Suzie Homemaker

I call this time of year "when the seasons collide". For my own sanity and the enjoyment of the kids, the last few years we have gone straight from Halloween to Christmas decor. This pumpkin we finally got carved last weekend.

Week 1 of vacation is coming to an end and I've been Suzie Homemaker. I've been busting my butt and really, it's been no vacation as I think the only time I've really sat is when giving breathing treatments and on rare occasion to eat, but I'm feeling so proud, in control, and happy with where I'm at and what I have accomplished. The inside and outside of the house are decorated for Christmas, which was no easy feat and involved some major house rearranging. Max's train table that has lived in the family room the last two years is now in his room along with the garage he got from Santa last year. The rocker that was in the family room is now in the twins room (had to swap out because in order to make room for the tree it would have been open with no back wall support and I didn't want to chance one of the kids standing in it and tipping it and doing a face plant into the tile) which involved moving the glider in the twins room into the office and the chair in the office into the family room with its matching partner. I've also done things like moved the excersaucers to the garage moved around toy shelves and taken the leaf out of the kitchen table and moved two chairs to the garage to make the table round. The last few meals the four of us have sat together with the twins in the high chairs without the trays pushed up to the table to eat. I've also had company which helped as my cousin did all the outside lights and her daughter was a big help in decorating the tree and the inside. But, it is also more work in more to cook for, clean up, and more mess. Plus, there was Thanksgiving and cooking/pie baking for that even if I didn't host. The house is far from spotless, but it's looking so much better. I did a deep dive on the floors (meaning rugs pulled up and vacuumed/mopped under) in the family room/kitchen today testing out the new Shark steam mop my cousin bought this week on my behalf that the PT had recommended (because we stay strictly on topic...NOT) that my cousin has and also recommended that was not only on sale, but at a place where I had a 20% coupon. I loved it. I am under no delusions that it will stay that way past 7:30 am tomorrow morning. Yet, tonight while the kids sleep, it looks great.

The majority of all this was done while the kiddo's slept so I could still give them some quality time. And, it was all done with us all under the weather with colds and coughs. I had some flashbacks of last Thanksgiving weekend in the hospital with R as he had croup and strider earlier in the week, but I was extremely aggressive with breathing treatments and he is on the up swing as am I after a much needed nap on Saturday morning while the twins slept and Aunt Terri took Max on an adventure.

Week 2 of vacation I do not plan to rest on my laurels. I want to do a clean up/de-clutter of Max's room and rearrange the twins room to make things better fit after the bigger rocker has been added. I'd also like to get clothes sorted with the right sizes and a deep dive in my room, but I'm counting that as too ambitious as I'm flying solo all week and will really only have when the twins nap and after bedtime.

I'm a bit surprised as being home with the kids is harder and much more physical than the day job I get paid to do, but as crazy and busy as the week has been it has left me wishing I was and could afford to be a say at home mom. I'd have to pace myself more than the sprint of last week, but it would be easier to keep up I think. Noemi works hard, but she isn't as fast and efficient as I am and she would never/could never do the major reworking and organizing that has been needed. I'm tired. I ache. I have a cough and running nose. And, I haven't felt this good and in control since way before the twins were born maybe/probably since they were concieved.

So, next week, week 2 of vacation will be another sprint where I tackle a few rooms and do some more internet Christmas shopping with at least one grocery/Costco run with the twins and schlepping the twins to and fro running Max to school. Then, a two week sprint of work, then hopefully a real vacation to enjoy the holiday. There is really no reason to push myself so hard except personal satisfaction and that is more than enough for me. It just make me happy to feel so caught up.

ps. Thanks for all the recipes. I've been fitting them in as I can. Tomorrow will likely be CoCo's manicotti for supper and the day after the Cabbage dish left in the "Eats" post.