Since we just got home from a vacation, things have been slow to return to normal. After all, Monday we went and got our tree and yesterday we had multiple errands to run, including to the grocery store.

Whenever we come home from a vacation, my pet peeves seem to come to haunt me. Right now they're heightened due to stress revolving around school and such as well. Not a good thing. Poor Clark has to deal with me being super happy one minute due to the Christmas season and dreadfully upset the next due to school or our house being a disaster zone.

Yes, we did leave our house as a mess, but that only makes matters worse when we're busy. Now, not only does it have the mess it had before, but it has more added to it.

We brought in the Christmas tree but haven't stored the table that was where the tree is standing now. The, now empty, box that holds our Christmas decorations is still in the middle of our kitchen floor. Our suite cases from our Georgia trip, I'm sad to say, are still downstairs and full of dirty clothes and things that need to be put away. My laundry basket is still full of clean clothes that need to be folded. There are bags on the counter full of necessities that need to be put away that have been bought within the last 72 hours. My back pack and school books have taken over the couch/coffee-table area. My writing room is an absolute disaster full of pillow shams (I'm not sure what from), school books, papers that need to be discarded, and so much more. The trash can in the kitchen is close to over-flowing.

The list goes on. I know I shouldn't be telling you how awful of shape my house is in, but it is pretty necessary for my next rant.

Clark and I have specific "duties," if you will, that we do around the house. He washes dishes by hand, I load and unload the dishwasher. He takes out the trash, I clean out the cat box. I do laundry, we both fold and put away laundry (sometimes). He makes the bed in the morning (when he remembers), I make his lunch in the morning. He lets the dog out when it's cold and blustery, I make sure the cat gets all of his medicine. I dust, he vacuums. I clean the bathrooms, he mops.

You see what I mean?

So, when we're busy, my list still gets done for the most part. I must admit I probably wouldn't have dusted if we hadn't put up the Christmas tree, but I still did it. I haven't folded laundry, but that is supposed to be a chore for the both of us. I've made his lunch every day thus far, he hasn't made the bed in I don't know how long. I've been cleaning the cat box everyday, and like I said the trash downstairs is close to overflowing. I haven't cleaned the bathrooms since we got home, but it's on my list of things "TO DO" today. His stuff is lying all over the kitchen counters, and I just recently got mine put away.

As you can see, my pet peeves are being challenged. So, what are they? Things not getting done.

Period.

When things are done around the house, I get really pissy/anxious. I know it. I have no problem admitting it. Have I worked on it? Yes... to some degree. I just don't understand why it's so hard for some people to remember to do the things they're supposed to do. No, I'm not a prime example, which is mildly entertaining, but I do my very best... and my best tends to be sufficient.

The thing is, it doesn't bother Clark when the house is a mess. The car? Yes. He hates when the car is a disaster. His stuff? Not really. He doesn't like it when his shirts aren't ironed or when his pants aren't pressed correctly (that's the Marine/Southern man in him), but I've left that to him. He doesn't like it when I'm careless, like if I forget to turn off the oven or I leave the cider on when we leave the house. So, I know in the end it balances out... it just doesn't feel like it does.

I'm going to go clean up my kitchen, now, which is full of things that do not belong in a kitchen. I'm doing this because I need room to cook Chicken Tetrazzini for dinner and Sugar Cookies to bring to my classes tomorrow, seeing as they are my favorite classes.

Don't worry. My house will be clean by tonight.