I'm 41 today. Woot. I always get too philosophical on my birthday. It's kind of like my New Year, the day when I sit and reevaluate and try to parse out what is good and bad from life.
I shouldn't complain. I have a nice house in a good school district, two healthy kids, and a DH of 14 years. Money in the bank and a plan.
But some things are still out of control! Any ideas or helpful hints would be greatly appreciated.
1. The mess. I spend soooo much time cleaning up, and yet the house is never clean. Two little boys and a hub sure do make messes and destroy stuff. Is there a way to manage this? Is it possible to keep the house tidier without spending all my time behind a broom?
(I am in my second round of major decluttering. I figure less stuff= less to manage/clean, But I'm not sure it'll work that way)
I got angry about this yesterday. It was my first day working outside in the garden, and I realized the yard was a huge mess. Raccoons had knocked over an extra trash can--which I thought was empty because I never put anything in it. Well, hubby apparently put something in it this winter, because there was an old garbage bag of food strewn everywhere. There's a stack of wood in the driveway that hubby promised he'd chop 6 months ago, and it's still there.
Gah. I got angry because I felt like I am the only one who cares, and the only one who does the work. We have a house in a nice area, and because of stuff like this, it's the shabbiest house on the block. I want it to look nice!
I can't do it all alone. There is too much. Too many jobs, too much work, but DH doesn't seem to care, and the boys destroy destroy destroy...
2. Career. I have kind of always suspected that career was a hollow ambition. I'm thinking about this because the in-laws just left.
My inlaws were defined by their jobs, and worried constantly about career and doing 'what they were supposed to do' as far as the life script: moving up, up, up! they don't understand our casual approach to work, and my MIL is hand-wringing about my decision to let go of a lot of my freelance work. She's worried about my 'career'. She followed me around for 3 days nagging about it. Gah!
So... of course I am thinking. I have figured out a few things in the last year.
A. I don't want to work at a newspaper again. Journalism is no longer a field I want to be in.
B. I kind of want the next stage of my life/ career-wise to be a mix of fiction-writing and hobby farming. Okay okay. I know it sounds crazy. I am very realistic. It's not big money and it could flop. But I feel like I should try. It's now or never. And I don't expect to write a blockbuster, I'd be happy with eventually building up a small, but solid income from those sources.
3. Finally, I want more creation in my life. More creativity, more writing, more paintings. Now, time is the issue. The youngest isn't in school all day until fall. But I feel like my life and ambitions have been on hold for 8 years waiting for that to happen for two kids. I'm tired of being on hold. Is there a way to add more creativity into my daily life? I can't write when the kids are here. I've tried. They interrupt constantly. But maybe I could move some art supplies upstairs, so I could paint in the dining room while we're home together int he afternoons? Maybe they'd even join me.
So this is what I'm thinking about on my rainy 41st birthday. I'm not mental, I swear. 
Year ahead? Birthday thoughts...
March 13th, 2016 at 04:32 pm
March 13th, 2016 at 05:41 pm 1457890892
Since you mentioned wanting to keep things tidy, I have to mention this book I just finished reading.Its called "The life-changing magic of tidying up" by Marie Knodo. It is a real easy read and I got it from my library. There are quite a few videos on YouTube on it as well. Her method involves de-cluttering or tidying as she call it by category instead of by room. She advocates keeping things that only spark joy in your life. So the categories includes clothes, books, paper, miscellaneous, and memos. For instance her method involves taking all of your clothes out and dumping them on the bed or floor. Then you touch each item, and instead of focusing on what you are discarding, focus only on keeping those items that brings you joy.
I did this the other day with my master closet and man what a difference taking everything out of the closet and drawers made! I had stuff that I hadn't worn or seen in years! Unfortunately some even had price tag still on them. I highly recommend this book!
March 13th, 2016 at 06:22 pm 1457893371
March 13th, 2016 at 08:36 pm 1457901416
March 13th, 2016 at 08:46 pm 1457902010
And, wealthywarrior, I have read that book. It was simple, but worthwhile.
March 13th, 2016 at 09:18 pm 1457903884
I have girls, so maybe I can't relate to boys. But I do find my husband doesn't pick up as well as I do. Some of us are more detail minded than others. Luckily he loves mowing the lawn, and is willing to clean! Kids can be taught to do some cleaning chores, too, they just need some supervision initially. And likely a reminder until the learn the routine.
March 13th, 2016 at 09:48 pm 1457905718
Hubby will do stuff, but he's just as bad as they are. I have to ask him over and over. That part frustrates me. They'll walk by a pile of dirt/clutter over and over like they don't even see it. Why don't they ever just pick it up?????
March 14th, 2016 at 01:51 pm 1457963503
To keep your sanity, maybe just set an hour in the morning to do what you can, then a half hour at night that your menfolk must participate in?
March 14th, 2016 at 03:17 pm 1457968677
March 14th, 2016 at 09:22 pm 1457990548
March 15th, 2016 at 12:07 am 1458000466