10 Weapons of a Stay- At- Home Mom

Pin It A classic day at home... I wake up at six, but can't seem to shower until nap time at 2:00. I seem to squeeze by with little showering, little primping, little personal shopping and, overall, very low personal hygiene. How is it possible that complete strangers can stop by my home and don't feel like they have entered a morgue instead of smelling my Santa Fe Chicken in the crock pot?

These are my weapons to cheat the system and appear presentable and operational when really... I am no where near it. Some common things that most people think are a must... are not for us ladies who have no one, but the Lord, who  might see us in a day. However, there is that lingering fear that a visitor could pop in at any time are these are my secrets to keep us looking like we have some sort of organization when really that may be far from true.

1. Bra - we know they were made to wear everyday, but for some reason getting naked and putting it on is the last thing we want to do in the morning. If I can fight through this hatred early on, I can kick some serious butt throughout the day.
2. Cook - have something cooking. If your unannounced visitor smells cookies or dinner that my take their mind of the mess they see on the floor.
3. Eyeliner - You could have had less than 2 hours of interrupted sleep last night, but if the eyeliner is on they may be able to see the whites of your eyes.
4. The Rat- this also might be known as teasing your hair, but among the 7 girls in my family... we would RAT those long locks. A couple swipes of the comb around the crown of your head and the grease and bedhead you have acquired in the last four days of no showering will quickly disappear.
5. Jeans - Some other stay-at-home moms may not agree, but if I have jeans on (not my cozy, ever giving waistline, black yoga pants) I can get the job done. If I leave on any stretchy pants I want to eat breakfast and drink coffee until noon (maybe longer).
6. Teeth - Brush. Very simple. A loving gesture for the uninvited guest.
7. Respectful and Obedient Kids - we train for this a lot at our house. A visitor is a treat and we should all be excited and give them our full attention. The kids answer questions directed to them and, hopefully (this is still a work in progress) don't interrupt. If your kids are sweet and well behaved a visitor might leave thinking, "Well, at least, those kids are a joy to be around. She could use a house-cleaner though."
8. A Understanding Husband - "Babe, the carpet guy is going to be there in five to pick up a check." God love you, my man. All I needed was those five minutes of prep time and this place went from the relaxation station to boot camp.
9. Smile - If all else fails and none of the previous weapons were available before someone stops in... a joyful heart for the home and family God has given you might just be the only thing that they remember!
10. The Plan - If the plan was to pay bills this morning and your pastor's wife stopped in with a book to find you in the middle of disciplining a VERY unruly child, beef stroganof on your zip-up, and dirty underwear in the entryway, then don't feel bad. You wanted to pay the bills and you did. If she stopped in and you are just being lazy and have no plan for the day, then do better tomorrow. I try to do the 9-noon-5 plan. Those are my checkpoint times. By 9:00 I try to have everyone dressed, fed and presentable. By noon we start a pick up and get things tidy before naps. At 5:00 we do another pick up before dad gets home. If you stop in at 8:30... well, we are doing our best. Have a little grace!