Although the first week of summer vacation is almost over, we haven’t slowed down to enjoy it as much as I would like. We have one final event–Mikey’s 8th birthday party, a slumber party–on the 23rd. The rest of the summer is three family birthdays, music camp, and swim camp. Even I can handle a future like that. But first, the present. Actually, the past week. Here are some of the things that made me happy.
::� On Saturday I went back to eating in a healthy and sane manner. I feel so much better, although I do get cranky if I let my meals get behind an hour or two. Skipping meals is my signature. Funny how that lack of self-care isn’t as tolerated when you don’t allow yourself to graze all day.
::� Sunday was an opportunity to see my brothers, as you know. It’s so wonderful to see how much my boys love their cousin, and how the feeling is mutual.
::� You know what I did on Monday and Tuesday? I had a friend and her children over for a play date/help me finish this damn album editing session. My house wasn’t perfect. In fact, it was a quite cluttered. She is a known perfectionist with an immaculate home. Sorry, a known perfectionist with an immaculate home who happens to be architectural historian. No pressure! But here’s the thing. I’m trying really hard to get over my anxiety over the “not perfect in my head” condition of my home. I want the boys to enjoy having people over, and I want them to have fun with their friends. I would be perfectly content to stay inside all day reading. Screw people! The boys, though, are social butterflies who love showing their friends their toys, rooms, dog dishes, the Kleenex box that has squares like Elmer the Elephant…you name it. So I had people over when the house was messy and we were out of toilet paper. I overheard Mikey ask his friend, “Are you have a good time? Because I think this is the best day of my life.” Sniff.
::� There was a package on our doorstep on Wednesday, which I ignored. I thought it was for the Mister, who gets packages every day. Wrong! It was a package for yours truly, and inside were my book club picks for July and August.
:: Thursday was dance recital for two of my three nieces. I think they tore up the stage, of course. I planned ahead and brought my dinner in a cooler, which I snarffled down like a Saint Bernard during intermission (dance recitals are four hours long, easy). I made a broccoli coleslaw and added simple turkey sandwich meat, which I tore apart with my fingers outside the high school auditorium. It was the best salad of my life. I said as much to the Mister, and he asked me if it tasted so good because I was starving. Who the hell cares, I said in between enormous bites. He laughed and said I had a point.
:: I’m going to take the choir album I nearly lost my mind over to my friend’s house today, Friday. It was on my doorstep last night when we got home from the recital. You guys, it looks so good. It made the Mister tear up, and I’m actually pleased with the way it turned out. I can’t wait to pretend to be modest about the whole thing on Monday at our choir party. Perhaps I’m being rash, but I just might have a little scrapbooker in me after all!
This weekend is Father’s Day. I think the Mister is playing golf with his brother. My dad wants to take the boys to see Madagascar 3. If I go to bed at a decent hour tomorrow, I might work up the energy to clean our back porch. It’s frightening.
Dude, the house thing. I had two different friends over today while I was working and I looked around and was all, “Meh”. The downstairs bathroom was clean and that’s all that I really cared about.
I’m glad your album turned out well.
I need to remember that. I tried to pick up a little bit but forgot the bathroom, which is the most important part! It was clean (THANK GOD) but there was no toilet paper. Wop. Wop.
What a great week!
Congratulations for successful scrapbooking! Why am I not surprised it turned out awesome?!
Have a great weekend- Cheers!
Same to you, Jeen-Marie!
My mother was excellent at not worrying about the state of the house – a few things might get thrown in a closet, but generally, if you came over: you got what you got. I really do think it’s important to not stress about such things, but also easier said that done! Good for you for trying – sometimes it starts with the people closer to you because you trust them enough. :)
P.S. Could you share that broccoli slaw recipe? I found the broccoli slaw mix in the grocery store years ago and love it, but don’t always know the best way to use it. Thanks!
One of Mikey’s friends is excellent at not worrying. I mean, Valedictorian of not worrying about the house. She has kids over there all the time. Total open door house. I’m envious of that–within reason.
Congrats on the album (totally not surprised)! And I loved Mikey’s quote . . . sigh. A happy weekend, indeed!
I’ve had to give up any idea of perfectionism when inviting friends over (there’s a certain bacon incident that keeps me nothing but humble). Martha Stewart I am not–but I like to think my personality makes up for a lot. We can only hope.
With that, a bright, happy weekend, too!
I want to hear about the bacon incident!
Well . . . I had invited a friend over for lunch. True to form, I opted to try out a new recipe–bacon jalapeno quiche–and I was running late. I had barely poured the mixture in the pan when I realized it wasn’t deep enough. Naturally, that’s when the doorbell rang. So, my guest was greeted by a kitchen in complete disarray. I told her to make herself at home while I went back to mashing down the mixture as if applying chest compressions. And that’s when my friend bent down and came up holding a piece of bacon . . . a whole piece of raw bacon, which I had, apparently, at some point, managed to fling clear across the room without knowing it. Sigh. It’s amazing we’re still friends . . .
Yay!!!! SO glad you had people over, are working on your eating plan, and are happy with the album!! LOL – can’t wait to pretend to be modest. :D
I’m really bad about having people over because of the house (oh yeah – and that “I’d rather be reading” thing.) And yet we are invited over regularly by a wonderful family – we have fantastic times there – and they are not “house people”. It’s not dirty – but it’s not really neat, they serve us dinner with mismatched napkins and plates (the horror! LOL) and we have great food and great company. I really want to work on being better about having people over – thanks for the inspiration.
You just described the mom of Mikey’s friend. It’s just not important to her, which is so awesome. She’s completely relaxed the whole time!
Ugh I never have people over unless I can practically kill myself getting the house spotless in preparation. Which means I never have people over. Wop wop.
This is me, down to the never having people over. Wop wop.
About the house thing…I think that the better the friend, the less I care. So maybe my anxiety is a barometer of the relationship? As I posted to the WM project yesterday, I got all weird about people coming to the house this week–because they were my daughter’s friends, and she hasn’t done this kind of thing before, and I remember my own junior high circle of social hell. Last Christmas I had a party for close friends and for some reason (why do we do this?) we began tearing wall paper off the kitchen wall two days before the party. Didn’t care at all. (Neither did anyone else.) Love Mikey’s question to his friend!
That sounds like an AWESOME Christmas party. One I would totally go for!
“I can’t wait to pretend to be modest about the whole thing…” HAHAHA. I love this. Love these happy happy posts.