Messy Mom Monday

It's time for another edition of "Messy Mom Monday"!

You're actually going to be super impressed with me. Er... us. Something in us snapped last week, and we couldn't handle the clutter anymore. So we went through the house and organized, cleaned, and disinfected. I've always been pretty good about keeping germs out. I have a slight phobia. But as for clutter? Eh, not so good at that.

I hate clutter. It builds and builds, and before we know it, the entire house is one big junk heap. And it's not stuff we can just throw out... it's just stuff that we've been too lazy to put in its proper place. Usually things like tape measurers, candles, craft supplies, dishes, socks. But we hit our breaking point and cleaned it all up. It only took us three days...

But never fear.

Just because we cleaned doesn't mean we're ready for Martha to come by for an inspection a visit.

Since this past summer, Noah has been using the tub in our bathroom. The tub in his bathroom had been leaking into the bathroom downstairs. Brad finally got around to cutting holes in our ceiling to check the plumbing, only to find out there's nothing wrong. He had caulked the spicket (per the suggestion of a coworker) that had come a little loose. So far, no leaks. Just holes in the ceiling. Brad wanted to wait a few days to see if it leaks at all before patching it back up... just in case. He told me he was going to use a piece of white paper or something to make the hole less conspicuous. So I went to check it out, and he thought this was a more appropriate solution.

 (don't you love how I still watermarked these? as if someone would actually want to steal them? apparently, I like to flatter myself...)

One of my nice, white towels.

He thinks I'll be cool with using it again after that... "just wash it!"

Why is that not okay with me?

Because there were traces of mice in there. And with our cockroach water beetle issues, I know they've been in there too. No freaking way am I drying myself off with a towel that's been stuffed in our ceiling with roaches and mouse poo.
Anyway, so far no leaks. But just in case, I have to live with holes in my ceiling for a while.

Yay me.

Like I said, even though we cleaned a lot last week, there are still spots that need some love.

Our banister, for example, is always a drop-off spot for random junk.

And this? I don't even know.
An ink pad, eczema cream, and a shoe insert?
We cleared this area to make more room... for very random clutter, I guess.

Noah's room is also having some issues.
My dad is building us some bookshelves, which I'm so excited about.
But until we get them, his toy area is going to continue to look like this:

I cleaned out his closet and drawers to make room for clothes that actually fit him. Apparently I'm growing a giant. He's wearing mostly 5T now. And he's not even 2 and 1/2 yet.
Makes me nervous for the teenage years.

Also, I'm thinking it's time to redo his room.
I don't think he even knows who Winnie the Pooh is. He still has a nursery instead of an actual kid room. Time for a change, dontchathink?

In an attempt to keep up with the house, I made myself a little chore list. I found a couple on Pinterest, but after looking them over, they were way too detailed. And I know I'd never get to half of it, which would leave me feeling like a failure. So I created my own, much more attainable, list.

Go ahead, laugh. You know you want to.
If I actually follow through, it'll be a miracle.
And yes, it already got water on it, because it sat on my kitchen counter for a couple of days before making its way to the fridge. I'm on top of things like that.
Underachievers unite!

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Wanna link up too?
Go here and join the fun.
Also, if you are the OCD type? May I recommend NOT linking up and/or reading any of these?
It's like a clean-freak's nightmare blog hop.
:)
Happy Monday!

Messy Mom Monday: The Kid Version

Since I've done two posts now about my house and the sad, sad state it seems to never fully crawl itself out of, I decided to take a different approach this Monday. Really, I have the weather to thank. Because honestly, as I sat and watched my kid go nuts, I realized this was a blog post begging to be written.

So while our lucky neighbors up north ("lucky" being a relative term...) were enjoying beautiful flakes of happiness landing on their tots' eyelashes, we were enduring a grey, soppy mess. The rain came in spurts, but most of the time it was a constant misty drizzle. And for a mom with a toddler who is obsessed with going outside, this was not sitting well. Finally, there was a break in the rain yesterday.

And I'd had it.

While Noah is an absolute angel-child (and I don't say this smugly... I say it in a "ThankyouJesusthankyouJesusthankyouJesus" sort of way), he had been cooped up for far too many hours and was beginning to stress me out. Christmas toys weren't cutting it anymore. Curious George, Thomas, and Baby Einstein were old news. So what does a desperate mommy do?

LET HIM AT IT.

It's no secret my boy loves dirt. I'm pretty sure the majority of my 2011 posts involve dirt in some way.

So obviously, nasty days to him are like Christmas, birthdays, Valentines Day, and Easter all rolled into one heaping mud pie.

Since one of my goals as a mom was not to ever sweat the small stuff (ie. messes... because they're inevitable), I've learned to embrace the whole messy-boy-thing. I figure, he'll only be this little for so long... might as well let him enjoy it to the fullest.

Did I mention we should've bought stock in Shout?

They ought to use us for advertising. Seriously. 

Also, Noah enjoys treating our dormant garden bed like a sand box.
Except, unlike sand, this stuff leaves some stains if I don't wash it immediately.

 Finally, after about an hour and a half of mud-slinging fun, I'd decided enough was enough.

Even I have my limits... once the mud started landing in my hair and on my camera, the fun was over for me.

But instead of making him sit around bored for the rest of the afternoon, I figured we'd do another messy activity. I mean, the kid was already down to his diaper as it was... might as well keep the party going. 

"Go big or go home" and all that.

So we made cookies.

And while all of this left me plenty of clean-up work, finding this picture on my camera after it was all over with made the whole messy production worth it...

Happy Messy Mom Monday, y'all!
Need to show off your decision to hang with the kids instead of mop the floor?
Join the party!