Some bluntness about myself.

I've just been sitting here, reflecting about the holidays and have realized one or two things. These things probably will give the lay person a good deal of insight into me (this is me, after all).

1. I have never and will never, get stressed out about cleaning. I don't know how this came to me, since my mother is an absolute lunatic when it comes to cleaning for company. I seriously do not give a shit. This is not a lazy-because-I-have-so-many-kids thing. If anything, I've gotten a lot better in terms of bathroom, kitchen, and vacuum duty. I have a house that I open up to anyone (within reason) who wants to hang out here. I love having people over. The kids love having people over. The place gets trashed? Crumbs are on the carpet? The laundry piles up? WHO GIVES A FUCK? Sometimes I am just busy, enjoying my life, my kids, my reading, my cross stitching, etc. The house will not fall down if I don't clean/organize things. In fact, I had to live halfway between a house that almost did fall down because of a roofer (KRIS SCOTT) and a teeny hotel room, and I have to say, now, that most people would have killed either themselves, their husbands, the insurance people and the roofer after something like this. Thank god I wasn't freaking out about crumbs or cobwebs. The missing walls and my sanity (7 months pregnant) ranked just a bit higher.

2. I have never and will never, get stressed out about silly ceremonial OBLIGATIONS. I'm not talking about religion here. I'm talking about RSVPs, kids' birthday parties, holiday cards, Christmas/Birthday presents, etc. This also came to a head last year with my mother over certain RICOCK things that I won't even list they are so dumb and petty. It's your birthday? Eventually I'll get you something.

3. The parenting culture today sometimes really floors me, not in a good way. I'm talking about our generation, GenX, for the most part. What a bunch of insecure, judgemental freaks we can be! I am dealing with this for the second year now at Bubby's school, where most of the Coach and Prada Edina moms about DIE when they see Matt for the first time, wearing something like a Snakes on a Plane shirt or just having all his piercings, etc, but now that the school year is half over, they are suddenly warming to me/us. I'm sure this has something to do with everyone actually seeing each other with their children, regularly, and being able to witness the fact that we are decent people/parents. Great. Maybe now they don't think we're meth-addled porn distributors anymore. HAHAHAHA WE FOOLED THEM!!!!!!!


4. I have never and will never understood "party culture." I can go on a drinking bender about once a year, almost always during Corn Capital Days. I guess I just got my dad's drinking aversion.

5. I honestly don't feel tied down having this many kids. Getting everyone ready and dealing with all kinds of chaos is seriously not that bad, and most days, it doesn't even phase me. This is due very much to the fact that Matt helps/shares with everything. If I had an unhelpful spouse I would totally be singing a different tune. This is really the Cancer (zodiac, not disease) in me just glowing and flourishing with my cute (large) family. I am so thankful to have all I have; we are so blessed to have these wonderful beings and each other.