10 Steps To Taking a Relaxing Mom Bath *Humor Edition*

 I love taking baths. They are an essential tool in my busy mom life!
  

 I used to be a shower person, and I still am to an extent. In recent years I have found that a good soak in the tub can work wonders on my mood, it helps with sore muscles (Thank you T-TAPP boot camp!), stress, anxiety and my arthritis pain too! In all honesty it is my time to decompress after being with the kids all day, every day.
I absolutely love being a homeschooling Mama to four awesome kids, but it can be mentally and physically exhausting.

 I try to take a soak 2-4 nights a week. If I'm having an arthritis flare, it's even more often than that. You would think this amount of repetition would make it painfully simple for the kids to understand that Mom is taking a bath, all other things can wait fifteen minutes or at least be redirected to Dad until further notice. 

Nope. Nada. Not happening. 

*Sigh*

 

We only have one bathroom in our house, so I tend to not lock the door while I'm actually in the tub. I lock it before I get in and after getting out. I do it in case of urgent needs or emergencies etc.

It has come to my attention that my children do not know the difference between urgent needs vs. totally unnecessary whims. 

 I've been keeping count and on average I am interrupted no less than six times per bath! SIX! How many times do they go to their Dad? Zero. Zero times. 

 Upon further thoughts on this topic and the sheer mass and absurdity of the interruptions, I decided to mentally keep track of my interactions with my children while taking a bath and then relay a sampling of them to you. Because we all could use a little more humor in our lives. Plus if we are being honest, this happens at your house too. 

So I present you with my typical bath time 'routine'.

Step 1
  Place tired, freshly bathed, milk cup holding, blanket snuggled toddler up with an episode of Doc McStuffins on a tablet, on the couch near Dad. Announce to my husband that I'm taking a bath. Tell the children I am taking a bath. 

Step 2
  Grab my towel and favorite pajamas. Wait outside bathroom for the traffic jam of kids who can't wait fifteen minites to go. 

Step 3
 Remove toys, and wet wash clothes from tub. Run the hottest water possible into the tub.

 I do this for two reasons.

 Reason one; I am usually the last one to bathe and the hot water tank is typically tapped out by now. 

 Reason two; because the tub never stays hot long enough and non dissolved Epsom salts are not your friend!

Step 4
  Add Epsom salts and turn on favorite worship music on my phone. My phone automatically starts playing The Greatest Showman sound track, because one of the kids was borrowing my phone. Switch music to Lauren Daigle.

Step 5

 
  Strip down, avoid mirror (I've had four kids after all) and climb into tub.

  Child knocks on door, interruption one. 

 It's Addison(age 7) she enters the bathroom because she has to pee. I remind her she just went pee, but she has to go again anyway. She turns down the music because it keeps her from being able to go...makes perfect sense. 

Still sitting on potty, 'Mom, what are you doing?'

Me: 'I'm shoveling snow. Why? What does it look like I'm doing?'

Addison: *giggles* 'Oh. I thought you were taking a bath. I thought it was summertime, I didn't see snow?'
*All sarcasm is lost on this one.*

Me: 'Yes, I'm taking a bath. But you already knew that and probably did not need to ask.
Are you done yet? Please go finish your evening chore.'

Addison: *Washing hands painfully slow, asks five more questions and comments ranging from why the sky is blue to how babies are born. I politely suggest she go ask her father. She finally starts to leave,
'Do you want me to keep you company? Do you want me to sing you a song? Are you lonely? I'm gonna miss you!'

Step 6
  Soap up wash cloth, shave legs above the shins for the first time in longer than I care to admit, and wash body. 

Someone stands outside the bathroom door, doing a rather loud, completely  believable cry.
Interruption two. 

  

I yell through the door and ask if someone is bleeding. 

'Huh Mom? What? Do you need me? Did you miss me?'... It's Addison again. 

After reassuring her that I promise I'm not lonely, and as long as no one is hurt I'm good for her to leave. 

She leaves, but leaves the door cracked 2.5 inches. *Sigh*

Ten second after Addison leaves, Emma (age 10) appears at the door. Knock, knock...'It's me Emma, I figured you would shut the door for your bath?'

She is doing her kitchen chore, 'Mom, how do you get the lid off of this cup. It is on really tight.'
Me- 'There are two very strong and able-bodied men in the living room.'

Emma: 'I already asked Alex (13), he said it was too tight, Dad said he couldn't because of the tendonitis in his arm.'

Emma hands the cup into the bath, I open it in .5 seconds. 

'Wow Mom! How did you do that?!'

Me- 'Magic mom powers.' *hint of sarcasm*
Emma leaves, actually closing the door.
That's the end of interruption number three.

Step 7
  I attempt to listen to music(at it's still lowered volume) and think calm thoughts. Twelve seconds later...
I hear a scratching  and meows at the bathroom door. Ah yes, interruption number four (Anna, age 2) has shown up right on time. 

Anna: 'Mommy, I WANT you! Meow! Mommy I NEED you!' Scratching. 

Me: Silently praising God that the toddler lock is still on the doorknob. 'Why do you need me?'

Anna: 'Doc turned off. I need Doc.'

Deep breaths, with the mental image of her getting up from near her father and walking past three other capable people in search of me. I remind her that Daddy is home and can help.
She mumbles through the door and walks off, meowing. 

Forty-five seconds later, Knock knock. 

It's Addison...again.

Number five.

 
She wants to make sure I don't actually miss her. Comes into the bathroom and makes herself comfy on the toilet lid.

'Mom, can I get on my tablet? I did my chore.'

Me: 'Yes, put PJs on first.'

Thinking to self. This is great, she will go and watch a show!

Nope. 

 
She decides to hang out for a few. She is writing a note on the mirror, so I can read it; in case I get lonely and want something to read. Also in case I might forget about her in the whole fifteen minutes of my bath.
She opens the curtains and insists I should read the note, so she can see the surprise on my face. 

Me: 'Addison'

Addison: 'Yes, Mommy?' *doe eyed*

Me: Cringing from guilt before even opening my mouth. 'Get out.'

Addison: 'Won't you miss me? Will you be lonely? Do you want me to tell you a story? Do you want to tell me a story? Can we have ice cream for a snack?

*Slowly leaving room and sticking her face in the crack as it closes.*

'Bye Mom, I'll miss you, I can stay if you want. I love you!'

Walks away leaving door cracked 2.5 inches. Every single time.

Interruption number six. 

 
  Alex (age 13) sees door is cracked and assumes no one is in the bathroom. Whips open door.(Yes, I'm smart enough to shut the shower curtain while bathing.)

 
Alex: ' Oops, sorry Mom. Didn't know you were in here. Hey?! Why don't you shut the door so people know to knock?'

Me: 'That's a really good idea. I'll have to remember that in the future. I'll be done soon.'

Alex: 'Ok. Hey. Since you aren't busy I have some questions about co-op, is there going to be...'

Me: cutting him off. 'Get out.'

Alex: 'But...'

Me: 'Unless you want me to come in and ask you questions while you shower, get out.'

*Silence*

He is gone.

Step 8

 
  Having lost all hope of having a relaxing soak in the tub, I release the tub plug and admit defeat. I Climb from the tub to find my towel has been used to dry someone's hands and my clean clothes have been trampled, I lock the door.

Vowing to never leave it unlocked again.

Then I hear a knock knock on the door and a 'Hey, why's the door locked?' from Addison. 

SEVEN. 

 

Step 9
  I emerge from the bathroom 17 minutes after entering to find everyone happily engrossed  in other things. They don't need me anymore, I'm clearly available to help them now.

Anna is passed out cold on the recliner. 

 I walk into the living room and my husband looks up from the movie he has been watching uninterrupted and asks, 'How was your bath?'

Maybe yoga would be more relaxing?

Step 10

 
Briefly consider running away to a deserted island and then secretly admit that I would miss them, plus the art work here is priceless! 

Blessings!

~Lyndsay

7 Quick Takes! A Recap of Life in the Tiny House This Week! House-iversary, Christmas Break and The Great Countdown Debate!

Happy Friday and Merry Christmas!

Is your shopping done?
Are you ready for family and friends?
Have you decorated the tree and baked the cookies?

If those questions stress you out. That's ok. 
Let's change it to questions that really matter.

 Did you tell your loved ones how much you love them?
Ask yourself what was truly important this time of year?
Have you sat a little one on your lap and told them about baby Jesus?
Have you read your Bible or praised God today?

That's better! I've been doing my best to unplug for the worldy things this year, and plug into more Jesus and family. Quiet time reading with the littlest ones, reading our bibles, family dinners, lunches with Dad at work, discussing what really matters. 
I'm doing my best to focus less on the things that distract us from the most important things. 
That's why I have been here a little less. I would like to be here more, but this is a season of preteens, toddlers and ages in between. I should be watching them, because they are watching me!


1. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Christmas is quickly approaching. The excitement is mounting and the debate has begun once again. Do you count down to Christmas Eve OR Christmas Day??
I personally have always counted down to Christmas Eve, because our holiday festivities start on Christmas Eve.
We have a slightly split household on this. So the countdown calendar is a source of daily discussion.
It has now become a thing. If you say how many days it is until Christmas you have to specify if it is Eve or Day.

So, I ask the readers. What do you count down to?

Let me know in the comments!

So we can settle this debate once and for all. Or start the discussion at your house for years to come!


2. Just a little bit of coffee...

 This was our last week of school before our break. Actually if I am being 100% honest, we were supposed to work through next week. However, we were all starting to show sign of burn-out. It was time to call a break.
Want to know a couple signs of burn-out.

People eyes start to glaze over and stay that way for most of the day
People get antsy...kids and Moms
School gets "too hard" (Insert whiny voices)
My afternoon cup of coffee starts to look like this

  



And the kids start to leave my subtle hints, like this.

 









Yep, definitely time for a break. 

 3. Green Tree Restaurant

Dustin and I went on a date over the weekend. We visited a local place we had been talking about for a while. We have been living in our town for about 3 years now, and we have started to explore the little parts of town that not everyone knows about.(We also like to support local businesses like our own. :) ) The little restaurants and small town shops. This town is filled with so much history, and they have gone to great lengths to maintain the structures, feel and the stories.
We finally visited the Green Tree Restaurant, mainly because I friend of ours shared an article about them sourcing locally grown grass-fed beef. We had been having a steak craving, and figured it was a good place to fix it.

The food was good! We got the last two NY strip steaks of the night. The service was friendly and competent. Plus the restaurant was very clean. The best part, was the history! You can read about it here. The short story is that the restaurant was opened in that exact same building as the Green Tree Tavern is the year 1800, three years before our state was actually a state! They reopened it in 2015 as the Green Tree Restaurant.
I love history and I'm a sucker for a story like that. Pretty sure it is one of my top three favorite old places to eat in our new town. One of the other ones is The Madison, it is housed in the original Post Office building!
If you live local, or ever happen to find yourself traveling through our little piece of the world, you should make sure you try these places!

4. Holiday Bloopers

We finally took real family pictures..with coordinating clothes and both parents(Not each of us taking turns and photo shopping it in later)...for the first time since we had 2 kids!
We had already scheduled the day and then it snowed and was 20 some degrees. We were not to be deterred. At least I wasn't going to be. We planned for this, showered and everyone had recent hair cuts. THIS WAS HAPPENING!
Thankfully we have an amazing and caring neighbor and I have a kind and loving husband who tends to go along with my crazy whims.
We managed to get some good shots, but most of them are on lock down until after Christmas. Grandparent presents and what not. ;)
I am willing to share a picture with you that has made me smile and giggle every time I look at it. It is our family in a true moment of life. I'm pretty sure the blooper pics are the best.

 
 
5. Christmas Program!

Our homeschool co-op put together an absolutely wonderful Christmas Program. There was an expressive signing performance, bell choir and the older kids have put together a show choir. Have I mentioned how amazing the women at co-op are? I'm forever amazed at the talents and organized skills that come together. You put these women in a room together and things get done. I'm pretty sure they could solve world hunger and create world peace, if our Moms meeting lasted longer than half an hour each week!
My MIL even pulled me aside and asked if this was all 'just' homeschool families and 'Wow, they get a lot done!" Yep, they sure do. They take their job as education facilitators very seriously.
The program was amazing and entertaining and Anna only screamed, cried and threw herself in the floor four times. Two year olds are such a fun filled crowd. I'm calling it a win!

 


6. Addison

Someone had a birthday at the beginning of the month. Can't believe she is 7.  She picked a gold and hot pink themed cake and decorated it herself. (With a little help from Emma and myself.)

She received this shirt for her birthday. It pretty much sums up our Addison. She whirls, twirls and always glitters. She is such a blessing to our lives and our world wouldn't be the same without her in it. She told me she wants to be an "Animal Dr at the zoo" when she grows up, but also...a mom and to adopt.
Sounds like a good plan to me!

7. 4 Years!

We purchased our 'tiny' cottage in the woods on December 10th 2013. It was one of our first big huge steps toward the debt free life we live now. It was scary and I'm pretty sure we were not entirely prepared for all the level of repairs that the house would require. I knew Dustin could totally handle anything this house threw at us, but I am definitely positive that we didn't see some of it coming. 

You can read more about how we found this house here.

This house has changed a lot over the last four years. We have changed as well. The kids are growing, our lives and views on things have changed so much. I struggle to even remember where we came from or even who we were before starting this journey. The old life seems so foreign to us now. We try to sit and recall a time when credit was a part of our lives, before the tiny house project, before we learned to downsize and live small, before we really truly asked God what he wanted for our lives. 

We can't do it. 

Will we always call this house our home? I'm not sure. Forever and always are very solid and sustaining words. We are here because God placed us here. No one can say He won't move us again. 

It is funny how life can seem so mess, scary and disorganized when you are in the thick of it, but when you come out the other side of situations...you see how His divining grace was leading you through it the whole time. We were the ones not fully trusting in His will and grace. 

2013

2016 after porch completion

Blessings!
~Lyndsay