"My house is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy."

I spent the weekend trying to accomplish the tasks that never seem to be finished. Josie was with her dad and I had (still have) a long list of TO DO's. Papers to grade, laundry to wash/fold/put away, cleaning, lawn to mow, gardens to weed, groceries to gather, meals to plan, beds to change, bathrooms to scour, and windows to wash. I worked on and off, stopping to read emails, chatted with my sister (a much needed break), found some new recipes for the crockpot, sorted mail, brushed the dogs, and here I am at the end of the weekend feeling like I have accomplished nothing on my list.

The dog hair I vacuumed yesterday must have crawled out of the vacuum during the night, the laundry I put away Friday is already showing up dirty in the laundry basket, the weeds I pulled this morning have sprouted in a different bed, and the turtles' aquarium that was scrubbed on Saturday morning is already turning foggy. It seems like I'll never feel caught up.

If my mother would walk into my house at this very moment I'd be embarrassed by the mess! She worked full time, had three busy children and her house was/is always immaculate. How did she do it??? I didn't acquire her Neat Gene, unfortunately. I seem to be more like my dad with several ongoing projects and messes spread throughout.

I try to imagine my house without dog hair, toys picked up, repairs squared away, weeds all pulled, kitchen surfaces clean, laundry put away---but then I realize that it wouldn't feel at all like home.

Lucky for me, I have a helper who is just as happy to help clean up as she is to help create the mess. Last week while I was mopping the floors, she took it upon herself to give Bentley a bath in the backyard with a garden hose and then proudly ran inside WITH a very wet Bentley and muddy feet to show me her good deed.

And so it goes..."My house is clean enough to be healthy & dirty enough to be happy."(Author Unknown but wise!)