Spring Cleaning

I've been spending my days mostly OUTSIDE enjoying picture-perfect weather. It's been heavenly the last few days.

I got all "domestic" and felt the urge to bake--and made two smashingly-good strawberry pies. One for the new neighbor, and one for ME ('cause there is not much sharing when it comes to strawberry pie, folks). Delicious.

When I dropped off my neighborly boon, B invited me in and showed me her house. I had to ask, "Um, HOW LONG have you been living here?" Because despite her "only two month" apologies, the house was quite neat and tidy and PAINTED and not an unpacked box to be seen. Now, we don't have too many boxes in sight, as most have been secreted down to the out-of-sight, out-of-mind basement, but we have nary a picture hanging, have only painted the kids' rooms (and are unhappy with the results of the mysteriously peeling paint in one, and the too, too dark, oppressive colors of the other), and have just a sense of incompleted-ness about our cluttered place.

I decided to get to work (because who knows when B will show up to return my precious pie plate?), so yesterday I tooled around the bedrooms picking up, sweeping, and putting clutter in order as I've never done before. Now when I walk upstairs, I see a clean hallway with a peek into almost-clean kids' rooms ('cause they are never FULLY without cluttered clothes hanging 'round no matter how many times I say, "PLEASE put your clothes in the basket"), and a quite tidy master bedroom (albeit with a still half-toddler bed it in, as the darn thing is being uncooperative about coming apart). I'm feeling quite housewifely and neat now and am afraid of when it'll all come crashing down about my ears again. I cannot control the neatness of my kids and ESPECIALLY not my husband. I'm quite the clutterer myself, and although I do think I've gotten better in the last few years, I know the tendency is quite there and my laziness will ruin my picturesque house in a few days time. MUST CONTROL URGE TO CLUTTER.

And with the lovely spring weather the need for new clothes became urgent. I've gotten too plump in my derriere for comfort and had to face facts and buy new capris and other spring stuffs. I'm not lamenting the weight gain too much. I always get especially thin after having a baby, so it stands to reason that once the nursing is done, and winters go by, I do start to plump back up a bit. So I don't fret the need for new clothes too much, as really it's only a trip back to my "normal" size. So last night I spent some money saved from X-mas and b-day and bought some badly needed clothes. I'm not the most fashionable person, but I do see the need for new duds from time to time, and I'm especially thrilled with the conquest of new jeans for less than $10 a piece!

I must use this new spring energy for good and get outside with my kids and not let the plumpness continue now that the baby-making days are over. So after I finish off this strawberry pie (!), I will continue to make strides to take more walks and continue the healthy eating I do honestly try to pull off year round....