Let me start off by saying that I have been able to visit Nicole (she's married to my nephew Clint) in three of her homes. Without exception she has a talent for decorating. Not only that, but her level of tidiness is monumental. Are you getting the picture? July found me once again taking a "tour" of their latest, newly built, home and loving her sense of style while at the same time being awe struck by the showcase cleanliness I found. I mean there are six people living in this house. What's going on?
Okay, so Nicole might be considered a "clean freak", or maybe just a gal with so much energy that she has to pick stuff up. . .A place for everything and everything in it's place. A drill I'm sure her children know by heart, based on the way their rooms were kept. I love her and wish I had some of her drive.
She and Clint have a beautiful little family, and they are certainly growing up quickly. At least my yearly visits allow for great growth spurts in the children. Nicole shared a scare she had for her youngest daughter a year ago. "We were all sitting around downstairs. This was when we lived in the farm house. Aspen went upstairs, I thought maybe to get a drink, and did not return when I expected her to. Our neighborhood was like one giant construction site at this time with sub division homes literally going up all around our little property; I had a fear that Aspen had gone outside." I knew that this story had a happy ending because, after all, Aspen had helped give me the tour this day. Nicole continued her story, "So I ran upstairs and sure enough the door was unlatched and still open, and when I got outside, there on the driveway was her little doll." When I heard this and felt the panic in Nicole's voice I sort of cocked my head to one side, felt that something was not quite right, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "And she knew perfectly well it belonged in the toy box!"
Nicole, stopped short and laughed and agreed, yes, she certainly knew better than to leave her doll on the driveway!!
Nicole, if you read this, know that I love you and thanks for your great example.
8 comments:
Joyce:
I know exactly what you are talking about! I have a daughter (who has 4 kids) who into Interior Design and she and her husband have had 4 homes -- each one right off the cover of Good Housekeeping! She, too, is a "neat freak". For the life of me, I don't know where she got it from! I know it wasn't from me! Maybe it is her way of "getting back at me for being so laid back and easy going and always having work to do in the house!" Heather is much like her, too. There are days when i could bottle their energy or motivation or whatever it is that makes them that way and do something! But, then with my personality, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my life as much as I do!
Great story!
lol, I love the pictures of her house! And you are quite the comedian :) love ya!
Yeah I grew up in the shadows of that big sister Kim, thinking I had to keep my house like a museum. Sadly, I fall far short, but like my mom said - I'm comfy! To this day I get kind of panicky when I go to my sisters, I'm afraid I'll move something 1/4 inch out of place and she'll notice and then I'll be in trouble because I'll have made work for her! Aagghh! And don't even get me started on what a tail spin I go into if my sister's coming into town and may "stop by" - that induces a week long cleaning frenzy! Yes, they have beautiful homes, but if you close one eye and squint with the other, so do I!!! (Just don't open any closets!)
Loved your story!
Joyce...I believe your niece and I would get along really well.....there is something sick about our compulsive behavior to have things neat and tidy, but it doesn't give us much time to stew about it! Love you and miss you
Tracy
For being your next door neighbor, I had no idea how you spent your summer. Great pictures & funny story. Wish I could have made the Idaho trip, not so much to see Nicole's new house, but to see her and the rest of the crew. As for Kim and Austin's short stay in the community--I'm glad they're here and excited they have opportunities knocking.
So what exactly is Aunt Kathy 's face saying in that picture. I think you should make up something interesting like, "Did I leave the iron on?" Yeah, I'm sure that's what she was thinking:)
Oh, and I'm learning more and more that I am not a neat freak...But I still want a house that's clean like that which does make me freak out... so that's gotta be some sort of freak.
KT
I just read Tracy's comment, and had a flashback. It was at her house that I first witnessed a clean carpet being vacuumed. Until then, I had never seen an individual cleaning what appeared to be already clean surfaces--what a concept.
I want to be her too. Not the "neat freak" part. But the part about having good taste.
Thanks for the kind comment on my blog. God bless.
Post a Comment