July 12, 2013

Embracing the mess.

Something I'm not the best at is embracing a mess.

While I've had my opportunities to maybe be selfish and live alone, our house in Alaska was never spotless.  I didn't really care about that place.  I didn't have people who were willing to come visit me (I lived in the "valley". The horror of being 30 minutes from base, right?), Scott wasn't there all the time, and I had a job.  Now, I have people who don't mind coming over, Scott is here, and I have the time to keep the house clean.

Enter a puppy.

It's blurry because they were playing.
Now, I don't mind clothes lying around.  I don't mind dishes occasionally piling up.  Dust doesn't get to me.  However, I am neurotic about floors.  If I see a spot on the kitchen tile, I will wipe it up with a lysol wipe.  I vacuum once a day.  The carpets in this house aren't anything spectacular, but I want them to look clean, at least.  (Seriously, is that a ridiculous dream? To have floors that seem to be clean?)

All the puppy really does to disturb my perfect clean floor dream is track bits of grass into the house.  And it rained on Wednesday so that was a new experience...I dried him off at the door every time he went out.  And I mourned the bath I'd so meticulously given him on Tuesday night.

I hear it gets worse when you have kids.  As a former child, I can probably attest to that.

Of course, while I can deal with the puppy (and he's totally getting used to my constant vacuuming), I'm still struggling with the adults who insist on wearing their shoes in the house.  It's a never-ending battle around here.

Except, ohmygosh, is that a puppy on my bed?  I swore this would never happen.

He was out like a light the whole time. So it's not like he knew he was on my bed..right?
I just moved him up there so I could watch him while I read.

I really doubt it's a coincidence that THIS is the design on the 12-pack of paper towels I bought a week ago.


  1. You would be appalled at my floors. With a wild toddler and a shedding husky running around, they are impossible to keep clean. I vacuum daily, too but you wouldn't know it!

  2. Both Angel and I are on the "neat freak" side of things. Not excessively, but I really like having a tidy little house although sometimes I do let the housework fall by the wayside. It's much harder when kids or animals enter the scene, though. Even when we just had Angel's brother and wife and my sister staying with us, Angel was whispering to me, "Why won't they just bring their cups to the kitchen and wash them instead of leaving them everywhere!" I think he'll have a harder transition to children's messes than I will.

  3. We don't have any pets right now but are enjoying the mess (I.e. cat hair and pee smell) that the previous owners left us. And if my classroom (where it is equally as hard to embrace the mess) is any indication, children will intensify the situation.

  4. You'd hate my house/floors!
    Between this rain that's been going on ALL summer, the dogs come in muddy and even though I'd just vacuumed or mopped, you can't even tell! It is a nightmare!
    And the dogs like to bring in sticks to chew up in the carpet--that's fun!

    Seriously though, you have the cutest puppy ever!

  5. Goodness pets are messy... I just woke up to dog poop all over my living room carpet!

  6. I can definitely relate! Having a dog and cat I sweep the floor constantly.

  7. It is so hard to keep a house clean with a dog, but thank goodness they are good companions. Between two kids and two dogs, my floors are never clean.

  8. I swear, 3 seconds after I sweep, the dog and cats get their hair everywhere. Its a never ending battle.

  9. My house is a disaster. I need to do some serious reorganizing so I can seriously clean, but Scott wants to help and yet never seems to want to do it. lol

    As for people who insist on wearing shoes in your home, not cool. You could try putting shoes by the door people most often enter through, maybe that would be a signal....you may have to just ask, which is kind of awkward, but will keep your sanity. :)

    Your puppy is too cute, and he looks SUPER small on your bed!

  10. I totally feel you on clean floors. Thank goodness we have handscraped hardwoods that could be completely filthy but still look clean, or I'd be a neurotic mess.

    And seriously... that puppy is TOO much! I just want to come cuddle him!

  11. Shoes in the house drive me nuts. My parents wear them when they come over and I want to slap them.

    Omg, he's totally passed out. So cute and little!

  12. We got our dog at 5, and someone had taught her to sit and raise her paws on rainy days. Best. Trick EVER. But I have no idea how to do that, lol. I've given up on my floors. They're a lost cause...

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