What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Thursday, February 07, 2013

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

I think I have done it! A weekly photo challenge that seems *just right*. 

 ~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~ at Like Mother, Like Daughter

I won't commit just yet (you know how overzealous I can be) but we'll see how it goes.  Post a pretty, happy, funny, and real photo every Thursday.  This might be just the ticket for my yearly photo goal.  (In which case, I'll stop with the sporatic Sunday posting- probably a good thing anyway.)

 {pretty}


My hibernating orchid finally peeks out its' pretty head.

{happy}


The older children helped me bring wood in before the "Big Storm" hits this weekend.  It is Papa's job normally, but he has been out of town all week and if we wait on him, we might have to dig 3 feet down to get it!  10 large wagonloads in all- and they were still smiling.  Good children.

 
{funny}

Boys.  They do strange things.

{real}

The Spare Oom exploded.

This week I have tackled and finished several biggish projects that I am SO glad to have (finally!) done.  But, in the business of tackling- other areas are neglected.  If I have an extraordinary school-week, the house goes to pot.  If I buckle down and get the house how I like to keep it, the schooling suffers.  I can't simultaneously have a clean house and well-educated children.  (Is this a universal phenomenon?  Please say yes.)

So- we fluctuate from clean-as-a-whistle fools to dirty, rotten smarty-pants.  It SHOULD all even out in the end, right?

Add to this, biggish projects and everything gets out of control VERY quickly.

When Matt finished flooring the upstairs hallway, it looked so lovely that I hated to put the dollhouse back in it.  Plus, the hallway is so dark-with zero natural light-that the children can only ever play that it is nighttime in the dollhouse.  But where to put a HUGE, practically life-size dollhouse in a home nearly its' size?  (I exaggerate only slightly.) 

Bedrooms are full.  Downstairs is a ain't-happening.  I am considering keeping it in (the only other option than the hallway) the nice and bright Spare Oom, where interest in it has obviously been renewed, but to do so will mean some serious changes to the room.  Where those "changes" are to be put is the question. 

With Matt being out of town all week, I have been happily working on projects and schooling and avoiding cleaning- so if you want to be REALLY real, you must know that pretty much every room of the house looks rather like that above photo.

Time to turn my attention to the house.  I have four hours to make things right, because Matt is coming home TONIGHT(hallelujah!)

13 comments:

JenniferM said...

This photo sharing seems fitting to me as each of the other blogs I follow (all 4 of them) have done the pretty-happy-funny-real thing at some point or another.

We have similar fluctuation problems here too, except that we added a newborn into the mix seven weeks ago and now we're just dirty, rotten fools! :)

Renata said...

Yes, Yes, YES!!! ~ it's definitely a universal phenomenon!
I'm sure there is a way to get balance ~ it's just eluding me :)
Love your pictures!
I cannot imagine what it must be like to have a snowstorm ( or snow for that matter), but I am amazed how much wood you needed ~ you guys are awesome for carting it all!
Hope you go well & keep warm & safe in the snowstorm !
Blessings
Renata:)

Unknown said...

I frequent the bloggy you are linking up on once in a while...I love her daughter's weddings! Gorgeous and UNIQUE!

Um....hello?! You just voiced the very bane of my existence. I am ALWAYS lamenting the awkward balance between learning and cleaning!!!!!!


:)

Bonnie said...

Woo-hoo! Live on dirty rotten smarty pants! We must be brilliant over here.

Love your photo challenge pictures!

And I am guessing that you institute the same "We don't need lights on during the day" policy that I do? (which is why DollHouse is played only at night in Deepest Dark Hallway?") I need a Spare Oom.

Bonnie said...

P.S. I know they are annoying, but spam posts crack me up with their wording. Things obviously don't translate the same....

Frugal Family Finds said...

Love the orchid! So pretty!

I like to keep my home tidy and picked up, but it is a challenge with 5 children under 10.

Messes are made in seconds and I like to remind the children to "Clean as you go, so the mess doesn't show". But I also balance that with not being so "uptight" about every little crumb, dust, etc. I want my children to be in a comfortable and clean "home", not a uncomfortable and clean "museum". I've been in homes where it was very uncomfortable because the people were so worried about their "belongings" and not the people.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Ruth said...

Love this post! I can so relate...

"Boys. They do strange things." Don't they ever! I grew up with no brothers, and now I have three boys of my own. I had some things to learn, thats for sure!;)

My house is a mess to. Gotta go do something about it.

Anonymous said...

What does the quote in the frame say?

Bonnie said...

" A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver"

Anonymous said...

Love your warm, cozy home. The orchid is beautiful....my amarylis is blooming now too...fifth year for it...not bad for a clearance rack grocery store bulb :) I know it's a bit early...but can you give the rest of us a quick tutorial of starting seeds? I'm getting the itch...I always do this time of year...but I've never had luck starting seeds. Do you use grow lights? I've found differing opinions on how to plant and since you've been successful, I'd love to hear how you do it. Thank you much!

Blessings, Janet

Rosie said...

Beautiful photos - thanks for linking up!

Rebecca said...

Well, don't I feel so much better knowing that the tidy house/productive person phenomenon is not just a me-thing!

Janet- it is beginning to be that time again! And yes, I will do a seed-starting post when the time comes- just for you! :-) But first, I must crack open those seed catalogs...

Rebecca said...

PS. Bonnie- the hallway is dark anyway and even if the lights were left on (which, yes, I am a light Nazi but one against four is hardly good odds) they are in a position that would not help the lighting in the dollhouse anyway. Which is why- the dollhouse sits in the exact same spot today as it did for that picture. (Though, granted the room is much more TIDY around it!)

And thanks for answering anonymous' question! You are handy to have around!