Posts Tagged ‘masmom’

So to keep things rolling between now and the actual BlogHer@Home party/conference Jen and I are going to post a “Getting to know you” series.  I know for a lot of you this will be all “yada yada yada” because you are already lucky enough to follow me on twitter, my blog, or stalk me in real life.   However it will give you guys a chance to know Jen and I better as well as maybe meet new people through the comments to see who you will be conferencing partying with that weekend.  Later on in the game we plan on opening up Mr. Linky and letting that not only stand as a giant roll call for everyone planning on participating, but will also further help you guys get a feel for everyone involved in BlogHer@Home.  Maybe break the ice a little before August.  We have plenty of time this year to hone in on our group and get to know our community. So Jen and I will go first and then we will go from there.  Plus, for those of you lucky enough to know Jen or I already, you may learn something new, who knows.

I’m gonna to take you back to the old school, because I’m an old fool, who is so cool…

Like way back to the old school.  Picture this:  My mom & dad have five kids.  I am oldest of said five kids.  Mom decides to go back to school.  She actually started that with 4 kids and the fifth one was a HUGE surprise.  So our home was BURSTING with hustle and bustle. With dad working full time, mom in law school, and me 15, G 13, M 9, C 5, and J 1 we were a spectacle in public places to say the least.  With mom and dad getting home later and needing the help, I was the built in babysitter/laundress/housekeeper and all around drill sergeant.  Keeping the house clean was not actually too hard because it was not big.  Only three bedrooms.  Three bedrooms packed to the brim.  My sister and I in one room, all 3 boys in another, and of course mom and dad had their own room.  So the problem was not so much the cleanliness, but the CLUTTER.

There was something on every surface in that house.  All the dressers covered in miscellaneous personal items, every desktop stacked high with papers, books, tapes, any and everything.  Toys were EVERYWHERE.  Our house was definitely “lived in.”  There were no sacred do not sit in here rooms, or lets keep the toys out of this room, rooms.   So even when the house was clean, it looked messy.

This table would have been COVERED in my parent's house.

Sharing a room with my sister was a complete nightmare.  She was just young enough to be interested in my stuff and want to be like me and too young to actually share.  Like, my makeup, or my Bath and Body Works stuff that I worked for, not her.  I have eyes like a hawk.  If she so much set down my lotion bottle in a slightly different angle, I knew about it.   Anyway, all of our rooms were small for the amount of people in them, so they never looked Pottery Barn catalog like to say the least.

So fast forward to my adult life…and I might be considered a clutter freak.  I CAN. NOT. STAND. CLUTTER.  I like my house to be “guest ready.”  So, unlike back in the day when someone would be coming to town we would have to really clean and prepare, I keep up with it on a regular basis.  My living room might be Pottery Barn-ish, but there are toys, lots of them.  We actually live in a house pretty similar to the one I grew up in (old Florida style) but there is a lot less clutter.  There are also a lot less people.  Which is also part of my master do-not-let-the-clutter-take-over plan.   I seriously can not leave the house with toys strewn about or old dishes left on the table. That just drives me nuts.  Especially since our house is like the hub for friends and family.  We live 2 minutes form the family business and in the middle of town.  So people are always stopping by to hang out, grab a smooch, from Mason, or go for a dip in the pool.  The last one is a regular occurrence in the summer for sure.

There was definitely a time there where I did let it get a little out of control.  I was becoming a complete neat freak.  Never stopping, almost compulsively cleaning and organizing.  Mike would have tell me I could make a cup of coffee nervous and I needed to sit down and chill out, especially during Mason’s nap.

Bookshelf behaving.

Bookshelf that could use some help.

I have to say since my two surgeries I have learned to appreciate my time with Mason in a whole new way. Since he had to start pre-school I give him 100% of me when we are home together. I really just can’t get enough of him right now.  And yes, there have been times when I could. Heh.  I took for granted the fact that I had him with me 24/7 before, taking him to work with me.  Now thing are different, and won’t ever be the same in that respect.  I have learned to let some things go sometimes.  That clutter does not in fact actually kill you like I once felt like.  Now, there really isn’t any way my house will be as clutter as the one I grew up in, but I can understand better now why it was.

It wasn’t just because there were so many of us in such a small space. Ok that was part of it.  It was also because my mom and dad would rather have spent their time doing stuff with us than re-organizing the garage so we could get some things in there rather than have them laying around.

I am still a little bit of clean-neat freak, a ‘cleneat’ perhaps. Look now I make up words! I have a certain level at which I like things, once the house falls below that level, I am compelled by an alternate universe to get up and clean.  However, since my surgeries, not only has my time with Mason been shorter but my stamina and over all ability.  I have found the strength within me to say, “Lu, it will be ok.  You are sore.  You need to sit.  You are still recovering from a major surgery.  Besides, when you look back will you be glad you cuddled in Mas’ bed a few minutes before bedtime, or that you got al the laundry done in one day rather than two?”  I have opted for the cuddles lately and it’s totally worth a little laundry or mail clutter.  I also learned the hard way last time that pushing myself is not the way to recover from any kind of ankle/foot surgery.  I have come to accept the fact that I have limitations.  Sometimes limitations lead to clutter and perhaps some dust bunnies. But so be it!  All I know is that I am very lucky not to be single after the year I have put my husband through.  For all those months are barked asked him to clean because it was below the level that I could manage and I was going crazy in the head.

So even though I am totally warped by my parents and the parameters they set up for my youth, I am totally awesome because of them too.  I realize balance is possible.  It’s different for everyone.  If a ‘cleneat’ can do it, so can you!  Although in respect of full disclosure I will say I have a list two pages long of things to be organized or deep cleaned that got backed up since I have been hurt. Some days I can tackle something on there, some days I can’t.  I do push myself too hard sometimes too. And I pay for it.  No one is perfect, right?  Don’t answer that Princess Jenn!  *SNORT*

Just to show you I am growing…I have to deal with these messy looking magnets on the back of the FRONT DOOR because I could not deal with them on the fridge.  At least I am allowing them to stay there when I really want him to put them away every time when he is done.  Mike says that is crazy. SO FINE!

*Deep Breath*

There you have it. Something totally random and quirky about me.  I wish I could say I was going to run out of things for you, but sadly no.

Any other ‘cleneats’ out there?  I know I am not alone…show yourselves!

Hello and welcome!
We’re gearing up for BlogHer@Home 2010, and wanted to introduce ourselves and give you a little heads up on what’s going on around here.

Some of you may have participated in BHAH09. You might remember that this shindig was dreamed up by Jenn and Nic last year, when they realized they weren’t the only ones disappointed they were unable to go to the official BlogHer conference. So they whipped up an at-home party for all of us, complete with video chats, link exchanges and give-aways. And they did a stellar job, especially given the short time frame they had to pull it all off!

In fact, it was so much fun, that we decided we need to do it again this year!
Now, Jenn won’t be able to join us, because she saved her pennies and snatched her ticket to BlogHer’10 up right away. But we’ll forgive her this time, especially since she did such an awesome job re-designing the site, and is graciously providing technical support for BHAH10!

This year, I (@thepsychobabble) and @masmom are co-hosting the event. You can check out our bios, and learn a little more about us over in the About section.

We already have some awesome prizes lined up.  But we’re always looking for more sponsors! If you’re interested in purchasing some ad space, or providing a prize (or both!), contact us, on twitter at @blogherathome, or email us (info AT blogherathome DOT com) for more details.

We  also have big plans for the chat sessions and posts this year. You know how if you go to a conference, you’ll have panels on certain subjects? We’d like to do that here, too, for you guys via posts, vlogs and chats. But we need some ideas. So start thinking about what it is you want to talk about, and who you want to hear from, this year at BHAH10, because we’ll be asking for those suggestions soon!

We really enjoyed the video chat last year, but found that too many people on camera really slowed things down. Especially for those with less-than-high-speed access! So this year, the plan is to ask for volunteers, and have you do a little on-camera audition. If you’re interested in being on camera this August, and participating in the chat sessions, let us know!

We’re really looking forward to this event, and seeing our old friends, and meeting new ones. So get ready, mark your calendar, and grab a button to put on your site, to let others know where you’ll be this August 6^th and 7^th!

And don’t forget to subscribe, or check in often, as we’ll be posting things and updates from now until the big weekend!

Until next time,
Jen ThePsychobabble

BlogHer@Home was originally conceptualized and created just before the 2009 BlogHer conference, by Jenn (PrincessJenn) and Nic from My Bottles Up.

They were sitting around, having a drink (or three) and lamenting the fact that just about everyone in their Twitter streams were talking about the upcomming BlogHer conference in Chicago and what a good time they were going to have.

Not to be left out of anything involving drinking, fun, and swag, BlogHer@Home was born.

Within a month it went from a passing idea to a full blown twitter party with it’s own website and giveaways.  Nic and Jenn attempted to pick their jaws up off the floor at the number of people who were now talking about BlogHer@Home and ran with it.

Now, due to popular demand, BlogHer@Home is back for another year!

As some of the BHAH2009 alumni head to the BlogHer conference in NYC this year, the hosting of the 2010 party is being passed to two amazing ladies, Lu (@masmom) and Jennifer (@thepsychobabble).

We know they’ll do a great job and add their own flair and flavor to what’s sure to be the hottest un-BlogHer party out there!

About The Hosts:

Meet Lu, mother to her own hurricane, also known as her son Mason, and the queen of humidity down in South West Florida. She’s a lover of garlic and all that is slightly odd (which explains why she gets along so well with the rest of us!) She’s not a fan of the sugar-coated and would much rather you just tell it to her straight. Lu comes form the school of hard-knocks and graduated with honors. Underneath all that toughness, she harbors an arts-and-crafts kind of girl, a domestic at heart, and a love of community and friendship.  You can find more of her awesome (questionable) writing over at Jaded Perspective, her personal blog.

Jen is a mother, wife, student, future nurse, blogger, <insert your own title here>, who is easily amused by big words
Her sharp wit and barbed sense of humor masks a sensitive soul only occasionally revealed on her blog, The Pychobabble.  Deep down, she’s just an angsty goth girl just waiting to escape.

About the Founders:

Nic can be found at My Bottle’s Up! when she’s not running after her son, The Magoo.  A self describe passionate writer and tattooed liberal, you can usually find her with a very large glass of wine in hand.

Jenn shares her over-opinionated view and tidbits about living with a special needs daughter at Princess Prose.  She leads a pampered, over-indulged life with her geek husband and is fairly certain that the world revolves around her.