Organized... What's that?!

I stopped by octamom's blog and she wrote a post about how her priorities have had to change in the perfection department after having kiddos.  Boy am I following in her footsteps.  I love organization.  As a matter of fact, I'm addicted to it.  The problem is, I truly can't feed my addiction. I like everything to be in a designated spot in a desinated container with labels and sections and the whole gambit.  I would love for my floors to be clean of all debris and toys and somewhat sanitary on a daily basis, but its not gonna happen.  I honestly get about five minutes to savor a freshly vacuumed floor before it is decimated by two boys in rubber boots who decide right then to come inside with mud, rocks, dirt or some other unknown substance being trekked across the floor.  I have gotten them in the habit of taking off their shoes when they come in the door, but for some reason that only keeps the dirt at bay for a short while.... somehow it travel...  yeah.  

Toys.  I don't even know if I want to go there.  The idea is always to keep the toys in their bedroom.  It doesn't work that way at all.  (Only if we leave right after breakfast in the morning and don't get home 'til bedtime.  hahaha.) Instead we have the nightly ritual of picking up the toys before bed time.  I did honestly try to have the toys picked up continuously during the day, but that battle was lost and I surrendered!  Making up beds is another one that's pretty laughable.  I think I might work on it when we have real beds in a real bedroom in our own house someday.  Until then, I get to my bed every now and then and it looks nice until the boys head its way. :)

In all honesty, God has really worked on me in this area.  I used to get so irate when things weren't done just the way I wanted.  Or I would go back and make sure they did get done that way.  For instance, when Sam and I were first married, we agreed that I would do the dishes and he would do laundry.  Well, having been in the military and having a specific way I folded stuff, I would actually go back and refold anything that wasn't the way I wanted it to be.  Yeah!  Let's just say that I was broken of that habit. When you do stuff like that, it just makes the other person not want to even bother.  Plus, I don't ever want my kids to feel like their abilities aren't good enough for me.  Its still a work in progress, of course.  I'm now learning how to let my children help me do dishes and fold clothes and sweep and mop the floor.  I certainly don't want to discourage any of that willingness because I can see a point at which they will get good at it and do it so that it works for our family the way it need to and I won't be carrying the whole load myself.  Woo-hoo!  Oh, yeah and I've even gotten to the place that if someone else offers to do some chore for me, I am just grateful and don't even care if its different than how I do it.  The point is, I didn't have to do it!  Yay!!!!!

I'll have to take pictures sometime of Braden and Zekey doing the dishes.  I do the actual washing and Braden rinses everything for me. (I'm pretty sure there is a dishwasher in our future....someday....bueller...bueller....)  When we get done with that, I fill both sides of the sink with a little soapy water and some dish brushes and let both boys "do dishes".  They also always want to help me sweep the floor.  I'm gonna get them some kid-sized brooms and dust pans.  I think that will help a lot of things stay upright on the counters and keep the broom handle from bopping someone (me) in the head! ;D  I've come up with an alternative to the mop.  I fill the sink with semi-soapy water,  soak some microfiber towels in it, put several on the floor and skate around on them.  The boys, especially Zekey, like this method of mopping the floor.  Niiice.

Folding clothes is still an experiment.  I usually give the wash rags and hand towels to the boys and let them do those since they are much easier to fold than anything else.  Its a 12-step program.  I might make it through.  Have to let you know.

There's more, but I'm gonna stop here.