Woman in Real Life

With all four of us home for the summer, this house got a lot of use. And, a lot of use means a lot of...mess. It's a full-time job keeping up with the kids, particularly my daughter, who trails stuff behind her like a shopping bag with a hole in it.

My husband and I tried to focus mainly on summertime fun, while ensuring that we also took care of some necessary household projects once in a while.

But, the to-do list is never-ending. So, this labour day long weekend, with a whole summer behind us and the first day of school looming, we diligently worked together to make sure the house was nicely organized and presentable, thus ensuring a smoother transition back to work and school.



After doing eight loads of laundry on Saturday, my next job was organizing my daughter's closet. I pulled out clothes that no longer fit her, put away all the laundry and incorporated clothes that her cousin had given her.


I also encouraged her to set out some outfits for the first week of school. We used one of her toy bins for each day of the week. She only completed three of the four outfits, but, hey, it's a start.


My husband tidied the boy's room. He is normally expected to do it himself, but I find that sometimes kids need help getting organized.


I cleaned my latest collection of dishes (mostly from my mom) off the dining room table and my daughter helped me dust. I keep using my dining room table as a drop-off zone for any new items that come into the house. I have to stop doing that!


I cleared all of the kids' art projects off the kitchen table and cleared the miscellany of daily life off of the kitchen counter (another drop-off zone).


While I am not a big fan of cleaning, I do love to enjoy a cup of tea in a nice tidy room. I try to follow Simple Abundance author Sarah Ban Breathnach's advice and think of my efforts in the house as "homecaring" rather than housework. It's a small thing, but sometimes a simple change in the words we use can have a positive impact on our lives.


Back to school means back to preparing school lunches. So, I went grocery shopping with that in mind, and cleaned the shelves and drawers in the fridge. We are stocked and ready.


Today, school began for the children (and their dad). They went to bed talking about who their teachers would be and which friends would be in their classes. I hope that they are surrounded by people who are kind and supportive and recognize them for the special little beings they are.

My son has a lot of anxiety about school and sometimes he really doesn't want to go. But he was fine. Instead, my daughter woke us up at midnight crying (and screaming) about leg and arm pain. I'm sure it was thoughts of school that did it to her. I was terrified she would wake her brother up because I don't think he would have been able to get back to sleep. Miraculously, he slept through.

While I am enjoying the peace and quiet (and cleanliness) in the house, I am looking forward to hearing about their first day and their impressions of their teachers and classmates.

How did you spend your last official weekend of summer?