room and instead are talked into painting a room purple and orange with a large Clemson University paw on one wall?
Do you think they give out awards for those moms?
I think they should.
Ah, summer plans. One section of the house down . . . 12 to go!
Great idea~ spring cleaning all summer long~ I like it.
ReplyDeleteYou DEFINITELY deserve a medal for the purple/orange paw room! What a mom. :)
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. :)
ReplyDeleteI run the sports in our town too. It is an overwhelming job!
I cleaned the walls in my master bath and master bedroom yesterday. I guess I am in that mode of cleaning too. I really cannot believe how dusty they were and I have learned something.....dark paint shows the dust collection too. Enjoy your cleaning! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteAnd the pay off for all that hard work is a new paint job - I think your kids will be glad to get that trade off!
And it makes me laugh/smile/cry to think that my Berg's rock/dinosaur/trampoline spring collections will one day be trash to him too!
I believe it is written that you will receive a purple and an orange jewel in your crown for allowing those same colors on a child's wall!!!
ReplyDeleteA friend once gave me a packet of SUV napkins that you might need...S top U nneccessary V olunteering!
I like your gameplan...take good notes as I need to institute a similar plan myself.
Are you sure that was oldest son? Remembered the harmonica on vacation. Maybe he needs more practice, so he can do more than three notes.
ReplyDeleteDoJo