Friday November 5, 2010
It’s break time.
I’ve been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning this week. It’s time to get at it again, but I am stalling.
Monday ~ clean up from the weekend
Tuesday ~ serve hot lunch at school with three other ladies and help with the annual housecleaning at my mother-in-laws house.
Wednesday ~ start the major housecleaning at my house
Sometime this weekend ~ our turn to clean the church house
I really thought I was not going to do that major overhaul cleaning at my house this year. But I have this problem. When my friends start talking about doing theirs, I look around and see all the dirt that does exist. And then memories start washing over me …. the scent of Murphys Oil soap lingering in the air from a room that has just been thoroughly cleaned … the way everything looks so organized and empty and in place and how restful it makes me feel …. the fun of having everything be so clean at once and the way it makes me want to do all kinds of fun projects ….
And so I’m in the thick of it. Cleaning out drawers and closets. Washing down walls and trim and doors and furniture and everything that has a surface except the ceiling. Scrubbing beyond filthy windows and taking out the screens for the winter. It’s fun and drudgery all at the same time. I love how squeaky clean our bedroom and bathroom feel. I hate the way I always seem to push mess in front of me and the hallway and guest bedroom look like a weapon of mass destruction was set off.
So I’m procrastinating. A little.
We had so much fun doing hot lunch Tuesday. When I was in high school, one of the super creative moms in church did a McDonalds lunch for her turn. We LOVED it. Her son (who was probably in second or third grade at the time) said, “Mom, why can’t you just be normal sometimes?” And the rest of us were all wishing our mom would be that cool.
Ever since I was married, I’ve wanted to recreate the fun. And finally it was the perfect time. Doris had been thinking hamburgers and Naomi said her husband said french fries when she asked him for menu suggestions. We had as much fun planning it as the kids did eating it. It was so much fun to hear them come through the line and mutter quietly, “this is so cool.” And gratefully Adam is still little enough to think I’m a normal mom. 
Hamburgers
French Fries (fried outside in a deep fryer just minutes before serving …oh YUM)
Sodas
Ice Cream Cones and Sundaes with lots of toppings
M says M – M – M, McDonalds.
Wow! Neat idea! 🙂
That is sooooo cool! (The McD’s lunch. Not the cleaning)
Normal Shnormal is not all that it is cracked up to be!
I read this thinking that the Michelle I know is waaay too fun (and many other neat things) to be called normal. teehee.
And that’s why I like her so much!!!
The cleaning made me think of how busy I need to get around here!
HaPpY FriDaY!!!
and Gwenyth was not happy that she missed out:( I’m sure it will be the talk of school for a loong time:)
This is awesome, I bet your little guy is very proud of you. Normal or not, you seem cool enoughto me 🙂
Wow. Can you come do my house next?! LOL I like the idea of the wonderful smell and feel of an all the way clean house without having the time or desire to do it all at once. : ( Maybe if I could send my kids somewhere for a week? Hmm. LOL
Love your Mc D’s lunch! So, did you just ask Mc D’s for their cups and bags?
Oh, that IS a great idea…McDonalds, that is. Cleaning….well…now I feel like there is dirt all around me. (thanks;). I love the way clean feels, but I always feel like it is such a futile task. The children mess it up as quickly as I clean it.
@JsSteph7 – That was my question too. How DO you get cups and FF bags from Micky D’s?
@smuckers4jesus –
What in the world? I missed you, but didn’t even notice Gwenyth wasn’t there. Was she sick?
@JsSteph7 –
@srheam –
I went to McDonalds and asked to buy them, but they just gave them like I expected they would. Hey, it’s good advertising for them. 🙂
@JsSteph7 –
@srheam –
Know that feeling about the kids messing it up. But luckily, the boys both like to help. It’s a lot easier with Adam in school and only Liam to “help” because “helping” is not (!) always help. And I seem to be able to cope with one helper, but have serious trouble with two. 🙂 The worst thing is the huge mess everywhere else. I have laundry hanging out on the kitchen table and my counters are a wreck. But unlike my normal weekly cleaning which gets turned helter skelter and the floors dirty before I finish, the kids can’t possibly put a years worth of dust on the walls / baseboard / lights / fans so it does feel like something is staying cleanER than it was. But I’m a sucker for cleaning. It’s my favorite part of housekeeping. Can someone please just come cook for me?
My house could use that kind of cleaning, but by the time I even get one room picked up and remotely cleaned it’s time to start all over again. I’m sure you know the feeling. Cool of McDs to give you the stuff. What a fun lunch!
oh, go you, with the cleaning thing…my house politely asked me to treat it so nicely, but I pretended not to hear. I do love the feeling of satisfaction a well-cleaned house gives. Esp. when you know the closets and drawers are also in order.
that mcdonalds lunch looks SO cool. Wow!
Let’s strike a deal. I’ll cook if you’ll clean. ; ) I’ll even help some with cleaning! Waddya say? lol
@JsSteph7 –
I am in!
CREATIVE! I’m sure they abolutely loved it!
I would pay you ( did you hear that $$) to come make my school lunch like that…wonderful idea!
@smilesbymiles – I wish! You know what’s funny though, I’d probably end up cleaning before you came anyways. LOL
The McDonalds thing looks so fun!
As for cleaning, all I can say is, I hope you have more energy than I had/have. It is great to have a clean house, (well, it doesn’t seem so clean right now, but a good weekly cleaning will make it better again) but for me, it was mostly drudgery!
Oh my word, that is so stinkin’ cool!! That would have been the highlight of my school year, my word! Great job planning!!
And housecleaning… well, I get off of that this year because we just moved the beginning of June, so I think my house is okay. 🙂 Next spring though, I’m sure I’ll be wanting to tear around clean all those corners that somehow got missed during the year! Happy Murphy’s Oil smelling. 🙂
You almost got me in the mood to deep clean, altho’ I have put that traditional spring/fall thing aside since I home school. Now I try to hit each room at least once a year. I’ll cook for you any day, freezer meals, pies, bread, rolls, come clean for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the Mickey D’s looks so fun!
oh the cleaning. I get the feeling of “wanting to”. It leaves after a short while though. Sadly.
The lunch plan’s are so cool. I am sure the kid’s adore you!!!! Did you go to M and ask for cup’s and fry bag’s or where did you get those?
Happy Cleaning. 🙂
best hot lunch i ever did see!!
and murphey’s oil soap? does it have a smell? i must have forgotten…been that long since i used it. sigh.
wow, bless you for making that lunch so fun. super cool.
and as for cleaning? seriously. i hardly know what that feels like. I had a neighbor lady for lunch and the afternoon on Wed. and she said, “you know, your house is just so comfortable. all the other mennonite houses i’ve been in everything is just perfect and sparkly clean.” She really meant it as a compliment and i decided to take it at that too. 🙂 But i really do miss my bye bye energy level right now…. i’m thinking one day soon it will rear it’s head and i will be grateful. 🙂
That lunch idea is so cool, may I borrow it?? Will have to see if our Mcdonalds is that generous!!!
such a fun hot lunch idea. store that one away for another year!
What Fun!!! I would have loved that when I was in school!
Ok, you have inspired me. My house is not in good shape, we’ve had lots going on around here the past couple of weeks. I wanted to use today as my big cleaning day and needed a little motivation! I need to stop reading xanga’s, and get to work! =)
THanks for the cleaning inspiration I needed! Have a happy weekend!
@seekinHISwisdom –
Yeah, my “want to” has mostly evolved into wanting to be done. 🙂 And yes, I did go to McDonalds and offered to buy but they gave them to me instead (even more than I asked for, actually).
@singingrachel –
Perfect and sparkly clean would NOT describe my house right now so maybe I should have quickly invited all the neighbors, huh? 🙂 Love that compliment. You will feel better soon! If it helps, I”m so excited for you I have extra energy making me want to jump up and down for joy whenever I think of your baby!
@Elizabethmarie_1 –
You HAVE had lots going on recently (I love your blog, btw). Happy weekend to you, too!
@flowergirl_5 –
Absolutely! As you can see, it wasn’t my idea in the first place. So keep passing it on!
Way cool lunch idea!!! Bet the kids loved that! I’m surprised they gave them to you like that!
I wish that I WANTED to clean like that. That would at least be a first step. Oh, my poor house.
And I do love the smell of Murphy’s Soap!
Super cool hot lunch you did. I would have loved that when I was in school too!
You really are a cool Mom!
@appalolly –
Yeah, well, I’m sure your house isn’t poor. Kind of doubt it’s gotten so horribly ignored as mine did this summer. I feel like I’m unearthing from debris. 😉 And that last sentence …. thank you! Because I think you know how hard that is for me. And it’s nice to hear I’m hitting it sometimes at least.
McDonald’s gave it all to you?? Oh wow! That’s amazing–but maybe they could write it off as advertising–a win-win situation for everyone?! I’m sure the stuff you ladies fixed was healthier and more tasty than McDonald’s. WHAT FUN–I think you were awesome!