upside down spring cleaning

....or in other words, a fall mess-around?  Just trying to say that this time of year, akin to the second quarter, always reminds me to 'clean house.'  No, not just because I am home with the kiddos/newborn for a couple extra months, looking into the face of everything dirty/rotten/wrong with the house.  And all in all that's not too long of a list, really.  My particular hygienic preferences for the home has followed me since childhood, and dear Mike has also succumbed now to keeping things in a very certain way.  He even gets mad when I do the laundry.  It's never the way he likes it :)

I suppose there shouldn't be just once or twice a year that we organize the living space.  But of course, as with anyone else, life happens.  And while both hubs and I would prefer the kitchen table's occupants only to include meals, placemats, and wine glasses and so we make great strides to keep it clutter-less (is there such a thing?), there is a plethora of other chores/oddities among our house I lovingly ignore, re:  DUSTING.  There is in fact many a cobweb I can see from the very chair in which I write; and even though their heavy population makes me cringe, I still deny myself and our family's overall health by not swiftly wiping them away.  Difficult?  No.  Time consuming?  Possibly.  Worth the effort?  I find it hard to believe...

We also try in our house to go by the 'one-in-one-out rule.'  Mainly with regards to clothes, but I suppose other things as well.  You know, you go shopping for yourself at one or two - or fifteen - of your favorite stores in a given afternoon, and then come home with a wardrobe you didn't realize was missing.  So, it's best in our minds to try and swap out blouse for blouse, shorts for shorts, that kind of thing.  We recycle most of the castaways to any given clothing donation bin, albeit it probably ideal for us to research a local, charitable hub or consignment store, or even sell the darn things.  (My neighbor does this for herself to feel fashionably fresh and make a buck - genius!)  Said current donation bag is sitting in our master bedroom at the moment.  And yet, just with Mike's things.  Less a couple pairs of shoes I knew would fit despite lingering post-baby weight.  Surely not trying to rush that process, although wouldn't I love it?  Feeling lovely enough just finding time to sit and type a moment in the middle of daylight.  (Why aren't I napping with him?!)  Yes, my clothes, especially work clothes, need a revamp.  But I can't find it in my heart - or my waist - to recycle anything just yet.  Isn't it true when you stare at a favorite pair of pants they'll shift magically into the size and shape of your present body form?  No?  Just a dream I had?

Well, I went to a recent work event, an Oktoberfest fundraiser, and got to see some coworkers and throw back a (much-deserved) beer.  Was a great reminder that adult stimulation is amazing no matter how I look or feel about how I look.  Just being able to stand up for two hours without holding a 10lb or 35lb dead-weight and discuss anything outside of nursery rhymes and sleep deprivation (although naturally the first things parents and I connected on was nursery rhymes and sleep deprivation) was pretty spectacular.  Hope to get out again soon.  Maybe even a date night with the husband??


Such a transition our family has gone through in the last six weeks.  Today marks one of those glorious days on which I can say it's generally a happy time.  Most of the hours until this point have been fine...but of course, challenging.  Lucky are we to have so many close friends undergoing the same struggles.  It's nice not to have to brave a face for anyone (although it is a poor habit/specialty of mine).  When things suck (and they can suck), at least then we can commiserate with others about how much they suck until they suck less by way of a shared mutuality.  Poetic, huh?


Okay, not my "cleanest" submission.  A tad scattered.  And I'm breaking my one-in-one-out rule - just adding to the virtual pile.  But more to come I am sure, in sanity and chaos, I'll try to keep you posted!