Country Living anyone???

OK, so here's the thing. I really want that dream house with the cream/white finishings, a splash of colour here and there, a place for everything and everything in it's place. You know, the sort of thing you see in the Country Living magazines and Antique specials where one reads about how wonderful Supermum keeps her brood of children, husband and smallholding in a perfect state of immaculateness (is that a word?!) while the children grow up in the countryside playing in streams and somehow never getting their clothes dirty. Oh and said Supermum has a fantastic career (and income) to boot?
      

My Inspriration

Cow.

No I'm not jealous AT ALL.

This is because I KNOW it is all a farce. No one can actually live like that. I'm sure of it. I am sure secretly we are all muddling through and there is no way their houses actually stay like that all the time. I can imagine in reality the week before the magazine was due to visit said Supermum running the riot act about the house being photographed " for xxxxx Magazine and no you can't leave that mug there....". The night before being a mad rush of tidying and the actual morning being a frenzy of breakfast, children bundled off to school and a final whizz around with the hoover. Ha. And of course the massive relief once they've gone and the whole family can begin to live again. No I am not jealous, BUT here's the point. Even though most of us know it's not really real, we still all yearn for these 'perfect' houses. I know I do.

My problem is this. I am not a perfectionist and I do not have OCD. Unfortunately. No seriously, I think just a little would be a good thing. Then my house would never get into This State:

The dreaded Girls room - eek!

Here is the truth of the matter: I will do ANYTHING to put off cleaning my house. (But I do still like it clean!). Today is an excellent example. The house is a bomb (how did we all end up with so many clothes???!), but instead of cleaning it (like Melissa would ha ha) so far today I have:

1. Chatted for 1/2 hour outside the school gates
2. Driven to a friends house to see if she was in and have a catch up. She was out so....
3. Driven into town to meet with a Toddler playgroup who I believed were meeting in an activity centre. As it turned out I was wrong. So after half an hour....
4. Drove home with Xavier and washed the dog - as I said - ANYTHING to avoid the housework! Then....
5. Oh OK I did start on the kitchen and dining room but then Xavier needed a bottle. So my mini cleaning spree ended as he refuses to drink it and fall asleep unless I hold him. (Yes I know I need to get tough but I still haven't).
6. Woo hoo he's asleep now so I could be carrying on with the cleaning but no. Instead I thought I'd write to all of you. I am the BEST procrastinator lol.

I suppose I'd better get on now though.... Georgie xx

25th June - I LOVE shopping!

Today was a fun day. I got to visit a shop that I have been following on Facebook for some time, Second Chance Risca and they were brilliant; really friendly and helpful I don't know if you are the same as me but I just LOVE a bargain!

Second Chance Risca

Now, I need to confess something to you all. We all like to think we are the best parent that we can try to be, but the reality is this: we are all just winging it and putting on a brave face. At what point did the world become so opinionated on on the 'right way' to parent?! Oh. I know. When the internet allowed us to. Well I say "whatever" to everyone else and just do it MY WAY. Ha. (Ok I do take an interest in everyone else's tactics as well but in the end it IS my way). Any way, I digress. My confession: My almost 16 month old baby still sleeps in our bed every night. Phew! I said it! Yes Mum, I'm sorry, I have still not cracked it. Until now.....

THIS is the key:

My new purchase - I love it!

I have a new plan. I am going to upcycle my lovely second-hand rocking chair and put it in his bedroom. Then I'm going to give him his bottle (yes, he still has one!) while sitting in the rocking chair and pop him into his cot (awake). Then I'm going to read my book while sitting in said rocking chair until he falls asleep. It will be easy! Ha. But you haven't met Xavier. He has an aversion to his cot. I tried the crying it out previously and after 45mins of crying I couldn't take it any more. This will be THE way forward I just know it :-)

I'll post a picture of the finished chair soon and let you know how we get on...... Georgie xx