reality

17 December 2010

I gauge my time in existence by the top of milk cartons, so I had a little panic moment when I was in Kroger last night at 10:47 and saw this:
december 2010 009 1You mean the milk is saying Christmas is over?? I’m not ready yet!


oh yeah, the home tours make it look nice and calm and all decorated, but let’s get a little dose of reality, shall we?december 2010 007 1 My kids have had a snow days for the past 2 days with the weather, and my plans have gone out the window with the in and out and close the door! and mom I have to go to the bathroom now and the snow pants zipper is stuck and the UPS man almost fell on our driveway and says we need to shovel and what are all those boxes with the arrow smiley face on them and can we have more cocoa and can tom and dick and harry and sally come over to play and can we make something for our teachers and where is my boot and Landon is unplugging the Christmas tree lights and Mom! we’re out of milk and Mom! why are you in the closet with all the treats the neighbors sent over?
Not a present is wrapped, trying to get the rest of Christmas cards out today, plus packages out for family serving missions, make the yearly calendar for Grandma, old appliances on Craigslist so I can park the van in there again so I don’t have to scrape, taking my husband out tonight for a surprise early Christmas present: TRON 3D and Bonzai burger, but that means I have to shower and actually get ready and smell good and get everything ready for the babysitter. I realize I put most of this on myself and I’m not complaining, and I sure as heck probably shouldn’t be taking a few minutes to post, I’m feeling kind of fake looking at all of these calm and beautiful pictures on my blog and just wanted to let you know that as much as I try to plan and be organized it’s usually more downright C.R.A.Z.Y. around here than not.

52 comments

  1. Reality is only harsh for those experiencing it. I rarely go there.

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  2. I'm feeling the same way so you are not alone! Enjoy your night out.

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  3. I like to stay in my bubble of oblivion as long as possible. I hope you have a wonderful night out with the hubby!! :)

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  4. I was just telling my husband yesterday that I need to learn to say NO to Myself! Same madness going on for me - only I am throwing a kids birthday party in the middle of it all!

    Good luck to you!

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  5. you are not alone! we were just hit with 17 inches of snow this last week and didn't leave our house for 48+ hours...so i am feeling a little behind as well. staying at home for days helped get some things done, but i can't believe it will be here in a week.

    i do love your mudroom...i wish i had one!

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  6. So funny and so true! Merry Christmas!

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  7. Thank you so much for keeping it real in that picture of your entryway! I appreciate it more than you know! Also thanks for all of the links you have been posting! You have definitely helped me with my Christmas Shopping! I have my last final today...but Christmas Cards are out of the question! We will be doing Happy New Year cards this year!

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  8. I just want to thank you for posting this!

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  9. Wow! Busy, busy! First, may I suggest organic milk, it lasts longer and you can buy more and not worry about them expiring before the kids can drink it all. I always buy 2 gallons or 3 at a time. Since they last so long is like having a spare! Good luck and have fun at the movies!
    besos,lynn

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  10. I am totally with you Melissa!! I just cleaned up the laundry room today. None of my presents are wrapped and I have more to buy! Mailing my Christmas cards today! Feeling your pain and stress but also the holiday cheer!!

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  11. I absolutely LOVE your honesty! It's nice to know that some of my favorite bloggy people's houses actually don't always look perfect! Here's hoping you get it all done and thanks as always for keeping it real! Have fun tonight!

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  12. YOU ARE MY NEW BEST FRIEND!!!

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  13. ♥ it! Reality - you can't hide from it :) Have a wonderful Christmas!

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  14. Thank you- I really needed this post

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  15. I love your reality and sharing it with us. Makes me feel better about the Christmas decoration boxes still sitting in my living room - half still unpacked! But on the other hand looks like the kids have been having a good time! Enjoy some time out tonight! Enjoy!

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  16. Love your post!
    incase anyone else hasn't gotten decorations out of the boxes yet, the code for the Haven wreaths, just worked for me and with a dree trial of "prime" they will be to my house and hung by Tuesday :)
    Thank you for posting the deal!
    Have a fun night out!

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  17. Oh, one of my most favorite posts of yours EVER! Especially the running home-commentary. MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)

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  18. This sounds like my house right now and I only have two!! How do you do it?? God bless you all and have another treat from the neighbors for me please....;)

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  19. Didn't even need to see the hallway photo--I knew how things were going from the fact that you were in Kroger at 10:47 on Thursday night! Thursday night is YOUR night, right? The night to relax and breathe and maybe go to the bookstore?

    Oh, yeah, honey. "Real" Christmas is not the island of calm we'd like to pretend that it is, especially with snow days thrown into the mix. But real life with kids is so much better than life without them would be, isn't It? Taking a cue from you, I'm going to try to be grateful for the mess.

    Have a wonderful date night! Enjoy yourself! Love you!!

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  20. So glad to hear that I'm not the only one caught in the holiday whirlwind. AND I can totally relate on binging on neighbor treats in the closet. I used to feel bad about being so selfish, but now I realize that it's necessary for a mom's sanity...and energy levels.

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  21. More of the same here.Take a deep breath.

    Do it.

    Christmas is coming (and going) no matter what the house looks like. Let's Enjoy. :)

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  22. Ohhhh you made me SMILE today!! My girlfriend/neighbor and I were chatting this morning (we have kiddos the exact same ages) and are "counting down" to the release of school today when it is Us vs Them for TWO full weeks on Christmas Break! ha ha LOVE the dose of reality! How funny too because my hubby and I have a date tonight as well....and I'm guaging my time today in order to allow MYSELF to get showered and 'date cute' ha ha Enjoy your Evening!

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  23. Thank you so much for posting this! I'm sorry things are crazy at your house, but I'm glad it's not just me. We'll make it through the holiday season and look back on it as a tremendous success no matter what does or doesn't get done. Have fun on your date tonight! My hubby would be jealous, he wants to see that so bad.

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  24. I love seeing your house all nice and pretty, but at the same time its nice seeing a picture of insanity too...and realizing that I'm not alone in that feeling that sometimes things are just crazy.

    Hope that you find some time to rest and relax yourself over the holidays. Have a fun date night with the hubby!

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  25. Thanks for keeping it real. I love the picture of the winter clothes all over the floor. That is my foyer almost all the time in winter! If we ever move I want an entryway that's separate from my main foyer.

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  26. I think we can probably all relate, Melissa! I appreciate seeing some reality now and then; it's easy to start feeling like everybody else is having the "perfect" Christmas when all you see on the blogs is serene beauty!
    Enjoy your evening out :)

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  27. I love Christmas, but Christmas time equals chaos time at our house, no matter how hard I try to plan and organize. It's great to know I'm not alone! Thank you for a post that really made me smile!

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  28. Thanks for keeping it real :)

    We NEVER have snow days in N Ireland, and have just had our 2nd in 2 weeks - worst snow in 25 years!!!

    Happy Christmas to you and yours, and NO, Christmas is NOT over yet!!!

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  29. Your place looks ALOT like mine at the moment, although we don't have snow, just heaps and heaps of rain - it meant to be summer here, but summer must have gotten lost on the way. Christmas is such a special time of the year, but it is chaotic and stressful even for the most prepared! So I hope your comforted knowing your not the only one - as evident by the comments from other Christmas Crazed mums around the world!

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  30. :)
    THANK YOU!!! ...me too...

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  31. C.R.A.Z.Y. right there with you! Inclement weather day yesterday for us too and I thought no fear we will do all the fun christmas stuff of games, baking, gingerbread houses...we didn't even make it past 1 game without fighting and the Gingerbread houses probably never again! lol If one more kid asks to have a friend over or to open the 1 gift I have wrapped under the tree I just might go insane...oh wait I alredy have! So glad my reality is someone elses! Merry Christmas Blog Friend!

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  32. Oh, you are probably (certainly) more on the ball than I am. I haven't hit reality yet. I'm still in the denial stage. I still FEEL like there's two or three weeks left until Christmas!

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  33. My name is Melissa and i could have written this post. Life is crazy, but the thrill and anticipation is so worth it! EnJOY the JOY of the season.

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  34. Glad to hear that you are normal like the rest of us. I thought you were some Martha-Steward, super-mom or something! LOL The house can't be perfect all the time, and try as I may, my house is more often then not, a MESS, and I only have 2 kids! Life is too crazy to keep up with it all! Especially this time of year. I hope you can find time to get all your stuff done and relax and enjoy the season!

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  35. I'm in the closet with you eating junk and trying to hide from those crazies. I have 3 little ones and I feel your pain. Can there be a happy median? Not really right - it's all or nothing with little ones. Thanks for a great read.

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  36. I love you for writing this. As I drove in and out of my driveway (full of packed down snow) 10 times in a 90 minute period this evening and came home and sat and just CRIED for a few minutes...it is good to know the crazies aren't just reserved for me.

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  37. please have an AMAZING night :)

    <3mvv

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  38. Your entry way made me laugh because I could have sworn you took that picture at my house. That is great!!!

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  39. LOL! I judge time by expiration dates on milk jugs too! I thought I was the only one :)

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  40. I've been so organised this Christmas, so why is everything still so UN-organised?
    I think we should have a 'truth' day in blogland where we each share a photo of our 'real' house. Seeing your floor made me feel so much better about my own. Let the sisterhood know that's how it is for most people and not to be ashamed. xx

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  41. This is not only my favorite post of yours ever, but my favorite all time post! You are not alone my love! I keep reminding myself that one day I will loooooong for those little people's distractions, but they'll all be grown up and busy with their own lives. Right now, i just hold on and button, zip, wipe, laugh, shovel, sweep, and cry in the closet. Love it. Have a wonderful Christmas with your lovely little ones.

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  42. Ha! Thanks for keeping it real! Hang in there!! I'm right there with ya!

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  43. I do the same thing with the milk cartons. It was especially exciting with each pregnancy to see that the expiry date was AFTER my babies were due to arrive. Made the wait seem more bearable!

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  44. I am currently not working and my kids are 16 and 20 years old and I still have trouble pulling it together at this time of year. You are doing just fine!

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  45. I'm exhausted just reading that list!

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  46. I know exactly how you feel! I've got a 3 and 5 year old and they are just little whirling dervishes! I pick up and they follow behind me messing it all up again.

    Hey, what's that sign above your door say? The "Be Kind..." one? I love it up there!

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  47. Oh my goodness...I was crying and laughing at the same time while reading this post! I think I just had a great therapy session! ;)

    Thanks, I enjoyed reading it and it sounds so familiar!

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  48. So good to know I'm not the only one! Thanks for your honesty and for sharing all your deal findings as well! Merry Christmas!

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  49. Thanks for saying what we're all experiencing. You're not alone!

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  50. Actually we all are experiencing this by one mean or other, most people hide while some show it as you just did.
    Nice topic to comment.
    Above all this post turned my mood from sad to happy.
    keep up the good work

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  51. Thank you for posting this!! It's so nice to see others reality is the same as mine!!!

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  52. Absolute Honesty...Treasured! Melissa, you're doing just fine as Wife & Mother...on good days and on those frequent hectic ones! One day, you'll receive the greatest compliment... Imitation...When your adult children are living lives similar to yours. I feel such pride and joy in my 5 adult children...they took my very best attributes, gifts and talents...added to their own...and they SHINE as their very best selves! No parent could ask for more! You inspire me!

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