Is This Just My Family?

When my brother and I graduated from high school, my parents hosted a graduation open house for us at our home.  Knowing that hundreds of people would be traipsing about our home, my parents found both of these events fantastic impetus to do those big house projects they'd been wanting to do.  You know, little things like re-flooring half of the main floor (including the kitchen) and replacing the banister above the stairs, like they did for my brother's open house.

It always cracked us up.  We knew how silly it was to add that much more stress on top of the rest of the party planning.  But the project would always get done the night before (or the morning of) and it would look fantastic and be worth it.

And now that we have our own house, I do the same thing.

I have friends coming to stay with us in 2 weeks.  Not quite as many people as an open house, but staying a bit longer.  And I know they don't expect my house to be perfect.  And I know it won't be.  But there are things I wanted to do anyway, and this is as good a time as any to do them.

So I made myself a giant list of things I'd like to have done before they arrive, categorized everything by importance on a scale of 1-5, and then rewrote the list sectioned out by category, so I could focus on the 1 things before the 5 things.  I even left room in each category in case I thought of anything else.

(Have you seen Gilmore Girls?  When it comes to making lists, I'm practically Rory Gilmore.  I totally made Pro-Con lists a decade before I ever even heard of the show.)

And now, less than 2 weeks out, I find myself looking at the list and considering how many miles to the nearest insane asylum.  I know if it doesn't all happen it'll be fine.  I just want to take advantage of the opportunity to kick myself in the pants to get as much done as possible.

Do you do this?  I'm not just talking the rush around to throw the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and sweep the kitchen floor crumbs into the vent when your grandmother calls and says she'll be dropping by in 10 minutes.  I'm talking the landmark, mountainous projects we take on just before a deadline.  Is it just us? 

Love and Laughter,
Leah Joy