the landlord cometh

Well , I have to admit that I have totally slacked on this blog so far... Honestly I had great intentions of writing often. And I do have a couple posts in the edit stage that have since become obsolete so I didn't bother to post them since they became outdated. So I guess I am here trying to figure out amidst all the unpacking, rearranging, yard work and child raising, where is the time that I would like to spend blogging? Because I have yet to find it. I told myself that I would do it at night when the kids were asleep after all the days chores were done. Turns out the chores are never done, and by the end of the night I was too tired to string a proper sentence together. I know there are women out there who accomplish much and then still blog about it, so I am determined to become one of those women. The ones who do it all and the live to write about it. I'm just not sure how to do that yet. I tried a late night caffeine buzz and while it kept my body awake honestly I was still mentally inept. Definitely not able to blog, not even surf actually. Just kept me awake enough to be unproductive and sleepless. So I got to watch some x files without falling asleep to it. Not quite what I had in mind. So how much sleep does one actually need to be a functioning adult? I still need to be able to cook, clean, operate heavy machinery, and keep an eye on a toddler and a baby (e who is almost a toddler now too!) I would also like to add that I do cook most the meals and I would like to bake every couple if days. I also need to finish unpacking my life from all those boxes, I live on a gorgeous yet high maintenance piece of land so yard work has to find its way in there somehow, and if it isn't too much to ask I would love to do some art somewhere in there too. Anyone have any suggestions on how to accomplish that, short of never sleeping?

my frida collage that I keep in the mudroom for inspiration...


Right now I put the kids in front of (I know I know) THE WIGGLES, and while I cant really dig it they love it and I SO wanted them to be distracted for a little while. Today my day was busy and it isn't even 3/4 over. I was up at 5:30 because I couldn't sleep. The landlord was coming over to do an inspection at 1 and I wanted the house to look clean so I obsessed about it in my sleep until I could sleep no more. 5:30 then. Shower, coffee, start a load of laundry. Get kids up for school, the babies wake up. Breakfast for babies, change out laundry. Deep clean bathroom. Change diapers, clean kitchen, do dishes.
some pics of my tiny tidy kitchen...




some supplies for art and life...

Then it was time to entertain babies. Clean the boys room, then the mudroom...

Some pics of the mudroom ( the entry into the house, also where the dogs sleep at night)...




Meanwhile babies are having a field day trashing the living room while I am cleaning. Toys and Cheerios are everywhere. Snack time. Nursing time. Nap time for Zari. Then I clean the living room...
love my little livingroom...

one livingroom altar detail... i have several livingroom altars...

my treasured bookshelf, books on magic, all things esoteric, faeries and unicorns...

Now I feed Gavin lunch, set him up with some colored pencils and paper and then clean my bedroom.

a peek into my bedroom, still under construction... and yes S and I sleep in here along with the 2 babies... talk about attachment parenting...

the book nook...


misc. shelves make for an interesting mix...

bunnies and unicorns...

altar...

essential oils and parfume oils...

the love shelf...


bags and jewlery on stars...

Now I get Gavin in his outside clothes to go pick up miscellaneous yard stuff, clean and sweep the portal (new mexican lingo for porch). I anxiously await landlord. Pray the dogs behave while she is here. Tell the cats to make themselves scarce so she doesn't realize that I have 5 cats. I don't know if she would care and I don't want to find out. We have lived here 6 months, and she is about to give us a lease hopefully.This was a sub let so I really don't want anything to come in the way of that. Despite the fact the casita (my future art studio) is totally a disaster she seems pleased with the place. The cats are invisible. The dogs behave.
Gavin does not.... Several crying fits ensue...

Is he always like that she asks? (She has a teenage daughter.) I grin and I don't think it looks authentic. I think I am biting my tongue. How does one go about explaining a sensitive, emotional child to someone who doesn't have one? She does a thorough check of the place, inside and out. Part of me really wants a beer right about now, ( I am not a big drinker, this is not a usual craving!) But I know there are 3 in the fridge. And she looked in the fridge! Of all the places I didn't clean before she came. What landlord looks in the fridge? Well she did, and let me tell you it was neither clean or organized. EMBARRASSING!

the real me and my messy fridge...

And of coarse she managed to find the place on the wall that my son colored all over with crayon. The spot I had no idea existed or I would have cleaned it off.
So this whole visit with the landlord was totally stressful because this last 6 months we have been on a sublease. It was up to her to decide if she would give us a lease or if we would have to move again. That is really where my stress came in. We have moved so many times in the last 3 years and I am so tired. I want to put some roots down somewhere. And this is that somewhere. It is the most magical land we have lived on in such a long time. It really is the perfect place for us. It is in the country, the village in itself only has 96 occupants according to the census. Our neighbors on either side are awesome. Its on 2 acres loaded with fruit trees, a huge garden plot, berry bushes and an acre grazing field (or playing field for the kids). There is a river that runs the bottom of the property that has plenty of trout for fresh fish dinners, and it backs up to thousands of miles of wilderness. There is a lake within 3 miles of the house. How dreamy! I couldnt have asked for a better place. Actually I did ask, god, goddess, the universe, the list master, for a place that has all these qualities. I got my wish, the universe provided me with all of my list requirements. So the thought of the landlord having the say wether we stay or go was tearing me up. You see, we are not wealthy by all means. We have 4 kids and live off one income. S is in the resteraunt industry, so that means money ebbs and flows with the seasons and the economy. We all know that the economy is in a little trouble. Our rent is 900. a month. and while we have been able to pay it every month to be honest the check didnt always go out on the 1st. We often found ourselves scrambing to make the rent during the lean winter months. So would that count against us in her eyes? Would she decide that she wanted to find more stable tenants? I have busted my butt to take care of the property to compensate for the tardiness. Would she recongnise that? Landlords can be fickle. They can be greedy. I actually have had very few kind landlords. So I have landlord anxiety.
I suffered thru the inspecion with knots in my stomache, buy my fears went unrealized and she was very kind. She had a few issues with the guy we subleased from and she let me know that. All in all she seemed pleased with the place, saying that it looked good. She walked me around the property showing me all the different fruit trees and berry bushes and such. Wow are we going to have a delightful growing season! Becuase we will be here, since she did hand over a YEAR lease!!!!!! I am so excited I could do cartwheels (if I actually knew how)!!! What a huge weight off my back! As she was leaving I pointed out the work that I have been doing on the front fence. I redug a post hole, put in a new post and straigtened the wire fencing last week. "You did that?" She asked looking at me a little surprized. With the baby on my back I added. I left out the fact that I also dug the hole with a screwdriver and my hands since I didnt have a shovel! This next week I will be getting a shovel and finishing the fence.

the fence post i dug with a screwdriver...

After she left I was so happy. I didnt do anymore work for the rest of the day. I played with the kids. I read a magazine. I started this blog entry. I made pizza for dinner and brownies for dessert. It was a great end to a busy day.
So now it is the moring after. I have a clean house. it is a beautiful day. Today I will be savoring my small victory. I will be thankful for the tree blossoms and the fresh country air and for a landlord who is about more than just money. I will be thankful that I will have this magical place to call my own for one more year. Blessings abound. Hoping that you all are filled with your own blessings. peace and love, chella

and i leave you with a few pics of my magical special yard that i can continue to enjoy...

ENJOY!!! XOXOXO