My heart aches for other moms who are suffering. Right now my heart aches for the mothers and children whose lives have been destroyed by the lies spread by the Fundamental Mormon Church. If you are a mom out there who has freedom to dress, speak, live and pray, let's praise Jesus for freedom in Him. And let's join together this week and remember those moms (and their children) who may never know the Truth and whose dignity have been destroyed. From one mom to another, let's lift them up.
A friend of mine, who is the self-proclaimed "messy one", told me about this website: www.flylady.net. As helpful, and as funny, as the site might be to some, I began to think about how far we SAHM's have come (or how far we've declined) when a website such as this one is needed. With articles such as Crisis Cleaning 101, Before Bed Routine, and How to Declutter, I can't help but wonder where in the world did we go wrong?
My Grandma woke up before sunrise to begin the day: ironing, breakfast, get everyone out the door to work and school, laundry, vacuuming, dusting, dishes, picking up, etc. This is a woman who found time to raise four sons and still iron every bedsheet and hanky in the house. If you've never slept on a crisp, freshly ironed sheet you are really missing a treat. I remember sleeping over at my grandparents' house and sleeping on sheets pulled from the cedar chest that had been placed in there neatly pressed. A little over five years ago I inherited my grandparents' dining room furniture. To this day some of my Grandma's crisply ironed tablecloths remain neatly folded in the drawer of the sideboard. I like to pull them out periodically and look at them (without unfolding, of course) as a way to remember my Grandma. They are as crisp as the day they were placed in there -- a testament to good ironing.
So now, in 2008, we have a website devoted to telling us younger generation SAHM's how to tackle a messy house in 15-minute increments, instructing us to take coffee and/or tea breaks in between so we don't get "burned out." By no means do I have a spotless house, but really, I'm not sure how I could ever get my house clean and keep it clean in 15-minute increments. From the time I wake up in the morning until the time I sit down in the evening after the children are in bed, I am cleaning, straightening, washing, sorting, folding, ironing, scrubbing, cooking, diapering, bathing, and on and on.
The website is probably a really great tool for those trying to get started. But there's no replacement for experience and hard work. The more I work around my house the easier it becomes. Like any job, you get better as the months and years progress. You learn ways to work smarter not harder. Here are some tricks I found:
1) Filling your sink with hot soapy water will make your sink and disposal clean all in one step;
2) Cleaning the tub and shower is easier when you are in there taking a shower;
3) Cleaning out the refrigerator and wiping down the shelves is best done when it's empty and you are in desperate need of grocery shopping;
4) De-cluttering is one of the easiest household jobs. Therefore, keep bathrooms and kitchens wiped down frequently and floors vacuumed in case of surprise guests. You can pick up a few toys and dirty laundry faster than you can vacuum and scrub your toilets.
Nobody taught these to me. I learned them through experience. I imagine my Grandma had her tricks through the years, too. If only she were here to share them with me. Sort of like my very own "Fly Lady."
What an amazing show tonight on Idol. I loved, and when I say loved I mean totally love loved every second of it. Even if you think Dolly Parton is a cheesy, big-haired (and more), honky-tonk singer you still have to give her props for her amazing song-writing talent. I think her voice is amazing and she looks young enough to be my sister. Most Idol contestants did well with her songs, which is a testament to her amazing song-writing skills. If you missed it, you can check out the performances at www.americanidol.com (at 10:23 p.m. the Dolly performances were not yet posted online, but check back).