Before We Were Home: The End

And within less than 24 hours we were told school would go on before we were told it wouldn't. 

So we spent Day 1 doing a very deep clean, before we realized fully that we may have needed to hoard some cleaning products. 

Deoderizing

A little fall cleaning, as in a lot of fall cleaning.

And Now We Are Normal

Cleaning. 

This is normal.

The cat exploring. 

This is not normal since the dog was right downstairs, so we'll call this a good new normal.

Yes, they eat all of those in one meal after completing the math to determine how many they can each have. 

A house warming gift from my parents-- 

one of my favorites from way back in Memphis. 

The Texas Hibiscus is finding a home and growing like mad.

That

became this.  

And now I can go through my little door and put my clothes away directly in my closet instead of hauling them through the kitchen.

Stained and screened and shaking a fist at all of the flies around here.

And when Ben asks for 100 of grandma's peanut butter cookies, I have the pleasure of accommodating. Normal. 

Now we plan to hunker down and slow down.

Elaine Cleans

Having now experienced six houses over the last eight years, we have opinions.  Porcelain-covered gas stovetop covers set in place on a sheet of glass--one we would never, ever choose for ourselves, ever.  Cleaning is a nightmare, until you get out the handheld electric sander with a steel wool attachment and douse it with a cleaning abrasive.  Then you have half a chance. 

Broken

Washing machine.

Two days before I have to leave the country for two weeks.

The children may not be clean, but I trust they will be alive when I return.

Spring Cleaning

Some people vacuum their cars, the Stubers use the blower to get in all the nooks.

That's how we roll.

Fall Cleaning

When you show up with that on your head, you must be put to work.

Spring Cleaning

Nicholas stuck with it through the whole drive and walk, and I have never been more thankful for his tenacity.

My Favorite Gift

Look at those rods and reels all organized on the wall back there.  Believe it or not, cleaning out the garage was one of the best things to happen over the break, during which we stayed home, accomplished a few things, and hung out with the kids for a week without hanging on work too much.

 

The air hockey table--free from a friend who was cleaning out her own garage.

Favorite gift Number 2. 

Egg Roulette

Hard boil eight of a dozen eggs and mix them up in the carton.

 

Select said eggs at random and smash them on your head.

 

You are bound to break a few yokes.

 

The first with two yokes to break over their head is the loser.

 

Poor Alida is breaking her second here.

Then Elaine, the winner, just broke one over her head anyway for good measure.

Summer Rituals: Cleaning this place out

 

Find the beach towels on the last day of summer...

 

Throw all of this crap out of the cupboard and figure out what it is.

 

Have a clean cupboard for two hours.

Christmas in July

 

Texted to me: a picture from the car wash during a pre-July 4th-weekend cleaning of the car.

 

Nasty.

Spring Cleaning

During Spring Break.

They weren't so amused.

November: Housecleaning

15 years of records tucked neatly in our files.

It was time to let go of the utility bills from our first apartment....

I feel at least 15 pounds lighter now.

Good Bye

13 years old.

First purchase for our first house two years after we were married.

I'm pretty sure it took us a year to pay them off back then.

They had five and a half years of pretty easy life.

And then we started having kids.

The drum of the washer was stripped, and the dryer couldn't keep a thermostat without blowing it.

We estimate 5,000 loads later (no that's no joke), it was time to say good-bye.

The new, well I've already lost track of how many loads a week later, but I do know that it doesn't take three cycles to get clothes dry any more.

Help

I did tell her to clean the mirror.

Saturday Mornings

Well, they aren't so disasterous when we crawl out of bed and see what they're up to now days.

Kind of constructive, really.

Happy New Year!

Time to put on your coat and sweep the living room carpet....

Randomness: November

When Patric had to work one Saturday last month, I put them to work cleaning.

They loved it, and then they blew through four different bottles of cleaning supplies.

By the time Patric came home, I had a raging migraine.

They'll wear pigtails sometimes now, which is cute.

Then they'll insist on having four or five put in their hair--whatever.

I went out and bought non-toxic cleaning supplies after that day.


She was really making a stand.

Until she got hit.

Ben building castles.

We let them decorate the tree this year and they did a great job.

Sisters--breaking into spontaneous, loving hugs every now and again.

And then, the first night when we came down from tucking everyone in, the tree had fallen over.

Whoops.

My brother and nieces came to visit over Thanksgiving weekend. It was great to see them. Nicholas was a little ramped up though.

This wig has seen better days.

Playing doctor at our house involves sawing and clamping with the tools.

Can You Guess?

Which boy lives like this, and

which boy lives like this?