It was the night before work

And all through the house, everyone was stirring, but thankfully - no mouse. 

It's universal, right? 

On the eve of  your holidays being done and dusted, there's an anxiety about the year ahead. 

Who wouldn't love to run off to Majorca and spend their days swimming laps at their leisure, keeping up to date with best-selling books, and with the only problem in life being a tan line. 

GAH! 

I have had such beautiful, long, lazy weeks at home since Christmas. Nothing too decadent. Instead I've been making piles of stuff around the house:

- charity
- hand-me-downs
- garbage
- tidy away
- craft drawer

It might not look like it, but I have spent many hours sorting through stuff. Trying not to be sentimental. I've been ruthless with artworks, but kids clothes and books is what I find difficult. I am attached to my children's old clothes and books. 

It's ridiculous I know. I try and just keep a couple of bits, but it's hard. I don't know how to do better. 

Anyway, hi ho, hi ho, back to work I go - tomorrow, so game over with my tidy town. But in the meantime, if you've got any ruthless, low-down, dirty tactics I can apply to my downsizing attempt at decluttering - I am all ears (and my husband will thank you!).

How can I do better? 

Not As Funny As Me Forgetting To Pay Rent. Right?!

I spent about a million hours today tidying our house for our real estate agent to come and inspect.

She was meant to be here at 5pm.

At 5:22pm she was still not here.

I called her. She told me she had the flu. OH! And she'd written the appointment in the wrong day. WOOPS!

Now no one can touch anything in the house until she comes tomorrow. Everyone must sleep in the car, or camp, or something other than mess up the house again.

This week visitors are welcome. The house is incredibly tidy.

Don't look in the car.

(I need Peter to come to my house and make me let go of some clothes and well - stuff - that I hang on to. Because I just might need it!)

image via KITKA - how great is that plant wall? Me likey!

Eye Spy:: My Favourite Corner of My House

Here's something I prepared earlier. In one of my cleaning spates. I took a photo as testament that I actually cleaned. AND as a bonus, moved things around. While it's not technically a corner, I've taken poetic license, and here is my favourite non-corner of the moment. Since you're still here, you can also play eye spy, can you spot the:

1) horse

2) donkey

3) birdies

4) spots

5) something vintage (that one is a cinch)

For more favourite corners, or to play along, head on over to Bug and Pop and give Cindy a high five while you're there.

The Myrtle & Eunice Road To Enlightenment: In Just Ten Minutes

Our house is tidy. This in itself is no mean feat. It took me hours of dedication (not to mention boxes) but it's tidy. Regular visitors will not recognise it because now - well you can actually see we have a floor. We have a FLOOR CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!

But then comes 'the creep'. I call it the creep because before you know it, mess has crept back in, and all my hours of sorting, swatting silverfish and tidying are down the drain, and in my book, that ain't cool.

So we've taken to day one of the Myrtle & Eunice Road To Enlightenment with great aplomb. Well I have, and everyone else has just been swept up into it. Anything to fight off the creep.

Straight after dinner, I set the alarm clock and we were off. However, given my slow starters (particularly the largest male in our roost) I added an extra five minutes to the tab (15 minute tidy up - high fives all 'round) - no one else need ever know of this, and he won't because he only ever visits my blog to look at the pictures.

For weeks I have been whinging saying, 'I didn't make all of this mess, so why should I have to clean it all up?' - and now I don't have to. The smalls are excited. There's a timer. There's excitement. And there's the dreaded red zone.

The red zone is like no-man's land. This is where things that are consistently left out are put into a box, and heading straight to charity. This incites fear. Excitement. Dread. And, at the risk of sounding like I work with Brand Power, it really works.

PottyMouthMama on the road to enlightenment courtesy of Myrtle & Eunice, and together - fighting the creep.

image stolen from Housekeepers for Homemakers. However I do love to wear a maid's outfit during my days at home. And carry a feather duster at all times.

Le Weekend

It's le weekend. Oh weekends, how I adore thee. Let me count the ways:

• Cuddling on the couch with the smalls for extended love-ins
• Massage with Matt. I didn't fall asleep, but damn it, I tried - and the Doctor asking what time was my 'tummy rub'
• The Doctor telling me that he'd like to come next time I have a massage. I told him, maybe when you're a big boy I'll take you as a treat. He replied, 'Maybe when I'm 60?' Maybe a little earlier than that darling boy
• Sunshine
• Catching up with sisters
• No clocks, no timelines
• Free to read the papers (albeit in small grabs, just read this beautiful yet sad story of love)
• Tidying up here and there
• Clothes drying on the washing
• Calling my Mum and Dad
• Baking. Yes, there will be baking - jam drops to be precise
• Hanging with the fam at the park

Loving the weekend is absolutely compulsory. What's your great weekend love?

Boombastic Is Back

Brilliant news to the max. Boombastic is back.

Last night, once the smalls were in bed, I started doing a wee tidy up. I put away a few things, as Mamas are prone to do, and while putting away some coasters, I opened a b(e)arly (sic) used drawer and who should I find? Teddy Boombastic up to tricks and teddy yoga in the drawer. Check him out.

So I popped him into bed with the Doctor (who was fast asleep) with a tag that read:

Hello Doctor,

I am happy to be back from my beary cold holiday.

Love your bear-st friend,
Boombastic x

This morning the Doctor came in while I was still out to it. He said: 'Mum, this bear has the same eyes as Boombastic.' I open my eyes. Barely conscious. Blink. Blink. 'But dear Doctor, that is Boombastic, the one and the same.' Disbelief by the Doctor, questions, where has he been? Where did you find him? Is this really Boombastic?

I explained away Boombastic's absence by explaining his deep penchant for honey and biscuits, and the fact that Boombastic had gone off in search of honey and a holiday. And maybe mugs of bear. Oh I mean bee-r.

The real explanation - I've no idea why he was shoved into a drawer. But it may have the same explanation as Tiny's dolly's clothes being shoved into a teapot in the cupboard. Tiny does like to do these things.

Boombastic is back people. I'm not going to let him out of my sight.