Real Life and Messes
Oh man, I am SO tired. Do you guys ever feel like there is far too little time and way to many things on your plate? Come on, I know I am not alone with this feeling. I don’t know if you noticed but the last few weeks, I have been pretty hit or miss on the blog. I have never felt so out of touch in blog land (at least for the last 3 years of my life). So I just wanted to chat today, since I physically and more truthfully mentally can’t think about creating some sort of tutorial.
It started with all of us getting the cold the never ended. Literally two weeks of sickness, sore throat, cough, achy… and it just wouldn’t stop, you’d have one day of a slight bit of relief followed by another week of symptoms just as bed as the first. Of course, at the time that we got sick, we had about 5 huge deadlines that could not be avoided (Murphy’s law right?). We were so dang busy that we couldn’t really stop to rest, so I am sure that prolonged things.
To top off being sick for forever, last weekend my baby broke her collar bone. So sad! I come from a family of 7 kids none of whom have ever broken a bone, and of my 25 or so nieces and nephews, none have broken a bone either, so it was rather overwhelming.
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We were visiting with family and she was happily running over to a child’s chair to eat a cookie. she sat down but somehow slipped off landing on her shoulder and head, and there was a cry of agony that I had never heard before. And she did not stop, it was SO unlike her, I immediately knew something was wrong, way more than just a bump or bruise. Luckily an Insta-care was open and we were able to get her checked out right away.
She had indeed broken her collarbone! Poor thing and of course to make it even harder for her she can no longer suck her thumb, because that is that hand that is strapped down to her body. Long story short, this whole past week we’ve just stayed at home.
We can’t put Lydia in the car seat because of her broken collarbone and the car seat straps, or at least I won’t for a few weeks. And I definitely won’t send her to daycare even if she only goes once or twice a week because it is too scary for me to think about her being knocked over or dealing with stairs alone one handed. Even at home she has fallen down a few times just running down the hall and with an arm to catch herself she now has a big goose egg in the center of her forehead.
If I felt like a bad mother when she broke her collarbone in the first place… well then you can imagine how I feel having to try to keep her from running or jumping or climbing and no swinging and no car rides… After her 2 week checkup I will try to ease up a bit, but it is hard to to worry so much and hard to see when it bugs her or is hard for her.
Additionally for the last 2 weeks I have been organizing all of our accounts to prepare for taxes. With April 15th coming up fast I was getting worried about that deadline, and the breadth of this year’s taxes was a doozy. My husband quit his job, I had a small writing gig for another company, then we became fully self employed, we moved across the country, rented out our house and started a whole new project house. So we had a lot of paperwork to wade through.
And although this is not confession, I must confess that I was irritable and may or may not have had one of the biggest fights with my husband that we have ever had, and what was it over? Double clicking the mouse…uh yeah that is exactly the truth too. We’ve both been apologizing to each other for the last few days, but geez Louise, taxes are stressful. Luckily our accountant checked it out this afternoon and submitted them right before dinner.
I mailed my state taxes, because for some reason I couldn’t pay electronically. I dropped the letter in the stamped letter bin and it was like the heavens opened and angels sang. I could FINALLY be a human again and actually go home and clean my house, a house so messy and disgusting that if you saw it you might just scream and run for your life.
(make shift counter full of dishes, this is real life people)
And I don’t mean that I haven’t dusted…. Heck I don’t dust anyway. I am talking about real life, like the entire sink full of dishes, counters stacked with dishes, no more cups, bowls or spoons in the cupboard, at least 6 loads of laundry in the single hamper in the bathroom, and that is before I go looking for the other hidden piles in bedrooms, dried crumbles of hot pink play dough and cereal and who knows what else all over the floor and every single container of toys dumped out in each of my girls bedrooms…
Anyway to celebrate filing, Justin and I decided to go on a spontaneous date. Luckily Grandma humored us! THANK YOU MOM! We got the girls in there jammies and went to see the movie the Host. I think it is the one single book I have reviewed on this blog ( I LOVE to read, I have to avoid it, cuz I do nothing else when I find a book to read, no sleeping, no moving, no thinking, just reading).
When I realized the movie was out I had to go see it. And while I am no movie critic, I REALLY liked the movie. While I was buying a gallon full of heart stopping buttery popcorn and a Coke slushie (we were celebrating here and I may or may not have smuggled in a few pumpkin cookies) one of the workers was telling her friends that she didn’t like it compared to the book, and I thought, ‘Oh bummer, I was so excited.”
Best pumpkin cookies ever, but I have a very similar recipe here, just add mini chocolate chips.
But after seeing it, I couldn’t disagree more. I really enjoyed how they edited and made a few changes. I even liked the way they portrayed the seeker’s story even more than the book. There was A LOT of kissing and it got a little old in that regard, but I love the story, I love the study of humanity that the plot line presents. I just really love the story. Go see it!! (or wait til it comes out on DVD, but I think it is at least worth seeing once)
In the mean time, forgive me for not posting about anything exciting. I have got to go clean my house.
Cassity Kmetzsch started Remodelaholic after graduating from Utah State University with a degree in Interior Design. Remodelaholic is the place to share her love for knocking out walls, and building everything back up again to not only add function but beauty to her home. Together with her husband Justin, they have remodeled 6 homes and are working on a seventh. She is a mother of four amazing girls. Making a house a home is her favorite hobby.
Thank you for being SO real! So many blogs I have read are “picture perfect” which is NOT real. I think a lot of ppl get caught up in that and compare themselves to perfect, when NO one is 🙂 I enjoy your blog so much, and thank you for being you!
Thanks Elizabeth, I wish as women we weren’t so prone to comparing, but alas even I do it all the time. We all need a dose of reality! Thanks for understanding!
I feel bad about the little one breaking her bone. That’s not easy to cater to. Hope that all the love and care she’s been getting from Mommy, finds her in better health soon.
And you, please relax. All of us have bad days and it’s absolutely OK to have a messy house for a couple of days. Hope you already feel better by venting out here 🙂
I do feel better just putting it out there! You guys are so supportive and I really appreciate the good vibes you send my way! THANK YOU!
We all have those times when life get so overwhelming, we just have to take it one day at a time! I hope your little cutie feels better soon!
Thanks Sherry me too!
First off, hugs to you and your daughter for such a traumatic injury! There’s nothing worse than seeing your child in pain, but on the upside, their little bones heal pretty quickly. 🙂 If it makes you feel any better, my daughter knocked out one of her front teeth before age two (my mom was watching her, and it was just one of those freak things – easier to forgive her than it would be to forgive myself), and she had stitches not too long afterwards. Again, freak thing – was getting off the toilet and fell and hit her head on a step stool! We all go through times like this, and you just need to remember that it’s a temporary thing, and you’ll get back to normal before you know it.
As for the dishes – times like this call for plastic cups and paper plates! 🙂
Jenny you are so right, I do need paper plates and cups!! And thank you for your understanding, it is just nice to not feel alone. I think as moms we tend to take responsibility for everything so it is hard when we feel like we are failing at half of everything… cuz who really can do everything? I just need to remember that.
I’m sorry life has got you down a little lately, and REALLY sorry for your poor baby’s broken collarbone. Sounds like you are on track to pick yourself up and keep moving; good for you! Hang in there!
Oh, no! My kids are so wild that I am terrified of them breaking something. (So far only my son has broken his finger.) Being a mom and a blogger and everything else is hard work. I have to remind myself regularly that I cannot do it all. Venting on your blog can be great therapy. 🙂
Keri, thank you for the comment.
If at all possible love this part of your life. Your kids will grow up way to fast and life will just keep going at an ever increasing rate. So “try” to enjoy!! Harder said then done sometimes. Loving the messiness. We all have that at times.
Sometimes, real life sucks sideways huh? I totally feel your pain, and live with it daily. My house is always messy (my definition of mess is WAAAY different than the man’s), the dishes and laundry are NEVER done, and somebody is always whining or crying or arguing.
Keep being real and just putting it out there. I can’t achieve perfection in myself, so why on earth would I expect it from anyone else! Honestly, it’s really nice to hear other people I admire and wish to emulate have the same crap going on behind the scenes as I do 🙂
Thanks Julie! I did feel like it was important to put it out there! No one should ever feel like everyone else has it together but just not them!
I can relate to nearly everything you said! Well, except being sick for so long. I haven’t even started gathering my tax stuff together but plan to the minute I get off this computer – if I can get off the computer. I recently had a major blowout with my Hubby too, over the silliest thing. But I think stress builds up until it’s that one thing that just sparks the fire.
Oh yes, yes it does! And holy cow, I we all know when it rains it pours! But I am just trying to stay thankful for the little things, and really I am feeling much more human today. It may have taken me literally 6 hours just to clean my kitchen, but at least it is done now… so we can keep moving forward with the rest of the house! Good luck on getting your taxes done!
Hi. Just found your blog and I didn’t mean to chuckle but it sounded so-o-o-o-o familiar. We don’t have small children but we’ve been going through our 100 year old house from top to bottom. We were ripping out tile in our living room when my mother came over to visit. Long story short. She fell off the top step at our house and was in hospital for ten days, and rehab for months. In the meantime, we had already contracted out for work to be done in our upstairs bedroom and bathroom so that was going on too. Long hard winter.
Hang in there. It will be worth it in the long run. God bless.
I hope your mother is doing better! That is SO scary! Those kinds of accidents just make you feel so helpless! I hope that you have made it through your SUPER hard winter and that the house is getting done, be it one space at a time! AND thank you for your understanding!
So sorry about your daughter breaking her collar bone. That must be so hard on her and you! Please don’t apologize for not posting a craft or project. I LOVED reading about your week and everything that has happened. It’s nice to know that you aren’t super woman and you are just like me. My daughter and I (she’s 19) were thinking about seeing The Host, but hadn’t heard anything about it yet. Thanks for sharing, so when she comes down from college in two weeks I’ll take her to see it! Thanks for your honesty and picture of your dishes piled up. Now, I don’t feel so bad about mine 🙂
Crystal you are so sweet! I hope you have fun with your daughter when she comes down, and I really hope the movie doesn’t disappoint! I really enjoyed it.
You are very wise to keep your daughter home and out of the car seat. A broken collar bone can puncture the lung underneath it and that is not pretty. I think every fight my husband have had in the last 32 years was over something stupid, a frequent topic is how much water to use on the lawn. I am glad you got through this stressful period, once your house is clean you will feel much better.
Traci
Yes you are right! And what is the deal with fights over literally nothing… we are doing a LOT better with the house getting cleaner I need at least one more full day, but it is coming along!
Poor Lydia. I hope she’ll be able to run with both arms spread in a few weeks!
ME TOO! Thanks Magali!
I think I win the “Bad Mom” award. My 2 year old fell off the bed and cried a bit. He never showed any signs of pain except when we picked him up from under his armpits. We thought he bruised his shoulder. 2 1/2 weeks later I noticed a lump on his collar bone, took him to the doctor, and yep, he had a broken collar bone! I felt horrible! (The doc said he must be a tough little guy!) There was nothing we could do since it was already healing. We didn’t even wrap it. That was at Christmas and he is fine now. Hope your daughter heals fast and is feeling well! Sometimes I think it hurts us more than our kids. Ugh, stupid mommy guilt!!!
Shannon! That is so sad! I know you aren’t the only one that has done this, my friend had a broken ankle for like 4 days. before she got into the hospital and she was a lot older. It is so hard to tell with little bitty ones how bad they feel. If they seem okay I usually brush it off too! The only reason I knew something was really wrong, is that she has NEVER cried like that in her life, or refused to cuddle with me so insistently (I was trying to give her a hug with the broken shoulder to my body and she was NOT having it! Anyway, I am SO ready to be done with the sling. Although she hasn’t complained once! It will just be really nice for her to have a second hand to reach out and catch herself or hold on the stair … a million simple things are scary with an adventurous toddler, when they only have one arm to catch themselves.
Hey, at least the dishes piled on the counter are stacked neatly (as neatly as dirty dishes can stack anyway). So points for you guys!
I’m glad to see you liked the movie, because I actually still like the host, (as apposed to quickly seeing how terrible the twilight books are upon further contemplation). It is a great idea for a universe and I’d really love to see more books. She left it wide open for a sequel. Hopefully I’ll like the movie too then! Yay!
Naomi, I have been dreaming of a sequel for so many years. Maybe the movie will be successful and it will prompt her to write a second and third book… just as long as she stays true to the groundwork she laid, I think it could be really cool to see what else happens!
And I hope you like the movie. Like I said the concession stand worker was disappointed, but I really liked how they worked things out, so I would love to hear what you think!
This too shall pass! Now that sickness is over maybe you can go outside for an afternoon of fresh spring air. It will surely take away some of that tired feeling! Let me know if we can help! Do you guys have any time to come over for dinner in the next 2 weeks? (or do you need to wait till the collarbone is healed up?) We’d love to get together:)
Katie! Thanks heaven for spring! We have a huge apricot tree in the back and it is loaded with blossoms, it has been the highlight of our last two weeks. I am so glad to get to be outside again! Lydia has her 2 week appointment on Monday, (we have not taken her anywhere in two weeks, besides church last Sunday) We are so ready for a change. Let’s plan on a time we can get together after Monday(barring any problems with her shoulder that are unforeseen) We are pretty open that I can think of up until about April 17th. Then I will be at a conference for the weekend. I can’t wait to see your house! Let me know what days work for you, and I will have to try to bring some food along to help you out. It would be fun to try a cool raw food recipe!
This only proves that we all have clutter in our house from time to time, no matter how we want to achieve that super clean look.
Hope your daughter is feeling better. As mothers, we are always worried when our little ones aren’t feeling well.
Absolutely true! And yes, Lydia is feeling much better thankfully!
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