Keeping it real...

Yesterday was a GREAT day!  And today was really good... but reality/discouragement took hold a bit tonight.

So why?  Well things in this household, with 4 boys ages 5yr, 2 - 3yrs, & 1yr old, tend to balance on the edge of what I call survival living... always doing the basics, but isn't that what motherhood is all about?  Possibly, but my husband and I dream of something more!   We would both love for the house to be cleaner and more organized and orderly so that come that one wonderful day of the week when we have a whole day with Daddy, we aren't spending it cleaning!  We have tried multiple times to find solutions and techniques to help me keep up with it all... to no lasting avail.  I took a great class called "A clean house in minutes a day" a year or so ago from Mary Ann of Mary Ann's Cupboards... but didn't implement it into my home at that time (due to Andrew being born).  So I pulled out my class binder and started looking at it. We decided that a good deal of the problem was that our mornings were starting off way to slow with a lot of bad habits.  So we went through and laid out a plan of new good habits to have and do everyday so that I am able to accomplish something more than the absolute basics.  Our day now starts at 6am, earlier if we want any personal study time.  And the first day was AWESOME!  I also found ways to distract the boys from all TV or computer (myself included) for the whole day!!!  We had a great day the best, happiest, and fun filled we've had in a long time!!  On top of that I got a lot of cleaning and organizing done!

Today started off really good... but then a few old habits slipped in, and things started going down hill... I got distracted on the computer for 1/2 hr, and lost the pace that I'd been moving at.  And at the end of the day, honestly my house seems like it is back to square one... floors need vacuumed, mopped, dishes need done, laundry needs folded, toys are scattered, and oh how the paper piles are my nemesis!  No wonder they say a mother's work is never done, whether than means mothering the children, or working in the home it applies both ways I'm sure.  I'm exhausted... so good night and hopefully tomorrow I'll stay on track and feel a little more accomplished by the end of the day.  Though if I look at it through the eyes of being a mother (not the housewife eyes) then today was really good.  The boys had a fun day, we read stories, had "school" time, made bread, went to the park for a picnic with daddy, went shopping, tried to fly a kite in our culdesac, and I feel that I did much better than usual at keeping my patience and responding in loving ways.  Keeping it real... trying to keep a balance.