Blog is where the Home is

Yesterday was the start of a new series I’m calling Homemaking Madness…

We focused on a speed-clean for company although, company wasn’t coming. How did you do?

For most of us, we hurry to tidy for company and when they’ve gone, what do we do?

Do we straighten up the mess our company left? I don’t.

But, we should, because we ARE worthy of a clean home!!!

There is a saying, “treat guests like family and family like guests.” It has been argued by me that this philosophy is bogus, but, is it?

If we treat our guests like family, as in not hiding our mess… not tidying up before they come over…will they feel more comfortable?

I have no idea but there is no way I would voluntarily allow this. It would have to be a completely spontaneous visit (which doesn’t happen in the middle of the Pennsylvania woods) even at that, I would be straightening up the entire time my guests were visiting.

If we treat our family like guests, as in going all out for dinner and bring out the fine china, or making sure there was a beautifully expensive candle burning… would they feel comfortable?

I have no idea but I probably wouldn’t want to do this either. That china is pricey and I’d hate to have a chip in it at such regular use. The candle might be expensive but I don’t like candles (my cat sets himself on fire, he’s an @$$2073!)

On the other hand… if a guest comes over and you are just you, not all done up as usual. And there’s a regular dinner prepared with regular plates and lifetime movie on in the background… they probably would feel more comfortable. And if your family came home to classical music and a candle burning (in a hurricane) with some fancy flatware and rack of lamb on the table, they probably would feel special.

So, while I’m still partially opposed to the phrase, I can see value in it’s meaning.

A new perspective on keeping house; “Make it special for us and don’t be such a Betty Crocker when friends stop over.”

While this post is meant to give a different perspective on hosting guests in our homes, next I think we’ll get into some things we can do on the daily to make our speed-clean a little easier.

I’ve been debating sharing this illness with anyone for a while now but I think it’s time. I can’t hide it any longer.

I have self diagnosed it to be “blogger’s guilt.”

Okay, I made it up entirely but it is weighing heavily on my heart.

Maybe my condition is a slight case of ADD, procrastination, overwhelmed-mom syndrome… I’m not sure yet.

Either way, I am apologizing (once again) for neglecting my blog. I set out 3 years ago to share our home, life and adventures and, personally, I’ve let myself down.

Well, today is a new day my friends! Today is the day I tell you about our home, life and adventures… for now.

Our home: It’s a mess!

~Halloween was yesterday! We are still recuperating from the festivities.

~My dining room table looks like a laundromat threw up all over it and into surrounding baskets.Not for any other reason than I. HATE. LAUNDRY.

~We’ve packed our pantry and kitchen cupboards to the point of becoming a “counter-keeping family” (another phrase I’ve just coined-right now) where we don’t have enough closet space, so, our cereal boxes and extra juice bottles are sitting on the counter.

~Our yard can now be classified as a leaf-covered meadow for frolicking fawn, which is nice; but my kids are not going out there to acquire tick born illnesses and get bitten by snakes.

~Cabin fever is beginning to set in from lack of outdoor play time.

~Baby girl #6 is awake more during the day and due to her cute and happiness factors, I will just eat her up instead of getting any work done.

~If you didn’t know, I have an etsy shop! I’m not a huge success but at night, when the kids are in bed, I’m in my workshop doing my thing.

~Another thing, if you didn’t know, we home-school. Although, this year has been extremely lax, I’m getting down to the wire and after submitting my paperwork for this session (since my Juniper turned 8 this year, it’s time to report to the state) we need to keep track and stay on task for 180 days!

~Again, if you didn’t know, I’ve been working on writing a book. (about homeschooling, actually it’s about deciding whether or not to home-school) It’s been taking me forever because of my other disorder: perfectionism. {I had to swallow my hesitation and just get it published!}

So if all that wasn’t enough, add in regular life things, like grocery shopping, changing diapers and scrolling my facebook feed ( all things imperative to living) my bitty, baby blog has taken more than the back burner…she’s fallen off the stove. So much so, google adwords canceled my account (not that $1.94 is a lot to lose ) Now, I’ll have to gain readership and activity, then reapply in the hope of creating any kind of income here.

Otherwise, you all can head over to my etsy shop and buy one of my signs 🙂

Or, sign up to receive emails and head over to Amazon and grab a copy of my new book… Deciding to Homeschool: A Guide for Parents on the Fence

That’s right! This mama has finally published an e-book!

Two years in the making, I’m proud to announce, Deciding to Homeschool: A Guide for Parents on the Fence

I couldn’t be more proud to share this with you, and I hope to help a lot of people decide if this lifestyle is right for them, and shed some light on the struggles we face as a homeschooling family.

If you read it, I hope you’ll send some feedback my way, even if it’s negative.

I’ve been holding off on publishing for quite some time; my fear of failure and my self-esteem have been stifling me.

So, why now?

Some unforeseen circumstances have presented in our life; and, to be perfectly honest, we need the money.

I know, it’s shallow and one might say I’m “selling out,” but I’m killing a couple birds here.

1. Helping support my family (if anyone actually buys it)
2. Sharing our experiences and my blunt opinions will (hopefully) help others
3. Realizing this dream of being an author, a dream I’ve had since childhood
4. Shedding some light on our life for anyone questioning themselves

So, with all these birds being killed… now, is as good a time as any.

To kick things off it’s available for FREE download until Friday, October 28, 2016!

Deciding to Homeschool: A Guide for Parents on the Fence

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/

FREE KINDLE SUBSCRIPTION

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Edited to add:

I did not experience this personally, I do not have a son. The following is an introduction from the author in the Source: Link. (I’ve added quotation marks to show her original words)

I also feel compelled to tell you that parenting is tough stuff! For a number reasons, we are all scrutinized for the tiniest indiscretion, especially when children are involved. Perhaps the mother in the post topic had a bad day, maybe the sunscreen from whichever dollar store it was purchased was really old or experienced extreme temperatures, maybe the sun was exceptionally strong that day (from a solar storm or something…).

Well, I’m not defending the mother per-say, I’m also not saying anyone who uses this sunscreen is a bad parent.

I shared the post to help anyone who might find the information and experience useful.

Maybe you or your kids have sensitive skin, maybe if you hadn’t seen this one persons account right before your vacation, you would have bought this very same product and had this very same horrific outcome.

Let’s try to be mindful of the fact that once we do or say something, anything, we cannot UN-do it. Even on the internet.

“I do not usually do things like this, but I felt compelled to share our families experience, so hopefully no one has to suffer like my son did.  Last Wednesday our family decided to go swimmin…”

Source: DO NOT BUY THIS!!!!  

My deepest apologies for the misleading post.