This Is What It's Supposed To Look Like

My living room, the way I would like it to look everyday. It only looks like this when I get the house to myself for a few hours and get busy cleaning while listening to A Prairie Home Companion. The couch then beckons me to sit down and knit the heel flap on Aidan's sock. Clean house + knitting = happy mommy.


Unfortunately, my house does not always look like the above picture. Rest assured that within twenty four hours, the Legos in the picnic basket will be dumped, the ottoman will be covered with books and abandoned math assignments, the window seat will be covered with more books and items that need to be returned to neighbors, the cushions on the couch will be propped up and covered with blankets, and there will be five shoes and three socks on the floor.

As my grandma said on her last visit, "Your house looks lived in." I have learned that living is messy business, and while I sometimes envy people who don't bring extra messes into their lives by crafting, remodeling, thrifting or homeschooling, we all haves messes of one kind or another, and no house is impervious to dust, dirt or clutter. Sooner or later, everyone's ceiling fan will look like this:

Some just clean it sooner than others.