Not Sweating the Small Stuff

(I am very happy with the family pictures my friend Sandra just took of us!)

Recently in a conversation with a group of women, I came away thinking I must have sounded like I was extremely uptight.  Granted, I was telling them, unmade beds and unopened blinds are cause for a guaranteed Mom Temper Tantrum, but I couldn't help but think of all the things I don't 'sweat over.'
Consider these for example:

A dirty kitchen floor- I figure having one's feet stick to a particular place on the kitchen floor is a very effective way to keep my children (and/or husband) in one place long enough to hear an impromptu lecture that may need to be delivered...

Dirty toilets-Well I can't stand sitting on a wet toilet seat, so that part of the toilet is usually found somewhat clean.

Language-Even if someone told me the other day that I'd "Really get along with so and so because you both cuss,"  In my defense, the three (swear) words that come out of my mouth are ALL found in the Bible!

My closet-The other day I was ranting and raving to my husband about us teaching our children to organize their spaces better.  He very kindly said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but look at your own personal space (ie-your closet)."  For the record, I didn't take it the wrong way.  But I never have to ask anyone else if they've seen my shoes, or my belt, or my jacket, etc. So there!

Hairbands all over the bathroom floor-They'll eventually all get picked up, (after all, I am uptight about my daughter's hair being out of her face).  So even if the hair bands only get picked up gradually, after two-three used a day I figure they'll all get picked up in the end.

Kid Cup/Plate Cupboard-The closest cupboard to the dishwasher is the one that stores the kid cups and plates.  When I unload the dishwasher my kids unload the dishwasher, those items just get thrown in.  As long as they don't ricochet back out and end up on the kitchen floor, I consider them in their proper place.

Dessert for breakfast-If there is extra homemade hot fudge sauce from an event the day before, my kids can count on the fact we will be having it for breakfast served over vanilla ice cream.  It doesn't seem that different to me than a bowl full of sugary cereal with milk poured over the top.

And there you have it!

As long as you make sure the beds are made, the blinds are open, there are no dirty clothes on the floor, no backpacks in the kitchen and no shoes out of the shoe basket.

We'll get along just fine.