My new motto

"Homes are for free expression, not for good impressions."

I got this from the movie Yours, Mine & Ours with Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid. For those of you who have never seen this movie...Dennis Quaid is an Admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard and he is a widowed father of eight kids who runs his house like a tight ship. Rene Russo is a widow with ten kids who is a very laid back and relaxed mother. They were high school sweethearts and when they bump into each other again, they get married on a whim and their very large families clash a little bit...and by little, I mean a lot. It is a cute movie.

Anyway, Rene Russo's character is going out for a meeting and her daughter asks why doesn't she just have them over to the house, to which she replies, "Homes are for free expression, not for good impressions," right as a watermelon comes sailing down the stairs and explodes on the floor.

Now, this quote is my new motto for more than one reason. Yes (coughAllycough), the number one reason is definitely because I hate to clean. But that isn't the only reason. This quote is so true. My household is pretty hectic most days. I may not have 18 kids, but I do have a husband, a 2 year old, three dogs (one of which is the size of a horse), and a cat...and I just found out that we are adding a bird to the zoo that has become my home.

How on EARTH am I to be expected to keep this house spotless 100% of the time?? You have got to be out of your mind! I do understand that the house needs to be moderately clean at all times, I get that, but wouldn't it be so much better to sit down in the floor with your son and play for a while instead of running around like a chicken with your head cut off trying to get the house spotless?? Chasing my toddler around with a handy vac is not exactly my idea of a good time.

There will be messes. There will be chaos. There will be a lot of things, but a good impression will never be one of them. So why try? Now, this will be easy for me because, hey let's face it, I'm a big fat lazy bum. But for those of you who are so caught up in keeping the house clean...you are missing the opportunity to kick back, relax, and enjoy the little things.