Quiet Days On the Farm...NEVER!

It's a few days since the last post, I know, but i'm busy, cut me some slack. I've found that finding the time to blog wasn't as easy as I expected...life gets in the way. So to help you understand how my days go around here, I thought that's what I'd write this post about.

Living on 4 acres is a lot of work, even when there are 2 of you here all the time, never mind trying to maintain it alone. It's taken me almost 2 month to figure out how to balance everything but I think I'm getting the hang of it.

These are a few ways I manage to find time for everything and everyone, and how I manage not to go off the deep end...although I've been on the edge more than a few times. I know this can be a difficult task for everyone, city or country, so maybe you will find a tip or two that you can apply to your own life!!

1. Employ your children, well at least the capable ones. I have expectations of my children, maybe some are too high but they seem to at least meet if not exceed them on a regular basis. They are expected to clean up after themselves, they feed the cat and the dogs, they keep their rooms and their playroom clean. I also occasionally ask my oldest to entertain the youngest and sometimes make her sisters breakfast...this is a huge help some days!! I don't pay them for this...why the hell would I do that?? These are things they need to learn how to do to be productive members of society...I think I'm doing THEM a favour!!!
2. Choose your battles. My kids aren't perfect...who's are? They fight, they yell and they do things they shouldn't. But if I gave them trouble EVERY time they did something minor, I would spend my whole day yelling and I don't want to do that. Don't get me wrong there are things that require yelling every time they happen, hitting, name calling and things of that nature. But there are things I used to freak out about that I don't anymore. Things like, leaving lids off markers, DVD's not in cases, silly things like that...because in the grand scheme of things...does it matter?? Not really. It took me a long time to realize it but now I have and I am less stressed because of it.
3. Realizing things can wait. I still have a hard time with this but I'm getting better. Crumbs, grass, leaves and mud on the floor...if I don't have time to vacuum it today...it will still be there tomorrow. Same goes for the laundry, dusting and other household chores. It's hard to keep up with it all...its the country and I have 4 kids and 2 dogs...the house gets messy. That being said...the house never goes longer than a week without vacuuming and mopping but to keep it immaculate 24/7, I would have to do this everyday.
4. Dinner doesn't have to be 5 star quality every night. Aaron is the cook around here really, when he's home, he cooks pretty much every night, and I love him for it!! But when he is gone...I do my best. I can cook, I just don't enjoy it. Luckily I have a mother who is the master of easy, delicious recipes. Pulled pork, homemade mac and cheese and other casseroles and easy stuff you can throw together ahead of time. I don't make these things every night but we still eat healthy...hot dogs are healthy, right???
5. Accept the fact that children will make themselves and EVERYTHING around them messy. This is kind of a combination of 2 and 3. And was hard for me to accept but again I'm getting better and I'm happier for it!! The kids, still, at ages 7,6 and 4, drop food and spill drinks. It happens...probably always will. They leave their shoes on in the house, forget to flush the toilet (Aarons favourite) and do other extremely messy things. For example...yesterday the girls wanted to play beauty salon...so I gave them 6 of my $20 MAC eyeshadows and a couple brushes and let them go to town...this is something I NEVER would have done...even a few months ago. But they had a blast...and it was hilarious. Sure they applied far too much but they had a great time and it kept them quiet for hours!! Sure, I am down $120 bucks in eyeshadows....but when the hell do I ever wear make-up???
6. And finally, except and be grateful for help. I don't get a lot of help, my family is far away and so is Aarons but I have fabulous neighbours who have gone above and beyond. They have cut my grass, weeded my garden and brought me groceries...who does that??? It was hard for me to grasp the concept, must have something to do with being from the city!

Sure there are things that have to be done everyday, and I somehow manage...alone. All in all we are healthy and happy and that's really all that matters!!