New Dishes, Barbeque, and Andy Griffith

Well, I am still sitting on the only clear spot on the couch, but progress on the after-Christmas mess was accomplished today. The totes and boxes that littered the floor last night are now neatly piled waiting for some lucky boy to haul them up to the attic. The pine needles have been vacuumed and to celebrate having a clutter-free dining room table again, we enjoyed a steak dinner on new dishes. One problem with having new dishes, though, is having to find a place to put those new dishes.

In fact, that is the process that takes a while... finding new homes for all the new little knick-knacks that made their way to my home via Christmas presents. I got a couple of new scent warmers and it's always a challenge to strategically place those types of things in our small house, but they sure do smell good. The dishes required me to do a little rearranging of the cabinets which then required an impromptu family gathering in the kitchen for me to point out the changes that had been made (a necessary step when the kids are in charge of the dishes and don't really care if the plastic cups are mixed in with the glass ones).

All this cleaning and rearranging and organizing has been good for me, I think. I've been making a conscious effort to think positive regardless of the unchanged circumstances. Yes, I realize that we're only into day two of this new way of thinking, but it sure feels good for a change. Tomorrow might be a whole other story. My husband goes back to job he despises and the "first day back to school" will have lost its excitement for the kids. I've already got a game plan, though. It's called barbeque pulled pork sandwiches. Guaranteed to put a smile on all faces in this family.

My daughter just called out from the kitchen, I love how you organized the bowls, Mom. She's baking again. Baking and watching Andy Griffith. I don't know how many twelve-year old girls out there watch the clock for The Andy Griffith Show, but she is one of them. And if I can make her life easier in the kitchen by keeping the bowls organized, then so be it. She makes my life easier by keeping me supplied in chocolate.

I've never really been a New Year's Resolution kind of girl, but I might consider some this year:

Stay positive.
Love the Lord.
Practice patience.

Then again, I think I'll wait to see how the rest of the week goes. I can only fix so much barbeque.