March 5, 2013

Stoves, self-worth, and pictures

Not to brag or anything, but I showered, dressed, got two girls dressed and hair done, shoveled the walk, got them on the bus, cleaned under and on top of the range top, the oven, and all the burners by 7:45 this morning. Yep. I am awesome. A good mother, a good housekeeper, and a good wife (Justin was sleeping in) all before breakfast. Sigh. I think I will just sit and contemplate my goodness for the rest of the day. Except I might happen to recall spending all day yesterday in pajamas and that might tarnish the good impression I have of myself....

Last night, Justin made french fries on the stove and an accidental splash of water made the oil bubble all over. And made the burner catch fire. So there was half an inch of oil under the range top. The possibility of igniting a raging fire by turning a burner on is a great motivator for prompt cleaning. For some reason, cleaning my stove and oven is a huge annoyance. A few years ago, as company was expected, I was scrubbing the back of the stove, where the knobs are until it shined and I realized that I only do that when company is coming. And that phrase from Oprah or someone like that "You are worth it" came to mind. So a month later, when my stove was looking gross, I attacked it, since I deserve a nice stove to look at too. About 5 minutes of scrubbing into, I decided that actually, I wasn't really worth that much. But I persevered. And believe me, this is one instance, where daily maintenance is much easier than the once a month scrubbing. I know. Everyone already knows this. And I am a slob. But I am a skeptic. I have to prove things for myself. Even if it is something as simple as cleaning.

And I would put up a picture of my cleaning and sparkling stove and oven, except that someone would probably glance at it and say "huh. She doesn't even clean her such and so" and my reputation would plummet back to the original she-doesn't-scrub-the-back-of-her-stove-each-day level.

Yesterday, someone had one of those quotes and picture things on facebook that said "housework is something no one notices unless you don't do it." And unfortunately, that is true. Except for people that know me and are here a lot. They are impressed when my house is neat. It almost makes me want to make a little photo album of everyday messes, so when company comes, I can show them what a mess it normally is. So they can be impressed, even if I didn't manage to get all the papers off my counter.

So even if I am not putting up pictures of my stove, here are some of recent weekends and things. Which are much more interesting than my stove could ever be, sparkling or not.


Reading with Daddy


My tulip


My amaryllis


Ticket to ride with Fiona and Alex


They were so happy to have Fiona back where she belongs. Even for just a weekend!





Alex reading to Gilbert


Mom trying to feed a stubborn Elsie


"Reading" the piano folk song book, which is Gilbert's favorite thing to do


Sunday afternoon newspaper reading on a Wintry day


My cuddlebug


Daddy and his boy-o


More ticket to ride. Natch.


Oh niceness.


Sweet babies just waking up


Kicking


Heading out to the barn. Orianna was wearing a pair of boots that were way too big for her. She thought it was funny the whole time.


One of the triplets


Fat chicken


Lily with a lop eared lamb


Isn't it cute?


Tori and Alex's pygmy goat


Gilbert giving the calf hay


Eating


A grown up Jane


Coming back from feeding cows


The triplets


Tori's porkers


A sheep


Owen, the shepherd


Loppy


The lambs gamboling about. Seriously, they would run in like something was chasing them....


...then turn around and run out the same way.


My camera was being slow, so I got a lot of pictures like this.


Watching things


Olivia and Loppy


What the lambs were all so curious about


Oh the delight of a lamb



The triplets overworked mother isn't producing quite enough milk for all three, so Owen is supplementing with the bottle. Gilbert loves feeding the lambs.



Walking in from the barn


My forced bulbs



The curve of the amaryllis 


Bulb planter


Morning light 


A picture from Dorcas Porkus that I tackily asked Gilbert's doctors office if I could buy from their waiting room. I love it. Like really love it. And most people are just sitting there on their smartphones, so this book would get a lot more love at our house. Or so I justified myself when they told me I could just take it and didn't need to pay anything. I am planning on bringing them a nice stack of our doubles next time we go in.


The girls interesting coloring collaboration. 


The potty training boy on the computer


Outside




Getting ready for sugaring


Helping


This looks like such a baaaad idea. Standing on a shifting pile of boards and using a chainsaw. Hmm... 


Sawdust flying

2 comments:

laura said...

I love sheep!!!! Love these pictures too! Happy sugaring!

Virginia said...

That first pic of Justin, I thought he had gotten all fancy w/ his shaving and made a curly-cue on his jawbone there. I see now it's just an interesting hair growth pattern. And Loppy has got the Crazy Eyes, methinks. Great pics!