The stuff

I love to cook and I love to put on events. It’s my favorite thing. But when the event nears and daily life doesn’t move out of my way, I start to run around like a wild monkey trying to get all my ducks in a row. Ducks and wild monkeys don’t get along. I neglect the things I believe can wait, like dirty dishes, laundry, making healthy meals, and lite housekeeping.  The problem is, I live with 3 other people and when we don’t stay on top of our daily household routines our very universe seems ready to implode and the stuff arrives.

An amazing transformation happens in our home. When we are not continually making sure our items are placed exactly where they belong, piles of stuff begin to appear all over the floor, the couch, the stairs. The children do not seem to notice this phenomenon. Once a pile appears, they like to contribute their decorative flare to the stuff by adding socks and backpacks and favorite books or toys.  Ozzie loves to contribute to the stuff by shedding his clothes like a moulting snake the moment he enters the house in a trail that leads to our bedroom, a bathroom or the couch, whichever destination he finds first.  I’m not immune. My shoes are drawn to the stuff. I didn’t even know I had that many pairs of winter shoes until they all walked themselves out of my closet and into their own stuff piles. The most amazing part is once these stuff piles appear they begin to grow!  

A secondary problem has arrived with the most recent stuff piles. We don’t have the floor space for our workout sessions! I know what you’re thinking, “move the stuff”. If only it were that simple! We look at the stuff and decide it’s bigger than we are. And this must be a sign that we are not to work out today, which turns into tomorrow then it’s been a whole week. Then you know that that leads to? FAILURE! Now we’re discouraged because we failed for a whole week to keep fit and healthy.  So I ate vanilla Jo-Jo’s by the handful, the kids ate donuts and Ozzie ate everything else.

I've had enough, I'm saying NO MORE to the stuff. This is a new week, the event that required my attention is over. It was wonderful! The kids have extra time this week, they are on ½ days all week because of parent/teacher conferences. The pantry is empty of processed foods and junk. This is OUR WEEK! We’re taking the house back from the stuff!!

There will be workouts this afternoon and a warm healthy dinner on the table tonight!