Back to School, Still not in School and Cleaning....

Last week, our two oldest, Anel and Alia began a new school year.  Anel entered 6th grade, middle school.  Lucky for her and us, the school she attends goes to 8th grade, so she didn't have to enter a new school, just go upstairs to the "Middle School."  She was a bit apprehensive about it, but did much better than I expected.  Middle school involves a lot more teachers, a lot more organization and a greater interest in the way you look.  All of a sudden, it matters to her how her clothes fit, how her hair looks and weather or not her face looks good.  Of course, I always have and always will think she is gorgeous, but now I have to remind her everyday that she is beautiful just the way she is. Most importantly, in the "new" world of middle school, I am constantly telling her to be herself, be smart about who she associates herself with and what comes out of her mouth.  I am not looking forward to the teenage years.  God help me.

Alia, that little firecracker, just loves life.  So naturally, she loves school, her new teacher and first grade.  Lucky for us, her teacher seems to be awesome.  So caring, on top of things, and truly loves these children.  We are blessed to have Alia in her class.  Alia already reads rather well, and I give all credit to her K teacher.  This teacher seems to encourage all her students to perform to the best of their abilities, wherever that may be.  I love that.

The twins are still with me!  I had the option of placing them part-time in a preschool this year, but that would've meant that I had to potty train them in the summer.  So it's difficult enough to potty train, then try doing it with two simultaneously.  Not my idea of an enjoyable summer.  So I skipped that, and decided to keep them with me for one more year full-time.  Perhaps next fall, I might place them in a part-time setting.  But we'll see where we are at.  Although I am exhausted, me being the control freak that I am, I love being with my girls.  I love our routine, how much they're talking and interacting and how much they enjoy being around each other.  I know eventually I have to break that up, but for now it works.  Soon enough they will begin school.  And since this is it for us, as far as having any more children, (that's totally not happening), I plan on enjoying my time with them as much as I can.

So on to the "cleaning" heading of my post.  Some of you may think I have gone totally nuts after reading the next few sentences.  However, I will be honest.  I enjoy cleaning.  It's not an enjoyment where I wake up everyday and can hardly wait to get my hands on the vacuum.  No. Not like that.  It's more like when I feel it needs to happen and I'm totally in the mood, and I get into it, I like it!  I feel like I do a pretty darn good job at it...  So a little history here.  Early on in our marriage, Herman informed me that he hated cleaning and would not do it if his life depended on it.  He would rather get a root canal.  So, since I was working outside the home at the time, we agreed that we would hire someone to clean on a biweekly basis, and that way neither one of us would get stuck doing it.  That seemed fair.  Throughout our marriage and family life, we've been very very lucky to have the ability to hire someone to clean our home regularly.  Attending to small children and cleaning somehow becomes difficult, tedious, impossible.  Especially when your home is rather large.  So we have a large home that takes a lot of time to clean well.   Anyway, so our present cleaning person has dropped off the planet.  Nowhere to be found, gone, who knows where.  So I looked around about 2 months ago, after trying to track her down for weeks and decided that I should give it a shot.  Mind you, I'm constantly cleaning.  It's not like I sit around waiting for her to come when there are crumbs on the floor, dust on the tables, toys everywhere, etc....  But she does the 'major cleaning.'

So, I cleaned.  I cleaned, I'm cleaning and I am still cleaning.  I divide and conquer.  I do the bedrooms/bathrooms one day, and then living areas the next one or two days, depending on how the twins behave.  There are days that they cooperate and there are days that I have to clean when they nap.  Here's the rough part for some of you------  I LIKE IT!  There's a sense of satisfaction associated when you see what you've cleaned and how well it looks, sparkles, shines, smells!  Do I like to do it everyday?  NO.  Do I clean this way everyday?  NO.  Maybe once a month is the major stuff.  The minor stuff is daily.  So I thought I'd get that out there, cause I'm sure some of you feel the same way but are afraid to admit it.  (Just Kidding, this is not normal, I know.)  Herman thinks I'm nuts, but it keeps me busy, is a great workout, and shows my girls that sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.  I'm lucky I'm healthy enough to to do it.  Some people can't and don't have a choice but to have others clean for them.  I've been blessed with good health and I can do it!
I'm blessed!

Some Summer 2011 pictures -