Wicked Wednesdays #7: Mess = Fun

So it appears that most of my Wicked Wednesdays posts (inspired by the fabulous Brummy Mummy of 2 and her encouragement of us to share ‘real’ family photos) just seem to highlight what a messy home we live in!

However, in lots of ways this is  a healthy development as I have spent many years rushing around the place tidying and wiping ‘just in case’ someone pops round and finds out just how messy we really are.  No more.  I am definitely much better at adopting the ‘take us as you find us’ mantra these days.  Generally, the norm is that our house gets messier and messier as the day progresses and then there is a massive clean up operation at the end of the day.  This works for us but I understand it may not be everybody’s cup of tea.

Anyway, I digress.  Today has been a good day.  It may not look like it from the photo.  In fact it may look like we’ve been burgled which is how I think the place regularly looks when I leave it for the school run.  However, this is ACTUALLY the sign of a good playdate – fun was had, games were played and drawers were emptied.

Actually the playdate was an impromptu arrangement that was sorted at the request of my eldest.  This was our first real day by ourselves (we’ve had lots of visitors in the early part of the hols) AND with no plans in the diary,  so what started out as a day that I was feeling a little anxious about (my need for plans is explored in this recent post)  ended up as one I am feeling very content about; lots to be grateful for and some mindful moments to remember too.  For example:

•   the 4 of us (me plus the eldest and the toddler twins) found a new park that we can walk to.  We’ve lived in this specific pocket of south-east London for four years now  and had never visited it before.  It had sand to play with, a teepee to hide in, a HUGE climbing frame for the eldest to tackle, a zipwire and a little nature trail too.  It catered for the needs of all 3 kids and was safe too as it was enclosed.  We spent a happy couple of hours there and I know that we are very lucky to be able to add this park to the list of three other faves that we can walk to in the area.

• I enjoyed listening to my eldest son read his first ‘reading challenge’ book to me and his sisters.  I marveled at how far his reading has come in a year at school.  It was great to cuddle up with him as he read to us and to see the pride in his face when he finished the book.  A real mindful moment.

• A similar moment occurred when twin 2 started to spontaneously give coy kisses and cuddles to everyone this afternoon – she went round the room giving little nuzzles to our guests and to me, her brother and twin sister.  An extremely sweet interaction to watch and to be a part of.

So there you go, yes clearing up the house at the end of the day can be a bind, but it doesn’t feel so tedious with thoughts like these to observe :-).