Ahhhhhhhhhh…………………….
The Home Tour is over!! It was a great success! We still are counting up the numbers, but I know we surpassed last year’s donation to the school by nearly double. Did you come? Did you enjoy it?
I heard lots of folks heading to their cars saying things like “That was the most amazing tour ever”. I’m so happy that people enjoyed Arapahoe Acres. Thank you to every homeowner who shared their home’s unique beauty and simplicity with the masses. I hope events like this will help to preserve this neighborhood. Could you imagine one of these homes being demolished? Oh, it would be a tragedy.
If you missed the tour and would like a commemorative book, they are still available here.
Now that the tour is over, I can concentrate on my own home. Some asked if we’d be opening our house this year. With a toddler making messes every time I try to clean one up, I knew we couldn’t do it. Not to mention the time it took to plan this event.
Now that the tour is over, I’m ready to make a to do list so our home can be a happier, more beautiful place. Our family room needs lots of help. I’m hoping to get it painted and maybe even do something with the floor (it has carpet remnants over painted concrete slab, any suggestions?). But then there’s the single paned casement windows that freeze over every winter. Oh and the mangy carpet in the kids’ rooms…. and have you seen our master bathroom? Ok, the list is eternal and funds are limited. Hopefully I can choose a few things that will make us happy without breaking the bank. A lot of the changes will seem like spring cleaning being done in the fall. I have my car’s trunk full of clothes to take to the donation center. Check!
This is how I decompress. Or is it? I know I’ll be looking for another project to distract me from cleaning my house. I really don’t like housework.
the home tour was great! we have driven through your neighborhood many times and wondered what the insides are like. thank you for organizing the event.
Man I wish we could of been there. Maybe next year, but I do know what you mean about a toddler making messes. I feel frustrated not ever being able to keep clean but then remind myself the oldest is only 4 and that we’re working on it.
I’m so glad you got a chance to peek inside. Hope to see you again next time!
Ooh, I would love to dish about your ideas for the house. I adore stuff like that if you want a sounding board!
I think you are asking the right qtsueions, and have your priorities straight, making the right match for your daughter and then looking toward help keeping the house at a tolerable level of cleanliness and organization.To answer your concern, yes, some nannies such as myself and many i know are happy to do extra household work in addition to child care. Most will just pitch in to put things away or wash the dishes, etc., although some have been burned by former employers who responded to this kindness by leaving more and more messes and becoming angry if they were not all cleaned up And these nannies will no longer risk setting a precedent by pitching in. Even these are generally willing to do certain tasks that are written into a work agreement.It will help if you make a list of the household tasks and prioritize them. Ask the candidate which she would be willing to do. Estimate how long each would take, and note how often each needs to b done. That will help you know how realistic it is to ask the nanny to do those things during the schedule you set.You may need to schedule her for extra hours to accomplish these tasks, since the help with your daughter sounds quite focused and intensive, not conducive to multitasking. Unless your caregiver is a retiree with other income, she will not be able to live off the income of a couple of hours at each end of a split day, and might welcome paid work for the midday. But if you find a good match for May, and she doesnt want to do housework, you can always hire a pt or weekly housekeeperor cleaner to come in and create the cleanliness and order you need in your home, separate from the child care.