Cleaning Day

My husband and I keep a pretty busy schedule on our hands. Nothing of great importance usually but mostly just social situations that are known to catch our time. We like to go out of town, hang out with friends, attend social functions (parties) and even for those bad days at work we love going to our local watering hole to just complain and have a beer. Even on a day were we might be low on cash or just want to hang out at the house involves us sitting in the garage catching up on laptops and watching a movie on our huge projector screen. Obviously after describing the things we enjoy to do, never once have I mentioned how much we like to clean.
I love a clean house, I love walking into a clean house, sleeping in a clean house, having a party at a clean house, but I HATE TO CLEAN! I would love to put some money aside in our budget and just hire a maid. That is something that would be superb. But if I have learned anything from my mother its that no matter how many hours there are in a day there is still enough time to clean. Growing up with a slightly OCD mother, I had the tendency to rebel in not cleaning my room. I quickly learned how a clean room can turn into a mess. Sometimes growing up I would be gone for a weekend with my room spick and span, and my mother would tell me magical elves came and cleaned my room. But what becomes unfortunate is that when you get older these magical elves hold no pity for someone over the age of 18 and just stop dropping by.
So yesterday when my husband and I woke up (at 1:30pm) we decided that it would be cleaning day. We took a shower, and had a nice sit down lunch, and then I proceded to clean. I found myself with a sink full of dishes and 7 loads of laundry, yes 7. Trying to figure the best way to get started, I started the laundry, worked on the dishes, had time to go shopping for neccesities, upload all my recent pictures on the internet and add a post to my blog. But for some reason the dryer was taking an awful long time. Turns out, the exhust from the dryer fell out which led our garage to feel as if it was 101 degrees inside, and then the tube bent to the outside so was the drying the right way. In the end of it all I was left with 3 loads left and 4 loads to fold today. I woke up with full intent to get these things done before I had to go to work (which is 1 pm) but after realizing I woke up past 11, my hopes started to disappear. I decided to take a nice shower, make some lunch, and catch up on some emails and would attack the monster load of laundry when I got back home. After work, I went to drop by a friends house to drop off the new key to our house, and of course I got caught up in wonderful conversation. So by the time I left her house, I had to stop by the grocery store, come home, and cook my amazing meatloaf dinner for my husband. That is where I found myself with still the 4 loads of laundry to fold. I was in no way shape or form ready to attack it by myself. This is where the magic elves came in.
I know what your thinking... the magic eleves showed back up after all these years? And what does a magic elf look like? How much do they charge? And where can I get one of these myself. Well surprisingly a magic elf isnt short, or with pointy ears, or with a fashionable outfit made of hemp and twine. It was a very sexy amazing man, that came from my garage and helped me with my chores. He looked a lot like my husband, and even sounded like him too. He even kissed me! Can you believe that? He come along and helped clean the kitchen after the mess I made cooking, and then proceeded to hang the clothes on the hanger.
Now we both know that it wasnt a magical elf, but my husband, and I can not think about how lucky I am that he actually helped me out. I was raised in a idea that the woman is suppose to clean, cook, push out babies, and take care of them, and the man to make money and relax when at home. I've even heard from different women about waking up early to get their chores done before they go to work so they dont have to worry about it when they get home. But honestly that just isnt for me, or better said that isnt for us. I might make dinner, but my husband and I both ate it, so we both help out with the cleaning. I might have dirty clothes, but do does he, and we both work on cleaning it together. We enjoy the little things in life, but we both have to work at it to make it happen.
The idea of waking up early to get things done is something that I respect, and if anyone can pull it off, more power to you. But my husband wakes up between 8:30 and 10, depending on the weekday. If I ever woke up before him, and started doing chores, I would have a very grumpy husband on my hands. I don't clean quietly, and if Im awake I might selfishly want him to wake up too. But never on purpose. :) I would rather spend that little extra time in the morning cuddling with my husband and enjoy waking up with each other in the beginning of our day. And doing chores together is honestly a lot of fun, and allows us to joke, and laugh, and make me happier. I know I am not the perfect housewife. I don't clean all the time, and I don't come home to make a full dinner every night. I may hang out with my girlfriends on a weekday and not come home until 10, and I don't remember to get my oil changed, but I am so lucky to hane a husband that is happy, and helps, and everyday has the one goal of just to make me smile. Thank you David for all the things you do!