Messy Kitchen

Do you know why I post close-ups of my favorite things (like this polka dotted cup, the circus bowl....garlic and avocados)?
Because I'm messy.


Oh, didn't you know?
I'm an ENFP...the kind of person who can survive in her car for weeks, because there are so many survival tools in there...like leftover food, umbrellas, coats...extra shoes...oh, is that a can opener? Yep. I'm that kind of person.

You've seen my collage wall...but how often have you seen the dining area in a full picture?
Well, here's one:
I'll go ahead and answer the anticipated questions.
Yes, my Middlest Son is wearing sunglasses in the house while he does his schoolwork. Yes, this is typical for him. No, I haven't cleaned that mirror in weeks...maybe months. Yep, my sewing machine is on the kitchen table. During school time. And, no, I hadn't used it in a few days. That pile of stuff on the floor? It's my fabric, stuffing, and buttons. All necessary stuff. For the kitchen floor. Yes, one blind is closed and the others are open. Because that is how my daughter likes it when she's working at the table. Oh, and there is indeed straw paper trash on the floor. One of the boys must've shot it over there and I simply didn't notice until I examined the photo. Seems someone also stuck a little toy up on the curtain pull-back thing. Oh, well.


The thing is-- I love this room. Messy and all. The stuff doesn't bother me (most of the time...there is that one week each month...) Actually, I don't even notice it most of the time. My Man? Nah, he doesn't care. In fact, he's the most likely one to throw his hat/lunch/keys on the table along with the other stuff. Do we eat at the table together? Yep. I just set the sewing machine on the floor temporarily.
It is clean, if not free of clutter.

Most important to me, it is happy.

We find joy here.
It doesn't need to be perfect to be beautiful (I love Nester.)
Turn around and you'll see the kitchen counters. Aaaaaand, you guessed it, those are usually covered in goodies, too. Here I must say that I try to keep the counters cleared off. I TRY. But these counters are just magnets, I tell you. Everyone loves to draw here, build Legos, balance the checkbook, you name it.




Plus I like to keep the fresh fruit right out in the open, easy to grab for a healthy snack (Fred, I'm talking to you!!)

Closer? Okay:

Papers- check. Legos- yep. Fruit falling off the platter- uh huh. Notebooks and a folder under the Legos? You bet.

But isn't it all pretty? The colors. Yes. Legos? Yes, yes, they're adorable and I love them (except underfoot!) The flowers and chalkboard? I'm smiling. And, yes, I just took the picture...I keep strings of lights up in the hallway year round. Because I like them, and for no other reason. They make me smile. They make me want to dance down the dark string-lit hall at night.

And dishes....oh, I try to keep up with dishes...

at least the ones left out are adorable. So cute.

I mean, who needs to make sure every glass is in the dishwasher, when I have crayon glasses?? Right?
I thought so.

Surprisingly, perhaps, I'm one of those refrigerator-stays-cleared-off kind of people. Only the side of the fridge can be covered in photos and coupons and notes. Otherwise you can imagine the fridge chaos that would result. I stick to one or two current pieces of art to highlight on the front. Here is the latest, and I LOVE it. From Mr.T....the Middlest, sunglass-boy.

This first grader has been practicing those bubble letters. ;)

Mess and all, I love this place!

(Okay, now here's the really crazy thing...I went to get Nester's link copied since I mentioned her and all...and she's doing a link-up of imperfectness right now. Seriously, she posted it this week. Bah...crazy. Wow.

I'll call that a God-thing. He shows me such sympathy...or I should call it grace. Such grace for my imperfections. I'm not alone.)