What do I do?!

I been asked a few times in my course so far of mothering and house wifery how I do what I do as far ask keeping the house and all that jazz. So I thought I would take a few minutes do give kind of a run through of what I do!

The first thing I do in the morning is make the bed! For me, if making the bed is the only cleaning I do in the day... well, I can still feel accomplished. Why? Because it showed me that I got out of bed and didn't plan on hanging out in it till the end of the day. Plus as an added bonus I love folding clothes on a made bed.... there's plenty of room and you can see what you are working with!

Then comes getting the kiddos up and fed around 7:30 - 8:00. Once breakfast is done, the dishes go right into the dishwasher. Usually while the kids are eating I take out the clean dishes from the dishwasher, so that their breakfast items can go right in. I don't like having dishes pile up in the sink... while it has been known to happen, I don't like it and am usually quick to take care of it when the moment presents itself! Now that Bobcat is older, he is learning how to load it. He can't reach things in the sink, but he will clear the table and place things in the dishwasher! Like the FlyLady says... every thing is always better with a nice shiney sink!

Also, I don't like clutter on my counters... so when ever a meal is finished, everything is cleaned... nothing is left out! Everything has its place!!!!

Once the kitchen has been picked up from breakfast, and while the boys are still finishing up I take a few minutes to get laundry going. I don't always do laundry every day. Probably 4 days a week, and sometimes on Saturday if we've done yard work... I don't like sweaty clothes to just sit in there and smelly everything up! And while I'm in there I will make sure everything is tidied up. Daddio was nice enough to install a set of cabinets (above my machines) last year, and we put in that shelf when we got the new machines, and behind the door there are a set of hanging baskets! This way there is plenty of storage for all my odds and ends and things don't have to be left sitting out!

Next it is time for school (or Mass then school depending on the day). Depending on the work for that day, I either sit the entire time with the boys, or if I'm able to leave them to work independently I head off to the laundry and get a load folded and ready for them to put away. Otherwise I fold the laundry done that morning once school is done... and the boys will come and put their own things away. I'm not perfect (by any stretch), so there are times when clean clothes my spend some time in a basket in my room till I'm ready to tackle it (even with the new machines, laundry is still one of my least favorite tasks).

That takes us up to lunch and naptime... PAPER PLATES! If I can feed the kids on paper... I DO... so I don't have to do as many dishes! And then they are down for a 2 hour nap. During nap time am able to clean bathrooms(Tuesdays and Fridays), mop the floors (once or twice a week), finish up any more laundry (specialty stuff like sheets and towels on Thursdays or Fridays) that I want to get done for the day, eat my own lunch, cook dinner, and depending on the weather and I can even get yard work done! Oh, and check email, read blogs, and blog myself.

Let me introduce you to my little friend! I call him Purpie (uh... cause he purple)... and I LURVE HIM!!!! After nap time (around 3 - 3:30) I vacuum. (I've already swept the hard surfaces into the carpeted area so that can just be vacuumed up). And vacuuming usually happens everyday around here!

Now, you might be asking yourself why I vacuum everyday... meet reasons 1 & 2:

Maggie (part Pom and Australian Sheperd) and Daisy (100% beagle):

Dog FUR!

Now, during most of this cleaning someone is usually with me... one of the boys that is. Playing with toys near my feet, helping with folding, reading me stories, helping me cook stuff that couldn't be done ahead of time... I try to make the most out of nap time working as quickly and efficently as possible so that I am nearly done when the boys are up, and during the time they are up and I'm cleaning it is happening in between play sessions with the boys.

There are days things don't go according to a tidy schedule, and Daddio will come home to laundry still piled on the bed, or me still vacuuming with Snookie hanging on to my leg. But at the end of the day I'm a happy mom when I have a clean house, and I know that Daddio likes to come home to a clean house.

I happen to be one of those people who likes a certain amount of control and order, and over the years I've found that life is crazy, child rearing is messy, homeschooling can be chaotic... but a clean and orderly home gives me order and a sense of clarity! Cleaning calms my nerves, and actually makes me a better person!

So there you have it! Throw in grocery shopping on Fridays and you pretty much have what we do, playing in the rain in the front yard, making bed forts, sitting on Mommy's back while I read and you play, making up songs... and some sort of music always on... that's my day till Daddio returns home from a day at the office!