Playing Hookie!

Yup! I played hookie! I took a break and didn't even announce it. I just snuck it in on you. And on my boss. As in -- "cough, cough, um, I can't come to work today... cough, cough, or tomorrow, either." Oh, I'm just kidding -- I didn't lie ... don't worry.

But after Friday's Post, I felt so heavy about my home. My parents are coming up to visit, and I really felt like I had to clean house. I mean ... CLEAN HOUSE, girlfriend! Plus, I was so encouraged to know I am not alone in this whole balancing act of cleaning house, cooking, laundering, parenting, wifeing, etc.

In fact, Momrn2 sent me the PERFECT e-card ... it had me gut-laughing at my desk. Yes, my co-workers think I'm a nut. But, the card was a picture of a woman in curlers and a robe, and it said... oh, what the heck ... just scroll to the bottom of this post to see it. It was simply adorable. And Jean left me such a sweet note of encouragement... actually, ALL of you did. I felt like we were bonding in a cleaning-kind-of-way!

Needless to say, after all your encouragement, I grabbed that plastic trash bag, and seven others just like it, and stuffed to my hearts content. In the process of cleaning and organizing, I collected 4 bags for Goodwill, and 3-1/2 bags of junk. As in ... TRASH. Can you believe it? Because I'm still reeling over it!

So... 4 days later (uh, yeah -- I started on Saturday, heh-heh), my home is pretty clean, my dining room is shining and we can actually see the table, the bagged-up Christmas decorations I had in my living room are downstairs in storage, my kitchen is organized, rearranged, and clean (hallelujah!), the laundry is caught up, and all those extra "I'll wash that when I have a free moment" piles are washed, folded, and put away (yeah, about 5 gazillion loads of laundry).

My bedroom -- oh, my bedroom -- well, it's a brand spanking new room (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa [read that in your most operatic voice -- like a host of angels would sing it]). It's clean, it's organized, it's dusted, it's clean (did I mention that?), and all the spring clothing I had on my couch in the sitting area is now in my closet ... on hangers and neatly folded, all my winter clothing is in storage, and all of Hunter's clothing has been sorted, given away, or boxed up and (whew) placed in storage. I vacuumed floors, floor boards, chair rail, trim, curtains, frames, night tables -- um, yeah, that's true, and lamp shades. If it wasn't moving, it got vacuumed.

Did y'all know my bedroom actually has a floor? And I found a DOG under all that clothing! Well, not true. I knew where she was. But the floor is clean!!!

So, all I have to say now is ... aaahhhh. Laura from I'm An Organizing Junkie would be proud of me! Too bad I didn't really take many before or after pictures!

AND WOA ... HOLD THE PRESSES!!! Faith from Faithful Mommy left me a comment! Wooo Hooo, my friend is alive and well! Good to see she still has her sense of humor. Especially since I have failed MISERABLY as a friend, and did not call her or answer her email as I had promised I would do. Shame on me! Love you, Faith!!!

I'm off to do some real work ... at my desk ... ehem ... but enjoy this card from momrn2!!!